Tilda's family

My brother and sister-in-law are expecting their first baby this summer, a little girl!  I made this card for them.  SO much fun to use some pink!!

Watercoloured Tilda

If you read my tutorial earlier this week - here is Tilda all finished up!


Sarah
xx

Tutorial: Water colouring Magnolias with Distress Inks

Hello Stampers!

It was a beautiful Victoria Day long weekend here in London.  Unfortunately I didn't see much of it, as I was inside with a sick child.  But I took advantage of the time to write a little tutorial!

I will be teaching a class at SGD on May 31 where you can learn this technique in person!  In the meantime, here is a pictorial view.

First - here are my tips for starting out!

1.  I use the distress ink refills - but I have also enjoyed doing this technique with the distress markers!  They will do the same thing for you - with the advantage of being more portable, and less messy.

2.  I use the Tim Holtz palette - and I have a drop of refill in each spot - and line it up with my colour chart.  Having this colour chart in front of you is very important!

3.  I use a variety of brushes.  Mostly, the Tim Holtz detailer tip water brush.  I also use a number 0 paint brush and a number 00.  The Tim Holtz broad brush is also handy for backgrounds.

4.  I use watercolour paper.  There are MANY on the market.  I buy mine at an artists supply store and it is 140lb cold press.

5.  I stamp my image using Versafine ink, in Sepia.  I have also used Ranger Archival ink which works well too.  I like the sharp detail of the Versafine.

6.  I also keep beside me a pot of water, some paper towel, and my heat tool.  This Ranger heat tool is AWESOME.  I keep it plugged in beside me all the time.

OK - here we go!

Here is Tilda with Lovely Lace Shoes, stamped in Versafine Sepia - on watercolour paper.

First I colour all the skin.  With a damp brush, pick up some tea dye ink (or apply directly from the distress marker) around the face/ skin area.

Dab all the ink off your brush onto paper towel, and using a damp brush - blend out the ink into the skin area.

Here you can see the first coat of tea dye - almost completely blended out.  The first time you try this, you  may find it tricky - and may not like the result.  The nice thing is that you can add more water - and dab up the colour with a paper towel.  Just leave to try and then try again!

The key is knowing your brush - getting the feel for "how wet is just right" and how much ink you have on your brush.  Try it out on a scrap piece of paper before applying to your image to get the amount of ink just right.  Be sure your brush has no colour on it before you use it to blend out.  Be sure it isn't too wet.  If you go outside the line, use a damp brush to clean up the area - and push the ink back into the image.

Now I leave that base coat to dry a little and move onto the hair.  I apply some antique linen as a base coat for the hair.  Later I'll add some brushed corduroy and some scattered straw.  Also a little mustard seed for some brightness on the crown of her head.  You can use any of the browns that you like - or the light yellows - give them a try!

Now I go back and apply a second coat of tea dye to the face and blend it out.  I also apply little dots of tattered rose to the cheeks.

Then I go back to the hair, add some browns, and blend then out with some more antique linen.

Now, I apply some "dried marigold" to the shirt.

Here it is blended out.

Then, I finish up the blouse with "spiced marmalade".

I use some "spiced marmalade" to give shadows on the blouse.

For the jeans, I've used "faded jeans".

And also a little bit of "crushed olive" on the bum, to make them look "lived in" and worn.  I used "chipped sapphire" for the shadow areas.

I've also gone back and touched up the hair with some "vintage photo" around the hairline, and a little "mustard seed" on the crown.

I've used "brushed corduroy" for the soles of the shoes, and "dried marigold" for the frilly sock.

I've finished up the shoes with "antique linen".  I've used "weathered wood" for the outline and "brushed corduroy" for the shadow.  I've also overlaid some "brushed corduroy" on the shadows of the pants & the blouse.  I dabbed some "dried marigold" on the hair bows.

And here she is!

I hope you enjoyed my little pictorial.  Here are a few more little tips & tricks for you.

1.  use two colours per area, a light and a dark.  i.e. "dried marigold" and "spiced marmalade" or "faded jeans" with "chipped sapphire".

2.  use a brown shade to apply a deep shadow - here I've used "brushed corduroy" over the orange blouse and the blue jeans.

3.  give the base coat time to dry before applying the shadow for more depth.

Tilda in yellow

Another Magnolia/ Copic creation for me this week.  I am certainly enjoying my Magnolias lately - the last few releases are adorable!


