Watercolor Greeting Cards Using Cricut Pens
by Craft-e-Corner in Craft > Cards
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Watercolor Greeting Cards Using Cricut Pens
![completed card close up.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FNS/UFUR/KUQYF6F4/FNSUFURKUQYF6F4.jpg&filename=completed card close up.jpg)
![hello card.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FVN/QO0D/KUQYF6FX/FVNQO0DKUQYF6FX.jpg&filename=hello card.jpg)
![completed card front view.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEY/BP5X/KUQYF6F7/FEYBP5XKUQYF6F7.jpg&filename=completed card front view.jpg)
Looking for ideas for making cards using your Cricut machine? Check out these flower-filled summer note cards - drawn by Cricut but hand painted by you! Cricut gel pens create a perfect background for loose and easy watercolor painting.
Supplies
- Watercolor paper, 140 lb.
- Inexpensive watercolor paint set
- Cricut pens
- Card base or 10x7 inch cardstock for a card base, your choice of colors
- Glue or tape runner
Design
![cut design.PNG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FW9/8YH0/KUQYF6FD/FW98YH0KUQYF6FD.png&filename=cut design.PNG)
Create a floral design in Cricut Design Space. You can combine any assortment of flower and leaf drawing designs from Cricut Access or upload your own design. I’m using a free seamless floral pattern design I found on Pixabay.
Make the Project
![drawing with gel pens.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQO/FEEF/KUQYF6FO/FQOFEEFKUQYF6FO.jpg&filename=drawing with gel pens.jpg)
Make the project using heavy watercolor paper. I used a light gray Cricut gel pen to make my project. I like the gel pens for use with watercolor because they do not run when contacted by water or paint.
Paint
![paint loosely in the lines.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FS0/HKNE/KUQYF6FZ/FS0HKNEKUQYF6FZ.jpg&filename=paint loosely in the lines.jpg)
Using watercolor paint, paint loosely using the drawn lines as a guide. Use your favorite colors, and allow the colors to mix a bit on the paper. The color mixing and imperfect paint application gives the painting interest and helps to keep it from looking like a paint by number project. Color in the entire watercolor sheet and allow it to dry.
Detail
![add detail with black marker.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F88/GNNS/KUQYF6EW/F88GNNSKUQYF6EW.jpg&filename=add detail with black marker.jpg)
Using a loose sketching motion, roughly outline the painted shapes using a black marking pen.
Tear Painting
![cut painting into pieces.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F43/GXPT/KUQYF6FI/F43GXPTKUQYF6FI.jpg&filename=cut painting into pieces.jpg)
Cut or tear the watercolor painting into pieces measuring 3x7 inches. You’ll be adding one painted piece to the front of each card.
Create Tag
![create tag.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FUW/D3C8/KUQYF6FA/FUWD3C8KUQYF6FA.jpg&filename=create tag.jpg)
Return to Cricut Design Space to create a small tag for the front of your card. Add a 2 inch circle to your canvas and create a text message to fit. Make the project using a black Cricut pen on watercolor paper. Color in the text message using the black pen.
Assemble the Card
![glue painting to card front.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQJ/2R1C/KUQYF6FV/FQJ2R1CKUQYF6FV.jpg&filename=glue painting to card front.jpg)
Adhere the painting to the top of a 5x7 inch card using your favorite paper adhesive. Adhere the tag on top as shown in the image below.
More Card Inspiration
![thinking of you card.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FQ4/FCR2/KUQYF6G4/FQ4FCR2KUQYF6G4.jpg&filename=thinking of you card.jpg)
![thank you card close up.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FV0/A1GS/KUQYF6G2/FV0A1GSKUQYF6G2.jpg&filename=thank you card close up.jpg)
![think of you card close up.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FL6/3PI6/KUQYF6G3/FL63PI6KUQYF6G3.jpg&filename=think of you card close up.jpg)
As always, you can take this basic project and extend it to a more elaborate card. Here are a few “fancier” examples, still using strips from a water-color painted sheet of paper, but also layered with additional papers and accented by a wood tag featuring an iron-on message. How will you take this technique and make it your own?