Watercolor for Cardmakers - Intermediate Techniques: Day 3

Hello!

Day 3 of Watercolor for Cardmakers: Intermediate Techniques was challenging! I haven't made any cards from my work yet, but I did create a postcard for my daughter from the scanned image of one of them.

I worked on two lessons at once.

Negative painting is about creating a background that brings your images to the front. I need a bit more practice on this one, but it was a really interesting process to play with.

I drew the heart outlines around a die because I had no heart outline stamps. Halfway through the process I lost my pencil lines, so I just used my imagination to keep the hearts in the picture. ;-)

Lifting is about lifting paint to leave highlights. One of the hardest things for me in watercolour is the inability to ADD highlights. As far as I can tell, you need to either leave the highlights from the beginning, or use lifting to remove some of the colour. VERY challenging for me, haha! For my first attempt I used Jane's Doodles Pretty Peonies stamp for the main flower. Again, I lost the stamped image partway through my painting, so I did my best without it. I really don't like the leaves and stems in this first effort, but as with all of these lessons, the more mistakes I make, the more I learn. I do like my freehand buds. :-)

For my second attempt, I drew my main rose (which looked so much better in pencil!). When I started lifting, I rounded the petals more than I wanted, but the lifting worked, so I can't complain. I'm getting there. Next time I want my ruffled petals AND lifting that works. I'm happier with the leaves and stems this time. I also made some mistakes that I successfully fixed, so I'm excited!

By this time I was running late with lessons, so I have paused in my day 3 practice so that I can move on. 

I printed the heart watercolour onto photo paper for my daughter. On glossy photo paper, it glows.

I'm running out of time for class homework. I'm back to work tomorrow (I had last week off to settle the kids into school), which means I'm back to night time crafting, which is rather difficult with my (getting old) eyes and limited time to allow watercolouring to dry. I hope to get some more done today, so that I just have fun practising to do this week.

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle

xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 157

Hello!

I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date! Oops! I forgot to schedule my CAS(E) This Sketch post to go live last night, so here I am in the morning arriving fashionably late to the party. ;-)

I took a little bit of artistic licence with the sketch this week. I honestly intended to use the sketch with just the top of the card stamped, but my hands went ahead and made something different, haha!

Sentiment is MFT Blue Skies and wood elements are from Freckled Fawn (aren't they cute?).

Now this sketch is really lovely, and I must go back and actually use it as it is designed, because I LOVE it. N@Ali is such a talented maker of sketches!

Now I need to race off to drop the kidlets at school. I hope you join us in the fun this week!

Michelle
xxx

Watercolor for Cardmakers - Intermediate Techniques: Day 2

Hello!

I'm only halfway through my homework for Day 2 of Watercolour for Cardmakers: Intermediate Techniques but I need to move onto Day 3 (because there's even more exciting things to learn there!). I'll go back to finishing Day 2 because I am very much still exploring the lessons.

So on day 2, I learned how to make cornflowers and promptly applied the lesson to create poppies instead. My daughter requested that I go back and make cornflowers for her, haha!

I also learned how to make a brush stroke rose from Jennifer Rzasa. In that lesson, she also pointed out that scanning our artwork and printing onto cardstock means that we can use our art multiple times. I have no idea why I never thought of this before, but it is BRILLIANT! I'm so excited!

This first rose pretty much copied Jen's example. My second rose was a challenge to myself to attempt to create two roses with one in front of the other. This is one of my challenges when drawing or painting flowers - I struggle to layer them up - so I'm working on it.

The cards are made using the scanned images of my paintings. I'm really happy how they turned out.

Here are the cards beside the original watercolours.

I still have two lessons to apply from day 2. I have one halfway made but I'm stuck on ideas to make a card. The other technique I am yet to try, but I will. ;-)

Thank-you for dropping by to visit me!

Michelle
xxx

Watercolor for Cardmakers - Intermediate Techniques: Day 1

Hello!

Most of you who know me also know that I have a fascination with watercolour and a desire to build up some competency with this tricky medium. I took the Online Card Classes Watercolor for Cardmakers back in May 2014. I learned so much from that class that when I saw that Watercolor for Cardmakers: Intermediate Techniques was on offer, I just had to join in again!

Yesterday I worked on my pre-work and also Day 1 techniques. That was a day of mixed results! But even the dodgy ones taught me something, so it's all positive! :-)

I made one card from the day's work.

