Loose Florals - Take 2

I decided I needed to spend more time playing with loose florals so I did one more piece for the Mix-Ability challenge - this one is done on a matboard piece - these are Swatches from Inchie Arts and they're 2"x4" -  it's a great size for card fronts.

I used a drop of Hydrus Quinacridone Magenta liquid watercolor to paint this piece - I started from the flower centers and then worked out, using wider strokes than I had before (when I was overthinking!). I stamped a script stamp over the panel and embossed it with white detail powder. The sentiment is from My Favorite Things. I used my Scor-Buddy to run the double line around the panel and sentiment, just to break up the white a bit.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!  I've got a swap to finish up, and I'll share that on Monday - it's a bird theme, and birds are one of my favorite things to paint!

Mix-Ability challenge: Loose Florals

Today's Mix-Ability challenge was definitely a challenge for me - Lydia wants us to create loose watercolor flowers. I tend to work from photos and work into details, so 'loose' is not really my forte... but... I tried. :)

I started with a wash over my whole panel, then dotted in purple where I wanted the lilac to generally be, and let that bleed into the water. (I use QoR watercolors - love them! The paper I'm using here is a Fabriano Medioevalis watercolor card.) As it dried, I continued to dot in paint, a little darker each time, to add depth. I filled in with a light background, and let the panel dry completely.

Over the dried lilac base, I created some negative flowers by painting an outline and then pulling the paint outward instead of in, and also used a Distress marker to sketch a few flower outlines. The leaf and stem are also painted in the negative.

I wanted to add some texture to the card with a technique I've done on canvas, and it didn't work as I had planned, but as usual I like it better this way. I used a palette knife to spread some thin layers of matte gel medium onto the card, and pressed an embossing folder into the medium while it was still wet. It looked really cool before it dried... but when it dried it disappeared! The texture was still there, so I lightly rubbed white acrylic paint over the texture with my finger and I like that look - it breaks up the color in the painting a little, and gives it a worn, vintage look.

My second card did start out as a loose painting... but as I added layers, it got less loose. :)

Here's how it turned out - there are several layers of detail and shading - I still like it, just not sure how it will fare with the challenge police! I used the same technique for adding texture, so my mediums here are watercolor, ink, and acrylic. The verse stamp is one of my older ones from Our Daily Bread designs - not sure if this one is still available anymore.

Hope you'll give this a try! I might do some more just for practice... I definitely need to loosen up!

For sale page updated...

I updated my For Sale page with a few more items that need a new home... take a peek and see if there's something you'd like! Prints are all in stock too, if you'd like to add one in with your goodies. Email me by clicking the button above! :)

Splitcoast tutorial & Starburst backgrounds

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is an upcycled Cardboard Roll Album - it's a great way to use up those empty TP rolls, and make a unique themed mini book. I didn't get to make a sample this week, but please be sure to check out our new author Areli's sample books - they're great!

In the Inkling newsletter this week I answered a question about making Starburst backgrounds, so here are a couple of cards I made as I was clarifying the steps in my mind... the House Mouse images came from Joanna Sheen's webstore (they're discontinued now), and the sentiments are from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps.

 Our Artist in Residence answers your questions:

Q: Deirdre wants to know: "How do you make a starburst background?"

A: I start with a pile of rectangular paper scraps, and cut them from corner to corner to create long triangles. The width of the scraps doesn't matter, but they need to be at least 4-5" inches long. 

I pick a point on the card, usually to one side, and glue my first wedge down across the card with the point of the triangle at or just beyond my focus point (it doesn't have to be on the edge - it can be anywhere on the card, really). 

From there I work out on either side of the first wedge, gluing down other wedges and leaving a small space in between each piece. You can match up the sides, but leaving a space allows for a contrast layer to show through, and gives you a little margin for error in case your cuts aren't perfectly straight. 

When the space is filled, trim off the overhanging edges. 

That's it! It's a great way to add drama to a card or really highlight a small image.

 If you're not a subscriber to our weekly newsletter, you can click here to find back issues and sign up - the newsletter is published every Wednesday and the Splitcoast team packs it full with a new tutorial, tips, reviews, coupons, and links.

Hope you're having a great week - thank you for visiting me!

Power Poppy - Created to Create

I'm hopping with the Power Poppy team today - every once in a while I get a chance to use a new digital stamp set and play along! Even though I don't always get to participate, I simply adore this team, and this company. :)

As soon as I saw this new design, I fell in love, and knew that I wanted to make something that could hang in my studio. Here's my project - the finished frame is a Goodwill rescue, and it's 12" square.

I printed the image on Canva-Paper and colored with Touch Twin Markers, using a waterbrush filled with rubbing alcohol for some of the shading. This is what the frame looked like when I bought it....... .. ha!

I pulled out the glass and mats and stamped a damask pattern around the frame with pigment ink, then embossed with black powder...

Next I covered the frame with acrylic paint...

...and after that was dry, I sanded some of the paint away for a distressed look - revealing some of the embossing, and some of the white underneath.

Here's a closer look at the colored piece - these are my favorite colors and some of my favorite flowers, and I will love looking at this in my studio for a reminder of why I do what I do! Thanks Marcy!

Please visit the Power Poppy blog for a list of who's hopping today, and a peek at the other digital set being released!

