A Fall Scene

Oops, quick before I loose my fall season all together I thought I'd share this handmade watercolor scene with you.  I just want to first say that I wouldn't have dreamed 3 years ago that I'd be attempting let alone making this kind of card.  I didn't consider myself that talented.  Granted, the tools have improved a bit and I've purchased a few of them, but the other thing I'd say is that my own vision of me shut down a possibility that was always there.  I'm going to encourage you to put off those crafty limitations you've set for yourself and give a new and challenging technique a try.  I did and look how it turned out.

This card front was made with a combination of watercolor media.  I started the image by stamping with my Darkroom Door Trees stamp using Tea Dye Distress Ink.  The burst of color in the tree leaves was made by sprinkling Brusho Scarlet, Yellow and Orange watercolor crystals on the watercolor paper.  I covered the tree limbs a bit with a paper towel and spritzed the Brushos with a spray bottle to burst their color.  It was at this point I believed this image could become a card front.  I used my Inktense Pencils to create the extension from the tree base and shape the hills.  A little water on the waterbrush blended this shape and made that ink permanent.  Then I sprinkled Leaf Green and Dark Brown Brusho watercolor crystals, covering the rest of the image with a paper towel and spritzed the Brushos to burst the brown and green color at the bottom.  I used a bit of Prima Oil Pastels to fill in the color on the grass and the blue of the sky, dropping small water droplets full of color int he spaces between the Brushos which were now dry.

For the inside of the card I used the technique used in this video to stamp Happy Birthday in green, red, orange and yellow Prima Oil Pastels.  I then flicked color off the end of the crayon with a water brush to create these tiny burst of color on the inside of the card.  I'm super pleased with how this card turned out.  I might give it a try again.

I am linking to Jennifer McGuire's Sharing Handmade Kindness challenge.

Thanks As In a Bunch of Flowers

Brandy sent me this photo a while back and it got lost in the sea of pictures since we've both had a prolific month of crafting.  This card was too big a stunner not to share with you here.  The card front was made by clear embossing red cardstock using Heartfelt Creations Vintage Floret stamp.  Brandy hand cuts each flower since she finds the fussy cutting to be relaxing.  This adds a certain neatness to the look of the flower.  The flowers are shaped using a technique similar to that used in this video, though I'm not sure Brandy uses glue dots to make the shape happen.  Behind the flowers is leaves stamped with Heartfelt Creations Classic Leaf stamp onto green paper. In this case, she die cut the image using the coordinating die.  A few drops of VivaDecor Pearl Pens create these fabulous embellishments and the card is practically finished.

Brandy made the envelope so that she could make it dimensional to prevent her flowers from being crushed.  This image is to show you how the space allows the flowers to retain their shape.  Of course, this envelope was hand delivered making this design useful.  Still, with Christmas coming up, this is a grand idea, don't you think.

Here's the card all tied up and read for delivery.  Fantastic don't you think!?!

I'm going to link up to Jennifer McGuire's Sharing Handmade Kindness challenge and the SSS Wednesday Challenge Simon Says Thanks/Thanksgiving.

One Final Card Set

Mentioning the roll I was on, here is another couple of cards made from the card fronts I watercolored last month.  Can it be that long ago?  I finished these with a bit of patterned paper - some made by hand and others that were store bought.  I also added touches of Wink of Stella glitteriness to the images.  It adds a bit of shine and interest.

Don't you just love those teeny tiny flowers made with my IO spiral flowers die?  I can't get over how cute they are and the interest they add to the image.  Thanks for bearing with me as I share these cards with you.  As I've mentioned before, these cards will go into the Christmas gift stash for my friends and family.  'Tis the season!

Cards From the Brusho Card Fronts

Well, I got on a roll making cards out of many of the card fronts I've created while stretching my watercolor skills.  I thought I would share the finished product for these sets of cards.  You'll find I used some store bought and homemade acetate butterflies to finish these backgrounds.

I am keeping these kinds of cards to use as Christmas gifts for my friends and family.  If they don't have to purchase cards this year, things are going well for me.  I use up my stash don't feel guilty if I find a new tool or supply that I want to try out.  Can you believe that Christmas is a few short weeks away (ok - less than eight weeks, but that will seem short in about 4 more weeks!)?  Are you ready?

Making Cards Out of Card Fronts

I colored these images a while back and finally decided to get around to matching them up with some printed paper and creating cards with them.  I relied heavily on a couple of different stitched die frames to keep the finish simple, yet effective.

On the inside - I simply used a variety of sentiment stamps.  Some neutral to leave the card more a note card and others specific birthday, etc.

These stamps are old, but I think the watercoloring transcends the style.  I am keeping these kinds of cards in the stash to wrap up as Christmas gifts.  I figure we all don't really need one more thing, but if my friends and family don't have to purchase cards this year, things are going well for me.  Less in my stash and more reason to keep buying new tools and supplies.  What do you do with your works of art - send lots of cards? Stash the finished product too?