WWC265 - Marsha's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

Hello and Welcome!  Today we are making feminine cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  Marsha is our hostess.

I combined two ideas I had, making personalized initial notecards and using alcohol ink on watercolor paper (as opposed to Yupo paper).  

My Process:

1. I started by stamping a background stamp onto watercolor paper.  I used Versamark ink and then heat embossed with white embossing powder.  
2. I added three colors of alcohol ink (sunshine yellow, sunset orange and flamingo) plus blending solution.   I blended the colors with a felt blending tool.
3. I added some pops of Gold with Jacquard Pinata Rich Gold.
4. After my panel was dry, I glued craft foam on the back and die cut the K.  The great thing is that you wind up with two cards.  
5. I made two A2 top folding cards and glued the K on the card base.  The K die cut looked a little small so I trimmed one card base down to 4" x 5 1/4".

I really like the cards and plan to make some batches for gifts.  I've ordered some additional initials and hope to post some variations in the future.

Supplies:

Altenew Mega Alphabet die

SSS Sketchy Lines Background stamp

watercolor paper

Ranger Alcohol Inks

Blending Solution

Ranger Alcohol Ink Mini Applicator Tool

Jacquard Pinata Rich Gold

Craft Foam

I am entering this card in:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Spring Mood Board Challenge

I am so glad that you stopped by...stay safe and stay sane!

Karen

WWC264 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

  Hello and Welcome.  Today we are showcasing "Occasion" cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Helen is our hostess.  I wanted to make a birthday card for my daughter. Megan's beloved "Tank" is her baby so I went with a dog themed card.  

I was at a card making convention and I saw a stamp that looked just like Tank so I put together a little birthday scene and  I colored the dog to look like Tank.  Since it is for my daughter, I wanted to make it special so I included a "pop-up" dog inside.

I Copic colored all the stamped images, added gel pen accents and used Nuvo Crystal glaze on the cake frosting and balloons.  I fussy cut most of the images but did die cut the pop up.  The tone on tone details didn't photograph well, but the background was made using an embossing folder.  

Supplies:
Stamps of Life:  Friends 4 Cookie stamp
Janes Doodles:  Party Time stamps (cake and gifts)
Mama Elephant:  Playful Pups (pop-up)
Sunny Studio Quilted Hearts Embossing Folder (background)
SSS Birthday Word Mix 1 sentiment

I am entering this card in:
Time Out's 6th Birthday Challenge  Happy Birthday Time Out!  I "twisted" and did both fussy cutting and die-cutting.  :-)

Allsorts "Animal Kingdom" Challenge

Always Fun "Birthday Wishes" Challenge

Shopping our Stash #216 "Happy Birthday!"

Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday "Anything Goes" Challenge

Day of the Month Card Club "National Puppy Day"  Happy First Birthday!   I entered that inaugural challenge last March.  :-)


I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen

WWC263 - Tristan's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

Hello!  I am so pleased you stopped by.  Today we are making Masculine cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Tristan is our hostess.

In my family, boys/men enjoy humorous animal cards so that was my starting point.  I stamped, Copic colored and die cut the animals and greenery.  Next I die cut the sentiment and then assembled the scene with foam tape.  I thought the monkey swinging from the sentiment was fun.

Supplies:

Photoplay We Bought a Zoo stamps and dies

Mama Elephant Wild Meadow stamps and dies

Copic Markers

Lawn Fawn Celebrate Sentiment

Neenah cardstock

Coordinations Color Core "Whitewash" cardstock for the background

Seize the Birthday "A Touch of Green" Challenge I used a soft green textured background and lovely green foliage to showcase these party animals. 


As You See It "Preferences" Challenge  My favorite type of card to send is Birthday cards.  I have a monthly calendar with friends and family's birthdays so I never miss a birthday.  

Inspirational: Designer's Choice "Animal" My card features a playful trio of animals.


Alphabet Challenge - Something for Youngsters  I think animals are always a popular option for the youngsters in our life.

UPDATE:  I was so pleased to see this card was selected "top 3" at The Alphabet Challenge!

