Thursday 15 February 2018

Stampin' Dreams Blog Hop - Colouring Theme


Hello and welcome to Stampin' Dreams Blog hop. This month's theme is a personal favourite as it's all about Colouring. I'm excited to share today's floral cards using watercolouring techniques and love the effect that each one gives.

1. No line watercolouing with Brusho Crystals


Brusho Crystals are just amazing and love the burst of colour when activated with water. The colours used are Yellow, Gamboge, Prussian Blue and Leaf Green. The more powder you add, gives an intenser colour of the pigment. Less is more and a small amount of powder goes a long way and achieves a softer, subtle look.


This is the preliminary layout watercolouring with Brusho Crystal powders. Daffodils have been stamped and masked to create the multi layered layout. To create this, stamp the daffodil images on a large post it note or paper with low tack adhesive on the back and fussy cut, you will need at least two. I have used a light coloured ink - Antique Linen distress ink as it will blend once coloured in. This technique takes time but the results are amazing. It's like you painted it yourself. 

For best results, start with a petal or leaf at a time and alternate them so they have time to dry to avoid colours mixing or bleeding next to each other. Apply the darker colour first in areas that would normally be darker and pull the colour out using clean water with the paint brush. This will give a gradation in colour. You can always dab off any excess paint or mistakes with a paper towel. Watercolouring is very forgiving and is meant to look organic.  


Stamp set used is 'You're Inspiring' from the Occasions catalogue. Love daffodils and looks stunning multi-stamped and coloured. The sentiment is from 'Picture Perfect Birthday', the lovely calligraphy compliments the overall style and feel of the card. I have used Misti stamp positioner tool to be able to double stamp and get the best crisp impression as it has been stamped on Arches cold press watercolour paper that has a textured surface. Light splattering with ink using Prussian blue to add interest in the background as well as some clear sparkling sequins. Card front mounted onto fun foam for an even raise and mounted on to an A2 top folding SU Crumb cake cardstock.



2. Zig Clean Color watercolouring with stamp masking.


This is another way of watercolouring a stamped masked background. This shows more of detail as I have used black ink - Lawn Fawn Jet black ink as it can be used with both alcohol markers and watercolouring. I would recommend using the SU black archival ink for watercolouring. 

I have used Zig Clean Color Brush markers for watercolouring with a water brush, as they're fast drying and gives bright and vibrant colours perfect for the daffodils. This image is very fine and detailed and the fine tips of these brushes makes it a lot easier to colour with. 

The colours used are: #50 Yellow, #51 Lemon Yellow, #52 Bright Yellow,  #41 Light Green, #45 Pale Green.  Cardstock used is Strathmore Bristol smooth and is perfect with these markers.


The beautiful sentiment is the 'Waterfront' stamp set from the Occasions catalogue and has been white heat embossed on black cardstock and die cut out using the circle from Stitched Shapes Framelits. It has been foam mounted and added a silver heart for embellishment. A few added dew drops placed in the background for interest. Card front has been mounted on with fun foam onto a Crumb Cake top folding A2 cardstock.

I hope you have enjoyed and found inspiration. Stamped masking is a great way to highlight this beautifully drawn daffodil and create your own custom backgrounds as well as scenes using one image. Be sure to continue to hop around and see all the amazing projects for more colouring inspirations. The Stampin' Up! sets used can be purchased through the lovely and wonderful Jessie Holton. Thank you so much for stopping by, until next time - Happy Crafting! :)
  


Supplies Used: 

Saturday 10 February 2018

For the Love of Creating blog hop


Hello and welcome to 'For the Love of Creating' blog hop! The lovely Kim Oliver is hosting this fun and wonderful hop and so excited to be taking part as it's all about the love of creating using Stampin' Up! products as well as hopping with so many talented demos from around the world. We are featuring new products from both the Occasions and Sale-a-bration release and there will be so many wonderful examples to show you, so be sure to continue hopping around.

