Whip up bespoke backgrounds with this easy watercolour technique

What you need...

• Watercolour pens: Tonic Studios Nuvo Aqua Flow, Summer Holiday, Spring Meadow
  Stamps: Julie Hickey, Essential Sentiments Happy Birthday, Garden Treasures
  Ink-pad, WOW! Embossing, Clear Embossing
  Embossing powder, gold
  Card: watercolour, smooth white, teal, green
  Embellishments
  Adhesives

instructions

1. Watercolour is a staple for many papercrafters. If you love the look of these multi-purpose paints but want to skip the brush, then watercolour pens are a great option. Aqua Flow pens contain highly pigmented watercolour in a less conventional format. They have a brush nib so you can apply traditional washes yet it is fine enough to colour in detailed stamped images. They’re easy to control too, as you dictate the amount of liquid released by adjusting your pressure. It couldn’t be simpler!

2. Gold Embossed Florals - 1 Cut smooth white card, 8.5cm x 13cm. Stamp and emboss the sentiment at the bottom-left. Fix teal behind the bottom edge, then repeat with white. Matt the entire piece to green.
   
   2 Form a smooth white blank, 10.5cm x 15cm. Glue the panel to the card front. Make a background on watercolour paper as shown, then emboss with gold. Trim into strips, 1cm x 10cm, then attach to the blank.
   
   3 Use the Aqua Splash pen to make a wash on watercolour paper. Stamp and emboss the floral motif, then fix to teal with foam pads. Layer with green, then secure in place on the card. Finish with gems and a bow.

3. Woven Background - 1 Trim white card, 9cm x 13cm. Stamp and emboss the sentiment at the bottom-right, then glue to teal, leaving a border. Form a smooth white blank, 10.5cm x 15cm, then attach the panel.
   
   2 Use Aqua Splash and Apple Red to make a background on watercolour paper. Emboss with gold, then cut into strips, 5mm wide. Trim three strips to 10cm in length and three to 6cm.
   
   3 Glue to the card front in a cross-hatch pattern, then fix a ribbon loop on top. Stamp and emboss the flower with gold. Paint using a watercolour pen, then secure with foam pads. Embellish with gems to finish.