Penny Black Pairings, 1 of 8: Elizabeth

We love to design as a pair here in the Studio where we even share our stamps and Creative Dies!!  We hope you enjoy peeking at our pairs of projects using the same Penny Black products.  It's double the designing fun! 

Penny Black

Additional Penny Black Inspiration on their BLOG and FACEBOOK PAGE

Hello everyone and welcome to our first week of Penny Black Pairs.  This week Jill and I will be creating with Penny Black's Creative Die: Holly and Berries.

For my card, I began by die cutting Holly and Berries three times from heavyweight cardstock.  One of the die cuts was colored with Distress Paints, (after drying) pounced with Frost VersaMark Watermark Ink and then dusted with Interference Perfect Pearls.  A fixative spray was used to seal all the colors.  All three pieces were then layered and glued to form a chipboard embellishment. 

 A small piece of red cardstock stenciled with Zigs & Zags in Love Letter Memento was then die cut with the Holly and Berries so the previously created embellishment could be nestled into the design.  All the berries were accented with Red Stickles.

The medallion was created with the circular flourish from Joy Filled which was stamped on white cardstock with Delicata Golden Glitz.  After die cutting around the design and in the center with circles, a separate die cut circle stamped with Warm Wishes in Crimson Red VersaFine was placed below the medallion.  

I love Penny Black's journal die cut shapes too!  They are great for making card bases.  I used the one from Shades for today's design.  

If you would like to download a pdf containing supplies and instructions for this project, click HERE.

Stay tuned...you don't want to miss seeing what Jill has designed with Holly and Berries!

[Supplies: Penny Black: Joy Filled 30-257, Holly and Berries 51-061, Zigs & Zags 25-010, Shades 51-055, Mix & Match Cardstock 16-003 Fall Festival; Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko; Crimson Red VersaFine, Love Letter Memento, Frost VersaMark Watermark, Delicata Golden Glitz, Sponge Dauber; Ranger: Distress Paints (Mowed Lawn, Peeled Paint, Fired Brick), Interference Green Perfect Pearls, Christmas Red Stickles; 3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape; Krylon UV Resistant Matte Clear Acrylic Coating]

Out & About with Jill

I'm trying something new while I'm...

...on the Penny Black blog.

Click HERE to view the PB&J video.
And special thanks to fellow Penny Black designer, Heather Telford, for inspiring me to try something new-- it was fun!

Out & About with Jill

I've been out & about getting inky...

Click HERE to visit the Penny Black blog for the VIDEO!

Dr. Ph. Martin's, 8 of 8: Jill

The watercolor trend has found it's way into the Studio!  Join us over the next four weeks as we ink up our paintbrushes (and fingers!) with Dr. Ph Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolors. 

Dr. Ph. Martin's

Additional Dr. Ph. Martin's Inspiration on their FACEBOOK PAGE

We sure hope you've enjoyed this month's projects featuring bold watercolor techniques AND also the fun we've had combining them with Inchie Arts Art Squares.  

(Additional Inchie Arts information available on their BLOG and FACEBOOK page.)

I just had to get out those 4" White Art Squares again today...

To create both of these cards, I used my Creative Dies (Penny Black 51-002 Leaves and 51-030 Field of Dreams) as stencils, applying the watercolors through the stencils and onto the Art Squares.  Once the main images were dry, I also painted the backgrounds.  Then once that was dry, I added subtle stamping to the background using Penny Black 30-238 Footnotes T for Transparent set.  I stamped using Rose Madder Ranger Archival Ink and Danube Blue Memento Ink, removing some ink from the stamp with a baby wipe before stamping.  Simple sentiments were added using Penny Black's Creative Dies, 51-025 Love Expressions.  

Thanks again for joining us in the STUDIO for all of our watercolor fun these past four weeks!  

Dr. Ph. Martin's, 7 of 8: Elizabeth

The watercolor trend has found it's way into the Studio!  Join us over the next four weeks as we ink up our paintbrushes (and fingers!) with Dr. Ph Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolors. 

