Happy September everybody!! Where did August go??? Its so scary how quickly Christmas is looming but kind of exciting at the same time. I need to dedicate a day to Christmas card making soon or I'll be in big trouble....
A new month also means a new challenge theme at Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour Challenge. The 'optional twist' this month is 'Spritz', so its going to be a splattered and glittery gallery!!
I have something to confess. I made a card, worked so hard on it and 'spritzed' it to within an inch of its life and as I was taking the photos....I realised I hadn't done any watercolouring.....doh!!!
So, I had to think on my feet, before the sunlight disappeared and create something completely new. Thank goodness I like this card too:
I love the colour blue and I've been in love with killer whales ever since I can remember. However, the only thing wrong with this card is that you can't see that its spritzed!! It is so shimmery and glittery (and so is EVERYTHING else on my desk) but it wouldn't show in the photograph. So please believe me, the spritz is there!!
I cut a panel of Strathmore Bristol Smooth CS and my Gansai Tambi watercolour paints. With a big round brush I created an ombre effect using three different colours of blue. Once I was happy I dried it with my heat gun and then 'spritzed' it quite a few times with Sheer Sparkle Shimmer Spritz by Imagine Crafts.
The panel was cut down to one strip and I die-cut the 'hello' from it. I then added foam tape to the back and put on the card front. The killer whales were stamped with Versafine black ink twice each and fussy cut out. I added them to the card with some foam tape, as well as the sentiment. And I couldn't not add some pretty blue and clear sequins for a bit more sparkle.
The 'hello' die is from MFT Stamps. The killer whales and sentiment stamps are from Mama Elephant 'Whale Wishes'. The clear sequins are from Neat and Tangled and the blue from Avery Elle.
I'm going to link this to the Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge where their theme is 'Anything Goes'.
And will also link to the Stamplorations Summer Theme and Sketch Challenge.
You have the whole month of September to link your projects to the Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour Challenge and if your struggling for an idea, pop over to the blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have created for you. Can't wait to see your projects in the Gallery!!
Take care
Shona
Happy August everybody!! Yes, its the 1st of August today which is the birthday of all horses in the Southern Hemisphere and also my birthday month, which is rather fabulous.
When I was a little girl I was desperate for a horse as many of my friends had them. We couldn't afford it at all so I could only dream and immerse myself in everything 'horsey' instead. The 1st of August always brings back those memories for me and I even still have the first horse book I purchased with my pocket money way back when. Now I just dream of owing a craft store........
This month for the Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour Challenge we have the optional twist of 'Bloom'. With so many flower stamps and dies out there I can imagine that this will be a popular challenge!!
And don't forget that the winner of this challenge will win a $20 voucher to spend at the Happy Little Stampers shop!!
For my card I wanted to have another go painting a particular floral stamp image and try to mix different colours together:
I stamped this image on some watercolour CS with Versafine black ink and immediately heat embossed with clear embossing powder. I then grabbed Distress Inks: Picked Raspberry/Worn Lipstick for the bigger flowers, Mustard Seed/Spiced Pumpkin for the smaller flowers and Twisted Citron/Mowed Lawn for the leaves. My painting is VERY SLOWLY getting better but I still need a lot more practice!! And skill! And technique!!!!
Once the image had dried, I fussy cut it out and put it aside. I added a strip of black CS to the card front along the bottom and then a strip of white CS along the top, sitting on some foam tape. This way when I adhered the flowers into place on the white strip, they sat above the black, giving lots of dimension and shadow.
To finish off I white heat embossed the sentiment, added Wink of Stella to the middle of each flowers and glued on some co-ordinating sequins. Pink and yellow together always makes me happy!!
The image and sentiment are from WPlus9 'Kind Soul' and the sequins are from Neat and Tangled.
I have three challenges I would like to enter:
Simon Says Stamp - Wednesday Challenge (Anything Goes)
Uniko Studio Challenge # 42
Southern Girls Challenge # 165 (Flower Power)
You have until Thursday 31st August (the whole month!!) to link your projects to the Happy Little Stampers - Watercolour Challenge and if your needing any inspiration or encouragement, pop over to the blog to see what the rest of the Design Team have put together just for you. Can't wait to see all the flowers in the Gallery!!
Take care
Shona
