Thank You Cards - Finally!

I finally have most of my craft room set up so I could get some cards made. With seeing family tomorrow I pushed through to get quite a few done.

I created watercolor abstract art on a sheet of 12x18 inch Strathmore Cold Press 140lb paper.  I added salt in some areas.  I ripped my masking tape which held down my edges which gave wonderful irregular edges to my watercolor art.  Great idea. 

Left: SU Pear Pizazz green card stock in A2 size because I know where those envelopes are.

I ripped the bottom edge and added a sequin star in the top right hand corner with half of the one piece of 3D foam tape I could find.

Still stuff to unpack.

I chose blues - Prussian Blue, Ultramarine, and Turquoise along with some Sap Green and Cadmiium Yellow Hue.

Of course not all pieces have the same colors.

The card base is SU Night of Navy with a landscape orientation.  The right hand side ripped with an oval punchie greeting overlapping the ripped edge.

The A2 card base is SU Bermuda Bay.

I ripped the top edge of the watercolor and aligned the right hand edge to the card edge.

I chose to create a flower with watercolor and metallic watercolor around the dot of color left by a grain of coarse salt.

I added a line of pearl watercolor along the top and mounted a greeting over it.

Greeting is SU Modern Label punchie with a Word Window greeting.

Cards - Christmas Cards - Trees

I have done these colorful trees on a smaller scale before.

This is an A2 card in landscape orientation.

The bottom of the card is wet with clear water and then you paint your trees above wet on dry until at the bottom you reach the puddle of water you laid earlier.

I did work out how to print the greeting on the bottom of the watercolor panel.

This is Taken with Teal with a seasonal insert and white envelope.

I think these trees are a bit too far apart but at least they are green.

The black greeting printed on the panel with the printer before mounting to card front.

Mounted on a Kiwi Kiss card base with a seasonal insert and white envelope.

Not sure how well this color works but there it is!

Black printed greeting on the watercolor panel.

Card base is Island Indigo with a seasonal insert and white envelope.

Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor - Doves

I created watercolor backgrounds with the intention of using these dove brads for this set of cards. The watercolor has a bit of salt technique.

The doves come in right and left facing styles. I used a Sakura GellyRoll Stardust - Clear Star gel marker for the olive branch.

The circle behind the dove is a 13/8 inch circle punchie.

The greeting is a color printed double flag end banner I designed.

This card is Stampin Up Elegant Eggplant which is a deep rich purple color.  This card is in the landscape orientation.

On this card I used Stampin Up Primose Petal for the card base as I did not have any Rose Red card stock.

The circle is Rose Red.

The greeting is also Rose Red and I chose Peace on Earth in various fonts.

You can see the Sakura Gelly Roll Stardust - Clear Star gel marker on the image on the right. 

It just adds mostly sparkle with little colors so it works well in many situations.

 

These watercolor backgrounds were created with the Stampin Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons which makes it easy to match to the card stock.  

This card had lots of salt action on the color.

The card base, the circle punchie and greeting are all Marina Mist on the left and Always Artichoke on the right.

Watercolor - Birthday Garden

Another watercolor card for a friend who had a birthday in early August but I was dealing with funerals, etc.

I wanted to paint a flower garden and I think I got parts of it right. I started with a pinkish background made a while ago. I penciled my composition. With a few samples layout on the computer screen I chose a few I liked.  I love the dragonfly and the yellow flower. I think I did a decent job of creating the shorter greenery towards the bottom.  I think the spiky flower is too big. The green stems are too different in color. Should have stuck to warm green. 

I added a Stampin Up Modern Label punchie in Sage Shadow and added a Word Window greeting that coordinated.  I chose a Tempting Turquoise card base to match the dragonfly. It is off to my friend tomorrow.

Watercolor - Blue and Yellow

A belated birthday card for my friend.

I was away last week taking care of Mom when the date went by.

I created a soft blue and yellow background wash which I allowed to dry completely. 

I chose tulips and daisy like flowers for this watercolor.  I placed my blue flowers a little too far to the edges for a perfect composition but I am still happy with it.  Mixed a warm green for the foliage. Added a bit of blue spatter.

I trimmed the watercolor once it was dry.  I chose a Brilliant Blue card base. I added the blue ribbon along the bottom half of the watercolor over the stems and leaves.  I added a blue greeting punched with the SU Modern Label punch, adhered with 3D foam tape.

I will get it to her shortly.

Watercolor Cards - Butterflies

I worked on more watercolor cards this week.

I needed a sympathy card and I have found that butterflies are a great symbol for that occasion.

I drew a basic butterfly outline that I will be able to use then adjust the shapes of the wings as I choose.

I again cut a long strip of 140lb water color paper and taped it to my desk.  I applied a light coat of color across the whole piece and let it dry.

Once dry, I cut it to 4" wide pieces then added my elements.

Here I have put the butterfly on the right and filled the wings with mostly lines.  I used a blue, yellow & green color scheme.  I added some color below the butterfly to make the bottom a bit darker which helps to ground the composition.

Once, dry I spattered a bit of blue and let that dry again. Trim the piece to it's final size and adhered it to a card base of Bordering Blue.

