Vine Wreath and Dear Friend by Gennette Houghton

Hello, and Welcome to Watercolor Weekend. One of the hardest parts of the time between winter and spring is all of the muddy brown, weather permitting, which sometimes doesn’t happen here right away, I so look forward to things turning green again. I rejoice in seeing leaves and flowers, signs of things coming to life again.  Warmer days and sunshine usually mix with cold, gray, and snow in April.  So, my projects today are all about the things I am wishing for right now, green, that first spot of yellow, bees looking for their first food of the season.  Spring fever hit me hard this year.

My first card is a simple wreath, perfect for those times when you may need a quick card.  There are so many ways to change this up just by adding a secondary color.  Blues, yellows, or add in some browns and oranges for a fall vibe. Add red berries and you could make a Christmas wreath as well.  Just by changing the sentiment, this is great for any occasion.  

I started with 5064 Circle Double Stitched Dies and used the 2^nd to largest, tracing the inside for a circle guide.  I then used a kneaded eraser to lighten the line so it was just barely there but still give me a guide.  4964 WC Branches Set, using the 2^nd to smallest branch with 969, I started stamping around the circle.  Alternating the direction and stamping multiple times, shifting back and forth over the circle guide, giving more fullness. I then used the leafy branch from 5126 WC Foliage Set 4, inking in first 126 and then pulling a line through each section with 177.  I literally just drew a line up the stamp with the 177, nothing specific, just to add a two tone look to the leaves.  I did not ink the end of the stem, just the area with the leaves.  Then following the branches, also stamping several times, I then softened with a damp brush, pulling color out into the more blank areas around the wreath.  I then used a soft wash of 177 inside the wreath leaving the center alone.  Once dry, with 026 I added in some golden dots with 5418 Bible Foliage Set 2, (also known as Kendra dots), stamping multiple times around the wreath. I then used the Winsor and Newton Gold Ink, and the leafy branch, I painted a leaf on each side of the stamp at the widest part and stamped these in, re-inking the stamp each time going around the wreath. Using my stamp platform, I stamped in my sentiment from 5797 Little Things Sentiment Set in Distress Ink Forest Moss.  I cut down my watercolor paper to 4 ¼ by 5 ½ and matted it to my card base, creating a quick and easy card.   

For my 2^nd card, I used 6180 Dear Friend Set with the coordinating die 6158 Story Tile Template.  The die can be used with so many different stamps, but there are currently 4 sets that were created to use with it.  I have seen some pretty amazing creations used with this die, with the sets and without.  I started with using a cutout of the template that I use to trace the boxes on my watercolor paper after cutting it down to 4 ¼ by 5 ½.  Since the sets are created with the different size boxes in mind, it is pretty simple to layout.  After getting my boxes outlined, I stamped each image in Distress Ink Pumice Stone, stamping off once, and then stamping into each of the boxes.  For the sentiment, I used my stamping platform and Versafine Clair in Nocturne, just in case that I would need to stamp it again.  Once all of my images were stamped in, I started with the main images and then built them up with foliage and flowers, masking images as needed.  I actually used quite a few sets with this, here is what I used.

4052 WC Flower Set 1

4964 WC Branches Set

5126 WC Foliage Set 4

4051 WC Foliage Set 1

5919 Long Stem Floral

5009 WC Mini Flower Set

5008 WC Flower Set 3

5258 WC Flower Set 4

5826 WC Large Tree Set 2

4868 WC Flower Set 2

 

The Tombows I used are:

027, 192, 565, 947, 249, 603, 969, 526, 076, 879, 856, 403, 177, 126, 025, 026, and 606.

 

I hope you enjoyed my projects today and thank you for joining me.  Until next time, Create….Share….Inspire!