{Tech Tip Tuesday}: Week 2 - Fabulous watercolor background

Hi all!  Happy Tuesday.  Hope your week is off to a great start.  We're having some nice warm weather here in Southern California, so I stamped this week's Tech Tip outside on MLK day {it was SOO nice to have the day off from my day job!}. It got to the high 70s in the afternoon, which is a pretty warm January for us.

For this week's Tech Tip Tuesday, I'm sharing a watercoloring technique that we got a peek at during leadership.  For my card, I used the Making a Point hostess set, which I just LOVE.  It's quite a clever and sassy little set - the sentiments crack me up. Take a look for yourself:

Doesn't the lipstick one make you chuckle? Anyway, I digress.  Back to the technique.  Watercoloring elements are so trendy right now that it's a great style to work into your every day stamping and paper crafting.  This technique in particular is such an easy and fun way of using the Stampin'Write markers and an acrylic block.  So, let's get started, shall we?

1.  You'll need an acrylic block, markers, and a water spritzer.  For my project, I used Primrose Petals and Summer Starfruit Stampin'Write markers and Stampin'Up!'s size C acrylic block.

2.  On a clean acrylic block, use your markers to color directly onto the block.  I colored the Primrose Petal on about two-thirds of the block and Summer Starfruit on the bottom third.

3.  I used the Stampin'Up! Spritzer filled with water and squirted 2 sprays onto the block until the water on the block was evenly "beaded."

4.  Next, take the block and stamp it directly onto your card stock.  I used Whisper White card stock for my project.  As you press the block down onto the card stock, you'll see that the moisture from the inks and water will mix and swirl with the colors and as you pull the block off, it will create some fun variations of color and depth.

5.  Set the card stock aside to dry for a few minutes.

6.  Once the watercolor block is dry, stamp your image onto the card stock using StazOn ink.  This ensures that the image will not bleed.  Viola!  You have your stamped image on a pretty watercolor background!

I finished off my card by mounting my stamped Whisper White card stock onto Crumb Cake.  To give my card a little texture, I added a few sequins onto the card. Just a teenie amount of bling.  I've been on a simple and clean kick lately. Adhesive tip: the Two-way Glue pen is great for sticking sequins or baker's twine on cards! 

Here's another look at my finished card.  Super quick and easy! Hope you like it. :)

And last but not least, here's the recipe for you:

{you're fabulous, watercolor}
Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake
Inks: Primrose Petal and Summer Starfruit Stampin'Write markers, Black StazOn permanent ink
Stamps: Making a Point {Stampin'Up! Occasions catalog - hostess set}
Accessories: Acrylic Block {size C}, Gold sequins {Stampin'Up! Occasions catalog}

Thank's for the visit. I would love to hear what you think about the card or technique…let me know!  Bye for now. Hope your day is fabulous.

Scenes from Make N Take night

Hi Stamping Friends!  I wanted to share our fun night of make and takes at Stampin'Up! Leadership. It was such a blast! Check out the tables. Imagine a huge convention room brightly lit with dancey-dance music playing in the background, energized Stampin'Up! employees greeting you as you walk in, and a sea of tables dotted with these colorful splashes of orange among giddy demonstrators milling about to find a seat. Quite a sight to walk into!  How cute are those orange little bags filled with our Stampin'Up! goodies! Ahhh.. it felt so good to stamp!  The projects and presentations were awesome and I really did come away from that night inspired to stamp, create, and share.

Here's some more images...

A roomful of crafty stampers!

My partners in crime during the leadership festivities - Norma Pimentel (aka Pinkblingcrafter), Louise Goodman, and Michelle Halleen.

And proof that I actually was there, too! :)

Now for a closer look at our Make N Takes:

We got to play with the aqua painter and practice the watercolor technique.  I had lots of fun coloring in these pretty vases and flowers!  This stamp is Vivid Vases and the inks we used were Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, and Gumball Green.

Here's a look at all the Make and Takes:

In addition to the card, we made 3 tags using the Kaleidoscope DSP and the Geometrical stamp set from the Occasions catalog.  We also got to use the Scallop Tag Topper punch which I just LOVE LOVE LOVE!  It makes the perfect tag that's 2" wide and any length you want to make it!  Not sure if you can clearly see the fringe on the last tag on the right - isn't that a fun texture?  Well, you can create that in a snap using the Fringe Scissors…so cool!  I think it's a great bargain at $9.95!

There were lots of awesome stamping demonstrations that night, too!  AND, yet another little bonus…a free giveaway of the Happenings Simply Created Card Kit!!  This is a super cute kit that makes 15 cards!

Here's a better look-see at this adorable kit - you can judge for yourself!

Now, was I lying? ;)

Well, I hope you enjoyed getting a peek of our fun night of stamping.  Thanks for coming by today!