Tag: Watercolor

BetterPress · Die cutting · Mixed Media

How to Create Mixed Media Backgrounds for Your Cards

Karen Brown1 Comment

Creating mixed media backgrounds is one of the most fulfilling ways to express creativity in cardmaking, and it’s a fantastic way to showcase your favorite tools and techniques. In this project, I flipped my usual process by starting with the background, rather than the focal point. The emphasis here is on the Script Text BetterPress Plate, an intricate design with a vintage, not-quite-legible script that adds the perfect textured backdrop.

🛠 Step-by-Step Instructions

  • Start with the Background: For this project, the focus was the Script Text BetterPress Plate. Begin by die cutting an oval template using the Scallops and Stitched Edge Ovals die set. Save the oval itself, but use the negative panel (with the oval opening) as an inking guide.
  • Ink with BetterPress: Place the panel over the Script Text BetterPress Plate and use Best Ever Craft Tape to hold it in place. Ink only the oval opening using Black BetterPress ink on Porcelain BetterPress Paper.
  • Important: Remove the inking guide before running the plate through your Platinum 6 machine.
    • 🐢 Tip: Use “SUPER SLOMO” speed to get the best letterpress impression.
  • Add a Watercolor Wash: Apply a light Salty Ocean watercolor wash to the center oval portion of your letterpressed background. Let dry completely.
  • Stamp Texture: Using Hero Arts Mixed Textures Stamp Set, ink up some paint splatter stamps with Salty Ocean and lightly mist the stamp with water for a more vintage look. Stamp the background 3-4 times.
  • Add Paint Splatters: Use a fan brush to add Salty Ocean paint splatters for added depth.
  • Distress the Panel Further:
    • Dilute Salty Ocean on your craft mat.
    • Dab a small portion the background panel into the ink pool 3–4 times.
    • Let the ink run slightly for an authentic mixed media effect.
  • Die Cut Blooms: Use the Layered Wildflower die set by Lisa Horton to create floral accents. This entire project features elements from Lisa Horton’s Wildflower Collection.
  • Sentiment Touch: Use a “For You” wax seal from a previous Wax Seal of the Month Kit.
  • Final Touches:

💌 Bonus Project: Layered Die Cut Background

For a second card using the same supplies:

  • Begin with a plaid base in navy, merlot, and aqua. This was cardstock I bought at a Cardmaking Convention.
  • Layer a Merlot scallop oval, Nautical Navy oval, and a Waterfall stitched oval using the Scallop and Stitched Edge Ovals dies and ColorWheel Cardstock.
  • Spotlight a single merlot wildflower die cut from Lisa Horton’s Layered Wildflower set.
  • Add a gold bow (included in the die set) for a subtle accent.
  • Finish with a “From the Heart” sentiment — a versatile option, perfect for sympathy cards.

I hope you found some inspiration today.

Handmade mixed media card featuring letterpress script background, watercolor textures, and layered wildflower die cuts from Lisa Horton’s Wildflower Collection.

Thanks for stopping by!

BetterPress · cardmaking

Cozy Little Hello Cards with BetterPress: Winnie the Pooh Scenes

Karen Brown1 Comment
Step into the nostalgia of the Hundred Acre Wood with these Winnie the Pooh-inspired hello cards! Using BetterPress letterpress plates, I crafted three unique designs that bring timeless charm to life. From sepia-toned simplicity to vibrant watercolor scenes, these cards capture heartwarming moments perfect for sending a cheerful note.

Few things evoke a sense of nostalgia and warmth quite like the timeless charm of Winnie the Pooh. Using Spellbinders new Friendly Moments BetterPress letterpress plates, I created three unique hello cards that capture moments from the Hundred Acre Wood. Each design features a distinct artistic style, from sepia simplicity to watercolor wonder, and they’re all perfect for sending a heartfelt note.

If you’re new to BetterPress or want to refine your skills, check out my previous blog post, “9 Tips, Tricks and Insights for Spellbinders BetterPress Machine,” for helpful advice on how to achieve perfect impressions every time.

You might also enjoy reading my recent post: A Birthday Card Full of Whimsy: Winnie the Pooh and Piglet Scene

I have links to the key products at the bottom of this blog post.

