Club Scrap: Watercolor Christmas Blog Hop

I am always game for a blog hop!!!!  You should have arrived here from Tricia Morris.  If you got lost along the way, you can go back to the beginning with this link:  Club Scrap Christmas Blog Hop

So, when the call came out to use Club Scraps Watercolor Christmas and join in a blog hop I hopped right to it.

Finished Cards

So off I went to order my stamps, Watercolor-Christmas-Collection Stamps
I ordered up my stamps, scoped out all the sites I visit plus pinterest to come up with my idea.  I thought I had it, Bokeh.  Over on Club Scraps Blog, December Technique Challenge.   Lisa showed us an amazing project and technique.  Since, I am all about technique, I thought I would use this and the stamps  to make some cute Christmas Cards.  Well, if you saw my trunk project, you can guess I was a little busy (frazzled), Result, me and Bokeh are not friends, especially with WaterColor images.  Another factor is that because I was frazzled, I didn't look very close at the images.  I kept wondering why my bird's head looked so odd!!!  Today, as I was writing this post, I realized that my poor robin was a cardinal, OOPS!  And so it goes.

 Oh well.  Let see what I came up with.  Well, it is very ugly now that I realize the poor thing should have been red.  So on that note!! I am going home to redo my poor card. Without Bokeh and no Robin's..  Same concept though!!!  Plus I finished up an extra card or two for fun!!

Well how did I make this?

I used distress markers and used them like watercolor.  I scribbled them onto a block, misted with water and applied with brush.  I made several of these!!!.  Then I stamped a fern stamp (only part of it) in two colors of Distress:  Forest Moss and Pine Needles.  Misted with water again and dried.

First step was to stamp the image in Pumice stone.  I did so very lightly.

Then using a combination of Ground Expresso and Walnut stain, used the fine tip to add detail tot he edges of the branches and bird.

Went back to the stamp and just inked the bird with Barn Door.  I wiped the ink off from the branches and lightened up the tummy area.

Misted with water and Stamped.  Finally, I used the same marker (Barn Door) and enhanced some of the areas, added more water with a brush.  Went back with Ground Espresso and put in the shadow.

I splattered the painting with Ground Espresso Stain, die cut with a Postage Stamp Die and mounted on a red mat, then onto a White A-2 card.  Finally added a Gold ribbon and bow.
This is a water color and was intended to be loose and impressionistic, I am thinking.  What I learned, I don't work well when frazzled and I like control.  This is "too loose" for my comfort level, but I think it turned out fine and I learned a lot about distress markers!!!  Well I guess I just don't know what Cardinals look like, I forgot the black masking on the face.  Forgive me bird lovers, I am sticking with horses!!!

My next card is a bit more controlled.  I tried to make it "looser" and liked it better before I spritzed with water to get the ink to move.  This is my issue however because I think it looks like a watercolored calligraphic piece.

I used my MISTI, directly applied the ink to the stamp, misted, stamped, cleaned and moved to the next word.  It could have been done by inking everything, spraying and stamping, but I was worried I would get too much migration, Did I mention I am a control freak!  After stamping, it was too controlled so I misted it again, dried.  And then using ink, Cracked Pistachio and Broken China inked the background and added some Dew Drops.

I have never used Robin's Nest Glue Drops before but thought they would go nicely with this card.  I love my Glue Pen.  A pair of tweezers, Glue pen, and glued dots without stress!!!

My third card, is actually for Card Envy and is the snowman.  I used all the same techniques that Tricia used in her snowman card (Club Scrap Blog) but was going for a vintage feel, thus the background.  Here is the card, visit my previous blog to learn the particulars of this card.

Your next stop on this blog hops is:  Donna Nuce,  The Crafty Colonel.
Be sure and visit again soon,
Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting,
Josette

Links:  Club Scrap
WaterColor Christmas Stamps

Distress Markers and Inks: Ground Espresso, Walnut Stain, Broken China, Barn Door, Festive Berries, Evergreen Bough, Pine Needles, Luck Clover, Mustard Seed, Pumice Stone, and Mermaid Lagoon.  Also Ground Espresso Stain.

Archival Black ink for Snowman and Watercolor Pencils
Postage Stamp Die:  Spellbinders
Dew Drops:  Robin's Nest
Glue Pen