Watercoloring Flowers

Hello, friends!  Just two quick cards to share with you today. I signed up for an on line watercolor class, so I'm trying out some of the techniques.  This first one was done for one of the Dare to Get Dirty Challenges on Splitcoaststampers last week.  

Creative Nugget:  The frame for this card was done by painting watercolor onto an acrylic block, spritzing it with water, and stamping it onto a piece of watercolor paper.  Distress inks were painted right on the Wildflowers stamp by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps, spritzed with water, and stamped inside the frame.  The sentiment is from the Script Birthdays set, also by Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.   A few pearls and a black mat finish the card!

I'm taking the opportunity to use some of the challenges to get a jump start on my Christmas cards for this year.  This card was created for the CAS(e) This Sketch Challenge, the Splitcoaststampers CAS challenge to use a watermelon palette, and the Splitcoaststampers Technique Challenge to do a watercolor resist.

Creative Nugget:  The Light of Christmas background stamp was clear embossed on watercolor paper.  A watercolor wash was applied over the embossing to create a kind of ombre look using the watermelon colors.  The Poinsettia was black embossed, watercolored, and fussy cut before popping it on the tag which was cut with the Bookmarks & More die.  The sentiment was stamped on a hand cut banner.  Gold micro beads were added to the center of the poinsettia.  Some gold Bakers twine was unraveled and tied to the tag to finish the card.  All the stamps and dies for this card can be found at Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

Here is the CTS #87 sketch:

That's all for today!  Hope you've been inspired by your visit!

Have a wonderful day!

Hugs,

Cathymac

Comforting Thoughts

Good morning, friends!  I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. With only a week left until Christmas, I thought I'd deviate from the festivities for a while and bring you some comforting thoughts and a technique I have not used in a while.

Creative Nugget:  Some of the most comforting words come from Psalms 23, so I grabbed two wonderful Sweet 'n Sassy clear stamp sets, "Psalms 23" (I'm not seeing this one in the store right now) and "Wildflowers."  I began by stamping Psalm 23 with Tuxedo Black ink on a piece of Select White card stock and cut it out using a Spellbinders label die.  The wildflowers were then stamped with VersaMark ink and clear embossed. Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose, and Weathered Wood distress inks were then sponged over the wildflowers while the panel was still in the die.  The ink was then removed from the embossing by rubbing over the whole panel with a paper towel. This was layered onto a black panel embossed with the Square Lattice EF.  Other layers of white, black, and Basic Grey DP were added and mounted on a Select White card base.  Black gingham, a little get well tag, and black pearls embellish the card.  

As we franticly finish our Christmas preparations this week, let us ponder the wonderful words of this psalm, remember what the season is really all about, and take comfort!

Thanks so much for visiting today!

Hugs,

Cathymac

Card Recipe

Stamps: Psalm 23, Wildflowers (Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps), Mixed Messages (PTI)

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Peeled Paint, Tattered Rose, Weathered Wood Distress Inks (Ranger)

Paper: Select White, True Black (PTI), Sweet Threads DP (Basic Grey)

Accessories: Labels Seventeen Die (Spellbinders), Square Lattice EF (SU!), Black Gingham Ribbon (PTI), 1/2" Circle Punch, Kaiser Pearls