It's January! It's cold! Let's create a darling RubberMoon Art Stamp bookmark! Then, cuddle up with a good book! 

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Hello Everyone!

 This is Teresa Cox Kolar from Purple Sun Studio.

It's blog time! 

I always enjoy putting together a tutorial

using RubberMoon Art Stamps.

Thank heavens for RubberMoon and their inspirational new website, blog hops, etc.,etc. Stop by their websites and pages often. They have  something fun going on ALL the time! There's nothing like creative ingenuity to keep us from the winter doldrums!

The following tutorial highlights a few of my favorite stamps from RubberMoon.  Also included is one of my tried and true watercolor painting techniques. This method will make your painting time stress free. Watercolors can be tricky and unforgiving.  However, with the following information, you'll be set for stress free learning and fun!

Let's get started!

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Super Heart/Checkerboard Bookmark

Time to start the fun!

You will need:

140lb. cold press watercolor paper.

Begin creating your bookmark by tearing a pre-measured piece of your watercolor paper. Tearing along a marked and folded line will give you a naturally deckled edge.

Time for stamping!!

The stamps you will need from RubberMoon Art Stamps:

Checker board stamp #rm2770g

"Super Heart" stamp #ge2760h

Be sure to get a permanent ink pad.

 This is very important because we 

will be using watercolor paints.

Permanent ink will stay put. 

It will not blur or smudge

 when you apply

the watercolor paint.

The one pictured below worked great.

Create a pattern with your RubberMoon 

stamps on your watercolor paper.

Time for juicy, watery color!

This is a photograph of my watercolor palette.

 I haven't had it out in over 10 years!!

I simply applied water to the (Windsor Newton brand) 

paints and I was in business! 

A true testament to the durability of Windsor Newton 

watercolor paints!

Watercolor Painting Technique

Long ago, 

when I worked exclusively with watercolors

this was a method I used often.

It takes away the stress of working with the medium and 

it is virtually fool proof for achieving bright, transparent color. 

I never accidentally ended up with "mud." 

The colors "move around" together in the water. 

They don't mix. So you can put opposite colors together 

without the danger of getting an unattractive muddy result.

I love it!

Apply clear water to the area that you want color. "Paint" 

the water on with a brush. The same as you 

would if you were applying paint.

Here I applied some burnt sienna and yellow ochre paint to the 

water that I "painted" onto the paper previously.

Apply the paint at the top of your strip. 

Tip the strip up/vertical so that the watery paint runs down

 covering the the paper with beautiful transparent color.

Here I added a little antwerp blue
 toward the middle for variety.

Now it is time to decide which part of the strip 

I will use as my bookmark. 

I really like the watery design of the antwerp blue. 

Here I was contemplating using 

the acrylic marker on the right 

to do some doodling.

Still in the decision making process. 

Starting to think this wonderful little circular stamp

would look nice. 

RubberMoon Art Stamps-"o three"#kp5086

Decided! 

I will be using the 

strip with out the blue. 

I like both however, the uniformity of the

 warm colored strip appealed to me for now.

Pictured here are the pens I used to embellish the

 stamp designs and watercolor background.

Voila!

A sweet little bookmark!

Easy peasy!!

Add  a piece of watercolor paper as backing and 

a border. 

Adhere them with the glue pictured here.

Fini!!

This doesn't have to be the end if you don't want it to.

You could add embellishments, a sprig of fancy yarn at the top.

Experiment, be creative, enjoy!!

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Many thanks for visiting my blog. It was so much fun creating this tutorial for you to try. I hope you have enjoyed it. If you should have any questions, just leave them in the comment box.

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 Visit  this wonderful company, RubberMoon Art Stamp Company http://www.rubbermoon.com/

You will find oodles and oodles of amazing artsy stamps. Their site is new, improved and brimming with inspiration.

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Find more of my art on my blog: http://teresacoxkolar.blogspot.com/

Also, check out my Etsy shop: http://www.teresaketsyshop.etsy.com

I am on Facebook too: Teresa Kolar and/or Purple Sun Studio

All the very best!-Teresa :-D

Experiment and enjoy!