This beauty is once again from my friend Marj Marion. We have known each other many years and she has taught with our stencils in the Olympia Washington area for originally a store called Quackers and later it became Art 'N Soul. She has also been a wonderful resource for teaching two or three times in the UK for our distributor there. THANKS Marj for sending me these special cards for the holidays...it has helped immensely with a busy out of control holiday schedule. Also she has sent some wonderful instructions and although they are in depth...don't be afraid, because they are easy to follow and after reading them through you'll know what to do. So...in her own words...here they are.
WATERCOLOR WITH INLAID DIE CUTTING:
Paper:
I use 140#, cold press watercolor paper. You can use the "pebbly" side, or the smoother side on the back side of the paper....it's your choice. It is handy to use a temporary rape runner adhesive to attach your panel to a scrap piece of text weight paper- something to hold onto!
Inks:
Choose 2-4 colors of Distress Inks, and sponge on the colors in a random fashion. Cover most of the card with ink, but precision isn't necessary. Now, spray generous amounts of water on top of the ink let the excess water run around the paper, creating interesting patterns. You can use a heat tool to "move" the water and create nice edges and shapes with the colored water. When it's dry, you can add more Distress Inks with a sponge if you want more intense color.
Also, you can rub Distress Ink pads down on a Craft Sheet, spray the ink with water, and use your finger or paint brush to mix and blend colors and water, creating droplets and tiny "puddles". Lay your colored W/C panel on these droplets, and press the panel onto the droplets. Dry, and repeat. You will create even more interesting patterns of diluted ink on your panel. If you want to lighten the colors on your panel, it is possible to dribble little droplets of water on the panel, let them soak for a bit, and then "move" them around with the heat tool, or blot with a paper towel to remove some of the color you first applied.
Die Cutting:
Decide on the placement of your die, leaving room for a stamped message or embellishments. Be sure your paper is dry. Use removable tape to secure the die to your panel, and die cut your design. Save the positive die cut to use on another project.
On a clean piece of W/C paper, die cut your design again, to create a "clean" die cut to color. Use finger daubers and Distress Pad, or Distress Markers, color the die cut as desired, making sure there is some contrast in color with your inked panel. Notice that the holly die (DL3005) in this sample is darker. You can also pat Distress Ink on the Craft Sheet and use a small paint brush to color your die cut.
Assemby:
Cut a piece of computer paper large enough to cover the back of the die cut opening. Cover all of this scrap with tape runner adhesive. Place the sticky side of your scrap paper onto the back of the W/C panel. You will see tape runner adhesive exposed in the open areas of the die cut. Carefully fit your colored, positive die cut shape into the opening, fitting it in exactly, sort of like a puzzle piece going in . Now, glue your W/C panel to an accent panel. Add bling or embellishments like the red ribbon in this sample. Glue your panel to a folded card of choice.
Alternate W/C Methods:
1. Pat or rub Distress Ink pads on the Craft Sheet, spray with water, and swish W/C paper around on the droplets
2. Cover the W/C panel with scribbles from Distress Markers, and proceed as above to spray and move the colored water around on the panel.
3. Create watercolor backgrounds with Twinkling H2O's, Inka Gold, or any watercolor paints, and proceed. Noe that these may not dilute and "run" as well as Distress Inks, but you can follow the same technique with many things getting different results.
Have fun with this technique!
(Thank you Marj for helping me with these beautiful samples recently and detailed instructions when my holidays are so busy!)
NOW...please take time to see what my wonderful team is up to and leave some comments today for Marj and visit the team and please leave them some encouragement as well.
Remember we love it when you join the challenge, but if you don't have a blog and would like to email me your creation I will place it here on my blog. This week Rose Svendsen from Nova Scotia is sending me her creation....here it is and thank you Rose for all of your participation over the years. He fits our quick and cute doesn't he. Paste-embossed penguin stencil (LS84) using black embossing paste (DMBP) on white glittered double sticky tape, then black glitter is added to the wet paste. So simple Rose! Great easy to do creation for the holidays! A few embellishments and he is ready to pop in the mail.
