Friday, July 16, 2010

OLW Challenge - Watercolors

Each week when I log on to check out the new OLW challenge from Susan Railhala Simplicity blog, I tell myself...it's got to be easier this week! Wrong again. I struggled with this week's challenge to make a one layer card using watercolors. A can't say that I've ever used watercolors much and so I've probably messed-up made ten cards trying to get a card that I'm happy with. Maybe it's because I'm such a clean and linear scrapper/cardmaker, and watercolors tend to be a little messier than just plain stamping.

This first card is the final effort at watercolors. I ended up stamping on watercolor paper (...had to do a little shopping for watercolor paper first!) I used a Stampin Up stamp that I've had for years. Love the stamp, but I'm not sure I'm totally happy with the watercolor painting I did. Oh, well...someone will appreciate it, I'm sure!

This second card was one of my earlier attempts (before I bought the watercolor paper). I painted on a Stampin Up stamp with some old watercolor paints that I have...then misted it with a little water before stamping. That slick cardstock just doesn't absorb as well as the watercolor paper. I decided I "kind of" liked the result, so I got my sentiment out to stamp on the card...and darn it!...I stamped the thing crooked!! Drat! Anyway, I kind of liked this one too, but I think I like the other one better.

Which do you like better?

That's it for today...thanks Susan for another "challenging" challenge! (say that three times fast!)

Until next time....

Hugs!



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6 comments:

June K said...

Susan, both are lovely but I like the first one more. Your watercoloring technique on WC paper is beautiful.

Bonnie said...

Well Susan, I love the girl in the ocean. It reminds me of my girls when they were little. I think you did an awesome job of painting! I like the berries too! They are bright and the misting softens them. The sentiment looks great. I would have thought you meant to have it that way. Love both cards.

Brenda R said...

I love your first one. The blue "water" fits that beautiful stamp perfectly. I haven't posted my entry yet for OLW 11 but I almost like what I did on cardstock rather than watercolor paper.

Anonymous said...

Whadda ya mean you can't watercolor? These are both great. I really love the look of watercolor paper and would use only that, if I could afford it. However, stamping the sentiments doesn't always end up neat and clean. Seems like some inks work better on it than others.

Your work room makes me jealous, especially the punch storage solution. When you think of how many billion Hallmark cards you could buy with the money invested in this hobby......ewwww, don't even go there! :-)

Fun blog, thanks for sharing.

Bahb

Susan Raihala said...

Both cards are lovely, but I totally admire your watercolor water on the first. Every time I try that, it looks like a kindergartner did it. Yours looks so artistic!

As for stamping the sentiment crooked...that set (my favorite sentiment set EVER!) always throws me for a loop. Dawn's handwriting fools the eye, so I use my gridded acrylic block, line up the typeset part, AND practice stamp it on the edge of a scrap to see if it's straight. Time consuming? Just a bit, but absolutely worth it.

Janelle said...

I think both cards are fabulous -- darn the crooked sentiment in the second one. I, too, hate it when that happens. Quite often I'll then stamp the sentiment on a scrap and bump it up over the first. Of course, then it wouldn't be one layer anymore, would it. Anyway, love the bright colors of the second, but also the softness, yet quite vivid colors (for watercolor) on the first.
And, your post above... fabulous craft room. Love it! (Is it always so clean and orderly?)

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