Card Making - Donation - IWin

I made some butterfly cards today.  These cards will be donated to IWin who assist women in distress.

I started by printing a small butterfly graphic from Pixabay onto 110lb card stock. 

I watercolored the image with Stmampin Up Watercolor Wonder crayons.  The background is a toned down color with blue and purple in it.  The butterfly is Marina Mist and branch Old Olive.  

Once it was dry and back to being flat, I adhered it to a teal A2 card base. 

I added a white quarter sheet insert.

This card base is Tempting Turquoise with a coordinated designer paper layer on the front.  It is cut 4"x5.25 inches.  It was adhered to the card front.

I cut the butterfly from watercolor designer paper with the Serendipity Butterfly die.  I cut another from Daffodil Delight card stock and cut it in half, trimmed a few bits and layered it behind the diecut offsetting to see the yellow layer.  I added the body and antennea wit a black marker.

The greeting is the same yellow card stock punched with the Modern Label and topped with a Word Window punchie greeting in white.

I added a flight trail with the black marker. White quarter sheet insert.

The butterfly was cut with the Serendipity Floral Butterfly die both layers.  The floral and the solid back.

The floral one is a but of a pain to remove from the die and not tear it.  Then gluing is another challenge.  It looks great when glued down.

I chose a blue card base to match the floral layer. I chose some vellum from the Stampin Up Botanical Gardens pack.  Cut it to leave a small border. I adhered the greeting and the butterfly to the front then could place double sided tape to the back to it would not show to the front.

The greeting was mounted with 3D foam tape.

A white quarter sheet insert was added.

The butterfly was cut with the Serendipty Stamps Floral Butterfly solid die from floral designer paper.

I chose an orange A2 card base to which I adhered a kraft and gold dot designer card stock. 

I then added a teal card stock strip on the left hand side.

I added a kraft body to the butterfly and glued it down to the card front and added antennae and flight path with a black marker.

I colored the Modern Label punchie greeting with a bit of watercolor to tone down the white.   It is adhered with 3D foam tape. A white quarter sheet insert.

The bright colors in this card.  I chose a Pacific Point A2 card base.

I layered a piece of green DSP from the Oh So Ombre DSP Pack cut to leave a small border.

The butterfly has both of those colors in the paster paper.  Cut with the Serendipity Floral Butterfly solid die.  

I added the body, antennae and flight path with a black marker.

I added white quarter sheet insert.

This A2 card is placed in the wide orientation.

The card matches well with the butterfly in a blue green card base.

The butterfly was cut from commercial decorative paper. Black marker to add antennae and body lines.

I punched a scalloped and smooth oval with Stampin Up punches.

Stamped the greeting with a small SU Stamp.

A quarter sheet insert added.

An A2 Marina Mist card base.

A layer of vellum from the Botanical Garden pack.  Cut to size to leave a small border.

A butterfly cut with the Serendipity Stamps Floral Butterfly solid die from watercolor paper.

Adhered the Modern Label Greeting and the butterfly to the vellum.  Then placed double sided tape to back where the elements would hide it.  Adhered to the card front.

I added the antennea and flight path with black marker.

A white quarter sheet insert.  Press overnight and these will be ready to go.

Watercolor Card - Landscape

I whipped up some waterolor paper this morning.  I used 140lb cold press paper measuring 11x15 inches.  Fortunately, I unpacked my glass shelf and a couple of plastic craft work sheet and taped the paper down.

I decided to use some Stampin Up reinker in water based dye ink which works the same as watercolor but will match the card stock I have.  I chose Always Artichoke, Only Orange, Baroque Burgundy. 

I used regular salt on one sheet, coarse salt on another and cling wrap on other.

I trimmed the watercolor paper after I decided what my bottom layers were going to be. I chose deep green card stock, deep red card stock and More Mustard card stock.  Ripped the top edges and layered them front to back and then taped the back with clear tape. I trimmed the watercolor paper to fit just below the top edge of the accent. I adhered it to a More Mustard card base in the A7 size. I adhered the ripped paper accent to the bottom of the card. With the scrap of green I cut a Sizzix Pine Small which I inked the edges with Always Artichoke ink pad. I then glued it in place ont the right hand side. I punched a 1 inch circle from Summer Sun card stock and adhered it on the left hand side. I then used the watercolor I had used this morning and painted with like colors to help it blend in the sky. I added 3 birds with my black Micron marker.

I put it to press for several hours. I gave it a white insert and a warm yellow envelope. I will see her tomorrow! Yeah!

Thank You Cards - Finally Set 2

The card base is SU Taken with Teal in the A2 size in portrait orientation.

Trimmed the rough edges off this piece and ripped the bottom edge.

I saw flowers in the salt marks in this piece so I took my fine black marker and drew them in.

