Last Blooms by Gennette Houghton

Hello, and Welcome to Watercolor Weekend!  The last threads of summer are just about over and fall is settling in.  We are still having some warm days but have seen our first frost here.

There have been so many pretty sets that have been released lately!!  For my first card I used 6218 BJ Long Stem Set, and 5921 Glass Container Set.  I stamped the container first in Distress Ink Vintage Photo and cleaned off part of the top rim after stamping off twice.  I then used a stamp positioner to put in the florals, also in Vintage Photo, cleaning off just the very bottom of the stem after stamping off once, so I could overhang the leaves over the container.  I started with the flowers by putting in a base layer with 020, darkening the areas that would be shadowed before putting in 837 in the center and coming up part way.  For the leaves and stems I started with a base layer in 126, and then using 177 to contour and shade.  I used 076 on the container making sure I left a highlight in the middle, and then created some texture by adding in some darker sections.  I started with 526 for the background, dropping in shadows on the underside of all of the flowers and leaves, I then added in some 133.  969 was used at the base with a touch of 565 right under the container.  Cutting out my image with a die from 6114 Box Village Template and matted my image on a solid cardstock that matches the paper I chose from 5835 Mini Paper Pack.  The die I used on the solid cardstock is from 5768 Decorative Journal Page 1.

Fall is my favorite season, I just wish the best of it wasn’t so short lived.  There is nothing like the crisp air and watching all of the trees change color.  For this card I used 5935 Fairytale Houses and 5594 Harvest Scarecrow (sunflowers).  The house, fence, and sunflowers were all stamped in Distress Ink Pumice Stone after stamping off once.  Starting with a sheet of watercolor paper, I stamped in the house first and covered it with a mask.  I then added the fence and sunflowers, using a stamp positioner.  I then used the 6^th from the largest die from 5724 Nested Rectangle Dies to trace a guide, and also for cutting out my image once done. For the main body of the house I used N57, I then went over this, in areas, with some 249 for a patina look.  947 was used to create a rusty look.  For the wood trim and roof I used 969.  905 was used on the door and dormer.  I used a mix of 565 and 969 for the windows and chimney, adding in the details with the same mix.  I added in some 565 for the more shaded areas for shadows.  565 was also used to shade the fence, leaving the bulk of it white.  For the sunflowers, I started with the petals.  055 was used as the base, contouring with 025, and for the darkest areas a little bit of 026.  For the leaves and stems I used 126 first and then shaded with 177.  For the centers I started with 947, darkening a section with 969, and then added a touch of N15 for the deeper shadows.  I also added a couple of white dots with Bleed Proof White.  For the sky I used 403 watered down, and 177 for the ground with a bit of 969 for the path to the door.  I then took the tall grass from KH5951 Foxes Set in 177 and stamped several times on both sides in front of the fence.  I then used the grass from 5826 WC Large Tree Set 2 in 4 places stamping several times each in 177 with just a touch of 969 at the base.  I then added in some white flowers with Bleed Proof White.  My card base was matted with paper from 5838 Fall Paper Pack, and matted my image with matching solid cardstock using a die from my stash.  Thank you for joining me today and I hope you enjoyed my cards!  Until next time!  Create….Share….Inspire!!