Best Thoughts Birthday - Stampin' Up!

Happy Tuesday, Everyone!  I made today's card for a friend's birthday. :)  She really likes Mickey Mouse and the color orange.  I didn't have any Mickey stuff, so I went with orange this time.  And of course this card was inspired by Try Stampin' or Not on Tuesday's sketch challenge #264.

This is the fun sketch we worked with this time.  And if you have time make sure you head over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE to check out the great cards made by the design team.  If you get a chance to play along we'd love to see what you create!

Crushed Curry

Watermelon Wonder

Wild Wasabi

As you can see I used a flower instead of the circle for my focal point.  I water colored in the whole hydrangea using Crushed Curry.  Then I added Watermelon Wonder.  When they mixed together it made the flower appear orange and that's exactly what I wanted. :)  I used Wild Wasabi for the leaves and stem and called it good to go. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Candy dots made with card stock and Crystal Effects

Remarkable You - Stampin' Up!

Today's card is more watercolor painting.  I really enjoy doing it, but have a lot to learn!  I really don't know much about it, but enjoy seeing what others do on their cards.  I've just tried to do what I see them do and hope it turns out.  I just started watching videos on it and hope to keep doing that and learn as I watch and play with watercolors. 

Today's card was inspired by four colors and is a challenge from my Stampin' Up! upline (I don't think they call them upline anymore, but I don't remember what the title is so I'll stick with that for now :).  No matter what her title is she's awesome!

Calypso Coral

Crushed Curry

Mint Macaron

Marina Mist

To color this I started by stamping the flowers in Smokey Slate (can't see it can you...that's the idea!)  I want to see the image, but have it disappear as I color it in.  I actually stamped off on scrap paper one time, them stamped it onto watercolor paper.  I usually start by coloring the object in my painting, but after watching a video I started with the background (I think I'll stick with my way for now!).  I started by wetting all of the paper except the flowers!  Then I picked up some Mint Macaron and used that color closest to the flowers.  I made sure I kept the paper wet and added Marina Mist except I started on the outside and moved in so it got lighter as I moved in and blended with the Mint Macaron.  I could totally be doing this wrong, but that's what works for me right now and until I learn more that's what I'll stick with. :)  Once the blue and green were dry (and I sped up that process using the low setting on my heat gun) I started with the flowers...one at a time.  First I painted the spadix (the inner yellow part...and, yes, I had to look up what it was called!)  That was simple. :)  Next I outlined where I wanted Calypso Coral by getting it slightly damp, then I added the color.  Before that started to dry I pulled out the color where I wanted it, got the rest of the flower wet and added the yellow so the colors would bleed together.  Simple, right?  Nope, not really!  At least not for me!  Like I said this is all a work in progress, but I enjoy creating what I can with watercolor painting. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

SU! watercolor paper is not big enough to create a full card 

so I use bigger pieces from a craft store in my area. 

I also created my own candy dots using the cupcake builder punch and crystal effects

Watercolored Wetlands - Stampin' Up!

Today's card is a CAS birthday card with a bit of watercolor on it.  I wanted to use a stamp from Wetlands, so I created the scene in watercolor, stamped the birds in the water, then added a touch of shadows.  This was originally on a much bigger piece of watercolor paper, but you never know (or at least I never know!) how my finished card is going to turn out.

For this card I decided to cut off a bunch of what I painted and make it square and "frame" it.  I used the square framelits to make the frame.  The sky seemed a bit empty so I drew a few birds in it.  That seemed to finish off the picture for me. :)

These are the colors I used to create my scene.

Basic Black

Pacific Point

Bermuda Bay

Lost Lagoon

Mint Macaron

Soft Sky

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Watercolor Paper from craft store (SU! paper is not big enough to use for a card base)

Awesomely Artistic Birthday

This morning I've been staying toasty warm in my basement by the wood stove after the snow storm that decided to hit Michigan.  I thought I'd wake up to it still snowing like crazy, but so far just dark and gloomy clouds off to the south.  We'll see if we get more or not.  Since it's just above freezing and is only supposed to warm up it won't last for long, but it's sure going to leave a mess behind!  That mess always makes way to spring...eventually!  And that's what this card reminds me of.  Not of the mess, but spring! Not sure why I chose just blue and green for this card, but that's what popped into my mind while I was creating it.  I hope my friend didn't mind the colors. :)  

I started by embossing the bundle of flowers in white, then filling them in with color.  I stamped the green fern piece in three spots, then stamped over them with VersaMark and embossed them in white.  I stamped the sentiment, then did a watercolor wash over the card, most of it in blue.  Wherever you see the green I managed to pull it out of the leaves a little since I needed to put some color in between the flowers and leaves too.