Now let’s take a closer look at these enchanting creations!

Duo of Winnie the Pooh BetterPress handmade cards from Spellbinders Classic Pooh Collection.

Card 1: Watercolor Wonder

Hello card showing a colorful Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin scene, hand-painted with Inktense Watercolor Pencils over a black BetterPress impression.

I used a heartwarming scene of Christopher Robin and Pooh on the bridge and added a pop of color with Inktense Watercolor Pencils and a damp round paint brush. Pressed with Black ink on Watercolor Paper, the BetterPress impression provides crisp lines that beautifully anchor the soft, vibrant hues of the watercolors. And there was no ink bleeding when watercoloring with the BetterPress Inks! The river sparkles in shades of blue, the bridge has rustic wooden tones, and Pooh’s honey-yellow fur shines against the greenery. The Hello Sentiment is from A Friend Like You set. The card base is Cup O Joe, which is a perfect pairing for this scene. This card is a great way to add touch of whimsy and joy to someone’s day.

Card 2: Sepia Simplicity…So Quick and Easy to Make!
Vintage-inspired Winnie the Pooh hello card featuring Christopher Robin and Pooh on a bridge, pressed with Bark brown ink for a sepia look.

This second card exudes vintage charm with a sepia-inspired look. The scene of Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh on a bridge, gazing at a flowing river, is pressed with Bark brown ink for a classic, monochromatic feel. The texture and detail of the BetterPress plate truly shine, creating a design that’s simple yet sophisticated. Paired with a Cup O Joe card base, this card is a perfect nod to Pooh’s timeless stories.

This second card was so quick and easy to create and I think it would make a wonderful set of notecards to give as a gift.

Card 3: Polaroid Nostalgia

Whimsical Winnie the Pooh and Piglet hello card framed in a Polaroid-style die cut and colored with vibrant watercolors.

The third card captures a tender moment of Winnie the Pooh and Piglet walking down a quiet road, their backs turned to the viewer. To frame this scene, I used a Polaroid-style die cut frame and label, which adds a playful, nostalgic touch. After pressing the scene in Black ink onto Watercolor Paper, I brought it to life with Derwent Inktense Watercolor Pencils, creating a soft, storybook aesthetic. The vivid colors and the Polaroid look make this card feel like a treasured memory captured in time.

Key Products Used in the Post:

Each of these Winnie the Pooh cards brings a unique flavor of nostalgia and artistry. Which one is your favorite?

Mixed Media · papercrafting · Tutorial

Colorful Cityscape Mixed Media Card | Hero Arts

Karen BrownLeave a comment
Cityscape Hero Arts Mixed Media Card

I recently attended Hero Arts Mixed Media Stamp Along and found it so informative! This card was inspired by @cheiron and her wonderful class. I used different products and colors so my card doesn’t look anything like Cheiron’s, but her class gave me the creative spark for my card. Sometimes it is fun to get inky and messy!

For this card, I was trying to simulate a Dove flying over a city at sunrise. I knew I wanted a bold background to contrast with the white Dove. 

My Process:

  • I put 5 sunrise colors of reactive ink (colors listed below) on my craft mat and spritzed with a bit of water and then painted bands of vertical color all over my watercolor cardstock panel. There is no right or wrong way just start painting! I dried and repeated two more times. During the process I also added drips of color.
  • I love Hero Rub-On Transfers and I added parts of the city map from Collage Backgrounds to three spots on my background.
  • Using Indigo and Splash Inks, I stamped the city grid from the Mixed Textures stamp set.
  • I added texture with the Cobblestone Stencil. In some places I used just Gold Hero Paste and on others I rubbed just a bit of Black Hero Wax on the Stencil and then added Gold Hero Paste. I really love the black wax and gold paste combined together.
  • Using a splatter box (for me a repurposed cardboard box) I added three layers of splatters and dried in between each color. White, Blue Shimmer and Orange Shimmer. I love the complexity the shimmer splatters add!
  • I trimmed my background using the Rounded Rectangles Infinity Die set and then lightly inked the edges with Indigo Core Ink.
  • I die cut my Dove and sentiment 3 times and then glued the components together.
Handmade Card with Dove and Olive Branch Die - DF192

Supplies Used:

This card has LOTS of layers, but it did not take as long to complete as I would have guessed….60-90 minutes.

