Monday, March 3, 2008

I'm Headed Seaside!

Well friends, I'm heading out of town to sink my toes into the beautiful white sand of Hawaii ...so I thought these cards would be a fitting post to leave you with!

I made both of these using the gorgeous new Seaside stamp set - one that begs to be watercolored! I created them for my Watercolor Wonder Club training class I held last Thursday night. The four ladies in the club all came over to practice using their new Watercolor Wonder Crayons. This was among 4 cards we made (you'll be seeing the others in the coming days), and it is a good example of how even masculine cards can be watercolored!

I made this starfish card to send to my dearest friend Audrey's husband for his birthday. (Audrey, you're getting a sneak peek!) One of the things that makes these cards so masculine is, of course, the use of browns, but also the faux leather strip - which is actually just wadded up Chocolate Chip paper that has been flattened back out! The base color on both cards is Chocolate Chip with a layer of Creamy Caramel on top. I randomly stamped a couple of the shells onto the Creamy Caramel piece using Close to Cocoa and Creamy Caramel ink, and then sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa ink. The sentiments came from All Holidays and Sincere Salutations and were stamped with Chocolate Chip ink. I used the Crop-a-Dile to add a couple of Antique eyelets to the faux leather strip so I could tie on some Linen Thread.

The main image was stamped with black StazOn ink onto Watercolor paper (the BEST paper when you're going to use several different colors since it absorbs the water so nicely). They were colored using the Earth Elements set of Watercolor Wonder Crayons using an Aquapainter. Then the edges were roughed up using the Cutter Kit. Here's a close-up of one of the shells:

It is my intention to find a computer somewhere on the island where I can sneak in and say hello a couple times while I'm away... but I do hope you'll forgive me if the sun and sand and sea keep me away for too long. :o)

Aloha!

11 comments:

April said...

I know what you can write on the inside of the card that says "Good Luck". You can write "having as much fun as I'm going to have in Hawaii."

That's so very FUN! Have a wonderful time!

Carol Dunstan said...

beautiful cards! Have fun in Hawaii (I wonder if LOST has resumed filming yet...)

Anonymous said...

Oh Michele those are FANTASTIC! I love them! Have a wonderful time in Hawaii! You'll just look out around you while on the beach and realize, "THIS IS the postcard!!". Enjoy!

Angela said...

Beautiful cards! Have fun in HI! (We're getting our first real snow...) Enjoy the sun and surf!

Anonymous said...

Your cards are just gorgeous!!!
Have fun in Hawaii!!!

/p said...

Relax, enjoy and have fun. Don't worry about us back here in the cold!!!!! Couldn't have planned your departure away from Texas at a better time. At least in Houston -- yesterday's temps were over 70 and now it's 39.

Take lots of pics to share!
/p

Dorothy said...

Gorgeous! Love your coloring. Absolutely beautiful! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

My dream.....Hawaii......have an awesome time!!!!!

Sharon said...

What a great headline, for the cards! How mean for those of us that still have 20 some inches of snow lol!
Beautiful cards, as always! We better not hear from you while you are gone!!!! Have fun!

veronica said...

i love your watercoloring. you have done a wonderful job.

Anonymous said...

I absoloutley love your watercoloring!!! Fabulous job. I'll see you in Hawaii!!