Today we’re making an Anniversary card using white and ivory card stock, and a crayola watercolor resist technique that utilizes floral stamps.

I started with my DIY stamp press which is really just a modified Ikea HEMMINGSBO front opening picture frame. The stamps I’m using are from a couple different sets from discount bins that I can’t recall, I’m sorry to say - I’ve had them in my stash for a while and don’t use them very often. 

I’d arranged my stamps on the press in the configuration I wanted them to appear on the card, swung the door open, then applied Versamark - a clear, sticky ink which is good for embossing.

To see the full step by step details, don’t forget to watch the video tutorial below:



The card stock I’m using is Neenah Classic Crest Baronial Ivory 80lb cover. I align it to where I placed blue washi tape marks on my stamp press, which is especially helpful for if I wanted to do more than one card at a time. Then swing the door close and press down on each of the stamps with my fingers, making sure to get a good impression. The picture frame is made with a clear, bendy plastic held by metal pegs, so it is actually quite good for stamping like this.

Next, I sprinkled on some Ranger Clear Embossing powder and heat set with my Ranger Heat It! Craft Tool. I almost chose white, but I’m glad I chose clear, as I ended up with a more subtle, washer effect. I always make sure the tool is good and hot before bringing it to the project, that way it prevents warping and melts the powder faster.



Once embossed, we’re ready to watercolor. I just chose some colors I thought would be bright and floral, then started scribbling. Tried not to think too hard. I wanted it to look kind of “painterly” with all the colors bleeding out of the lines and into one another. And because the color is resisted by the embossing powder, in the end you see the full outline of all the floral shapes.

To really bring it home, I had to add some more color and depth. Scribbling on some acetate with a watercolor marker and adding water with a brush is probably one of my favorite/quickest ways to get some splatter on a page.

In the middle void, I used my trusty Pentel pocket brush pen to write “happy anniversary” in a curly brush script with little bits of character added for good measure. A little extra detail work was needed to complete the look.



Finally, I folded an A-2 card size of Cougar White 100lb cover card stock and trimmed the card front down to size. I wanted to keep it simple, ivory on white, soft and colorful. I also used a corner rounder, because I thought the card called for it.

I’d normally use my ATG adhesive but this time I used scor-tape, which is easy enough to use, though a little bit more time consuming. It is definitely something I would recommend for watercolor cards that you want to adhere and prevent from warping.

Anyway, that’s pretty much the card! I ended up scribbling a bit of soft brown colored pencil around the edges and smudging with my fingers - you can see how it helps the contrast between ivory and white in the photos.

Thank you for joining me!

- Haley

www.pigmentology.com

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