Sixth Street Sundries

Emily Midgett

floral outline frame

VIDEO: Bright Watercolored Highlights with New Pinkfresh Studio!

Hi there! I have a new video over on the Pinkfresh Studio YouTube channel with some tips on how to keep your highlights nice and white on your light colored watercoloring by using “reverse psychology” for your watercoloring! Here’s the video:

Or you can watch the video on YouTube HERE.

In case you can’t watch the video, here’s a quick rundown of how I created this project:

I started with a panel of cold press watercolor paper which I had hot foiled using my newest illustration for Pinkfresh Studio: Wonderful in Every Way. (I am so excited to see this design offered in a stamp set with coordinating stencils and die as well as a hot foil plate!) I used some satin metallic charcoal foil to create this soft silver design on this watercolor paper; the thickness of the watercolor paper creates the look of letterpress!

When I was brainstorming my project, I wanted to create a watercolored card with very pale blooms. Now, I tend to have a bit of a heavy hand when it comes to watercoloring; I love vibrant color, but I so admire the beautifully soft watercoloring that others are so capable of creating. The easiest way that I can achieve soft watercolored flowers is to do “reverse psychology” on myself by watercoloring around the pale image first with a bright contrasting color, then adding very pale watercolor to the image I want to keep pale and pastel. The contrast of the bright color around the image allows me to better visualize the lightness I’m seeking. I add diluted color to the areas that I want to be the most shadowed, pulling out the color with lots of clean water and allowing the whiteness of the watercolor paper to shine through. That extra water is key; it helps to allow the pigment to taper off into nothing, leaving those white highlights.

Once I had finished watercoloring, I trimmed my watercolor panel down to 3.5″x5.5″ in order to create an A7 card (just wanted to switch things up a bit!). I matted it with a coordinating deep green cardstock for extra contrast, then trimmed an A7 card front from some coordinating pale lavender cardstock. I added some interest to the lavender background by die cutting an Outline Floral Frame from some glittery white cardstock and selectively trimming to create a lacy border around the corners. I popped up the watercolored matted panel with some foam adhesive.

For the greeting, I used the Fancy Script Words Hot Foil Plate with the Fancy Script Words Die and some shiny Pewter foil to create this intricate, fairly large sentiment die cut. I also die cut a vellum diamond using the Nested Diamonds dies. I adhered the greeting to the vellum diamond with some foam tape, then flipped it over and added some tiny dots of adhesive to the back of the solid die cut to help hide it. I adhered the vellum diamond to the watercolored panel, slightly offsetting it and trimming off the excess. Finally, I added some Leaf Glitter Drops for a bit of added sparkle and texture.

Well, that’s all for my project today! If creating a light, airy watercolored flower intimidates you, I encourage you to try my “reverse psychology” method to keep that contrast of colors in perspective. Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Pinkfresh Studio Challenge for February 2023-Stripes and Plaid!

It’s a new month, so it’s time for a new Pinkfresh Studio challenge! This month, we’re focusing on plaid and stripes– some of my favorite patterns! I feel like stripes and plaid are both neutrals and the perfect companion to flowers, which we know are basically my favorite. I hadn’t had an opportunity to use the new Floral Outline Die yet, and it reminded me so much of crocheted lace on a baby blanket that I thought it would be perfect paired with some plaid stenciling! Let’s get started with the details.

I began by die cutting the Floral Outline Die from some of Spellbinders’s White Glitter Foam. I wanted extra dimension, and normally would have used multiple die cuts glued together. This die is so intricate, however, that I didn’t feel like poking the tiny pieces out from multiple die cuts. A couple of passes through my die cut machine with this foam and I have a sparkling, ready-made dimensional die cut!

To continue the crocheted baby blanket theme, I blended the Ballet Slipper, Apricot, and Lemon Whip inks with the Dainty Plaid layered stencil set. Sometimes I can be a bit heavy-handed with my ink blending (I can be a tad impatient; it’s a problem), so the blended plaid came out a bit brighter than I intended. It was easily fixed, however, by layering an A2 panel of vellum over the top, which immediately softened the colors! I adhered the glittery foam lace over the top of the vellum, then flipped it over and added tiny dots of adhesive on the back of the vellum, hiding them behind the solid spots of the foam die cut that I had already adhered. Soft, springy, and because the pink ink was softened so much by the vellum, basically gender-neutral!

For the greeting, I used a hot foiled Sentiment Suite: Hello die cut, which I had previously hot foiled on white cardstock using Champagne hot foil and die cut with the coordinating die. I also die cut the “baby” from some more white cardstock using the Jeff Alpha die set. I arranged the sentiment die cuts on the card front, adhering them with foam tape for extra dimension. Finally, I added some Peach Fuzz gems to the center of the larger flowers to add a bit more sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my project today! The Pinkfresh Studio February 2023 Challenge runs through Tuesday, February 28. The winner will be announced on March 4, 2023! Pinkfresh Studio is giving a $50 shopping spree to the winner, so it definitely can pay to participate. I hope you’ll check it out! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!