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Hello and welcome back for another Yippee For Yana video! I am excited to be back to sharing handmade cards and videos and I hope you’ve missed them. It really has been too long! Today I’m sharing a watercolor floral card I made for my Mom using some new and old products from Simon Says Stamp.
It has been ages since I last picked up my watercolor supplies and did some water coloring. I’m always fascinated by Debby Hughes and her watercolor masterpieces so I decided I would channel my inner Debby and try to watercolor this clematis. My watercolor skills are far from being the best, but it doesn’t stop me from trying and practicing and we all know that practice makes better.
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VIDEO TUTORIAL
As always, I filmed a video tutorial showing how to create this project from start to finish. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy it. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel:
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CARD DETAILS
I stamped images from the Mom’s Clematis stamp set on watercolor paper, I am using Arches Cold Pressed watercolor paper, and I stamped everything in Versa Fine Onyx Black ink using my mini MISTI stamping tool. It’s handy to stamp these using some sort of stamp positioner as watercolor paper is usually textured and you do need to apply a fair amount of pressure to get good impressions on this paper. I also did some masking by stamping images on masking paper, cutting them out and applying them over the original to be able to stamp additional leaves and flower buds next to the main flower.
Once my stamping was done I moved onto coloring. I went with the easiest method for me – and that’s using my Daniel Smith watercolor and a water brush. I opted to use purples for this card and used mostly Imperial Purple color from my palette. I colored one petal at a time, this is not something I typically have the patience to do, but it is the right way to do it, and also I painted in layers, coming back to each of the petals as the previous layer of color had dried.
I also used green for the leaves and this is Undersea Green, also from Daniel Smith. To add some color variation to this image I added a lot of shading using a different color, Shadow Violet, and I think that’s what made all the difference and made this image more lifelike.
My biggest takeaway from this project is patience. A good watercolor piece requires a lot of patience and layers. This is not something I have so I often struggle with having great watercolored results.
I also decided I’d do a simple watercolor wash in the background and for this, I used same Undersea Green color and simply diluted it more to have a lighter, softer green around my Clematis cluster.
Next, I took this piece back to my MISTI and stamped a sentiment for this card, it reads “Mama, you are incredible in every way”.
At this point, I reached for my colored pencils, Polychromes by Faber Castel and used them to add finishing touches. Next, I splattered some Hero Arts White Irridescent Shimmer over the image to give it more of a messy look. I love using this product for an effect like this.
I decided to add some simple stamping to the background and this is where Simon’s new Sketchy Lines background stamp came in. I created additional masks to mask the entire image cluster, positioned the stamp over my image, inked it up with Simon’s Fossil ink and stamped adding some interest to my background. The masks protected my flowers and leaves and allowed the sketchy lines to be stamped on the background only.
I also decided I wanted to add more purple to this card to tie together with the flowers, so I white heat embossed a part of the sentiment on purple cardstock. To put everything together I created an A2 kraft side folding card base, used a piece of fun foam to adhere my watercolor panel over it. Finally, I foam mounted the skinny sentiment strip and embellished this card using several sequins in purple from the Birthday Cake sequin mix.
Have fun stamping!
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support!
 Simon Says Stamp Fossil Dye Ink Pad Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Clear Stamps Mom’s Clematis Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Stamp Sketchy Lines Background Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Stamp Birthday Cake Sequins Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Stamp Embossing Ink Pad Shop at: SSS |
 Neenah Classic Crest 80 Lb Desert Storm Shop at: SSS |
 Hero Arts White Detail Embossing Powder Shop at: SSS |
 Hero Arts Heat Embossing Gun Shop at: SSS |
 Tsukineko VersaFine Onyx Black Ink Shop at: SSS |
 Faber-Castell Polychromos 12 Set Shop at: SSS |
 Faber-Castell Polychromos 36 Set Shop at: SSS |
 Hero Arts White Iridescent Shimmer Spray Shop at: SSS |
 Simon Says Stamp Masking Paper Shop at: SSS |
 Arches Cold Press Watercolor Pad 9×12″ Shop at: SSS |
 Medium Water Brush Shop at: SSS |
 EK Success Powder Tool Applicator Shop at: SSS |
 Misti Stamping Tool Shop at: SSS |
 Misti Cut-align Tool Shop at: SSS |
 Daniel Smith Imperial Purple 5ml Shop at: SSS |
 Daniel Smith Undersea Green 5ml Shop at: SSS |
 White Fun Foam 12 Pack 9 x 12 Shop at: SSS |
 Tonic Deluxe Adhesive Nuvo Glue Shop at: SSS |
 Crystal Ninja Crystal Katana Pick Up Tool Shop at: SSS |
SAVE ME/PIN ME TO PINTEREST
Like this card idea? Be sure to save it to one of your Pinterest boards for future reference!
