Day 16 - Watercolor Washes

Hello again!  Day 16 was about watercolor washes.  I was especially inspired by a card from Norine Borys.  Her card had blocks of gradient color with sentiments.   The watercolors I used are a set from Close to My Heart.  They tend to be a bit chalky in the end, but the colors were pretty.

The sentiments are from an old Simon Says Stamp set called, Card Exchanging Friends.  I might try this design again with different paper and paints.   It was simple, easy, and fun.  Just the way I like it :)

Thanks for stopping by!  

Day 15 - Easy Shaker Cards

Hello everyone!  I'm back to share a card a made for Day 15 of the Online Card Class:  Spring Card Camp 2.  This day was all about tips and techniques from Kristina Werner and Heather Ruwe to make easy shaker cards.

This heart started out to be part of Day 16's homework which is colorwashing, but it worked out great as a shaker.  I'll be back with another card for Day 16.  

Thanks for stopping by!  Stay home, stay safe, and stay creative!

Day 13 - Spotlighting Die Cut Backgrounds

Hello everyone!  I'm playing catch up on my Online Card Class:  Spring Card Camp 2.  Day 13 was all about spotlighting your die cut background.  I have to say, I don't think I have ever done this.  Jennifer McGuire showed several tips and techniques for doing this.  For my first attempt, I thought I would keep it simple.

I die cut my flowers and leaves and stacked them three high.  Then I blended over them with my CTMH inks in Cotton Candy, Sorbet, and Buttercup.  Then I added a fourth uncolored layer to the larger flower and leaves.  I thought this was a really neat affect.  The sentiment is from an old Simon Says Stamp set called, Happy Everyday.  

I'll be back to show you some more homework, shortly.  Thanks for stopping by! 

Day 14 - Watercolor Inspired by Children

Hello everyone!  I am on Day 14 of Online Card Class's Spring Card Camp 2.  Yes, part 2.  I am way behind on posting on here and in class..lol.  I'll go back and post all that I have missed at a later time.  But for now, I wanted to share my homework for Day 14. 

Debby Hughes taught some techniques with watercolor that was inspired by children's art.  I used my Karin brush markers for the first time.  I think I like them, but I definitely need to swatch them.  The colors on the caps are nothing like the color you get from the marker. I free-handed some squares in a very random, not-so-perfect background.  For the little one, I used some super skinny washi tape to lay out my not-so-perfect triangular background.  I used my brushmarkers to color it, as well. 

These were fun.  I tried to channel my inner child and not be precise,  and keep it simple.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay safe, stay home, and stay creative!

Watercolor Masking - Day 5 at Spring Card Camp

Hello everyone!  Yesterday was day 5 at Spring Card Camp over at Onlinecardclasses.com.  The extremely talented Debby Hughes showed a technique using a die cut as a mask.  Her cards are always amazing. She made it look so easy.  But.....mine didn't work out the same..lol.  Such is life.  I did use watercolors I have never used and I was able to make three cards from the mess I made.  So, it's a win in my book.

Here are two cards I made from my attempting to use the die cut from Darice as a mask.  My water seeped all up under it so it didn't leave the outline I was looking for.  I ended up die cutting another flower from a blank piece of watercolor paper and placing it where the image should have been.  The die cut I was using to mask turned out ok, so it got a place on the second card.

I am going to keep trying with watercolors.  I love painting, but something about the lack of control with watercolors makes me struggle.  While attempting to do another background to try the masking technique again, I had a little Bob Ross moment.   In the spirit of Bob, I went with it.  My happy little accident turned out to be a tree.  I put it on a hillside and attempted to add some clover.   Even though it was a mistake, I really kind of like it. 

I'm officially a day behind in class.  Today's class looked super fun and I can't wait to get to it, but that will have to wait for tomorrow. Maybe this weekend I can catch up.  Until then....

Thanks for stopping by!   Stay home, stay safe, and stay creative!

Die Cut 2 for 1 - Spring Card Camp Day 4

Hello everyone!  Today's lesson was from Julie Ebersole, a master at CAS.  I really love her style.  She showed some examples of using coordinating die cuts with images to get two cards from one stamping session, which is the theme for this class. 

I used a stamp set I have never used (another challenge for myself - to use things I haven't used) from CTMH called Chelsea Gardens - Cardmaking stamp set. One of the few sets I have with coordinating dies.   Here was my take on today's homework.

I stamped the butterfly on the outside and the inside of the card on the left.  I die cut the one on the front to reveal the one on the inside. I stamped more butterflies from the set on the inside and I colored everything with Prismacolor pencils.  It has been a long time since I used colored pencils.  They were my first artistic love.

The card on the right had the butterfly from the card front, which I colored with Copics.   The "hello" sentiment was from an old Hampton Arts stamp set, again, that I had never used. 

I had a lot of fun with the lesson from class today.  I find coloring relaxing and I tried something I wouldn't normally do.   Thanks to OCC for getting my creative juices going again!  

That's all for me.  Until next time...stay home, stay safe, and stay creative! 

Coloring with Paper - Spring Card Camp Day 3

Hello everyone!  Today in class we explored coloring with paper with Yana Smakula.  She made some lovely cards by paper piecing a stamped geometric background.  I have to say, I struggled a little bit with this one, too.   This class is pushing me to try all kinds of new things, which I enjoy.   Here is my take on today's class.

I only have one geometric background.  This was one of the first background stamps I bought.  It's from Hero Arts called Hexagon Background.  I used Versafine ink to get a good dark stamp on this colored cardstock.  Word of caution, that's a lot of ink in these backgrounds, let it dry really well or heat set it before you start cutting.  I had ink everywhere before I was done...lol.  I didn't have a house stamp or die, so I just cut two squares and made my own.  I tried to create my own landscape with the colors.  I'm not sure I was totally successful, but it was fun trying!

I can't wait to see what the class holds for tomorrow.  Until then...stay home, stay safe, and stay creative!