Hello again, and Happy New Year! I’m starting the year as I mean to go on by sticking to what I know and love. A beautiful botanical image and a set of paints make me so happy, and that is what 2023 will be about for me. Doing what is right for my family and me. 2022 was the worst year ever, and we are still dealing with the physical and mental backlash, so in 2023, I am choosing to concentrate on slow and steady progress. I am going to work on my well-being and that of my family. Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the old saying goes, but slowly and surely, we will drag ourselves out of the black hole that was 2022. Of course, for me, creativity is part of the healing process, and I don’t plan on putting down my paints anytime soon. However, I continue to take the pressure off myself to post on social media. Maybe what I will share will be me puddling around with paints with no plan or finished project in mind. Just enjoying playing, exploring and experimenting. That fills my soul. 

I’ve linked all supplies with compensated affiliate links used where possible at no cost to you.

simon kisses release

Before I jump into this card, please check out the new Kisses release from Simon Says Stamp. The Forever Yours set I used for the rose is actually from the previous Hugs release, and the Hi There Greetings set is from the Kisses release. These two releases join forces to make Hugs & Kisses! 

sticking to what I know!

So here we go! I chose one of the lovely rose images from the Forever Yours set, a pad of watercolour paper and painted it with Daniel Smith watercolours. The key to this no-line look is to stamp the image so very lightly in water-reactive ink. I recommend a lightly coloured Distress Ink to match the colour palette you plan to use, making it easier to blend into the paint. If necessary, I fill in the gaps in the stamped image with a pencil. Once I have the outline in place, I start with a light layer of colour. Blocking in the areas – green for leaves and pink for the petals. I let that dry and then started with the next layer adding depth around the leaf veins and deepening the shadows where the petals meet. Slowly but surely, layer by layer, I eventually finish with a light splatter of left-over paint and white gouache.

I trimmed and mounted the panel onto a Neenah Desert Storm card base with foam tape to add a little dimension.

For the sentiment, I picked the ‘My Sweet Friend’ from the Hi There Greetings set and stamped it in Versamark ink on a Black card before white heat embossing. I trimmed the sentiment out to be a skinny banner and then mounted it over the flower with foam tape.

I accented the card with my favourite Eggshell Pearls. I feel that add that simple, classic touch to finish off the card.

Here’s a final look at that flower. It makes me so happy, which is what life is all about! I plan on improving my painting skills this year. I’ve been looking into courses that I can do to help me develop. I feel investing in myself is a form of self-care, and I look forward to that guided learning. 

Well, that’s me for today. I will be back on the weekend, though, with more to share. See you then!

supplies

You can find links to the supplies I’ve used below; click on the picture or shop icon to get taken directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you! Items marked with an asterisk (*) provided by a store or the manufacturer. You can read my affiliate and product disclosure here. I genuinely appreciate your support.