{Project} Wednesday: Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Card

Happy Wednesday!

So, if you’ve visited me on Facebook or Twitter, you know that I’ve fallen pretty hard for the Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolor set. I’m demonstrating it next Wednesday, April 19 at 4:00 UK time on Create and Craft, and I’ve had so much fun making up samples and demos! I’ve always liked watercolor, especially with stamps, but this set has really helped me step up my game.

Why? Well, I love the high quality of the paints, the range of colors (watercolors are really hard for me to mix), the effortless way they go onto the paper. It’s creative and relaxing, all at once. Using them puts me in a zen place almost immediately. And who can’t use a little zen relaxation?

In this case, I’m using the watercolors to color in a stamped, heat-embossed image. I like using an embossed image for watercolor, because the raised edges of the embossing sort of “hold” in the fluid color. In this case, it also helps create a guide for when you’re cutting out the various parts of the image. 

Okay, let’s take a look…

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Card, what you’ll need—

• Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Set
• Altenew Adore You stamp set
• Dark purple embossing powder
• Wink of Stella Glitter Clear
• Embossing inkpad
• Brown inkpad
• Smooth watercolor paper
• Cream card blank, green cardstock
• Purple baker’s twine
• Water brushes or small paintbrushes
• Water mister
• Paper towel
• Rhinestone embellishments
• Foam tape

Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor Card, how to make it—

• Stamp and heat-emboss the flower and two leaves on smooth watercolor paper.

• Use #37 Deep Pink to paint the flower. Add #139 Purple to the edges, #38 in the center and blend with the waterbrush. Spritz lightly with water and blot with kitchen roll.

• Use #42 Bright Yellow to paint the leaves, then add #51 May Green to the sides. Add #52 Ocean Green to the centers. Spritz and blot.

• Cut out the pieces.

• Stamp the sentiment with brown on smooth cardstock. Load the waterbrush with watery #52 Ocean Green and spatter. Let dry, then mount on green card. 

• Wrap the left side of the card front with baker’s twine, securing the ends to the card front center. Glue the matted spattery piece toward the right side, covering the twine ends. Wrap the rest of the twine to the front of the card, securing it where the flower will cover it.

• Adhere the flower and leaves with foam tape. Add clear Wink of Stella to the edges of the petals for soft glittery shine.

• Add the rhinestone embellishments.

Even better…this card layout is so simple and effective, and can be swapped out with just about any color combination from the watercolor set. Plus, there’s really no way to get this watercoloring wrong—the colors blend and flow so beautifully.

Hope you can tune in on Wednesday, April 19 at 4:00 UK time on Create and Craft, for loads of demos and examples!