Hello Everyone! I am back with the 2nd post in the COOLest Card Series for 2016! I am hosting this card series every Thursday in January. It’s the COOLest Cards Series and it will be featuring snowman and snowflakes! Yep, you read that correctly. This summer loving, winter hating girl LOVES snowman and snowflakes- just as long as I don’t need to feel the cold! Ha! Two years ago I hosted this series, and last year I just didn’t get around to doing it. I missed it. It was so much fun and a great way for me to use all the snow related supplies I have collected!
See week 1: Stencils, Paper Smooches
This year Audrey another snow loving creative friend is sharing along with me. That means more inspiration for you! I am also inviting you to participate with us and of course that gives you a chance to win some AWESOME prizes!!!
This week the theme is Watercolor. Audrey and I are featuring My Favorite Things but you can use any company as long as the project is SNOW themed AND you use Watercolor in some way.
You might remember this sneak peek on instagram a few weeks ago. I was working WAY ahead on blog posts as I knew I would be at CHA and had to schedule some posts ahead of time. (I will be sharing more about my CHA trip later this week, I promise!)
Instead of going the more traditional route and coloring in images with watercolor I used Distress Spray Stains to create my background, and splattered some water to make splotches. I used Cracked Pistachio, and Peacock Feathers. I then spritzed a bit of Perfect Pearl Mists in Pearl. I find if you use any of the Perfect Pearl Mists to definitely heat set them- it seems to bring out the shimmer a lot more! I then inked the edges of the background with Hickory Smoke Distress Ink.
I die-cut the Pierced Snowflakes from My Favorite Things. I just LOVE these snowflakes- the detail in them is so beautiful! I spritzed them with Picket Fence Distress Spray Stain, then Pearl Perfect Pearl Mist and then dripped some Heidi Swapp Gold Color Shine Spray on them. I heat set them as well to get the most shimmer.
The sentiment was colored the same way as the background, then I cut Lawn Fawn’s Scripty Hello from it. I backed it with a black hello to. Lastly I put a generous layer of glossy accents over the sentiment.
And as I mentioned last week I am trying to send out more cards to friends this year. Share Handmade Kindness! So I am making my cards in batches this year. It doesn’t take that much more time to make three instead of just 1 🙂
Supplies Used:
Participate in the COOLest Card Series:
You will have 3 chances to win each week
- Link up your card below ( creating a card with a snow theme AND using watercolor)
- Leave a comment on this blog post
We will announce all winners February 4th, so you have until February 3rd to participate. Each week we will have a new theme and another prize! Also if you are sharing your creation on social media feel free to use #COOLestcardseries when posting!
Giveaway!
Deadline: February 3rd at 3p ET. You will know when the deadline has past because you will not able to submit a new link through the Link Box. (Winners will be announced here at shurkus.com on February 4th) Note: I realize adding links this way may be new to some of my readers, I found Kristina Werner has a great tutorial on how to add a link to a link up here.
Edited to add: I noticed after posting this that this card is perfect for the My Favorite Things Color Challenge that is going on right now! Be sure to check it out!
francesca says
February 4, 2016 at 7:18 amamazing card!! 🙂
Claire Grantham says
January 31, 2016 at 7:53 pmOMG the background is awesome, but those snowflakes are a HUGE win for me..yums. Cx
Michelle Daigle says
January 31, 2016 at 1:19 pmWow! This card is gorgeous! Love the colors of the background. Came out great!
D.Ann C says
January 31, 2016 at 10:29 amSUCH gorgeous colors and shimmer! Thanks for the heat-setting tip.
D Idlet says
January 30, 2016 at 10:56 pmI’m new to watercoloring so I just loved the challenge. Thanks for hosting love your card!
Karen B. says
January 29, 2016 at 10:31 pmSuch a beautiful and amazing card!
Larissa Heskett says
January 29, 2016 at 12:34 pmSQUEAL!! This is just BEAUTIFUL!! I’m sure in real life the colors that you used are even more AMAZING!! LOVE LOVE LOVE!! THANKS for sharing and have a FABULOUS WEEKEND!! =)
Linda says
January 24, 2016 at 2:45 pmNever used the distress sprays before–thanks for the tips and the inspiration. The card is amazing.
Janet Zeppa says
January 23, 2016 at 9:26 pmLove everything about your card!
Cat Craig says
January 21, 2016 at 10:45 amFabulous card, love the gold splats- they add just a little more fun.
Arlene K says
January 20, 2016 at 11:28 pmLove your watercoloring,Jenn!! And this card is amazingl!!
