Watercolor Class Day 1 Homework and some Good News

I'm taking the new Watercolor class over at Online Card Classes and had the chance to work on some cards last night.  This first one is a technique that Jen Rzasa shared where you 'dress up' a watercolor wash by using a stencil on the watercolor while it is drying to create a subtle pattern.

I really like this subtle technique, you can see it at the bottom right portion of the card, I used The Crafter's Workshops Mini Hourglass stencil here.  When it was done, I thought it might look neat to have a more defined image at the top right....so they kind of fade together in the middle.  I didn't want it to be really defined, just more defined, so I just replaced the stencil and lightly added color starting at the top right.  

That gorgeous sentiment is from Neat and Tangled and a bit of AC glitter tape finishes it off.  

My second card is a riff on Laura Bassen's card, using a block to create a blended/ombre effect.  I've done similar techniques before, mostly adding multiple ink colors onto a block simultaneously as opposed to one layer at a time.

I thought it would be neat to create thinner layers, so I used a 1" x 6" block.  I like how it almost created the look of marble/limestone albeit in different colors.  The full panel was a bit much, so I broke it, adding a blank space for the sentiment in the middle, popping the watercolor panels out, and adding some black cardstock accents.  

One little hint - depending on the thickness of your paper and how saturated you get it, it can really warp/start to break down.  I mounted my watercolor papers on some scrap cardstock to give it a little extra strength since I wanted to pop those panels up.

Oh, and I mentioned some good news right?  There was a little whiff of it above in that first card.  I'm so excited to share that I was invited to be a guest designer over at The Crafter's Workshop this term.  Here's the official announcement.  TCW has some of my very favorite stencil designs/designers and I'm thrilled to part of the guest crew for this term.

That's all for me today.  Please come back tomorrow for a very special post!

Supplies Used
Card 1
Paper/Cardstock:  PTI - Black Cardstock; Strathmore - Mixed Media Paper
Stamps:  Neat & Tangled - My Favorite
Ink: Versafine
Other:  The Crafter's Workshop - Mini Hourglass Stencil;
Derwent Inktense Pencils; AC - Glitter Tape; Tombow - Mono Adhesive
Card 2
Paper/Cardstock:  Strathmore - Mixed Media Paper; Crafter's Companion - White Cardstock; PTI  Black Cardstock
Stampe:  Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold and the Happy
Ink:  Versafine; Ranger - Pickled Raspberry, Salty Ocean; Evergreen Bough; and Iced Spruce Distress Ink
Other:  Tombow - Mono Adhesive; CTMH - Dimensional Foam Tape