GSL Cuts: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts + Watercolor Paints

I host crops periodically throughout the year. My last crop featured two of my favorite vendors: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts and Rubber Moon Stamps.

To watch Kae Pea (owner of Rubber Moon Stamps) work with watercolor paints is truly an inspiration. After being mesmerized by her art last weekend, I decided to drag out my watercolors and try my hand at it again, combining with Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts.

If you want to try this, any watercolor paints will do. Kae Pea works with a palette similar to a kids watercolor paint set and her watercolors are gorgeous!

For this project, I'm using Blooming Flourish (#D22P).

The first step was to paint the chip so that I would get true colors. Using white milk paint, I added the first layer and then let it dry thoroughly.

Once that was dry, I used Peerless Water Colors but any watercolor paints will do. Peerless offers a wide selection of colors in one booklet form.

Because I am not good at watercoloring, if I use a regular tin palette, I tend to get my colors muddied. This is why I use Peerless. Kae Pea . . . I need a lesson! Enough of my personal issues.

Using a regular paint brush and a bit of water, I blended several colors of pinks/reds/yellows for the flowers and several colors of greens/blues/grays for the leaves and stems. I don't use a waterbrush as I'm not good at controlling the flow of water out of the brush. Using a regular paint brush, I can dab the brush onto a cloth or paper towel if I have too much water on the brush.

If you want a more *romantic softer* look to your watercolors, stop here at this step. You can see the paints offer almost an ethereal look to the colors.

Since I was putting this sprig on a brown printed background, I opted to brighten things up a bit to give it more pop. Using Distress Crackle Paint, I dabbed the crackle on top of the watercolor. Dabbing is almost a necessary step instead of spreading as both mediums (watercolor and crackle paint) are water based. The crackle, if spread on top of the watercolor, could cause the watercolors to *move*.

Let air dry thoroughly (don't use a heat gun). You can see how the crackle brightens the colors and gives the chip a totally different look ~ almost a *watery, rainy* look.