Thursday, April 10, 2014

glass block watercolor background

 Life is back to normal this week in the Frattin house. Spring break is over, the kids have returned to school and the routine has fallen back into place. I have been working all week getting caught up with my taxes. Each year I say that I will be a better book keeper ... but it never happens. Seriously, who wants to file paper work when we could be Stampin'!!!

Today I wanted to show you an easy water color technique!

When I watched Brian Pilling from Stampin' Up! show off this watercolor technique on stage at Leadership in January, I knew I could not wait to get home and share with all of you. Stampin' Up! has great video of the watercolor glass block technique on YouTube. (yes the video is the fabulous Brian himself!)

When we attend a Stampin' event it is a title wave of information. I died when I saw this and frantically wrote notes down. Thinking I had remembered exactly what Brian taught us, I showcased this technique in my March stamp clubs. 

Then I found the Stampin' Up! video on YouTube. Well, now that I watched the video I realized I deviated a wee bit. BUT the good news - it still worked! It is always good to have options, right?! So read on to see how I got the watercolor back ground ... 



 squeeze your ink pads together while they are closed.
this will transfer the ink from the foam pad to the underside of the lid.

 make sure your aqua painter is filled with water.
gently squeeze a small amount of water onto the ink pad lid.
mix the water with the ink and pick-up on the aqua painter brush.

 paint the water and ink mixture onto half of the clear block.
rub your aqua painter on scrap paper (or a paper towel) to remove the color and clean the brush.
repeat step 2 to ink the aqua painter in the second color.
paint the second color to the other half of the clear block.

 stamp the glass block on your cardstock.
hold the block on your cardstock for a moment so all the water is absorbed.

ta-da ... your watercolor back ground!
allow to dry (or dry with your heat gun) and then stamp over with  your choice of stamp



This background technique is organic ... it will be different every time you do it. So do not be discouraged if it does not look exactly as mine does. 

A quick tip ~ ensure you have enough water on the glass block. Just do a couple of practice stamps. You do not want it too dry, or it will not transfer. Too wet and it will drip all over. 

I would love to see what you create with this simple background technique! Take a picture and share with me!

Thank-you for reading!! Have a creative day!!

Krista
Project Supply List
Cardstock
Whisper White, Soft Sky, Pistachio Pudding
Ink
StazOn Black Ink, Wild Wasabi, Coastal Cabana
Stamps
Serene Silhouettes (132082 wood, 126447 clear)
Happy Day (130294 wood, 130297 clear)
Accessories
Whisper White Bakers Twine (died with pistachio pudding reinker & rubbing alcohol)
Essential hardware clips (129964)
Tools
Dotted scallop ribbon border punch (119275)


Subscribe

* indicates required