Watercolored Orange Geraniums

 

Well, we made it to Friday!  I still look forward to the weekends even though I’m retired now (pinch me, I’m dreaming).  It’s a mindset 30 years in the making.  I’ll be staying home, most likely, and I hope you’ll be doing something that makes you feel happy and relaxed.  Somehow watercoloring has always been relaxing for me.  I’d hoped to make today’s card more painterly, but I’d stamped the image in such a light ink that it required me to work some of the details back into it.  A little more time invested than I’d planned, but there was no need to hurry, anyway.  I’ve used Power Poppy’s Geraniums Take Two with a verse from the Olive & Oak Expanded set.  This card fulfills a special request for this particular verse.

 

 

My geraniums were stamped with Ranger Distress Tea Dye ink and colored with Ranger Distress Persimmon.  Details were added in with SU! Poppy Parade.  Leaves are Adirondack Pesto.  I used Pesto for the leaf details, as well.  A little shadowing and color was added around the image with SU! Perfect Plum and So Saffron.

 

The verse was stamped in Versafine Onyx Black, nice and crisp on the watercolor paper.  I always use my old faithful Stamp-a-Ma-Jig stamp positioner for placement of sentiments.  After the first stamping I keep the positioner in place, and if a second stamping is necessary I can simply ink up and stamp again directly over the first.

 

Now, about those orange geraniums… I’d never seen orange geraniums before, honestly.  Have you?  Maybe they’re nothing new, but they stopped me in my tracks when I was out flower shopping this year.  I brought home two of them and put them together in a large pot, hoping they’ll come back bigger and even more beautiful next year.

 

 

I’m still coloring a little everyday per the 30 Day Coloring Challenge.  I started some orange tulips at the same time, but then got a wild notion to clean and tidy my stamp room.  About four hours worth of cleaning and tidying, but it’s so pleasant in there now.  I might even finish those orange tulips.  Have a good day!

 

Stamps:  Geraniums Take Two, Olive & Oak Expanded (sentiment), retired SU Itty Bitty Backgrounds (speckles)  Paper:  Arches 140 lb hot press watercolor paper, Mellow Moss, Bazzill ivory  Ink:  Ranger Distress Tea Dye and Persimmon, Adirondack Pesto, SU Poppy Parade, Perfect Plum, and So Saffron, Versafine Onyx Black  Accessories:  None

Comments

[Glenda]

What a beautiful card. Your watercoloring is spot on! Also loving your orange geraniums!

[Joan B]

Leslie, this just blew me away. Gorgeous!!

[Donna Ellis]

Hi, Leslie! I am convinced - yes positively convinced, that the true garden lies not in your backyard, or in your surrounding community, or even at the tip of your paint brush - surely the lushest of gardens is in your soul - because how could you possibly cultivate such Beauty in the backyard or on paper, unless it first rested interiorly? Orange geraniums do quite well in the Florida heat, and are the last to bloom until Autumn's cooler temps. So glad you discovered them, and are enjoying them. The last of mine are blooming just outside my craftroom window. They will become icky and straggly until I prune them in October, and then blooms will reappear for November onward. I lost my pale and bright pink geraniums this spring. They belonged to my mom, and she had passed away in 1992 - so that tells you how old they were.

back to your card - GORGEOUSNESS - I can't even believe that someone has the capability of doing what you do - everything you color, no matter what the medium, speaks to my soul, and melts my heart. I look over every highlight, and marvel at your natural artist-ness. THAT should have been your vocation throughout life. Wouldn't it have been grand to do that for a living?

Hope your week-end is delightful! hugs, de

[Diane Hover]

Love these beautiful geraniums! The orange is outstanding, I have a few in my pots here. I try to use orange, yellow, even a few reds in my pots as my house is log and it fits so well with it. However I have ALL colors this year as I hit the closeouts..lol. I also have orange inpatients.

The water coloring is stunning! I haven't tried this technique yet or if I did I don't remember hah! A gorgeous stamp set it is, too...wow...another beauty my friend!! So now wonder what your next coloring will be..hope to have one of my own up as soon as I can finish it (maybe next week)...big family reunion (our 5 kids and grandkids and a few others) here tomorrow..yikes, I had better get to cooking!!

[Christine]

OH my Leslie, this is stunning. The rich colour on the geraniums is stunning and the details you brought in with your brush are gorgeous. You can totally see all the time you invested ...I’m so glad you have the freedom to do that, and then we benefit from seeing the results!! Enjoy a relaxing day lady!

[Darlene Pavlick]

Well there you go AGAIN! My jaw always drops when your blog opens up ... ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL creation my friend! WOWZA! Your coloring is GORGEOUS ... I have no doubt the person you made this for will gasp! at it's beauty! Love the orange geraniums you found ... I have the bright pink ones. Most of my flowers are in the pinks & purples ... but might have to rethink my color scheme for next year after seeing these! Hmmmm
Have a fabulous weekend!

[Yogi]

that turned out fabulously. Lots of depth. Have a great day

[Patti Willey]

Another beauty Leslie! Lovely sentiment there, wish I had that one. Enjoy your Friday!

[pam]

What a stunning card Leslie! your gorgeous colouring is amazing to see on this beautiful image, how can you part with this beauty! should be in a frame.
Pam x

[Ros Crawford]

Beyond gorgeous!! Oh my... my jaw just hit the floor! Your colouring skills are amazing and this should be in a frame... signed! brilliant work!

[Nancy C.]

What a gorgeous card - your coloring is fantastic! I love the way you colored the leaves and NO I have never seen an orange geranium. I have a bunch in the yard but they are all red. I'm glad you are enjoying your days - have a wonderful weekend!

[Sherri Dean]

I've always loved your watercoloring but this is the most beautiful coloring yet! WOW!! It looks exactly like a photograph it is so perfectly colored! I don't know anyone who can water color as well as you! Awesome card! I hope the person who gets it puts it in a frame & hangs it on the wall! It certainly deserves a spot there as it is a miniature masterpiece!

[CherylQuilts]

Oh, Leslie! This card is gorgeous, and your watercoloring is out of this world! I am in such saw of the depth and beautiful shading, and your geranium looks exactly like the photo of the real one you have - truly! I love the shading with the Perfect Plum and So Saffron. And this is a favorite verse of mine. I agree with Donna that you are a master at any coloring medium, and I know you have skill but also an eye for beauty! It shows in your cards and also in your garden. And, yes, retirement is FABULOUS! Hugs, sweet friend, and you can still enjoy the weekend! Hehe! xoxo

[Ida P. Krause]

Stunning card. I love Geraniums. Such a hardy plant although I've never had success with them coming back the following year as the cold winter here usually kills them. That is a lovely color.

[Lynette]

Totally gorgeous, Leslie!!! Your coloring looks just like a photograph. Amazing!

[Stacy Morgan]

One of my favorite verses! This is beautiful Leslie. Your petals look wonderful and the stitching is awesome.

[Conniecrafter]

Oh my it is just stunning, beautiful softness to the coloring and love your shading around it too, love the mix of colors. One of my favorite verses!! I don't know that I have seen orange geraniums, I can see why you picked them up, so pretty!
Whenever I go to tidy up my craft room it isn't long and I am creating something, just so hard to focus on cleaning :) Have a terrific weekend!

[Lisa Dolson]

Hi Leslie! Your watercoloring is always so amazing. Love your geraniums! This card should be framed. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Lisa

[Melissa Docking]

Absolutely stunning! Your colouring is just amazing.

[nancy littrell]

I love how you CASE'd your gorgeous geranium. TFS both photos Leslie. They are soooo beautiful! Hugs, nancy