Who Doesn't Like to Play in Water?

It seems universal, children love to play in the water, for the most part.

The water hose, washing the car, watering the plants, water fountains, a stream, the ocean, the bath tub (except for washing hair), swimming pools ... and now there are children's play fountains in parks and gardens and amusement venues.

I could fill this blog with pictures of my children and grandchildren playing in the water. My water play was in a ringed plastic wading pool or in the sprinkler, but not in the front yard! Mama would not have children in bathing suits in the front yard!

Play for me today is water and ink!

I truly love the watercolor options that Stampin' Up! has given us: aqua painters, watercolor pencils, watercolor paper, shimmery white card stock ... they can make an artist out of any of us.

Although there is nothing really hard about ink and water, first attempts may not result in what was anticipated. Like water, sometimes you must go with the flow. I have read many blogs and viewed videos to glean tips that may produce my desired effects.

Aqua painters and markers is probably as close to controlled as you can get with the watercoloring techniques. On the top left card I scribbled Stampin' Write markers in three colors and then painted with water right over them - using an aqua painter.

I found this card and the alluring blog title "Three Step Watercolor Wash" from Natalie Lapakko/stampwitch.blog.  She very succinctly instructed to  1. scribble colors, 2. apply water from aqua painter and 3. splatter water from aqua painter onto colored area (to create bubbles, texture, interest) and blot with paper towel.

AND it worked. First time! I  love it when things work the first time around!!

She also used a bit of the new Copper Trim for accent; I used some to ground the piece, almost like sandy shore, I suppose. The ribbon can be stretched out to suggest fishing nets, chicken coop wire, sand ...

Not only did I enjoy creating this, but the gals in my classes did as well. Thanks Natalie!

I used the Shimmery White Cardstock for that art piece. And then moved onto Stampin' Up!'s Watercolor Paper for the canvas sling beach chair in the card on the right, a design by Mary Brown at stampercamper.com.

I found the SU watercolor paper too thick and textured for stamping, so switched over to the Shimmer White again.

The watercolor background was created with one of our acrylic blocks ~ ink the block up with several beachy colors (all at once), spritz with water, stamp it onto the paper. HOLD block down, or weight it down for a bit so that color is absorbed into the paper. Pulling the block up immediately causes the water and colors to run downhill like a mudslide. Thank you Mary for that advice!! I had previously produced many mudslides and decided that I could not handle this technique.

I will say that I continued working with my initial stamped image on the the heavy SU watercolor paper. I added a little color with markers, added water with the aqua painter and I like the result, but I did not try stamping a sentiment onto that heavy paper ~ just left the beach scene as a mini watercolor masterpiece for myself.

Don't be afraid; go ahead and play in the water!

Who has bonus dollars?

Me!

I already have $10 in Bonus Dollars and it is only the 8th of July!

You know the deal for Bonus Days, right?

For every $50 order you place in July, you will receive $5 to spend in August, on anything you'd like, INCLUDING a new pre-release holiday bundle, Carols of Christmas!

How did I get $10 in Bonus Dollars? I spent $100 on product yesterday. 

It has really been rough beach weather this week ~ horribly hot and humid, blowing and stinging sand, biting flies and 

So, I had a lot of time on my hands and a Stampin' Up! catalog close by. 

Maybe I should have picked up the novel I have just started,  Savannah Breeze. It's an older one by Mary Kay Andrews, my favorite of the Queens of the Beach Reads authors. 

Although the skies were threatening with thunder and lightning and gusty winds, no precipitation,  just the loss of power for a bit.

All's well that ends well.

But oh, more Bonus Days details: collect as many $5 certificates as you can this month ~ you can use them all on one or more orders next month. They do expire, however,  they must be used during August.

When your order qualifies for Bonus Dollars,  Stampin' Up! will email you certificate codes to redeem.

HOLD ON TO THOSE EMAILS.

Save those emails because I will not get a copy of them .  The codes will not be re-mailed.

So, happy shopping. What's at the top of your list?

Double Daisies

There is so much you can do with the Delightful Daisy Suite, especially as the Designer Series Papers feature both bright and bold colors and patterns as well as subtle and sweet colors and patterns.

