Hi friends! I am so excited to be a stop on today’s All the Joy blog hop-Day 1. You should have arrived here from Debby Hughes, and your next stop is Keisha Charles. You can find the full hop list here on the Simon Says Stamp Blog. The new All the Joy release is full of absolutely stunning products, including three stamp sets featuring some of my new holiday illustrations: Holiday Blossoms (which I’ve used for today’s project), Festive Bouquets (which you can see in action HERE), and Joyful Anemone (which you can check out in THIS post). I could easily buy my weight in holiday stamps and dies each year, so creating these new illustrations was truly a dream come true for me. I love flowers, and I love Christmas and the crafting that goes with it, so the combination is sublime to me! Let’s get started with the details on my project.
When illustrating these new images, I wanted to create images that were detailed enough that you didn’t have to color them if you were not inclined to do so while also being large enough that you could have a total blast coloring them! I used OLO markers for my previous two projects, and so I thought I’d switch things up a little by doing some no-line watercoloring for today’s project. I stamped my poinsettia image from Holiday Blossoms onto some Arches cold press watercolor paper using Contour Ink.
I have recently rediscovered how much I adore watercoloring with Distress Inks. By nature, they react beautifully with water and come in such a huge variety of super saturated colors. I pulled out my Distress Cubes and selected a bunch of holiday-appropriate colors: Bundled Sage, Lucky Clover, Festive Berries, Aged Mahogany, and Gathered Twigs. After taping down my watercolor panel to my watercolor board, I tapped the ink cubes onto a palette and used a damp paintbrush to pick up the color. As with regular pan paints, you can easily dilute the color with a bit of water, and the Distress Inks move exceptionally well on watercolor cardstock, making them a dream to use for images like this one, with both large, open areas and small, detailed areas!
After I’d finished watercoloring the image and allowed it to dry while still taped down (which helps to reduce warping), I pulled out a Gold Karin Star Sparks glitter gel pen and added some sparkling veins to the poinsettia. I also used the Simon Says Stamp 6″ T-Square to add a sparkly golden frame around the edge of my card front. I love adding simple frames like this to an intricately-colored image; it adds just the right highlight to your card front without adding any extra bulk and also draws your eye to the focal point. To keep the sentiment simple, I die cut the detail layer of the new All the Joy die from some Matte Gold cardstock and backed it with a heavyweight vellum outline layer. Finally, a few shimmering sequins added just a touch of glam and luxury!
Well, that’s all for my project today! (I have tons more inspiration using the new All the Joy release coming, so be sure to subscribe if you would like to see more holiday content!!) Now for some fun giveaway information:
To celebrate their new release, Simon Says Stamp is giving away a $25 coupon to every stop on the hop, selected from the blog comment section. Winners will be chosen and posted on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday the 8th of November. Winners can email Simon Says Stamp to claim their prize!!
Simon Says Stamp is also offering a Free Gift With Purchase! Simply search ssst221647 in the search box, add to cart with the rest of your selections, then enter code STAR at checkout to receive the beautiful Holy Stars Stencil for free!
That’s all for me today! Your next stop is Keisha Charles. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!
Gorgeous card……beautiful flower!
sooooooooo pretty
That is so beautiful.
Beautiful. I am in awe of your coloring work.
Your cards are gorgeous ❤️❤️
I ADORE your coloring on the poinsettia! Just stunning!
Beautiful!!
Beautiful 😍
Beautiful card.
Your creations are fabulous! Love this card.
such a beautiful card. Love your illustrations! Florals always call my name
I love the gold veins on the poinsettia.
Such an elegant and pretty card.
Lovely!!!
What a beautiful card! Your coloring skills are top notch!!! Thank you for sharing!
Great card to bring JOY and happiness to the receiver. Stunning!
Beautiful! 1st time on your blog
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
Very pretty card!
Beautiful card. Love the colors. Thanks for sharing.
Very beautiful. Love using vellum for the shadow.
Lisa Johnson
Your card absolutely BURSTS with joy! Gorgeous!
lovely coloring – thanks for sharing this
Lovely card. Your watercoloring is impressive
First of all, Wow!!!! Your stamp set is STUNNING!!!!
Amazing coloring on your Gorgeous card!!!!
WOW! What a beautiful piece! Thanks for sharing your talent.
I love your coloring. It is so rich in color. Gorgeous card!
Wow, just beautiful. Thank you.
Love the design and colors! Such a gorgeous poinsettia arrangement!
Very pretty card! The stamp set is gorgeous!
Beautifully watercolored. Love arches paper and the new products SSS just released.
Beautiful watercoloring! The colors are so vivid! I haven’t tried watercoloring w distress inks, but now I’ll have to!
Your coloring is so pretty!!!
Beautiful! The watercoloring is perfect and that gold edging really sets it off.
Gorgeous! So beautiful and festive! Glorious colors! Incredible! Happy holidays!
Classic Christmas card! Never goes out of style! Yours is stunning!
Very lovely creation!
Wow, beautiful card! You’ve created so much dimension in your colouring – spectacular!
what a beautiful card you have created…
The gold sentiment really pops yet still lets the beautiful artwork stand out. Lovely
Gorgeous stamp that you have designed, I love the other ones you did for this release too. Love your card, so vibrant! Thanks for all you do for the crafting community.
What a beautiful card!
