5 Awesome Watercolor Techniques & Supplies to Try Today!

Hi friends! Today I have a fun technique video for you where you try lots of things and make a batch of watercolor greeting cards!

Watch the video and see how!

• Supply #1: Altenew Watercolor coloring book: (affiliate links used) Here you get 24 5″x7″ floral designs printed on watercolor paper. There are 12 designs, each version has a dark line version and a light line version so you can have a choice. This is fun and relaxing even for experienced painters who can draw because sometimes you just want to play!
• #2 Watercolor pan paints: These are the basics, they will provide you all the colors you need and you can mix other colors too. Probably the most versatile supply.
• #3 Watercolor pencils: This woodless variety gives you 100% usable product. You can even save the shavings if you sharpen them to use as paint!
• #4 Dual brush markers (waterbased brush and a fine liner) at about 30 cents a color you can color and outline your work for definition and you get a beautiful carry case you can use for other supplies after these are used up!
• #5 Gouache (opaque Watercolor) is great for when you want an opaque highlight or if you completely want to cover your lines. It is available in cups like I used today and tubes. The quality is the same, go for the kind that is more convenient for you.

Also in this project, I wanted to use an old tool that I’ve had a long time, the Making Memories Tag Curler. I actually found a few on amazon if anyone wanted one. I know many of you already have this so it would be fun to use it. Keep in mind this is a discontinued product so getting tags for it will be difficult, if you are going to buy one make sure you can get some tags with it. This seller has a bulk pack of 54.

Other Supplies:

• Organza ribbon
• Kraft cardstock 5:x7″ cards and envelopes
• ATG tape
• Clear Sequins
• Clear glue *be careful ordering glue during cold months as it might freeze in transit.

Well that was fun! Keep in mind you can cut down watercolor paper and stamp any stamps you have or freehand draw designs if you don’t have the coloring book I used. Make the project work for you and til next time happy crafting!

Happy Valentines Day (A Snarky Card)

Hi friends! I wanted to pop in and wish you a happy Valentines Day and since I know not everyone one loves this holiday I thought I’d make a funny card. Honestly I about died laughing when I saw these stamps at the Lost Coast Designs booth at the last stamp show I went to. Remember the “before times” when we could go places and do things…

This is not a sponsored post, I just love these stamps from Lost Coast Designs and Carmen’s Veranda! BTW Use coupon code QUARANTINE to get 25% off any purchase of stamps at Lost Coast excluding Katzelkraft and Stencil girl products. *Carmen’s Veranda and Lost Coast Designs are owned by the same person, Linda will combine orders if made on the same day to save you a shipping charge or to meet shipping minimums and refund the difference.

Supplies:

• American Gothic Couple Steampunk style (Lost coast designs)
• Funny saying (Carmen’s Veranda) There are loads of funny sentiments here, some are a bit raunchy but they are pretty hilarious!
• Cardstock & patterned paper (unknown, probably American Crafts)
• Mini playing cards from a bubble gum machine
• Memento black ink
• Alcohol markers (random assortment)

That’s all from me! I hope you are enjoying this day however you wish! I’ll be spending it with my hubby:) Love and happy crafting to you!

Cool Santa Cards! A Long Craft With Me Video!

Hi friends! Happy Thanksgiving to all of my fellow Americans! It’s pouring rain here in Maine today which is weird for Thanksgiving but I think we can agree it’s a weird year so I guess it’s par for the course. Today I have some beautiful and funky Christmas cards to share.

We will use some new and old supplies and play with lot’s of techniques that you can adapt to your next card projects.

This is a live narrated video so join me for laughs, mistakes and a lot of fun!

This video is sponsored by Top Flight Stamps! SAVE 10% off your next order with coupon code: thefrugalcrafter10 *USA orders of $50+ ship free!

Supplies:

• Santa Boot Stencil
• Sentiment Set (on sale!)
• Santa Face (ho!ho!ho!)
• Gemstone strips
• Dye inks for stenciling/inking
• Blending tools
• Memento ink for stamping Santa (alcohol marker compatible)
• Texture paste
• Art stones
• Chunky clear iridescent glitter
• Glitter duster (use with ultra fine glitter)
• Pinecone and branch die
• Office hole punch
• Deco paper from DCWV Dear Santa stack
• White cardstock
• 6″x6″ woodgrain embossing folder (not the one I used)

However you spend your day today I hope you are safe and happy and with those you love either in person or virtually! Happy crafting!

Woodless Watercolor Pencil Techniques & Giveaway!

Hi friends! Today I am going to share many ways you can use watercolor pencils. I am using the new woodless watercolor pencils from Altenew but you can use what you have. This post is part of a blog hop. To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $30 gift certificate to 2 lucky winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog by 10/28/2020 for a chance to win. We’ll also draw a winner to receive a $15 gift certificate from the comments left on each designer’s blog on the blog hop list under the video. All winners will be announced on the Altenew Winners Page on 10/30/2020.

In today’s video I am using the new Woodless Watercolor Pencils set of 24 from Altenew and the Paint a Sunflower stamp. They are available in a money saving bundle as well. (affiliate links used)

Woodless watercolor pencils are easy to use and versitile and I will show you 3 ways to use them for differnt effects.

The neat thing about woodless watercolor pencils is that there is no waste, you can use every bit of the pencil!

Watch the video to learn how to use these pencils!

Now that you have seen my project with the Paint a Sunflower stamps and Woodless watercolor pencils check out the other designers in the blog hop and be sure to comment on all of their blogs for a chance to win!

Altenew Card Blog 

Nicole Watt

Amber Rain Davis

Kelly Griglione

Erum Tasneem

Lindsay Weirich *You are here!

