Splashes of Watercolor

***You still have time play in the Stampers United blog hop -  you can find it ->-> HERE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Today at the Angels Landing blog, Judi has challenged the design team with a 4-way sketch.  It’s one basic sketch but laid out 4 different ways.  I chose to use the one on the bottom left.

The zinnia from Angels Landing Simply Flowers stamp set was perfect to try water coloring a digi image.  Several copies of the flower and leaf images were printed on a thin watercolor paper using photo ink, and then heat set to dry.  They were “loosely” painted using reinkers and a water brush, cut out and used as one of the sketch elements.  A sentiment stamped on watercolor paper and matted on a die cut layer completes the card.

Here’s a close up of the flower (you can click on it to see it even larger):

Be sure to check out the Angels Landing blog for links to all the design team members’ cool projects!!

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today!  See you again soon!

• Stamps: Simply Flowers - Angels Landing, Chelsea Sentiments - Inkadinkado
• Paper: watercolor paper, soft suede, bermuda bay, dusty durango, Thoroughly Modern DSP
• Ink: computer, StazOn - jet black (for the sentiment), Reinkers - dusty durango crushed curry, kiwi kiss (for painting)
• Other: water brush, ribbon, Label Four Nestabilities, scallop border & corner rounder punches, swiss dots CB folder, foam tape
  

Sorrowfully, I needed a sympathy card to send out today.  It’s always hard to make a sympathy card, but I find is especially hard when it’s for a man.  I wanted to keep it simple and somber, yet not dreary.  I hope I accomplished this.

I decided to try to use Kazan’s sketch 21 for this week’s 2 Sketches 4 You challenge, and  to use one of my new Stampin’ Up! sets called Thoughts & Prayers.  It really is a beautiful set!

I’m going to make this a short post.  I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that we’re finally getting warmer weather.  It was in the upper 70’s here today!  But we’re losing an hour’s worth of sleep tonight, and after spending 5 straight hours cleaning out my flower beds and trimming back all my hydrangeas, butterfly bushes, and lantana, I really need some rest (and a couple of Aleve, I’m afraid!).

Thanks for stopping by!  And don’t forget you still have a couple of days to make an ATC (see mine HERE) for Rubbernecker’s Wacky Wednesday challenge.  You could win one of three certificates for 25% off your entire order from the Rubbernecker website!

———————————

• Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers (Stampin’ Up!)
• Paper: sahara sand, black, Basic Grey Granola - seed, hull
  
• Ink: going gray, Ranger Distress - black soot
  
• Other: clear EP, 1″ circle punch, ink blending tool, button, corner rounder punch, DMC floss

It seems like every week I need at least one sympathy card and I end up making it based on the Featured Stamper challenge. This week is no exception. I needed 2 cards so I made them identical, which really is a time saver.

This week’s featured stamper is Silke Ledlow, better known as Sparklegirl on Splitcoast.

I chose this great card of Silke’s: Petals Birthday. I love the simple layout, the white card base, and the simple placement of her sentiment. So I kept all of those features and changed the stamp set, the colors and the sentiment, of course.

Thanks for stopping by!

******************************************************************************

Stamps: Garden Silhouettes, So Many Sayings - Stampin’ Up!

Paper: Papertrey Ink white, close to cocoa, chocolate chip, tangerine textured paper, My Mind’s Eye 12 x 12 slab

Inks: chocolate chip, close to cocoa, marigold morning

Accessories: Queen & Co. mini sprinkles brads, glue dots

I really wanted to try today’s Technique Lover’s Challenge TLC161 since I didn’t get to try it when Rose Ann first posted the Flap Fold Card tutorial. I didn’t think I would have time (I’ve been doing taxes today - YUCK!), but then a friend called to tell me that one of our other friends just lost his mother this weekend. That meant I needed a sympathy card, since I can’t seem to keep those in stock, so to speak - which is not a good thing.

I decided to use some of the new SU goodies that have been sitting in a box for what seems like weeks! I can’t believe I haven’t used The Essence of Love before. I just love it and have been admiring everyone else’s creations using it. So here’s my Butterfly Sympathy Flap Fold card:

I followed Rose Ann’s instructions, except I added coordinating Afternoon Tea patterned paper to the top flap as well as to the bottom. Susan (Rainy) enabled me to buy that paper! Thanks, Susan. I just love it!

The bottom DSP is stamped twice using chocolate chip ink, without reinking. I stamped the Thinking of You sentiment on 3 lines instead of 1 using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig so it would fit in the 1-3/8″ circle, then pierced around the edges. The butterfly was stamped with groovy guava ink on textured groovy guava paper and cut out, then attached with dimensionals.

I added white paper to the inside of the card and stamped the butterfly again - in 3 generations - at the top. I used Basic Grey magnetic closures as Rose Ann instructed, but I placed one under my scalloped circle and the other in a corresponding place between the guava patterned paper and the chocolate chip card base.

I hope you like it! Thanks so much for visiting today!

***********************************************************************

Stamps: Essence of Love - Stampin’ Up!

Paper: white, chocolate chip, soft sky, textured groovy guava, Afternoon Tea DSP

Ink: chocolate chip, groovy guava

Accessories: chocolate chip marker, coluzzle, stamp-a-ma-jig, piercing tool & mat, 1 3/8 circle punch, scallop circle punch, soft sky ribbon, dimensional