A Simple Happy Watercolor with Peaceful Petals

The post title said this was a "simple" "happy" watercolor.  

Simple because its just 2 stamps - the flowers and the words - and its just 2 parts on the card base.

Happy because of the bright cheery colors. These colors are Daffodil Delight and Tangerine Tango with a little Old Olive on the flower stems. All three of these colors are part of the Brights Collection.

The image is watercolored:

• I use an Aqua Painter when I watercolor. I really like how the bristles stay together while I paint. 
• This image is on Water Color Paper - in my experience the paper really helps with the classic "watercolor look"

TIP: When you watercolor be sure the image is stamped in StazON so it won't bleed when you paint over it.

This flower image is from a stamp set called Peaceful Petals. The set has some really beautiful flower and foliage images as well as 2 very versatile sentiments. Its available in either wood mount or clear mount.

Here's a horizontal version of the same simple card. Which do you like better? Vertical or horizontal?  Leave me a comment and tell me which you prefer.

Get this stamp set and all your stamping supplies from my on-line store.

And remember that during Sale-a-bration 

each $50 purchase earns you a FREE item from the Sale-a-gration brochure.

When placing an on-line order use this Hostess Code and I'll send you a handmade thank-you card. Be sure you make the choice to "allow demonstrator contact" or I won't even see your name and will not be able to send the card.

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you've been inspired
 

QUICK LINKS:

• Reduced prices on Retired product  . . .  Check the Clearance Rack HERE
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WaterColor Wash with the Wetlands Stamps

One more card made with my new favorite stamp set: Wetlands.  This card was the one used to showcase the August Technique of the Month, which was Water Color Wash.

The technique is perfect for this card - don't you think it looks like the birds are walking along the shoreline?

The technique is so simple (for best results use Water Color Paper)

1. Just stamp the image in permanent ink like Staz-ON
2. Then swish a paintbrush across the image in your desired colors.

I love how clean and simple this card looks.  All the white space and the color combination of Baked Brown Sugar and Coastal Cabana on White really gives it the look of a beach.

And speaking of colors, did you notice the pearls? The small pearls on this card are Stampin'UP!'s Basic Pearls, which are self-stick, but come only in white.  However, you can color them with a Sharpie.  Amazing how well the Sharpie turquoise marker matches Stampin'UP!'s Coastal Cabana.

Do you like this card?  Leave a comment below.

And if you like learning techniques then sign up for one of my classes. 

You can  see the class schedule here and follow the easy on-line sign-up process.

Water Color: Inks and Paper

Today's post is about inks and paper.  The colors on this flower were added with an AquaPainter - which means the image was watercolored.  You can certainly use a regular paintbrush, but I like the control I get with the tips of the aquapainter. And the clean up with them is super easy.

Of course when you apply color with water you don't want the image to smear.  So the image must either be stamped in a non-water soluble ink such as Staz-On  or heat embossed.  On this card I heat embossed. I stamped the image in Black Ink and used Clear embossing powder. The added advantage of heat embossing is that it really makes the image "pop".

Use watercolor paper!  Watercolor paper is more porous and accepts the extra liquid better.  If you try to watercolor on standard white cardstock the water tends to bead up.

Other project details:

• The stems needed something - the linen thread bow added a fresh casual touch.
• For a bit of elegance the trio of self-stick pearls.
• The sentiment was stamped on 7/8" wide Cotton Ribbon

On a different note I'm happy to announce the winner of the Mystery Hostess Drawing we did last month.  The winner is Carole M. from Dousman.  Congratulations Carole. Watch for details soon about another Mystery Hostess event.

Happy Stamping
--Katie

How to Make Elegant Elements of Style

Want to know how to make an already gorgeous card really elegant - include some embossing and some sparkle.  

One thing that adds to the elegance of this card is the classic colors combination:  Red, White and black with a touch of green. 

Several features give this card extra pizzazz:

• The image was heat embossed in black
• the flowers sparkle with Iridescent Ice embossing poweder
• The brads add a subtle shine at the bottom

The flowers are water colored which explains the slight variation in intensity of color and the fact that the colors are lighter than the red paper background.  These flowers are part of a stamp set called Elements of Style.  Its the same stamp set I used on these coasters.

Helpful Hint:  Have you noticed unwanted black speckles when you heat emboss with black embossing powder?  I avoid that by stamping in black ink and using clear embossing powder.

By the way, I really like Stampin'UP!'s new heat gun.  Even if you already have a heat gun you might be interested in this one. It has 2 heat settings.  Use the low setting to dry projects and the high setting to heat emboss.  AND (and this is amazing to me) you can use this gun to heat emboss on clear plastic acetate sheets (like transparency sheets).  Wow.  

You can get all the supplies to make this elegant project from my on-line store.
Or click on an image below. And be sure to check out my Customer Rewards Program.

