Friends are Flowers by Sharon Caudle

 Hello AI Fans!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend and a great start to the new week! I have a card to show you today that features two new stamps from Art Impressions, #5798 Gardening Girlfriends and #5817 Potting Garden Shed Set. That adorable little sleeping pup is from #4959 WC Dogs Set. I stamped the images with Memento ink and colored them with Copic markers that are listed below.  These beauties aren't just for water colors! I had so much fun creating this scene! It also fits into the Raining Cats and Dogs challenge as well as the Say it With Sentiments challenge, both of which are going on right now! Have you entered yet for your chance to win a free stamp set of your choice? Just click the appropriate tab up on the banner at the top of the page! 

Thanks so much for stopping by for a visit and until next time - stay crafty!

Copic markers used:

E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, 23, 25, 31, 33, 35, 37, 51, 53, 55, 57, 81, 84, 97

B000. 00, 01, 12, 14, 16

Y04, 32, 35, 38

YR12, 14, 21

BG10, 11, 13, 18, 32, 34

R20, 81, 83, 85, 89

YG01, 03, 05

C1, 2, 3, 5

T1

Happy Birthday Card by Tasha!

Happy Friday Ai Fans!

Tasha here sharing a Birthday card created with the sweet 4959 - WC Dogs Set and 5561 - Birds and Bugs Set. This card is so cheerful and goes with the "Let's Celebrate" Challenge!

I started by stamping the two doggies and butterflies with black ink and coloring them with Copic Markers. The Birds and Bugs Set includes coordinating dies, so it was super easy to cut the images out. Having the butterflies cut out allowed me to layer them on the dogs to look as if they were fluttering around. The puppies look like they are having fun!

For the background, I used markers to create the grass and a light blue sky. I also stamped a "Happy Birthday Friend" greeting directly on top of the grass. The center card is smaller in size, but it's a cute little scene that is perfect for a special friend's birthday.

Lastly, I attached layers of blue paper and a paw print pattern paper to coordinate with the puppy theme. I also love the orange and blue color combination!

Thank you for checking out today's card and I hope you all are having a wonderful day!

Watercolor Wooden Gate and Puppy Card by Guest Blogger Dot!!!

Hello Ai Fans!

Today we have a special guest spot for Dot Freel, 

one of our Watercolor Design Team Members!

Hello All!

I just love that puppy from Art Impressions! He's definitely my favorite of all the dogs. I finally got this 4762 Wooden Gate from Ai and I love how the puppy in front brings it to life. Why else have a fence and gate if not to keep the dogs in, right?

 This is a quick and easy one. Start by inking up the puppy from the 4959 Dog Set with the brown Tombow 969 marker and stamping it on your watercolor paper. Make a mask on post-it tape, cut it out and cover the puppy. 

Ink up the gate in the brown 969, then 565 blue and stamp it off before you stamp it on your watercolor paper. I eyeballed it but you can use the stamp positioner to put the gate exactly where you want it. Pull the color out of the lines of the gate and puppy then use the light grey N75 to watercolor the gate. 

Ink the flowers from the gate set in 158 green and 775 pink or any colors you want to use and stamp them. Use the vine from the 5007 - Foliage Set 3 inked in the 158 to add more foliage. Ink the small grass set from the 4051 Foliage Set 1 in the 158 and stamp it on either side of the gate. Ink the heart flowers in 606 purple from the 4868 Flower Set 2 and then dab at all the greenery and flowers with a wet brush tip. 

Use 526 to watercolor some sky in. Use some 565 on the palette to add some shadows under the dog and the gate. Use some grey or black for the dog's ears and tail. Use the pink from the flowers on his cheeks. Use a very fine black ink pen to darken his eyes, nose and mouth. I also used that pen to add details to the gate hinges and lock. 

Ink up that sentiment from the 5229 - SBC Exclusive Hydrangeas Set in Versa Fine Black Ink and put your card in a Misti or other stamp platform because after all that work, you don't want to mess it up. Of course, I learned that the hard way!  If that happens, you can stamp the sentiment on a different piece of paper, cut it out with a die and then place it on top to cover up the mistake.  

Cut out your picture and background paper with the 5062 - Rounded Rectangle A2 Double Stitched Dies and adhere it to a card.  Don't forget to sign it! 

