Spring Has Sprung on My Blog Banner

I loved my winter blog banner with the wonderful trees by Denami Designs and the blanket of snow on the ground.  But I am ready for a change.  I live in Florida and experience very little winter weather but I know so many of you are still feeling the cold and are dreaming of jonquil’s popping up out of the ground and the azalea’s blooming. I wanted to create a blog banner that would remind you that spring is just around the corner. Don’t give up even it if is only 9 degrees outside where you live.

I cut a piece of watercolor paper 10" x 3 1/2" so that my scene would fit well for the required banner size.  I used a piece of Cut & Dry foam to sponge Distress Shabby Shutters on the ground area of the scene.  I used a piece of scrap paper to mask off the sky area and to lay down Adirondack Aqua ink for the little water line in the background. I then foamed on Adirondack Aqua for the sky area.  I sketched in the trees trunks and limbs with a Faber-Castell artist pen and painted with a brush and Ranger Vintage Photo Distress reinker.  I used a small wooden sponge dauber to apply Distress Shabby Shutters to create the leaf area of the trees.  I then added leaf texture with Distress Peeled Paint ink to the trees and ground area.  Then I used my fern stamp and added colorful flowers along the water’s edge and under the trees with Regal Rose and Apricot ink.  I used my brand new olive Staedtler Triplus Liner that I received as a free goodie at CHA to add stems and wispy sprigs to the flowers.  I hope this brings you hope for a quick return of spring.

Stamps:  Watercolor Minis- Fern Stamp

Paper:  Watercolor

Ink:  Ranger Distress Inks and Reinkers, SU Regal Rose and Apricot Appeal

Accessories:  Cut & Dry Foam, Sponge Dauber, Faber-Castell Artist Pens, Staedtler Triplus Pen, Watercolor Brushes