I created this butterfly with just lines in the wings put down with a Faber-Castell Ecco Pigment Black pen in size.4.

Painted with some pink, purples and blues.

Again, I added some additional color in the bottom left hand corner to ground the composition.  

A bit of purple spatter.

I believe the card base is Brilliant Blue.

Really loving the subtle colors in these cards.

I used my Lowe-Cornell watercolor palette.

The blue one will be mailed out today for a friend who lost her husband last week.  They have been married for over 70 years.

On this bulrush card I just lightly drew a rough composition with a pencil.  Started with my horizon line, added the sun, then the bulrushes.

I have a brown in this palette so I did not have to mix it but just darken it a bit.

I mixed a warm green for the bulrush leaves.

A warm golden yellow for the sun and some blue for the water.

I had to make decision about whether the bulrush stems were in front or behind the leaves.

Once dry I added a bit of yellow above and below the sun to have the sun glow.  This worked out very well this time.

Once trimmed I mounted it on a card base of Crushed Curry.

Each will get a blank quarter sheet insert and a white envelope.

Exchange Card - August - Watercolor

I decided to make watercolor cards for my exchange cards for August.

I drew a few flowers with a pencil, traced the shapes with the black Micron marker then watercolored them in bright colors.

Once they were dry I went back and added the green wash to the bottom of the card.  

Once that was dry then I added spatter with blue water color.

The flowers are just designer shapes with no attempt to represent flowers realistically.

The stems and leaves were done in warm and cool greens.

The water color accent as adhered to to a Pool Party card base with 3D foam tape.

Great all occasion card.

I created some funky flowers on this piece of 140lb rough watercolor paper which measures about 3.5 inches square.

I drew the flowers with pencil, traced the shapes with a Micron permanent black marker, erased the pencil marks and applied watercolor.

I flooded the large center with yellows, oranges and a touch of red. The petals were left white. The leaves were painted green.

Once the flowers were dry a light green wash was applied to the background.

The Summer Sun card base had a length of satin stitched Gumball Green ribbon wrapped with ends taped under the focal element.  The watercolor square was adhered with 3D foam tape.

These are off to my partners this week.

Birthday Birds - Watercolor

I wanted a masculine subject for my nephew's birthday card.  

I needed whimsical because I cannot draw realistic birds.  I did a bit of searching on the web then drew a couple.  

I chose warm colors for the bird with warm background and a sun in the corner.

I traced my pencil marks with black permanent marker once the watercolor was dry.

I chose a Kraft card base with a Coastal Cabana grosgrain ribbon wrapped around the card front.   The ribbon is aligned on the left just off center.

The watercolor was adhered with 3D foam tape above where the ribbons met on the card front.

This card will be going digital as it has a long way to go.

The card above is a couple of small birds in bright colors.  I added spatter to this one and adhered it to a Wisteria Wonder textured card base with a deep purple grosgrain ribbon added around the card and taped behind the watercolor focal element.

I updated the brown bird one with spattering of warm toned spots.

Mom's Day Card

I painted a blue daisy flower for my Mom's mother's day card.

Her favorite color is blue.

I used a piece of 140lb rough water color paper measuring approximately 4.25 x 5.5 inches.  I sketched it lightly with a pencil and then painted it with my Stampin Up Wonder Watercolor  Crayons.  Using Marina Mist as the main color with some Night of Navy and some Not Quite Navy.   The leaf colors were Always Artichoke and More Mustard.  The center is More Mustard.

Once completely dry I traced around the flower and leaves with a black permanent marker. 

I mounted the flower onto a half sheet card of Marina Mist card stock.   I added white and medium blue seam binding below the flower by punching a slit in the fold then wrapping them around the card front and knotting in the front.

A white insert was added to the inside.

Christmas Card Challenge - Watercolor - Christmas Chickadees

 

Here are my cards for the February Christmas Card Challenge.  I chose to make Christmas Chickadees.  Using the bird line drawing I have used a few times, I changed it up a bit and added a evergreen bough instead.  I studied the coloring of these birds then started.  I laid the outline of the bird onto the 140lb cold press watercolor paper which measures 3.5 inches by 4.5 inches.  I applied clear water around the outline and dropped blue at the top and green on the bottom for a light background.  I let this dry completely.  I painted the black head, throat and beak of the bird leaving a bit of white in the eye and let dry.  Next, I applied a puddle of clear water on the breast area and dropped a bit of yellow into it and let it dry. I added the brown branch and the green foliage next.  I then added a bit of light grey to the wing and tail.  Once dry, I traced the outline with a black permanent marker.  Love these!

I steamed them and pressed them between books to flatten them.  I chose a warm green card base, added an aqua grosgrain ribbon with the join under the accent.  The chickadee watercolor is mounted with 3D foam tape.  I printed some greeting with the Teeny Tiny Wishes digital stamp set by Stampin Up. I punched them out with the Small Oval punch.  I lightly brushed a blue wash over the black letters. These where mounted with slightly thicker tape to have it higher than the chickadee layer.  Super happy with these cards.