 I wish all companies encouraged us to sign our artwork, don't you? If you want some sparkle and shine on your card, use Wink of Stella on the flowers, gate and the puppy's cheeks and ears.  It doesn't show in the picture but it's so beautiful in real life.

Thank you for letting me share with you today, and try it out yourself!

Watercolor Weekend Roundup - Three Unique Projects Inside!

Hello Ai Watercolor Fans, and welcome to another Watercolor Weekend post! It's a great day for stamping, don't you think? Check out these three lovely projects to inspire your weekend creations! Remember to check out the pink links by the designer's name to hop over to the personal blog, instagram, or other accounts so you can continually be inspired throughout the week!

Dot Freel - Instagram - Blog - Pinterest

Hello Friends,

I hope you like my beach scene card I made using Art Impression's stamps for the Watercolor Weekend. I wanted to make the brick wall after watching Art Impression's Creator/Owner Bonnie Krebs Bible Journaling video on YouTube, where she showed us you have to add the color first. The first thing I stamped was the lighthouse from the 5069 - My Fortress Set. I inked it up first with the brown 969, then I inked it up with 565 but I didn't ink the water part on the bottom of the stamp. I stamped it off on a piece of scrap paper before I stamped it on my watercolor paper. I stamped the little girl next from the 5118 - WC Beach Girls Set using the 969 and stamping it off first. I stamped the little puppy next to her from the 4959 - WC Dogs Set using the same 969 and stamping it off first as well. Those Tombow markers are really juicy so I tend to stamp everything off first when I use them. I used a T-ruler and permanent Copic Marker to make the two wall top lines and the bottom line. I used a pencil to make the water line and then colored the water in with 528 and the sky as well. I pulled the color out of the lines of the light house and used 757 on the palette to watercolor the red lines on the light house and the little girls swim suit. I used NO. 47 pale pink to color the little girl's skin. I used 565 to darken the windows, 969 on the roof and door, and then I took the fine tip of the Tombow twin tone pen to darken each window. I used 158 for the hat and the ground cover. I added a little 969 to the cliff side but only used 565 to shadow the rocks and light house. I colored the girl's hair and the puppy with 969 and darkened his eyes, nose and mouth with the Copic marker and then I used that marker to put dots on the rocks in the crevices. I used some 969 and 565 to watercolor the brick wall and then I masked off the little girl, puppy and the top and bottom of the wall with post-it tape runner. I used the bricks from 5127 - Build My Life Set and inked them up with 969, then stamped them off on the scrap paper twice before stamping the wall. I stamped the grasses from the 5126 - WC Foliage Set 4 in the green 158. I inked the birds from the My Fortress Set in 565, and stamped them after stamping them off first on the scrap paper. I took a Sakura Gelly Roll pen and added some glitter. I signed it with my Copic pen and cut it out using the 5063 - Rectangle Double Stitched Dies. I used the largest die to cut out the background piece of paper.

Karen Day - Blog - Facebook - Pinterest

I started by tracing a faint circle in pencil on my Canson XL watercolor paper to use as a guide. I began with the leafy green image from 5126 WC Foliage Set 4, and #249 Hunter Green, stamping it around the circle in both first and second generation. I wanted to have a strong contrast of greens, so I coloured the stem of a flower from 5008 WC Flower Set 3 in #126 Light Olive, and the petals in #565 Deep Blue. To fill in a few areas, I used the tiny foxglove (quite possibly my favourite Ai watercolor flower!) from 4052 Flower Set coloured in #533 Peacock Blue. I love the versatility of this stamp, I can stamp it repeatedly to be as long as I like, and because it's so tiny, it allows me to bend the blossom one way or another to suit my design. Using two of the branches from 4964 WC Branches Set coloured in #969 Chocolate, I tucked branches in and around the wreath to finish it off. I very lightly used my damp #1 paintbrush to dab the leaves and blossoms, keeping them mostly intact (I didn't want to lose the image definition). I used a TT42 - Twintone marker in 42 Navy to add a few dots around the foxgloves to finish them off. I looked at several of the birds from different sets, and found that this one from 5030 On The Sparrow Set in the Ai Bible Journaling collection fit perfectly inside the wreath - so I coloured him with #969 and used my stamp positioner to set him just inside the bottom of the wreath. I pulled out the colour with my brush, and added in touches of #533 on his wings and tail. I kept my wreath quite loose and open, making it slightly irregular - and really love the look! I can hardly wait to try a fall version. I matted the image on some periwinkle cardstock and stitched it down with my sewing machine. I tied some twine around my kraft cardstock base and attached the image with some pop dots.

