Pinkfresh Studio - Fancy Blooms + Watercolor Smooshing

Happy Tuesday, friends! I hope that you had a wonderful Monday! Mine was great spending time with my family - we watched Wreck It Ralph last night, as we are going to Ralph Breaks the Internet tonight...and it was so cute & funny! I can't wait to see the new movie tonight!

Today I wanted to share a couple of cards that I created using the Fancy Blooms stamps & coordinating dies, along with the My Favorite Things to Say sentiment set that Pinkfresh Studio released this past October. These sets were a huge hit during the release, and literally flew off the shelves.  My Favorite Things to Say has since also sold out again, but I am happy to say that it is restocked! So, if this is a set that you've wanted to add to your stamp collection, now is a great time to grab it!

I did some watercoloring & smooshing on my cards today using Ranger Distress Inks by Tim Holtz. I did some similar cards earlier this fall and you can check that post out HERE...or watch the VIDEO. I even used similar colors here, but added in some yellow for warmth.

To start I stamped & heat embossed all the Fancy Bloom images in rose gold to Arches watercolor paper. Then I watercolored the images in the following distress ink colors: Victorian Velvet, Stormy Sky, Scattered Straw, Seedless Preserves & Dusty Concord. When the flowers were finished, I set them aside to dry and started on the backgrounds.

I trimmed two panels slightly smaller than an A2 card from matching Arches watercolor paper, then used the excess distress ink that I colored the florals with to smoosh a background. When I know I am going to do this technique, I always smear my inks onto a block of transparency. I've tried doing this just on my craft mat, and I don't feel like I get the same results. What I love about this technique is that it is really random, but it typically always works out. You can give yourself more control over it by only doing small sections at a time, or just go for it and lay your background face down onto all the inks! I typically try to have a little more control over it, if possible.

I cut out the florals while the backgrounds dried, then I stamped the sentiments directly to each background in onyx black Versafine once dry. This watercolor paper has some texture to it and it took me a few times to get a good impression, so it is super important to use a stamping platform. I prefer the MISTI. :)

With everything stamped & diecut, it was time to start putting the cards together. I mounted each watercolor smooshed background to the front of a purple A2 card base with foam adhesive. Then I arranged & adhered the florals to the front, and glued them down with mixed media adhesive. This allowed me some time to move them if needed, but would dry permanently. Of course, my final step was accenting here & there with my signature jewels.

Here is a look at the portrait card individually.

And the landscape verson. I really love how this background turned out...I think it is my favorite of the two!

Those are my encouraging cards for today! I hope that you enjoyed them, and will try your hand at this fun & easy watercoloring technique!

That is all I have for you today, friends! Before you move along with your day, I wanted to invite you to follow me on social media. I hang out on Instagram a lot, and share my work in progress in my stories...along with REALLY cute photos of my dogs! :) And of course, I would love for you to subscribe to my YouTube Channel. My channel has been pretty quiet recently - I am right in the middle of reorganizing my entire craft area...so it is a bit disjointed. I have given myself a deadline of the end of December to get it completely finished, with my new studio area ready for video creation!! So, there will be a TON more videos in 2019. So thank you for bearing with me until then!

INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK

 

You are going to see a new option up there....Facebook. I go back & forth on this a lot, but I was looking through my personal FB page the other day...and it was cards for days. It doesn't leave room for what I want my personal FB to have on it - personal photos & such. So, I have created a FB page for Lea Lawson Creates again. I would love to have you join, and be sure to subscribe to notifications so you don't miss out on anything. I would like to make the page interactive, and a way that we can actually hang out...so if you have any ideas on that, I would appreciate it! 

I hope that you have a lovely Tuesday!

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