Once again Nichole has another challenge up on her blog, in honor of the Papertrey Ink anniversary celebration! Today's challenge is all about watercolor and incorporating some form of it into a project. I love to play around with different watercolor techniques, so I couldn't resist playing along.
For my card, I started out by heat embossing some flowers and leaves from Dawn's new Cutting Garden set with white embossing powder. Then I took a few drops of re-inker and created a couple of "palettes" on two pieces of acetate (I keep the acetate sheets that the stamps come on and use them for this sort of thing). The first had drops of Summer Sunrise and Hibiscus Burst inks and the second had drops of Aqua Mist and Simply Chartreuse inks. I then misted them with a spray bottle full of water and used the end of a paintbrush to swirl them together (don't mix too much...allow the colors to remain somewhat separate).
Then I took the same stamps that I had already heat embossed onto the card, pressed them into the "palettes" of ink I had created and stamped over the embossed images, shifting the images slightly to allow more of the color to be visibile. It's kind of messy, but that's the look I was going for. The embossed portion gives it just enough definition so you can tell they are leaves and flowers, but the watercolor stamping gives the softness of a watercolor painting. I also incorporated a few "brushstrokes" in the upper right corner by using an image from Maile's new Watercolor Wonder stamp set being released this month. The sentiment is from a set you'll be seeing more of soon! I also stamped some BB: Text style along the bottom edge - this was done by using my palette of Summer Sunrise and Hibiscus inks as well.
I had fun playing in the water today. I hope you'll find some time to play along with the challenge as well. You can see all the details on Nichole's blog!
Gorgeous card, Betsy. Thanks for the great tips.
Posted by: June K. | February 12, 2013 at 06:48 AM
Gorgeous card!
Posted by: Kristie | February 12, 2013 at 07:23 AM
Absolutely stunning! Love the technique you used here -- amazing results! Thanks for sharing how you did it :). Have a marvelous day!!
Posted by: Tracey C. | February 12, 2013 at 07:28 AM
This is a FABULOUS technique Betsy, thank you for sharing it. Your card is extraordinary!
Posted by: Marlena M | February 12, 2013 at 08:32 AM
OH MY GOODNESS BETSY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOO TALENTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I CAN'T GET OVER JUST HOW GORGEOUS THIS IS!!!!!!!!!!! (I don't have ANY PTI stamps but, I SOOOO WANT to try this technique! AND someday, HOPE to have some of the WONDERFUL stamps & dies I've seen PTI come out with!!!!!! ) sigh! This would make an ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL Easter Card!!!!!!!! :) (Spring IS coming!) :)
Posted by: Becky Green | February 12, 2013 at 08:40 AM
You may have actually out-done yourself on this one. I will be participating in today's challenge thanks to this gorgeous and inspiring project!
Posted by: Suzanne Russell | February 12, 2013 at 09:08 AM
Betsy this is gorgeous! Thanks for explaining how you added the colored inks! So beautiful!
Posted by: Jill norwood | February 12, 2013 at 09:36 AM
This is a stunning card, Betsy. You perfectly achieved the look you were after with the softness of the watercolors and definition of the embossing. Thank you for taking the time to share your techniques and thought process behind your card.
Posted by: Nancy | February 12, 2013 at 11:33 AM
Gorgeous! Thanks for the tips on how you got the watercolor effect.
Posted by: Elizabeth S. | February 12, 2013 at 12:06 PM
This is SO beautiful! I love this!
Posted by: Jingle | February 12, 2013 at 12:33 PM
Stunning!!!!
Posted by: Char | February 12, 2013 at 12:35 PM
Gorgeous! Thanks so much for the fantastic idea!
Posted by: Charmaine | February 12, 2013 at 12:58 PM
STUNNING!!!
Would love to see a MIM video about this technique...please?
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Holly Saveur | February 12, 2013 at 01:45 PM
So gorgeous, Betsy! Love the mix of embossing with the watercolor, and beautiful color choices! I can see that you were a florist...you are a master with flower cards!
Posted by: Kelly Schirmer | February 12, 2013 at 04:12 PM
That is sooo gorgeous! I haven't done much watercolor, but this is something I'll have to try! :) Thanks for sharing! I'm so glad you explained the steps or I don't think I could have figured it out.
Posted by: Amber | February 12, 2013 at 05:18 PM
Beautiful :)
Posted by: Janet | February 12, 2013 at 10:46 PM
This is so lovely! And the technique is one I think I could manage.
Posted by: Beth W | February 12, 2013 at 11:14 PM
So beautiful Betsy! Thank you so much for creating such breath-taking miniature pieces of art. Every month I'm taken back with the incredible talent that the PTI design team has. They (and you) make it so exciting to try out all the new products. This month the water colors and the boutique items has my full attention right now!! I can say I haven't been this excited over a release in a while. It's not that I don't love all the sensational products PTI has (and I purchase almost everything every month)it's just that it seems like all the amazing products that have been unveiled this month really speak to the creativity I know is in side but doesn't always come out how I envision them, lol. I think a lot of these stamp sets, dies and accessories are going to make the process that much easier to put it all together and come up with something I'm really going to be just thrilled to give out. I don't know how you do it Betsy, but keep them coming. I look forward to seeing what you've come up with every month.(OMG, no pressure intended :-) ) Oh, and I second Becky Green's entry up above !
Posted by: Connie Smith | February 13, 2013 at 04:58 AM
This is such a cool technique, Betsy! I echo everyone's comments above - awesome, awesome card.
Posted by: Kalyn | February 13, 2013 at 04:01 PM
This is stunning!
Posted by: Diana Fisher | February 13, 2013 at 10:02 PM