Watercolor (a tutorial of sorts)

So I ventured out to the stores today...I had to. My niece has a birthday in a few short days and I needed to get a gift. And I'm working on a "December Daily" album ala Ali Edwards. I needed a few more window sheets for that. It wasn't too bad. I think the worst of the "Black Friday" stuff is over. (wink) Now it's just the usual Christmas madness.

I'd like to share some pictures I took while making this card I posted a month or so ago for KLSNS Snowflake challenge tutorial. Over a year ago I took a watercoloring class at my LSS from Dave Brethauer of Memory Box Stamps. This is one of the basic background watercolor techniques.

Stamps: Stampendous SILENT NIGHT SNOWMAN
Paper: Basic Grey ESKIMO KISSES
Ink: SU! Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzelberry, and Melon Mambo (re-inkers)
Accessories: Deb's Crystal snowflakes, EK Success border punch, glitter pen, aqua pen, glue pen, glitter, and Souffle pen.

I use 140lbs cold-press watercolor paper. Mist a section of paper with water until shiny. Wait a few minutes until the paper absorbs some (not all) of the water.

In the LSS class, Dave had us use Twinkling H2Os for coloring. It's a great look with the shimmer of mica, but here I used SU! re-inkers. Water them down a bit. A little color goes a LONG way in watercolor.

Use a aqua pen or paint brush to drag a bit of color back and forth in a block. Start in one corner and don't lift the brush. The water on the paper will draw the color "down". Flip the paper 180-degrees and drag a second color into the center to meet the first color. I used a very little of the Razzelberry at the very top.

Then using pure color you can add a 1/2 drop in the corner. Let the water draw the ink down. If you need a bit more water, mist gently.

Dry the paper completely. If you leave it to dry naturally, the colors will mix very subtlety. But you can also use the heat gun to speed the process. The colors will stay a little more separate with the heat gun. When completely dry you can stamp directly over the watercolor in permanent ink. I always use Archival Ink for this because it will stay "on top" of the color.

Using solid colors, you can then highlight the image (lower left along the bottom & the hat/scarf - not visible in this picture). And a final highlight of Souffle pen and glitter - because well it's GLITTER! (GRIN).

And so it begins...

Yesterday I logged on to check my email very quickly and found BLACK FRIDAY coupons and sales from EVERYBODY under the sun! I'm all for a GREAT deal but I have never been a fan of getting up early. And to get up early to SHOP?!?!? Fuggeddaboudit! I'll shop by computer and avoid the crowds of cranky people in the mall! Getting up at 2am for a 3am sale on a waffle iron....you're nutz! (grin)

Fortunately, KL Stampin 'n Scrappin is an online store!! (BIGGER grin) I can shop in my jammies!

Today for KLSNS blog, I made this birthday card from this Rachelle Ann Miller stamp. I think it would be great as baby card, too. And an even better a baby card for triples! It looks like she has a lively trio on her hands.
As I was looking through my stack of paper last night, I came across this beautiful red, green, yellow flower paper from Basic Grey's Nook and Pantry. The vintage look of the paper and the delicate image work well together. I watercolored the image with SU! re-inkers and my aqua pen. I love my Copics but sometimes the lighter color of watercolor goes better with an image don't you think? JUMP INTO MY POUCH is currently available in the KLSNS store - but not for much longer! It's retiring!

Stamps: Rachelle Ann Miller: JUMP INTO MY POUCH
Paper: Basic Grey NOOK and PANTRY
Ink: Stazon Black
Accessories: Aqua painter, re-inkers, ribbon, stapler, Nesties, glue pen, and glitter.

Happy BLACK FRIDAY shopping!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!



