Hello and welcome! A few day ago Simon Says Stamp released a new set of gorgeousness, Lucky to Know You. Once again the people behind the designs at Simon have done amazing job of making me want all the things! I swear they have my number!

Today, I am sharing Simon’s Botanical Heart from their last release, Hey Bestie. I have paired it up with a simple, but innovative and clever sentiment from this release. I’ll explain under my favorites, just below.

Previously released Simon set that also works with the dies: Love and Valentines Word Mix 2

If you are a fan, Simon has also released another version, Word Mix 1. Find them here: Thanks and Encouragement Word Mix 1, Birthday Word Mix 1, Christmas Word Mix 1 and the coordinating dies Word Mix 1.

This open stitching design die can be used alone or to add texture to a project, stitched or not – or stamp on a design and stitch it with floss!

I used Magenta and Pale Pink for the bright flowers, Cerise and Burgundy for the dark Irises, and Skin, Red and Cerise for the other set. The leaves are Apple and Curry, and Curry and Turquoise.

Trim watercolor panel to 4 1/4″ x 5 1/2″ and then pop die cut Just Because Word Mix 2 sentiment, stamped in Intens-ified Black at the top with foam tape. Adhere completed panel to Sand folded card base.

I’ve been coloring this design as a part of Kathy Racoosin’s 30 day coloring challenge. The premise is just to take a few minutes each day to yourself for a bit of coloring – in whatever medium you like. You can find day one HERE or her whole series on it HERE.

This image is how my design started out day one. When I came back to it in following days I tweaked the flowers that here appeared orange-ish to a pinker tone. The Karin Brushmarker Pro’s are so forgiving. Add more color, lift color with a clean paint brush and clear water, change the tone, whatever… The limitation will come with the paper.

These particular markers do not blend well on Bristol Smooth cardstock, which is a favorite of mine for light watercolor, nor does it tolerate a scrub. They do blend well on the Canson Montval (used here), but this paper does not hold up well to scrubbing, either. So, if you are super indecisive, you may want to go with a sturdier paper like Arches Cold Press. It is more expensive, but the quality and durability is worth it! Lifting color (which I did here to shift the orange-red flowers to a pink tone and to remove the smudge at the bottom) from the Canson and Arches is very simple. Wet area with clear water and lift pigment with a thirsty brush or even dab image carefully with a paper towel. Arches can handle a bit of scrubbing to loosen pigment even further.

Find more designs with the Botanical Heart in Simon’s Hey Bestie Gallery. More designs with the Just Because Word Mix 2 set can be found in the Lucky To Know You Gallery, as well as on their corresponding product pages at Simon Says Stamp, or by searching #sssheybestie or #sssluckytoknowyou on Instagram. 

Thank you for spending a few minutes with me today. May your weekend be filled with all the creative bliss you desire!

xo, Janette

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