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8/23/2018

Watercolored Sunflower (CAS August 2018 Challenge)

Good evening. Tomorrow is Friday..YAY. Even though I've been retired quite a few years, I still get happy when Friday is the next day. I guess it was ingrained in my consciousness for too many years :-)

I've been trying hard to get into this month's CAS Watercolor challenge, since it's sunflowers. Have a lot of those images (but when I went hunting in the flower stamp drawers, I wasn't finding as many as I thought I remembered having!!!)  I was looking for something that would be easy to watercolor, since that's a bit of a challenge to me. Finally settled on a clear stamp that probably was from the Michael's Dollar bin. I knew I was going to stamp on w/color paper, and  with that texture - it needs to be restamped multiple times, so I wanted a clear image I could keep reinking. Now please don't ya'll laugh at this card-----




used Distress markers in shades of yellow to ink up this stamp, and can't even remember how many times I kept reinking, restamping. The outline part shows up as though I'd outlined it, but that was the Rusty Hinge marker that showed up nicely here. I also had some of the Mustard Seed and Lemonade inked on the edges of this outline stamp. Then used a waterbrush to try to pull out the colors...that worked fairly well. Wanted a bit more shading, so scribbled the Mustard Seed on the kraft mat, and used the brush to add some more layers around on the petals. Center was done with adding a little Spiced Marmalade first, then using Tea Dye, Brushed Corduroy, and just going to darker browns until I got something that looked like the brown center of a sunflower to me.

Now here's where I said Don't Laugh! This was just a single flower...so I free handed the stem and leaves with the water brush. That little blossom just looked too lonely all by itself.

Mat was colored with brusho greens and yellows, also on watercolor weight paper. For some reason, it didn't want to spread well so that's why so many of the specks still show in the colors. The c/s was quite wet, but the crystals just didn't want to spread around even though I kept spritzing with water, finally with a gold spray. Decided I liked it anyway behind the sunflower and cut it with a S/B Wonky die.  The sunflower looks like it's on white paper, but it was cream colored..the card base is also cream color, and IRL these 'creams' look the same color.

OK, off to link up with the CAS August Watercolor (AW, heck, go ahead and laugh if you want! I'm still trying to get the hang of watercolor). Skating in by the skin of my teeth----

Ya'll have a nice evening. Thanks for joining me & maybe see ya again tomorrow if I can finish a card tonight. Trying to sneak in the 2fer also! Big hugs.


34 comments:

  1. All your effort gave a lovely result!

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  2. Good grief Mary! No one is laughing at all!!!! It's so pretty and you did get on the leaves and stem. Looks like they should be there. A beautiful card!!
    Lynn

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  3. Look at you! Great job on the hand drawing - it really is so pretty as is the Brusho frame. Looks awesome and the colors are perfect for the upcoming fall!

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  4. Fabulous job and wouldn't have known you'd free drawn the stem n leaves as it looks as if it's meant to be xxx

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  5. Mary ... you are too hard on yourself. Your hand painted leaves are just perfect!! And your sunflower is gorgeous. I love the texture of the center. Using markers to stamp and then moving the colour with a waterbrush is the perfect way to watercolour this image. Love the wonky shape ... and the framing that matches with brushos. So happy that you are sharing your beautiful card with us at CAS Watercolour! xx

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  6. Such a lovely sunflower,a gorgeous card.xxx

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  7. Hi Mary, I love the card. You did a fab job.

    Hope you have a fab Friday. Sue

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  8. Loving the bright vibrant colours Mary..I am like you on a journey of discovery with water colour learning the techniques and accepting the unpredictability of it all...it’s a joy! Xxxx

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  9. Why on earth would anyone laugh Mary, it's absolutely gorgeous,and your stem and leaves are fabulous,and looks like they were part of the stamp. Well done you and don't be so hard on yourself.
    Lovely watercolouring,and mix of colours. Fabulous backgrounds too, love it, Kate x x

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  10. This is gorgeous Mary - and the stalk and leaves are stunning - I would never have known they were not part of the original stamp!! Love your water colouring, and I think you are just too critical of your own work!
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  11. Your card is beautiful, Mary. I think you are too critical about your drawing skills. Your stem and leaves are perfect, I thought they were part of the stamp. Now.... if I'd drawn them, they would have looked like they'd been drawn by a 2 year old! LOL!

