Seahorse Watercolor Card (and how to sketch-recycle)

Create a Seahorse Watercolor Card while I show you how easy it is to do “sketch-recycling” for a unique and easy card!

Seahorse watercolor card featuring seaside notions stamp set

To some of my regulars, you may think this card looks familiar. That’s because it is!! I wanted to show you how easy it is to take a card sketch you’ve created and alter it to fit a new occasion. I call this “sketch-recycling” and some VERY different yet wonderfully easy cards can result from it!

If you’ve ever sat in front of your stamps and thought “what am I going to make…” then try looking at a card you’ve either previously made and liked or one you saw on pinterest.

Masculine car birthday card

To recycle a sketch, I chose a card from May which was made with a masculine look featuring a car and a dark color combo. Next, I chose a new stamp set. In my case, I wanted to use Seaside Notions because who can resist that seashores?

Instead of the “oil smudges” on the card above that I’m sketch-recycling, smudging some blue ink to look like the ocean gave the new card a happy feeling. And now that the weather is getting warmer, watercoloring feels more season-appropriate for the cards I’ve been making.

Just changing the stamp set and color combo can alter your card sketch to something completely new!

See below for how you can create this Seahorse Watercolor Card:


Seahorse Watercolor Card Recipe:

Cut your Cardstock:

  • Bermuda Bay: 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″, scored and folded at 4 1/4″ for the card base.
  • Watercolor paper: 5 1/4″ x 4″
  • Scraps: Gorgeous Grape, Whisper White

Watercolor the background:

Using a Water Painter, brush over your Bermuda Bay ink pad to pick up a little color, and glide it across your Watercolor paper.

Watercoloring Tip: Want more color? Grab more ink with your Water Painter. Want less color? Spread it with more water. Do this until you are happy with your result. It will always look slightly different — enjoy that. Then LET IT DRY!

Stamp!

  • Background sentiment: With Basic Gray ink, stamp your background sentiment randomly over the back of your watercolored layer.
  • Seahorse: Stamp the seahorse with Basic Gray ink on a scrap of white cardstock. Color in with Heather Highland Blends markers (I alternated light and dark). Then fussy-cut it out.
  • Sentiment: Stamp your sentiment with Gorgeous Grape ink on a scrap of white cardstock. Die cut it out using the 2nd smallest stitched oval. Die cut out the next larger stitched oval from a Gorgeous Grape scrap.

Adhere it all together:

  • Adhere your watercolored layer to your cardbase.
  • Next glue your ovals (with the sentiment) with the white on top. Use dimensionals to stick it on your card.
  • Lastly, adhere the seahorse on top to the left using dimensionals.

Supplies for a Seahorse Watercolor Card:


Seahorse watercolor card featuring seaside notions stamp set

I hope this card makes you as happy as it makes me! The pretty colors, the feeling of the ocean, and gratitude. If you like this card, you may want to check out these other card recipes, a few that also use watercoloring:

Rooted in Nature Watercolor Paper Tear CardWatercolor Rainbow in Summer CardWatercolor smooching falling leaves card detail

Nautical Gatefold Card

Card sets are also a great way to “sketch-recycle!” Try it out!

In-color music card stack

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2 Responses

  1. I love this card.

Leave a Comment - I do a little happy dance for each one!

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