Hi friends and welcome to the Spring Challenge for Four Seasons Challenge and I am honored to be the guest designer!
When I think of Spring, I think of Easter and decided to go with my most comfortable medium, watercoloring. I started with a digital stamp from Whimsy Stamps called a Cup Full of Happiness:
Isn't this image just so cute? I resized 2 images and printed it through my Brother Laser Printer using Ranger Tim Holtz Watercolor Paper. I almost always color more than 1. Why? My first image is my practice image for colors and also gets my "hand" warmed up. When I color the second one, I am usually more comfortable with the colors and style. 99% of the time I use both images for cards in some manner:I used my favorite watercolor pan palettes (usually of a mix of the 2): The Stamp Market 24 Pan Color Crush Palette and Altenew Watercolor 24 Pan Set:
I always use my Silver Brushes - Black Velvet usually the size 8 and sometimes the 6. The 8 holds more water and although larger it is actually easier for watercoloring. Also, I always try to leave white: if you notice the carrots those white areas are "sparkles" - I very seldom go back with a white gelly roll pen, but leave the white in the design while coloring.
The cups were fun! Once the watercoloring was dry I masked off all around the cups just with post it notes. Then I used this wonderful stencil from A Colorful Life Designs called Bunny Garden Stencil to ink blend parts of the design with some Ranger Distress Ink:
I used Ranger's Detail Blending Tools to get into the small areas:
The sentiments come from 2 different sets. I thought about the sentiments for a long time...what sentiment fits a bunny staring at a cupful of carrots? I was happy with the 2 I finally choose. The first, a simple "love you" come from this Hero Arts/Gina K collaboration stamp set called Friendship Blooms. I love this font and have used both the floral and sentiments many times:
The second sentiment came from Spellbinder's Sunday Drive All-Occasion Clear Stamp Set from Liberty Collection (longest name ever!):
I want to thank the folks at the Four Season Challenge for inviting me to be the guest designer and I hope you enjoyed my cards! Come play along with the challenge...they are always fun!
*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
OH WOW these are both just fabulous Anita! Thanks for all the awesome details and inspiration! We are thrilled to have had you guest design with us! Great job and have a wonderful week ahead!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Darlene. A sheer pleasure❤️
DeleteThese are just the cutest!! Beautiful job of water coloring too, it always intimidates me so was nice to read about your technique!! I need all the help I can get lol! Thank you for guest designing for our challenge at Four Seasons!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU, Diane for allowing me to guest design. Always a pleasure❤️
DeleteA fabulously watercolored card. I love the stencil that you used too. So dadgummed cute. [Bunny]
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Bunny! I appreciate your kind comments ❤️
DeleteI love both your colour ways, what a clever card and gorgeous digi stamp. Thanks for explaining your process, I would love to be better at watercolouring. Congrats on your guest designer spot. Your card is excellent xx
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, HilaryJane. What nice comments❤️
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