I'm a big fan of cute critter sets and have created two cute birthday themed cards with, 'We Must Celebrate' sets along with 'In The Trees' and 'Celebrate You' Thinlits.  The 'We Must Celebrate' and 'In the Trees' are both from the Occasions catalogue and work so perfectly together to create a woodland setting for the woodland critters. The 'Celebrate You' thinlits is from Sale-A-bration and just adds a fun technique and design element to the card design. I have used the bold celebrate thinlit die, as it compliments and highlights the celebration theme in all these sets in more ways than one.

Here are the cards...


I had a ball creating this first card as I was in my element lol. Love, love this set and combining it the 'In The Trees' set allows for so much more creativity and adds more options for accessorising. To create the fun scene, I have cut out all the images using an electronic cutter Scan 'n' cut, as there are no coordinating dies for this set, however you can easily fussy cut out by hand. Having the images cut out makes the scene building a lot easier. Though this would also look great with the stamp masking technique to make use of the fussy cutting done by hand and create a one layer card. 


The images have been coloured in with Copic markers and first stamped in Memento Tuxedo black ink on X-press it blending card suitable for copic colouring. I have also used the Misti tool as I like to double stamp and get the best impression of the images.

The background has been ink blended using Ranger distress inks - Broken China for the sky and Mowed Lawn for the grass. Adding the water distressing textures effects are so much fun with these inks that are so random and artsy at the same time. 

The grass panel shape is from the 'Rainbow Builder' framelits dies, which can also be used as a bush scenery die by shading it in green. To further create depth to the scene, I have popped the cute mushrooms behind it. The trees and critters as well as well the snail have all been popped up on foam dimensionals to make them all stand out and build the depth. 

As a finishing touch I have added clear glossy accents to the bunting banners as all as the three acorns for some added shine and dimension.


The second card, uses the same sets with the addition of the celebrate die cut sentiment from 'Celebrate You' thinlits. This a fun technique that I have borrowed from the amazing Jennifer McGuire and works like a treat for both sentiment dies and alphabet dies. It truly adds so much interest to a stamped background when popped up and inlaid. I have die cut the celebrate sentiment six times, as I've used thin cardstock, though four would be enough depending on how thick the cardstock is. The higher the better really lol and it has an even raise so is pretty sturdy in the end. Fun foam would be another great alternative. Be sure to keep all the original stamped die cut pieces as you'll need them to put all back together again. 


Here is a close up of the popped up die cut sentiment. Each die cut added on one by one to keep it in the same position and gradually building it up.


White heat embossed and embossed resist ink blending have been used for the confetti image on the background as well as the happy birthday sentiment. White heat embossed on black cardstock is such a popular technique and always looks fantastic. It helps to bring out the sentiment that would otherwise be lost in the background.


The lights from 'In the Trees' sets adds to the celebratory theme and has the wonderful light glow images that adds shine and glow to the light bulbs. It's great that they're included as it offers many more design possibilities. I have used the Ranger Distress Oxide ink - Fossilized Amber as it is a kind hybrid pigment ink and still visible over the inked background and is great for dark coloured cardstock. I have added clear glossy accents over the light bulbs to bring them out and add shine.


Ranger distress inks used for the background are, Worn Lipstick and Dried marigold and makes a lovely sunset look as well as a warm glow emanating from the light bulbs. Mowed Lawn used again for the grass that has been masked at the base of the critters to get the straight defined line. 


Both card fronts have been mounted on to an A2 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" Crumbcake cardstock, both top and side folding - portrait and landscape respectively. I hope you have enjoyed and found inspiration. These sets are just amazing and so much fun to use for both colouring and scene building. The list of supplies are listed below and the Stampin' Up! sets can be purchased from Kim Oliver. This is the best time to get some great free sets from Sale-A-Bration period with a qualifying order. Be sure to continue to hop around and see all the amazing projects for more creative inspirations. Thank you so much for stopping by - until next time - Happy Crafting! :) 


Supplies used: