Cheater Watercoloring...Just in Time for Mother's Day

Editorial Note: Since posting, it occurred to me that I didn't give props to Laura Fredrickson for her inspiration for this card. Check out her blog--it's AMAZING! Also, the Red used for the flower is NOT Rose Red, but Ruby Red.
I have a group of stampers I'm meeting tomorrow, and my hostess asked me to put together a mini Stamp-A-Stack. Instead of making 10 cards, I'll be teaching them how to make 4 cards. It's going to be a fantastic affair; women eating lunch and spending 2 quality hours in each other's company being creative. In my mind, it doesn't get much better than this.

My hostess also asked me to come up with a Mother's Day card that could also be a general use card, since some of those coming don't have mothers who are still living. I came up with this beautiful watercolored three-paneled version of my much-used Wonderful You flowers and leaves. This is so easy, I'm afraid you won't believe me. I can provide references who will vouch for me that I never lie.

Here's the skinny:
1) Stamp the image on watercolor paper using Black Staz-on ink. This ink doesn't run when it gets wet. Key. Very key.

2) Choose Stampin' Write markers--mine are Rose Red, Summer Sun, and Old Olive--and lay down some color along the edges using the brush tip. Don't color the whole thing in. Really. Don't.

3) Take an Aquapainter or a thin-tipped paint brush and pull the color away from the lines you've created to blend them and fill in the empty spaces. It's just that simple!

After I finished coloring and blending, I cut the panel in three equal sections and double matted it. The base is Cameo Coral and the mats are Rose Red and Very Vanilla. I used Old Olive 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, and, in case you're wondering where the "Happy Mother's Day" message is, it's inside the card.

Think you could do watercoloring this way? Show me. I'd love to see a card you've made using this technique. Try it. You'll like it.

Gotta run. Happy weekend! Get OUT and enjoy the SUNSHINE!!

Cheater's Watercoloring

I should be making dinner, but I set the frozen salmon out on my covered grill this afternoon to thaw, left it out longer than I intended, and it cooked! Yep, it's THAT hot today! I'm not sure we should eat it, so I'm going to check with hubby and suggest we order pizza instead.

Anywho...that gives me time to chat with you! On Saturday, I read about a technique using watercolor paper, SU! Stampin' Write markers, and an aquapainter on Cami Turnbow's blog. It sounded easy peasy lemon squeezy, so I pulled out a piece of watercolor paper from a package I bought from SU! recently and had laying around, and started experimenting.

Where has this been all my stampin' life?!? Oh my word was this ever fun, relaxing, and EASY! All I needed in addition to the already mentioned supplies was Staz-On, which is a waterproof ink that SU! sells (I used the only color I own, which is black).

Just use the brush tip end to place a line of color where you want it, then use the aquapainter to pull the color from that spot and fill in to whatever extent you desire. It's VERY forgiving too. Get too much water on it? Just add more marker color and continue! I love that!

This is a close-up of what the sheet looked like when I finished. I was so excited that I didn't know what to do next to showcase it! I had used all Bold Brights markers--Real Red, Only Orange, Yo Yo Yellow, Pink Passion, Gable Green and Tempting Turquoise--so I took my "masterpiece" to my shelf of BB card stock and started pulling out sheets from the color family to use as the card's base. I finally settled on Green Galore. I matted the watercolor on Whisper White and tied a simple black gingham ribbon at the top to add a bit more black accent to it. Look, Sandra--I used a BOW!

This is going to be a thank you card for whoever services my room while I'm at convention. This would cheer me up and make me feel special, so I'm banking on it having a similar effect on this as yet unknown to me person. Look around for someone this week who is performing some service for you, and make an effort to express your appreciation. It may require nothing more than making eye contact and saying a sincere "thank you". I'd love for you to post what you do here!