I've used My Mind's Eye "miss caroline - fiddlesticks" 6x6 paper pad for this.  I love the colours - and the designs.  I think they had one of the best releases at Winter CHA!  I'm THRILLED to be attending CHA in July for my first time by the way - I can hardly wait!  Some of my "non crafty" friends find it a little odd to take a week's vacation to do this - but they don't really "get" this love/ obsession/ lifestyle.  Know what I mean?


Anyway - SO happy to say that Scrappin' Great Deals is now carrying Magnolias!!  WOOHOO!  One of our suppliers is now importing them - and we have FINALLY been able to make it happen.  Can't tell you how pleased I am - as a designer and instructor - to finally include them in my projects for the store!  Store owner/ Boss lady/ Diva with the mostest is just AMAZING for listening to her customers/ designers about hot trends, and what we want to see..  She is truly a gem.  If you haven't met her - you have to make a point to do so!


Sarah
xx

Gingham Tilda

Sharing some more of my Magnolia love, this is "Tilda Loves Flowers"!  I honestly can't resist these cute Tilda stamps.  I buy some from a new release - then get my "Magnolia Ink" magazine - and need more!  I think I need a support group!  Anyone else with me??


I've used some of my fave My Mind's Eye "miss caroline - fiddlesticks" 6x6 paper for this one - and some of the elements from the pad too.  The flowers are from Wild Orchid.


I've stamped Tilda on Copic X-Press It with Memento - and coloured her with my beloved Copics.  I was THRILLED to finally take my standard and intermediate Copic certification courses recently and I'm continuing to challenge myself to include the techniques I learned. I had an absolute ball!  I only wish I could do this full time!  Wouldn't that be amazing?  Ahhh.... one day!


I've used my Tim Holtz mini attacher in the corner.  And I've inked up the image with some Antique Linen distress ink.


I'm entering my card into the following challenges:
Gingham Challenge in the Moxie Fab World
Tilda's Town


Sarah
xx

Magnolia and Copic love

I have to say that I LOVE Magnolias!  I find them completely irresitible.  I have a ridiculous number of them, but can't help adding to my collection.  And I know I'm not alone here - right??

This is the sweet little "Wild Tilda" and I think she is cute as a button!  I've used paper from my American Crafts Dear Lizzy "Neapolitan" 6x6 pad - and the elements in the pad - to decorate my page.  And the little rosette I found on etsy.  LOVE etsy!!

I've stamped Tilda on Copic X-Press it paper with Memento ink and coloured her with my Copics.  I've inked up the edges with some Antique Linen distress inks.

Happy Weekend!

Sarah

xx

I've entered this card into the following challenges:
Copic Marker Europe
CMC Card Challenge
Tilda's Town

Father's Day

Hello Stampers and Happy Monday!

Here is my first Father's Day card creation of the year.  I don't know about you, but I find masculine cards to be super challenging.  I can never find stamps - never mind stamps to colour.  And then how to embellish?  What colours to use?  Always a struggle.  This stamp is  "Fisherman" by Ai (Art Impressions).  My sentiment is from the "My Guy" set from Paper Smooches (hands down - my favourite line for sentiments).

If you haven't yet discovered the "Golden Oldies" series by Ai (Art Impressions) - you really have to check these out!  First of all, they're pretty funny.  And - they are so practical!  I find them great images for lots of occasions.  AND they're already cling mounted - and ready to colour.  LOVE!

I made a card with the ladies on beach chairs a while ago - and had SO many comments on it and asking to know where I found the stamp!

This one will be at my upcoming card class in June - I have another "Golden Oldie" to be featured there as well (just have to finish colouring it up!).

I just finished my Standard & Intermediate Copic Certification courses in Toronto two weeks ago!  I LOVED it - and was so excited to complete these courses - yay!  I can't wait to start teaching some of the new techniques I learned.  I'm still practicing, so bear with me!  There was LOTS of new stuff to learn - it was just heaven for me - and I had the joy of attending with my BFF Andrea (not to mention our crazy hotel & travel stories - be sure and ask Andrea about the magician's animals!).  What a fabulous time.

You may note my skin tones are different here than my usual.  I'm also trying out some new shadow techniques and even a cast shadow!  SO much fun!

Sarah

Stamps:  "Fisherman" by Ai (Art Impressions.  

"My Guy" set from Paper Smooches

Hero Arts "Wood Grain" background stamp

Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Distress inks in Old paper and Antique linen

YG99, YG97, YG95, YG93, YG91

B97, B95, B93, B91

E53, E51

E25, E23

W, 

BV23, BV20

E13, E11, E00, R20

C2