Oh, I forgot to add that I used liquid frisket on the top of my card before I did the watercolor wash.  When I rubbed it all off, it left a few splotches of white here and there.  I thought I had put more on than that, but I think it turned out fine.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Lovely as a Tree in Watercolor

Today's post is just about me playing around with a bit of water coloring.  I haven't used the set Lovely as a Tree much lately and thought I would try a scene with it.  It's not very colorful, but it's pretty clean and simple.  

I was really trying to work on my trees' shadows and the sun and sky.  The sun is not bright at all and that's what I was going for.  The shadows also aren't very dark, but I kind of like the look of that.  The middle tree's shadow didn't turn out at all so that's where I stuck my sentiment. :)  

Since I thought it was a little boring and too light when I made it I added the candy dots for just a little extra something.  At first I was just going to dump it, but thought I'd sleep on it first and try to  make something out of the next day.  I'm glad I did because it's really growing on me. :)

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Helping Me Grow in Watermelon Wonder

While trying to figure out a card for a card swap that I was in I "watercolored" this card and decided I was going to send it to my aunt for her birthday.  I love the bright color of the flowers and the pale blue in the background.

Definitely an easy card to make!  I stamped the images with VersaMark on watercolor paper and embossed them with white embossing powder.  To get the different shades of color I did one petal at a time.  I'd get the whole petal wet using an aqua painter (or paintbrush if you prefer), then I'd add the color on the bottom of the petal and let it bleed upward.  

I did the same with the "Happy Birthday".  I stamped everything with VersaMark and embossed it in white, then cut it out with the Rose Garden Thinlits.  Then I wet the whole inside and put my color in with an aqua painter using Soft Sky.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Birthday Blooms in Watercolor

I finally had a chance to sit down and use a new set from the Occasions catalog called Birthday Blooms.  It's a beautiful flower that was begging to be colored so that's what I did. :)

I embossed it with silver embossing powder on watercolor paper, then watercolored everything using Mossy Meadow for the leaves and Blackberry Bliss for the flowers.  I can't say I love the bottom part of the card, but I needed to put something there and was in a hurry to get the card ready to be mailed since I was a little late sending it out. 

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Christmas Wishes

Happy Thursday!  Today I have another Christmas card for you.  I have to say it seems more like Christmas here in Michigan right now with the snow we're getting than when it was actually Christmas!  I definitely wish we had this much during the holidays, but that's here and gone for a while.  That won't stop me from working on my stash of cards for this year though. :)  We have a great sketch over at 'Tis the Season for you to check out.

Make sure you head over to 'Tis the Season HERE to check out what each of the designer's have created.  We'd love to have you play along too!

I went with pretty simple for my card.  I stamped the cardinal with StazOn Black on watercolor paper and colored everything using my aqua painter.  Since I need to make more of these I think I'll try putting black under my cardinal and see how that looks.  I couldn't try it this time since all of the banner pieces were already stuck on!  

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolored Rose Wonder

I'm at it again...yes, more watercoloring.  Believe it or not I never paid attention to anything watercolored until I saw ladies that did it on their cards.  Now I'm fascinated by it!  Can you tell?!  

