Some say that Stamp Zia images are too large for cards.  I once thought that.  However, all the cards on this page will fit standard sized envelopes. They are also (fairly) quick and easy to do.

The background layer of every card - and some of the components - start the same way.

Select 3 to 4 colors of Zia's Color Wash Jewels and start spritzing.  

The "hardest" part to this particular technique is the waiting.

Supplies for Watercolor Background Papers:

• Zia Color Wash Jewels
• Zia Ultra Color Wash Jewels
• Watercolor paper
• Plastic wrap
• Water spray bottle
• Paper towels
• Heat gun

4) When dry, remove the plastic wrap. Notice how the colors "lighten up" when dry. Also notice the veining effect caused by the plastic wrap.

At this point you may deepen the colors by spraying more color, and repeat the process, or use as is.

To make absolutely sure that the watercolor paper is "bone dry", use an embossing heat tool. Stamping or embossing on slightly damp paper may not work too well.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Spring Chop, Zia's Grasses - Left and Right, "Thank you" from the Word Greetings Set, Spiked Shell
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Blue Topaz, Fire Opal, Ruby, Citron
• Bleach
• Regular white cardstock
• Black Document Ink
• Gold Krylon Pen
• Adhesives of choice
• Coordinating base cardstock (orange), folded size 5 1/2 by 4 1/4
  
  

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions" above, using Blue Topaz, Fire Opal and Ruby on watercolor paper, 5 1/4 by 4 inches.
2. Stamp Spiked Shell near the top with Document Ink. Heat set, and use bleach to lighten it up.
3. Stamp "Thank you" in an area which is lighter than the rest.
4. Stamp the Left and Right Grasses somewhat randomly.
5. Edge with gold Krylon.
6. Stamp the Spring Chop 5 times on regular white cardstock. Spritz lightly with Citron. When dry, cut out only the flowers, and put adhesive on the back (I used the Xyron w/ an adhesive cartridge.)
7. Position the flowers so it looks like the blades from the Grasses are the flowers' stems.
8. Layer to complete.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Spring Chop, Spring Words Paragraph, Aries symbol from the Zodiac Chops Set, "Birthday Wishes" from the Word Greetings Set, "April" from the Vertical Months Set
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Citron, Amethyst, Emerald
• Gold Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Brilliance Ink - Gamma Green
• Gold Krylon Pen
• Coordinating base cardstock (green), folded size 4 1/4 by 5 1/2

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions", except use the plastic wrap to blend and smooth out the color - I didn't want veining. Also, create two sheets - make one darker or richer in color than the other. To accomplish this, do several layers of color on one sheet, allowing it to dry between coats. Or, conversely, for the lighter sheet, spray with water first before adding Color Wash Jewels.
2. Wait for watercolor sheets to dry or help it with the heat gun.
3. On the darker sheet, stamp and emboss using Versamark and gold detail EP. Cut out the images. Paint the stems of the flower with Emerald Color Wash Jewel.
4. On the lighter sheet, stamp the Spring Words Paragraph multiple times, filling the entire card front, with Gamma Green. Edge with gold Krylon.
5. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Summer Chop, Summer Words Paragraph, Leo symbol from the Zodiac Chops Set, "Birthday Wishes" from the Word Greetings Set, "July" from the Vertical Months Set, Spiked Shell
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Ruby, Citron, Malachite
• White Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Brilliance Ink - Lightening Black
• Gold Krylon Pen
• Coordinating base cardstock (yellow), folded size 5 by 7

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - use plastic wrap on the "lighter" piece of watercolor paper and not on the "darker" piece.
2. When dry, on the darker sheet, stamp and emboss using Versamark and white detail EP. Cut out the images & edge with gold Krylon.
3. On the lighter sheet, stamp the Summer Words Paragraph once, and the Spiked Shell several multiple times, with Lightening Black. Edge with gold Krylon.
4. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Winter Chop, Sagittarius symbol from the Zodiac Chops Set, "Birthday Wishes" from the Word Greetings Set, "November" from the Vertical Months Set, one of the marbles from the Marbles Set
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Emerald, Tanzanite, Sapphire
• Black Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark Ink, Brilliance Ink - Mediterranean Blue, Black Document Ink
• Silver Krylon Pen, Bleach
• Coordinating base cardstock (blue, folded size 4 1/4 by 5 1/2

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - one "lighter", and one slightly darker.
2. When dry, on the lighter sheet, stamp and emboss using Versamark and black detail EP the Winter Chop. Cut out the image. Paint the trees using the Emerald Color Wash. Bleach the ground, and the snow on the trees.
3. Stamp the Sagittarius chop on the light sheet, with Document Black. To get full coverage, fill in with China Black Twinkling H2Os, or black colored pencils. Cut out and edge with silver Krylon.
4. On the slightly darker sheet, randomly stamp one of the marbles with Mediterranean Blue. Stamp saying and month with Black Document Ink. Edge piece with silver Krylon.
5. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Autumn Chop, "Autumn" from Four Seasons Words, Autumn Words Paragraph, Libra chop from the Zodiac Chops Set, "Happy Anniversary" from the Word Greetings Set
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Garnet, Fire Opal, Citron
• Clear Detail Embossing Powder, Brilliance Ink - Coffee Bean, Black
• Document Ink
• Copper Krylon Pen
• Coordinating base cardstock (orange), folded size 4 1/4 by 5 1/2