Stamps: Art Gone Wild
Paper: SU! Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke, Pumpkin Pie, and More Mustard
Ink: black
Accessories: Copics, Nesties lace border die, ribbon, gold cord, gold nail head
Technique Junkies: Out of the Box (O/N '04)

Skate Giftcard Holder

Still working on challenges! This is a combination of three challenges:
1) Play Date Cafe color challenge - Julie of A VINTAGE CHIC is the newest design team member. She selected grape, light blue, silver, and white as the color combo.
2) This week's SCS Try a New Technique #246- Christmas stocking giftcard holder. The template for the stocking is here.
3) The monthly Wish RAK (random acts of kindness) challenge #1 - to make a Christmas card!

I was not having much luck (last night or this morning) getting a good picture of this. I think it's the colors - they're just too light for a good picture. Winter light doesn't help either.

I selected the little skating couple (TAC Winter Wonderland) one of the very first Wish RAK images I ever got. Looking at them skating got my creative juices flowing. I decided to add a blade to the stocking. As I was cutting (free-hand) the blade out - I started to giggle. You know what that means! (grin)

The rest was simple construction. Leaving a pocket opening for a giftcard. And coloring the image with Copics and glitter.

The gift card is tucked inside under the flap. I might need to make a few more of these!

Stamps: The Angel Company (TAC) WINTER WONDERLAND
Paper: blue scrap, Basic Grey Wisteria
Ink: none
Accessories: glitter, silver cord, Copics, unraveled ribbon.

Tag Tuesday Challenge #26 - Red, Green and Golden Yellow Christmas

I've been working on some challenges! I have a ton I want to do because they all sounds so fun!
This is week 2 of the COLORS OF CHRISTMAS challenge on Tag Tuesday. This week is red, green and golden yellow. My first thought went to this holly paper. It's my new favorite because it's so gorgeous! I did use a manila tag as the base but cut cover paper. The Santa stamp is also one of my favorites! I wanted him to be a "vision", so I tucked him into the holly. "BELIEVE" was stamped in glue and then covered with red glitter. Distressed edges, photo corner, and silk holly to finish! (oh..and I didn't use my Martha holly punch this time, but only because the scale was wrong).

Stamps: Rubber Stampede SANTA COLLAGE, PaperTrey BELIEVE (sentiment)
Paper: tag, BoBunny ST.NICK HOLLY BERRY
Ink: Distress Ink: Fired Brick , glue pad
Accessories: glitter, Making Memories silk holly leaves, Ideaology metal photo corners, and ribbon.

Exploding Giftcard Box

You might remember that I had a class at my LSS (local stamping store) last Thursday night before all the Twilight madness.

I've done exploding boxes before but this was so cute I took the class just to do the project. I can't seem to find the original directions I used on SCS - this one is close. With the exception of cutting out the folded flaps the rest of the tutorial will get you there.

This box is a bit taller than the SCS version. I would guess it stands about 4 inches tall and 3 inches square.

When the box lid is removed the flaps fall open to revel the gift card holder. The three snowflakes, small "no peeking" and Santa all "float" around on little strips of acetate. I did the same thing on my FLUFFLES VAMPIRE card.

Gift card holder.

The box lid has a small card on top. I think the only thing this box really lacks is a way to keep it closed until Christmas. I think I'll be adding a ribbon or something.

The teacher, Dana Bincer, also has pictures of the class project on her web page Stamping with Princess. You can tell I didn't stray too far from the original (which is pretty rare for me). I think I just loved all the elements (the floating Santa) and the paper is great! She also had some examples of other boxes she did including a "wedding" album that was beyond yummy!

Now...to figure out who get this box at Christmas! :D

Par-tay time!

I'm so excited!!! Tim got me started on tags and just announced this year's 12 Tags of Christmas:


Here's the link!

I can't wait!!

Tag Tuesday Challenge #26 - Pink, Brown, Burgandy Christmas

After my busy week, I mostly took the weekend off! I did bake rolls & cinnamon rolls for Thanksgiving yesterday. Today, I'll admit to procrastinating. I do needlework finishing for one of my old store customers. I've been putting off working on it. My heart isn't in needlework at the moment - not even somebody else's.

