NC Blog Hop - Brusho

Welcome to the NC Blog Hop.  We are happy to share our projects with you.  We are all SICK of winter so we thought we'd make a few projects that will have us thinking of warmer days to come.  Although I really can't complain.  The past few days we have had record warm days here in the Charlotte / Lake Norman area and it is supposed to continue into next week.

I dusted off a stamp set that I haven't used in a while, Pocket Full of Sunshine.  This is a great stamp set for making masculine cards as well as card for the teenagers in your family.

I also used a new product (Brusho) that you can find in the Occasions catalog.  I actually got my Brusho several weeks ago but have not had the chance to play with it.  Today was the day!

Brusho is made up of watercolor ink crystals.  The perfect "canvas" for using them is either Watercolor Paper (which is what I used) or SU's Shimmery White card stock.  When you get your Brusho, do NOT take the lid off!  The powder is super fine and will go everywhere.  Simply grab a push pin, pierce the top and use the push pins for the seal on the bottles.  Each Brusho package includes 5 pots - Brillant Red, Gamboge (orange), Moss Green, Prussian Blue, and Yellow.

You can use Brusho in a variety of different strengths to achieve different washes.  Standard strength can be used a straight forward painting to add washes of color over a design.  More diluted Brusho is excellent for producing pale washes of color.  For extremely intense vibrant colors, only add a very small amount of water to the Brusho.

You can mix Brusho into infinite shades by varying the amount of water.  The colors are fully inter-mixable, making them easy to experiment with.  Try using a sponge or a soft brush to paint with.  Another method is Ink & Wash where you apply Brusho as a wash of paint to inked images to bring an element of color.  First though, make sure that your image has been stamped with waterproof ink!  You can also use Brusho with a mask and apply it either with a brush or with a spritzer.

Also try using Brusho as a Resist Technique!  Stamp your image in Versamark and emboss with any of SU's embossing powders.  Heat set the image; then use one of the following ways to add the Brusho:

• Mix water with a bit of Brusho sprinkled on an acrylic block.  Paint over the image to form a background using an Aqua Painter.
• Spritz watercolor paper with water and then sprinkle Brusho on and watch it spread (that is what I did with my card.)
• Use an Aqua Painter to distribute color where you want it.
• Allow to dry naturally or use the heat tool to speed it along.

Here is the first piece I made using Brusho.  I will use it later in making a card.

Have you been watching the Olympics?  I have so much respect for all the athletes participating!  We have watched them every night for the last two weeks.   After tonight's closing ceremony, I think we will go into Olympic withdrawal!!  My favorites this past week were the shoot-out for the girls hockey team to win Gold and the Curling event which netted the guys a Gold medal!  Here's a card I made for the Olympics also using Brusho.  This time I used my Aqua Painter to move the ink where I wanted it.

Brusho is a fun technique that is pretty easy to do!  Give it a try!

I hope you have enjoyed my Brusho card.  Now make sure you "hop" along to the next blog on the list.  I know Laurie has something special to share with you.

TONI CAMPANA

TAMARA DAVIS

JO ANNE HEWINS

TRACIE EVANS LANGLEY

SHARON MARANICH (ME)

LAURIE MEIER

SUE ROOT

KATHY SVEDBERG

FRANCES WAGNER

CHRISTINA WALKER