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Wednesday 15 November 2017

Midnight Garden

Hi all.  I have been busier with outside things recently and my mojo has been harder to summon up.  I did intend to show a card this time which I made for another male birthday but stupidly I forgot to take a photo before posting it.  It was a scenic one with silhouette lions from a set by Sheena Douglass, and I am gutted that I can't show it.  November is a heavy cardmaking month for me, and then of course there are still Christmas cards to make!

This masculine card is using a Michael Powell stamp I got a while ago from a local shop that was closing so thought I would christen it with this card.  I did more or less follow the suggested colours on the stamp itself.


I found a snippet of smooth white card and stamped using my Versafine Smokey Gray ink.  I did stamp it several times using my Misti so the ink looks darker.  I coloured it with my Lyra Waterbrush Pens using my glass mat and picking it up with  a waterbrush.  I only have twelve colours, and this way you can mix the colours together and get a lighter coloured finish.  These Michael Powell stamps are quite busy so I thought the lighter finish would look better.

When I had finished colouring it I cut it using one of the Crealies Pierced Rectangle dies but the stamp is quite long and thin and I didn't have one narrow enough so I used a technique I saw a little while ago, not sure where now, but you cut it with a wider die and then place it back into the die overlapping the edge with the amount you wish to lose making sure you line it up so the pattern matches, you can usually feel if the paper is pushed in to the grooves, but obviously easier using a plain edged die, and then just run it through your machine again.  Luckily it worked well, I did hold my breath and hope for the best because I would have had to start again which wouldn't have pleased me much.

I wanted a background for the topper so using some Distress Inks in Mowed Lawn, Spiced Marmalade and Faded Jeans I laid the colours down on my glass mat and spritzed and flapped the snippet of card through it with the intention that the colour would be more random with white areas, but I think I added too much water so it spread and the colours merged giving a rather muddy look.

After making sure it was dry I then got out my Brushos and added some more green, orange and a little purple separately, spritzing with water and drying in between.   I left this overnight and when I looked the next day and put the topper over it I decided the colours did  complement one another better.

I then put the card together mounting the background on to my usual 6" square base card and added an XCut die cut sentiment using a snippet of gold mirri card.

Thank you for dropping by today and I'll see you again soon. 






I am entering the following challenges:

Pixie's Crafty Workshop - Weeks 307/8 where we use up our snippets of paper, card etc.
Happy Little Stampers November Watercolour Challenge - Anything Goes (no optional twist).
613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes (no optional twist).




19 comments:

My Card Attic: Hazel said...

Love that pretty background Pat! And that is such a pretty scene and coloured to perfection! It is frightening just how quickly is creeping up on us isn't it? I also have to get a move on with my Christmas cards! Have a lovely day my friend! Love & Hugs. Hazel xx
My Card Attic

Darnell said...

All the care and love you put into coloring this beautiful scene shows in every inch, Pat! I'm sorry I didn't get to see your silhouette lions card, but this one is stunning!! Hugs, Darnell

maria's knutselplezier said...

What a great card !! I love this beautifull country stamp a lot and in your hands it comes really alive!!

Have fun!!
Maria

Di said...

Wow Pat, this is absolutely fabulous. I love the Michael Powell ranges of stamps, and they are very detailed as you say. Wonderful colouring as well as the background you made. And such a good tip about cutting the rectangle (bet you could use a square die to cut a rectangle even?) - I think I might try with some plain card first, your heart must have been beating fast just in case it didn't work out after all that work! Well done.

Hugs

Di xx

Melissa L. said...

OOOO, so pretty, Pat. Lovely watercoloring of your beautiful stamped scene. Thanks for playing along at Happy Little Stamper Watercolor Challenge for November.

cuilliesocks said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh wow! What a wonderful card Pat, I love the Michael Powell images and have a few of them myself. Your colours and colouring is brilliant and the background is just perfect for it, Kate x

Viv said...

A really complex stamp Pat and not one that I would have attempted - but your colouring is fab!
Think it would look equally as good on a plain background too - a great job and a versatile stamp!

Mac Mable said...

Such a piece of art that you should frame. Fabulous colouring x

Vicki Dutcher said...

Lovely painted scene card - Thanks for joining in at STB.

Paper Creations by Shirley said...

Fantastic colouring of the detailed image, it looks like an Italian Garden. I know what you mean about finding time/mojo for creativity when you are busy with other chores :) Take good care, Shirleyxx

AlisonC said...

This looks like lots of fun to colour and you can pretend you are a real artist. (Maybe you are and that's just me! Love the background too. x AlisonC Snippets GD

Sheila H said...

Your detailed image is gorgeously colored. Thanks for sharing at 613 Avenue Create.

Sandma's Handmade Cards said...

A lovely card Pat and so beautifully coloured. I really like all the different shades of green that you've used and the shading on the house looks fabulous. Crafty hugs, Sandra x

Mrs A. said...

A lot of work has gone into this super looking card and the result was well worth it. I love that stamp. Reminds me of a house snd gardens we have visited in Italy. Hugs Mrs A.

MaryH said...

Very complex designed stamp, and I can't begin to imagine the watercoloring effort. Great work and the coloring looks fantastic. Love the sponged background, which let this gorgeous image take center stage. My MoJo has wandered off for many months now too. Trying to entice him back home, but it isn't easy! (for me anyway)Hugs & TFS

debby4000 said...

Fabulous card and perfect for a man.
luv
Debby

Liz said...

I somehow missed this card when you posted it, Pat. What a fabulous scene, so beautifully coloured, as always. I love the background you've created too. xx

scrappymo! said...

This is a beautiful scene, coloured so beautifully too. I like that image and must check as i think I may own it and have never used it. I am bad for that...

Your design really hilights the beauty of this card.

Barb said...

Your card is absolutely beautiful Pat. I have a couple of these Michael Powell stamps which I bought on sale and have never used. You have certainly inspired me to get them out. Barbxx