Hi Everyone. Happy Thursday night. I am happy to report that tomorrow is Friday… oh yeah!!! You know I love the weekend, cos I generally get some stamping time. Oh… and my DH gets home tonight, too!
Tonight's card highlights one of my favorite new sets – Studio Sketches. I really wasn't sure when I saw this set, but knowing how much I love coloring… it has to be the inner child in me… I decided to give it a try. I really love it.
The layout was for a challenge card a couple of weeks ago. I thought it was a really cool layout, so decided to use it for this card. A couple of my fabulous blog readers actually received this card in the last week. It was a very relaxing card to make and allowed me to use Cajun Craze – which I really am crazy about! and Old Olive. I must admit, since the color renovation, I have enjoyed Old Olive far more than I ever did before.
I really did have a tremendous amount of fun coloring this with my classic inks and blender pen. There was something about the image that screamed Tuscany – so I decided to use traditional Tuscan colors and the Cajun Craze is perfect for that.
You can see in the corner, one of the other stamps from the set – the fruit bowl. It was the perfect thing to stamp on the envelope. All it needed was a quick wash of color.
Here's a close up of the colored image.
I want to show you one more close up before I give you a couple of tips.
This one is of the Greenhouse Gala DSP and the background Old Olive mat.
Tip: You can tell that the background Old Olive mat has a pattern. I ran it through my the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder – the pattern works so well with this particular pattern from the Greenhouse Gala DSP. I tried it with just the Old Olive plain – not embossed and something just didn't seem quite right. A quick run through the Big Shot fixed the problem. There's something that just works when the paper and the mat run together. It helped to frame the paper, without distracting from it.
Tip 2: Here's two water coloring tips for you. I discovered one on the water coloring technique CD that I bought and the other one by trial and error.
I found that layering the colors by using my classic inks and blending pen provided me with a great base. However, if I layer too much, then the paper gets really wet and it doesn't work so well. So… what I did with the apples was this; I laid down the first couple of layers of green with my inks and blending pen. Then, when the color was dry, I went back over with my marker. The same color marker – in this case Pear Pizzazz. This allowed me to get the shading that I wanted and yet the colors still remained bright and vibrant.
Want to get your image to pop a little from the white background? The trick my CD taught me… well, technically not my CD…. the person on the CD :-)… take a light blue ink and go all the way around the image. Not too heavily, just lightly all the way around the image. This causes a slight shadow effect and allows the image to pop a little.
- Tip 3: Remember to leave a couple of "lighter" areas on each of the items – that helps to make it look as though it is catching the light. Use these detailed stamps as a guide – they generally show you where the shadows and the light would be.
Color inks I used:
- Pitcher: Cajun Craze
- Pears: well… Pear Pizzazz 🙂
- Shadow areas: Sahara Sand
- Blue shadow – Baja Breeze
On a personal note. Today was a long day. I was up at 4 for a 6am start with colleagues in Europe. To begin my morning, Bailey left me a present. No… not some poor dead mouse. He knocked something off the table that I had left there last night. I came wondering down stairs this morning, still pretty much asleep, didn't realize that the item was there, walked into it…. and now have two very swollen toes and they resemble to color of Concord Crush. Yes, nice and purple. Thank you, Bailey. I think you can imagine the words that I used! None of them complimentary 🙂
I managed to have a quick visit with Cherie, Brenda and Bethany tonight. This is becoming a habit. I think this is our 5th get together in a couple of weeks. We celebrated Cherie's Flag Day and the fact that Brenda and Bethany are leaving town. Well, we weren't celebrating them leaving town 🙂 but celebrating the fact that they were going on vacation to England for 3 weeks. It was a quick visit, but a delightful end to my long day.
Well, actually the delightful end to my day will be picking up my hubby when he gets home from Austin 🙂
Continued prayers to Trish, Germaine, Lynn and Beth and including "T" on my list tonight.
As always… thank you so much for visiting my blog. Your visits and your support are always appreciated.
Have a wonderful Friday, and remember… smile- it may change someone's life.
Hugs to you all
Jaydee
10 Responses
Beautiful card! Your watercoloring is awesome Jaydee! Thanks for the tips on it! I need all the help I can get! Sorry about your toes! I bet I would have said a few choice words myself! I’m sure Bailey didn’t meant to!
