TUTORIAL TUESDAY: Watercoloured background with Aimee Dow

Good Morning happy little cake folk! This is my first post here and I am super excited to get started. This month I have been working with the October main kit, and isn't she a beauty to behold.

Lot's of really great graphic prints in this one - it makes me so happy!

Anyway I am here today to teach you a very simple tutorial on watercolored backgrounds, but before we get started a small disclaimer. I don't do mess. I am not even kidding a little. I don't own watercolors. The paints Studio Calico keep sending me live in the shed, not my studio and things such as gesso have never EVER crossed my doorway. I tell you this because I want you to know how easy and clean this is. So without further ado, here is the finished layout.

For the base of this layout I used JcChris's Aztec Background cut into the white cardstock from this months kit and the following supplies:

Mr Heuy's mist in Ocean, Doris and Pretty Pink, a craft mat, brushes, low tack washi, water and a something to use as a palette (I use the container lid). 

Instructions:

1. Tape your cut file background down to your craft mat with your washi. Be careful not to put tape anywhere you wish to paint, but use enough tape to your layout is held taught. This reduces buckling in the paper later on.
2. With a clean wet brush go over the areas on your cardstock you wish to paint. This first coat of water helps to blend and bleed the ink later on.
3. Start with the lightest colour first - in my case the green. Dip your wet brush in to the ink and proceed to paint your cardstock where you see fit.
4. Wash your brush well before changing colour. Now you may start to apply your second colour. If you are looking for a mingled edge between colours simple go over the edges with a bit more water/watered down ink.
5. Clean your brush your brush and apply your 3rd colour. For me this was the blue. I found the blue ink to be a tad dark for my layout. To lighten an ink colour simply add some ink and a little water to your pallet and painting from there rather than straight from the bottle.
6. Once satisfied with your pattern, leave your mat and layout somewhere warm to dry.
7. Why your layout is dry very gently remove the washi tape and back your layout with your choice of paper. 
8. (Optional) You may choose to put your layout under heavy books if the layout has buckled, but in my case I wasn't too worried about.

Here is a picture of my painted background once finished. 

To complete my layout I backed it with the hexigon pebble paper from the current kit and layered up the stickers from the Shimelle Sticker book with a few pieces of the doodlebug vellum tucked in and around the struts. Finally a scattering of random embellishments for whimsy, a title and some journaling and I'm calling this one done!

I'll be seeing you again real soon.

Aimee xx

P.s.Any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments. I'll get back to you with an answer.