Strawberries Sweet

My card fits this week's Mix-Ability challenge - check the Mix-Ability Challenge Forum for all the details! 

This is one of my brand new summer stamps from Impression Obsession... it may not even be on the site yet, but it will be soon. I'm so pleased with how it turned out! I watercolored with Distress markers - the background coloring is a bleed of color from my first layer of color on the strawberries, which I sprayed with water. I used a glaze pen to mask the flowers and keep them bright white while I did the rest of the painting. I added highlights with a white Posca pen. 

This teacup was sketched from one that sits on my desk - it's a vintage Japanese teacup I found at Goodwill and I've kicked myself since for not getting all 4. I love it!

Impression Obsession DT Challenge: Happy Hellos

The Impression Obsession team's challenge today is to create a project that says hello! I should be peeking more Summer stamps, but I couldn't resist this little Stamp Selfie, inspired by Amy Lee's tutorial HERE! These are so much fun to make. Here's my card:

I started by stamping Amanda, then masked her and stamped the Door image for a fun selfie background.

I framed the scene in the Instant Photo Frame die, and cut it out, then cut a white piece to frame it.

I used Peerless watercolor sheets for a quick color up, then mounted the frame on some thick foam. The word stamp is from the Everyday Words clear set... and I have no idea where the wood sequins came from, but aren't they cute? :)

Be sure to check out these other designers' blogs for inspiration -

Anna @ Sassy & Sweet Notes
Daniela @ For the First Time
Dina @ Mama Dini's Stamperia ---- you're here
Ellen @ The Serendipitous Stamper
Jeanne @ Inky Paws
Jenny @ One Krafty Kat
Karen @ Paper Lilies and Ink
Kittie @ Kittie Kraft
Laura @ Laura's Stamp Art Journal
Vicki @ Summerthyme Studio

Remember you can enter these challenges too, using your Impression Obsession stamps! See the I.O. blog for all the details - you might even win a $25 gift certificate!! We'd love to have you join us.

Splitcoast Tutorial: Split Top Box

This week's tutorial over on Splitcoast is called a Split Top Box - this is a unique A2 box that can hold a dimensional card, a set of cards, or an gift of the same dimensions. The center opening is really interesting, and this was fun to put together!

I paired the new strawberry dies from Impression Obsession (Sm. Strawberry Bunch,  Strawberry Set) with a new little sentiment set of mine that will be coming soon - it was released this last weekend! It's a fun mix and match set with these two main scripty words, and a bunch of smaller connector words for lots of sentimental possibilities.

Here's a side view of the box - I never could get that gap to close, so next time I make one of these, I'll add 1/16" to each top piece, or maybe make them overlap.

I'm so ready to have this stamp catalog project DONE... I've been working hard this week (I'd reeeeally rather be stamping!). I have a request for a description of my process, so I'll work on that for the weekend. I hope you're having a great week!

Summer stamps

Just a peek at some more stamps that were released this weekend at the Collins Show in Boston! Can't wait for you to see the full summer release - there are so many stamps to choose from!  Here are a few more of mine - I paired this vintage inspired silhouette with an illustration of my own, and the sentiment is a redesign from a previous release. Love how well they fit together.

I always like having something dimensional on cards, especially with simple coloring like this, so I cut around 3 sides of the luggage tag, and popped it up with a tiny piece of foam tape. The background panel is a gel print from my stash.

My friend Libby took a picture of one of my spreads in the Summer Supplement at the Impression Obsession booth - hope you see something you like!

Have a wonderful week!

Cactus and Chameleon!

Each Friday this month the Impression Obsession team will be sharing projects using Chameleon pens, and the Chameleon team will be sharing projects using Impression Obsession stamps. It's so much fun to share! 

 I invested in a set of Chameleon pens last year, and they're a lot of fun to play with - I thought I'd try them out on a matboard Art Square from Inchie Arts, and I loved how easily they moved and blended. I like to layer multiple colors together, so I started on the flowers with the Fawn marker to create a shaded base...

...then went over the layers at a different angle with the Bubble Gum pink. I used 3 colors on the cactus to get the blend I wanted. It was a bigger area than I prefer for these markers, since the blending is done with the tip of the marker, but it worked out in the end.

For the background I used a waterbrush filled with rubbing alcohol to paint a texture - here's a quick shot (no sound) of how that works - the marker is just scribbled onto a ceramic tile and that becomes my palette.

I did a little sponging around the edges and added a few little highlights with a Posca pen, then assembled my card. I'm not sure what inspired me to stamp the cactus in green... stress brings out odd color combinations for me!

Stamps I used: Cactus Blossom, Hope Blooms (both from my stamp line)

You can visit the IO Blog to find links to today's projects - also, be sure to visit the Chameleon Blog to see their team's projects and enter for a chance to win a set of 5 Chameleon pens!

Print order reminder

Just a quick reminder that I'll be placing a print order this weekend - if you'd like to preorder a copy of my latest print, titled "Free", you can click through the button below to order now. It will be available in 5"x7" and 8"x11" and will come to you ready for gift giving or framing.

Other prints are in stock, and I'll be restocking the 8"x10" "Held" prints as well. If there's a print size you don't see and you'd like to special order, now's a great time! Thank youuu!