Friday, August 10, 2012

With Sincere Sympathy

Sympathy cards are always tough to make, but that's the challenge over at Heart2Heart this week.  I also combined my two favorite Clean and Simple challenge blogs: CASology (Pond) and Less is More (Colour: Blue & Green).  And in case my American friends are wondering, the Less is More folks are British which is why they have a "u" in "Colour".  (Note: I have been informed that Canadians use the same spelling.  I think we Yanks may be outnumbered!)


Those of you coming from the Heart2Heart blog who have not been around for about fifteen years will not recognize these stamp images.  The labels say D.O.T.S. with a 1989 copyright date.  Can I get someone--anyone--to tell me they still have some of their oldies but goodies?  I have drawers full.

To get the pond, I swooshed my watercolor pen through Moonstruck, Twilight, Juniper, and Pear using the "press the lid into the ink pad" method.  (I'm very technical around here.)  Once I got an even swirly look, I picked up more Moonstruck and flicked it, then more Pear and flicked it.  I had to let the paper dry before stamping the black grasses and sentiment.  Anyone want to guess how I learned that lesson?? 

I'll tell you another lesson I learned.  You can't mask off edges well enough for watercoloring.  I tried scoring my lines and masking, coloring, stamping with two long sticky notes.  Yeah...not so much.  This second attempt was done by cutting two smaller pieces of paper, watercoloring/stamping one, mounting it on a wider one, and scoring the edges with the Martha Stewart Score Board using the edge of the watercolor piece as a guide.  I scored a second line then trimmed very, very close to it.

In other news, I finished my novel!!! It has holes the size of trucks, but it's done.  I am taking today off of mine and critiquing the work of my writing partners instead.  I also need to write a summary sheet to take to the American Christian Fiction Writers conference in September.

Hi ho, hi ho...it's off to work I go.

Until next time,
Becca

21 comments:

  1. Becca - the depth you got in this sponging is fantastic! Beautiful rich colours (Canadians spell it that way, too! lol!) Thanks so much for playing along with CASology this week!

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  2. Absolutely sensational!
    Great to see you
    Thanks very much
    mandi
    "Less is More"

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  3. Simply stunning. Love your 'swooshing' and flicking of colour.
    Love Sheila x

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  4. Fabulous card , well done I love it :) Viv xx

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  5. Smashing card - I always struggle with sympathy cards too

    Kathyk

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  6. Wow! Your watercolored strip is beautiful! Love the black silhouettes stamped on top too!
    I always have to take a second look at the spelling of color (colour) when I'm reading blogs, but know there is a variation...only because I lived in New Zealand for a few years growing up! Are grey and gray another English duo?! :) At least they are similar! LOL!

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    1. Oops...meant to say thanks for joining us at CASology again this week! :)

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  7. love the watercolour work, thanks for joing us at H2h

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  8. This is gorgeous love the technique and beautiful effect!

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  9. I love this and I'm so glad you shared. I need to make a card for my very dear friend who just lost her son, and as she is a cardmaker I have been stumped for a starting point. Thanks.

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  10. Such a beautiful card, and those 'old' stamps of yours are brilliant, I bet your glad you still have them! Oh, and us Aussies spell colour with a U too he he he

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    1. That does it, the Yanks are completely outnumbered! LOL!

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  11. this is soooooo gorgeous...love it....

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  12. Absolutely gorgeous background ~ a beautiful sympathy card!

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  13. Beautiful background you built on your card. Thank you so much for joining us this week at CASology! Also a big congrats on finishing your book!

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  14. Gorgeous!! This is a lovely card...well done! Thanks for participating with us this week at H2H :0)

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  15. I'm sorry I'm so late in commenting on this lovely card!
    The movement you have achieved in that fabulous inked sky is amazing.
    Thanks so much
    Chrissie
    "Less is More"

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  16. This is wonderful - great colors and technique on that sky - I am going to have to try this!!! Love your blog and I am sooo impressed you finished a novel - that is truely amazing and an accomplishment to be proud of for sure!!!!

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  17. Stunning! A beautiful effect with the background

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  18. Beautiful! Thanks for joining us at H2H this week.

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. You bless me!