Absolutely beautiful! I’m loving everyone’s take on poinsettias! So much gorgeous inspiration 😍 thanks for sharing ❤️
Beautiful!
A beautiful card. I love how everyone can make this stamp set look unique.
Such a gorgeous card. As always, your coloring is amazing.
Absolutely gorgeous! ❤️❤️❤️
This is just amazing. Such beautiful watercoloring.
Beautiful card! Your colors are amazing. Love it.
Beautiful as always!
I like the results of the no-line water coloring and the sparkling gold veins. A simply beautiful card.
Beautiful card! I need to try no line water coloring.
No line watercoloring must be in my future. I’ve seen a few examples lately. This is very beautiful. I enjoy seeing you work on these blog posts!
Beautiful stunning card.
Gorgeous card! Love it!
Your card is absolutely beautiful!
Beautiful – love all of the detail!
Just gorgeous!
Great card and beautiful watercoloring!
Stunning, beautifully watercoloured!
Goodness – that is so pretty! I love your water coloring.
Stunning card!
Lovely water coloring!
Gorgeous!
Emily, your card is absolutely stunning! Your coloring is amazing as always!
Beautiful Card!
I love your cards, the details are amazing. I’m a big fan of Christmas and Floral stamps too. This card is over the top gorgeous.
I’m in awe – really magnificent card!!
Wonderful creation!
Beautiful card. Love your coloring.
Beautiful !!
Stunning! I hope some day to be able to no line color this beautifully!
This is stunning!!
A very bold card – so eye catching.
That poinsettia is a real show stopper! 😍
so beautiful! I love how three of you used watercolor techniques yet they are all different!
Bright and beautiful! A wonderful way to say Merry Christmas. Love this!
Gorgeous card! Beautifully colored, love the glitter gel pen details.
Gorgeous water coloring! Inspired to pull out my distress inks!
Beautiful job, really gorgeous.
this card is gorgeous and your water coloring is outstanding!!❤️
Oh, my word, Emily!! This is so gorgeous!!! I don’t have all the words I need – it’s marvelous, wonderful, amazing, brilliant….
WOW!! TFS! Your talent is off the charts.
Lori S in PA
Love your water coloring , such a beautiful card.
Your floral illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and so is your watercoloring!
Your floral illustrations are beautiful! This is a gorgeous card; I love how you colored this image 🙂
Emily this stamp set is divine! Beautiful creation. Love your colouring on this too. Love the grey green leaves and the veins on the Poinsettia, dreamy beautiful Christmas creation xoxo
Thank you for your inspiration, Emily. This card is gorgeous 💕
Love watercolor & the touch of gold w/ ur sentiment was beautiful.
Beautiful coloring of your poinsettia!
Another incredible water color with inks! Who knew that owning the whole distress ink set had so many uses! Thank you for the little reminder of the touches of gold on the veins! I am going to have to embrace gold! It is beautiful!
Gorgeous design, beautifully colored. Wow!
Wow! That gold frame is such a wonderful touch! It really draws you into the splendid painting. Love this. Thank you for the inspiration.
beautiful set and card. I haven’t watercolored with distress inks for awhile – so this entices me to give it a go again.
Beautiful design and card!
Amazing watercoliring!
Very pretty cards, well done!
My word, this is a beautiful card!
Lovely card
For me, these are the perfect colors for this. They draw your eye and attention directly to the center of the floral, then your coloring just naturally expands the viewing field with the shading. Kind of like a fractal image. Just beautiful!!
Wowzer, Emily!!!! I’ve always been amazed with no-line coloring, but you’ve taken it to a whole new level. Truly outstanding!!!
Wow! I love this card. I never think about using my distress inks to water color and I will be trying this.
Great coloring, your winter flowers look so very beautiful.
Your painting of these winter blooms is are stunningly beautiful. Everything you paint turns into elegance, Emily.
Beautiful card. Love the bright colors
Oh my, this card is absolutely gorgeous!!!
I would have never guessed you used Distress Inks to watercolor your card! Gorgeous!!
Your illustrations are gorgeous and so is your card! Thank you for sharing some of your secrets for achieving such beauty.
Wow! This is so gorgeous! So much talent!
This is beautiful!
Gorgeous images and you colouring is amazing! This poinsettia card is simply stunning! I love using Distress inks for colouring. Thanks so much for sharing! .:)
Beautiful watercoloring! I love this design!
Stunning watercolour- love that you used distress inks to do that.
Gorgeous colours!
beutiful card!
Wow-this is such a beautiful card. The no-line water coloring is amazing.
That is an impressive display of painting. To get watercolor/ distress ink to fade to white like that takes talent.
Beautiful card and coloring! I didn’t know you could watercolor with distress inks but will have to try it. Thanks for sharing!
This is the most beautiful poinsettia! I LOVE how you’ve colored it and the gold sentiment adds even more elegance!
Stunning, festive card, Emily! Your poinsettia looks so lifelike!!
So gorgeous
What an amazing job you did designing the new floral stamp sets… you are so very talented.
Loved (and totally identify with) your comment, “I could buy my weight in holiday stamps and dies each year.” 🤣🤣🤣
Oh, my! This is so beautiful! And the gold “frame” is the perfect finishing touch to your stunning watercolored poinsettia!
Jaw dropping art.
Your card is beautiful!
Gorgeous card!
Gorgeous card. Hugz
The flower just pops off the card. Lovely
Beautiful coloring and I love the gold border and sentiment.