What do you think?

Best Of · cardmaking · Rainbow Colors

The Best of 2023 | Altenew

Karen BrownLeave a comment

Hello friends! I am so excited to be participating again in Altenew’s A Year In Review Instagram Hop. I really enjoyed looking back through my projects and selecting some favorite creations.

Rainbow Color Cards

Best Handmade Cards of 2023

Interestingly, all of these cards were in blog posts I created in March! The first three were part of Altenew’s March Release, which I think knocked it out of the park. This was also my most popular blog post for 2023.

The first card (above) makes a “2 For 1” card and you can read the post HERE plus see the second card.

Products Used:

Best cards with watercolor markers

This Sweet Blossoms Layering Die Set is a real beauty and is definitely a new favorite!

Rainbow Arch Hugs card,

Altenew’s  Archway Die Set is so fun and is perfect for mass producing cards.  All you need to do is change up the order of each rainbow arch.

Tips for Making Vibrant Colorful Cards

The next two cards were from a blog post I wrote called Tips for Making Vibrant Colorful Cards, and you can find that post HERE.

This Hello card was so easy to make and it was my #1 card on Instagram.

Best card with rainbow stripe background

Products Used on This Card:

Best Hello Friends Card

Products Used:

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Karen

cardmaking

Altenew Celebrating Watercolors Blog Hop + Giveaway ($300 in Total Prizes!

Karen Brown62 Comments
Framed watercolor Poppy from Altenew's Watercolor Coloring Book

Altenew’s 36 Pan Watercolor Set

Hello friends! Did you know it is World Watercolor Month? To celebrate, Altenew is hosting a grand Blog Hop with LOTS of prizes and inspiration.

I LOVE Altenew’s watercolor products and I used them on my framed project. I started with the Poppy from Altenew’s Coloring Book and I painted it with the 36 Pan Set and Artists Brushes.

Watercolor Poppy for World Watercolor Month using the Altenew 36 Pan Set

The coloring book is such a great idea!  There are 12 designs…24 printed pages on good quality watercolor paper.  Each design has a black outline and a “no-line” outline.  I am going on vacation soon and this coloring book will be making the trip as it is so packable. Grab the book, brushes and watercolors and I am set for hours of creating.  I also think this would make a great gift!  

I went slow while I painted and added layer upon layer of color.  For me, this is the secret to watercolor painting.  Add color and blend with a damp brush with clean water, let dry and repeat. The quality of the paper in the coloring book allowed me to add lots of layers without any worry about the paper breaking down.

This no-line Poppy was loads of fun to paint!  I didn’t mix the paints but used the color right out of the pans.  Lovely and feminine.  I did add a few accents to the flower’s center with a black pen and white gel pen.

Pink watercolor Altenew Poppy.
Altenew’s Coloring Book

Giveaway Prizes

$300 in total prizes! To celebrate this special blog hop, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 2 lucky winners and a $25 gift certificate to 8 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 08/05/2022 for a chance to win. Altenew will draw 10 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 08/09/2022.

Blog Hop Order

Altenew

Jenny Colacicco

Kelly Taylor

Therese Calvird

Amber Rain Davis

Seeka

Virginia Lu

Tina Smith

Ishani Sai

Isha Gupta

Tenia Nelson

Joylita Dsouza

Karen Brown

Sandhya Iyer

Terri Koszler

LauraJane

Hussena Calcuttawala

Nenette Madero

As always, I am so very happy that you stopped by!

Karen

Uncategorized

Altenew Paint-A-Flower: Clematis & Artist Alcohol Markers Release Blog Hop + Giveaway

Karen Brown35 Comments


Altenew Clematis Paint-A-Flower

Hello  and welcome to the blog hop for the February release of the Altenew Paint-A-Flower series and Artists Marker Sets F & G.   This month\’s Clematis stamp is GORGEOUS and so fun to create with.  Altenew releases a new Paint-A-Flower each month and you can subscribe HERE so you don\’t miss a single set.

