Pinkfresh Studio Liquid Watercolor Blog Hop!

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Hi everyone, I know it’s been awhile since I stopped in to share!  Instagram is my best friend these days with my hectic schedule; I can share a quick project or two in an instant. 

I’m here today because I got the chance to play with the new Liquid watercolors by PinkFresh Studio!  I would never pass up the chance to try some new paints.  I’m not normally the best stamper but I got my stamp on this time and created a few cards and a scrapbook page!   it’s hard to have the pretty stamps in your hands and not try them out.  And the cherry on top was I got to paint them in with the new Liquid Watercolors.

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I created a few cards using the flower stamps and painted them in using the liquid watercolors.  The lavender watercolor card was made by first using a big paint brush to paint around the edges.  You really have to water the purple color down a bit to get that soft lavender color and add splatters if you like.  I used one of the big floral stamps to create the main floral for both cards.  One I painted in pretty evenly into a soft spring colored bouquet.

The other card was a cardstock page that I used lots of different paints and sprays on.  It was actually a piece I had in my stash for a while and didn’t know what I would use it for yet.  I painted this stamp in a more haphazard way to make it a little more unique.  With watercolors sometimes you can start with a dab and then add a little water and you get something fun and colorful.

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I usually hand cut all of my pieces because it’s what I’ve always done but you can also use the die sets to cut your stamps out as well.  And then enjoy painting them in all sorts of ways.

I completed a scrapbook page as well and I wanted to show how you not only can use stamps as single images but you can also create larger details with them. 

For this page I used a pencil to make a light drawing around a page of cardstock.  Next I picked out stamps that I could use to make a little bit of a wreath with.  I painted in other flowers and details as well.  I love to see how certain stamps would look all bunched up together.  Sometimes the results are so surprising! You can add more details and other stamps to create totally new images.

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It’s Giveaway Time!

That’s all for me today but I hope that you will hop on over to the other blog pages for more inspiration.

The PinkFresh Studio blog will be giving away one set of watercolors on their blog, Instagram and Facebook if you want to enter on each of those.

Each blog will be giving away a 25$ gift card as well so do make the rounds and leave a comment on each blog. You can see the list below for the next blog to visit!

All winners will be announced on the PinkFresh blog on Sunday, June 10

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Fun with "Flourish"

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I got a chance to play with some of the goodies from the new Maggie Holmes "Flourish" collection and what can I say, it is all about spring!  These cool vine alphas caught my eyes as well as the stickers and embroidery pics. I tend to use things from all sorts of collections but their were so many fun things to work with in this one.

My page started with a page from an older collection that I used a bit of gesso to paint over and create more white space. I sprayed a little color using my color shine sprays.  Just a little goes a long way!  Then stencils to create dimension.  You can almost never go wrong with this effect and it comes out very pretty most times with just a little drying time.  I can never get through my mixed media journal but I can work one scrap page and finish it very quickly. I prefer to start with a neutral paper and play around with paint a little to make something unique, light and airy.  

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I painted a little watercolor Frame and leaves to be the focal point and then surrounded my frame with a few leaves and Maggie Holmes stickers. 

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I just wanted to pop in a share a few more pics of the full layout.  It's always hard for me to get over here and post to my blog.  

Take Care...

fresh ideas...

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I figured it was time to make it over and share a few pages with everyone.  I can't really get into a groove with my blogging at all but I eventually make it over to share a few things.  Working a full-time job and just the coming and goings of the day leave very little time for photos and blogging.  It seems that this winter has been particularly gloomy so in the afternoons when I am able to take photos there is no light at all.  So every now and then I get a lot of work done and I am able to share.  

This page might just be my favorite in a long while since I was able to use lots of watercolor things on it and the colors were just so springy! 

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For some reason circles are really inspiring me, perhaps it's pinterest or something I've seen lately. For some reason this one just came alive around a giant circle in the middle of the page. As I'm writing this I have another page just about finished that includes using a circle.  Most of my work is inspired by something which sparks a lot more after that until something makes me switch things up and try something else. 

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I paint a lot in the middle of the night but one day I hope to be able to record and share more with everyone about my process.  

Thanks for stopping today!

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New discoveries...

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There are so many moving parts to life and daily struggles and I find myself moving forwards and backwards all in the same day sometimes!  I haven't really shared too many photos or paper projects lately I think for one because I'm such a perfectionist and then also because of those daily backwards and forwards moments!  I had two post all ready to share a few weeks ago and then I just didn't because my photos were a little off light wise and I didn't think I could correct them.  Maybe they will end up on Pinterest or Facebook at some point.  And you know what comes next... kicking myself for not moving forward no matter what!  

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So no New Years resolutions here just admissions!  I'm a perfectionist and have single visions of outcomes and when things don't work out how I've planned I clam up!  This year is for figuring my way out around that because life is still p…

So no New Years resolutions here just admissions!  I'm a perfectionist and have single visions of outcomes and when things don't work out how I've planned I clam up!  This year is for figuring my way out around that because life is still passing by and I'm wasting time!  

I just wanted to share a color post today and hopefully get the ball rolling for 2018! I'm trying to be all in... there's no moving forward until you decide to move, no matter how small!

 

In the garden...

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Whenever I get around to blogging I just can't believe how much time has gone by!  All my intentions go out the window when work and constant day to day things get in the way.  But I do get my daily practice in however small of a time slot I have.  My watercolor practice has changed a bit and my acrylic floral abstracts have taken a back seat.  The challenge will always be that I have two loves,  watercolor and painting abstract florals.  

Until I feel that draw again I'll paint leaves and bouquets until I tire of them, when might be awhile.  Sketching is such a therapeutic process.  Sometimes I fill my kitchen table with a few paper pads and pull out all my watercolors, along with a coffee and music, and waste away the time in my own world!  

I wanted to share a current page I finished up this week!  It's quite a garden of fun florals!  Oh why can't I be nearer to peonies, and ranunculus, and wisteria... such wonderful flowers. I'm always a tad bit giddy over them in their lovely bunches!  This page is a ode to them!  

Happy Fall to everyone!  

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My Happy...

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I'm a big lover of watercolor as well as sketching and I adore making my own elements for scrapbooking.  It allows me to use whatever is swirling around in my head at the time. Right now it's all about the rich and fun colors of fall.  Mixing reds, oranges and gold the last few weeks has become a habit.  Every element of fall is inspiring to me from the golden leaves to chai lattes to the cooler temperatures!  

Lately I've been sketching away at some new things.  Things that are making me want to learn more about scrapbooking elements and how to create more of my own.  It's a little daunting to think about but I love creating and we will just have to see how it goes. 

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This page was creating using a lot of my own little elements as well as some Maggie Holmes chipboard stickers.  I love the minimalist watercolor feel, so light and airy.  I did forget to scan some of these elements first so I will be creating them again. It's been fun getting to the point where I can say that I like my style of illustration, there are so many awesome painters and illustrators out there. 

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I printed this photo onto a piece of vellum a long time ago and never got to use it, and it's been just sitting in my stash.  I love the letters over the photo.  I thought it was just right beneath the watercolor leaf frame. 

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Most of the elements I create are pretty random, I use whatever colors I have still sitting in my watercolor palette. Of course it's alway a little sparkle and iridescent medium added to my paints. Then when I'm inspired to make a page I cut the pieces out.  I'm working on a set of elements that might coordinate well with other scrapbooking supplies out there.  I'll share a few from time to time and also my progress along the way.  Hoping to start a newsletter and get a good idea of some things that people might be looking for.  Any good ideas, leave a comment!

Thanks for stopping in today...