Hello, Ai Fans!
Whoo-hoo! Today is the day! We are releasing FIVE of our new Watercolor Sets! Our Bird Bath set includes two adorable birdhouse and six tiny birds, perfect for placing on limbs from our Branches Set. Customize trees big and small with the Fir Tree Set, and add a rustic touch to floral arrangements or scenes with our Fall Set. The Fence Dies are an exciting NEW concept for our watercolor line! Cut masking paper to protect your watercolor paper as you create your scene, and peel it away to reveal a white picket fence! These five sets are so versatile across the seasons, and will mix and match with your current watercolor collection. Find all these new sets in the Watercolor 2017 category at artimpressions.com! Watch a quick overview of these sets in our video from the Mixed Media Event!
Stay tuned for next week, we have even more watercolor goodness to share on September 21!
Today we are featuring our fantastic Watercolor Guest Design Team and the creative ways they have used these sets in their cards! Be sure to see more from these designers by visiting them on social media (listed after their name), and hop by the blog on the first and third Saturdays of the month for Watercolor Weekend!
I used the leaves and grass stamps from 4051 - WC Foliage Set 1 on my card and I used white embossing powder to emboss the sentiment from the 4903 - WC Sentiments Set.
I used glaze on the water in the bird bath. I hope you will play along with the new Art Impressions "Flowers and Foliage" challenge. Maybe you will win some stamps set off of your wish list like I did before I became a Watercolor Guest Designer!
For this Flower and Foliage Challenge I wanted to embrace the soon-to-be fall season. The new bird bath was a perfect focal point for my scene.
I started by taping off a 2 ½ x 3 rectangle on my watercolor paper. I used blue painters tape, but washi tape would work too. I stamped the bird bath from the new Bird Bath Set in 45 Sepia and pulled the color from the lines with my paintbrush and water. Next I stamped branches from the new Branches Set in 45 Sepia. I then added the small foliage stem from the Foliage Set 2. For the fall leaves, I used three colors; 15 Olive Green, 13 Ochre and 88 Terra Cotta. I used my stamp positioner to place one of the birds from the new Bird Bath Set onto the bird bath. I stamped two of the floral stems from the new Fall Set, one in 13 Ochre with 15 Olive Green and the other in 86 African Violet with 15 Olive Green around the bird bath. I placed the vine from Foliage Set 1 in 15 Olive Green in between the flowers. I added the large grass from the Foliage Set 1in 15 Olive Green. Note, I removed the tape from the bottom, lower left and lower right corners when I pulled the water from the grass to give it a free-form look. I put 60 Salvia Blue onto my palette and brushed it in for the water in the bird bath. And then brushed the same 60 Salvia Blue into the sky. I swiped a little 28 English Red onto my palette and brushed it onto the chest of my bird and into the bird bath for a reflection. And finally, a bit of 45 Sepia onto my palette to add just a little dot onto each end of the red in the bird bath for the reflection and also to the bird bath to darken it up.
Art Impressions Products: 4051 WC Foliage Set 1, 4867 WC Foliage Set 2, 4966 WC Bird Bath Set, 4963 WC Fall Set, 4964 WC Branches Set, Acrylic Block 5 Pack, 3” Square Block, Stamp Positioner, Watercolor Palette, Watercolor Brush No. 6, Canson XL WC Paper Pad
Other Supplies: Painters Tape
I am so excited to participate in the new Art Impressions challenge -Flowers and Foliage.
Next, I added a fir with Olive Green around the branches. I added some Blue to the background for a bit of sky.
I love all the new sets and can’t wait to see what you create with your watercolor stamps. Won’t you join the Challenge today?
Thanks for stopping by and have a crafty day!
Other Supplies: Blue Denim Cardstock by Gina K Designs, Size 4 Grumbacher Synthetic Bristles Brush
Wow, Thanks Designers! Love how different all your projects are from each other. It is so fun to see your unique watercolor style!
It's your turn! For this week's challenge, show us your florals! This is the perfect time for our watercolor fans to shine, but all styles and mediums are welcome! In particular, we are looking for floral and leafy inspired projects. Take it back to summer with flowers, or look forward to fall! Top spot earns a prize pack as usual, and honorable mentions choose a stamp set of their choice for a prize!
Here are the Challenge Rules:
✻ Please make a new card or creation. You can make any crafty item you wish; this is not limited to cards!
✻ Limit two submissions per person. You will receive extra votes if you use Art Impressions stamps!
✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!
✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!
✻ Share the Ai love by clicking and commenting your fellow crafters.
✻ Make sure to get your link up by Wednesday, September 27 at 5:00 p.m. PST to enter your creations.
✻ Good luck and happy stamping!
Top Spot Goes to...
Congrats, Karen! We love how you used our new
Skeleton Wiggle Wobble on an angular card! How cool! Email annelise@artimpressions.com with your address to claim your prize pack!
Honorable Mentions go to...
Joanna Moore!
Congrats, you two! Heidi, what an awesome monochomatic card with tilted panels and cute stitching with our "
Fright Night" owl (this set is available at AC Moore)! and Joanna, your tilted panels give more excitement with our
Elf Shaker! Be sure to email annelise@artimpressions.com with your address and pick a stamp set for your prize!
Please invite your friends to join in our new Flowers and Foliage challenge! We can't wait to see what you create!
Happy Stamping!
I started by coloring my Succulents with my Copic markers and using the coordinating dies to cut them out. 
I used my Hexagon Double Stitched Dies from Ai to cut out my make shift terrarium. I have not cut apart my hexagons yet. I love that I can cut multiple frames in the hexagon shape. I only used the biggest three sizes for my frame.
I added my Succulents last and arranged one flat with glue, the big one in the middle I used glue on the bottom half and raised the top half with foam tape. For the last smaller one in front; I popped him up with foam tape. 
I finished it with a few light green confetti sequins. And a small stamp in the bottom corner of the inside of the card. I love the offset of the sentiment in the corner. It really was a card that came together quickly. 
