PaperFections

Watercolored Die Cuts

Happy Friday, Friends! Today I'm sharing how you can watercolor your die cuts, to create a project quickly and easily, by cutting all the elements from white watercolor paper then watercoloring each of the pieces! For this card, I used two different colors (deep blue and deep purple) of Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors on damp watercolor paper, let it dry, then splattered the background with white watercolor to create a starry effect. Next, I die cut the Starry Ring from the upper left corner of the background, then mounted the background to a white card base. The Roaring Rocket and its flames were die cut from white watercolor paper, then the rocket pieces watercolored with silver, white, black, blue and violet: I finished the card by heat embossing the Outta this World sentiment in white onto black cardstock. Both the rocket and the sentiment piece were popped up with foam tape. Clear sequins were scattered over the background. Thanks so much for joining me today ... I hope you'll give watercoloring your die cuts a try! Happy weekend! SUPPLIES: 99975 Roaring Rocket craft die 99972 Starry Ring craft die CL5221 Outta This World clear stamp set Ranger Watercolor Paper, 10... Read more →

Watercolor 2 Ways: Textured Watercolor

Happy Friday and weekend, crafty friends ... Sharon Harnist here with you again! Today I have two styles of watercolored cards to share, because I couldn't make up my mind which I preferred! I would love to hear which is your favorite, below in the comments! My first card boasts a new technique I haven't seen anyone else share, and it was a fun experiment ... I hope you like it! I call this one "Textured Watercolor". To begin, I painted gesso onto heavyweight white cardstock using a regular paint brush and let it dry. You will naturally get some paint strokes in the gesso and this is what you want ... it creates some great texture in the final project! After the gesso was dry, I used Avery Elle Liquid Watercolors on top of the gesso. My original intent was to apply the watercolor directly from the bottle to the top of the tilted cardstock panel and just let them run down the panel, creating whatever pattern occured. While this could create a really great background, it just wasn't what I was looking for the background for this card. Instead, I took a watercolor brush and smoothed the watercolor... Read more →

Partial Die Cutting: Hot Mess!

By now you've heard the news: There are two new Leading Ladies over at Ellen Hutson LLC! These fabulous Ladies are the awesome creation of Brandi Kincaid, exclusively for the Essentials by Ellen line. Today I have another example of partial die cutting, along the right edge of this card: Here's how she was created: First, I used my Misti to stamp the Hot Mess Lady onto watercolor paper. The rough texture of watercolor paper sometimes prevents a crisp, fully stamped image. If that happens, it is easy to re-stamp the image again using the Misti! I'm loving my new bar magnets (wrapped with glitter tape for easy handling) and easy wipe mouse pad made for the Misti! Next, I placed my top die cutting pad along the right edge of the paper, where I wanted to cut away the area around Hot Mess's hand using her coordinating die. When you run this sandwich through your die cutting machine, it will only cut the paper where the top plate covers it: Next, use your paper trimmer to finish cutting a straight line above and below her arm, trimming away the excess: Here, I placed a piece of bright paper behind... Read more →

Partial Die Cutting: Everyday Hero!

Hello and happy Sunday ... There are some new Leading Ladies in town today! Just in time for Mother's Day, or any occasion you may have for any of the "Leading Ladies" in your life! Here's how this top-hinged, partially die cut card came together . . . First, I stamped Everyday Hero with Memento Tuxedo Black ink onto a Neenah 110 Lb. Solar White cardstock panel. If I had known how I would finish this card, I would have stamped her onto a top-folding card base, so take note of that if you would like to re-create this card! :) Then I colored her with these Copic Sketch Markers: (Not photographed - Skin: E00, E11, E121); Pictured below - Shirt: R22, R24, R27; Jeans: B21 (Pictured below) - Jeans: B23, B26; Cape & Headband/Crown: Y08, YR21, YR23, E33; Hair: T0, T1, T2, T6 Then I partially die cut just her legs by placing my top die cutting plate only over the lower portion of the panel I wanted cut away. Using a ruler, I placed pencil marks across the bottom of the panel where I wanted to cut away the lower quarter (you can see those just above the... Read more →

Floral Sympathy Card

Sympathy cards can be difficult to make, requiring just the right balance of color and elements to achieve a somber and reverent message. Today I'm using some gorgeous Birch Press handmade papers and tape, combined with beautiful Memory Box dies and stamps that hopefully strike that delicate balance: This card started with a Memory Box Custard notecard with a strip of Birch Press Mineral Green washi tape along the right edge. The next background layer is some beautiful Birch Press Ivory Cabbage Rose handmade paper, matted with gold metallic cardstock. Next is a layer of gorgeous Birch Press Bouquet hand screen printed paper, with a touch of gold metallic outlining -- aren't the colors amazing?!! These amazing papers feel like fabric! The pretty sentiment is from the Memory Box Prayers Sentiments stamp set. It was stamped with Tsukineko Delicata Golden Glitz onto an ivory Memory Box Tree Blossom Stitched Circle Frame. An additional Tree Blossom Stitched Circle Frame was die cut from gold metallic cardstock and glued on top. The ivory flower die cut was colored with Copic BG23 to match the floral paper and washi tape. The circle element was popped up with foam tape. Finally, the elegant Soaring... Read more →