Added stems and leaves reaching to the bottom of the paper with additional grassy strokes.

It pays to save bits of ephemera.  The green yarn came in really handy.

The A2 card base is SU Pumpkin Pie with a watecolor panel marked with saran wrap on wet color and left to dry.

I punched 4 holes with the 1/8 inch punch. Two on the right and 2 on the left.  I taped the end of the green yarn found in the stash and was able string it through the holes and knot both ends.

I added a SU Artisan Label punchie colored with pencils and held on the yarn with a orange clip.

With the yarn still on my table I used in this card.

I trimmed the waterolor to crisp straight edges.

I layed a strip of double sided tape to the back of the watercolor piece.  Layed my pieces of green yarn then added another piece of ds tape and adhered it to the SU Dusty Durango card base.

Once adhered, I picked apart the strands of the yarn to create this wavy row of goodness.

I added an 2 inch oval punchie greeting below the yarn frill.

The A2 card base is SU Island Indigo.

I added a piece of SU ribbon in So Saffron and flagged the bottom end.  Trimmed the top edge to the top of the card.

I mounted the piece of rough edge watercolor panel over the ribbon aligned along the top.

Each card has a white quarter sheet insert with a white envelope.

Slow Stitching project - May - Tiny Fabric Book

I wanted to add a small fabric book to my slow stitching project in which I would write my favorite authors.

I started with a dark blue piece of fabric paired with a bit thin blue fabric. I handstitched the outer edge and turned it right side out. I top stitched the outer edge to close the slot used for turning.

I cut a piece of white cotton for the pages on the inside. Finished it measures 2.75" x 2.25 inches.

I spent quite a bit of time thinking about how to get the words in the book.  I knew I was not stitching them.  I investigated adding sizing to the fabric allow me to hand write the words. Finally, I decide to use freezer paper on the back and a Micron black marker. That worked really well. I then hot ironed the white cotton to set the ink.

I added a small elastic closure on the right hand side and a tiny blue button on the front cover to hold the book closed. 

This book was stitched onto my books square for the May slow stitching project I am working on. 

Sympathy Watercolor

I did this watercolor as a sympathy card for a cousin who loss her Dad recently.  He passed away fairly quickly so it will be an adjustment to life without him.

I reused some watercolor paper that had art on the other side.

A simple landscape with a river, trees, hills and birds in the sky.

I used a small Winsor and Newton set I picked up at the ReUse Center recently.

I added definition with a Micron black marker.

Mounted on SU True Thyme A2 card base.

Headed out of town for the funeral today.

Cards - Watercolor Abstract

I wanted to add some cards to my stash so I chose to reuse the bright watercolors I created in this post.

I cut the watercolor art into pieces.  In this card 4x5.25 inches.  I then used a Micron fine black marker and outlined the shapes in the watercolor.

I followed the idea of neurographic art and rounded the intersections of the black lines.  I added a border all the way around. Added circles to some of the white dots.

I used a black marker to darken the edge of the watercolor paper.

Mounted on Stampin Up Island Indigo card stock with a quarter sheet insert on the inside paired with a white envelopee.

For this card I cut the watercolor art to 3.5 inches square.

Again, added black marker lines around the shapes in the watercolor.  Soften the intersections and circled some of the dots in the art.

Added a black border all the way around.

I mounted it leaving even edges around 2 side onto a SU Gumball Green A2 card base.

Added a white insert and envelope.

This one had a good variety of colors so there was a good choice of colors for card base.

In this card, I chose SU Pacific Point in the A2 size.  These I did mount all in the portrait orientation but they could be landscape (wide) as well.

I love the bright spot of pink in this piece of watercolor. 

Again, black marker to outline the shapes in the watercolor with a border all the way around.

A white quarter sheet insert and envelope.

The card base on this card is an A2 in the SU Kiwi Kiss color.

The watercolor was cut to 3.5 inches square.

Mounted to the card front with double sided tape.  I added white quarter sheet insert and an envelope.

Pressed under books over night and is now sitting in the box.

These were fun to do and allowed my art to shine again.

 

Drawing - Quick Doodle

A quick doodle with a graphite pencil after a day of packing more of the kitchen.

I used a Faber-Castell Ecco Pigment pen to add more details.

The washes were added with Payne's Grey and Deep Red watercolor pencils by Faber-Castell.  Got deeper color by letting it dry and doing it over again.

Like it!

 

Watercolor Painting - Green Leaves

I created this green leaves piece last night prompted by a photo challenge of green.

I used my rag tag watercolor pencils and the pencil sharpener to get some pencil shavings onto my watercolor palette.

With 2 greens, 2 yellows and a grey I managed to get a variety of colors for this collage.

Once it was dry I added the lines between the squares with a marker.

I then used a fine marker to draw leaves in the spaces. All kinds and shapes with a bit of help from the internet.

