A Christmas Bouquet & Scene by Karen Day

 Hello Ai Watercolour Fans!

It's November, so I'm in full holiday card making mode... first, I have a Christmas bouquet to share:

I stamped the jug from the 5923 - Farmhouse Container Set in N55 on the smooth side of my Canson XL Watercolour Paper.  I like to create my bouquets from the bottom up, so I used the two pine boughs from 5830 - WC Mini Wreath Set in 249/565, and between them, stamped the round pinecone from 5472 - WC Christmas Wreath Set in 969.  Using my stamp positioner, I placed the smallest bloom from 5828 - WC Poinsettia Set coloured in 847/837.  The rounded leaf sprig from 5472 was added in 312, and the holly from 5829 - WC Holly Set and the berries from 5828 were both added in 177.  Finally, Bonnie's favourite twig from 4964 - WC Branches Set was tucked in on either side using 969.

After pulling out all the colour with a damp brush, I painted in each leaf, adding shadows with 565 where needed.  I painted layers of grey on the container, keeping the center area light or white, to be the highlight.  I added just the suggestion of a background with a wash of 565, and used it with N55 to provide a shadow behind the jug.  I added a few touches of gold to the berries and poinsettia centers with my gold gel pen.  I used the 5065 - Oval Double Stitched dies to cut out my image, and created my background using the 5962 - Classic Christmas paper pack.  The sentiment is from 5566 - Christmas Sentiments Set.

My second card is the wonderful 5818 - SF Snowman scene - these are so great, as with just one stamp, your entire image is just about stamped for you!   I stamped mine in N55 onto my Canson XL Watercolour paper, and pulled out the colour with a damp brush.  

After masking the house, I added my trees in using the evergreen from 5826 - WC Large Tree Set 2 in 249 - sometimes only colouring the top portion, to create a smaller tree.  I also added the spiky wreath from 5830 - WC Mini Wreath Set in 312/249 to the gate, and drew in a bow with my 856 marker.  I painted a wash of N55 on the house to be a pale grey shade, and drew in the siding with my pencil. N25 was used for the shutters, awning, dormers, lamps and his hat.  847 was painted on the door, his scarf and on the chimneys mixed with a little 969 to be more of a brick shade.  992 was painted on his coat, and 991 was added directly to the window panes with the marker.

565 was used to add in the sky, and to paint in the sidewalk.  I used it to add shading to the snowman, and under and around the tree branches and eaves.  After softening the trees with a damp brush, I used Bleedproof White paint to add snow to the branches, roof and around the sidewalk, as well as to add icicles to the roof and it was dotted to suggest falling snow.  A final touch was to add a little chunky glitter on some of the snowy surfaces.  Background paper is from 5962 - Classic Christmas, and the sentiment is from 5566 - Christmas Sentiments Set.