Tartan Mistletoe Sentiment Card with Watercoloured Elephant

A project from our live show CATCH UP with Simon for MONDAY MADNESS in the HTCN studio broadcast 13th Dec 21 · 13/12/2021 · watch it from 20:30

A festive Christmas card featuring a tartan backing with a central stamped sentiment framed by mistletoe leaves. The design includes watercoloured green foliage with red berries, splattered details, and a cute watercoloured elephant in the corner for added charm.

You will need

554177 - TV - A5 Stamp - Merry and Bright - 160620FSEE IT Versafine Ink Pad - Onyx Black - 300921CSEE IT

DOWNLOAD THIS GUIDE (PDF)

Step by step

1. Attach a piece of tartan patterned paper to the front of your top-folding grey card using a tape runner, lining it up at one edge. ▶ watch 21:30
2. Trim the excess tartan paper using a guillotine, keeping the offcut for another project. ▶ watch 22:15
3. Pre-cut a white square and position it in the centre of your card as your stamping base. ▶ watch 22:45
4. Stamp your main sentiment in the centre of the white square using black ink, pressing firmly multiple times for a crisp finish. ▶ watch 23:00
5. Stamp the mistletoe image around the sentiment in a random pattern to frame it, rotating the stamp to vary the angles and create visual interest. ▶ watch 24:00
6. Fill in any gaps with smaller stamp images to complete the mistletoe border around your sentiment. ▶ watch 26:00
7. Mix a diluted green watercolour and paint the mistletoe leaves, working loosely and not worrying about staying within the stamped lines. ▶ watch 27:30
8. Mix a darker green and add shading to selected areas of the leaves to create depth and variation in tone. ▶ watch 29:00
9. Mix a strong red watercolour and paint the mistletoe berries, keeping the colour vibrant and festive. ▶ watch 29:30
10. Dilute green watercolour and splatter it across the card background using your brush to add texture and break up the white space. ▶ watch 30:30
11. Splatter diluted red watercolour over the background to complement the green splatters and add festive detail. ▶ watch 30:45
12. Mount the stamped and painted square onto a black matte layer, then attach foam pads to the back for dimension. ▶ watch 31:15
13. Watercolour the elephant image with grey, adding black for shading in the trunk, forehead and legs, then add pink to the ears and a bright red heart. ▶ watch 32:30
14. Die-cut the coloured elephant and attach it to the bottom corner of the card using foam pads for added depth. ▶ watch 34:30

Tips from the show

• You don't need to emboss the sentiment; the black ink pops effectively on its own against the tartan background.
• Don't worry about colouring the watercolour perfectly; light splatters and loose washes create an effective artistic look.
• Follow the light pencil lines already on the stamp to know where to add shading when watercolouring.

More from this show

• Photo Frame Slider Card with Elephant and Bunny

Written up from the show itself. See every guide from our shows · free how-to guides · watch live on My Telly