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

thoughtful journey dsp tri-fold fun fold card

thoughtful journey dsp tri-fold fun fold card

Today’s blog post details the instructions of how to make this tri-fold fun fold card. A perfect palette to display this lovely Designer Series Paper called Thoughtful Journey.

Measurements:
BASE 1: Berry Burst CS: 5 1/2″ x 6 1/4″
scored at 2″
BASE 2: Berry Burst CS: 5 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
scored at 4 1/8″
DSP: 1 3/4″ x 5″ on card front 1
3 7/8″ x 5″ on card front 2
Focal point 1:
Berry Burst CS: 2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: 2 1/4″ x 4″
Focal Point 2:
Berry Burst CS: 2 1/4″ x 4″
Basic White CS: 2″ x 3 3/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″

Adhere the BASE #2 (5 1/4″ x 8 1/4″ piece) of Berry Burst CS with the opening to the left to the larger portion of the BASE #1 with the smaller panel to the left of the larger adhered panels.
Adhere the 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White layer to the middle panel of the card base.
Adhere the 1 3/4″ x 5″ DSP piece to the outside smaller panel on the BASE #1.
Adhere the 3 7/8″ x 5″ DSP Piece to the outside of the Left flap of BASE #2.
Stamp the open leaf stamp from the Thoughtful Wishes stamp set in Mossy Meadow on the 2 1/4″ x 4″ Basic White piece. Stamp the sentiment on top in Berry Burst ink and color the edges with the Blending Brush.
Adhere the Basic White layer to the 2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″ Berry Burst layer.
Stamp the smaller group of flowers on 2″
x 3 3/4″ in Shaded Spruce ink on the bottom of the layer.
Color the inside of the leaves with the water painter. Color the petals with Berry Burst ink.
Adhere the Basic White layer to the 2 1/4″ x 4″
Berry Burst layer and add small strips to finish off the layer.
Adhere the two layers back to back on the smaller panel.
Stamp an inside sentiment onto the 4″ x 5 1/4″ on the inside of the card.
I die cut the large die from the Thoughtful Wishes out of a water splattered Berry Burst blended layer.
Adhere the die cut to the left inside panel.
Add some Iridescent Discs to either side of the die cut on the inside of the card.
Adhere more Iridescent Discs to the card front.

Another beautiful extended fun fold that allows for multiple messages!

Try this fun fold and create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

more color monday – night of navy, old olive, and basic beige

more color monday – night of navy, old olive, and basic beige

When I saw the frame die from the Winterly Tree Tops I knew it would be one of my favorites! When I saw the negative space from the frame die I got the feeling of looking up into the night sky. So I decided on this card for this week’s More Color Monday challenge.
Today’s More Color Monday is all about Night of Navy, Old Olive and Basic Beige!

Measurements:
BASE: Basic Beige CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Old Olive CS: 3 3/4″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White CS: 4″ x 5 1/4″ and 3/4″ x 4 1/4″

Take the negative space from the Winterly tree Tops frame die. Using a Blending Brush with Night of Navy ink.
Use a water painter and add a few drops of White Craft ink into the Craft White ink pad cover. Add a few drops of water and stir the ink and water with the Water Painter brush.
Using a bone folder tap the Water painter over the Night of Navy inked negative die.
Brush the edges of the Old Olive cardstock layer with Old Olive ink.
Adhere the Night of Navy layer onto the Old Olive cardstock.
Adhere the Old Olive cardstock onto the Basic Beige cardstock base.
Stamp the “thinking of you” sentiment onto a 3/4″ strip with Night of Navy ink and die cut with the banner die from the Greetings of the Seasons dies.
Brush the edges with a Blending Brush and Night of Navy ink.
Pop up the banner onto the card base. Hang over the edge with the hole end of the banner die.
Cut the edge off the banner.
Adhere the Basic Rhinestones Gems around the sentiment.
I love the look of this card as if it is a beautiful evening and the stars are out and one is looking up through an opening in a copse of trees.

Now go and create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time.