I've been playing around with the new set Rose Wonder which is in the Stampin' Up! Occasions catalog.  The first time I saw it I couldn't wait to watercolor it.  I've done a few and so far this is my favorite card that I've made  :)

The picture below is the first card I made with this set.  I'm happy with how it turned out for my first card, but I wanted darker colors on the petals.  It's hard to tell in the pic, but after using Tangelo Twist and pulling the color from the stamped image it turned yellow like a light layer of Daffodil Delight.  And the strategically placed "Thinking of You" is there for a reason.  Orange and green mixed together just don't make a pretty color! lol

Like I said earlier I used Tangelo Twist for the rose.  I also used Pear Pizzazz for the leaves and Mint Macaron for the background.  I've learned to paint each petal separately instead of just quickly blending as much color as I can when the paper is still wet and the ink from the stamp.  I've read about and watched different ladies talking about how to fill in the petals.  One at a time and never next to each other.  I have SO much to learn yet, especially about shadowing and shading things in.  For some that comes naturally, but it is very difficult for me.  In the mean time I'll keep reading, watching and practicing...and hopefully you enjoy what I create.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on these cards:

Please note that some items listed may be retired from Stampin' Up!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Thinking of You

Today I have another card practicing a bit of watercoloring to go with this week's sketch over at Try Stampin' or Not on Tuesday.  It's a very CAS sketch and I love that about it.  

A lot of times I'll have a stamp set pop into my mind when I'm thinking about what to do, but this time I looked through my stamps instead and Vivid Vases seemed to pop out at me.

This is the sketch I followed.  Make sure you check out what the other designers created HERE.  Lots of different cards with one idea.  Love that!  If you get a chance show us what you've created using this sketch.  We'd love to check it out!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Watercolor Paper (not Stampin' Up! - I use too much to pay for what they offer)

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Watercolor Ornament

I have a second post today that I wanted to show you.  I've been patiently waiting until I had time to try my hand at a little more watercoloring.  Dina over on Splitcoaststampers had a tutorial a few weeks ago on a watercolored ornament card.  Her card is beautiful and she has a step-by-step tutorial and a video you can watch.  Yes, she makes it look so easy!  I tried it with the three ornaments first, just to get a feel for it.  I didn't think it turned out too bad for my first try, but I never finished putting it together since I had to get a card made that I could give to my dad and that one just wasn't the right one.   Every year he asks me to make a card for my mom that he can give her, and of course it has to pass my inspection!  I'm not a perfectionist or anything! lol  

As I was looking through the blogs I follow I saw that the Color Throwdown has "any christmas creations, any colors" challenge this time around, so I thought I'd play along.

I'm also putting it into Splitcoaststampers' gallery.  If you make a creation from one of their tutorials you can upload it into that particular gallery.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Supplies used on this card:

Scrap Paper, Size 3/0 spotter paint brush 

& retired Holiday Ornaments Framelits

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Beautiful Birthday

Yes, this is my second post today.  I happened to have two projects that needed posting, so I just went with it. :)  I created this card using Try Stampin' on Tuesday's sketch challenge #250 and made it for my niece's birthday.  I remember hearing that she always get winter cards, so I had to make her a nice spring/summer card.  I also had to try a bit more "water coloring".  I couldn't resist and was pretty happy with how it turned out. :)

Make sure you head over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday HERE to see the other great cards created by the design team.  Looks like I forgot the theme to use metal on my card.  That is optional so I still pass...whew! lol

.

Just a couple more pics to check out.  Wish I could get the pictures to look like the card actually does.  I think I need to haul out my light box again AND get the lights that I need to keep things nice and bright when I'm trying to take pictures.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!

Water Colored Masculine Gift Card Set!

Although Christmas is right around the corner today's post is not about that. Instead I'm excited to share a snippet of what I created for Craft Project Central!  It's a  Water Colored Masculine Gift Card Set!  

Here is your chance to get the month of December's projects for free that I've been reminding you about.  All you need to do is comment on my post at Craft Project Central HERE.  I will draw and announce the winner on my blog on December 27.  Be sure to stop by and visit my blog again on the 27th to see if you are the winner !

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at water coloring but thought you couldn’t do it?  Here is your chance to give it a try using the masculine set The Wilderness Awaits and an Aqua Painter. The step-by-step instructions will show you how to make a wonderful set of four masculine cards with envelopes that fit right in the box that showcases your water colored creations that you can give away as a gift or keep for yourself.

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

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I would love to be your demonstrator! If you like what you see and want to order anything just click on any of the products that I've listed at the bottom of my blog or click on the "Shop Now" tab at the top of my blog. Any of them will take you directly to my website! If you have questions feel free to contact me. Just click "Contact Me" at the top of my blog . If you're thinking of becoming a demonstrator click "Join My Team". I'd love to have you join me!