this is SO much FUN...

and like the Geico commercial says…

so easy…

even a caveman can do it! 

no…I haven't had a mojito yet…

just incase you're wondering…

I discovered a super simple…super fun…super quick way to create an artsy watercolor art journal page…

this is a page from my small journal & the page is manila card stock, cut to 3 1/4 x 4 ¾ inches......

grab the fern green archival...

and the leafy stamp…

then stamp the right side of the page first, then the left…without reinking, for a lighter second generation image…

this makes it look further in the background...

use jet black archival to stamp the sentiment & add some scattered straw & brushed corduroy distress inks to the page...

here comes the fun…

scribble a distress marker onto the craft sheet & pick up the color with the detail water brush…

RANDOMLY…start adding uneven flowers, by lightly taping the water brush wherever you want to add a flower…

YES…this goes thru "the uglies" before it gets cute…

but...trust me…

I started these flowers with the tumbled glass distress marker…

do the same thing with the broken china distress maker…

adding more flowers…

give it a quick blast with the heat tool...

now dispense a small amount of faded jeans distress stain onto the craft sheet & use the detail water brush to add darker dots to the flower centers…

I like the stain for the centers because the stain is undiluted…

and it really accents the flowers & makes them stand out...

getting better...

grab orange blossom archival…

this just might be my new fav color…

it coordinates well with everything…

use a blending tool or Cut N Dry foam to stencil the stripes borders…

I used the rusty hinge distress marker to color the flower…

below is the finished page…

I used potting soil archival to fill in some areas with the vintage mesh  background stamp...

I stenciled TIME with brushed corduroy, 3 times…

and used watering can archival for the very light postal mark…

that stamp is in the set called "art gone post" & it's LCS051...

to easily color tim's industrious border stickers…

I removed the sticker from the sheet & placed it on the craft sheet…

it stays nice & secure, but pops off easily & the adhesive is unharmed...

I rubbed the cornflower archival pad over the trim…

then lightly hit the edges with potting soil archival…

dry it with the heat tool…

such a quick way to alter & change them to any color you need...

***tip***

if you don't like the color…cheapo rubbing alcohol will remove the archival from the sticker & you can start all over again…

the sticker is not damaged!

the skinny industrious trim at the bottom is the divider piece between the stickers…colored the same way…

it's adhesive...don't waste it!

I stamped 2 flowers on manila scraps, colored them with the broken china distress marker & cut them out & glued them on…

the finishing touches are some remnant rubs for the 3 mini words...

and look at the butterfly rub…

you can alter the remnant rubs with ARCHIVALS!

yippee…

just swipe the craft nib onto the archival pad & color away…then dry!

this discovery made me very happy!

a little shading around the page edge, some glaze pen dots & some pen stitching…

done & FUN!

so much fun that I HAD to play again…

on the sample below, you'll see that I used distress watercolor cardstock…

same process as above…

but with a less distressed…

more clean & simple result...

this time I used the shaded lilac & dusty concord distress markers  for the flowers & I used dusty concord distress stain to create darker flower centers…

BE AUTHENTIC is stenciled with jet black archival & again…

the little remnant rub butterfly was colored with orange blossom archival…

I think I'll use the sewing machine to stitch a border, then add it to an art journal page…

but...

this would also make a fun EASY card…

or…

I could put it in a little frame & have a simple gift done…

with so many distress colors to choose from, there's something that can coordinate with any decor…

or anyones favorite color...

with the holidays fast approaching…

this makes a cool gift…

just sayin'...

and this one took 15 minutes tops!

Rick's comment…hey…that almost looks hand painted..

me…hello goofy…it was…

Rick…I'm going back to the barn…lol…

I like the combo of archival ink and distress…

my leaves/stems archival stamped image remained unaffected by  the water & distress…

using distress is an easy way to create an artsy watercolor effect…

the REAL star? the detail water brush!

I LOVE this thing…because the bristles are a nylon-ish material…the point is still perfect, even though I use this brush almost every day…

if you don't have one…you can tell Santa that this would look good in your stocking!

below is another older waterbrush project…

this is over on the Ranger site with a tutorial…

and this is where the idea came from for the flowers on todays post...

stop the press!

I have a tutorial posted today on the Ranger blog…

popover & find out how to create this…

ok...that's it…

back to more CHA stuff…

and scheduling for next year...

I hope you can find a few minutes this weekend to play and

make art!

wendy

ps…GO BEARS!

pps…one more thing…I've had several requests to participate in this number deal…

someone (actually 3 someones) sent me a number & I'm supposed to list that many unknown facts about me…oh boy…

this could be interesting & a potential blog post for next week…

stay tuned for some deep dark secrets!...