It's nature wonderful.

This morning looking at it I'm not sure that I will do for a photo challenge.

I will scour the place to find something green to shoot. I do have plants if worse comes to worse.

Watercolor Art

After getting my last few watercolor pencils I gave them a whirl.

I created an abstract with foliage and other elements.

It was good to be drawing again after the long haul of Inktober 2024.

I will have to translate some of these into cards when life get back to normal and I have access to card making supplies again.

Maybe I should be trying some Christmas images.  I think I will!

Inktober 2024 - 30 Umbrellas

Inktober 2024 Challenge

30 - Umbrellas

Black markers on Mixed Media 154lb paper with several layers of watercolor.

Primary color umbrellas.

Different orientations in the space.

Inktober 2024 - 28 Spheres

Inktober 2024 Challenge

28 Spheres

A black permanent marker to go over my pencil drawing.

I realized that I had used very little red so I wanted more of it in this sketch.

Lines with a ruler.

Stippling with the marker.

Inktober 2024 - 25 Camera

Inktober 2024 Challenge

26 - Camera

This is the only prompt from the official list that I have followed.  I chose an antique wood camera for its height in this format.

Pencilled then traced with a black marker.  This mixed media paper has worked very well.

I mixed a sepia colored watercolor and added an overall wash to give an old feel.

Inktober 22 Abstract Leaves

Inktober 2024 Challenge

22 Abstract Leaves

I penciled my sketch then traced it with a Micron permanent black marker.

I create several shades and tones of green watercolor on my palette.

Placed the background light patches.

Painted the leaves with my greens.

Spattered the final piece with some light and dark watercolor. 

Inktober 2024 - 18 Bridge

Inktober 2024 Challenge

18 Bridge

Micron Black Marker in couple of sizes on Canon Fluid Mixed Media 154lb paper.

I created a wash for the sky above the hills and left white spaces for texture.

Water was painted another shade of blue.

The hills in the background are green. 

Dark for the towers and the deck.

 

Inktober 2024 - 17 Bird on Branch

Inktober 2024 Challenge

17 - Bird on Branch

I penciled in my branches and bird then applied yellow and orange watercolor wash inside the border.

I traced my pencil markings with a Micron black marker then did the frame as well.

I wanted the composition to go beyond the border.

Inktober 2024 - 14 Lighthouse

Inktober 2024 Challenge

14 - Lighthouse

I penciled my composition on the 5x7 inch piece of Mixed Media 154lb paper.  Went over it with a fine black marker.

Watercolored the sky warm blue then the sea cooler.  Mixed a brown color for the rocks in the foreground.

Darkened the dome and lantern house. Added light to the upper windows. Painted the glass of the gallery. I added a bit of shading to the windows in the tower. I thought it needed a red door with a smidge of grass at the foot. 

 Birds in the sky is a must.

Inktober 2024 - 11 Wheat

Inktober 2024 Challenge

11 Wheat

Micron Black Marker & Watercolor on Canson Fluid Mixed Media 154lb paper.

Wheat is common in the western provinces. I have drawn wheat many times on ceramics, cards, etc.

I created my circle for the wheat the watercolored around it. Blue sky and golden yellow wheat fields. I added a granary in the background.  I colored the wheat stalks in the circle.

I added a black marker after the watercolor. 

Inktober 2024 - 09 Cattails

Inktober 2024 Challenge

09 Cattails

Micron Fine Black Marker & Watercolor

I got up this morning with no idea what I was going to sketch.

With my photography I see cattails/bulrushes all the time. I know these quite well.

I chose a fine marker .005 today. I did a pencil drawing in grid paper in my sketch book, then transferred that to my 5x7 Fluid Mixed Media 154lb paper.

I washed the whole surface in a very light rough wash.

I then watercolored the cattails and added some extra color and then some extra lines with the marker. I then added more watercolor in the background as needed.

Inktober 2024 - 06 Grain Elevator

An Alberta icon for today's drawing for Inktober 2024.

06 Grain Elevator

Black marker and watercolor.

I know the color is off but I did the best I could with what I had.

These are disappearing across our prairies.

Made up a ground cover and yes there should be tracks very near this building but I missed them in my creating.

I used a photo for reference so I think my lines are better on this one.

Inktober 2024 - 05 Hot Air Balloon

 Inktober 2024 Challenge

05 Hot Air Balloon

I drew a hot air balloon for piece #5.  The outline is black permanent marker. 

I washed the top third of the painting with blue watercolor then pull out the clouds with a tissue. 

I painted the silk part of the balloon in purple and yellow with a green stripe across in watercolor. I did a bit of shading with a very fine black marker. 

I painted the hills below in a couple of shades of green.

I know it would help to have people in the composition but I was too afraid to ruin it by adding them.