Today I wanted to show you a watercolour wash technique, using Summer Silhouettes Stamp Set from Stampin’ Up! These were SWAPS I created for fellow stampers.
Stampers love to swap! Swapping lets us share our creativity, enjoy the creativity of other stampers, and gather and collect ideas. A swap is usually a card front (unless someone would like to do something extra). It can spotlight a particular technique or stamp set and can be as simple or as complex as you wish. For my swaps, I decided to highlight one of my favourite techniques – watercolour wash.
I had so much fun creating my watercolour panels! At the end of the day my hands were just as colourful hahaha, but it was an easy part.
Next step was really time-consuming: heat embossing and lots and glueing lots of sequins.
After ombre stamping 58 card fronts, heat embossing 58 watercolour panels and 58 strips of vellum, and adding over 350 sequins (!!!) my swaps were finished!
I really hope these swaps will bring some inspiration – not only to those who swapped with me but to you also.
Thank you for joining us on our second Pootler’s Blog Hop! This Blog Hop is all about new Stampin’ Up!® Annual Catalogue so prepare yourself for lots of beautiful projects and tonnes of inspiration. Simply use the buttons at the end of each post to keep hopping!
If you have arrived here from Keren’s blog thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy seeing the inspiration from our team and continue to hop on through to see what everyone has made.
It’s actually my very first blog hop so I’m a little bit nervous but hey – let’s have some fun!
For today’s projects, I’ve chosen gorgeous new hostess set Floral Wings. The idea for today’s cards was born the minute I saw our new 6×6″ Brick Wall Embossing Folder.
For my top layer, I stamped the vine and roses first before embossing it with Brick Wall TIEF. But I wanted to watercolour my panel so needed my images to be water-proof. To achieve it I ink vines stamp in Versamark first, followed by Pear Pizzazz ink pad – this way once stamped Versamark was on top and I could emboss it with clear embossing powder. I did the same with roses, just used one of our new In Colors: Watermelon Wonder ink pad. The sentiment is stamped in another new In Color: Tip Top Taupe.
I’ve used embossing resist technique to create the background. I applied Versamark onto the ridges of embossing folder ( on the side that says Sizzix) and run it through the Big Shot with a piece of Whisper White. Then I heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I used Pink Pirouette, Blushing Bride and Watermelon Wonder to watercolour my panel, and added few Gorgeous Grunge splotches.
I die cut butterfly from Whisper White and embossed it using Iridescent Ice embossing powder for some sparkle. Tiny bit of new Silver Metallic Thread (L.O.V.E. this stuff!!!) and my card was done 🙂
My second card measures 4×4″ and background (panel) is made using the same technique.
This time for the focal point I’ve used this gorgeous three-step butterfly stamp from Floral Wings set. First I stamped wings in Tip Top Taupe. Next roses in Watermelon Wonder. Leaves are the third step. I’ve used (again) Pear Pizzazz. I die cut the butterfly using new Bold Butterfly Framelits, but if you don’t have dies you can also fussy cut it. The second butterfly is die cut from vellum, this time with Butterfly Thinlits Die. I layered them together to add some more interest and dimension to the card.
My last card for today uses same technique and stamp set like previous cards – just completely different style and different colours. I also used new background stamp A World Of Thanks and Cotton Paper. And again – I love this stuff! I know that many people got mixed feelings about it but I truly, deeply love it 🙂 Cotton paper is quite thin, like a tissue paper, but is much, much stronger. Really hard to tear it’s perfect for making flowers. It die-cuts beautifully but if you want to use punches (like me in this project) bear in mind that you need to punch through several layers at a time, otherwise it won’t punch. But enough talking – here’s my card:
I won’t go into details how I made the entire card, but…
For flowers, I’ve used Bermuda Bay cotton paper and three different punches: Pansy Punch for the largest one (six layers), Petite Petals Punch for medium flowers (six layers) and little flower from Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack for the tiny ones (three layers for each flower).
To make leaves I’ve used Petite Petals and Flower Medallion punches and Cucumber Crush cotton paper. For the flower centres, I’ve used 2/8″ wide and around 2″ long strips of Crushed Curry cotton paper. I do not own fringe scissors however it wasn’t that hard to make tiny cuts (halfway) through those strips. Adhered them with Tombow glue.
I really hope you’ve enjoyed my projects today. Which one is your favourite? Feel free to leave a comment below. Next stop is lovely Jerim at Willow Piggy. I’m sure she’s made something beautiful for you.
Stampin’ Up!’s mission statement, called its Statement of the Heart, reads: “To love what we do and share what we love, as we help others enjoy creativity and worthwhile accomplishments . . . in this we make a difference.”
To help fulfil this statement, Stampin’ Up! launched Making a Difference program in 2003. This program facilitates corporate giving and promotes service among demonstrators and employees.
Through the Making a Difference program, Stampin’ Up! partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Each year, we design an exclusive stamp set to promote the partnership with RMHC and donate a portion of the proceeds from each sale of that set. To date, more than $95,000 has been donated from RMHC stamp set sales.
Stampin’ Up!’s demonstrators are also encouraged to volunteer their time teaching local Ronald McDonald House guests the creative art of rubber stamping through the Making a Difference program. Demonstrators also create cards at training events which are donated to Ronald McDonald Houses. Those staying at the Houses then use the cards to keep in touch with loved ones while they are away from home.
And this year is no different…except now there is a matching Tree Builder Punch that coordinate with RMHC stamp set “Sprinkles Of Life”.
Isn’t it awesome! First of all this stamp set consists of a whopping number of 22 stamps! Yep! You hear me. And it’s so versatile. You can create cupcakes, ice-creams, trees, flower pots, piles of leaves, clouds…and many, many more. With just one stamp set. Pretty amazing, right? So let me share my little make.
And truly, I won’t tell you how many techniques I’ve used on this single card: watercolouring, heat embossing, clear heat embossing on the stamped image, using glitter, sequins, washi tape… and I had tonnes of fun creating it!
It just looks yummy! Oh, and cherry on top?!
Cherry is made from an apple, water coloured and clear embossed to add a little bit of shine.
