Welcome to my stop on the Colorado Craft Company Bloghop! I’m so grateful to Amy for sharing the new release with me so I could play along – and give you some great ideas for using it! I chose to go really simple, partly because my RSI (repetitive stress injury to my hand) was acting up the day I was shooting. These were simple to create with using some Artist tape and a little plastic TSquare to keep things straight. (straight-ish at least!)
My video shows two of the stamps but keep scrolling to see some more stripes samples – and the hop info!
Supplies for this project are linked at the end of this post. Compensated affiliate links may be used at no cost to you.
Video
For the tutorial – I made a Mother’s Day and Father’s Day card with the simplest of watercolor techniques – making easy stripes! It’s even easier than a solid background, you know why? Because you only need to manage the water on one stripe at a time! Simple! I’m using Daniel Smith watercolors but you can use anything for this – even make a puddle of thin, watered-down color out of ink pads or reinkers! Watch below or click HERE to see it on YouTube.
Some product may be provided by manufacturers for review and use. Compensated affiliate links are here at no cost to you. If you choose to shop using my EH (Ellen Hutson) links, please accept cookies on that site in order to retain the link to my blog, or that compensation does not happen for me. I appreciate your support of my work with your purchases! Full affiliate and product disclosure | My trusted partners in art
For Dad
Dad’s set has multiple sentiments to use – and I can totally see this stamp set for a Christmas card with a fireplace in the background, stockings hung and ready for Santa…… the little heart on my card filled in an awkward white space, it’s a really old metal ‘sticker.’
The inside of the card can match the outside too – super easy to do, as well! If you plan to do this you might try doing the inside first since you don’t need to paint around anything – warm up to it!
Amazing Mom
This mom stamp set is pretty sweet – and I love that they’ve given us so many sentiments so it’s not just for Mother’s Day – you can make cards all year for your Mom with this set, or for those new moms you know!
The inside panel’s stripes are the same height as the front for continuity!
More samples – more simple stripes!
I’ve created samples for the rest of the release with stripes painted with stamps – some a little harder than the video, but not by a lo!
For Mom, Mom Names
There’s another set to celebrate the women in your life – like pampered kitty queens! I used the same masking tape to make little stripes this time. I also limited myself to Quinacridone Rose and New Gamboge throughout the whole card. Cute huh? The “sister” is from the Mom Names set.
Dad’s Cooking, Dad Names
My dad was a cook, but only of a few items. Pancakes were one of them, though I don’t think he ever tossed any in the air! But a cat dad might pull it off…lol! I started by taping off stripes on the floor…then built a cabinet…and by then I was thinking about where they keep the glasses so had to do hanging cabinets….and of course a window! You can make all kinds of scenes with simple tape masking!
- Buy Dad’s Cooking stamps at EH or CCC …buy Dad’s Cooking dies at EH or CCC
- Buy For Dad Names set at EH or CCC
Love Art
CCC makes artist critters in their stamps – and there are two stamps in this set, one of which I used here – I used some tapes to create a canvas to paint in stripes!
Proud of you
This little stamp is so cute with all the critters together partying! There are graduation stamps here but – you can use this set all year round. I’ll be coloring this one with Copics soon! The background was made with stripes but layered them over and over til it was a forest just needing a couple branches!
Bloghop
I’m excited that I can give away a $25 gift certificate to the CCC shop, so here’s how to enter: CLOSED
- Leave a comment – tell me if these cards are the kind of “easy” you like to create!
- Subscribe, even if just til the winner’s announced, so you get to find out if you won!
- Then hop along – everyone’s got a little giveaway that ends Tues night the 13th!
- Adrienne Kennedy (CCC)
- Amber Rain Davis
- Angelica Conrad
- Bibi Cameron
- Caly Person
- Cathy Zielske
- Chari Moss
- Chris Dayton
- Daniel West
- Donna Hitz
- Emily Midgett
- Erin Thompson
- Jennifer Gross
- Jennifer Kotas
- Jennifer McGuire
- Jennifer Shurkus
- Joe Sysavath
- Kassi Hulet
- Kathy Racoosin
- Kelly Griglione
- Koren Wiskman
- Kristina Werner
- Laura Volpes
- Mansi Bhatia
- Marci Snee
- Nichol Spohr
- Sandy Allnock – you are here!
- Sara Torzullo
- Traci Jenkins
- Yana Smakula
Supplies
Some product may be provided by manufacturers for review and use. Compensated affiliate links are here at no cost to you. If you choose to shop using my EH (Ellen Hutson) links, please accept cookies on that site in order to retain the link to my blog, or that compensation does not happen for me. I appreciate your support of my work with your purchases! Full affiliate and product disclosure | My trusted partners in art
- Colorado Craft Company stamps and dies:
- Daniel Smith Watercolors:
- Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #12 EH – BLICK – AMZ
- Arches Cold Press Paper: EH – BLICK
- Ampersand Hardbord, Flat 9×12
- Artist tape
- TSquare
Love all your cards, but the stripes are simple and I thought accent the stamped images. Thanks for sharing.
Your cards are so unique. Simple, yet elegant.
Your the very best and the proud of you card is so cute.
Love those stripes!! Adorable cards, Sandy.
Yes, definitely my kind of easy, cards look adorable. These critter stamps from CCC are so adorable!