Love you….missed you! So glad you are back!
It’s good to be back 🙂 Thank you!
Fantastic coloring Yana!! I love the purple shades! Beautiful floral card! 🙂
thank you, Karthikha! Purple is such a beautiful color.
BEAUTIFULLY DONE, Yana! LOVED watching your video! You make water coloring look SO EASY! 😉 I KNEW your mom would LOVE THIS! I DO TOO! (I have some Clematis growing in my yard! 😉 They’re one of my favorites too! ) <3
thank you, Becky! Oh she did! She was in the hospital when I gave it to her and she was so happy!
Even though this card was a hard one to make I know my mom will treasure it, so it was well worth the effort.
Very, very pretty card and I’m not surprised your mom loves it! Good job!! I really like how the background stamp punched the card up a bit. I’ve been mostly using my pencils lately. Recently I decided to switch things up and go back to trying some watercoloring. I quickly realized how out of practice I am and was trying to use watercolors like I use pencils! Time to try some more watercoloring!! Like you, I’m not a great watercolorist, but I have fun doing it and like it. Practice, practice, practice!! Thank you, Yana.
Yes! I know how you feel! I felt out of practice too. These days I’ve been watercoloring more and my next Yippee For Yana video is a watercolor one as well (and no pencils this time). I realized I haven’t watercolored once in a year by the pile of watercolor paper I had sitting in my drawer. I ordered a lot of watercolor paper and practically haven’t touched it.
Also, while looking through said drawer I found some fabulous watercolor paper samples I picked up while at the CreativeWorld show in Frankfrurt and I can’t wait to give that paper a try.
where do I find a set of water colors like you used?
The watercolors I used are typically sold in tubes by color. there are close to 300 colors, so one would pick up just the colors one likes. To make it easier to decide which colors you like, there are simple “dot charts” available – it’s a sampling of several colors to try. There’s enough watercolor in the dot to watercolor several small images. I have a dot chart like that with Simon featuring my favorite colors, here’s a link http://shrsl.com/kqt3 (there are also sets like this by other artists, featuring their favorite colors).
And here’s a video showing how to use a dot chart for watercoloring https://www.yanasmakula.com/simon-says-stamp-how-to-use-a-dot-chart-watercolor-sheet-watercoloring-cosmos-background-new-release-video/
Daniel Smith are fantastic quality watercolors and while they are expensive, they will last you a long time so if you would like to get better at watercolor these are definitely great to invest in.
Just beautiful Yana. Such pretty colours.
thank you, Julie! so glad you like it 🙂
This is a gorgeous card and I enjoyed watching you create it! You are inspiring me to get my watercolors back out. It is good to have you and your videos back.
I’m so glad, Karen! I’m had mine on my desk more and more often now and hopefully will watercolor come in the coming days. So glad you enjoyed the video and thank you, I’m so happy to be back!
Absolutely gorgeous Yana, you really should w/c more often! I am certain your Mom will love it!
Thank you, Teresa! That’s the plan! Plus I have some lovely new watercolor paper samples I picked up at the Creativeworld in Germany and I’m anxious to give them a try
Thank you, Teresa! That’s the plan! Plus I have some lovely new watercolor paper samples I picked up at the Creativeworld in Germany and I’m anxious to give them a try