A blog devoted to the cards I make in my tiny upstairs space. When my sister stays there, she calls it an "artist's garret". I'm not an artist, but am an enthusiastic cardmaker - hence the title "Cardmaker's Garret".
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Friday 2 December 2016

Holly Resist

The December CAS Watercolour challenge is up and running.


I'm still in Christmas card mode so went with a favourite holly stamp.  Here's the card:


I stamped both the holly image and the small random dots from the SU Itty Bitty Background set in white, and then in my haste, I grabbed the clear embossing powder.  Having done emboss resist in the past, I've learned that white embossing powder gives a more distinct image, but I quite like the subtlety of this.  I might try exactly the same image and colours and do a comparison.

I flooded the whole panel with water and dropped a pale green over the whole thing, then went back in with pale blue and a mauve-blue just on the background to give variation.  I then took a fine pointed paintbrush and added dark green to all the holly leaves.

I mounted it on fun foam, framed with a pierced frame die, added red Stickles to the berries, and a small sentiment.

I'm also entering this in the Less is More "Emboss Resist" challenge.

Please come over and join us at CAS Watercolour with your creations using a resist technique with watercolour.  You have until December 24th to enter.  Please remember to keep to the Clean and Simple guidelines.  Loll and Bonnie have tightened them up a bit, and one of the new requirements is that the cards must include white "or open" space (no pattern).  I'm looking forward to seeing what you create!





Supplies:
Stamps - Great Impressions holly, Penny Black sentiment
Ink - ColorBox Frost White, Ranger Archival Library Green
Paper - white cs, watercolour paper
Size - A2
Accessories - clear embossing powder, Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, MFT pierced frame die, red Stickles, fun foam



9 comments:

  1. Gorgeous EB Resist holly and Itty Bitty dots, Susan. I still have the retired SU Itty Bitty set. I would have guessed you had splattered with a tooth brush. Love the effect. Your Watercolour wash background and coloured holly turned out beautifully too. TFS my friend. Hugs, Nancy

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  2. Susan this is gorgeous - looks like a painting in a gallery! I love those red sparkly berries and fabulously watercolored background!

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  3. This is stunning, Susan! What a fabulous card with that striking holly image and gorgeous watercolouring - so much visual interest. I especially love the touch of red Stickles on the berries which is a lovely finishing touch. The stitched frame borders it all perfectly. Fab card! Thanks so much for playing along with us at Less is More :)

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  4. LOVE this card Susan. The embossed dots add so much to the gorgeous watercoloured background. The holly sprig image is so pretty and really stands out with the darker colours. Beautiful card! xx

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  5. Wow, what a super card. I love that image surrounded by the dots and the colour variations in the background look beautiful. The frame and the stickles are great finishing touches too.
    Thanks for sharing with us.
    Anita x
    Less is More

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  6. Hey this is absolutely fantastic, awesome watercolouring, a gorgeous image, beautifully framed and a CAS delight. Thanks for playing along with us at Less is More this week. Sarah x

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  7. Terrific holiday card. Perfect for our challenge. Thanks for sharing at Less is More!

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  8. I like to use white EP too, but love the results with the clear on this piece, Susan! Beautiful coloring of the holly leaves and a gorgeous background! Love the frame too!

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  9. This looks so stunning :)So happy to be the Guest designer at CAS watercolor challenge

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