Easy Watercolor Card, Step By Step

In the interest of learning to make a better watercolor card, I decided to make the card for Granddaughter T step by step, drying the card after each step to see what would happen.  It is not a great card, but it is much better than my usual, I think.  Much less muddy colors, in my opinion, which is a result of drying in between steps, the first time I have done this.

The first thing I did was to wet the paper with a 1-inch flat brush.

Next I put in the blue, then green background color.

Since I wanted some clouds in the sky, and since I had failed to bring paper towels to my desk, I scrunched up a Kleenex to make the clouds.  Not really successful. I won't use Kleenex again.  Also I will try to have the color a bit more even...having said that, I do love paper toweled clouds.

Using the 3/8" deer foot brush I dropped in the beginnings of some flowers.

Next I made some grasses and stems.  Not liking the green by itself, I added some lemon yellow and some yellow ochre.  The lemon yellow was supposed to give the impression of perhaps some other kind of low-lying floral entities.  Not sure that was successful.

Since the main flowers seemed a little naked, I found some similar colors to tap in some filler. and perhaps add more background.  At least, that was the idea.

When I showed the previous picture to Daughter M, she suggested maybe some birds or butterflies or something would be good. I liked the idea and went with birds.  I do think they were an improvement and added a more pleasing dimension to the picture.

When it came time to mount the painting on a card,  I went with a rather busy background card stock.  This is a Park Lane card stock.  I would love to find the actual manufacturer of the paper and see if I can order just the card stock that I like best instead of the multi-pack.  I LOVE their green background card stock. 

Papercrafting: Easy Mini Treats Box, Step By Step

The easy mini treat box, step by step.

Start with a 6 inch by 6 inch piece of double-sided card stock, a We R Memory Keepers envelope punch board, scissors, adhesive, a small circle, oval, or diamond paper punch, and ribbon.

1.  Place the card stock in the envelope punch board with the edge at 1 3/8 inch mark where the arrow is pointing.  Punch and score.  I used the scoring tool twice on each score line.

2.  Slide the edge of the paper to the 4 inch mark.  Punch and score.

3.  Rotate the paper 90 degrees and line up with the first scored line, which is barely visible in this picture but is where the arrow points.  You never use the measurement numbers again, just the previously scored lines.

4.  Slide the paper down to the next scored line.  Punch and score. You still can barely see score line, but it is there.

5.  Continue rotating 90 degrees, punching and scoring on the first line, sliding the paper over and punching and scoring until all four sides have been punched and scored.

6.  You will notice that there are two "thinner" corners and two "thicker" corners.  Insert both of the thicker corners into the corner-rounding cutter in the envelope punch board and punch.

7.  This is what the nicely rounded corners look like.  If you choose to round all four corners, go for it. I did not want to with my boxes.

8.  Cut along the scored lines on the thicker sides of the paper.  These will be the outside supports to the box.

9.  Fold on all the scored lines.

10.  Punch a hole for the ribbon in the ends of the thicker two corners.  If you have a really heavy-duty paper punch you can line the two corners up and punch at the same time.  My little diamond punch was a $3.99 special, so I could only punch one at a time.  It is a little tricky to get them to match, but...there will be ribbon so, maybe it will be okay!

11. This picture is to show that you need to punch both sides of the thicker corners.  They will slide together just fine.

12.  Fold back the thinner corner/fold it to the outside so the inside of the box sort of decorates the outside. 

13.  Using an adhesive tape runner, apply adhesive then hold until the glue is set.

14.  Fold up the box. Apply adhesive to the outside of the striped "flap" and the inside of the dotted "flap".  At that point press them together.  You do NOT want the adhesive on the part of the box that has the punched diamond in it. 

15. Hold the flaps together until the adhesive is adhering then insert a piece of ribbon...or in this case, yarn which is all I had in the hotel room...and tie a nice bow.  Insert 2 or 3 Lindt Chocolate truffles or other treat of your choice.  The recipient with love it.  At least, I think so.

Note to Self:  when compressing photographs for the web,  make sure the score lines, and other details show....Sorry these are not more apparent.