Birthday Wishes for Luke and Jake

These two cards are for a pair of brothers whose birthdays are just a few days apart.  I had fun making the backgrounds using the coffee filter prints tutorial on Splitcoaststampers.  I colored the images using Prismacolor pencils and used a solvent to blend.  I hope these bright cards will make the recipients happy!

Stamps: SU Toucan of My Love, Balloon Celebrations, Hooray It's Your Day

Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Distress Ink Twisted Citron, Salty Ocean  PTI Orange Zest

Paper: Photo Paper, SU Summer Sun, Gorgeous Grape, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Accessories: Prismacolor Pencils, Brushos, Coffee filters, Winsor and Newton Sansodor Low Odor Solvent, SU File Tab Edgelit die, SU Balloon punch

Watercolor Celebration

Good morning!

Yesterday I created this panel for Splitcoaststamper's Watercolor Wednesday challenge number 2. You can find the challenge here.  I joined late so I'm playing catch up.

The challenge was to watercolor using dye inks.  I started out with Marigold Morning, Purely Pomegranate and Melon Mambo inks.  I didn't realize how similar Melon Mambo and Purely Pomegranate are, especially once the inks are diluted a bit with water.  They were too close in color for me so I added Eggplant Envy (remember that color?) over the pomegranate flower.

My panel was 5.5" wide, but only 4" high, so I needed to decide if I should cut it smaller or add to it.  I decided to rotate my image to make a vertical card and add a black strip to the left.  I was planning on using a pink card stock as the base, but I didn't really like it.  I tried Marigold Morning and thought that was perfect.  The sentiment from SU Honey Bee was perfect for this CAS card.

This card will be going to my sister in Ohio.

Stamps: SU Flower Fest, Honey Bee

Ink: SU Purely pomegranate, Melon Mambo, Marigold Morning, Tangelo Twist, VersaFine Onyx Black

Paper: Watercolor paper, SU Basic Black, Marigold Morning

Thanks for visiting! I hope you are able to create today.

Paula 

In My Heart

I was playing around a few weeks ago with Distress Ink and a small Cuttlebug embossing folder which resulted in the panel that is on this card. I used Worn Lipstick and Spiced Marmalade, and tossed the panel in my pile. This morning I had out my Finetec gold watercolor paint and wanting to use up the rest on my brush, I picked this panel and added some spatters and a little outline by dragging my brush along the outside edges.  I really like how the gold brought the panel to another level.  It made me want to use it, so I decided to make a card for my sister Andrea.  She's had a tough year, breaking her hips three times.  She is finally home now, but she lives several states away so I don't get to see her as often as I'd like.  I try to send her a card every few days to let her know she is always in my heart.

I mounted the panel on black card stock and chose Orange Zest CS from PTI for the card base.  I found a scrap cut from a previous watercolor background and added it lengthwise across the card.  It still needed something so I found a sliver of white CS and embossed it several times with one of my oldest and favorite embossing powders, Judikins Egyptian Gold.  I wanted a sentiment that would follow the line, and this one from Summer Hills stamp set by PTI worked perfectly.

Have a creative day!

Paula

Water Color Wednesday Challenge

Hello!

It's been a long time!  I'm now retired and have recently dusted off my stamps.  I'm in the process of organizing and unmounted my older stamps.  While doing so, I visited one of my favorite stamping sites, Splitcoaststampers.  They have started a new weekly challenge - Water Color Wednesday.  The first challenge was June 3, so I'm a little behind. Here is the link for the challenge.

Here is my entry for WCW001

The technique was for an acetate smoosh, but instead of putting your paper on the acetate, you use a second piece of card stock to transfer it to the watercolor paper. This gives you a lot more control.  There is a very well done video in the challenge thread with directions for this technique. It's difficult to see in the photo, but I also flicked on a bit of gold watercolor after my panel was dry.

My original plan was to mount this on a light aqua paper, but it looked too washed out.  I loved the look on the Old Olive and I think it makes a nice masculine card with the deeper color.

Stamps: SU Summer Silhouettes, PTI Birthday Classics October, PTI Tags Its #10

Ink: SU Always Artichoke, Handsome Hunter, Old Olive, Fine Tec Watercolor Luna Gold, VersaMark, VersaFine Onyx Black

Paper: Canson 90lb cold press watercolor paper, SU Basic Black, Old Olive

Accessories: SU Black Detail Embossing Powder, Crystal Stickers Mosaic 5mm Black

Well I enjoyed playing with my stamps again, and I certainly hope it won't be 9 years before I post again!

Have fun creating!

Paula