Thank you for visiting my blog.

Karen

WWC262 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

Hello and welcome!  This week we are creating occasion cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Marsha is our hostess.

I wanted to make a spotlight background for this joyful girl. I started by drawing (in pencil) an off-center circle.  With a brush, I filled in the circle with clean water and then dropped in three different watercolors (yellow-green, green and blue-green) and let them blend.   I wanted the background to be mostly green as I associate that color with March.  After the panel dried, I erased the pencil line.  I stamped, Copic colored and fussy-cut my girl and then adhered on the watercolor.  I popped on an embossed sentiment and my card was complete.

Supplies:

Picket Fence Studio Sweet Dear Friend Stamp

SSS Birthday Mix 1 Sentiment

Watercolor Paper

Kuretake Watercolors

Copic Markers

CAS Watercolour Challenge


The Rainbow "Emerald" Challenge


Addicted to Stamps Challenge


Dar and Diane "Its All About The Green" Challenge

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

Personalized Initial Notecards for the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge

I loved the colors in the March Altenew Inspiration Challenge.  I decided to use alcohol inks on watercolor paper.  I thought the look would be softer than Yupo paper and more in keeping with the spring theme for the challenge.

My Process:

• I laid a stencil over the watercolor paper and inked it with Versamark ink.  Then I heat embossed with white embossing powder.  
• Next, I used the three colors of alcohol ink from my collection that best matched the photo.  I used felt blenders and blending solution to move the color around.  I thought a few pops gold would be nice so I added that at the end.
• After the watercolor panel was dry, I die cut the "K" from Altenew's Mega Alphabet die collection.  
• I made two top folding A2 cards and adhered the panel with foam tape for dimension.  The "K" die cut was so beautiful that I added it to the second card.   Since the "K" was a bit smaller I trimmed down the second card to 4" x 5 1/4.

I made these personalized initial notecards for myself, but like them so much I am going to make more for gifts.  

Here is the inspiration photo:  

I love those spring greens, blues and lavenders.

Be sure to pop on over to the Altenew March Inspiration Challenge Website.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

WWC261 - Kath's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

Hello and welcome!  This week is our always popular "feminine" challenge at Watercooler Wednesday.  Kath is our hostess.

I made this card for my sister's birthday.  I heat embossed,  watercolored then die-cut this beautiful floral image from Altenew.  I used watercolor paper for the painted panel and the card base as I liked the continuity of texture across the card.  I am not sure you can tell in the photograph, but I really like the textured look in person.   I also went with a brown sentiment for a more natural look.

Supplies:

Altenew Weekend Doodles stamp and die

Altenew Espresso Crisp die ink

Watercolor paper

White Embossing Powder

Kuretake watercolors

I am pleased with the card and look forward to popping it in the mail to my sister.

I am entering this card in:

Paper Players "Turn Up the Heat" Challenge

Make My Monday "In The Pink" Challenge

The Flower Challenge - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday Challenge - Flowers

I am so pleased you stopped by!

Karen

WWC260 - Karen's Challenge: All About Occasions

Hello and welcome! This week we are making occasion cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  I am excited because it is my week to host.  I chose to make a bright watercolor card.

A friend gave me this die cut (Paper Roses Blooming Flowers). I used a tape runner to glue down the die cut panel to a card base.  Next I watercolored in each segment and then I attached the die cut sentiment (Simon Says Stamp Birthday Word Mix 1).  I love how bold the card turned out.  

I've entered this card in Simon Says Stamps "Anything Goes" Wednesday Challenge

I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen

WWC259 - Dawn's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Masculine Twist

Hello and welcome.  This week we are making masculine cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Dawn is our hostess.

Last summer my husband and I went on an old-fashioned driving vacation of the American Southwest.  It was a wonderful trip and when we were in Santa Fe, New Mexico I found a stamp shop that stocked designs by local artists. I combined three stamps to create this Santa Fe scene.

I stamped my scene, watercolored and then heat embossed a sentiment.

