Hi Everyone
It’s time for a new Watercolor Challenge over at Happy Little Stampers – this time Anything Goes, with an optional twist  – Rainbow! We have a guest designer joining us this week – Julie – be sure to check out hers and the rest of the Design Team’s inspiration over at the HLS blog.   You could also be in with a chance to win $15 discount at the HLS store.
I had so much fun playing this week, I made two cards, both using the Happy Little Stampers Especially For You which I think is my favourite stamp set by HLS!
For both cards I stamped the focal image in Distress Ink Hickory Smoke on Strathmore watercolor paper (500 series) cut to 3.5″ x 5″.    I then stamped it again on a post-it and cut it out and masked the image.

 

 

To create the rainbow I used a variety of Distress inks and blended them gently over the masked image and outward.  I used Carved Pumpkin, Fossilized  Amber, Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, Twisted Citron and Abandoned Coral for the Butterfly card.  For the flower I changed it up with some Picked Raspberry, Tumbled Glass, Cracked Pistachio and Squeezed Lemonade (as well as WV and CP).  I then flicked water onto the ink and let it dry for a few seconds before lifting it off.   I then removed the mask

 

 

To colour the focal image I used a paintbrush, water and did a light wash of Distress Ink in Hickory Smoke, let it dry and then did another layer.   I let it dry then did another couple of layers in Ground Espresso.  I thought this gave a cool vintage-y sepia photo type look.   I then added some splatters of both with the paint brush for good measure.

 

 

The sentiments are also from the same set.  I heat embossed both – the Butterfly using Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder, and the flower with Hero Arts white.

 

To finish the cards I added them with double sided tape to a Simon Says Stamp Fog card base.  On the flower card I added Nuvo drops in clear along the bottom and as drops on the main card.   For the butterfly I coloured the image with clear Wink of Stella and added some Sparkling Clear Pretty Pink Posh sequins.

 

Hope you liked the cards – make sure to play along over at Happy Little Stampers for your chance to win a $15 discount to the store!

Have a wonderful day,

Jenny x

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14 Comments

  1. Oooooooo! So lovely, Jenny. Beautiful colors. Love the butterfly and the flower. I don't have "Especially for You" and now I think I NEED it. 🙂 Gorgeous creations.

  2. Wow, love the backgrounds of both cards and love how you've used the hickory smoke and espresso distress inks…they looked amazing together x

  3. Both your cards are absolutely Stunning, Jenny. I love your sponged rainbow colored backgrounds with water splatters and your beautifully watercolored main images. Definitely a sepia vintage look. TFS and including your descriptions. Hugs..

  4. Oh my goodness, Jenny, these are gaspingly gorgeous! The natural colouring on both the butterfly and daisy is beautiful … and the rainbows of soft colour around them are stunning! A spectacular duo! Hugs, Anita 🙂

  5. Wow Jenny both are so beautiful! Love the light colours and the subtile use of the images! You coloured both images so realisti; great! Hugs, Gerrina

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