KT Fit Kitty says
January 20, 2016 at 7:20 pmWow, your cards are gorgeous! I love the background you made! The hello really pops! I have a question… if someone wants to follow you but doesn’t use Bloglovin’, is there a way? Can I follow by email? I already subscribe to your newsletter but it doesn’t give me your blog posts.
fitkitty1@gmail.com
Thanks!
Michelle Daigle says
January 20, 2016 at 6:43 pmGreat card! I love how the background came out. Awesome technique and I love the color you got out of it. Snowflakes are one of my fav’s. Nicely done! Very inspiring.
Michelle Daigle says
January 20, 2016 at 6:41 pmGreat card! I love how you did the background. Great color! I’d love to learn more about that technique.
Denise Bryant says
January 19, 2016 at 10:23 amGorgeous background colors and beautiful snowflake dies! Love your pretty card~!
Kate B says
January 18, 2016 at 3:24 pmGorgeous! I love the colors & thanks for the tip on heat-setting the shimmer mist!
yiho lee says
January 18, 2016 at 9:38 amlove the background
Mary-Anne V. says
January 17, 2016 at 12:08 amWhat a great shimmery card…thanks for the heat setting tip.
Katherine says
January 16, 2016 at 8:48 pmThis is an absolutely beautiful card!!
Christine Canfield says
January 16, 2016 at 7:53 pmi just love watercolored backgrounds!
Marcie Lovett says
January 16, 2016 at 7:29 pmBeautiful colors! Love the mists.
Rosali says
January 16, 2016 at 9:44 amSo very beautiful! U used my favorite colors! :))
Geralyn says
January 16, 2016 at 12:17 amI’m so happy I came across your blog. I haven’t made a card in almost a year and I am trying to learn different watercoloring techniques. I love the sparkle of your background.
Christy Q says
January 15, 2016 at 7:37 amWow!! this is awesome, Jenn!! I love that watercolored background with the shimmer and the sentiment with the glossy accents is just fantastic!! I’m going to have to give this a try very soon!!!
NatQuebec says
January 15, 2016 at 6:57 amWhat a wonderful card ! Beautiful coloring 🙂 thanks for the chance to win.
Joy Meadows says
January 15, 2016 at 4:15 amI agree with you – snowflakes and snowmen are great when they are on paper!! Love this beautiful color combo and those MFT snowflakes are so pretty. This is such a fun series, Jenn!
Jeanne Jordan says
January 14, 2016 at 8:57 pmHi again Jenn, Just wanted to let you know that you need to edit your “three chances to win” – take out “stencil” and put in water color! Although if we readers do a good job of reading everything above that, we know what to do. Sorry, I’m a detail person! LOL
jenn shurkus says
January 15, 2016 at 9:03 amThank you Jeanne for catching that! I blame it on still being on west coast time hehehehe 😉
Jeanne Jordan says
January 14, 2016 at 8:30 pmHey Jenn, WHAT A PRETTY CARD!!! I didn’t know that about Perfect Pearls. I will heat set it next time for sure. My problem with it and all those Heidi Swapp sprays is they get clogged!! I don’t know what people do. Last time I needed a spray, I had to pour it into one of those tiny water spray bottles; then when I was finished, I cleaned out. I know many crafters just use the wand to splatter the liquid on, which is fine. But what if you really want a lot of dots, small and all over? Any suggestions? Change subject – I love MFT. I think they are another terrific stamp company, and their “look” is different from Lawn Fawn. I’ll get busy and post a card this week too! THANKS for all you do.
megan says
January 14, 2016 at 7:36 pmLove the color combo!
Dawn says
January 14, 2016 at 6:31 pmBeautiful snowflakes, softly falling. Love it!
Arianna Barbara says
January 14, 2016 at 4:54 pmOh wow! This card is GORGEUS!!!!!!!! And I love these colours!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
Melanie Mallek says
January 14, 2016 at 4:16 pmYour card is very pretty & would make anybody’s day to receive it! 🙂
Kim says
January 14, 2016 at 4:01 pmAnother stunning card using water coloring! I’ll give it a try!
Nora says
January 14, 2016 at 2:19 pmOh WOW!! I LOVE how you created that background with those pretty colors of Distress Stain. I am going to have to try this technique. These cards are STUNNING!!
Carla Hundley says
January 14, 2016 at 11:39 amYour card is so pretty!
The watercolored
background is lovely
and I love the gold
splashes!
Carla from Utah
Cindy H says
January 14, 2016 at 9:56 amThe glossy accents really shine! I like to make cards in multiples of four. 2 sheets of paper cut in half, it’s easier for me to multiply by four 🙂
Vinita Jain says
January 14, 2016 at 9:27 amLove how beautifully yu played with distress ink with pearlized effect and thanks for the tip Jen! Love this wintry creation, so beautiful!