BEST BIRDS IN ROSE RED!

Yesterday was my Mother-in-Law’s birthday.  As she makes cards herself the pressure is always on when I make a card for her.  I thought for the card I would ink up the ‘Best Birds’ set that I have had for a few weeks and have not been able to use yet. I played around with watercolouring it.  I will show you the card and then share a few tips in making this.

I chose Rose Red as the base card as that is my Mother-in-Law’s favourite Stampin’ Up! colour.  Well any of the reds!  (TIP#1) I used a piece of Watercolor paper and firstly washed over the card in the centre area with the aquapainter to lightly dampen the card  I have discovered recently by wetting the card it allows the ink to spread much easier creating a more washed look.  I used Blushing Bride on the left, then Rose Red in the middle section and Cherry Cobbler towards the right end.

(TIP#2) For regular watercolouring you can use the Thick Whisper White card or Shimmery White but if you are creating a washed look you MUST use the Stampin’ Up! Watercolor paper. (TIP #3) You need to be patient and let it dry.  Either you can use a Heat Tool or leave it for a few hours.

I stamped the bird, the branch and the flowers on watercolour paper too Black StazOn and watercoloured them.  (TIP #4) When colouring the bird I gave a light watercolour with the Rose Red and added highlights of Cherry Cobbler.  On the wing I washed over it with Crumb Cake and then highlighted it with Soft Suede.  The branch was coloured with Soft Suede for the branch and Old Olive for the leaves. The flowers were coloured with Rose Red and then darker highlights added in the centre with more concentrated Rose Red.

These were all then cut with the matching ‘Birds and Blooms’ Thinlits.  Too easy with that. No hand cutting necessary!! 🙂

I was going to cut the washed piece with the ‘Lots of Labels’ Framelits. I left the framelit on the card ready to cut in the morning but when I looked at it then I thought it might look OK to have a frame over it.  I cut the frame from Crumb Cake with the 2 largest ‘Lots of Labels Framelits’.  I am really pleased I went that way with it. I stamped the hatch pattern from the stamp set in Rose Red in the middle of the piece and stamped the sentiment in Memento Black.  Then it was all put together and a couple of flowers stamped around the edge to finish.  I was pleased with the finished result – and I think it received approval when I gave it to her today. 🙂

I hope you found these tips helpful when you create your next watercoloured card.  Let me know how you go.

Have a great day,

Jenny