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4/17/2016

Christmas Card Club - Berries

Good afternoon on a sunny & warm Sunday. Today's post is for our Christmas Card Club where our Mrs. A had chosen a theme of Berries. Before I get to that, however, I'd like to announce that the blog candy winner, Jenny L. of Cardsarus has contacted me, and her new Schtuff will soon be on the way over the pond to her! Thanks everyone for all your sweet comments & joining in. Wish I could have selected Everyone!

One other caveat and I need to go edit the Woodie post to add this, but I'll say it here as well:
The soda can metal can have sharp edges. It's fun to work with, easy to cut off the top & bottom of the can. (Mr. makes a poke hole into the metal with a utility knife, then cuts off the top & bottom. I cut the metal to size using the Tim Holtz scissors, but any scissors should cut the metal. It's very thin. However would not use the good sewing scissors to do this). You can use dies with this metal too. I'll be happy to answer any questions you might have, but there's videos available showing how to do this with the alcohol inks.

As I've stated here before, I'm pretty rubbish with water coloring. I keep trying to get better though, and have tried with different weights & grades of water color paper (hot & cold press). Different mediums. When I saw the theme Berries, I knew there was a great Penny Black image in my stash that would work to try water coloring. (HA!) The image is berry merry Christmas.

I tried different mediums with this image, and will explain for each effort.


1st effort

- (1) inked up with DI pumice  and used Zig Brush markers & would have been ok with this effort, but for the bleeding. Tried wetting the area, blotting, still not great. Sooo....

2nd effort
 
-(2) hunted up the gelatos and inked the stamp, spritzed water, and stamped. This is the 2nd generation stamping, which I started on first, in case I messed up. Which I did! I wanted to outline around the berries with the Zig brush, and try to move that color in towards the center. You can see where I stopped cause it was going nowhere!
 
3rd effort
-(3) this was the first generation effort with the gelatos, and I liked it ok, but again, just not able to move that line of Zig brush color in smoothly as I was trying to do. I kept with it, hoping it would get better, and perhaps this might eventually be usable - for something!
 
TA-DA!
 
4th effort
(4)This time inked with the Tsukineko brush markers, spritzed and stamped. I really liked this look better than any of the others, but still wanted to try for a faint outline at the berry edge, and smooth the darker color into the berry to get some definition of the image. To my eye, this just looked like blobs if you didn't add in some separation. Colored the berries, branch & stems. Trying very hard to not have bleeding. Red is _such_ a hard color to work with  - for me anyway - was my challenge when I was learning to color with copics too. Anyway, I was feeling a bit better about my efforts on _this_ one. Let it dry very well, then came back with the Zigs to add some background color. Instead of trying to lay the color directly from the pen brush onto the image, splashed some of the 2 shades of blue intended for the background, onto an acrylic stamp block. Used the water brush to dilute & combine the colors. Starting from the edges of the berries, laid down the color, and tried to smooth out towards the edges, hoping not to cause bleeding. Slightly wet this area with the brush before beginning, but tried to keep it not so wet up close to the image to avoid bleeds.
 
 
Used S/B Label 4 to die cut the image before starting to color, and left in the die so there would be a white edge when the background was laid in. Faux mat from gold paper.
 
S/B Arched Elegance die cut twice from a snippet of red gold dots dp.  Adhered the 2 pieces together onto a red snippet in a deeper color which topped the card base.
 
- Outline sticker sentiment and some red berry stickers finished off the card. Folks, I worked hard on this one, and like I said before, the watercolor magic just is not happening for me! I keep on trying periodically though!!!
 
I do hope you'll check out what my fellow Card Club Members have shared. I'm late with this card, so apologies. The links to their blogs are on the right side bar.
 
Additionally, I'm behind with commenting, so I'll do my best to get round to everyone who has left such sweet & generous comments on the past several cards. Hugs & Blessings to all of you. Hope the coming week will be a wonderful one.







54 comments:

  1. You sound like me on this watercoloring effort - but your end result is so pretty - unlike what I do! Love those pretty berries and your card. The gold accents are so pretty.
    I just got through trying the Zigs - once again - but it's still a work in progress with me.
    Lynn

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  2. Very lovely card Mary.Nice image too.
    Gr, Elly

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  3. Wow, Mary, I admire your many attempts at trying out mediums to achieve such a beautiful, natural look! Your card is wonderful - very artistic - and the berries truly to look magical - as though they allowed themselves to remain red, so that the first icy chill could magically transform them in Christmas ornaments for the birds! Love it! hugs, de

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  4. My words Mary, certainly a lot of time and effort has gone into the making of this card, hope the recipient appreciates it. But you got there in the end, a lovely card.