Dr. Ph. Martin's

Additional Dr. Ph. Martin's Inspiration on their FACEBOOK PAGE

Using one of my favorite combinations again:  Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Watercolors and Inchie Arts Art Squares.

Did you know that a 3" Art Square has miniatures hidden inside?  This particular square was divided into canvases measuring 2 x 3 and 1 x 3.  Just think how cute three 1 x 3 canvases would be too!

Penny Black's "Noble" was stamped on the 3" Art Square in Desert Sand Memento ink.  This gave the image subtle definition for me to add my own inspirational interpretation with the Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Watercolors.

After finishing the watercoloring, I let the Art Square dry completely before trimming it into two sections and adding a sentiment.

The pieces were mounted with dimensional foam tape to card bases created from heavyweight watercolor paper.

 (Additional Inchie Arts information available 

on their BLOG and FACEBOOK page.)

[Supplies: Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Watercolors, Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White; Inchie Arts 3" Art Square; Penny Black: Noble 4377K; Imagine Crafts/Tsukineko: Desert Sand Memento; Liquitex White Gesso and Medium Gel Mat; Canson Watercolor Paper, 3M Scotch Dimensional Foam Tape]

Dr. Ph. Martin's, 6 of 8: Elizabeth

The watercolor trend has found it's way into the Studio!  Join us over the next four weeks as we ink up our paintbrushes (and fingers!) with Dr. Ph Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolors. 

Dr. Ph. Martin's

Additional Dr. Ph. Martin's Inspiration on their FACEBOOK PAGE

Picking up my drawing pencils and paint brushes to see what might be hidden in this Inchie Arts ATC Art Square.

She had so many beautiful thoughts that her hair blossomed into flowers.

Two ATC Inchie Art Squares were used for this tiny painting.  The first was used as a base for the sketch and the watercolors.  The second was trimmed to create a frame.

I love working with Dr. Ph. Martin's Hydrus Watercolors as many levels of color intensity can be achieved.  As you can see, everything is possible from brilliant flowers to soft skin tones.

As you probably guessed from reading my previous posts and hearing about my affection for Dr. Ph. Martin's Bleed Proof White, I did use it for the "starry" speckles.

The solid core of the Inchie Art Squares gives hand-cut frames a beautiful dimensional edge. They also provided a superb base on to which I could apply many layers of watercolors, clear gesso and medium gel mat without having to worry about the square warping or pilling.

(Additional Inchie Arts information available on their BLOG and FACEBOOK page.)

I'm excited, thrilled and honored that there will be a special announcement posted on the Inchie Arts Blog later this morning!

Dr. Ph. Martin's, 5 of 8: Jill

The watercolor trend has found it's way into the Studio!  Join us over the next four weeks as we ink up our paintbrushes (and fingers!) with Dr. Ph Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Watercolors. 

Dr. Ph. Martin's

Additional Dr. Ph. Martin's Inspiration on their FACEBOOK PAGE

I told you I thought I'd be having more watercolor fun with my Inchie Arts Art Squares; didn't I? :)  Today I'm working on a new 4" White Art Square.  Oh, how I love this size!

(Additional Inchie Arts information available on their BLOG and FACEBOOK page.)

To create this card, I used Penny Black's Creative Die 51-008 Bashful, but instead of using the actual die cut on the card, I used the negative piece left over as a stencil.  Holding the "stencil" over my Art Square, I added my water and paints.  Once dry, I also painted the background.  To this Art Square I also added additional distressing once the paints were dry. I used Memento inks in the colors of Peanut Brittle and Northern Pine.  The polka dot background was stamped using Penny Black 30-238 Footnotes using Peanut Brittle ink.  Because of the 4" size of the Art Square, not much else was needed to finish off this card.  I added a stamped sentiment (Penny Black), May Arts twine, a few pearls, and mounted it to a white notecard.