Lions and Flowers and Pencils, Oh My!

I'm so super excited this morning to be in a micro hop with two people I adore - Gina K and Jessica Frost-Ballas.

The last time we did a micro-hop everyone loved it so much that we wanted to do another on for Gina's beautiful new release.

The few weeks we call spring in Texas are over, but we had some glorious back porch watercolor days while it lasted, and I took the opportunity to head outside with my new Arteza Woodless Watercolor Pencils and put them through their paces with Gina's stunning new images.

First up is this beauty, which I found is the perfect size for a good no-line watercolor image - the petals are large enough to allow for lots of shading. I started with my fadeout no-line watercolor ink - my ink soulmate - on cold press watercolor paper, and then I used this waterbrush and the Arteza pencils, which I love. I love how this came out with just a few colors. It's so glowy and airy. I was very relieved that a bird didn't poop on it, which is always the risk I take when I paint outside. I layered it with Lemon Lime Twist cardstock and put all that on a linen base. I have these linen cards custom cut, scored and corner rounded at this website. This stamp is simply magnificent.

You Make Me Smile [ GNK ] Woodless Watercolor Pencils — Set of 24 [ ARTZ ] Arteza Water Brush Pens, Set of 6 [ ARTZ ] Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. Cold Press... [ AMZUS ] 8 1/2 x 11 Bright White Linen... [ PPR ] Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11"... [ SUP ] Tsukineko VersaFine Clair NOCTURNE... [ SSS | ELH ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | SBC ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | ELH | CST | ART | SBC ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ] Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... [ BLIC ]

Speaking of magnificent - who doesn't love a tiger lily? Crazy people, that's who. Everyone loves a tiger lily. AND - you can get it FREE. The only thing better than a tiger lily is a FREE tiger lily! I followed the same process on this one, and again, lucked out with the bird poop.

Incentive Set - Thank You Friend [ GNK ] You Make Me Smile [ GNK ] Woodless Watercolor Pencils — Set of 24 [ ARTZ ] Arteza Water Brush Pens, Set of 6 [ ARTZ ] Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. Cold Press... [ AMZUS ] 8 1/2 x 11 Bright White Linen... [ PPR ] Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11"... [ SUP ] Tsukineko VersaFine Clair NOCTURNE... [ SSS | ELH ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | SBC ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | ELH | CST | ART | SBC ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ] Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... [ BLIC ]

Then I headed indoors so that I could film a little review of the pencils with this insanely sweet lion.

I guess I should have included a bear in this post, because I do already have a tiger and a lion - hmmmm... #regrets.

Like the other two images, this image is PERFECT for no-line watercolor because it's big enough to shade and add detail too. He looks like the lion version of a Golden Retriever - all happy and eager to please. So sweet. I think he would make amazing baby cards, but I picked a general love theme, and even no line watercolored the little heart next to the sentiment.

Liam & Liz Lion [ GNK ] Woodless Watercolor Pencils — Set of 24 [ ARTZ ] Arteza Water Brush Pens, Set of 6 [ ARTZ ] Fabriano Artistico 140 lb. Cold Press... [ AMZUS ] 8 1/2 x 11 Bright White Linen... [ PPR ] Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11"... [ SUP ] Tsukineko VersaFine Clair NOCTURNE... [ SSS | ELH ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | HA | SSS | ELH | MFT | SBC ] Lawn Fawn STAMP SHAMMY Cleaner LF1045 [ SSS | ELH | CST | ART | SBC ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ] Nesting Porcelain Bowls - BLICK art... [ BLIC ]

And here is the video - click here to watch it in HD on YouTube.

So of course we have all kinds of goodies for you today!

First - a coupon code for these AMAZING watercolor pencils that are now a staple for me - You can use my coupon code  OHF-TPE-039 for 10% off on those pencils through April 10th here.