Trish, Germaine, Beth & Lynn-prayers to you all!
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
WOW! This is just wonderful. I probably wouldn’t have like this stamp set – if I hadn’t seen your post tonight! Your coloring is just super and I really, really like it. Thanks so much for all the helpful tips!
Lynn
I can say from first-hand knowledge that this card is absolutely stunning. I plan on framing it. Your coloring was superb, and your choice of colors fantastic! Thank you so much for sending it to me! It will be a constant reminder of how sweet our virtual stamping friends can be!
Thanks Missy for your continued support in Prayer and Thought. I do appreciate that you are always there for me. You are one special person.
Unlike you Jayde, I loved this Stamp Set the first time I saw it. I could just imagine the possibilities for coloring. Your Card is marvelous. I really like the colors that you chose to Watercolor with, both on the Card and the Envelope. Your shading technique is fabulous. Would you mind sharing the Name of the CD that you bought with us. I would love to learn some new Techniques. Thanks in advance. I can definitely see where you left your light spots to show the light coming across, very realistic. The use of the little Stamp on the Envelope is such a neat touch and one that I seldom remember to do. Usually I just see the Stamp alone, just an outline, but coloring it in like you have really adds something special to the outside of the whole package. My eyes went to your three ribbons attached with the buttons, such a cool trick, I don’t think I have ever seen you do that before. Very nice touch. I do like the Embossed cardstock behind the DSP, I just can’t figure out which Embossing Folder you used. A recipe wasn’t given today…is that because the New Catty hasn’t been released yet? Could we possibly get a recipe after the release? Please, pretty please? Love that DSP! So green and fresh, just like a luscious garden, or freshly mowed grass. Those colors work really well together. I need to hurry up and get well, there is sooooooo much that I have missed out on and need to catch up with. I have so many Stamp Sets just sitting out waiting to be inked up. I think I just might feel some mojo coming on. Let’s sure hope so.
A quick “Hi and I hope your doing well”, to Cherie, Brenda and Bethany. I don’t think that I have had the pleasure of meeting Bethany yet, “Hi”, just the same.
Cherie, I don’t remember if I remembered to wish you a “Happy Flag Day”. So please accept my Belated “Happy Flag Day” Good Wishes to YOU!
I will continue to have Germaine, Lynn, Beth and also “T” on my daily Prayer List. May you all be Blessed with The Lord, Jesus Christ’s Healing, and Consoling LOVE, for whatever your Needs may Be.
Cyber hugs to All and Jaydee, Trish in Wisconsin
Oh no! Your poor piggies!! I hope they heal quickly. :o(
The card is of course, beautiful. I am IN LOVE with this new color renovation. Cajun Craze is such a rich color and it goes beautifully with Old Olive. Thanks for the inspiration. :o)
Happy Friday!
You enabler you! I must have this stamp set after seeing your beautiful card. Just hope I can do it justice ’cause you sure did. Great coloring job.
Thanks,
Doris D.
What a beautiful card! I saw this set, and said, “meh” – but now I am having second thoughts. I love your work and wish I was half as creative as you. I love watercolouring but am going to try your hints – I never colour with the inks, but only the watercolour crayons and pencils. This is the perfect set for that technique. I’ve done the ribbon thing but never the ribbon and button thing so you’ve given me some new ideas – thanks!!
I also enjoy the stories you have – it’s fun to read your blog.
Thanks again for your inspiration. And by the way, I’ll be stamping my cards for your card collection this week end so they’ll be winding their way from Canada early next week – I’ll let you know when they hit the mail. Have a great week end; hope your husband made it back from Austin okay with no delays!
Beautiful coloring! I can’t wait to get the new colors! How’s the toes?
Lovely card, great L/O!!
Susan
What a fantastic card, showcasing the watercoloring. I have tried, many many times and can never get it to work using the blender pen. I always end up with a “blotch” as a result. I always end up using the aqua painter. Could you please, if you can, show us a video using the blender pen technique? I love watercoloring but after many tries and still cannot get the desire output, I get very annoyed. But oh, I still love it and have not given up yet. Still searching and learning…
Now that I can continue with my card drive, I will be finishing them soon. Can I get your address to send these out to you? Hugs.