Altenew Clematis Watercolor


I spent an enjoyable and relaxing Sunday afternoon painting this beauty.  When my kit arrived, I saw soft blues as I started planning my card.  For the flowers, I used pale blue with soft lavendar shadows and pink highlights.  I kept with the muted look by adding pale green leaves and the fencing was painted with watery yellow and tan.  I added a hint of grey to the background and called it done.  I used watercolor markers for a fresh bright watercolor look.

Altenew Clematis Watercolor Card


This is an interesting floral stamp as you can use it both vertically and horizontally.   I added my favorite Painted Grid Washi Tape along two sides and the included sentiment \”Life Is Beautiful\”.   I finished the card off with a couple of pearl grey New Day Enamel Dots.  A fresh and lovely spring card.  


Altenew F and G Artist Alcohol Markers

Pink, Yellow, Green, Aqua and Violet Altenew markers

Water Garden Artist Alcohol Markers Set G

Altenew is also releasing two new sets of Artists Markers and I thought it would be fun to try them out by coloring the same image with both sets.   Weekend Doodles is one of my all time favorites sets so I decided to use it for both cards.  Water Garden Artist Alcohol Markers Set G is full of lovely aquas, lavenders and browns.  I wanted the flowers to be the star of this card so I used the   Cross Stitch Canvas Cover Die to create a clean and simple background that adds a bit of texture and interest but keeps the focus on the floral elements.
Altenew Aqua and Violet Alcohol Markers

Such lovely colors in this marker set!

Altenew Aqua and Violet Alcohol Markers

Sunshine Valley Garden Artist Alcohol Markers Set F

Sunshine Valley Garden Artist Markers SET \”F\” is  full of beautiful pinks, yellows and greens.  For this card I wanted a coordinating background, so using my 36 pan watercolors, I painted pink (which I toned down with some green) on a watercolor panel and let dry.  I then embossed the panel with the  Modern Squares 3D folder , which gives beautiful dimension to your backdrop.  This folder is one of my new “go to” backgrounds.  I added some pink, purple and black spatters because I thought the panel looked too sweet.  

Altenew Weekend Doodles + Altenew Sunshine Valley Garden Set F markers + Modern Squares 3D embossing folder

The Tea Party Enamel Dots coordinate beautifully with this set of markers.

Altenew pink, yellow and green Artist Markers.
This graphic shows the colors that come in each set.
BLOG HOP LINK

Giveaway Prizes

$200 in total prizes! To celebrate this release, Altenew is giving away a $50 gift certificate to 2 lucky winners and a $20 gift certificate to 5 winners! Please leave a comment on the Altenew Card Blog and/or each designer’s blog post on the blog hop list below by 02/28/2021 for a chance to win. 

Altenew will draw 7 random winners from the comments left on each stop of this blog hop and announce the winners on the Altenew Winners Page on 03/02/2021.


BLOG HOP PARTICIPANTS:

Your next stop is: Svitlana Shayevich

Altenew Card Blog

Jaycee Gaspar

Vicky Papaioannou

Emily Midgett

Jenny Colacicco

Nicole Watt

LauraJane

Amber Rain Davis

Michelle Short

Norine Borys

Seeka

Therese Calvird

Kelly Griglione

Nathalie DeSousa

Dana Joy

Terri Koszler

Virginia Lu

Tina Smith

Laurie Willison

Verity Biddlecombe

Maryam Perez

Preeti Chandran

Agnieszka Małyszek

Karen Brown

Svitlana Shayevich

Anna Mahtani

Lilith Eeckels

Barb Engler

Tenia Nelson

Christine Pennington

Teresa Litchfield

Amanda Baldwin

Yoonsun Hur

Cheryl Espie

Kelly Latevola

Thanks for hopping by!

Karen






Uncategorized

Multi Media Cards With Loads of Gorgeous Texture

Karen Brown4 Comments

Hello, hello and welcome!  I am excited to share a couple of cards that I made after taking Demystifying Mixed Media at Altenew Academy.  I think I can safely say this is the most fun class I\’ve taken to date.  Tania Ahmed is a wonderful and inspiring instructor and I went crazy making backgrounds!  I made 7 cards and 8 backgrounds, two of which I am showcasing in this blog post.  I will be sharing the rest of the cards in future posts.  


