Watercoloring for APP91

In keeping with my New Year's goals and in need of stress relief I turned to the Paper Players challenge this week which was to create a CAS card using watercoloring.  I find coloring--watercoloring in particular--so soothing.  It's a go-to activity for me when I'm in need of calming and peace.  In fact, when I was teaching, if the class was particularly unruly, I would quickly come up with some activity that required coloring (I would join in!) and before I knew it, we were all calm once more.

It's been a hectic couple of weeks around here and this challenge was just what I needed. 

I hate that that old adage about death coming in threes seems to be true because I found I was once more in need of a sympathy card.  I pulled out my "Easter Blossoms" stamp set, inked up using brown Staz-On and went to work.  I used Rich Razzleberry on the buds and blooms as it reminded me of the gorgeous red bud tree in my front yard.

Although you can't see it in the photo, the vanilla base is stamped with the same branch using VersaMark.  I wanted to include a sentiment (I don't always) but wanted the branch to stand out so I stamped the message on vellum.

And, because I was still in need of a bit of calm, AND I needed a birthday card for Miss Beanie who turned two yesterday, I made a second card (so I once more have two submissions for the challenge--I can't seem to stop at only one these days...):

I love the "Greeting Card Kids"--I find them utterly adorable!--and knew this little sweetie would make a perfect card for my little sweetie. :o)  I had a blast coloring her as Lissie and I watched "Pride and Prejudice" (the good version with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy :dreamy sigh:).  Talk about soothing--watercoloring and Mr. Darcy?  I was in heaven. ;o)

I cut the little darlin' out using my oval Nesties, added a very sweet sentiment from "Curly Cute" and I was finished.

I'm grateful to the Paper Players for this week's challenge--it helped me find my calm center once more.  Thanks, ladies! :o)

An Apple for the Teacher

 Poor neglected blog.  Poor thing.  I'm so sorry I've left you with nothing new.  I've been busy.  That's my excuse. 

But, with school starting tomorrow, I wanted to send in a couple of cards to Lil's teacher and assistant and quickly threw something together. 

This first card is for Mrs. W.  I used a sketch from Stamping 411 and pulled out "Greeting Card Kids" because, let's face it, they're perfect!  They go wonderfully with the "Summer Picnic" DSP (that I have hoarded...) and I think it is a sweet little card.

I used the apple from "Tart and Tangy" to VersaMark the vanilla base behind the image--I know it's hard to see.  

Then, there's this card I pulled together for Mrs. S.  I had meant to make a horizontal fold card, but somehow managed to cut the card stock for a vertical fold.  OOPS!  This is making lemons from lemonade. ;o)

I love love love "Tart and Tangy" and haven't pulled it out nearly enough recently.  I used it to not only make the focal image, but also VersaMarked the lower right corner behind the sentiment, and along the red strip on the inside.

I hope the ladies enjoy their cards.  I certainly enjoyed getting back in my stamping space! :o)

When Good Cards Go Bad

Well, it had potential and then it didn't. I wouldn't be posting this except I promised Lissie I would post my ugly card. So, here it is, in all it's awful glory. There's not much to say, really. I tried distressing, it didn't work. Oh, well. Not my style, I guess...

This card uses:
Stamp Sets: "Greeting Card Kids", "Teeny Tiny Wishes"
Paper: watercolor, Blushing Bride, Newsprint DSP
Inks: Black Staz-On, Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Sahara Sand
Accessories: Log Cabin Smooch Spritz

We'll give it an A for effort, right? Right?!?

--Rach

It's Time To Cast A Spell

I'm not much for Halloween these days, but I have fond memories of trick or treating when I was a child, and I know my grandchildren love it, too. So, I began to work on cards for the fall and this is the first of my Halloween cards, ones I will send to my sweeties. Using ink in the lid of my stamp pad, I watercolored the image. Here are the supplies I used:

Stamp Sets: Greeting Card Kids and Scary Skeleton
Designer Series Paper: Cast A Spell
Inks: Old Olive, Black, Rich Razzleberry, Cajun Craze, Sahara Sand, and Pumpkin Pie
Rickrack: Ribbon Originals--"Pigtails" in Pumpkin Pie
Card Stock: Old Olive and Perfect Plum

School Daze

It's that time of year again--the back-to-school sales are on and there is excitement in the air. Teachers are scurrying to get their rooms ready in between all the mandatory meetings and school division professional development requirements (trust me, there is VERY little time to get that room ready!). But, it's all worth it, for the day after Labor Day (around here, anyway--don't ask about the "King's Dominion Law"...) we are greeted with shiny, smiling faces in brand new clothes, ready to embark on a new year. I confess, I'm going to miss that.

