making a watercolor template – friendly seagulls watercolor card

making a watercolor template – friendly seagulls watercolor card

Today’s blog post is about creating a template with dies to use to watercolor through the negative space to create a unique background.
Today I wanted to create a segmented background of equal squares so i used the smallest square die from the Stylish Shapes die set and ran a 4″ x 5 1/4″ layer of Basic White through the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine creating two rows of three die cuts resembling window panes.

Measurements:
BASE: Coastal Cabana CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Pool Party CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″
Fluid 100 Watercolor Paper: 1/2 sheet
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ for mask/template
scraps for stamping

Using 3M Post-it Labeling and cover up tape I secured down one side of the template over the watercolor paper – because the Fluid 100 1/2 sheet is smaller than the template make sure that the template is evenly spaced on the watercolor paper.
Squeeze the lid of the Coastal Cabana ink pad and get some ink on the lid.
With a Water Painter place a few drops of water onto the lid and mix the ink and water with the brush. I used the medium brush size from the three piece set that comes with when you order the Water Painters #151298 3 painters in a set $13.00.
Brush the inside of each die opening with the watercolor wash.
Allow to dry before removing the template.
Remove the template and make sure the surface is totally dry before stamping.
I stamped in Tuxedo Black Momento ink the flying birds image in the top two boxes.
I stamped the fish image in the middle left-hand box and the shells image in the lower right-hand box.
On scraps of Basic White CS I stamped two of the birds from the Friendly Seagulls FREE Level One Sale-a-bration Rewards stamp set that you can earn with a $60 order. I think this is such a fun set!
I used Stampin’ Blends to color the birds: Pool Party Light and Dark to color the wings and Smoky Slate to shade the bellies and wings of the seagulls, Lemon Lolly for their beaks and webbed feet and crumb cake dark for the french fries.
I fussy cut the birds using the Stampin’ Up! Paper Snips which are the best knife edged scissors to fussy cut with as you can cut all the way to the tip!
I adhered the birds onto the remaining two boxes.
I stamped “hey friend” sentiment in the upper left-hand box to finish the stamping on the card!
I popped up the watercolored layer on Stampin’ Dimensionals and added it to the 4″ x 5 1/4″
Pool Party layer.
Opening the Paper Snips scissors and running one of the blades across the edges of the Pool Party layer I distressed the edges of this layer and then adhered it to the Coastal Cabana base card.
I finished off the card with the new Sparkle Gems but just as easily could have used the Riverside Irregular Pearls on this project as well
Which do you like better?
Try this water coloring template technique and show me what you create!
Which embellishment do you like better?

Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

friendly seagulls sale-a-bration card

friendly seagulls sale-a-bration card

We are Sale-a-bration simply stamping today folks easy and fun card using the Level One Sale-a-bration Rewards stamp set Friendly Seagulls. this fun and whimsical stamp set is perfect for a lake girl like me with loads of seagulls flying around here! This set has three gull images, four words and phrases images and five smaller images o f fish, shells, sand or pebbles, french fries and a flock of birds flying.

Measurements:
BASE: Crumb Cake CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ inside
2 1/4″ x 5 1/4″
Misty Moonlight CS: 2 1/2″ x 5 1/2″
Forever Plaid DSP: 3/8″ x 5 1/2″

Emboss the front section of the base Crumb Cake card with the Soft Waves 3D embossing folder.
Adhere the Misty Moponlight CS layer to the top of the card base leaving about 1/2″ space from the fold.
I stamped the three seagull images across the 2 1/4″ Basic White layer in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and added the “I love you MORE than” sentiment above the seagulls on the left-hand side.
I started to color the wings in Smoky Slate Stampin’ Blends markers.
Adhere the seagull layer to the Misty Moonlight layer on the card front.
Adhere the DSP strip below the Misty Moonlight layer as an accent piece.
I decided I wanted more color deviation in the wing stripes so I added a Basic Black strip in the middle of the wing next to the Smoky Slate colored edge of the wing.
I stamped the words French Fries in the center of the 4″ x 5 1/4″ inside layer in Tuxedo Black Memento ink and added the sleeve of fries image to the left-hand side and colored with Real Red and Pecan Pie Stampin’ Blends.
I adhered the layer on the inside of the card.
I added Daffodil Delight on the webbed feet and the beaks of the seagulls to finish coloring the birds.
Although I have a love-hate relationships with our lake birds (I love to watch them fly around and above the water I just hate the messes they tend to leave behind on the ground LOL)
I do think this stamp set is so much fun!

Have you gathered your list to order so you can earn some FREE goodies of your own? The current hostess code for February is UD4FJSJK
We are in the last month of Sale-a-bration so if you want to earn any of these products get your list ordered!
Now go out and create some artwork of your own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

swap cards

swap cards

Today’s blog post is the accumulation of a couple different swaps, a potluck swap from November and an early bird swap for the new catalogs from December.

This first card uses the returning DSP in the annual catalog called Winter Meadow in a book bind fun fold and the Layering Leaves bundle from Carol S.

This next card from the November swap and Denise W uses the You are Beautiful stamp set and the Frames and Flowers DSP. This offset gate fold is scored at 1 1/4″ and fold the other side in tight using a bone folder. The modern label punch was used for the sentiment.
Robyn M’s card features the Sweet Pea stamp set and a masked circle to highlight the cutest image in the center of the card.
Marie W’s pretty in pink card uses the Pocket Thoughts bundle. The bundle creates a fun pocket and secret message!
This Shaded Spruce card from Susan W. features the Planted Paradise and Wonderful thoughts stamp set and Full of Life DSP, Fern Embossing folder and the Everyday Details Dies.
Judi M’s November swap card uses a new Online Exclusives Otterly Awesome suite in this Circle Wreath card fun fold design.
Andrea U’s Nov swap card uses the Winter Meadow fun fold on Basic Gray cardstock.
December’s early bird swap uses new products from the two new catalogs – Sale-a-bration and January to April 2025.

Sale-a-bration is a time to be able to earn FREE products – this card uses the 6″ x 6″ DSP Toadstool Gardens and the Terrific Toadstools bundle.

This early bird swap from Denise W. features the FREE Friendly Seagulls stamp set and the Timeless Plaid DSP from the new mini in this offset gate fold card.
Veronica S’s December swap card features With You in Mind stamp set.
Lori V’s swap card uses the Hugs for Love Bundle and the Bloom Impressions FREE sale-a-bration DSP.
Marie W’s swap card uses the Birthday Celebration Bundle and the Wildflower Birthday DSP and the 2024-2026 In Color Shimmer Gems and the Eyelet 3D embossing folder.
Lyn L’s swap card features the new Darling Dinos bundle.
The FREE Sale-a-bration Corner in Bloom stamp set and Labeled in Love stamp set from the January to April 2025 mini catalog were used to bring Carol S’s swap card come to life.
Kathi D’s swap card features the Storybook Moments Suite and the Storybook Friends bundle make a sweet thank you card.
This last early bird swap card from Robin C’s features the Terrific Toadstools bundle for this center gate fold card.

There are so many ideas and that is one of the great advantages of demonstrator swaps.

Now go and create some artwork of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie