Spring!

I am desperate for spring! Are you? I'm tired of being cold all the time and having pruney, dry skin and the bleak grayness everywhere I look and the low light. I yearn for green grass and flowers, fresh air and sunshine! Since I can't have any of it yet, I picked one of the Pure Innocence digis that says "spring" to me. It also says "carefree" and "sunshine" and "warmth".

Oh, how I love my new Copics! I want to color all the livelong day. I have been so distracted trying to do my usual stuff: laundrylaundrylaundry, dishes that never end and homeschooling. I just want to PLAY! And sometimes I do play when I should be doing other things. Oh, spring, please get here soon so I can have a big dollop of you and start feeling like myself again! I'm tired of hibernating!

I think I almost used every one of my Copics on this card scene, seriously. So I am posting a pic of all of my markers. Hee! Actually, I just like looking at them. They're so pretty. *sigh* Like a bouquet of flowers.



I used my new homemade Bow Easy to do the bow. It worked great! To make it look like I tied the bow onto the ribbon that went around the card, I tied a knot in the ribbon, positioned it in place, and then glued the bow to the knot. It looks like I tied the bow right to the ribbon, or like it's all one piece.



I really wanted a fresh feel to the card. White and the pale blue from the sky were my inspiration.

I am in love with the Pure Innocence digi line! (Site is currently down for maintenance) They are just soooo precious! To this sweet little girl I added freckles and the word, "Spring" from Hero Arts CL305 and bumped up the grass scribbles a bit for added depth. Otherwise, everything else is the digi image.

Thanks for looking! I hope to be doing more coloring soon, so keep an eye out!

Recipe

Stamps: Pure Innocence 007 by Digi Stamp Characters, Spring by Hero Arts Sending Happy Thoughts (CL305)

CS: Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select White

Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, printer

Other: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls embossing folder, Nestabilities Curved Rectangles, paper piercing tool, sponge mat, Prima daisy, Basic Grey button, 3D-Dots, Diamond Glaze (to hold down flower, button and bow), white organdy ribbon, Micron pen for freckles and scribbles

I made my own Bow Easy template

When I saw a Bow Easy template I thought I might try making one of my own to save a few bucks. I looked around for something made of thick plastic and found an old Tupperware lid I didn't need anymore.

I found a template here and sized it in a Word document. Then I printed it out and laid the Tupperware lid over it. I used a silver Sharpie so I could see it just enough to cut, but not enough to uglify it. Btw, Gamsol will remove Sharpie ink, at least from Tupperware lids. ;)



I cut it with my rubber-cutting scissors (the ones Stampin' Up! sells). Easy!

Here is the finished product. Mine is pretty crude compared to the actual product, but it'll do me fine.



Here's a photo tutorial for how to use it. And here's a video.

More Love and Pure Innocence

I was inspired by Chris at Blessings Ink when she mentioned that kraft card stock is great with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. So I got busy playing around with this idea by using a large version of Heather Ellis' Pure Innocence 003. I put it in a Word document, resized it and placed it, then I printed it out on kraft card stock (I tested it on printer paper first). It was great fun to color! Btw, I colored the oval shadow using a template made from the large oval punch. I outlined it with a Micron pen.

Stamps: Pure Innocence 003 by Digi Stamp Characters, With Love by PSX

CS: Black, kraft

Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, printer

Other: Prismacolor pencils, Gamsol, stump, Micron pen, Black polka dot ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig, ticket corner punch, large oval punch template

Clean & Simple? Not Sure.

I don't think I'm cut out for the clean and simple look. I try, but I just can't help adding things. At what point is it not clean and simple anymore? Would you consider this clean and simple?

I took this week's challenge (#79) on the Clean & Simple blog.

It was my excuse for getting to color another Pure Innocence image. I used a mixture of markers and Prismacolor pencils. The head is colored with the pencils and the rest is done in markers. I'm just counting the days when those Copics arrive! I so wanted to blend and add dimension, but I could only do that so far with the markers. The card stock starts flaking if I run the markers over it too much. I know that will be different with the Copics because they have an alcohol base rather than a water base.

This little girl is Pure Innocence 004, found here. Heather Ellis's PI images are still on sale if you want to grab some of them. When I bought them, the 1 pound images were only $1.61 US. Less than $2 for endless coloring opportunities!

Have a blessed Sunday!

Recipe

Stamps: Pure Innocence 004 by Digi Stamp Characters, Just Because by Savvy Stamps

CS: Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy and Spring Moss; Black

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, printer

Markers: Copic C1, Special Black 110; SU Tempting Turquoise, Real Red, Gable Green, and Yoyo Yellow

Other: Cuttlebug Bloom Dots embossing folder, Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Circle Small, Standard Circle Small, Long Classic Scalloped Rectangles Large (for edge of sentiment strip), Prismacolor pencils, Stamp-a-ma-jig, ticket corner punch

With Love - Mojo Monday 126

I am happy to say that I finally ordered my Copics! I'm so excited!! I pretty much stuck with everything listed in this post plus a few more. My order is larger than I intended, but that is usually the case, isn't it? So I used more birthday money then I expected. I won't cry about it when I'm blissfully coloring my new digistamps!

I do own 2 Copics already: C1 (Cool Gray #1) and Special Black 110. I used the C1 on the background around the girl on this card, but the rest is done in Prismacolor pencils. I sponged black ink around the edges. I don't really care for the way the edges turned out. Oh, well.

This sketch came from this week's Mojo Monday #126. It's a busy one, yes? ;) Lots of stuff going on in this card.

Aren't the Pure Innocence images just darling?? They sure are rightly named. This image is called Pure Innocence 001. The neat thing about using digital stamps is that you can make them almost any size you want. That's a very convenient feature. I created a Word document and copied 4 images of the little girl onto the page to print. That way I have extras if I goof one of them up or want to dimensionalize one of them.

All the designer papers came from Basic Grey's Cupcake Collection.

I went a little wild with Cuttlebug embossing folders. I'm sorry. I do love those things.

Thanks for looking and be watching for my upcoming Copic adventures! Yay! Can't wait!

Have a lovely weekend!

Recipe

Stamps: Pure Innocence 001 digistamp by Digi Stamp Characters, With Love by PSX, Just for You by Stampin' Up!

CS: Stamper's Select White, Pure Poppy and True Black by Papertrey Ink, Basic Grey Cupcake Collection dp

Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, printer

Other: Cuttlebug Spots and Dots, Birds and Swirls, Tiny Bubbles and Mesh embossing folders, Nestabilities Classic Scalloped Circle Large and Standard Circle Large and Labels 2 die cuts, Martha Stewart Double Scallop border punch, sewing machine, sponge dauber, red gems, black gingham ribbon, 3D-Dots, Copic C1 marker, Prismacolor pencils, Stamp-a-ma-jig, black Micron pen for touching up image

Sketch books from Taylored Expressions and Mojo Monday

I found out the other day that you can get all of the 2009 sketches for Mojo Monday right here (pdf). Just print out and put in clear page protectors. You can save room by putting them back to back. Or if you're really savvy, print them on both sides of the paper. I ain't there yet.

And today I discovered that you can get all the Taylored Expressions sketches all in one place right here (pdf).

Does it get any better? Thanks to Taylor and Julee for making this so easy for us!

Color Swatches for Copics

I ran across this post today at Michele's Purple Onion Designs blog and thought it was a nifty idea. Make a swatch book using your Copics. Then it will be easier to match your inks to your designer papers.

Create tags on quality card stock using a tag die, and ink each one up with one, two and three layers of ink so you can tell at a glance what that marker will look like for your project.

Cool idea, Michele!

(pic from Michele's blog)

Definite maybes

I gave myself a headache looking over all the color charts and suggestions for Copics the other day. I had to take a break from it.

What I ended up doing was recording the colors used on cards I was really attracted to. Then I added up each time I saw the color used and took the most-used colors and made a list from them. The problem? A heavy emphasis on earth colors, reds and yellows.

So here's the list:

E000 - Floral White Pale Fruit Pink
E00 - Skin White
E31 - Brick Beige
E33 - Sand
E34 - Orientale
E35 - Chamois
E41 - Pearl White
E43 - Dull Ivory
E44 - Clay
E57 - Light Walnut

R00 - Pinkish White
R20 - Blush
R22 - Light Prawn
R24 - Prawn
R29 - Lipstick Red
R59 - Cardinal
R81 - Rose Pink
R83 - Rose Mist
R85 - Rose Red

Y21 - Buttercup Yellow

YG11 - Mignonette
YG63 - Pea Green
YG91 - Putty
YG93 - Grayish Yellow
YG95 - Pale Olive

YR00 - Powder Pink
YR20 - Yellowish Shade
YR23 - Yellow Ochre

Boooo - Pale Porcelain Celestine

BG11 - Moon White
BG13 - Mint Green

G40 - Dim Green

W00 - Warm Gray
W1 - Warm Gray #1
W3 - Warm Gray #3
W5 - Warm Gray #5
W7 - Warm Gray #7

T1 - Toner Gray #1

Coo - Cool Gray

Any suggestions for adding a little balance to this group, or do you think it would work, as is?

Digi stamp paper piecing

As I'm looking for color combos that inspire my huge Copics list, I run across things that inspire me in other ways. Here, Michele Boyer shows how she paper pieces using digital stamps. Hope it's of use to you!

Thought I was narrowing it down anyway!

I wish you could see all the Copic charts and the Copic favorites lists of various stampers I found online spread out in front of me. I am overwhelmed! The variation in appearance of each color online is mind-numbing! Has anyone made a chart using actual ink from all 334 of the actual markers? I think it would really help to have one, don't you?

I do think I'd like to aim for the lighter color families right off the bat. I love the way Michelle Boyer colors the Pure Innocence stamps here (scroll to see them - she has quite a few if you want to hit older posts, too). The colors she uses are where I think I'd like to start. Donna Mikasa does the same thing (Sorry, Donna! I know I'm talking about you too much lately, but I can't help it!). And Debbie Olsen does also. It's that soft, clean, simple look they do that I want to achieve.

I had thought about doing the Stampin' Up! match-up thingy, but there are many of the SU colors I rarely use, like Orchid Opulence and Garden Green. I wouldn't want to buy anything I think I might not get much use out of - especially as expensive as these markers are.

I really appreciate it when an artist shows which Copics she used for a project. It greatly helps me to get a feel for what each color actually looks like on paper, and the pic of the markers is easier to study and associate with the colors than a bunch of words. So thanks to those who post your markers! You will be helping me pick which colors I want!

But I'm done for tonight! Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Digi stamp help

Thanks for all the helpful advice to my last post! While I am pulling my hair out trying to pare down my monstrous wish list of Copics, I thought I'd pass along a helpful link I ran across that addresses all the issues with using digi stamps. I'm still new to it and was glad for the advice.

Now, back to my Copics list!

Narrowing it down

Boy, is there a lot of info on Copics out there! I feel positively lazy for asking you to do the work of picking colors for me when Google is at my disposal.

First, a big thanks to all the ladies who've discussed the subject of Copics on SCS! You directed me to many wonderful sources.

I've found 2 sources so far that are particularly helpful. Flourishes has Copic collections based on certain flowers or nature themes that really help me look at the colors in a fresh way. The color wheel (pdf) Copic offers is too much for a beginner like me to sink her teeth into. But color groupings I can handle.

The other source is Sharon Harnist's Copic info/tutorial page on her Paperfections blog. She shares lots of great info there.

Thanks mainly to these 2 sources, I'm narrowing down my choices. It's still pretty hard to decide, but their help is easing the burden immensely! Thanks to them both!

Do you know of any really good sources that helped you pick colors?

Taking the plunge

My birthday came this past week and my family was very generous to me! So I am going to use some of the money to buy Copics. I'd like to spend around a hundred dollars, which sounds like a lot. But when buying Copics it will disappear fast, I'm sure. I am going to buy them from Carpe Deim because they have a killer low price and free shipping right now on Copic orders (only in the lower 48 and manually adjusted after ordering).

Now the hard part. Which ones to choose? Those of you who use Copics, do you find you tend toward the lighter colors or do you mix them up? Please share your wisdom with me. What should a newbie do to get started?

Heather Ellis digi sale!

I am drooling over Donna Mikasa's latest creations. She is turning me into a digi stamp lover. Recently she posted several cards using Heather Ellis's Pure Innocence digis and I had to have some. They are just TOO CUTE.

While googling for Heather's stamps I found her Etsy site and noticed that she announced she is having a sale on her regular website. Currently, 1 pound of British currency is equivalent to $1.61 US funds (or the other way: 1 U.S. Dollar = 0.621664 British Pounds). So cheap! So I grabbed a whole bunch of them and figured I'd share the deal with you.

Check it out!