Hello - today I am guest blogging for My Favorite Things using their new October release products. I created a card and several tags using the new adorable (so so so adorable) Birdie Brown Elves stamp set. I love elves - let me shout it from the rooftops. I LOVE ELVES! I have no idea why as some would consider them scary little creatures. But for some reason, the uglier they are, the more they work their way into my heart. I have quite the collection of elves that I decorate with each holiday season. So this stamp set was right up my alley - although they are WAY cuter than most of my elves!
First I created a card using the Fireplace Die-namics as a stencil for the background of the card.
Here is a close up image of this cute little fella:
I took some (not great quality) phone photos as I was working on this so I could share my steps with you for how I created that fireplace scene. I used the dies as a stencil and watercolored them in so they were flat on the background. I started with a card base cut from watercolor paper (I used Arches cold press 140lb paper).
Step 1: I traced all of the pieces of the fireplace dynamic with watercolor pencils. They are perfect for no-line watercoloring as they dissolve as you wet them when adding watercolor so no lines show. I used a different color for each area depending on what color I planned on painting it in with. Note: The fireplace mantle is one piece, so I added the lines in the die with a ruler.
Step 2: Once all of the images were traced (shown completed in first photo), I used Distress inks to watercolor in the images. I created shading with darker colors once the lighter color had covered an area. I made sure each color was dry before going in with another color so they did not run into each other. After all of the images were painted in, I added some green to the bottom and blue to the top to finish it.
Step 3: Once the background was dry, I added a sentiment to the top of the card over the fireplace using the same Elf stamp set (link below) and Black Ranger Archival ink (as it is waterproof).
Step 4: I added some final details with a white Uniball marker to the stockings and a gold Wink of Stella pen to the fire. Then I die-cut the elf and gifts and used Distress inks as watercolors to paint them in as well. I attached them to the front of the card using pop-dots.
After I was done with this quite time consuming card (hey, you have to make a crazy time consuming card every now and then just for the artistic pleasure it gives you!), I watercolored some more of the cute little elves and created some tags.
Do you see why I am so in love with these little guys??? For each tag, I die cut them using the new Tag Builder Blueprints 4 set using watercolor paper. I then used watercolors in a wash over the tags splattering some dots on them as well. Here are some close up images of each tag:
I hope you enjoyed this very elfish post today. Thank you to Torico (Birdie Brown) for creating one of the cutest stamp sets I have ever seen! If you are interested in learning more about watercoloring and some of the products and techniques I used on these products, you can take my Watercolor class at Big Picture Classes - they have a two week free trial if you want to try it out before joining (it is $9.95 a month for unlimited classes once you join). Also, if you haven't seen my Watercolor doodles sold at Simon Says Stamps, they will be back in stock very soon. There are 19 individual standard card sized doodled quotes and art printed on watercolor paper for your coloring enjoyment! They are $9.99.
Have a great day friends! Thanks for visiting! Suzy
What asmsrt way to use a die cut. Might not work for all but sure did for this. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Beverly | October 08, 2015 at 08:17 AM