New Watercolor Pencils

I've been playing around with the new Watercolor Pencils and the jury is still out on whether I like them more than using ink pads with Blender Pens or Aqua Painters. They do pair really well with the Inside the Lines DSP (SAB freebie), and it's nice that you can use them to color like regular color pencils, or use them with water to blend the colors (smooooth, like butta!). I think having more colors available in the ink pads gives the ink pads the advantage, but if you want a quick way to grab thirteen SU colors at a great price point, then try these watercolor pencils!

That being said, I did have a fine time this evening, coloring away while the first real snow of the season was coming down outside. Nothing like being snug and warm in a cozy craft room, while coloring and sipping hot spiced tea. Ahhhh, this retirement is an awesome thing; I think I'll do more of it!

The only stamping on the card is the greeting (from Lift Me Up). The dragonfly was die cut from copper foil and popped up on teeny tiny pieces of dimensionals.

The remote for my iPhone arrived today, so tomorrow I'm taking it for a test drive. Stay tuned! Here's a video about the Watercolor Pencils from my friend Shannon West at Stampin' Up!

Product List

Lift Me Up Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock

Inside The Lines Designer Series Paper

Copper Foil Sheets

Watercolor Pencils

Blender Pens

Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad

Big Shot

Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies

Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies

Stampin' Dimensionals

The Hardest Card to Make

Masculine cards have always been a challenge for me, but I can get them done without tears. Sympathy cards, on the other hand, carry too much emotional connection and are, without a doubt, the hardest for me to make. And this one tops them all.

My cousin's daughter Mandy lost her battle with Stage 4 Melanoma last weekend. She was only 33 years old, and left behind two beautiful boys, ages 8 and 10. It wasn't even six months after her diagnosis. So yeah, this one was a real toughie for me to make. And that same weekend a dear friend lost her brother, and another friend lost her father-in-law. All to cancer. Three sympathy cards to make...my heart was very heavy.

So, here is my public service announcement : please, please, please, if you have a suspicious spot have it checked by your doctor. Melanoma doesn't always look like an ugly dark mole! Mandy's looked like a plantar wart on the bottom of her foot, which didn't respond to normal wart treatment. Even if your doctor says it's nothing to worry about, insist on having a biopsy done if your gut is telling you something's wrong.

The "How To" for this card
Image panel: Whisper White 3-1/2" x 4"
Mat behind image: Basic Black 3-5/8" x 4-1/8"
Embossed panel: Lost Lagoon 4" x 5-1/4", embossed with Perfect Polka Dots (retired)
Mat behind embossed panel: Basic Black 4-1/8" x 5-3/8"
Card base: Lost Lagoon 5-1/2" x 8-1/2", scored at 4-1/4" and folded

I cut a 2-1/2" x 3" rectangle out of scrap paper with my Paper Trimmer to use as a reverse mask. After centering it on the image panel (held in place with painters tape) Lost Lagoon was sponged on the Whisper White, leaving a 1/2" border all around. The greeting, flowers and dragonfly were stamped in Basic Black Archival, and some Clear Wink of Stella was added to the dragonfly wings (not visible in the photo). The splats were inked in Lost Lagoon and stamped off once on scrap paper to lighten them before stamping on the image. The flowers were colored with a bit of Lost Lagoon using a Blender Pen. The image panel and mat were popped up on Stampin' Dimensionals.

STAMPS: Awesomely Artistic, Flowering Fields (SAB), Love & Sympathy (retired)
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Basic Black, Lost Lagoon
INK: Basic Black Archival, Lost Lagoon
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder (retired), Blender Pen, Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush, Stampin' Dimensionals

Asian Dragonfly

Stampin' Up! has a new promo on the Starter Kit - it's only $99, plus you get a free Christmas Keepsake project ($40 value)! Contact me if you'd like more information on joining my team!!!

Asian Artistry is one of the stamp sets that just retired, and I'm sorry to see it go. This card is for my sweet cousin. Her mom passed about a year ago, and she loved dragonflies.

Stamps: Asian Artistry (retired), Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride, Always Artichoke
Ink: Blushing Bride Marker, Always Artichoke Marker and Classic Pad
Accessories: Illuminate Top Coat, Always Artichoke 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, green rhinestone (non-SU), Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder, Big Shot