Tricia O'Bin - Blog - Instagram - YouTube - Pinterest - Facebook

Hi Watercolor Fans! Welcome back to Art Impressions watercolor weekend. For my project this week, I decided to make an interactive card. This was so much fun to make. Come along with me and I’ll tell you how I made my Reveal Wheel Wagon.

I wanted to create a watercolor card using my new reveal wheel dies. I used the Add-On window and Essential Shapes stencil. I cut a rectangle out of the watercolor paper. First, I inked up the wagon with N25 & 569, stamped it off and stamped it in the bottom right corner of the paper. I used my Round 6 brush to pull the color out of the lines making sure the sides are darker and leaving a highlight. 

I added some additional color from my palette. Next, I inked up the small grass from the original foliage set with 249. I stamped it underneath and around the wagon. I pulled the color out of the lines. I inked the leaves up and stamped them along the top of the wagon. I wanted to make sure to stamp outside where the window will be so the flowers on the wheel fit.

I cut the wheel out of watercolor paper. Using the template, I stamped more foliage and flowers in different colors on each side. (After I already cut it I realized I didn’t need the template as by doing the whole wheel there is no break in the flowers). I used the small vine and the medium vine inked in 249 and stamped it several times. I added the small dots, daisy bunch and single flower to the wheel. I chose pink, orange and purple as they go so well together and I wanted it to be cohesive. I added water to the foliage and then the flowers. I added some additional color from my palette (mostly yellow onto the orange flowers). I added some wink of stella to the flowers and the wagon for a bit of shine.

Using 565 from my palette, I added a sky, which I also used on the wheel so it would blend with the background. I signed and dated it. I used a scrap piece of black card stock with the reveal wheel die and did some partial die cutting. I embossed the celebrating you from the Simon Says Stamp Tiny Words stamp set to it with white embossing powder.

I cut the craft paper with the reveal wheel card die. There are lots of YouTube videos on how to put the card together. I cut the opening in the watercolor paper (after making sure my wheel lined up). I then cut another window in the Kraft card stock in the same spot. I added my wheel and assembled the card. I added it to a white card base. To complete it I stamped the arrow so you know which way to spin the wheel (not that it matters in this instance).

I love to find ways to stretch my dies and stamps and this worked perfectly. I think I may do some more of these.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope you join us this watercolor weekend. Tag us on Instagram with #AIWatercolor and #AIStamps. 

Have a crafty day!

Thanks, team! We love how creative and diverse the projects are this week! From larger scenes like Dot's to beautiful wreaths like Karen and even interactive cards like Tricia, there is so much you can create with Art Impressions Watercolor stamps! Have a super weekend!

Happy Stamping!

Garden Window by Cheri Burry!

Happy Friday Ai Fans!

Today I am trying my hand at Watercoloring my cards using some Zig Clean Color Real Brush markers. I still need lots of practice but I have to admit how fun they are! I also wanted to show you a different way to use the "Garden Window MTF" stamp set. 

The Garden Window set is actually a set to make a Mini Try-fold card. Instead of creating a try-fold card, I decided to just use the main image and add a cute puppy from the "WC Dog set" peeking out the window. I started by stamping the window with Stazon Black ink on watercolor paper. I stamped it a second time on a post-it-note to create a mask so I could add the puppy in the window. Next I used my markers, a water brush and the Ai "Watercolor Palette" and watercolored my image. I added some Yellow Stickles to the flower middles for that tiny bit of sparkle.

I made a set of 3 coordinating cards and tied them together with some white ribbon. I think it'll make a nice gift. I actually used the sentiment from the Girlfriends "Bench" stamp set.

Zig Clean Color Colours Used:

Light Blue, Cobalt, Lilac

Yellow, Mustard, Beige

Deep Green, Light Green, Flesh Colour

Light Carmine, Light Pink

Dark Brown, Blue Grey

It's always fun to see how you can use your stamps differently then intended to get the most out of your sets!

