Feeling confident about the rightness of the basket kit patterns, I move on to test-coloring the white base cardstock. My charming husband gifted me a set of Winsor & Newton water colour markers, and I’ve been eager to use them. This is, um, not exactly — nor even close to — fine art, but watercolor tints differently than either stain or alcohol markers. I used an intentional kind of crosshatch to fill the larger pieces. Gorgeous color/colour, yeah? W&N Mauve 398.
I built the purple mauve watercolor basket, and moved on to an alcohol marker. These bleed and blend much more readily into the cardstock. W&N Pear Green Y635.
Here are our happy fellows to date. In this picture you can see the difference between the heavier-weight yellow basket, and the slightly lighter-weight, tinted and white cardstock ones.
I realized that tinting the outer edges of the lid pieces (even though they are eventually covered) helps mask any gluing misalignment, so had to test-make one more basket. This is W&N alcohol marker Duck Egg.
And here are the last two basket prototypes, with some hen succulents, held up to the last of our stormy, freaky light. I noticed a similarity between the terracing of our wee hillside backyard, and the woven fabric of the baskets. Huh.
nancyland.com 
Happy fellows indeed! The colours are all absolutely gorgeous.
All the colors/colours can, and should, be yours! We are limited at this point in our existence only by our collection of markers, so go, go, go!
I have a collection of Windsor and Newton inks (accumulated over the years) that I use for drawing, but no W & N markers. I’ll have to peruse the nearest art supply store – that blue is pretty fab.
W&N bought out Letraset, and have rebranded their markers. I’m only familiar with the alcohol markers — the so-called Promarkers — and just getting acquainted with the watercolour markers. I want to repaint my house Duck Egg :)
Cue “Little Blu House” https://vimeo.com/27695705
Why don’t I have these Winsor and Newton markers? Those colours are so nice..hmm, I think I’ll be shopping today :0)
Because up until this very moment, you had not realized how sad and meaningless your life is without them. But all that is about to change.
:)
These colors are fantastic…so rich!
Markers, baskets (and pillows) are the answer to many questions.
:)
Wow! Love those colors, especially that violet… gorgeous!
Thanks, Sheila! Markers are a much better way to get purple than how we used to have to do it.
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-ancient-rome-purple-dye-was-made-from-snails-1239931/
They’re all adorable, I love the color combos -great job!
Thanks, Bennie! I think we all need more adorable color in our lives :)
I do like working with Neenah 65lb cardstock. It machine cuts very nicely. Firm material very strong considering the light gauge thickness. It has good surface finish and it is a nice slightly warm tone of white. It does not get overly soggy from glue either.
You might want to test a paper for making wood toned baskets. Go to Joann’s and purchase the package of the brown cardstock from the “Core’Dinations they call “Krafty”. It is slightly thinner than Neenah although also still called 65 lb. It machine cuts nicely. They don’t sell it as single sheets but a package is affordable and it often goes on sale.
Karin, thanks so much for the recommendation! I’ll check it out. For whites, I’m also working with Neenah Exact Index, 90 basis, smooth finish and Exact Vellum Bristol, 67 basis. So far I prefer the smooth index for miniatures, and it takes alcohol markers very nicely.