Coffee Shop & A Touch of Rustic by Simone Carr

 

Hello Friends!

For my first card, I used the Large Shops Set (5260), and it was my first time creating with it. I started by stamping the shop onto Canson Watercolor Paper using my stamp platform and Tombow N95.

Since the image was stamped in only one color, there wasn’t much color to pull from the lines, so I used Tombow 565 to begin adding shadows and depth. I also added a light wash of 565 to the windows, knowing I would deepen them later after adding the flowers. The flower box was colored with 026, but only halfway since I still planned to stamp flowers into it.

The door was colored with 026, and I used N49 for the doorknob and plate. Using my stamp positioner, I stamped the chairs and table in N49.

Next, I colored the roof and sign with 947. The chimney was colored with N49 and accented with 947 for the stones. Once the main shop was complete, I began stamping in the flowers and foliage. Using a damp brush, I softened the flowers for a more watercolor look.

After finishing the flowers, I returned to the windows and deepened the color using more 565, especially on the side window to create the impression of shade. With a brown TwinTone marker, I drew in the window panels, then added 491 to the corners of each pane to give them a glass-like appearance.

I used 373 above the door for an extra pop of color. Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White was added to the top window container and the shrub beside the shop. I also used 991 on the shrub to create small flowers. To ground the scene, I added 969 around the base of the shop, and finished with 526 for the sky.

The completed card measures 5” x 5”.

Materials Used

Stamps & Dies

• 5260 – WC Large Shops Set
• 5265 – Wrought Iron Set
• 5126 – Foliage Set 4
• 5007 – Foliage Set 3
• 4051 – Foliage Set 1
• 5009 – Mini Flower Set
• 5074 – Bible Flower Set
• 4964 – Branches Set
• 5061 – Large Square Double Stitched Die

Paper

• 6205 – Floral Shop Patterned Paper
• Canson Watercolor Paper

Inks & Mediums

• Versafine Clair Nocturne
• TwinTone Marker – Brown
• Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White

Tombow Markers

• 636, 685, 555 – Flowers
• 245 – Top Container
• 177 – Grass, Tree
• 026 – Door, Flower Box
• 373 – Above Door
• 947 – Sign, Roof
• 969 + 565 – Stamped Image
• 526 – Sky
• 565 + 491 – Windows
• N49 – Table, Chairs, Chimney
• 991 – Shrub
• N95 – Shop

For my second card, I used the Harvest Scene Set (5593). The original stamp includes two pumpkins on the chair, but I decided not to use them for this scene. Since I stamped the image using Tombow N95, it was easy to simply leave the pumpkins uncolored. After stamping the main image, I used my stamp positioner to add a small container in place of the pumpkins.

I began by coloring the chair and containers first before adding the flowers and foliage around the scene. Using a brown TwinTone marker helped create a rustic, aged look and added extra character and detail to the card.

I hope you found some inspiration in these cards and feel inspired to create your own cozy floral scenes. Until next time!

Materials Used

Stamps & Dies

• 5593 – Harvest Scenes Set (pumpkins left out)
• 4869 – Small Container Set
• 5126 – Foliage Set 4
• 5007 – Foliage Set 3
• 4051 – Foliage Set 1
• 4052 – Flower Set 1
• 4868 – Flower Set 2
• 5474 – Flower Set 5
• 6048 – Scalloped Rectangle Dies (3rd Largest)

Paper

• 6205 – Floral Shop Patterned Paper
• Canson Watercolor Paper

Inks & Mediums

• TwinTone Marker – Brown

Tombow Markers

• 969 + 565 – Stamped Image
• 526 – Sky
• 515 + 025 – Birds
• 177 – Grass & Greenery
• 856 – Flowers & Flower Pot
• 025 – Flower Pot & Watering Can
• 312 – Chair
• 555 – Flowers in Grass
• 685 – Flowers
• 636 – Flowers
• 245 – Flowers in Watering Can
• 027, N49 – Wooden Flower Box
• N49 – Milk Can

🍂 Hello Ber Months: A First Fall Card of the Season! by Janet

The Ber months (September, October, November & December) are finally here! Today I'm using a charming stamp from the Watercolor Journals line. It's called 5593 - Harvest Scenes Set. I picked it up sometime in the spring or early summer and I've been eyeing it ever since, waiting for it to be the right time. Finally, the moment has come!

I started this scene by cutting a rectangle with 5063 - Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies from marker friendly cardstock. Then I  stamped one of the two fall images in the set with the ladder. I colored it with Copic markers in pretty fall colors. I chose a card base with a pre-printed foil frame from my stash. I attached my colored panel with foam tape and centered it in the middle of the frame. 

