Friday, February 21, 2014

Design team tips...

For today's "Design Team Tips", I wanted to revisit the new Monthly Moments stamps and dies by Papertrey Ink to show you how you can use these products to create your own BACKGROUNDS. Whether it's a background on a layout, a card, or a pocket page, you can use these stamps to create a fun look! I was a scrapbooker before I became a card maker, so many of my card techniques and ideas come from scrapbooking. ANYTHING you can do on a layout, you can do on a card and vice versa. Use scrapbook layouts for inspiration if you are a card maker. Or use cards as inspiration if you are a scrapbooker! (Remember, it's just paper! Techniques can be used on any sort of project, big or small!)

Watercolors are so trendy right now. They are everywhere. If you read my "feather" post, you'll remember the technique I used, painting the feather stamp directly with reinkers. Why not try it on a larger page? So, I pulled out my watercolors, watercolor paper (Artist's Loft from Michaels) and the Monthly Moments stamp sets...and just played around with different combinations of stamping and watercoloring.


Ready? Let me show you how to get this look!
First, you'll grab some watercolor paper, watercolors, a paintbrush, little cup of water and the Monthly Moments: February stamps. I'm using the heart image from this set. Grab some red on your paintbrush with a tiny bit of water.
Paint the heart stamp. (There's no right or wrong way to do this! Each time you'll get a different look, and that's what is so fun.)

Stamp it two or three times without getting more paint. It will be a loose watercolor effect, not perfect. Don't worry! That's part of the charm.

Now using your Pure Poppy stamping ink, add a red heart at the top.

Continue with oranges, yellows, and greens, flowing them down your layout or card with the watercolors. Add in some stamped ones with Papertrey Ink stamp pads to add contrast and definition.

Inks I used to add some stamped hearts in were Pure Poppy, Melon Berry, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Limeade Ice and New Leaf by Papertrey Ink.
The finished look...
a card made with this technique, so you could see that this process can work on cards as well.


Always Remember This Day card:
STAMPS: Monthly Moments: February
INK: Pure Poppy, Melon Berry, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, New Leaf, Limeade Ice
PAPER: watercolor paper, Lemon Tart cardstock
DIES: none
OTHER: watercolors, paintbrush, water.
______

Here's the finished layout using this same technique (the one I started at the beginning of the post). Sometimes I love making layouts with journaling only that either tell the highlights of the month, or sometimes I'll just write a letter about how I feel. After watercoloring and stamping all the hearts, I added the lines by stamping the Monthly Moments: Library card stamps and journaled about the highlights of our month so far (swimming lessons, bought grandma and grandpa tickets to come visit us for a month this spring, my husband turned 37, Valentine's Day happenings, Taylor's 14 year check up, and Kati's 8th annual cardiology appointment.) Often times I feel like I don't have enough photos to document everything, but I love to write it down, so we remember!

The February die cuts were just stapled to the layout.
Heart This layout:
STAMPS: Monthly Moments: February, Monthly Moments: Library card
INK: Pure Poppy, Melon Berry, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, New Leaf, Limeade Ice, Enchanted Evening, Hawaiian Shores, Lavender Moon inks by Papertrey Ink, Soft Granite by Hero Arts
PAPER: watercolor paper, Summer Sunrise/Melon Berry/and Harvest Gold Pattern Pack paper
DIES: Monthly Moments: February die
OTHER: watercolors, paintbrush, water, enamel dots by MME.
______

On the last layout, I used sort of the same technique, but I first stamped the frames with Papertrey Ink's inks with the Monthly Moments: Slide Frame stamps as a background onto watercolor paper, then painted over the top of the frames with watercolors to blend the ink a bit. I also painted inside each frame with a coordinating color. Love how each frame looks like a little window! I messed up on the red one a little bit, so that one received a photograph over the top! No biggie! I didn't stamp the frames perfectly, because I wanted it to look more artsy and random. (Sorry- my camera is doing this fish eye thing, and I'm not sure why. The frames are actually square on my page, I promise.)

All these cute little sayings are from the Monthly Moments: Slide Frame stamp set. I used the Monthly Moments: February die to die cut the title. Papertrey Ink colors used on the frames were Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Lavender Moon, Hawaiian Shores and New Leaf. I chose these mostly because they would match my watercolors the best. The Hawaiian Shores was a little tricky, I had to blend blue and green watercolors a bit to get the right shade, but the others were right on!

The flowers were stamped onto vellum with the Bold Bouquet stamp set. "This" hearts were stamped with Monthly Moments: February stamps and cut out.

Here you can see the neat watercoloring effect up close. Start off with a darker color in the upper corner (to match the frame) and work with more water as you go down to lighten it. I love this!


Hope I've inspired you to get inky and painty...and to make something just for fun! Nourish that creative side of you! Wishing you a super-awesome-creative day!
Danielle


February Framed layout:
STAMPS: Monthly Moments: February stamps, Monthly Moments: Slide Frame stamps, Special Delivery Sentiments stamps (slanted lines), Bold Bouquet stamps
INK: Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, New Leaf, Raspberry Fizz, Ripe Avocado, Lavender Moon, Sweet Blush, Hawaiian Shores, Aqua Mist inks, Soft Granite by Hero Arts
PAPER: watercolor paper, Smokey Shadow Pattern Pack, vellum
DIES: Monthly Moments: February die
OTHER: watercolors, paintbrush, water, enamel dots by MME.
______

30 comments:

Lynn said...