LauraJane

Nathalie DeSousa

Jenny Colacicco

Virginia Lu

Tenia Nelson

Lilith Eeckels

Emily Midgett

Norine Borys

Mindy Eggen

Tania Ahmed

Dana Joy

Jaycee Gaspar

Laurie Willison

Maryam Perez

Nenette S. Madero

Svitlana Shayevich

I hope you enjoyed today’s tutorial and good luck in the giveaway! Happy crafting!

Stop Hoarding Those Supplies and Start Using them! (Crafting Old School)

Hi friends! Today we are going to make some pretty cards using bits and bobs you likely have in the craft room. You can use printed ephemera, pattern papers, tags, envelopes, bits of trim and lace, stamps, wax seals, buttons, twine and anything you like. You can use any combinations of things you like. We have been collecting these precious things for years so we will have different things to hand but that is what makes our cards unique.

Gather up some supplies, and maybe a cup of tea and craft with me!

Supplies (Affiliate links used)

• Wax seals
• Ephemera
• Bakers twine
• Tassels
• Glassine bags
• Shipping tags
• Layered dragonfly stamp

I hope this inspired you to use some of your crafty treasures, til next time happy crafting!

Ideas for cards, favors and journal pockets -Spooky Style!

Hi friends! The wind is howling today and it puts me in the mood for some spooky craftin’!

I have always loved Halloween! As a kid there was the dressing up and candy and as an adult I love seeing the kids in costumes when they trick or treat and throwing an occasional Halloween party. It’s such a bummer that halloween is on a weekend this year because it is the perfect party night but the pandemic throws a wrench in those plans. Still, I plan to hand out candy as I live in a pretty rural area and I can make treat bags up ahead of time to drop in trick or treaters buckets so there wont be any germy rummaging in bowls of candy. I saw one guy in Ohio attach a piece of gutter to this porch railing and made a candy chute, kids just need to hold their buckets open at the end to get their treats! How creative!

I think we can enjoy Halloween safely whether is is treat bags down a candy chute or mailing a friends a card and today I have some ideas to help with that!

The cards are so fun to craft using supplies from our sponsor Top Flight Stamps! SAVE 10% off your next order with coupon code: thefrugalcrafter10 *USA orders of $50+ ship free!

Supplies: (affiliate links used)

• Stamps (spider web)
• Stamps (Boo, Arrgghh and spider)
• Stamps (Monsters)
• Stamps (witches hat)
• Stamps (pumpkins)
• Blendable ink (Prism)
• Cardstock: White and colors, you can also use pattern paper if you like!
• Halloween embellishments and bakers twine
• Embossing ink
• Clear detail embossing powder
• Black Memento ink for stamping images
• Alcohol markers

I hope this brings some fun and whimsy into your day, til next time happy crafting!

Stamping VS Painting

Hi friends! Have you ever looked at the mess on your craft table after a stamping session and wondered if there was a quicker way? Well, I did so today I am going to see if I can stamp or paint a card faster!

To be fair I chose my ink and cut masks before I started stamping because if I had used these stamps before I would have already cut the masks and have a good idea on what inks work well. I wanted to put hands on time against hands on time.

What do you think will be faster? Have a guess and then watch the video!

Supplies (affilate links used)

• Layered water stamp
• Layered palm tree stamp
• Layered cloud stamp or Amazon
• Mini Ink Cubes
• Cardstock in white, teal and celery
• Artsy Watercolor set I used
• Watercolor Cards I used

So, were you surprised? I still like both methods for creating card and this was a fun experiment! I hope you liked this bit of fun and til next time Happy crafting!

Spooky but Cute! Cards using old and new plus Frankenpapers!

Hi friends! We have 3 fun card today!

Some say it’s too early or Halloween but crafters need to get started early to have time to make and send them.

Plus, I just really love Halloween cardmaking!

So pour yourself a cup of hot cider, or a Pumpkin Spice Latte and enjoy a spooktacular trio of cards!

The cards are so fun to craft using supplies from our sponsor Top Flight Stamps! SAVE 10% off your next order with coupon code: thefrugalcrafter10 *USA orders of $50+ ship free!

Supplies:

• Stamps (slimline card)
• Stamps (franken background cards)
• Cardstocks: Neenah classic crest white for stamping Park Lane heavyweight for card bases (Joann Fabrics)
• Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
• Inks for blending
• Alcohol markers (TriBlend Brush)
• Ink Blending brushes
• Halloween Dies: (the dies I used are old and discontinued but the icons are pretty generic so I decided to use them, Here is a set with similar images)
• Metallic rub ons
• Scan n Cut Machine for cutting out stamped images (optional)

I hope this inspires you to use your stash and send some Halloween cards this year! Happy craffting!

Trendy! Slimline Card, Lots of Inky Goodness!

Hi friends! Finally I am up on a cardmaking trend! Slimline cards. They are cards that fit a standard business envelop and they length gives you a bit more space to decorate and just takes a normal stamp to mail unless you go crazy with the heavy embellishments.

Watch the video and see how!

This is a fun way to easily color an image and make a background, It was a lot of fun. For this project you will need a large image to color, blending sponges and cardstock. You will also need inks, stencils and black embossing powder.

*This video is not sponsored but the Magic Mushroom blenders and stamps were sent to me from Local King Rubber Stamps for review * Coupon code for 20% off non-sale items at Local king: tfcyt20 *Good through end of August 2020 *Have a look around, they have so many great stamp and die sets! I’ll have a review of the blenders next week!

What do you think? Are you going to make a slimline card? Let me know! Til next time Happy crafting!