The ladder image is designed so that you can stamp in flowers or greens coming out of the pot. I had another idea and instead I cut a slit along the rim of the pot with my craft knife. Then I cut some sprigs in fall colors from the 5783 - Fall Leaf Frame Die Set and slipped each under the slit. I secured them on the other side with a piece of washi tape. I also cut two leaves that I placed in the bottom corner. The last touch comes from the word die, "fall," which is found in the 5770 - Farm FB Fence Set. I cut it twice in different colors and stacked them together to get a little dimension and a two-tone color effect.

I love how this turned out and it just proves again that the watercolor sets can be used with Copic markers or pencils and you aren't limited to just watercolor. Some of the cutest stamps in the store are labelled for watercolor but don't let that stop you if you prefer another medium. They can all be adapted to your favorite coloring tools.

Thanks for joining me here today. As always, don't forget to find your favorite stamps, dies, papers, and accessories at the Ai Store! You'll always find something that calls to you. 

Happy Crafting!

Janet - YouTube - Blog - Facebook - Instagram - Pinterest  

Gather Together and Merry Penguins cards by Diane Mason

Hello, and welcome back for Watercolor Weekend!

 

Hello, AI Watercolor Friends! It's that wonderful time of year - Thanksgiving is on its way, and Christmas is just around the corner. Today, I'm excited to share two festive cards with you. The first is a quick and easy Thanksgiving card, perfect for the season. The second is a playful, interactive Christmas shaker card featuring the adorable penguins from the newly released 5929 – Christmas Train Set.

Gather Together card:

For this quick and easy card, I selected the chair stamp from 5593 – Harvest Scenes Set. I love the beautiful colors of autumn and thought this scene would look so pretty paired with the patterned papers from the new fall paper pack (5973- FALL S2 PP).

I inked the image with the usual combination of 565/969 and stamped it off once before stamping it onto my Canson XL watercolor paper. With a damp brush, I pulled some color from the image to add shadows and dimension. I added a little 565 to the white chair for added shadows. For the birds, I painted 947 for the wings and 933 for the tummies. I wanted to give the watering can an old and weathered look. I used N52 to shade the watering can and a touch of 565 to deepen the shadows. For the rust, I dotted on some 947 here and there and blended some of the dots with a damp brush. I painted the red stripes with 856. I made sure the stripes curved upward for proper perspective since you could see the bottom of the watering can. I left the milk can white and added a little more 565 for contours. The handle was painted with 947.

The green pumpkin was painted with 228. I really like this green, it’s similar to 177 but has a grayer undertone. I added 993 for the yellow highlights. For the orange pumpkin, I used 933 for the base and 933/947 to shade the pumpkin. Both stems were painted with 969. I painted the wooden basket with 947 and 969.

Before adding the flowers and foliage, I brushed in a sky with a watery mix of 565. I added vines to the milk can using the vine stamp from 5126 – WC Foliage Set 4 inked in 177 and dabbed with a damp brush. Next, I added flowers to the wooden basket. I used the daisy bunch stamp from 4052 – Flower Set and stamped in 933 and 856. Using the same vine stamp, I added some foliage below the flowers and dabbed the vines and flowers with a damp brush. I got a little carried away with the flowers, so to tone them down a bit, I dotted in some tiny white flowers with Dr. Ph. Martin’s Bleed Proof White.

I added a shadow under the chair and near the basket and milk can with 565. I used a brown TwinTone marker to add fine details to the scene. The painting was die-cut with a stitched rectangle die and matted with patterned paper from 5973 – FALL S2 PP. The “Gather Together” sentiment is from 5600 – Harvest Sentiments Set and was heat embossed in gold.

You all know I like to decorate the interior of my cards. The sentiments are from 5600 and the fall leaves are from 5598 - Harvest Set. The leaves were painted with 947, 228, 177, 856, 933, and 993.

Merry Penguins Shaker Card:

I think the little penguins from the 5929 – Christmas Train Set are so adorable. They look so excited and happy, and ready to shake up some fun!

I stamped the four penguin images, and an extra sitting penguin for the interior of my card, with Versafine Onyx Black ink onto my watercolor paper. Versafine ink is permanent once dry, stamps clean sharp images, and works perfectly for watercolor. It is also easy to remove from your stamps. I shaded all the white areas with N52 and a little 565. For the hats and scarves, I used 526 and decorated the scarves with a white gel pen. The bodies were painted with N25 and the beaks in 933. Rosy cheeks were added with a watery mix of 856. I then die-cut all the penguins and set them aside.