Happy Stamping!

Supplies:

Water Color Wagon by Reneé Matarese

Hello Ai fans!

Today I'm sharing the card that I made for my sister-in-law's birthday.  She's a HUGE animal lover and has a dog and two cats so I know she'll love this.

I used

4873 – WC Cats Set

4959 – WC Dogs Set

4868 – WC Flower Set 2

4051 – WC Foliage Set 1

4867 – WC Foliage Set 2 
4875 – Garden Wagon Mini Set

Marvy Markers used:

3 Blue, 4 Green, 48 Leaf Green, 78 Orchid

96 Jungle Green, 102 Jade Green

Circle Water Color Card by Reneé Matarese

Hello Ai fans!

Today I'm sharing a water color card with you.

I used

4873 – WC Cats Set

4959 – WC Dogs Set

4868 – WC Flower Set 2

4051 – WC Foliage Set 1

4867 – WC Foliage Set 2 
4875 – Garden Wagon Mini Set

I've been stamping for about 12 years now and have loved Art Impressions since the beginning.  I am still very new to water color cards though.  I'm really trying to make more of them because I know I won't get any better if I don't practice. 

I still look at hundreds of other card makers and think theirs are SO much better but I'm not embarrassed to share mine anymore.  Baby steps...lol!

Marvy Markers used:

3 Blue, 4 Green, 48 Leaf Green, 78 Orchid

96 Jungle Green, 102 Jade Green

NEW VIDEO! Doggy In The Window by Kendra Krebs

Hi Ai Fans!

We're BACK with another fabulous Watercolor Wednesday video, featuring the ultra talented Kendra Krebs for the month of August! Watch Kendra create an adorable pup peeking through a barn window, with a sloping landscape background. She creates this entire scene with only two stamps! Don't forget to subscribe to our channel, and you pin this project to your Pinterest to easily find later!

Happy Watercolor Wednesday!

View on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9_RJDfBnqbg

Watercolor Weekend Roundup - Doors of Possibilities!

It's time for another Watercolor Weekend! Come check out these three amazing projects from our Watercolor Design Team, created to inspire your weekend projects! Let's take a look!

Dot Freel - Instagram - Blog - Pinterest

Hello Watercolor Friends,

I made this card for the bi-monthly Art Impressions Watercolor Weekend Roundup using the truck from the 5011 - WC Truck Set and I used the quail family from 4207 - Feathers TF. As you can see from the pictures, I have quail that travel through my back yard, every spring. Do you see the little baby chick on the log? They make the cutest sounds and I just love how protective the parents are of their sweet little chicks. The flower stamps I used are from 4868 - WC Flower Set 2 and the grass is from 4051 - WC Foliage Set 1. The sentiment is from the set 4903 - WC Sentiments.

Art Impressions Product: 5011 WC Truck Set, 4207 Feathers TF, 4868 WC Flower Set 2, 4051 WC Foliage Set 1, 4903 WC Sentiments, 4773 Acrylic Blocks, No 4. Brush, WC Palette

Marvy Le Plume II Markers: 45 Sepia, 15 Olive Green, 86 African Violet, 101 Tropical, 1 Black, 55 Iris Purple, 17 Steele Blue, 18 Dark Brown, 72 Pine Green

Other Supplies: Ranger Watercolor Paper

Tricia Kennedy - Instagram

My “Dimensional Door” project for today’s Watercolor Weekend is a tiny 3D delight. So get out your X-Acto knife and foam tape! Lets get started. 

Stamp the door from the Door Set on your watercolor paper using a combination of Sepia and African Violet which creates a lovely grey. Stamp the foliage from Foliage Set 3 in Olive Green near the base of the door and around the top. Add in the long stem flower from Mini Flower Set in Scarlet and Olive Green. Watercolor the Art Impressions way by pulling the color from the lines with your paint brush and water. Next, stamp in the tiny dot flowers Mini Flower Set in Scarlet. Using the fine tip of African Violet, darken the hinges on the door and the key hole. On a separate piece of watercolor paper, paint in a line of Sepia, free-hand a small vase sitting on top in African Violet, then stamp the long stem flower from Mini Flower Set in Scarlet and Olive Green and foliage from Foliage Set 3. Watercolor the Art Impressions way by pulling the color from the lines with your paint brush and water. And finally, it’s time to get out your X-Acto knife. Using the edge of a metal ruler and your X-Acto knife, cut down the middle, top and bottom of the door. Then cut out the windows. Score at the hinges and bend slightly open. Place foam tape on the backside of the door watercolor paper and align the vase watercolor behind.