The colors included are:

Calypso Coral    Daffodil Delight   Night of Navy   Old Olive

Pool Party   Tranquil Tide   Whisper White

I mentioned my wedding flowers and colors in the previous blog, and this card reminded me of those:

I am afraid that I just could not get a shot that really showed the colors ...  

I borrowed this design from Lori Pinto at lollpoppaperandink.com. 

I love the softness with the watercolor feel and ink colors of Calypso Coral and Pool Party and a swirl of Daffodil.

Again, the paper does the work. The DSP panel of 4" x 5 1/4" is simply 1/4" smaller than the Whisper White base card.

The largest square in the Stitched Shapes Framelits is wide enough for this sentiment found in the Daisy Delight Stamp Set ~ Your thoughtfulness brightened my day. I stamped it in Calypso Coral toward the top of the square so that I could wrap new matching ribbon ( 1/8' Sheer Ribbon in Calypso Coral) - three times around.

The daisy was created with two stamped and punched daisies - one stamped off in Calypso Coral and the other stamped off in Daffodil Delight. The daisies are offset so as to create a fuller blossom and accented with a new gold Faceted Gems. 

For dimension I layered the daisy onto the stitched square and popped up the square with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Change out the sentiment and you can easily have a Thinking of You card, a sweet Sympathy card ~ any all occasion card! 

If you have any questions, please ask. 

Let's stamp!

Daisy, Daisy

What could be better than a combination of a perfect punch and oh-so-gorgeous Designer Series Paper? Not much, at least not in my Stampin' Up! world!

If you have read any of my posts or seen any of my cards, you know that I am addicted to paper. When I as able to preview the new designs at Stampin' Up!'s OnStage gathering for demonstrators last spring, I fell in love with the nostalgic Birthday Memories papers ~ the entire bundle ~ but it was those papers with the sweet little girl and the parade of animals!! And with thinlits that matched the characters ... I was melting in front of that display kiosk.

And then I saw the Daisy Delight Papers. Does anyone not like daisies? Perhaps it is not your favorite flower, but the sweet and simple, cheerful daisy always makes me smile.

One birthday Mama gave me a lovely little etched glass pitcher filled with daisies. I was overjoyed. Today that pitcher is filled with vintage buttons I have collected over the years.

My bridesmaids carried daisies, white and peach (101 years ago)  and the soft watercolory coral daisy design reminds me of those bouquets and the bridesmaids' printed and pleated peach floral gowns.

With such spectacular papers, cards are so easy to design; let the paper do the work!

Honestly, I owe thanks to Pinterest and friends for the above designs that I used for a recent Play Date. I believe it was the first class for which I relied on basically one stamp set ~I did add Beautiful You stamp set in there after a friend showed me how to 'dress' her with a daisy.

So since we are talking about dresses and I love paper dolls, let me show you more of the daisy dress.

I used the new Berry Burst ink and papers as the class was held just as the new catalog and InColors were arriving. Of course, use any color that you would like, or suits your needs. This is very Berry Burst with matching ribbon (1/2" Finely Woven Ribbon) and Fresh Florals DSP in berry, plus the berry Stampin' Write Marker.

I usually stamp and then cut, and layered two ovals from Whisper White and Berry Burst Card Stock.

The entire dress and hat were colored with Berry Burst. Either aqua painters or blender pens create attractive shading.

The 3D skirt was created with one stamped Berry Burst daisy on Whisper White and  punched with the new daisy punch. And here is where your seamstress skills come into play: cut apart the daisy into segments of three petals, two petals. two more petals and one left over petal.

I built my dress in layers right on top of the stamped image. My tip: take the three petal segment and place flat over girl's skirt and out stretched leg first, using your glue adhesive of choice. Then build up your skirt using the remaining petal segments.

Accessorize with diamonds or pearls at the waist.

Wink of Stella can add even more glimmer.

I added a strip of ribbon across the middle of the DSP panel and then popped up the berry oval with Stampin' Dimensionals.  And the entire panel was then layered on a Whisper White card base.

You are welcome to borrow this idea, colors and all, but play with your favorite colors and accessories ~ there are so many options!!