    Kath x

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  5. Thanks for the explanation on how you have worked with the soda can.
    Your tries with different colours and water have had finally a wonderful result, these berries look great (and so yummy!LOL)! Fabulous! Love the design of your card, too, it gives the right space to the image!
    Hugs

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  6. Your colouring looks wonderful to me on your berries Mary, lovely image and details.
    Pam x

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  7. Oh Mary this is gorgeous.....those berries look so plump....and colourful.....I keep having a go at water colours but I am rubbish....I just love the effect on your card,and the gold and red mats really make the image pop...well done!....xxxxx

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  8. Well done for your patience and you ended up with a beautiful result. The first one looks great to me too Mary and I hadn't noticed the bleeding till you pointed it out. Congratulations on a lovely berries Christmas card. Barbxx

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  9. I have problems with watercolours too Mary, so you're definitely not alone. Don't think I have the same patience as you! I love your end result though, such a classy card. Carol x

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  10. this is so very pretty - lovely! Gorgeous cards you made with it Mary x

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  11. Wow you worked hard on this Mary. Thank you for all the information about the colouring and technique. A beautiful card. Zx

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  12. I love the effect that you achieved Mary! They look like chilled berries waiting on hungry little birds! Love the layout too, the gold frame and the die cut behind give a very sophisticated look to the card. It may have taken a while - but remember Rome wasn't built in a day either!! LOL

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  13. Hi Mary
    Stunning Watercolouring... Fabulous cards....
    Hugs Sylvie xx

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  14. You've created a beautiful card here Mary, your image turned out perfectly in the end, perseverance is the key :) A super card for the theme.
    Lorraine

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  15. You did well Mary --still haven't tried water color. Heck, I have tried 98% of the techniques out there. I do know from my Copic days that red was very hard and bled easily. Congratulations for trying and keeping on!
    Sandy xx

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  16. You have put such a lot of effort Mary into making this card and the resulting card is a triumph. I love your card. Your berries are superb as is your explanation of how you make your cards along the way. I 'm glad you stuck with it and tried m=out my berry theme
    Hugs Mrs A.

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  17. P.S. you might just want to check out my butterfly challenge!!!!!
    Hugs Mrs A.

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  18. Love you water colour card Mary. Looks so pretty and the colouring looks fabulous. Hugs Rita xx

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  19. Congrats for keeping with it, and I must admit - you have way more patience than I do! It turned out quite pretty after all your efforts, and you deserve a break after all that work! NJ!

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  20. Wow that was a lot of working on these berries, but well worth it. Have a nice day.

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  21. The end result looks amazing, Mary!! I love the pretty berries!! They look so gorgeous!! Beautiful card my friend!! Have a great evening!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  22. This is beautiful Mary and the gold and then the red with gold dots die cuts look great against that dark red and the berries are wonderful using the brush markers. I personally think the first one is really pretty and the slight bleeding can be part of the finished look but I too have found it hard to accept that watercolouring and precision do not naturally go hand in hand, but you are far more patient than me as I would probably have given up on it much sooner..lol. Thank you for showing us how you got there and the end result was really worth all the effort. x

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  23. Amazing how the different results vary Mary and an interesting experiment to show us all, how they vary from soft and muted right through to bold and beautiful. I think the one you finally decided on for your card incorporates the best of all four as it is soft and delicate to the left graduating to stronger colours at the right.

    And you were spot on with the Brushos, why on earth I wrote Dylusions I have no idea at all and more so why I didn't pick it up when I read through the post before it published.

    B x

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  24. Hi Mary, I love the card. You've done a fab job of doing the berries.

    Hope you have a good start to the week. Sue

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  25. Sometimes it is difficult to decide wich medium to use, but this is such a good way to make that descision! And great to just show us! Have a fun week!

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  26. A beautiful striking card with fabulous colours...great design.xx
     {aNNie}

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  27. Oh, I've tried watercolouring so many times in the past, Mary, but I just can't get a result I really like!!!!! I think it might be the paper I use. But you have done a great job with your berries - it looks great!!!! Love how you have framed it and kept everything rather simple to have the berries really shine!!! Beautiful!!
    Have a great day!!!
    Hugz

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  28. Hello Mary, my what a gorgeous card and the red and gold is so warm and rich looking. I love your berries done in watercolour, and what a brilliant job you've made too. your card design is fabulous, a super card for the challenge, Kate x

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  29. Well Mary, I for one loved your first attempt and I wouldn't have noticed where you mopped up the bleeding until you pointed it out! I also love the final one you used on the card! I have the same problem as you with water-colouring, I find it so uncontrollable! This is why I stick mainly to pencils for my colouring . . . I can control them better! Have a very lovely week my friend!! Hazel xx
    My Card Attic

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  30. That is so beautiful Mary!
    xoxo Olga

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  31. Stunning card Mary, your end effect is perfect, I always like your detailed descriptions.