I borrowed the spiral punch idea from Lissie and the card came together. :o) Those kiddies are just too stinkin' cute!

And, the inside. I thought that sentiment went well with the kiddos on the front. :o)

This card uses:
Stamp Sets: "Greeting Card Kids", "Teeny Tiny Wishes", "Warm Words", "Heard From the Heart", "Tart and Tangy"
Inks: Oh, dear, let's see, Soft Suede, Cajun Craze, Real Red, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Sahara Sand, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, Night of Navy, Chocolate Chip (Whew!)
Paper: Real Red, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Watercolor, Summer Picnic DSP (which I have hoarded), Newsprint DSP
Accessories: Eyelet border punch, spiral notebook punch

Goodness I'm enjoying watercoloring!! :o)

--Rach

Autumn=Halloween?

As you all have probably realized, I'm dying for autumn to arrive. Halloween and pumpkins are definitely autumnal, right? Well, I have had so much fun watercoloring these sweet kiddos that I have many, many images lying around, ready to use in cards. Last night, while waiting for Brien to return from the rehearsal dinner he was attending, I got in the studio and decided to do something with them. The latest Paper Players challenge is a sketch challenge and I decided to play along, especially as I haven't been able to play along in quite a while.

Yes, I know, I didn't make a square card, nor did I use a circle (I don't have any large circle cutting devices...), but it remains fairly true to the sketch otherwise. ;o)



And, of course, the inside. I didn't have anything to stamp in here so I decided to use paper instead. :o)

This card uses:

Stamp Sets: "Greeting Card Kids", "Teeny Tiny Wishes"
Ink: Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Black Staz-On
Paper: Watercolor paper, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, retired SU! Halloween DSP (I can't for the life of me remember the name--Sorry!)
Accessories: Dimensionals, scallop border punch, 1 1/4" Pumpkin Pie striped grosgrain ribbon, mini pearls

I'm planning on making some similar cards to send to my nieces and nephews--I just can't get enough of these "Greeting Card Kids" and the watercoloring--it's such a stress relief for me. :o)

--Rach

More Back To School

For some reason this little girl--from the set Greeting Card Kids--reminds me that schools are opening all over the country (even though she is holding a heart and not a book or backpack). When Rachael was here, she taught me how to use an Aquapainter and watercolor paper to create a softer image. We first stamped images using permanent black ink (StazOn) and then using an Aquapainter slowly added color using the ink in the lid of the stamp pad. (You squeeze the pad together with your hands so that ink is deposited in the lid.) I had a pack of Tempting Turquoise DSP and decided to use it along with Real Red card stock because I liked the Real Red Ribbon and wanted to use it. To add interest I used my Spiral Border Punch and then tilted the image a bit. Here's a complete list of supplies I used:

• Tempting Turquoise DSP
• Real Red and Tempting Turquoise Card Stock
• Aquapainter
• Real Red Ribbon
• Tempting Turquoise Button
• Inks: Blush Blossom, Bashful Blue, Basic Black, StazOn Black, Sahara Sand, Real Red

When I finished the card I added the saying. Isn't it a shame after all that work I didn't stamp it straight?

--Lissie

Back to School

In continuing with my "longing-for-autumn" theme, I have these sweet, adorable kiddos. I fell in love with "Greeting Card Kids" the first time I saw them, but then had to question, how in the world would I use them?? They are not my typical style and I knew I would struggle to make them work. And yet, how could I not get them? They were so stinkin' cute!


So, they arrived, I got out my watercolor paper, and I found the greatest form of stress relief! I always color when I'm stressed, and watercoloring proved to be just as useful. Only, this was more fun somehow. :o)

But, as I feared, they have been very difficult for me to make into a card. I have NO idea why, but I struggled like the dickens last night to make this come together. :shakes head: Things became somewhat easier for me once I began looking to the lace. Both the image and the lace practically scream "vintage".

And yet, I still struggled. UGH! I HATE it when that happens. But, I prevailed and these are the results. Not too awful, I think. :o)

This card uses:
Stamp Sets: "Greeting Card Kids", "Pocket Silhouettes" (sentiment), "Tiny Tags"
Ink: Early Espresso, Cameo Coral (retired), Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink, More Mustard, Real Red, Sahara Sand
Papers: Cameo Coral (retired), Early Espresso, watercolor, Newsprint DSP
Accessories: Victoria lace, Early Espresso 5/8" satin ribbon, tiny tags punch, dimensionals, linen thread, sticky strip

Because the bottom of the image was popped up due to the runching of the lace, I needed to use the dimensionals at the top to adhere the image to the card in order for the image to be flat/level.

Overall, I'm fairly pleased with how the card turned out. In fact, I'm anxious to begin watercoloring yet more images. ;o)

--Rach