For this slim-line card, I cut a 7 x 8 ½ inch piece of white cardstock and folded it in half for the card base. I cut a 3 ½ x 8 ½ inch piece of shimmery white cardstock and adhered it to the card front. Next, I added a 2 ¼ x 8 ½ inch piece of blue cardstock to the center of the card. For the MERRY shaker windows, I created a template using a piece of white cardstock and the letter dies from 5072 – Block Letters Die Set. Since there is only one “R” die, I used an “N” die as a placeholder for spacing. I used a strip of removable tape to hold my dies in position, removed the “N”, and die-cut a template from the white cardstock. I added the second “R” to the template and ran it through the die-cutting machine again. Next, I cut a 2 x 8 ½ inch piece of blue plaid patterned paper from 5964 - Winter Woodland Cover Paper Pack. I positioned the template over the plaid strip, aligned the letter dies in place, and die-cut the windows for the shaker. Using a pencil, I lightly traced the letter openings onto the blue cardstock to mark where the shaker wells would go. Then, I used foam tape to build the wells and filled them with a wintry mix of beads and sequins. I added clear acetate to the back of the letter strip and carefully adhered the strip over the shaker bits. I used a die-cut 'R' as a guide to position and adhere the inner pieces of the letter, securing them in place.

Next, I glued the penguins onto the card and added a touch of sparkle by scattering die-cut silver glitter snowflakes from the 5782 - Snowflake Frame Die.

For the inside of the card, I adhered a ½ inch strip of plaid paper along the bottom edge and placed a sitting penguin on top for a fun finishing touch. The “Merry Christmas” sentiment is from 5953 – Woodland Critters Set. Let the merry-making begin and shake, shake, shake!

Thank you for stopping by for Watercolor Weekend. I hope today’s cards have inspired you to create some cards to share with your friends and family this holiday season. Until next time, wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving and, as always, Happy Painting!

Harvest Scenes and Harvest Together by Gennette Houghton

 

Hello! Welcome to Watercolor Weekend! I am so happy you are here! I absolutely love fall, even the sun takes on a more golden hue that just lights up the beautiful colors that we are graced with during this time of year here in Michigan.  This is the first time I have used either of these sets and they are so perfect for fall cards!  For my first card I used 5593 Harvest Scenes and inked it with 565 and 969 and stamped off once before stamping my final image and then pulled the color out. 

For the chair I used a combo of 969 and a touch of 947 to brighten a few areas.  The pumpkins I used 993 as a base color, 933 to deepen the shape and contours, 946 in the more shaded areas and a touch of 947 to deepen some of the more shaded areas.  On the stems I used 177 and 969.  The watering can and the milk can I used N52, also using 947 on the handle of the milk can. For the wood basket I used 969 and 947. I was going for the likeness of a Purple Finch with the birds, next time I think I will try a color that has more of a pink hue to it. I started with 969 as the base color and used 676 over the top of the 969, finishing with some Bleed Proof White to add back in some of the lighter colors. For the flowers in the wood basket I used the daisy bunch from 4052 Flower set 1 in 925 and then softened it with water, with just part of the stamp in 885, which is a wonderful orange toned red, to add a bit more texture in. 5126 Foliage Set 4 small vine and inking just the tip of the stamp in 177 to add in a touch of foliage. The tiniest of dots in Bleed Proof White was also added.  I then used 526 for the sky, I wanted this in first so I didn’t have to try to work around the flowers I added into the milk can. Masking the milk can with post-it tape I used the 5474 Flower Set 5, I colored the stamp in 3 colors, going over the whole flower with 623 first then used 676 and drew a line up the center of the flower and added 177 to the stem. 

Now because of how everything is so close together I decided to use my stamp positioner for this. I wanted the flowers in the background to be light so I stamped off once first, I did this twice, then I again colored the stamp with the same colors and centered the stamp and stamped with full color and then lightly touched just the flower with a damp brush.  4051 Foliage Set 1, with the teeny tiny grass in 177, I like to touch a 969 marker to just the base of the stamp in 2 spots, just a little bit, barely there. To me it adds just a little more depth to the base of the grass area. Pulling the color out and adding just a touch more 177 over the ground. 565 was used for all the shadows in the scene.  I also added a little bit of Bleed Proof White in the grass to add little white flowers.  I cut the image out with 5768 Decorative Journal Page 1 and matted the card with paper from 5606 Harvest Journal PP.

