Hello there,

Are you ready for a simple water coloring card?  This is fun to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon, especially in the summertime when thoughts of a tropical vacation, enjoying time at the beach may be on your mind.  Or maybe you just came from the beach and want to splash down your memories.

Recently I’ve been trying to get looser with my water coloring.  If you are, as well, this is one way to give yourself a boost toward your goal.  In preparation, I simply trimmed my watercolor paper to size and taped it to a hardboard in order to reduce warping of the paper.  On a craft mat I spread the Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pads (listed below).  I then wet the entire paper surface with a paintbrush dipped in clean water, and laid down splotches of color.  I always go for odd numbers, as that is what is most appealing to the eye.  First I laid down 3 splotches of each color randomly, then I filled in the gaps.  I followed the colors used on Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Photo Inspiration for this week.  To see what these are and to look at other cards I’ve made for the same challenge, check out the links below.

After I covered the entire surface with splotches of watercolor, I sprayed the surface with water.  TIP:  For this, I used a spray bottle that I normally would throw way.  An eyeglass lens cleaner bottle was rinsed out well, including the spraying of clean water through the sprayer.  

TIP:  I then poured purified water in my bottle because city water contains agents in it that I call bleach.  I have witnessed this leaving white spots on colored washcloths when I was silencing the sound of dripping from the spigot.  Just in case it does the same thing on my artwork, I use purified water.  I used a paper towel to daub up the drips that pooled around the edges.  You can let this air dry but I find that the paper flattens better when using the heat gun.  So I heat it, then set it aside while I work on the rest of the card. 

I already had palm trees die cut in Neenah Solar White Cardstock from my last project.  When my watercolor panel was ready, I adhered the trees with liquid glue.  Be careful with this because the distress color will react to the liquid glue and smear if you move the image around too much.  So try to be sure where you want the palm trees before you lay them down.  After I used a paper towel to wipe off any glue that seeped out, I laid an acrylic block over the palm trees to secure them. and set this aside to dry.

TIP:  The sentiment I used is an “off brand” that I purchased online without a backing, then backed it myself with EZ Mount Static Cling Mounting Foam.  By off-brand, I do not mean poor quality, because it is a nice red rubber stamp.  I just can’t find the online store where I purchased it.  I will put the link to the mounting foam below.  This is a good way to save money when purchasing stamps.  Some small online stores give a choice of how you can buy their stamps, wood mounted or not mounted.  You can also choose between thick mounting foam and thin mounting foam. 

Patting the surface of the area where I wanted to place the sentiment with an Embossing Buddy Bag, I used the MISTI to stamp my sentiment with VersaMark Ink.  The MISTI helps me make sure I have the sentiment straight.  After I pressed the stamp to the paper, I sprinkled white embossing powder on it and melted the powder with a heat gun.

Using my paper trimmer, I cut a top-folding card base of 8 1/2″ X 5 1/2″ from heavy Neenah Solar White  cardstock.  EZ Runner Tape was used to adhere the card panel to the card base.  I then used liquid glue to adhere sequins to the front.  All the supplies are listed below.

It would be interesting to know if you make a similar card to this.  Please leave me a comment by clicking on COMMENT at the top of the page under the title.  Don’t forget to click on the LIKE button at the bottom of the page to let me know if I am using my time wisely by giving this detailed information.

Thanks for joining me,

Tricia Ann

TOOLS

• Creative Memories 12″ Straight Trimmer
• Jack Richeson 9 X 12 inch Hardboard Panel
• Ranger Inkssentials Non Stick Craft Sheet 15 X 18 inch, Reusable
• Plaid Xuancheng #8 round tip brush – purchased in a pkg of different sizes from Michael’s Craft Store
• spray bottle of water
• Inkadinkado Embossing Magic Bag
• heat gun
• acrylic block
• MISTI (Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented) Stamp Positioner
• Provocraft Cuttlebug to cut out the die

 

SUPPLIES

• Canon 90# Watercolor Paper
• Scotch Blue Painter’s Tape
• paper towel
• Spellbinders in’spire Paradise Palms Dies
• 110# Neenah Solar White Cardstock
• Liquitex Matte Gel Medium
• sentiment stamp – I don’t have a label on this.
• VersaMark Ink Pad
• Hero Arts White Embossing Powder
• Scrapbook Adhesives E-Z Runner Tape
• Pretty Pink Posh Springtime Mix Sequins, 6mm  

 

CHALLENGES ENTERED

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Photo Inspiration  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-photo-inspiration

Word Art Wednesday Challenge Weeks #238-#239 – Anything Goes   http://wordartwednesday.blogspot.com/

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Nautical/ By the Sea  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/mondaychallenge/

 

LINKS

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Photo Inspiration  http://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-photo-inspiration/

Creative Images – The place to buy EZ Mount Static Cling Mounting Foam  http://www.cistamps.com/

My other posts using the same colors for the Photo Inspiration Wednesday Challenge on Simon Says Stamp: 

https://coffincardsandcreations.wordpress.com/2016/07/08/freehand-watercolor/

https://coffincardsandcreations.wordpress.com/2016/07/09/negative-die-cut-with-distress-ink/

Mounted Die Cut with Distress Ink