I LOVE all these projects. I never thought of using watercolors on my stamps, really. I love the way you've blended the watercolor with the inking on the frames. I am inspired to break out my paints and re-inkers this weekend. TFS

Grace said...

Love the technique. Just beautiful

Linda said...

Sure have inspired me. Love all your projects especially the frame LO. My water colours happen to be right next to me so i am going to go and have a play. Thank you.

Sudmann said...

Looks like I have to get the good old watercolours....your idea should work fine with flourishes or flowers...thanks for the great ides!

Greetings, Christine

Gabby said...

Sweet card and great layouts! Love 'em. :)

Holly Saveur said...

Gorgeous and great idea!

Mamashops said...

Danielle, What kind of watercolors did you use on the last layout? The basic eight that you showed in the first pictures? Did you blend the primaries to get colors that more closely matched the PTI inks? You definitely make me want to try my hand at this.
Thanks!

Leigh Penner said...

Oh, these all look fabulous, Danielle! I was inspired by your feathers post to create my own feathers with watercolours (cards are posted on my blog today and yesterday), but now I CANNOT wait to get my PTI order (I ordered the Feb set and the slide frame set) & try it again! Thanks for the inspiration!

TLady said...

GORGEOUS WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) LOOOOOVE this technique!!!!:)

maria f. said...

Love how you used that one tiny "this" stamp to make such a big impact". And I read about G&G coming to visit - how wonderful!

Taheerah said...

I was totally right - I knew you would rock this!! Amazing and beautiful projects with a great tutorial! Brilliant idea to mix the watercolouring in with some inked stamped images too! LOVE! <3

Jill Norwood said...

Danielle these are all so wonderful! I love how you blended water coloring the stamps with stamping them traditionally! And your projects are as always so inspiring! Sweet picture too!!! :)

Karen said...

My stamps should arrive today. Can't wait to give this a try! Gorgeous projects!

Tracy S. said...

Wow Danielle My name it Tracy and my birthday is on 2/9 also, tell you hubby Happy Belated Birthday!

Diana K said...

One innocent little stamp, and all this happened! But it's really a shame that your scrapbooking skills are so rusty. Blown away! Stunned! Amazing, Danielle.

June K said...

So pretty, Danielle. I love the watercolor look. However, why is it that when you do this technique it looks so pretty and when I do something like this it looks messy? :)

Linda Nicholson said...

So very inspiring! I wasn't able to get the slide frame and die on this order and boy are you making me regret that (oh well...next go around).
Love the artsy look. Will be adding a pan of watercolors to my shopping list next time i'm at Michael's.

Linda

Tonya Jastad said...

What a cool technique! I didn't order this set as I am not a scrapper but I am loving that heart stamp and your layouts are fabulous! I am putting this set in my cart right now!
Seriously awesome job!

GryA said...

I just love your layout! And I got so inspired by this post. Thank you.

Elizabeth S. said...

Beautiful card and layouts! You have pushed me over the edge to give this technique a go.

Kathy Mc said...

And to think I almost bought some watercolors the other day and talked myself out of it. Said, "I don't need to add one more thing to my craft supplies. I've got a bunch of new stuff coming from my recent PTI order. And then I need watercoloring paper." Well, now I regret it as your projects are beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration and great painting lesson!

Danielle Flanders said...

Pat,
The Papertrey Ink colors used on the frames were Pure Poppy, Summer Sunrise, Harvest Gold, Lavender Moon, Hawaiian Shores and New Leaf. I chose these mostly because they would match my watercolors the best. The Hawaiian Shores was a little tricky, I had to blend blue and green watercolors a bit to get the right shade, but the others were right on! Just added this info to my post, but here too just in case. Thanks so much for visiting, everyone!
Danielle

Nancy Penir said...

Completely inspired by all the wonderful examples! Love the colors, and your beautiful photos!
Thank you! BTW, been watercoloring all morning getting ready for the bloghop!

MJWeber said...

Danielle, I love the idea of scrapbooking without photos. When my kids were young I kept a big notebook calendar to keep track of all of the family activities. I kept my calendars and can now go through them and reminisce about our everyday lives. I never thought of dressing those memories up with stamping and embellishments!

jintyoo7 said...

What a fabulous post - chock full of beautiful ideas :)

Anonymous said...

BEAUTIFUL coloring techniques and designs!!!

dbjhudson said...

I can't wait to get my order. I love what you have done with the sets. Very inspiring!

Laura Davis said...

This is such a cool technique, I looove watercolor!
Laura

Caterina said...

I always follow your post but this is special! I love watercolours and inks. Thank you ! Greetings from Italy

Unknown said...

Love these projects!! I never thought of using watercolor with stamps, but I love using watercolor - so I will definitely have to try this!