Morning Crafty Friends!
I've had the Chloe Butterfly for a few months now and have not spent any quality time with it--imagine! No time for this beautiful butterfly? Now I just can't stop making cards with dear Chloe. Today's card is to show you a watercolored version.
Isn't Chloe a beauty? Lately, I have enjoyed making cards and watercoloring the images....this is a die so it's a little different than a stamped image. Here's how I did it:
- Die cut Chloe Butterfly from white paper and adhere securely to a water color paper panel.
- Use any form of water color paints; liquid, cake, pencil, tube or paper (Peerless). Dip a small round point paintbrush (#4 or #5) into clean water. Paint the water into specific areas within the die cut lines. Only do this to a few sections at a time so the water doesn't soak in to the paper too quickly. Next, dip your paintbrush into water color paint and dot the paint into the watery sections on your card. The paint will travel only in the watery areas--like magic! Add more clean water to dilute the color if desired.
- Move on to another section (not adjacent to the first one); paint in the water then add color. Repeat until all areas are colored. Add more water to lighten colors, add more water and paint to blend, shade and darken colors. Blot color with a paper towel or cloth if too much water is puddling up. Don't worry if a little paint gets on the white die cut--it's going to be covered--you'll see what I mean.
- To paint large areas (backgrounds) use a flat brush (3/4" or so) and on brush clean water. Dot complementary colors into wet areas and watch the color blend and travel--beautiful!
- For best results allow paper to air dry completely. If you're running short on time use a heat gun to dry, being careful not to scorch your paper. If the paper curls, flip it over and heat the reverse side also.
- Once dry, adhere a black Chloe die cut on top of the white one. Now any previous overpainting is covered and the black layer adds definition and contrast---those colors just POP!
- Before you put the paints away, soak up some water and paint onto your wide brush then hold it over your card and tap the brush handle causing little splatters to land on your card. To get the feel of it, do this step on scratch paper first. Spatter different colors until you are happy with the results---white paint was my final spatter color.
Be sure to attach the butterfly body, layer onto a notecard, add some colorful gemstones and pearls as well as a "hello" greeting---and you have a cheery, colorful card.
I found the watercoloring so much fun that I made several of these cards in different color combinations---while one was drying I started a couple more. Here is one shown in rainbow colors "before" and "after" the final black die layer was added.
On another note, I have a few pictures of my recent visit to beautiful Colorado Springs and Simple Pleasures Rubber Stamps & Scrapbooking where I had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Cathy and her wonderful staff, while teaching Memory Box classes there. Check out these happy stampers...
Such friendly ladies here at Simple Pleasures! Hello to my new friends in Colorado Springs---I miss you already!
Cathy was kind enough to show me around the town including Garden of the Gods---stunning!
And this is one I took (I'll admit it) of Cathy and I with the rock formations in the background. Our version of a photo-bomb, I guess. 
Ahhh, the colors of the rocks and sky, the fresh air--so beautiful, you must experience this place sometime and go see Cathy at Simple Pleasures too.
I hope you make some watercolored cards with Chloe---you'll see how much fun it is!
Happy Friday!
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