I love that there are really no rules with mixed media. It seems the best thing to do is lay out your messiest supplies and then select a bunch for each card.  Do not be a minimalist when experimenting with multi-media.

This first background was made by hand-dipping the background and custom tinting my embossing paste.  

  • I mixed Zig Cobalt Blue with water and Irridescent Shimmer Spray and then dipped a piece of Bristol cardstock into the colorful puddle.  I dried the panel and then repeated.
  • I tinted my Embossing Paste with Carved Pumpkin distress ink for a fallish vibe.  
  • I swiped the embossing paste over my stencil with a palette knife.  I wanted a rough look so I didn\’t cover the entire stencil and I made sure there was a variety of thickness to the paste. 
  • While the embossing paste was wet, I sprinkled just a bit of Peach Embossing Powder on the paste and then heat set. I love the texture and interest it adds. 
  • I heat embossed Altenew\’s Best Mom spray (in brown) and then watercolored and die-cut the image.  
I think the aqua, sherbet and brown make for a very striking card.

My second card uses watercolored embossing paste, tulle (a first on a card for me) and loads of paint splatters.

  • I applied texture paste through the Feathered Leaves Stencil and then heat set.
  • Using diluted watercolors mixed with shimmer spray, I loosely colored the background in blue and yellow.
  • Using a damp paint brush, I feathered the watercolor edges and then dabbed with a cloth to soften the edges.
  • I added blue, yellow and black paint splatters.  
  • I stamped, watercolored and die cut the  Weekend Doodles floral spray.
  • I cut an oval from some tulle gift wrapping ribbon and glued to the back of the floral spray and then adhered the combo to the card base.
  • I added a simple sentiment embellished with Painted Grid Washi Tape.

I am also playing along with:

Creative Artiste\’s Mixed Media Challenge I used paint, shimmer spray, embossing paste, embossing powder and of course paper.  

The Flower Challenge #49 \”Circles\”  I love the textured circles on this background.

UPDATE:  The top card won at The Flower Challenge \”Circles\” Challenge

I hope you will stop by in the near future and see the rest of the Multi-Media cards that I created.

Karen

Uncategorized

WWC292 – Dawn\’s Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

Karen Brown8 Comments

 Hello, hello and welcome!  I created this card for this week\’s Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  I recently took Altenew\’s Artist\’s Watercolor 101 course taught by Emily Midgett and the last class was on painting \”white\” flowers.  Such a pretty look but I had never attempted anything like it.

I started by heat embossing these big beautiful blooms (Picket Fence Studio Lily Coloring Class stamp).  Next I created a diluted grey watercolor halo around the flowers.  I started close to the image and then pulled the water out with a damp brush.  To ensure my brush didn\’t have too much water I dabbed it on a stamp shammy. This really helps me control the amount of water I use.  I let this layer dry completely.

Next I started on the blooms.  I added very diluted grey shadows but remembered it is important to leave some uncolored white areas so the flower appears to be white.  I then added bits of diluted blue and pink. Lastly, to brighten the bloom, I added hints of yellow to the edges of the petals.

I finished the background by adding diluted blue up close the the bloom and then moving the watercolor around the panel.  I did the same with pink and yellow so the colors of the flower and background were the same. 

This watercolor technique is very delicate and understated but is beautiful in person!

I am also playing along with:

Thank you for stopping by!
Karen





Uncategorized

Altenew Academy Watercolor 101

Karen Brown8 Comments
Hello, hello and welcome!  I was so pleased to learn that I passed the Altenew Academy Level 2 Final and can now begin working on Level 3 courses!  For my first level 3 class I chose to take Artist\’s Watercolor 101 taught by Emily Midgett.  It may be my favorite class to date!  Emily\’s explanations and demonstrations are excellent and so easy to follow.  I had so much fun during this class that I included two cards in this blog post encompassing three of Emily\’s lessons.