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - one "lighter" and one "darker"
2. When dry, on the lighter sheet, stamp Happy Anniversary and chop with Black Document ink. Stamp "Autumn" and Libra chop with Coffee Bean; emboss the chop only with Clear EP. Cut out the images. Edge some of the images with copper Krylon.
3. On the darker sheet, stamp the Autumn Words Paragraph repeatedly, with Coffee Bean. Edge with copper Krylon.
4. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Autumn Chop, "Congratulations" from the Word Greetings Set, Alphabet Phrases
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Malachite, Blue Topaz, Emerald
• White Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark, Brilliance Ink - Mediterranean Blue, VersaMagic - Key Lime
• White cardstock
• Coordinating base cardstock (green), folded size 4 by 6 (will fit in regular business envelope)

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - one "lighter" and one "darker"
2. When dry, on the lighter sheet, stamp Congratulations and Autumn chop with Versamark and emboss with white detail EP. Cut out.
3. On the darker sheet, stamp the Alphabet Phrases repeatedly, with Mediterranean Blue. Stamp Congratulations randomly with Key Lime. Cut into 4 sections and mount to white cardstock. Trim to fit on the green base.
4. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Winter Chop, "Happy Holidays" from the Word Greetings Set, Marbles Set, Capricorn chop from Zodiac Chops Set, Pine Branch - Large - Left
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Garnet, Emerald, Obsidian
• Gold Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark, Brilliance Ink - Lightening Black
• Bleach
• Gold Krylon pen
• Coordinating base cardstock (red), folded size 4 1/4 by 5

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - one "lighter" and one "darker"
2. When dry, on the lighter sheet, stamp Happy Holidays, Winter chop, Capricorn chop, marble from set with Versamark and gold detail EP.
3. Cut out. Lighten up the trees with Bleach, as well as portions of the marble.
4. On the darker sheet, stamp the Pine Branch Lightening Black.
5. Edge pieces with gold Krylon.
6. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Winter Chop, "Greetings" from the Word Greetings Set, Winter Words Paragraph, "winter" from the Four Seasons Words
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Amethyst, Tanzanite, Sapphire
• White Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark, Brilliance Ink - Platinum Planet
• Silver Krylon pen
• Coordinating base cardstock (blue), folded size 3 1/2 by 6 1/2
  

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - one "lighter" and one "darker"
2. When dry, on the lighter sheet, stamp "winter", "Greetings", and Winter chop with Versamark and emboss with white. Cut out. Edge words with silver Krylon.
3. On the darker sheet, stamp the Winter Words Paragraph repeatedly in Platinum Planet. Edge with silver Krylon.
4. Adhere using your favorite adhesive as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Spring Chop, "With Sympathy" from the Word Greetings Set,
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Citron, Fire Opal, Obsidian
• White Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark
• Gold Krylon pen
• Base card - white or ivory, 4 1/4 by 5 1/2
  

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions"; create two sheets - one "lighter" and one "darker"
2. When dry, cut the darker sheet to 4 by 5 1/4. Stamp and emboss the Spring Chop and saying as shown. Paint in the leaves. Edge the card in gold.
3. Cut the lighter sheet to fit exactly on top of the base card. Adhere as shown.

Supplies used in this project are:

• Rubber Stamps - Stamp Zia Stamps: Summer Chop, Zia's Grasses - Left and Right, "thinking of you" & "get well soon!" from the Word Greetings Set, small Hummingbird - left
• Zia's Color Wash Jewels - Blue Topaz, Fire Opal, Ruby
• Regular white cardstock
• Black Document Ink
• Black Detail Embossing Powder, Versamark
• Twinkling H2Os - Oyster, Egyptian Gold
• Copper Krylon Pen
• Adhesives of choice
• Coordinating base cardstock (purple), folded size 5 1/2 by 4 1/4

Directions:

1. Follow the "Background Directions" above, using Blue Topaz, Fire Opal and Ruby on watercolor paper, 5 1/4 by 4 inches.
2. Stamp Hummingbird with Versarmark and emboss with black detail EP.
3. Stamp "thinking of you" near top left in Black Document Ink, and "get well soon" near the bottom right.
4. Stamp the Left and Right Grasses randomly.
5. Edge with copper Krylon.
6. Stamp the Summer Chop 3 times on regular white cardstock. Add a little sparkle by painting the flowers with Twinkling H2Os, cut out the flowers when dry.
7. Position the flowers so it looks like the blades from the Grasses are the stems.
8. Layer to complete.