Watercolored Ornament Card

Here is an Art Impressions watercolor image turned into an ornament for a Christmas Card:

To make this card, I used the following:

• Art Impressions - Wooden Door
• Marvy LePlume II -African Violet, Sepia, Pine Green, Persimmon, Brilliant Yellow
• Hero Arts - Infinity Circle Dies
• Versamark
• Stampendous Detailed Silver Embossing Powder
• Gina K - Complements of the Season Stamp set
• Elizabeth Craft Designs - Ornament Set 1 dies
• Quicky Glue Pen
• Elizabeth Craft Designs Cool Diamond Glitter
• Sizzix Ornament Embossing Folder
• Glossy Accents

To make the card, I used the stamps from the Wooden Door Stamp set.  Each of the stamps were colored with the LePlume markers and stamped.  Water was added, using a watercolor brush to soften the lines and make the image look like a water colored image.  Once dry, glitter was added to the snowy areas of the image (you can't see it in the picture). The entire image was then cut using one of the circle dies.  The ornament top and string were cut in sliver using the Elizabeth Craft Designs Ornament dies.  The background was embossed using the Sizzix embossing folder, leaving about 1/2 and inch at the bottom.  The sentiment was added using Versamark and Silver Embossing Powder.  The water color image, with the ornament top and string were added to the embossed background.  This was then added to the card base.  Glossy Accents was then added to the entire ornament to complete the card.

Stampin' Up Wetlands Birthday Card.

This stamp set is great for masculine cards!  Here is a card that I recently made:

I used the following to make the card:

• Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolors #44 Light Brown, #47 Dark Brown #62 Cobalt Blue
• Stampin' Up Wetlands Stamp Set
• Memento Rich Cocoa, Cottage Ivy
• Stampendous Detailed White Embossing Power
• Versamark

Using the watercolors, I created the background.  The birds were then stamped using the Rich Cocoa Ink.  The reeds were stamped with Cottage Ivy.  The entire piece was then cut down, matted and added to the card base.  The sentiment was stamped with Versamark, the embossing powder was added and heat set to complete the card.

A Creepy Halloween Card

Here is the last card I made for Halloween this year.

I used the following to make this card:

• Recollection - Halloween Phrases
• Mama Elephant - Bootastic
• Kuretake Gansai Watercolors
• Versafine Black Onyx Ink
• Zing Clear Embossing Powder
• Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles

To make the card, I created the background with the Kuretake watercolors.  I then cut the image with the Stitched Rectangle die.  The sayings were then stamped with Versafine Black Onyx Ink, and then the clear embossing powder was added and heat set.  I used some of the smaller images from the Bootastic stamp set to fill in some of the blank areas.  The entire piece was then added to a card base to complete the card.

Art Impressions Watercolor Card (Memories of Stark NH)

I got more Art Impressions Watercolor stamps.  I chose 2 of the sets, because I wanted to try using the Church and the Bridge, since the two together reminded me of the Church and Covered Bridge in Stark NH.

Stark NH is a very picturesque tiny town in northern New Hampshire.  I have not been there is a while, and did this card based on my memory of what it looked like.  After I was done, I found some pictures I had taken, and I was close with my representation (google Stark NH for some really great photos of the area).

Making this card, I needed to first try to reverse the image of the church.  I had never done this before, and found that I could stamp the image on my rubber impression pad I use with my Cuttlebug, and then place the paper over the image.  This made the lines of the church slightly darker than I wanted, but I went with it anyway.

To make the card I used the following:
Art Impressions - EZ Project C (Bridge), WC Structures (Church), WC Tree Set, Foliage Set, Flower Set
Distress Markers - Old Paper, Forest Moss, Tumbled Glass, Picked Raspberry, Chipped Sapphire, Wilted Violet, Vintage Photo, Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Pine Needles, Pumice Stone.

This card was entered in the Art Impressions Challenge 192 Watercolor Stamping

Water Coloring Stamped Images

Day 5 of the Watercolor for Card Makers (at Online Card Classes) was water coloring Stamped images. I had a lot of trouble with one of the techniques, and after several tries, I gave up.  I figure once I am more comfortable with water coloring, I'll go back an try it again.

Here are my versions of the cards from Day 5 of the class.  I won't go into specific of how the cards were made (for this you should take the class), but will provide the supplies I used. Here are the 2 cards I made using the techniques from the class.

Card 1:

Card 2:

For the first card, I used: 

• Penny Black All Over Pattern Stamp
• Distress Markers: Mowed Lawn, Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Peacock Feathers
• Lawn Fawndanmentals: Wild Rose
• Versamark
• Stampendous Detailed White Embossing Powder
• WPlus9 Hand Lettered Thanks Stamp set
• Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles

For the second card, I used:

• Kuretake watercolors #52, #61 (for the background)
• Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils
• Stampendous Wishing Well Stamp
• Mama Elephant - Make a Wish stamp set
• Versfine Black Onyx Ink

Watercolor Stamping (Day 2)

Day 4 of the Watercolor for Card Makers (at Online Card Classes) was more watercolor stamping. I'm still trying each technique, and making cards from each.

Here are my versions of the cards from Day 4 of the class.  I won't go into specific of how the cards were made (for this you should take the class), but will provide the supplies I used. Here are the 3 cards I made using the techniques from the class.

