Fall Foliage Watercolor

Hello everyone!

It's time to celebrate some autumn color, so I made a card using some leaves from my maple tree in front of my home.  That particular tree still has green leaves on it, and usually just turns brown.  But with the help of some Distress inks and paints, I can dream! I will apologize up front for the washed out photos.  This would be pretty in the sunlight, but I'm not sure we are going to see much sunlight today.

I made my background by using my leaves as stamps, using Distress inks and watercolor paper. I simply inked the most textured side of the leaf patting the ink pad directly onto the leaf, and spritzing the inked leaf with water.  I laid the leaf on the paper, covered with a paper towel to absorb any  excess color  that seeps out from under the leaf.  Then I ran my brayer over to transfer the color.  In some cases, I layered the color, and in others, I gave the transferred image another spritz of water to blend it a little.  I gave each transfer a blast with the heat gun to prevent blending of colors of subsequent inkings.  I used Ripe Persimmon Distress paint on some, because I don't have that color in ink. Once I was happy with the look, I carefully blended color  around the leaves using Bundled Sage, Tumbled Glass and Hickory Smoke Distress inks. I flicked on some water and dried with the heat gun. A final touch is using Vintage Photo Distress marker with the Marker Spritzer. There's one of my favorite water coloring techniques and I didn't even need a brush!

I had to take some shots before I put the card together, because I just think it's so pretty! Click on any image to see detail. I love the change of seasons with the fall color.  It's just a shame we don't get much color in our neck of the woods.

The frame is Spellbinders, and I added some Frantage.  The flower is die cut from an OLD Sizzix Daisy die, cut from card colored with Distress inks and the same brown card as the frame.  I added a flower from my stash to the center.  I purposely layered the flower petals off center to hopefully appear more realistic--I was going for a Mum.

I made the leaves from paper clay and a Martha Stewart mold.  I colored them using Distress inks and a little water.  Once dry, I added Rock Candy Distress paint, and allowed that to dry.  I added a little Vintage Photo Distress spray to high light the cracks.

The green foliage is a Tim Holtz die cut from card colored with Distress inks.  The ribbon is dyed with a variety of Distress products in yellows and oranges (sorry, I can't recall exactly which ones). The twine is Maya Road which I purchased earlier this summer from the The Funkie Junkie Boutique, but forgot all about.  This stuff is the BEST!  I have a drawer full of twine, but I'll probably not use any after using this.

I finished the card off with a quote from Tim Holtz Small Talk Occasions stickers--a more recent purchase from The Funkie Junkie Boutique. And a perfect quote for Nancy's theme at Frilly and Funkie--Autumn Splendor.  Inside, a pile of  Tim Holtz foliage on a stamped image (I don't know the maker, sorry). I cut the foliage and nuts using snippets of paper from the front of the card. This is the first time I've used this die, but now I want the latest Thinlits Foliage die! Oh, it's a good thing our wants won't kill us, and our real needs are always met!

I would like to enter this into the following inspiring challenges:

Frilly and Funkie "Autumn Splendor"

Country View Challenges "Add Some Texture"

Pixie Snippet's Playground Week # 198 My snippets are that pile of foliage inside the card, all from papers created for the front of the card.

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge "Wonderful Watercolor"

Allsorts Challenge Week #332 "No Design Papers"

We Love To Create Challenge # 21 Anything Creative/Mixed Media Goes

As You Like It "Monochrome or Colour (and Why?) Definitely COLOR!  Right now the favorites are fall colors of oranges and browns.  Why?  These colors make me happy! In my text you will see we don't get much fall color hear, so I have to "make" it!

Mod Squad Challenge Get Your "Fall" On

Try It On Tuesdays "Autumn"

Vintage Stamping Challenges # 37 Use a Die/Dies I used 4 dies on this card, and the stamping as a focal image is done with a leaf!  Your rules read to use some sort of stamping!  Also stamping inside the card.

Thank you for stopping by today, and for all your wonderful comments!  I appreciate each and every one of them! Hugs and Blessings!

Sara Emily

Yippee!!!


How Exciting!