Supplies:
B&J Art Stamps by Judy Duke (Las Cruces, NM):  

1. Santa Fe Gate
2. Sunflowers
3. Pear Cactus

Kuretake Watercolors

Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigment Paper

Versafine Onyx Black ink

I am entering this card in:
The Alphabet "W for Anything you Wish Challenge"  I wished to make an outdoor scene card.

Shopping Our Stash "The Great Outdoors" Challenge  I enjoyed making this outdoor scene card.

A Place To Start Masculine Challenge I think the rugged gate makes for a nice masculine card.  

Addicted to Stamps "Make Your Mark Challenge"   I made my mark with watercolors and ink.

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

WWC258 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

Hello and welcome!  This week is all about occasions at the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge Website and Marsha is our hostess.

I wanted to make a CAS watercolor valentine for my husband this year.  With pencil, I drew a heart shape in the bottom right corner of a Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigment panel.  Next, with a brush,  I filled the heart in with clean water and then dropped Kuretake watercolors into the heart.  I wanted the pinks and purples to blend.  After the panel was dry, I heat embossed the sentiment (My Monthly Hero,  January 2019).  I erased the pencil lines, trimmed with a stitched rectangle die and mounted onto a top folding A2 card that I had made.

I am very pleased with the valentine and hope Mark likes it too!

I am entering this valentine in:

Clean and Simple on Friday: #173 Love  I made this card for my husband.

Casology #361: Sweetheart I made this card for my sweetheart...my husband.

AAA Cards #158: Up to 1/3 + Optional Hearts I added the optional twist of a heart.

The Card Concept: Be Mine Valentine My card is a CAS/Clean and Graphic valentine.  I was inspired by the heart theme and the large "love" sign.

A Place to Start - Masculine Card I made this valentine for my husband

Allsorts - Add a Heart A heart plus a simple sentiment

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

WWC257 - Heidi's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

 Hello and welcome! This week we are making feminine cards at the Watercooler Challenge and Heidi is our hostess. 

I had a lot of fun making this valentine for my daughter.  I started with a piece of wet watercolor paper and then I applied pink, purple, red and a hint of yellow Kuretake watercolors to the panel.  I swirled, blended and then heat dried the paint and then repeated the process so I wound up with layer upon layer.  Because I added several layers, the watercolor appears much more vibrant than most watercolors I have done in the past.  After the panel was nice and dry I die cut a bunch of hearts in three sizes.  I stamped the sentiment, played with the layout and came up with this random pattern that I liked.  I adhered the hearts with foam tape so there is lots of dimension to the card.  

Supplies:

Kuretake Watercolors

Brutus Monroe Aqua Pigment Paper

Sentiment:  Hero Arts Year Round Sentiments

Gemini "Loving Tags" dies

Kuretake watercolors

I am entering this card in the following:

Inspired By Challenge: XOXOXO 

The Paper Players: PP476 

Make My Monday: I Heart You 

The Rainbow Card Challenge #14 - Fiercely Fuschia

UPDATE:  I am so pleased that this card was chosen as "A Cut Above" by The Paper Players Challenge!!!

I am so pleased that you stopped by!

Karen

WWC256 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

Hello and welcome.  This week is all about "Occasion" cards at The Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and Kath is our hostess.  

I started by making an "ink-smoosh" panel.  Here was my technique:

1. I liberally inked an 6x6" acrylic block with Distress Inks.  I wanted an ombre gradient look so went in rows across the page.  I used Mermaid Lagoon, Salty Ocean and Twisted Citron.  
2.  I liberally sprayed the inked block with water 
3. "Smooshed" the block onto a piece of watercolor paper
4. Weighted the ink/block with a book for 5-6 minutes
5. Uncovered.  If the ink pooled, I dabbed with a paper towel.

The next day, after the panel was dry, I die cut the B using the Altenew Mega Alphabet "B" die.  I heat embossed the birthday sentiment and die cut a cover frame using Sunny Studio "Frilly Frame Stripe".  I glued the striped frame, B and sentiment to an A2 card.  I like the clean simple lines of this card.

I am entering this card in Simon Says Stamp's Anything Goes Challenge

I am so pleased you stopped by!

Karen