Cardmaking: Watercolours - Yellow Peonies

For this blog, I show you step by step how to paint yellow peonies in watercolours. Then I once again turn this tiny painting into a card. This time I use some flower embellishments to finish the card.

I start on a sturdy sheet of watercolour paper with a medium sized brush. I wet my watercolour palette before I start to soften the paint. My paper is only A6 size.

I stand the brush on its tip to form the petal.

Then I put it down.

I paint one petal darker than the rest.

Then I add some red, which turn more orange when it mixes with the yellow.

Then I add some blueish purple, but it also turns warmer when it mixes with the other colours.

I paint the stem of the flower with the tip of my brush.

I paint some more flowers in the same way. Some of my flowers are allowed to run off the page.

I then lay down some orange lines to start the painting of a bee. I once again work on the tip of my brush.

Touching the tip of my brush very lightly to the page, I finish the bee in black.

I then paint the background with water, before dipping my brush in blue paint and washing this into the painting.

I switch to a smaller brush to write my name.

The finished painting.

I find coordinating paper and cardboard to turn the painting into a card.

Fold the cardboard in half to form a card.

Crop the matting paper and the painting to the required sizes.

Stick the painting to the matting paper.

Stick the matted painting to the card.

Glue some flower embellishments onto the card.

Add some sparkly bling to the plain flowers.

Decorate the plain flowers with a black marker.

Add some highlights with a white paint marker.

The completed card.

You can watch a compilation video of the above steps on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/B3IP6EfQeio

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Cardmaking: Watercolours - Waterfall

In today's blog I show you how to paint a waterfall in watercolours. I do this on a tiny A6 sheet of paper, which I then turn into a card when I am done. I finish the card with some pretty stickers that compliment the scene we've painted.

I start today's blog on a very small A6 sturdy watercolour paper sheet.

Use a fan brush and some blue from your watercolour pan to paint water puddles. Move the brush from side to side.

Drag the brush down to create the first waterfall.

Create some more puddles in the middle ground.

Drag the brush down to create the larger waterfall in the foreground.

Add some rocks with a flat brush.

Continue to develop the rock face surrounding the waterfall. I added a darker brown to the reddish brown I had started with.

I then add some mossy green before the picture is completed.

Find coordinating paper and cardboard to make the card.

Fold the cardboard in half to shape the card.

Crop the painting and the matting to the required size.

Glue the painting to the matting.

Glue the matted painting to the card.

I found a sticker sheet that complimented the theme of the card.

I selected the stickers that I wanted to use and stuck them to the card. Then I embellished the stickers with a white marker.

The completed card.

You can watch a compilation video of the above steps on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/17xuEqOKfCE

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.

Slow Roasted Pork Belly

When I walked into the local butchery the other day, they had this lovely pork belly on special and I simply could not resist. I immediately bought one, even though this was not in the planning when I entered the doors, and carted it home to be cooked. When I was done, it simply fell off the bone and was perfectly delicious and juicy, while the crackling was crisp and hard, yet edible. Just perfect! I share my tips for getting it just right with you in today's blog.

Mix about two tablespoons (25 ml) each salt and sugar and freshly ground pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Rub the pork belly on all sides with the salt, pepper and sugar mixture. Place it on a plate and leave it uncovered overnight in the fridge to dry out.

Place the meat in the middle of a sheet of foil, shiny side on the inside. Make sure the crackling is at the top where the foil is closed.

Tuck the foil in.

Preheat an oven to 150°C and place the meat on the top shelf. Bake for 4 1/2 hours at 150°C.

Open the foil.

Turn the heat in the oven up to 225°C and place the meat back in the oven until the crackling is crisp. For me, that took about 30 minutes.

I almost singed the crackling, but was just in time to save it.

Remove from the foil.

Cut in slices and serve hot.

You can watch a compilation video of the above steps on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ygF2WNAckRM

Marietjie Uys (Miekie) is a published author. You can buy my books here:
You can purchase Designs By Miekie 1 here.
Jy kan Kom Ons Teken en Verf Tuinstories hier koop.
Jy kan Kom Ons Kleur Tuinstories In hier koop.
Jy kan Tuinstories hier koop.
You can follow Miekie's daily Bible Study blog, Bybel Legkaart, here in English & Afrikaans.
You may prefer to follow the traveling blog, A Pretty Tourist.
For more crafty ideas and great product reviews, visit A Pretty Talent on Facebook.
If you are in a literary mood, follow Miekie's musings, stories and poetry on A Pretty Author - Miekie.
Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making life PRETTY.
You can subscribe to any of these blogs and receive regular updates by email. Simply register your email address at the top of the applicable blog.