Good morning! I am delighted to be a stop on Day 2 of the Simon Says Stamp Happy and Joyful blog hop celebrating the gorgeous new release that went live earlier this week! You should have arrived here from Barbara Tarayao, and your next stop is Miriam Prantner. You can also start back at the beginning at the Simon Says Stamp Blog.

I am extra excited for this Happy and Joyful release, as I have illustrated four different stamp sets that were released this week! (You can see my blog post introducing each set here.) It’s seriously such a thrill to be able to stamp my designs using so many different techniques, but I am not being hyperbolic when I say what an utter thrill it is to see the talented designers who work with Simon Says Stamp share their creations made using my illustrations. It’s mind blowing to think of where I started over a decade ago to where I am right now, and I’m so grateful for the opportunities that I’ve had, not the least of which is working with Simon Says Stamp! I have three projects to share with you today, so let’s get started with the details!
One of the sets for which I am most excited is the Celebrate Rose Corner. I get inspiration for my illustrations from lots of different places, including florists and gardeners that I’ve found on Instagram. Grace Rose Farm shared the most stunning rose photo last summer, and I couldn’t resist making it a centerpiece on a floral bouquet. Thus, Celebrate Rose Corner was born! I have a video sharing some watercoloring tips and process on how I made this super vibrant card. Watch the video below or on YouTube by clicking HERE.
If you can’t watch the video, I’ll share a brief synopsis here.

I started by heat embossing the Celebrate Rose Corner image on some Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper using silver embossing powder. I trimmed the watercolor paper down to A2 size, then oriented the image so that it was creeping across the front and would be perfectly sized after die cutting to fit across an A2 card base. I used Tombow markers to add lots of vibrant color to the image.

When working with watercolors, I find it very helpful to have a ceramic palette available for color mixing and for diluting the intense watercolors down to help stretch the shades that I can achieve, as well as allowing me better control over where the color goes and how intense it is. For this card, I began by scribbling some of the deep magenta pink from the Tombow markers onto my ceramic watercolor palette, then adding quite a bit of water to dilute the color down to a soft pastel, then using that for my first layer of color on the roses. The second layer was a mixture of deep teal and the same pink, creating a lovely shade of amethyst. Finally, I put the marker directly to the watercolor paper to add some incredible intensity in just those super shadowed areas. The combination of diluted color mixed with the marker-direct-to-paper makes for some intense dimension on these large blooms! I also added an icy blue halo around the outside edges of the image, just far enough out so that the die cut edge would be blue.

Once I’d finished my watercoloring, I die cut the image using the coordinating die (I love that there is a die for this set!), then mounted it on an icy blue card base using foam tape. I added a greeting from the Celebrate Rose Corner, which I silver embossed onto some more icy blue cardstock and mounted with foam tape for lots of height, finally adding a few aqua blue gems for some sparkle. This card is so vibrant. I just love those vivid colors!

My second card is a bit softer and features some of the beautiful hot foil products that were released this month. I began by hot foiling the Intricate Rose and Blooms Bouquet onto some hot press watercolor paper using gold foil. I then used my Gansai Tambi watercolors (for the first time-I’ve had them for years and just have never used them!) to add some soft peachy pink and pale blue to the image.

I also hot foiled the new Sketched Leaf Branches onto some heavyweight vellum using some more shiny gold foil. I love the effect of foiling on vellum; it creates such an elegant and ethereal look. I also love that these new hot foiling sets come with the coordinating dies, so that you don’t have to buy the die and the foil plate separately.

The bouquet itself is pretty large, and the addition of the vellum foliage made it even longer, so I decided to create a slimline card. I added a bit of ink blending in the center of the white slimline card base using Twirling Tutu and Rose Apple inks, then added some tone-on-tone texture using the Fanfare stencil. Some shining gold pearls finished it off!

My last card is bright and clean, with that vivid pop of intense fuchsia, again painted with Tombow markers using another of my new sets for this release: Just A Note Pansy. When I began illustrating this set, I originally intended for it to have an arch outline, similar to my Framed Florals coloring panel series. I decided against that, and so decided to create a card using something close to my original design by adding an arch die cut using the Domed Arch dies!

I silver heat embossed the pansies from Just A Note Pansy onto some Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper using silver embossing powder. I again used the Tombow markers to add lots of intense color to these flowers, but instead of concentrating the color in the center of the flower, I kept the center light and added color around the edges of the flowers, pulling the color towards the center with my clean, damp paintbrush. The intense pink and touches of deep purple make these flowers almost pop off of the card front!