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  12. This is very pretty Mary and you have done great work with your watercolouring, and the stem and leaves you drew yourself are just perfect! It all looks wonderful on that wonky rectangle, and the Brusho background goes beautifully. I've got cards to finish for the Twofer Challenge too. x

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  13. Cute card! I think you did an awesome job drawing the stem and leaves!
    Have a great day!
    Marilyn❤

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  14. If you haven't said about your free hand drawing for stem and leaves, I have never thought! Your skills are just great, no one could laugh!! Lovely water colouring on the beautiful sunflower and pretty design, so unique with the wonky panel and the brushos layer! Well done!
    Hugs

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  15. What a lovely frame around your beautifully watercolored sunflower, Mary! It hurts my heart to read DON'T LAUGH twice in your post. These days, my sweet friend, I find my abilities continually dwindling for a variety of reasons. Instead of focussing on my mistakes or blunders or inabilities, I feel proud for what I'm able to accomplish, and I hope you will find the joy of feeling proud of yourself! It doesn't matter if it's perfect, or if it doesn't come out the way we wanted. The fact is that you put forth the effort. I admire you so much, Mary, for continually trying and combining techniques! Be your inner artist without expectations. That's what you are - a lovely artist with the most amazing, thought-full creations! Smile while you are coloring no matter what, and be cheerful TOWARD YOURSELF! Perhaps being Content-With-Where-We-Are-and-How-We-Are is the greatest gift for enjoying the fullness of Life in every moment. BTW, I love how you created the stem and leaves - that would not have crossed my mind! I actually thought it was part of your sunflower image~!! Thanks for sharing your loveliness, Mary. hugs, de

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  16. It looks just like you stamped the whole thing. The watercolor looks lovely and the frame is so fun. Watercolor is very forgiving and I don't think you can ever mess up with it. This is great and your leaves came out perfect.

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  17. I'm not laughing but I am smiling at you! Your sunflower is beautiful and I never would have guessed that you did the stem and leaves freehand! Fabulous job, my friend! I have a problem getting the Brushos to dissolve sometimes too. But I like the speckles! Thanks so much for sharing this with us at CAS Watercolour!

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  18. When I first saw your post I thought you had done some quilting! this is such a fabulous design and your watercolouring is beautiful, I love the movement in the sunflower and your leaves are just as they should be, LOVE it.
    Faith
    x

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  19. Wow, it's so gorgeous!! The flower looks amazing!! I love your hand-painted stem and leaves!! What a gorgeous card this is!! Have a great weekend!! Big hugs :)

    Lisa
    A Mermaid's Crafts

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  20. Mary this is beautiful. Great job on the leaves and stems. Hope you and hubby are doing good. Wanted to let you know my sweet bear you sent me is going to be used again. He has sat beside my bed for years and now will be put to work again. Love and hugs.

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  21. It is so gorgeous and your freehand stem and leaves is a perfect addition. If you had not said you had free hand drawn it I would not have known as it is perfect. Beautiful water coloring.

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  22. I agree with Loll, you are being far too hard on yourself, and I am certainly not laughing. The sunflower is beautiful and I love that you added the stem, it was the perfect addition and the frame is beautiful too. I think you did an amazing job! Hugs, Anne xx

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  23. Stunning card. love the colours.
    Hugs, Chantal S

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  24. A pretty card Mary, a beautiful Sunflower and your leaves and stem look like part of the stamp.
    Pauline - Crafting with Cotnob
    x

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  25. Friday, my favorite day of the week. Even though Friday is a workday, Saturdays are not for me, I prefer Fridays, they have the best of everything:) the sunflower looks very pretty and I agree it needed the stem and leaves. Great job.

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  26. You have done a fabulous job with this card Mary, it looks super and the stem and leaves are brilliant. Super card.

    Kath x

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  27. You underestimate your own talent, Mary! Can't believe you free hand drew the leaves and highlighted them beautifully. Your watercoloring is well done too! I still try but have very little success with it. Kudos to you on this wonderful card!

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  28. I'm really loving this make with the beautiful wonky framework around that gorgeous flower! Well done on the watercolored flower and who would laugh at the stems? You colored them in perfectly and freehand yet? Amazing, you have more talent in your fingertips than you give yourself credit for. I could never have done something like that! Nice job on this one :)

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  29. No laughing here Momma Mary! I am amazed that you gave this beautiful sunflower a stem and leaves!! I never once looked at it and thought, "she hand drew that stem and those leaves". Never once!!! I thought it was part of the stamp. You under estimate yourself!! I love this sunflower card and I love the design of it. Hugs, Brenda

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  30. such a creative idea to add the stem and leaves free hand and you did a great job. I think your card is unique, artsy and beautifully coloured. So glad you persevered and loving the mat layer too X keep smiling X

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  31. WOW definitely not laughing love all the texture on your beautiful sunflower and as for your hand painted stem and leaves-they look perfect and don't think I would have even attempted it well done you !!!
    Carol x

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  32. Meant to say love the wonky die and Brusho background too
    Carol x

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  33. I think you’ve done a wonderful job! I love the Brushos frame and the the freehand stem and leaves:) so glad you joined in the fun at the CAS Watercolour Challenge.

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  34. Lovely sunflower Mary, I can't see why you were worried about the watercolouring, it looks fine to me.

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