Watercolors and Gelatos - Process Video

It's really all about the trees.

That is what I think about when I'm explaining to someone why we like to go to Hilton Head Island.  Everyone here has 'their beach.'  When I was in my 20's that was Myrtle Beach.  The first year Lenny and I started dating, we went to Hilton Head and fell in love - with the island, we were already in love with each other :-)

To me, what makes it special is that the minute you step off the beach almost anywhere on the island, you are in the shade.  There are trees everywhere.  It must be a nightmare to build something on the island for all the trees you have to preserve.  Those trees and all the landscaping around the island make it so beautiful, cooler and less commercial looking.  There are plenty of commercial parts but they do their best to make them attractive.  There are lots of rules about signage and I think it takes a permit to cut down a tree even if it is on your own property.   They have a Red Roof Inn that doesn't actually have a red roof but a rust color one because it was thought the bright red wouldn't look as natural.

So that is one of the things we love.  The photo on the bottom of the layout was taken just after we walked off the beach where we stay. The one above was out biking very near the ocean.

For the layout, I'm using a new stamp from Stampabilities that is so large it won't fit on my largest acrylic block!  I've embossed it and then used watercolors and gelatos to add the background.  I love watercolors as they are very forgiving as seen in the video.  You can just keep adding layers or wipe off some color if you don't like what you have done.

The leaves challenged a bit as I tried some larger ones first.  In the end, I came back to a very old and very well used oak leaf punch.

Here's the video at YouTube:



I don't have a sketch for this one.

The 6x6 class is still available for replay:

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Thanks for stopping by!  Have you seen anything on CHA you want yet?  I'll be posting some favorites so far tomorrow.