I used an apple die to create the outlines, although I think they turned out looking more like peaches, haha!

My other work for the day included lots of experimenting with water and colour to see what it would do. This pile of experiments is currently sitting on my table reminding me to keep on working on it.

Now I'm off to look over Day 2's videos and do a little more work on it before picking up my girls from their first day of the new school year!

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 156

Hello!

Tonight my 8-year-old has her friend here for a sleepover. I'm not convinced I'll get a decent sleep. They're having fun. I'm hoping they'll wear themselves out, haha!

I'm here with my card for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge.

I used Stampin' Up! Wild About Flowers stamps. Colours are Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, and Delicata Gold. Those flowers are glittering gold. :-)

Michele created this lovely sketch. :-)

I hope you're inspired to join us this week!

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

Fusion - Wooden Neutral

Hello!

Wow! The Fusion 2nd Anniversary Challenge was amazing! The cards everyone made were SO BEAUTIFUL! This time around for Fusion Card Challenge we move from brights to neutrals, and I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for this one, too. :-)

I made a fusion card, using both sketch and inspiration photo.

I used Stampin' Up! Garden in Bloom stamps. Colours are Night of Navy, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Bashful Blue, and Early Espresso. Card is PTI Vintage Cream.

Thank-you for coming to visit!

Michelle
xxx

MUSE 149

Hello!

This morning I saw the loveliest crisp and bright card by Tracey over at MUSE Card Challenge, and I fell in love. So tonight I took a little bit of time to CASE Tracey's card and join in the fun!

My card:

I used Mama Elephant Party Kit and Wplus9 sentiments.

Tracey's Muse card:

Isn't it beautiful?! I took the colours of her flowers and the card layout as my inspiration. I would have copied completely if I could. ;-)

Thanks for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 155

Hello!

It's time for this week's CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge! When I first looked at the sketch, I thought of using two different patterned papers to create the two sides of the design but, when I sat down to make my card, those butterflies had other ideas!

I used Happy Little Stampers Butterfly Birthday and Wplus9 Whole Lotta Happy stamps.

I hope you're inspired to join us in the fun this week. The design team have created some beautiful cards to get your creativity sparked!

Thanks for dropping by!

Michelle
xxx

Something new - butterflies!

Hello!

I received a brand new set of stamps in the mail last week, from Happy Little Stampers. I have to say, I experienced the most wonderful service! Happy Little Stampers is based in my little corner of the world here in Queensland, Australia, so postage was FAST. What a lovely change. After ordering most of my stamps from the USA and waiting many weeks for my orders, receiving an order in a couple of days was pure luxury! (Thanks, Kylie!) I ordered Butterfly Birthday stamps. I've been admiring these butterflies and decided I couldn't live without them. ;-)

This is the first card I made using these stamps. There are sure to be many to follow!

I'm entering this card into the Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes challenge.
I'm also entering Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Something New (new stamps!).

Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx

CAS(E) This Sketch 154

Hello!

Welcome to our first CAS(E) This Sketch Challenge for 2016! We have a super sketch to start the year off and I hope you all join in the fun!

For my card I used Altenew Wild Hibiscus stamps to create a little flurry of butterflies.

Stamped in Tuxedo Black with some yellow sequins for a little colour.

I also made a second card while I was inspired by this awesome sketch using Waltzingmouse Fine Feathers and Altenew Label Love.

I could have kept going. I love this sketch!

Thanks for coming by to visit!

Michelle
xxx

Fusion 2nd Anniversary Celebration

Hello!

Happy New Year!

Today we celebrate two years of Fusion Card Challenge! We've all invited some guest designers to join in the fun. The inspiration photo is gorgeous and the sketch is super. I just know you'll be inspired to join us with your own creation!

I used Altenew Wild Hibiscus and PTI Scripted and Teach & Inspire stamps to create my card.

The guest designer that I invited along is Michele Ferguson from I Card Everyone, who I admire greatly for her gorgeous CAS creations. Michele is a wonderful, fun, and friendly person, and I'm so glad I made friends with her!

Michele made two cards and because I couldn't choose just one, I had to share both!

Aren't they beautiful?!

I hope you join us in our 2nd year celebrations! Thanks for visiting!

Michelle
xxx