Distress Ink Watercoloring Featuring Birch

Hi there!!!  I’m back with another card tutorial for ya, this time using the CUTEST little image by Purple Onion Designs.  This adorable little bunny’s name is Birch and he’s my new favorite image.  This was my first order I had placed with Purple Onion Designs and I have to say, I am extremely happy with my experience.  They even threw in a couple little freebies!!  Freebies are always welcome!!

I started off using some Strathmore Ready Cut Watercolor paper.  I stamped the image out several times since I knew I was going to make more than one card using this little cutie.  To color him, I used distress inks starting with Vintage Photo and Antique Linen.  Then I used Tattered Rose for his cheeks and inside his ears.  For his beanie, I used Peacock Feathers.  I watercolored this image using one of my favorite paint brushes, Silver Black Velvet Script Liner size 1.  It’s a really nice brush for little images like this.

The 3 images on the left, I heat embossed with black embossing powder.  I really like using embossing powder when I watercolor because it gives the color a place to stay.  It’s a little easier to control where your color goes.  The 3 images on the right, I just used Archival jet black ink.  Although I do like embossing powder for watercoloring, I also like having just a flat image sometimes.  The color is softer.  If you want to use embossing powder, but don’t like how dark it makes your image, you can always use VersaFine ink or a pigment ink that stays wet a little longer than dye ink and then put clear embossing powder over the top of it.  That’s another great way to get those grooves in your image, without having the image be so dark.  If you put clear embossing powder over VersaFine, you get more of a lighter black color, almost a dark gray.  But this time, I just used Archival ink.

 

After I colored all of these guys, I used some masking paper to mask off most of the card front, leaving only an inch vertical strip down the right side.  I had a heck of a time getting the masking paper lined up perfectly, but eventually I got it.  It only took me 5 or so tries.  Luckily I was using good masking paper and it didn’t lose it’s stickiness.

Once I had the masking tape in place, I started ink blending using Cracked Pistachio distress ink, moving on to Salty Ocean and then Mermaid Lagoon.

Then it was time for my favorite part of ink blending.  The big reveal!!  Check it out!!  I was so happy with how this turned out.  I also tried it again, doing a much lighter blend, but I just didn’t like it for this particular image.  Maybe it’s because of the black embossing powder.  The lighter ink blend just made the black embossing powder look way too dark for such a light background.  So I’ll save it for another project.

Next I cut out a banner using Simon Says Stamp’s Stitched Banners die on Bazzill black card stock (Licorice Twist).  After using my anti static tool, I heat embossed my sentiment with white embossing powder.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp’s I See You stamp set.  I think it came in one of the card kits, if I remember right.

Using a microfiber cloth, I wiped down my banner to remove the excess anti static powder.  This makes such a huge difference when using black card stock.

After trying out several different background colors, I finally gave up and pulled in my assistant for some much needed advice.  I originally thought I was going to use a woodgrain embossed kraft card stock for my background, but then I really liked a black background as well.  Loved a white one and the blue one too but since I can’t use them all, I asked my assistant for his advice on which one I should use.  He eased my mind by choosing the black background.  Whew.  Good choice.  Why is decision making so hard for me sometimes??  My 9 year old assistant can make decisions easier than I can!!  My assistant for today was my son’s best friend, Bubby.  He’s actually made a few cards and they turned out pretty darn cute.  For being a 9 year old boy, he really has a sense of what goes with what.  But tomorrow my assistant can just as easily be my hubby or my son.  Sometimes even my dog..  I’m not picky…

Once I had decided to go with a black background, I had this brilliant idea to FINALLY use my Sheer Shimmer Spritz that I purchased probably about a year ago now.  I’ve never used it so I was pretty stoked to put it to the test.  I sprayed the black background with the shimmer spritz and loved it so much, that I decided to spray my card front with it as well.

While this was quite messy, I was pretty happy with it.  It gives a nice even shimmer!!  At this point, my assistant quit.  He didn’t like the fact that he now had “sparkles” all over him.

I let the shimmer sit for a minute just in case it was wet.  Meanwhile I used the same banner die to cut out some craft foam so that I could pop my sentiment up for dimension.  Once I had it cut out, I added some Be Creative double sided adhesive to both sides of the craft foam.

Once I was convinced the shimmer spray wouldn’t smear, I started to put everything together.  I used my ATG to tape the black background to my card base and then I put my banner on the card front.

Next I used my Zig Two Way Glue Pen to glue Birch onto my card front and once again using my ATG, I taped my card front to the card base.    Lastly I added a few sequins as my final embellishment.

Voila.  Card complete ~

I made 3 other cards using this lil cutie pie so they will be my next post, as soon as I have the videos edited.  If you’d like to see me making this card, please check out my YouTube channel by clicking here.  Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my blog.  I do hope you will follow along on my card making journey.  See ya next time ~