Kraft Cardstock watercoloring

It is fun and trendy to watercolor on Kraft Cardstock...JanTInk's blog has an amazing example, so I felt inspired to try it. Mine isn't as spectacular, but is still fun I think.

I used the white Stampin' Up! water color pencil to create a base on which to color. Instead of using exclusively watercolor pencils, I used a blender pen to pick up classic inks for easy color matching on top of the white pencil. I like the way it brightened the colors. We will try this card at my June technique class.

Fresh for Spring

Today, I needed a good batch of inspiration, so I combined the MOJO Monday sketch challenge (MOJO82 shown here: http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2009/04/mojo-monday-week-82.html ) with last week's Color Challenge on Stampin' Addicts.

Stampin' Addicts is a new site with a positive emphasis on Stampin' Up! that I really enjoy. Here's a link to the Color Challenge I finally got around to doing: http://www.stampinaddicts.com/forums/friday-color-combo-challenges/448-sa-color-challenge-8-a.html Anyone who loves Stampin' Up! and is positive about the company is welcome to visit, upload, chat and share. There is a section for demonstrators as well.

I used the Classic Stripe Background with the Petal Pizazz and Great Friend Stamp Sets. The colors for this challenge were Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, Bashful Blue and So Saffron. No need to twist my arm to get me to use these lovely colors! The butterfly image is heat embossed with clearp ep and Bashful Blue Craft Ink. Then then Kiwi Kiss is colored on and just a bit of Rose Red for a spot of berries. I love the way the Stampin' Up! exclusive Little Leaves embosslit adds a quick bit of 3D Kiwi behind the butterfly too.

I find I enjoy a bit of substance on the inside of my cards....especially when I can make it pretty with just leftovers from the card that I decided not to use in favor of something else.

Sometimes dark cardstock is just too dark....

Black, Night of Navy, Elegant Eggplant....You can write your message on them in white gel pen, but for some occasions that can seem a little strange. For example, when creating a sympathy card, I prefer the method everyone is doing lately of lining the card with a layer of another color of cardstock. Many stampers are making these almost as fancy as the front of the card which can be a lot of fun, but for this card a more subdued approach is tasteful. Carrying a simple main image from the front to the inside can provide a nice bit of continuity as the light grey cardstock gives you a nicer contrast when you write with a black pen.

Very Versatile Stamp Set, Texturz dies and the new scalloped oval punch shown.....