Welcome to our Spring Collection Blog Blitz! Watercolors are the backdrop for the new Happy Octopus, Underwater Scene fishes and Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments on today's card.
Hello, Jean Okimoto here with a nautical design - and a few techniques. I'm hoping it looks like the octopus is emerging from the water and greeting the fishes.
Create a quick ombre look with Blue Breeze Kaleidacolor. Follow the instrucions on the container to move the individual inkpads together for brayering, but separated for storage. Spritz the smoother side of watercolor with water. Ink a 4" soft rubber brayer by rolling it repeatedly (about 25 times) over the inks. Cover the entire inkpad by rolling it in one direction instead of back and forth.
Hold the inked brayer horizontally (to prevent drips) and spritz it with water - two spritzes are better than one. Roll the inks onto the damp watercolor paper. Air-dry it for a few minutes.
Spritz it lightly with water, wait a few seconds, then heat-set both sides to minimize curling. Cut it with the waves and frame section of the Happy Octopus set - run it through your machine with the waves running horizontally instead of vertically.
Here's an easy way to select a specific section of the paper to diecut the fishes -
Cut the fishes from a Post-It - use the offcut to select the area you want to cut.
Place the die back into the cutout and cut the fishes, exactly where you want them!
Cut the octopus head twice from watercolor paper. Attach a scrap of black cardstock behind the eyes of one head. Layer the second head behind it for dimension. Cut the tentacles. Attach the head and two tentacles behind the waves. Slip two tentacles between the wave slots and tape them behind the waves.
Stamp the greeting from the Oceanside Typewriter Sentiments set on the smoother side of watercolor paper with Electric Purple Radiant Neon. Emboss it with detail clear powder. Cut it into a strip with the scalloped edge of the wave section.
Attach the diecuts to a Violet Notecard - use foam dots for the fishes, greeting and octopus head. Color clear gem stickers with a Sharpie or Copic Marker that matches the greeting. The ink is much pinker that it appears on the inkpad.
Want a chance to win the whimsical Happy Octopus die set? Add a comment on this post by Sunday, March 3rd at 11:59pm EST. One comment will be selected at random to win the set. There will be a chance to win one of the new release items each day this week through Sunday. Winners will be announced on the blog on Monday, March 4th at 6pm EST. Good luck!
Big thanks to everyone from Sunday's GREETINGS FROM BIRCH PRESS class at Impress! Hope you like the cards - and all of the techniques we used with those great dies and stamps. Thanks also to Ann, Erin and Lynne for your help in finding the supplies we needed for our cards.
Be sure to comment on all of the Design Team's blitz posts. Hope you're a winner!
Supplies
Such a pretty palette and sweet design on this ocean themed card. Thanks for sharing this inspiration with these fun products.
Posted by: Andre M. | 02/28/2019 at 06:17 AM
What a cute octopus and love the colors.
Posted by: Joyce Rempe | 02/28/2019 at 06:28 AM
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Happy Octopus and Underwater Scene craft dies!! In fact, this whole release (and the inspiration) is AMAZING!! Thank you!!
Posted by: Judy Rowland | 02/28/2019 at 07:29 AM
Awesome card! I love the colors in the inkpad you used! Perfect for your background circle and scene!
Posted by: Denise Bryant | 02/28/2019 at 08:14 AM
Very cute card! Love the colours.
Posted by: Kristen | 02/28/2019 at 08:26 AM
Am enjoying the ocean themes and happy to see hand-painted backgrounds being used for these cards.
Posted by: Sandra Williams | 02/28/2019 at 09:52 AM
Love your color combo! What a fun set! Thanks for a chance to win.
Posted by: Shari Czerwinski | 02/28/2019 at 10:10 AM
Lovely card!
Posted by: Leanne S | 02/28/2019 at 10:39 AM
FAbulous--love how the octopus looks like he is emerging from the water.
Posted by: Sue D | 02/28/2019 at 10:44 AM
Super card. Great tip for cutting the fishes.
Posted by: Vivian C. | 02/28/2019 at 11:13 AM
Fabulous card and love your technique and the fun octopus This new release is wonderful!
Posted by: Super Stick Chick | 02/28/2019 at 11:13 AM
Very cute card!! Love the happy octopus die!!!
Posted by: Suzy Que | 02/28/2019 at 11:14 AM
I haven’t used my brayed in ages. Seeing this project, I’m going to have to find it. Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Melanie Allen | 02/28/2019 at 01:37 PM
Such a fun card! Love the way the octopus' arms come up through slits in the die. Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Michele W | 02/28/2019 at 01:43 PM
So adorable - I love underwater scenes - fabulous works!
Posted by: gail | 02/28/2019 at 01:48 PM
VERY CUTE, Jean! Those two die sets work SO WELL together! ;) LOVE how the octopus' arms are coming up out of the water! ;)
Posted by: Becky Green | 02/28/2019 at 02:04 PM
These two dies really appeal to me. I love the card.
Posted by: Talitha Wright | 02/28/2019 at 02:12 PM
Oh Jean!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE this card!!!!
Posted by: Jan | 02/28/2019 at 02:18 PM
These are such fun dies! Love your cute scene. Thanks for the idea for creating a beautiful ombre look with the brayer and ink pad. Love to try these different techniques and learn how to expand the use of my products on hand!
Posted by: karenajo | 02/28/2019 at 04:15 PM
I really love the ombré effect! Such a fun octopus and beautiful catd
Posted by: Barry Snarr | 02/28/2019 at 04:39 PM
There is that octopus again!! Your watercolor is beautiful and the technique is terrific. Thank you Jean!
Posted by: Jacky | 02/28/2019 at 05:10 PM
What a cute card. I love the fish.
Posted by: Rebecca Ednie | 02/28/2019 at 05:37 PM
The colors are just fabulous!
Posted by: Lori | 02/28/2019 at 06:24 PM
This is lovely! I would love to win the octopus die as I have already purchased the Oceanside Typewriter sentiments and they go so well together!
Posted by: Lynn Hardy | 02/28/2019 at 07:51 PM
Super cute! Drooling over these new cuties, love the ocean babe with your amazing background technique!
Posted by: Vinita Jain | 02/28/2019 at 08:41 PM