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  32. How beautiful! I've been wanting to try this technique and the tip on using gelatos is great! Love this so much, Mary!

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  33. Mary, very pretty Christmas card. The berry theme is fun. I like all your renditions of the stamping but I really like #1. It's so vibrant. And my thought on water coloring is that it does bleed and look watery. But nicely done. I'm definitely not an expert at water coloring either. Have a wonderful week. Thanks for sharing your thought process!

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  34. I feel your pain Momma Mary! lol Everyone makes watercoloring look so dang easy, but I struggle too. I love the look, but don't do great, but then again I don't practice as much as I should. Practice makes perfect so I've heard. lol Is the first image the image from the stamp??? Because that one looks great. I don't think your efforts looked all that bad, but I know we tend to be very hard on ourselves. I do love your end results though. Your card looks amazing and I am totally loving that stamp! Hugs, Brenda

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  35. I don't know but I think all 3 are pretty good. I could see the first one be a background image for the 3rd image. It is truly lovely and I like the framework around it.

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  36. Your efforts paid off, Mary--a gorgeous wc card!

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  37. Mary you are so hard on yourself, this is so beautiful, the colouring is (in my eyes) perfect, you've set it off with a beautiful die and the background brings it all together beautifully. The stickers add that little something a beautiful card.

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  38. And that right there is why I don't even try water coloring!
    Good for you for being persistent, and what a great end result!

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  39. I struggle with watercoloring Mary but I shall use your post as a masterclass...the end result is gorgeous and the shading is perfect on those berries xx

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  40. Mary, all of your images look good. I think the thing with watercolouring is that there are so many different techniques each with it's own look that really anything goes!

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  41. Mary, I cannot watercolour at all (it is on my wish list to learn) but you CAN!! Well done for persevering because the end result is wonderful (in truth I love the first one too because watercolours do bleed and I think that is what I like about them - the fact that perfection is not always necessary). I say Bravo to you my friend!! Hugs, Anne xx

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  42. TBH I loved the first attempt and I think the very slight bleeding added to the watercolour effect -but loved the finished card
    Carol x

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  43. Lovely card Mary = I think the thing with water colour is to let it do it's own thing - we cannot truly control it. I liked both the first and the forth images.
    Blessings
    a

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  44. Awesome card with such a pretty image.

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  45. Mm, Mary was behind in commenting too, but think I've caught up, love this trial, very interesting.
    Just so you know red is one of the most unstable of colours and fades the fastest of any of the three primary colours, so you're not alone in your difficulty in colouring it.
    That being said your final card is magnificent, I agree it looks best, and beautiful layout too.
    Thanks so much for the inspiration,
    Shaz in Oz.x

    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

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  46. I like that first image, Mary! In fact all of them are pretty and very different from each other. Thanks for sharing all the different techniques and products. Red is so hard to work with. No matter what the product it bleeds and is impossible to completely mop up. I find it hard to get a real red too. More often it turns pink. I do love your berries and this beautiful Christmas card!

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  47. I admire your tenacity in trying so many things to finish this card. We are so critical of our own work but this card came out really great. There is definition and the colors are good. The gold mat really shows it off and the gold Merry Christmas ties it altogether. I recently had to walk away from a card because I just couldn't get it. Sometimes you just have to do that!

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  48. You got there in the end, super result! But I like those you didn't too, a bit of bleeding doesn't matter, at least not with this style. I think it gives an artistic and homemade touch...

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  49. Now I know I left a comment here on Sunday but Mr Blogger is obviously not my friend this weekand has sent it off into the ether somewhere. This is a gorgeous card and a lot of work has gone into it. You have made me feel guilty with my simple efforts! Hugs Christine xx

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  50. What a lovely card, Mary ... delicate and pretty ... and so worth all the effort you put in! To my eyes, though, each of the berry branches you worked on is worthy of either putting straight onto a card or finishing off ... the soft loose look is perfect for watercolour! Hugs, Anita :)

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  51. I admire your perseverance! I have no patience and want it all to work right the first time or maybe the second but don't expect me to fiddle with it for days. You really rocked the berries. Red is a tough color to fiddle with.

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