Once I had finished watercoloring and die cutting the completed image, I used the beautiful Detail Mandala cover plate die to add some subtle texture to a white A2 card base. I die cut a Domed Arch from some more vellum to create an ethereal background upon which to ground my pansies, and popped them up with some foam adhesive. I heat embossed a greeting from Just A Note Pansy onto some more white cardstock using silver embossing powder, then die cut and trimmed them, adding them with some more foam adhesive for tons of height. The final touch was a few iridescent white pearls.
Well, that’s all for my projects today! To celebrate this release, Simon Says Stamp is giving away a $25 shopping spree at each stop on the hop. Simply leave a comment at each stop on the hop to receive maximum entries into the giveaway!
Simon Says Stamp is also doing a Gift With Purchase promotion to celebrate the new Happy and Joyful release. Simply add code GRDPTY at checkout to receive a free sheet of Garden Party stickers!
Your next stop on the hop is Miriam Prantner. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

I am amazed by your water coloring skills! I’ve just recently started water coloring and am loving it! So relaxing. Your cards and illustrations are just beautiful. Can’t wait to add some of these to my stamp collection!
I love the slimline card!
Gorgeous flowers. thanks for sharing
txmlhl(at)yahoo(dot)com
Absolutely stunning coloring.
All of your cards are stunning!
Wow! Your cards are stunning! Thank you for the video- I think I’m going to use my Tombows today!
These all so beautiful. Your coloring is awesome and I love that you used the Tombow markers and the Gansai Tambi watercolors, reminding me these quality products are on my shelf and I should use them! Lol! I love the floral design sets in this release BTW!
These cards are stunning! Love the colors and dimension!
WOW – you were busy and each card is stunning! I love the colors you chose!
Lovely – I love the way you used the Tombow colrs in two different ways and your sets are beautiful
Your designs and your coloring ability are amazing. Queen of florals for sure.
Just a note to say I care is my FAVORITE. The coloring is incredible!
Wow!!!!! Stunning!!!! I NEED all of your flower sets!!!!
What a crazy awesome job creating these stamps and colouring them too 😍
All of your cards are gorgeous… tyfs 🙂
Great job, coloring these flowers ins such a beautiful way.
WOW! Such beautiful cards, Emily! Your watercolor is so professional; just perfect. Love these cards.
Lots of inspiration for doing more watercoloring.
Beautiful floral cards! I LOVE your Slimline!
Your cards are wonderful. I especially love the first one with those gorgeous purples. Your coloring is amazing. I’ve been collecting Tombow markers, but I can never get that look — you’ve inspired me to keep trying!
Wow. Such beautiful cards. Grateful that you used tombow markers with embossed image as I need more inspiration on using tombow markers. Thanks so much for sharing
The anniversary and congratulations cards are so lovely. I like the props too – such a pretty pen.
Such darling cards! I love the foiled leaves on the vellum, so soft and elegant!
All three of your cards are amazing! The colors and techniques used make them stand out.
Beautifully colored flowers and card design.
wow your cards are gorgeous – LOVE watching you paint – so inspiring
Beautiful work and gorgeous cards Emily!
Stunning cards!
My favorite is the card with the Purple flowers.
Thanks for sharing your talent.
Your cards are gorgeous!
Wow!! Absolutely stunning!! I have never water colored before but after watching your technique I want to learn!! The slimline card you made is my favorite as the colors used are so elegant and famine!! Thanks for sharing💕
Your cards are both so gorgeous!
Wooza…stunning cards. My Tombows are not getting enough love. Those are beautiful colors. I really like this release!
Your cards are beautiful
What a stunning slim line card. Kudos!
Your cards are so beautiful! Thank you so much.
I was enjoying the first card so much and then scrolled down to the 2nd one and WOW, it is absolutely gorgeous.
The floral stamps in this release are all awesome! I have already ordered the Rose and Magnolia sets and can’t wait to get them. Your cards are absolutely beautiful!
beautiful cards
These are gorgeous!
Absolutely beautiful cards! The colors are amazing.
Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely gorgeous set of cards!
Really gorgeous cards
Wonderful floral creations.
Melissa
“Sunshine HoneyBee”
Absolutely stunningly beautiful cards!! Thank you for all your inspiration!
Absolutely gorgeous cards! Stunning!
Beautiful. The gold outlines really make it elegant,
Lovely flowers. I especially like the slimline card with the beautiful pinks!
Gorgeous combinations on all of these
Beautiful! Love the soft colors on the congratulations card!
Gorgeous cards! Love the “congratulations” card!
Gorgeous cards! I really love your Celebrate Rose Corner!
Omg allllll the pretty things to look at. Love all the colorful inspiration
Wow! These are all so beautiful! Fantastic coloring!
Beautiful choice of colors on all of your pretty cards.
Your floral cards are so elegant and beautiful! Thanks for the inspiration!
All three cards are stunning! I need to pull out my Tombow markers!
Wow Emily that purple card is beautiful
They’re all gorgeous, but my oh my that “Congratulations” card!
Oh wow! What beautiful cards! The colors are magnificent! What a treat to see them.
Lovely coloring on these beautiful floral designs! Awesome cards!
Gorgeous cards Emily! I love your colouring. I love them all but my favourite is the second slimline. Thanks so much for the great inspiration! 🙂
What a beautiful Spring Garden Post! Your florals are absolutely stunning! Beautiful colors, beautifully designed! WOW!!!
Wow! All three of your cards are stunning!
Beautiful cards. Love the hint of background stencil background on the second card. Thanks for sharing.
Such beautiful cards! The slimline one is particularly stunning!
Phenomenal coloring makes the flowers & cards look so impressive.
Love how you used this new product!
Great design shares. I like the color and layer ideas.
your cards are stunning!