10th Anniversary Challenge | Use Watercolor

For even more 10th Anniversary fun, we've rounded up ten of our favorite past blog challenges. We've asked our current Creative Team to share their take on these fun challenges, and we hope you'll play along too!



In this weekly challenge from 2013, Creative Team members Gayatri Murali and Gillian Nelson challenged you to incorporate watercolor in your papercrafts. Watercolors can be the perfect way to add a bold pop of color to any project! 

Here's Creative Team member Theresa Doan's take on this past challenge:

I had so much fun getting a little messy with watercolors for this challenge! I wanted to create a layout for a recent trip to the beaches in San Diego. 

I used a simple and fun technique with watercolors and a straw to create splatter marks. You first place a drop of watercolor on your paper. Take a straw, and do a quick strong blow on the watercolor. For my layout, I did this in a circle, about the size of my photos. I used shades of blue and teal that reminded me of the beach. 

For my title, I brush lettered "San Diego" and stamped "memories." 

I finished off the layout by stamping some summer words on the photos. 

Get out those watercolors and get a little messy! I can't wait to see what everyone creates for this challenge!


Let's see how you use watercolors for a chance to win a $10 GC to the Studio Calico shop! When you complete this challenge, upload it to the member gallery and leave a link to your project in the comments below. See all of our 10th Anniversary challenges here.

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25 comments

  1. Brinkleyboy says…
    07/01/2017

    This is stunning! Love your layout and the photos of the beaches.

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  2. terriblygreat says…
    07/04/2017

    Love your layout! Love seeing San Diego. I don't live there anymore but it will always be my home.

    I made a card using a technique I found from Jennifer McGuire using an acrylic block and distress ink. https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/204734-you-re-more-awesome-than-unicorns-card

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  3. CeliseMcL says…
    07/07/2017

    For the watercolor challenge I created 3 cards, on two I used the zig clean color real brush pens and the third was with distress oxides. I used my silhouette to cut the sentiment from the digital herb garden stamp set.
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/204807-thank-you

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  4. mandy1632 says…
    07/07/2017
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  5. CeliseMcL says…
    07/09/2017
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  6. jenjeb says…
    07/09/2017

    I rarely use watercolors so I struggled with this one:
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/204872-not-impressed

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  7. cporter says…
    07/14/2017
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  8. Brinkleyboy says…
    07/15/2017

    I wanted to try the same technique you did but ended up just trying to paint some ombre backgrounds. I used it to make this card.
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205010-i-love-you

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  9. Brinkleyboy says…
    07/15/2017

    I used this color combination with my water colors and the same stamp set.
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205011-my-main-squeeze-birthday-card

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  10. Brinkleyboy says…
    07/15/2017

    I created this card with another water color painted background. I love how these colors came out, some dark, some soft and muted.
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205012-you-re-a-peach

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  11. Brinkleyboy says…
    07/15/2017

    Since I don't use my water colors that often, when I do get them out I like to create several backgrounds at one time. So I ended up making a complete card set with this one!
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205013-orange-you-thoughtful

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  12. penny says…
    07/16/2017

    I splashed several colors of watercolor paint to make "sprinkles" for my card: https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205027-extra-sprinkles

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  13. Kristi_ says…
    07/17/2017
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  14. tpgirl says…
    07/17/2017
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  15. Hildy says…
    07/19/2017

    I have fun making this layout! I watercolor the tikets ยจ"magic, story, report, and lucky!"
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205110-who-is

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  16. mandylee84 says…
    07/24/2017

    used some pink watercolor for background...
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205223-amazing

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  17. CristinaC says…
    07/29/2017
    1 Reply 0 Replies
  18. JaneD says…
    07/30/2017

    This was fun, but a difficult one. I don't own any watercolors so I had to borrow my youngest. In the end I ended up with a weekly title card, a journaling card and a filler card.
    Thank you for the challenge!
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205363-vecka-14

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  19. Cards4Ever says…
    07/30/2017

    I used gelatos to create the ombre background for this tag. https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205381-watercolor-coffee-tag

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  20. jenwong says…
    07/30/2017

    I used watercolor to make a strip of paper for the top of this layout, that matched the colors in the rest of the elements:
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205389-the-swing

    1 Reply 0 Replies
  21. tebbe_bear says…
    07/30/2017

    I'm not sure if this qualifies, but I created a watercolor effect using an ink pad. https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205396-welcome-to-miami

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  22. tebbe_bear says…
    07/30/2017

    Again, I'm not sure if this qualifies, but I created a watercolor effect, this time using mists. https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205397-hello-caribbean

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  23. CristinaC says…
    07/30/2017
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  24. JaneD says…
    07/31/2017

    I have splashed watercolor at the bottom and on the top of this LO.
    Had so much fun creating this LO, and I Think I managed to get all of the challenges in.
    Thank you for the challenge!
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205416-skorna-aer-i-alla-fall-torra

    0 Reply 0 Replies
  25. JaneD says…
    07/31/2017

    A Little card, using watercolor, to say Thank You SC for a wonderful Anniversary Crop with great inspiring challenges!
    https://www.studiocalico.com/galleries/205427-thank-you-sc

    0 Reply 0 Replies

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