Next, we are EACH giving away a $25 shopping spree to Gina's store - so be sure and leave a comment at all three blogs so that you can get your OWN lion, tiger (lily) and peony! 

Gina K

Jessica Frost-Ballas

Me

And most important - take some time to make something pretty for someone today - AND send it them. These cards don't need to sit on our desks! Leave me a comment about who you've sent a card to recently!

Loveyameanitbye.

Using Detailed Stamps on Busy Backgrounds + Giveaway

I love trying to make things that shouldn't go together, go together.

Last week, I did a video on a wrinkle-free Distress Oxide background that I used with a simple, clean die cut. You can see that video here.

But then I thought - but what if I want to use a very detailed, intricate stamp on that same background? I'm a free American - I HAVE RIGHTS.

So I came up with a way to make that work that is super simple, fast and easy - and here it is. I took this stunning flower stamp from Sugar Pea, and using some watercolor gesso, I filled in the stamp and then overstamped it with the MISTI to be sure the design popped on that busy background. Very easy and fun, and you get the best of both worlds - a messy, splashy background and a precise, detailed stamp image that doesn't get lost.

Pretty PeoniesSugarPea Designs |... [ SGR ] Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground -... [ BLIC ] Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Pad... [ SSS | ELH | MFT | BMS | JGG | CRF ] Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Pad... [ SSS | ELH | MFT | BMS | JGG | CRF ] Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Pad... [ SSS | ELH | MFT | BMS | JGG | ART | CRF ] Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Ink Pad... [ SSS | ELH | MFT | BMS | JGG | CRF ] Ranger Inkssentials Mister, 2 oz. [ ELH ] Tsukineko VersaFine Clair NOCTURNE... [ SSS | ELH ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | HA | SSS | ELH | SBC | MFT ] Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth [ AMZUS ] Basic Black 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock by... [ SUP ] Whisper White Cardstock - Thick [ SUP ] Fabriano Artistico Extra White... [ BLIC ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC ] Mudder 10 Pack White Buffer Sanding... [ AMZUS ] Xyron ADHESIVE ERASER 23675 [ SSS | ART | AMZUS ] Bone Folder by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ] Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ] Ranger .5 Oz. MINI MULTI MEDIUM MATTE... [ SSS | ELH | MFT ] Ranger Craft Sheet - Teflon Craft Mat... [ AMZUS ] Sizzix BIG SHOT EXPRESS Gray and... [ SSS | ART | BMS | CST ] Amazon.com: Best Professional... [ AMZUS ]

So do you want to see the video on this SIMPLE technique? Click here to watch in HD on YouTube, or hit play below!

Now this card is very special to me, because it's part of helping to celebrate my friend Wendy's 4th anniversary of her stamp company - Sugar Pea Designs! Wendy is an absolute angel, an awesome mom to the most charismatic kids I know, and just an overall nice person. You can see an interview we did with her on Crafty Chat here.

SugarPea Designs will be giving away (4) FOUR $40 gift certificates to the SugarPea Designs shop.

  

Winners will be randomly chosen from all the comments left along each stop of the hop.

Comments will close on April 7^th 11:59 PM EST with winners announced on April 8^th.

ALSO - SugarPea Designs is offering a coupon code: BDAY04 for customers to receive 15% off their entire purchase AND a FREE 4x8 stamp set with any purchase (valid until April 7^th 11:59 EST).

Amy Kolling

Amy Rohl

Amy Tsuruta

Ardyth Percy-Robb

Becky Pearce

Jennifer McGuire

Jessica Frost-Ballas

Kelly Lunceford

Kelly Latevola

Kerin Sylvester

Kristina Werner

Laura Bassen

Lea Lawson

Lydia Fiedler

Martha Tucker

Nichol Spohr

Nina-Marie Trapani

Raluca Vezeteu

Sandy Allnock

Simonne Clay

Stéphanie Beauchemin

Taheerah Atchia

Vera Yates

Loveyameanitbye.