Watercolored Waterfront

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   I've been wanting to find the time to use a water coloring technique with the "Waterfront" stamp set. I have to admit that water coloring is a bit intimidating for me. But my friend, Lydia Fiedler, says to just do it (or other encouraging words to that effect), so I did. I'm not sure if the result is a hot mess or a little bit of art. Here it is!

I wanted to make a mountain scene, because one of my favorite coworkers is retiring to the mountains. Here's how I made the card.

I started with a 3-3/4" by 5" piece of Water Color Paper. I used an Aqua Painter to wet the top part of the paper and then added washes of Balmy Blue and Highland Heather Inks. I stamped the first mountain in Highland Heather Ink onto the center of the card and then a couple of mountains at either side. I used the Aqua Painter to blend the ink. Then I stamped a row of mountains in the distance using Highland Heather Ink, stamped off once, and blended those inks as well.

Next, I used the double-swipe stamp to add Mossy Meadow Ink to either side of the of the scene. I blended that with the Aqua Painter. I followed that with some Crumb Cake Ink and then with some Soft Suede Ink, blending them each with the Aqua Painter. PROTIP: You have to wait for each color of ink to dry before adding the next color, or they will run into each other and "muddy." If you're impatient, like me, you can use your Heat Tool. 

I used the water stamp to add the lake in the middle with Balmy Blue Ink. Because the water stamp was wider than the space I'd left for the lake, I removed some ink from the sides of the stamp before I stamped onto the paper. I blended that with the Aqua Painter, too.

I stamped the trees in the foreground in Mossy Meadow Ink.  I made a little mistake and got some Mossy Meadow Ink on the mountains, so I added a little bit more diluted ink on the mountains and made a tree line in the distance. (Just pretend that's what it looks like!)

To finish the card, I adhered the scene to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Mossy Meadow Card Stock mat and then onto a Thick Very Vanilla Card Stock card base.

After I got over my initial fear, I had fun making this scene. I obviously need more practice, but I'm not as intimidated now!

tams# 27378

Product List

Waterfront Photopolymer Stamp Set [146386] $17.00	Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad [147105] $7.50	Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad [147103] $7.50	Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad [147111] $7.50
Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [147116] $7.50	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [147115] $7.50	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [144237] $7.75	Mossy Meadow 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133676] $8.50
Watercolor Paper [122959] $5.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00	Heat Tool [129053] $30.00