The Rainbows Release just dropped at Simon Says Stamp and I am celebrating with some easy Watercolor cards using the NEW Repeating Rainbows Background Stamp!
I am particularly fond of rainbows in general, so you know I am in hog heaven that celebrating love and rainbows is the theme of this month's release. I love easy cards and watercolor let's you create a unique look for your projects, no two will be exactly the same and I think that makes it all the more special.
The star of the show is the Repeating Rainbows Background Stamp and you will see me use this a few times this month. Its such a gorgeous pattern!
What will you need for this project?
Key Supplies
The full supply list will be at the bottom of this post. Before we get to the "fun stuff", we have a little bit of prep to do to make our backgrounds and we will start there.
Be warned that I was obnoxiously detailed in this post, hopefully some will find this useful and experienced crafters can skip ahead as needed. :-)
Prepping the Backgrounds
There may be a mild theme of laziness running through my cards today or let's be kind and call it expediency and thriftiness. LOL!
We will get two backgrounds out of a single impression of the Repeating Rainbows stamp:
Cut the Distress Watercolor Cardstock down to 5.75" x 5.75"
Rub the Anti-Static Pouch over one side of the cardstock and then secure to the inside of the MISTI base or similar stamp positioning tool
Ink the stamp with Simon Says Stamp Clear Ink and stamp the cardstock
Dust the inked cardstock with white embossing powder and heat emboss
Once complete, cut the cardstock to 3.50" x 5" and 2.25" x 5.75". Discard the smallest piece or retain it if it can be used later
You Are Enough Card
For this first card I did a "traditional" rainbow of sorts. I think it will be fun to explore many different interpretations of rainbows during this month, but I am starting fairly basic and very pretty. LOL!
Coloring The Rainbow
This type of watercoloring requires no expertise and so it's perfect for me when I just want to lay down color and not overthink things. I am using the Mijello Palette, but you can use any watercolor medium you prefer, including Distress Ink Pads or Reinkers!!!
Use the Distress Sprayer to generously spritz the watercolor paint palette and the larger piece of cardstock with water. The water on the cardstock will help the paint move and flow
Pick up some purple paint (Bright Clear Violet) on a wet round brush and sweep across the top of the heat-embossed cardstock. Try not to linger in any section for too long
Clean your brush in clean water and move onto the next color, adding it directly under the previous one, letting it flow into and merge with that color to make a messy wash. The colors used are:
Bright Clear Violet
Cobalt Blue No. 1
Hooker's Green
Lemon Yellow
Orange
Permanent Red
Rose Madder
Clean your brush between colors and if needed, dab additional water onto the cardstock to help the paint move and blend
Set aside to dry when complete and skip ahead to coloring the background for the "Simply the Best" Card, so it can be drying while you finish this card
Finishing and Embellishing the Card
Cut and score A2 card base out of Simon Says Stamp's Smoke Grey Cardstock
Once the background is dry, apply foam tape, so that it can "float" on top of the A2 Card Base
The sentiment is cut twice into black cardstock, layered and backed with vellum. Tip: Use a pick (like Tim Holtz's Pick Accessory Tool) to help remove the diecut from the paper. The Sakura Quickie Glue Pen is useful for adhering small diecuts like this, but you need to work quickly before the the glue becomes too dry.
Adhere the diecut to the card front using a tape runner. Tip: I find that the Tombow Permanent Adhesive Glue Tape does not show on the reverse side when evenly applied to a vellum base.
Use Reverse Tweezers (Tim Holtz has a neat pair in his Shaping Tool Kit) to apply a rainbow of Memory Box Bright Fairy Jewels to the card front to finish
I think the gems add a sweet touch!
All done!
Simply The Best Card
I love getting 2 cards out of a single background! This one uses the exact same technique to create the background in different colors. This time I went for neutrals and I am rather fond of how this turned out. (Let me stop, tooting your own horn is unhealthy, LOL)
Coloring The Rainbow
Use the Distress Sprayer to generously spritz the watercolor paint palette and the larger piece of cardstock with water. The water on the cardstock will help the paint move and flow
Pick up some purple paint (Yellow Ochre) on a wet round brush and sweep across the top of the heat-embossed cardstock. Try not to linger in any section for too long
Clean your brush in clean water and move onto the next color, adding it directly under the previous one, letting it flow into and merge with that color to make a messy wash. The colors used are:
Yellow Ochre
Red Brown
Raw Umber
Van Dyck Brown
Sepia
Clean your brush between colors and if needed, dab additional water onto the cardstock to help the paint move and blend
Set aside to dry when complete
Finishing and Embellishing the Card
Cut and score A2 card base out of Neenah 110lb Cardstock or use a pre-made Simon Says Stamp A2 Side Fold Card Base
Once the background is dry, apply foam tape, so that it can "float" on top of the A2 Card Base
The sentiment is cut twice into white cardstock, layered and backed with vellum. Tip: Use a pick (like Tim Holtz's Pick Accessory Tool) to help remove the diecut from the paper and the Sakura Quickie Glue Pen to adhere the layers.
Pictures 3-7 show how to add adhesive to the tiny dot on the "i" while it is still part of the paper that it is diecut from. This negative diecut is placed over the layered diecut and pressed into the vellum backing with a pick.
Adhere the diecut to the card front using Tombow Permanent Adhesive Glue Tape
Create custom colored jewels by using alcohol ink markers in shades similar to the neutral colors on the background.
Use Reverse Tweezers (Tim has a neat pair in his Shaping Tool Kit) to apply your custom colored jewels Memory Box Clear Fairy Jewels to the card front to finish
I clearly have a thing for jewels, I hope that you will forgive me! :-)
Finished card!
Grab that paintbox and go make a painty mess! Crafting does not have to be perfect to be pretty.
Let me know in the comments if you like watercoloring.
Full supply list below for your shopping convenience.
See you soon Lovelies!
SUPPLIES:
I listed the products that I have used below. Please note that these are compensated affiliate links used at no cost to you. I really appreciate your support. Simon Says Stamps Rainbows Release products were provided as part of my Design Team package. Click on the icons below each product picture to shop with SimonSaysStamp.com.