Summer Love

Sometimes you create something and then you are just so excited and tickled pink about how it turned out. Such is the case with the panel that I am sharing today. Continuing my support of World Watercolour Month, I used inks as my medium to watercolour. My theme inspiration came from Simon Says Stamp's Monday Life on the Ocean Waves challenge.

I started with a 3 1/2 x 7 1/2" piece of Canson XL watercolour paper and Tim Holtz Distress Ink Oxides in Cracked Pistachio and Broken China. I used the smooched ink on a craft sheet and spritzed with water technique, drying between layers and going back in until I was happy with the results. Next, I splattered it with water, then Broken China and Salty Ocean Distress ink each mixed with water adding depth and layering going for a watery effect. I had left partial white patches on the bottom right corner. There, I used Brush Corduroy with mat water smooshing and a water brush to add splatters to give the area a sand colour. Once dry, I used the Ranger Emboss It dabber to dab little bits and heat embossing with Seth Apter's Dirty Sand Baked Textures made by Emerald Creek added bits and heating layering until I was happy with it.

While the panel was drying, I started creating the other element. I watercolour stamped and waterbrushed the Emerald Creek Conch shell onto watercolour paper with Dried Marigold. Once dry, I stamped it with water spritzed Tea Dye. Once that was dry, I restamped the image with VersaMark and heat embossed it with SSS Fine Clear emboss powder. After fussy cutting it, I brushed some water on the back and shaped it over a glue stick.

Next, I turned to the crafting of the sea horses using an Emerald Creek. They were made by water spritz stamping with Mustard Seed Distress ink onto watercolour paper. I moved the colour around with a waterbrush. Then, water spritz stamping with Worn Lipstick, added to certain parts. Once dry, I again stamped with some area of the image inked with Worn Lipstick. Then, I restamped the image with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with Fine Clear emboss powder and added touches of brown Stabillo All prior to fussy cutting them.

Next, I turned to the creation of the seaweed which I free hand cut from vellum and coloured with by swiping Shabby Shutters Distress ink on both sides. Then, I added small touch swipes of Crushed Olive and Peeled Paint spreading and blending it with my finger. Once dry, to make them come to life, I shaped them with twists and curls. 

After adhering the conch shell and seaweed, I used Mutil Medium Matte gel and glued on some Emerald Creek Shoreline shells and Citrine Gemstones. While it was drying, I die cut the Love from the SSS I Love You Brush Script die. After gluing layers together, and distressing it by dry brushing it with Sharpie white paint from a paint marker, I glued it in place. I sanded the Tim Holtz Label Letters as I spelled out and adheres the "summer" part. Lastly, I distressed the edges to frame in the scene.

I hope you enjoy this panel as much as I do. Be sure to check out the other inspirational pieces created by the DT's at Simon Says Stamp Monday Life On The Ocean Waves. I am also entering this into Craft Stamper Magazine's July Take It, Make It Anything Goes Challenge here along with Simon Says Stamp's IG July Watercolour Challenge and Flickr Group Split, Splat, Splatter Challenge #127. 

TTFN,