I watercolored the lotus using techniques in we learned in Lesson 2:  Basic Watercoloring and the background is from Lesson 3:  Ombre Backgrounds. I chose to use the lotus stamp because the \”sketched lines\” help indicate where the shadow should go.  
My Process:

I wanted to use fall colors so I started by heat embossing the bloom with chocolate brown embossing powder. Emily taught us to slightly elevate the panel and then slowly build layers of color starting at the inked lines and then pulling the color out with a damp brush.  The watercolors were fairly diluted.  I started with yellow, then moved to orange, then scarlet and then a more concentrated scarlet in the deepest shadows.  The first layers should have with widest application of color and each new layer should stay closer to the inked lines.

Keys to Remember:  
  1. In the past, I think I\’ve had too much water on my brush. Emily showed us that if you dab your brush on a stamp shammy you will have the correct amount of water.  This really helped me.
  2. Use fairly diluted watercolors.
  3. Keep the tip of the brush pointing away from you. Rotate the paper and use the slant of the board to move the paint.
  4. Remember to let each layer dry before beginning on the next layer.


I wanted a coordinating background so I used the same colors that I used to paint the lotus.  I taped the watercolor panel to a board to reduce warping, elevated the board and then started painting at the top with a #12 brush.  We learned to put darker color at the top and then pull the color down with a damp brush. Keep adding color and then maneuvering the color around with a damp brush.  Flip the board, skip an area and then add the third color then pull the color toward with scarlet.  Pull color down and push the middle color up.  Continue adding layers of color and keep blending.  I die cut the lotus, heat embossed a sentiment on cocoa card stock, assembled with foam tape and added some buttercream jewels.  I like how bright, intense and cohesive the color palette is.  I am very pleased with this card.

I find no-line watercoloring very intimidating so I was eager to start lesson #5.  I feel like it is an advanced technique but Emily broke the steps down in such a way that I was comfortable painting.  I thought it would be fun to compare and contrast the same lotus flower painted with the two different techniques.
            
Emily recommends no line stamping with Ink on 3 Fadeout.  This was my first time using this ink and it worked well.  The key to no line watercoloring is to maintain contrast between the light and dark areas.
I started with fairly diluted paint, put my first color down and then pulled it out with a damp brush.  Skip to an area that does not touch and then repeat the process until the first layer is down.  After the first layer is dry, start with the second color but don\’t cover all of the first layer. Dry and add color 3 to the nooks and crannies.  Do not add the third color to each petal as this keeps interesting contrast.  Add the 4th color to the darkest shadow areas.  

For the background, I randomly stamped \”mini branches\” on about half the background with pink. Next, starting at the top, I ink blended a gradient toward the bottom. The bottom third of the card does not have any color.

I assembled the card and added a navy die-cut sentiment and some water drop embellishments.  

Here are both cards side by side. Which do you like best?
Altenew Featured Products: Here
I also wanted to play along with:
The Rainbow Card Challenge #21 Autumnal Amber.  I am submitting my first card that was done in shades of autumnal amber.  
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Karen









Uncategorized

Altenew Academy: Color Your Day

Karen Brown3 Comments

I just finished this card for Altenew Academy\’s Color Your Day and I wanted to share it.  This is the second class I\’ve taken with Therese Calvird, and she is an excellent instructor!  She is creative, calm and explains her lessons well.


Today\’s card was inspired by Lesson #1. Therese showed us some loose watercoloring and I loved the color blue she used (Tombow #493).  She also suggested that we leave a little white around the edges and I really like that look.
My process:  I stamped my blooms and leaves on watercolor paper with Versafine Onyx black ink.  I then partially colored the images and then used a wet brush to move the color around.  I was sure to leave a bit of white around the edges.  Therese also suggested using just a hint of neutral for the flowers center, which is really pretty. Normally I would color the centers yellow.  I added some clear glossy accents to the flower centers.  
Supplies:
Altenew Smile More stamp and die bundle
Versafine Onyx Black Ink
Watercolor Paper
Tombow Markers:  493, 443, N45, 173, 133
Nuvo Crystal Glaze
Spellbinders Essential Rectangles for the frame
Foam tape for the three blooms and sentiment
Liquid glue for the other elements.

I also wanted to play along with:

I am so pleased that you stopped by!
Karen