Thanks for stopping by
Happy Stamping
--Katie

Open Sea and a Water Colored Earth

Here is a really "down to earth" card. The stamp set is called Open Sea and it just seemed so appropriate to use water color to make this card.

I love using the AquaPainter for watercoloring.  Its perfect for a project like this. And of course, using Water Color Paper really helps complete the look too. 

The colors on this card were my attempt at being realistic and "earthy".  I did the land masses in Summer Starfruit and I added a little Always Artichoke (dark green) over the Starfruit to create some forested areas. The water color is Bashful Blue with Marina Mist for the blue scalloped layer behind the  main piece.  

What do you think of that blue scallop layer?  The scallops on it remind me of ocean waves.  Anyway, it was made with the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.  Check out the video below (2:49) to see how EASY it is to make a medallion like this.

  

 You can get the tools to make this project at my Stampin'UP! On-Line Store.  While you're there be sure to check out the Clearance Rack.  There are always good deals there.  

Other Things to remember:

• A $5 stamp set is a Reason to Smile - and its the July Promotion
  
  Check out the details here and see some of my samples here
• We Love Our Hostesses - in fact for the rest of July we're giving away an extra $50 in Hostess Benefits for all orders over $450.  Call me today (608-220-3450) to see if we can fit your party into July. Or better yet, grab your catalog and gather orders from your friends and family. You can put the order in yourself on-line and earn yourself a grand total of $115 of FREE merchandise.  
• You can see the catalog on-line HERE.  Call me if you'd like a paper version of the catalog.

Kindness Matters

Kindness Matters - So Does Getting Stuff For FREE! This is one of the FREE sets I got for a Sale-a-bration purchase.  Each $50 purchase during Sale-a-bration earns you a FREE item from the Sale-a-bration catalog. Check your Sale-a-bration choices here.

Some of the Sale-a-bration options are EXCLUSIVE to the promotion catalog. But this one is from the main catalog and I'd been wanting it for a long time.  So I was really happy to see it was part of this year's Sale-a-bration offerings.

We used this set at the March Stamp-a-Stack. This card was really quick and easy to make. We used the Aquapainter to color the images (Wisteria Wonder, Melon Mambo, and Tempting Turquoise). Of course, since we were watercoloring we stamped the image in Staz-ON ink so the lines would not smudge.

There is no sentiment on this card. That way people could use it as a note card. Or you could stamp a sentiment on the inside to make it any occasion you wanted. How would you use this card?  Birthday, thinking of you? Thank-you?  Maybe using it for a thank-you might be a good use - after all the set is called Kindness Matters!

We also "Smooch'ed it". Smooch Spritz is a wonderful product for adding just a subtle hint of sparkle to a product. It comes in several colors, for this card we used the Vanilla Shimmer Smooch.

Black Staz-ON Ink

Aqua Painter

Vanilla Shimmer Smooch

You can get these supplies from my Stampin'UP! Store. Shop here 24/7. And remember, if your product order is at least $50 you can get this stamp set for FREE.
Click HERE to start shopping.

Thanks for stopping by
Happy Stamping

--Katie

Christmas Card: Angelic Joy

This is another card designed by the very talented Suzanne Askey as a Make 'n Take at one of our Demo meetings.  This is one of the new stamps found in the new Holiday Mini Catalog. These catalogs were mailed out several weeks ago - please let me know if you need one.  There is some really amazing new product in this catalog:

  **new punches, dies and stencils
  **waffle paper!
  **new stamps for Halloween, Christmas and
     Valentines Day
  **a 3D house to decorate
  **FABRIC
  **rolls of adhesive for use with die cut pieces
  **glimmer brads
  **new baubles for the Simply Adorned Jewelry
  **2 new embossing folders
  **tiny paper bags for goodies
  **recordable sound cards
. . . and much more

Supplies: water color paper AquaPainter Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder Versamark Black Embossing Powder Heat Gun Stamp Set: Angelic Joy Baroque Motifs Colors: Night of Navy Bermuda Bay Blush Blossom Chocolate Chip

The swirls from the Baroque Motifs  stamp set were stamped twice with Versamark.  We sprinkled on the Iridescent Ice embossing powder and heat set it.  The angel was embossed in black on watercolor paper.  We had to emboss it because we were doing water color and the black ink is water soluble.  We picked up the color from directly from the ink pad using the Aqua Painter.  You can also use markers to color an outline and then use the AquaPainter to spread the color.  In fact we had to use the marker for the Blush Blossom color on the Angel's face.  Stampin'Up! retired the Blush Blossom Ink pad but still carries the marker.  These colors are lovely as a Christmas Card or as a Sympathy card.

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Let me know if there is any way I can help you with your stamping.

Please contact me with any suggestions or questions. Your feedback is appreciated.

Be sure to check my class calendar for future events.

Happy Stamping --Katie