Weekender with Wanda – Tim Holtz Wildflowers!
Happy Saturday! It’s time for the latest edition of “Weekender with Wanda” here on the Simon Says Stamp blog! I’m happy to see you today! Hope you are having a great weekend so far! There is a lot going on here at Simon Says Stamp! We will be announcing a new Release very soon and the stamps and dies are so awesome! The Instagram Contest is going on through April 15th (CLICK HERE for details).
Today is my monthly Tim Holtz feature for sharing all kinds of techniques, products and tools from one of our favorite craft superstars! I’m sharing a tried and true technique that I have used and loved for years – watercolor stamping with markers. It’s a fun and easy way to get awesome watercolor results. The Tim Holtz Wildflowers stamps were my inspiration for today’s card and tag. They are perfect for this technique! (And who doesn’t love Distress Markers?) I took a lot of photos to show you the technique, and also how it looks on different types of papers. Sit back and grab a cuppa joe and read along with me!
Here is a photo of my card and tag – two different takes on the same technique!
For the card I used Watercolor paper and also combined it with another favorite technique – stacking die cuts! I kept the colors bright and vivid with minimal ‘distressing’ around the edges, etc.
For the tag I used a Ranger Manila Tag – this made the colors more muted and subtle. I also used a lot of ink ‘distressing’ around the tag in rich brown tones. I hand dyed my own Crinkle Ribbon with beautiful Wilted Violet Spray Stain mixed with Antique Linen Spray Stain.
The watercolor with markers technique has just three steps! First, I used my Distress Markers to color (with the brush side), directly onto the stamp. No need to be super careful about it. Mix your colors together so you will get a nice blend. I usually put my lighter color down first. Second, I used my Sprayer to mist the stamp. I hold the sprayer about 10 inches away from the stamp and give it about six pumps of a fine mist of water. You want it pretty wet, and you will see the water start to mix the colors together. The third step is to stamp! I stamped directly down onto the paper. You need to let it dry to see the final results. You can get at least three stampings out of one inking!! That’s it! And, it looks like you painted the images.
I got all excited about it, so I wanted to see the results on different papers. Watercolor paper gives the most ‘painted’ effect since the paper allows the inks to spread. I think this is my favorite. The Manila Tag gives a more solid image and the color of the tag mutes the ink colors. The Woodgrain paper is really pretty, since it is white and allows the bright color to show through. However, you can see that the lines from the wood grain changes how the images appear. I like them all – which on do you like the best?
Here is a close up of the card. After my watercolor flowers were dry, I went back with some Antique Linen Ink, water, and my Splatter Brush and added flecks of brown paint to the card. I die cut a Stitched Oval from the center to use as my raised focal point. This technique is very fun! I cut the oval out and then replaced it in my original paper with another oval of paper. Then I put foam squares all over the back of the top oval piece and mounted it directly in place to match up with the bottoms of the stems. I love how this looks.
I stamped my sentiment, from the Crazy Talk Stamp Set, in Simon Says Stamp Intense Black Ink. Here is a side view of my card. I mounted some pretty Juicy Pear Cardstock onto a Kraft card base.
I stamped the post marks in Vintage Photo Distress Ink. Then I went back with my Water Brush and put a touch of water over the images to soften the look, and to make them look watercolored too.
Here is a close up of my tag. I used the beautiful script stamp and the same technique as the wildflowers! I inked the stamp with Vintage Photo Distress ink and then spritzed it with water and stamped it over my flower images. I also added some ink speckles to this the tag.
Be still my heart…. Wilted Violet Ribbon!
To finish the tag, I edged all around it with Antique Linen Distress Ink and Vintage Photo Distress ink and a sponge dauber. I added some Linen Ribbon and a Typed Token on the top.
As always, thank you, my friends, for coming by to see what I’m up to on the weekends! I hope that you will try this technique and hope you have some time for creative play this weekend! See you soon!
Love this , just so pretty!!!
Beautiful and stunning projects! Thanks for the details and the comparison on different papers. Have a great weekend.
Wanda always hits it out of the park. I think I like the inking technique on the maila tag best, but my favorite design is the stitched oval card. Great ideas!
WOW!!!! Absolutely stunning and so beautiful!!!
Beautiful projects. Love the watercolor effect.
Awesome card and Tag Wanda. Your water coloring is amazing. I’m going to give this a try!
Thanks for sharing with us!
I am a distresser so I love the tag and the ribbon! Maybe to keep the brightness of the color we could make our own tags on coated white card stock? Really like the watercolor paper one too, like the technique with the die and pop dots. Not as much of a fan of the wood grain, the white lines take away from the painted effect, just my opinion. Very nice work and you explain everything so clearly. Thanks.
Love the card, anything water color makes me happy!
Very lovely Wanda. I love the way you popped up the oval to match the background of your card. Your images are so soft and pretty. Thanks for sharing your techniques with us.
Beautiful projects! Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful projects!! I just love this teshnique.. Thanks for tips and sharing!
Wow–beautiful projects-this is a great technique–love the layered die cut!
I love all of these – I’m inspired to play around with my Distress markers and different papers while the kids are napping today!
Super bright and happy.
Oh My! These are both so amazing and so beautiful. Thank you so much for the inspiration! I love both the card and the tag!
Forgot to say that the ribbon is awesome!
Love the technique!
Beautiful projects! I really love this watercolor effect with the markers. I really like the card using the watercolor paper. Gives it that softer look. Thanks for sharing this, and for all of the time it took you to show the pics!
Beautiful creations, love the tag and your pretty card!
These are beautiful. I like the colors and technique.
Absolutely beautiful. I have this stamp…need to go try this right away. Thanks for the great design and technique ideas.
Wonderful watercolor effects. You make it look so easy.
Simply beautiful:-)
So beautiful!!
I love this technique and I especially like the tag. TFS
Love your floral projects and your technique!
I agree with you, Wanda. I like all the samples you made with the different kinds of papers. I have not had any luck in obtaining the woodgrain paper, and was surprised at how well it responded to this technique. Keep up the nice work.
Love these wild flowers. I have the die now the stamps are a must have. Thanks for the inspiration and such excellent projects! Denise
Love these! Watercolor is one of my favorite techniques and these are just gorgeous!
Wow these are so pretty!!
so pretty. Love the delicate look of the flowers:)
Love these! So pretty and soft.
WOW! Beautiful!
Great projects today, Wanda. I like the look of the stamping on the wood grain paper the best but they are all beautiful. Love the technique of the raised panel on the first card. I had forgotten about that trick. I’ll be using it again soon. Thanks
That stamp is on my wish list! Love your card and tag.
So in love with these colors!!, absolutely beautiful projects!!
I love the effect on the wood grain card stock, beautiful as always.
These are simply lovely! Love them!
I’m not much into tags, but I really like the card. I also appreciate that you’ve shown us how this technique looks on different papers.
Awesome projects and amazing stamps! I also love the coloring! Thank you for the inspiration.
Very pretty – so colorful !!!
Beautiful! Love this technique, especially the layered die cut
Gorgeous card and tag! Love the colors and technique!
Beautifully done!! Wishin’ I owned these markers!
So beautiful
Your card is just beautiful! I think I need to buy more markers! ;)
Love the watercolor effect. Very nice.
So beautiful, I love this technique!
Awesome projects! I love the look that the water spritzing technique creates.
Very pretty.
Gorgeous!!