For my 2^nd card I used 5507 Harvest Together Set.  This set is just so adorable I just don’t understand why I haven’t used it until now.  I decided to use the birdhouse from this set, those sunflowers! I’m telling you! I just used 969 to color this stamp, I stamped my image after stamping off once first, and then pulled a little bit of the color out.  On the roof and pole I used 947. On the front trim and the base of the birdhouse I used 925. 969 was used on the detailed wood piece and the opening, 158 on the remainder of the front. For the sunflowers I used 025 over all the petals and then used 933 to give more contour to the petals starting at the center and only going up part way and darkening any shaded areas.  The centers of the flowers I started with 947 all over the center and then added a touch of 025 over that to create contrast. 969 was added along the edge of the center with a couple dots in the center. I added just a little bit of Bleed Proof White for some highlights.  The leaves and stems I started with 126 and used 177 for the shaded areas, darkening even more below each flower.  I then took some Bleed Proof White and created a few flowers on the front of the birdhouse and using the same color 158 for the centers.  The only thing left was using the brown twintone marker for a little bit more definition. I used the 5783 Fall Leaf Frame Set, first cutting it out of a solid card stock and then used it on my image. I combined the two together into one solid piece. The card was matted with paper from 5835 Mini PP. Thank you for joining me today, and I hope you enjoyed my cards! Until next time. Create….Share….Inspire!

Harvest Scenes and a Card Set by Karen Day

 Hello Ai Watercolour fans!

It's September, which means it's fall card making season!  I painted up an image I'd never used before - this is 5593 - Harvest Scenes Set.  

I stamped the image with Tombows #969/565, leaving off the bottom edge of the smaller pumpkin.  I used my stamp positioner to place the leaves from 5598 - Harvest Set, and the squirrel from 5599 - Mini Mice and Squirrel Set as well.  I stuck to a simple colour palette - using #312 on the pot and smaller pumpkin, adding layers to achieve the darker areas.  For the orange pumpkin, I started with #933 in several layers, then added #947 to deepen the shadows.  After pulling the colour out of the lines on the ladder, I used shades of #969, keeping it fairly light, as I wanted a weathered looking wooden ladder - then added touches of #947 and #565 for shadows.  A combination of #947 and 969 was used on both the bird and squirrel.

For the flowers spilling out of the pot, I used 5475  - WC Flower Set 6, in #312/177 and then the small circle of V shaped flowers from 4868 - WC Flower Set 2 was used with #847.  For the leaves, I painted splotches of #173/947/312/993/847.  With the small grass from 4052 Foliage Set and #177, I created the little hill behind the pumpkin and other images, then painted it out with my brush, dragging the colour out as a wash of grass.  I used my Twintone markers to add a few details back in, as well as to darken the eyes... then added a few dots around my scene.

The sentiment from 5797 - Little Things Sentiment Set is stamped in Versafine Onyx Black, and the background paper is from 5838 - Fall PP.

My second September project is actually a set of cards using the newly released 5917 - Floral Bouquet Set.

I'm not going to go into a lot of detail about the colours I've used, as I started painting these a couple of months ago, and didn't note everything down!  We'll talk more about concepts.  I initially just wanted to paint up these pretty new flowers, putting each of them in a container - and realized that I had the makings of a sweet card set to gift someone.  One way to create a card set is to do matching colours and papers, but since I had painted each bouquet in different (not necessarily coordinating) colours,  I used the card design to tie them together.  After painting, I used a postage die to cut them all out, then added a different sentiment from 5797 - Little Things Sentiment Set to each one using Versafine Onyx Black ink.  They were matted on a slightly larger piece of Canson XL Watercolour paper, and a piece of dark grey cardstock that was just 1/16" larger - and adhered with 3D foam adhesive.  The background papers are a bit of a mixed bag, but in this case, I kept in mind that the cards are going to be given out individually, so I focussed more on each background working with each painting, not that all four cards matched each other.  Details for each are below:

Thinking of You - Container is from 5123 - WC Decorative Jar Set, paper is 5892 - Easter S2PP.  You'll see on each painting that I've added colour around the base to 'ground' the container, as well as added a shadow of it.

One Day at a Time - Container is from 5923 - Farmhouse Container Set, paper is 5873 - Mini Birthday PP.  Look closely at the jug, and you'll see that I like to add touches of other colours when I'm painting containers.  I feel that it ties in the scene as a whole, and shiny containers always pick up reflections of items that are around them.

Just a Little Note - Container is from 5923 - Farmhouse Container Set, paper is 5892 - Easter S2PP.  This one is little!  But I love the idea of flowers in a teacup.  The yellow of the cup was quite a strong contrast to the purple/pink flowers, so I brought a little of the pink into the teacup as well, and added a darker ground to balance it out a bit.

Sending a Little Hello - Container is from 5123 - WC Decorative Jar Set, paper is 5892 - Easter S2PP.  I took my time shading between the petals on this one, as the image is very delicate, and the details really matter!