Card 1:

Card 2:

Cards 3 and 4:

For Card 1, I used the following:

• Distress Ink: Shaded Lilac, Salty Ocean, Lucky Clover, Squeezed Lemonade
• Versafine Black Onyx Ink
• Lawn Fawn Eggstra Special Easter Stamp Set

For Card 2, I used the following:

• Memento Ink: Danube Blue
• Close to My Heart Joyful Birthday Occasions
• Distress Ink: Blueprint Sketch, Wilted Violet, Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio
• Pretty Pink Posh Sugar Plum Mix Sequins

For Cards 3 and 4 (Card 3 was first generation stamping, and Card 4 second generation stamping), I used the following:

• Ivy Branch Stamp (Unknown Manufacturer)
• Distress Ink: Fossilized Amber, Barn Door, Candied Apple, Aged Mahogany, Pine Needles, Mowed Lawn
• Close to My Heart Holiday Tags Stamp Set
• Lawn Fawndamentals Freshly Cut Grass Ink

Watercolor Stamping

Day 3 of the Watercolor for Card Makers (at Online Card Classes) was about watercolor stamping. I'm still trying each technique.

Here are my versions of the cards from Day 3 of the class.  I won't go into specific of how the cards were made (for this you should take the class), but will provide the supplies I used. Here are the 3 cards I made using the techniques from the class.

Card 1:

Card 2:

Card 3: 

For the first card, I used the following:

• Altenew Vintage Flowers
• Thank-you Stamp
• Memento Inks: Tangelo, Dandelion, Rosebud, Angel Pink, Bamboo Leaves, New Sprout, Sweet Plum, Lulu Lavender
• Spellbinders Classic Ovals

For the second card, I used the following:

• Gina K Spring Basket Stamp Set
• Distress Markers: Worn Lipstick, Fired Brick, Vintage Photo, Candied Apple, Pumice Stone, Peeled Paint, Mowed Lawn
• Close To My Heart Framed Stamp of the Month Stamp Set

For the third card, I used the following:

• Kuretake Watercolor #64
• Distress Markers: Hickory Smoke, Weathered Wood, Fired Brick, Carved Pumpkin, Gathered Twigs, Black Soot, 
• Texture Paste
• Memory Box Winter Tiny Wishes Stencil (although you can't see it in the picture, there are embossed snowflakes on the card as well)
• Gina K Snowman Wishes Stamp Set

Watercolor Cards (Day 2)

Day 2 of the 'Watercolor for Card Makers' class (at Online Card Classes) was more watercolor backgrounds.  Since I am trying each of the techniques, I am glad I didn't take this class as an interactive class - I would never have been able to keep up!

Here are my versions of the cards from Day 2 of the class.  I won't go into specific of how the cards were made (for this you should take the class), but will provide the supplies I used.

Card 1:

Card 2 (I think this is my favorite so far):

Card 3: 

For the first card, I used:

• Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils: WC2917 Sunburst Yellow, WC2906 Copenhagen, WC2909 Grass Green, Black
• Kuretake Watercolor: #50
• Spellbinders Circle Dies
• Kreinik Gold Metallic Thread
• Gold Sequins

For the second card, I used:

• Kuretake Watercolors: #32, #33, #43
• Technique Tuesday Greenhouse Society Rose
• Versafine Black Onyx Ink
• Miskit Friskit 
• Mother's Day stamp

For the third card, I used:

• Kuretake Watercolors: #50, #51, #64, #139
• Darice Music Background stamp
• Zing Clear Embossing Powder
• Versamark
• Close to My Heart Framed Stamp of the Month
• Memento Tuxedo Black Ink 

Watercolor cards (Day 1)

I finally decided that I needed to learn more about how to use watercolors when making cards.  I signed up for a class at Online Card Classes.  The class I chose was 'Watercolor for Card Makers'. The class is an independent class.  I decided that I would do each of the techniques, and finish the cards in a similar manner to what was shown.  This would provide me the opportunity to try many different watercolor techniques, and would push me to make cards in a style that is not what I would normally do.

Here are my versions of the cards from Day 1 of the class.  I won't go into specific of how the cards were made (for this you should take the class), but will provide the supplies I used.  Day 1 classes were about watercolor backgrounds.

Card 1:

Card 2:

Card 3:

For the first card I used:

• Kuretake watercolors: #139, #64
• Tim Holtz Stencil: Latticework THS019
• Close to My Heart Joyful Birthday Occasions
• Memento Lulu Lavendar
• Ribbon

For the second card I used:

• Distress Ink: Picked Raspberry, Spiced Marmalade, Mustard Seed, Peacock Feathers
• Simon Says Birthday Celebration Stamp Set
• Versamark
• Stampendous Detail White Embossing Powder (if I were to make this card again, I would chose a darker color embossing folder)

For the third card I used:

• Kuretake Watercolors: #43, #30, #139, #64
• Zing Clear Embossing Powder
• Penny Black Allover Pattern background stamp
• Versamark
• Mama Elephant Hand Lettered Thanks stamp set
• Pretty Pink Posh Sugar Plum Sequins

Bird Crazy - Belated Birthday Card

I forgot a birthday!  It usually doesn't happen, but I was able to quickly make this card:

I used the following to make the card:

• Bird Crazy Stamps and Dies
• Crazy Things Stamps and Dies
• Crazy Talk
• Glossy Accents
• Zig Kuretake Watercolors
• Watercolor Paper
• Versafine Black Onyx Ink

To make the card, I stamped the bird twice with Versafine Black Onyx ink.  (Twice so that I could cut the eyes beak and wing separately). The hat, gift and balloon were also stamped the Versfine Black Onyx ink.  I used the Kuretake watercolors to color the images.  Since I have never used the Kuretake watercolors, I chose some random colors.  Once all of the images were dry, I cut them with the dies. 

To assemble the card, I used pop dots for the eyes, beak and wing.  I also used pop dots to the bird when attaching it to the card base.  The sentiment was stamped and bakers twine added for the balloon string to complete the card.