Dabbling in watercolouring

The technique challenge at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown this month is watercolouring.

I was a bit intimidated at this! It's a real skill, and not one I've really tried, let alone mastered.

But I decided to have a go anyway.

For my design, I used a stencil, the holly frame from That Special Touch. I embossed it onto the watercolour card, through the Grand Calibur.

But which side to use? I started with the embossed side.

When that was going badly - colour leaking everywhere - I turned onto the debossed side - which was better as the depressions helped contain the colour. I also used less water.


I used distress inks, watered down, to add colour. For the leaves it was mowed lawn and pine needles, with fired brick and aged mahogany for the berries.

I then added a wash to the background with chipped sapphire.

While that dried, I sorted out a sentiment topper. I tried a few things- different stamped sentiments on a die cut shape. But I settled on my Merry Christmas die, as being delicate to fit the frame. I cut it in white, from the watercolour card, then coloured some card with cobalt blue archival ink, and cut another one for a drop shadow to help it stand out from the background.

I mounted on a grey-blue matt, then on a 7x7 card base.

I can't pretend that this is the most perfect colouring ever, but I'm going with the idea that the inexactness is part of the charm.

Certainly I'm pleased with how this has turned out, I like the look. Not bad for a first attempt!