Happy Stampin’,
Natalie

peaceful evergreens ink blended card

peaceful evergreens ink blended card

I love creating ink blended backgrounds such an easy way to create a totally unique background from a plain piece of Basic White cardstock!

Measurements:
BASE: Night of Navy CS: 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Basic White CS: (2) 4″ x 5 1/4″ layers
2 1/2″ x 5 1/2″
scraps for die cut sentiments

Because of the darkness of the base cardstock I always layer a 4″ x 5 1/4″ Basic White piece of cardstock on the inside of the card to write the message. I adhered the first Basic White layer on the inside of the card.
Using a Blending Brush I colored the top 2/3’s of the other Basic White layer with Night of Navy ink.
I colored the bottom 1/3 of the blended layer with a new Blending Brush dragged through Pecan Pie ink.
I opened up my Basic White Craft ink pad and added a few drops of Craft ink refill tot he ink lid. I squeezed some water from a medium water painter and with the brush water with water and craft ink I knocked the side of the water painter onto the side of my bone folder to create a splatter background on the night of navy section of the blended layer. This makes the blended background look like a starry sky!
This is a close up picture of the splattered background.
Take the 2 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ piece of Basic White cardstock and place in the Painted Trees 3D embossing folder and emboss with the largest tree image.
Brush the embossed tree image with a Blending brush and Granny Apple Green ink. Adhere to the center of the blended layer.
Adhere a 5 1/4″ piece of Night of Navy and Gold 1/2″ Glittered Ribbon to the back of the blended layer and adhere the layer onto the card base.
Stamp the Christmas word stamp from the Peaceful Season stamp set in Night of Navy ink and die cut with the coordinated die set.
Adhere to the top of the blended layer on the card base.
Stamp the words “in the air” from the Peaceful Seasons stamp set and die cut with the coordinating dies. Pop up on Stampin’ Dimensionals and place on the card front right below the ribbon offset to the right side of the card.
Add Drusy Adhesive-Backed Embellishments to the card front around the sentiment and my August Christmas card swap is complete! What do you think?
Try this blended background technique with some stamps from your collection and let me. know how it turns out! Now go and create some art work of your very own – one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie

nests of winter suite card – new mini catalog products

nests of winter suite card – new mini catalog products

Today’s blog features the Nests of Winter Suite of products – one of the coolest things in this suite in my opinion is the frame die of foliage. Today I am using the negative space of that frame die to create a background for the card!

Measurements:
BASE: Pecan Pie 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
scored at 4 1/4″
Mossy Meadow layer 4″ x 5 1/4″
Basic White layer. 3 3/4″ x 5″
scrap for sentiment piece
Basic Beige scrap for birds stamp

Stamp the double birds in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on Basic Beige cardstock.
Using the Cherry Cobbler watercolor pencils – color the berries.
Color the bird with Balmy Blue watercolor pencil.
Color the bird’s belly with the Crushed Curry watercolor pencil.
Color the branches with Pecan Pie watercolor pencil.
Using a water painter color each colored section starting with the lightest color and then brush the water painter until it paints clear and paint the next darkest color until all colors are watercolored.
Die cut the frame from the Nest of Winter and use the negative die space for the mask, place the mask in the center of the Basic White layer and with a blending brush color the outside edges of the Basic White layer over the mask with Mossy Meadow ink.
Turn the mask 180 degrees and without reinking the blending brush brush the remaining color over the edges of the mask which will result in a lighter color bledning over the mask.
Adhere the Mossy Meadow layer onto the Pecan Pie card base.
Adhere the Basic White layer onto the card base slightly tilted.
Die cut the largest circle from the Stylish Shapes die set and stamp the sentiment in Mossy Meadow ink and drag the blending brush across the edges to just give the edges a little color.
Adhere to the lower left hand corner of the card.
Pop the double bird image up onto Stampin’ Dimensionals and layer in the upper right hand corner of the card.
I added two cork embellishments around the sentiment and the card is complete.

Sometimes using the negative space that might easily just get tossed in the trash produces a beautiful unexpected background! Try using those negative die spaces and see what you can create – one die, one stamp at a time!

Happy Stampin’
Natalie