This sweet greeting card is for anyone who needs a little pick-me-up (who doesn't love puppies!). It makes me smile. I put together the scene with some quick masking and a couple stamp sets from Dreamerland Crafts. I used Daniel Smith watercolors to color it. I just love these watercolors. They have some beautifully unique colors, such as Moonglow, used for the boy's shirt, Hematite, used in the shadows, and Buff Titanium, used on the ground. I enjoy making fluffy clouds with the simple technique described in the step-by-step. Now go out and brighten someone's day!
Pssst... if your reading this, leave me a comment! I see lots of hits on my pages but really wonder if anyone actually reads my posts! Heh.
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Making the Card
1. Cut blue cardstock 7x10 inches; fold in half to form a 5x7 inch card base.
2. Cut My Mind's Eye Boy Crazy 12x12 Stitched sheet to 4 3/4 x 6 3/4 inches. Adhere to card base.
3. From Dreamerland Crafts Stamps, stamp bird, kitten, boy with box, and puppies on masking paper using StazOn Jet Black ink. Fussy cut using detail scissors.
4. Use VersaFine Clair Nocturne ink for stamping: stamp puppies at an angle as shown on watercolor paper - leave plenty of room around it for the rest of the scene. When dry, cover with matching mask. Using stamp positioner, stamp boy with box (it's a little tricky but the stamp positioner will make it a lot easier). When dry cover with matching mask. Stamp bushes as shown. Stamp bird and kitten where shown; when dry cover with matching masks. Be sure masks are stuck down well, especially around the edges.
5. Cover berries in bushes using masking fluid. Have a tissue ready. For my painting, I used Daniel Smith watercolors. Once masking fluid is dry, add water to sky then drop in color (I used Ultramarine Blue) starting with the darkest at top and fading out as you get closer to the bushes. Use crumpled tissue to dab in areas of the sky to form clouds. You may use a damp brush (water only) to go over areas you want lightened more; immediatly soak up with tissue. Watercolor the ground area. Once dry, paint bushes. Work in layers, allowing each to dry before adding more color. Paint shadows. Remove masking fluid from berries and paint them. Once the background is done, you may watercolor the subjects. Again work in layers. To blend, use a slightly damp brush to soften just-painted edges. I use a fairly dry brush to add color when I want smooth blending (blot excess on paper towel or rag).
6. Die cut image using square die. I actually used a Spellbinders Grand Nestabilities 4x4 inch square die but they have been discontinued. See supplies (bottom of post) for replacement. For the mat, cut blue cardstock a little larger. I just eyeballed it by placing the image in a corner, leaving the amount I wanted as a border, then used a pencil to mark where I wanted to cut on the other sides. Note: you may have nesting dies that will cut the desired border instead. Adhere image to mat. Adhere to card where shown.
7. Stamp sentiment in VersaFine Onyx Black ink on Boy Crazy paper (I changed inks because some of the detail was lost with the Clair Nocturne ink - my ink pad is fairly new and a bit too juicy). Trim as shown and add tails. Create a mat for it in blue cardstock. Adhere using dimensional tape.
8. Die cut champagne Deco Sheets and blue cardstock to create stars using Sizzix/Stephanie Barnard Triplits Stars die set. Adhere where shown. Add sequins and star confetti where shown.
Supplies
- Dreamerland Crafts Stamps: So Much to be Joyful About (DCS17040), Mail Box & Wall (M18301)
- Cardstock: Blue
- My Mind's Eye Paper Boy Crazy - 12x12 Stitched #681002
- Masking Paper
- StazOn Jet Black Ink
- Detail Scissors
- Strathmore 500 Hot Press Watercolor Paper
- Fineline Masking Fluid
- Tissue
- Daniel Smith Watercolors
- Stamp Positioner
- VersaFine Onyx Black Ink
- VersaFine Clair Nocturne Ink
- Sizzix Square Dies (657565)
- Sizzix/Stephanie Barnard Triplits Stars (661118) - discontinued but a few available here
- Tim Holtz/Idea-oloby Deco Sheets (#TH93219) - discontinued but a few available here
- Dimensional Tape
- Sequins
- Star Confetti