Yes! This is something I’m going try! Thank you!
I am always happy to see such fabulous cards that have no coloring –
since I don’t color well. But ALL of your cards are simply gorgeous.
Love your cards!
AMAZING MOM is my favorite stamp set. But these are all just wonderful Great idea with the stripes.
I adore all of your cards. The simple technique compliments and highlights the “cuteness” of all the stamps. I think I’m gonna need them all. I love Anita’s stamps.
Wow love all your cards, this release has my heart ❤️
Love this release! Your cards are beautiful!
I love your super easy watercoloring video! I don’t watercolor, but I am inspired and I think I can stripe the background using your technique. Your cards are always so amazing. I took a class from you years ago and I remember your enthusiasm.
I love all of the colorful backgrounds!! Thank you for such an easy way to create fabulous backdrops. Your cards are awesome as always.
Love all of these delightful designs! The cards are wonderful! I love the idea of the striped wallpaper backgrounds and will definitely give that a try! The forest scene you created with the group of adorable critters is just fantastic!
Love these all the Anita Jeram stamps. You make coloring them look so easy
What a great technique! I do love coloring these adorable critters, but can’t always take the time. I gotta get some of that tape. And most of these new stamps, too. Thanks!
My favorite is the LOVE ART set. Nice cards as usual.
I absolutely love all of your cards!
I love these simple card ideas!
Great tutorial and your cards are fantastic!
I don’t use watercolors that much, but your card creations have given me some inspiration to try. They all are so cute. Thank you for sharing
You showcase the CCC stamps, letting them stand out by just focusing on the background–They look awesome. Thank you for your idea. My favorite CCC stamp set is the Art Love.
Hi Sandy,
Thank you for these card ideas and techniques. You may or may not recognize my name because I have been following you for several years. Lately, I seem to have lost my mojo and these may just be the cards to get me back in motion. Thank you so much!
I still watch your videos and love to hear what is happening in your life! Please don’t give up on us, either, because we feel like we are part of your family. And again, Thank you for all you give to us!
Love all your cards using this release but favorite is the first one with Mother’s Day. No coloring image and still a wow card! Just my style!
Yes, these cards are my kind of easy! Darling creations and thanks for the tips. You always have such great inspiration. Love following you.
Sandy, love the new inspirations. Looks like a great idea and simply to make.
These cards are really cute. And I love your videos. So helpful with great ideas.
Sandy – LOVE all your cards! Such cute stamp sets, & you set them off so wonderfully with the stripes! I have many cards to make right now -….. you make things look easy, so I am going to try your technique. -I won’t have any of these darling stamp sets, but think your technique can be used with almost any stamp, which is fantastic!
Such cute, cute cards! I love how simple and sweet the striped backgrounds look. Thanks for the tip on the artist tape. I just ordered some, wish me luck!
I’m not great at colouring so creating a coloured background and adding an uncoloured image is definitely up my alley. The Proud of You set is my fave!
So pretty and easy! Love it!
I can’t pick a favorite in this release. So many wonderful illustrations. I’m getting quite a collection of Anita’s stamps. I do however like be what you’ve done with the stamps here.
The stripey insides of the cards was genius! I love your samples, each one is adorable. I wouldn’t call these techniques easy, exactly, but I do like the uncomplicated style that the stripes add. Thanks for your great samples.
My fav in the new release is Proud of you. The cheering friends can be used for so many instances. Great simple (yet effective) background you created. I am a huge Anita Jeram fan!
Your coloring is amazing as per usual! I LOVE those striped backgrounds!
Lovely cards! Stripes are my favourite and who doesn’t love Anita Jeram and CCC!!
Your striped backgrounds are so clever! Love them! Proud of You is my favorite set from the new release.
Beautiful simple looking cards that I think I might be able to do. Love that the images are not colored and yet they stand out. Your use of black and stripes inside is genius.
Omg!! I love the simple stripes technique. I struggle with creati.g scenes forncute critters and this will help me use them more often than I do now.
It was inspiring to watch the video. The stripes made me feel like “I can do it!” Can we use Purple tape? I don’t have artist’s tape.
Not sure what purple tape is, but try it and see!
SO beautiful! I should try the striped background – starting simple is just my speed!
Colorado Craft Co. just keeps getting better. Love the water coloring, I’ve never tried it perhaps I should. I could compare to your work it’s fab
Best release yet!! I may have to order all of them!! I love love love the stripes in the background. Will definitely have to try this !!! Thanks for the inspiration!
Oh my…totally adorable! What a great technique for the background. I am so in love with Colorado Stamps!!!!! And your cards….melt my heart..you make images come to life!
Thanks so much for this inspiration! So easy, yet effective!
I just love he simplicity of these! The dark green background may be beyond me, but I can certainly try stripes! Thank you Sandy.
Such adorable stamps from CCC that I have been shying away from because my mice and other critters do not look very real when I’m done. So this is the perfect solution for me! I can’t wait to try it. Thank you, thank you for the inspiration!
I’m so excited to give this technique a try! I love the ideas and these cards are awesome!
These are adorable and so quick to make… I never seem to get the shadows right on a stamp and this technique could be the answer. I especially like the little mouse with the paintbrush and his own canvas… so cute. Thanks so much for sharing.
A great idea indeed for these images.I just love the pull of the tape.