Art Impressions Products: WC Door Set, WC Mini Flower Set, Foliage Set 3, Acrylic Block 5 Pack, 3” Square Block, Stamp Positioner,Watercolor Palette, Watercolor Brush No. 4,Canson XL WC Paper Pad

Marvy Le Plume II Markers: 15 Olive Green, 45 Sepia, 86 African Violet, 94 Scarlet, 100 Sapphire

Other Products: Post-It Notes, Foam Tape, X-Acto Knife, Metal Ruler, Scoring Tool

Tricia O'Bin - Blog - Instagram - YouTube - Pinterest - Facebook

Hello Art Impressions Fans and welcome to another Watercolor Weekend. I am excited to share my Sleeping Dog project with you. This is a fun summer project that is easy to create! My design team colleagues and I would love for you to join us on Instagram using #AIWatercolor.

I used several sets to create this sleeping dog project. I stamped the sleeping dog from the Mini Critter set. I masked him off and stamped the Chair from the Wooden Chair Set. I masked that off and stamped the bricks from the Cobblestone set. Once these were stamped, I pulled the color out of the lines and added additional color with my watercolor palette. I masked off the dog and stamped some small grass around him and the chair.

I masked the chair off and stamped the Birch Trees from the Covered Bridge stamp set. I pulled the color out from the outside of the trees. I added more leaves with the leaves from the same set. I added the left and right grasses from the Garden Wagon mini set. I then added the flower bunch to the right side of the chair. To finish it off, I added some Blue to the sky.

Check out my blog for more details! Join us!

Art Impressions Products: 4051 WC Foliage Set 1, 4702 Wooden Door, 4808 Covered Bridge Mini Set, 4868 WC Flower Set 2, 4875 Garden Wagon Mini Set, 5018 WC Cobblestone Set, 5016 WC Mini Critter Set, Acrylic Block 5 Pack (Variety), Canson XL WC Paper Pad, 4774 Stamp Positioner, Watercolor Palette, WC Brush NO. 6

Marvy Le Plume II Markers: 86 African Violet, 45 Sepia, 15 Olive Green, 8 Violet, 3 Blue, 20 Magenta

Other Supplies: Wink of Stella Glitter Clear Brush Pen – Clear, Classic Crest Cover Solar White 8-1/2x11 110lb, Scor-Pal Scor-Buddy Mini Scoring Board, 9 by 7.5-Inch, Simon Says Stamp SHAPES WITH STITCHES SetSS160 In Stitches, Gina K Designs Heavyweight Cardstock- Dark Chocolate

Thank you for your beautiful projects, team! Comment below to let us know what you most enjoyed about this week's edition! Happy Stamping!

Hello! Shaped Watercolor Card by Carol Hintermeier

Hello Ai Fans!  

I am so excited and thrilled beyond words to be making my first post as an Art Impressions Design Team member!!!

For my first post, I thought it very fitting to say "Hello!" to you all by using a few of my watercolor stamps (yep, I have quite a lovely collection of them!).  I live in an area that is fortunate to have two of the big crafts shows nearby and Art Impressions is at both!  For a few years, I watched Bonnie Krebs demo in their booth and for the longest time thought that I could never do that!  Finally, in 2015, I took an Ai watercolor class at the Scrapbook EXPO and was totally hooked!!!  If you watch Bonnie's videos and hear her say, "you can do this," it's true!!!!  Go to Ai's YouTube channel and find some of the earlier videos to get started--anyone can do this!!  Can you tell I'm a fan?  LOL!

I created a circular card and died some ribbon to get a perfect match!

Here's how I died the ribbon.  Scribble your marker, spritz with a bit of water, and dunk it in.  I blotted this one onto a paper towel to lighten the intensity of the color.  Let it dry and it's ready to use.

I added a little tag with "hello" stamped onto it.

Thank you so much for stopping by!!  Happy stamping!