But I did put the time to some good use...I worked on the Tuesday Tag challenge (I know...I'm a bit late with that too).

This week's challenge was the start of "COLORS OF CHRISTMAS: Pink, Brown, and Burgundy".

I started with a cream tag. I stamped a corner medallion (I don't think you can see it very well) in white acrylic paint and then brushed some of the paint in the middle. After that dried I sprayed with Glimmer Mist. Blotting and drying between each color. Then stamped snowflakes and words directly on the tag. The girl is stamped on glossy paper per directions from Oxford Impressions for a "picture" like image; and then cut out. Everything was then layered.

Stamps: Oxford Impressions WINTER SNOW; Penny Black CORNER PIECE
Paper: tag, glossy paper
Ink: Distress Ink: Fired Brick & Vintage Photo
Accessories: Crystal Snowflakes; Glimmer Mist: Creme de Rouge, Creme de Cocoa, Creme de Chocolat; paper doily, rhinestone snowflakes, Martha Stewart postage square punch, Hearthwarming Vintage letters.

GRATEFUL!

There's a current trend on different blogs and on Facebook to say what you're grateful for each day.

I'm grateful for many things:
* My family - we seem to actually like/love/respect each other and I know that's not true for every family out there. So, I'm grateful for our relationship. (I just wish most of you lived closer!!)
* My friends- old & new - I am grateful for our alikeness and differences. To my stamping buds, I wish I could meet you all in person but I love seeing your work electronically. You inspire me!
* My job - times are tough and I'm grateful everyday for the paycheck at the end of the week. And the ability to work from home.
* My created outlet - I've always been "crafty" as my family calls it. Be that needlework, scrapbooking/cardmaking, or baking bread. The process recharges my batteries!
* My home/health - as my friend Julie pointed out on her blog yesterday. There are a lot of people that don't have one/the other/both.

And on to my KLSNS blog entry for today! The card background was dry embossed with the Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: BIRDS AND SWIRLS. The large panel print is Basic Grey INDIAN SUMMER. And the main panel is Whisper White stamped with Basic Grey's FAUNA set. I stamped along the edges leaving a good deal of "white space", then stamped "GRATEFUL" from PaperTrey's GRATEFUL set in Brilliance black. When all the ink was dry, I went back over the round Pomegranate leaves and used Magenta Stickles to add some bling. I used this weeks' SCS sketch (SC255) for the layout.

Stamps: Basic Gray FAUNA stamp set, PTI GRATEFUL (sentiment)
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Basic Grey INDIAN SUMMER
Ink: SU! Purely Pomegranate, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard
Accessories: SU! Purely Pomegranate double stitch ribbon, Stickles, and Cuttlebug Embossing Folder: Birds & Swirls

Stampin D'Amour - November ATC

I've had a busy week! Everything has piled up at the end of the week starting last night and picking my mom up at the airport. I have swaps due. I have my usual Friday blog post for KLSNS to get ready. I have a haircut and potluck to squeeze in. And tonight not only do I have a class at my local stamp store, but some friends (Heather & Dave) and I are going to the midnight snowing of NEW MOON. I don't totally get the "screaming fan" Twilight thing but I did like the series. And I am a "dog" person. (wink) Not sure how I'll work tomorrow but you have to have some fun in life! Right?

So one of the commitments is the Stampin D'Amour ATC for November. It's due on the 25th and I was seriously not sure I'd get to it. But inspiration struck when I saw this cute little Santa Girl from Collage Stuff. Lisa always has something new and vintage on her site. And I think it's well priced too. I must say, I'm getting my money's worth from that Martha Stewart Holly punch. I think this is the 3rd time in a week that I've used it on something. The "let it snow" is a line sticker.

Stamps: none
Paper: Archivers sparkle paper, white,
Ink: ColorBox Roan Brown
Image: CollageStuff.com
Accessories: Martha Stewart Holly Punch, rhinestones/pearls, Stickles, silver sticker row, and gold pen.