Pure Innocence Hugs and Kisses

Hello, and Happy Wednesday! This little card has lots of holes in it, wouldn't you say? What is it with me and holes? I guess it's just something fun you can do to paper, and I love the zen-ishness of doing it the old-fashioned way, with a piercing tool.

My sewing machine was a bit wonky while I stitched around the edges, but I like the way it turned out. Kind of funky! It was a decorative stitch that maybe wasn't the best choice, but I still think it works, at least for me. The unevenness adds a bit of whimsy.

I used my piercing tool and an Ornare paper piercing template in the corners. Like I said, I love putting holes in paper! 😊 They frame things so nicely.

I used so many Copic markers to mimic the designer papers when coloring the hat and dress. And I'm sorry for not keeping track of which colors I used. I need to be better about that.

Since I love patterns so much, I added black circles with white dots all over the dress to make it more interesting. I wanted it to be loose and free, not too regimented. 

 
I put a tiny gem on the shoe buckle area to mimic a big button. And by using the white gel pen under some of the ink on the shoes, it makes them look like suede.

This card makes me so happy. Don't you love it when you feel that way about something you make? Thanks for coming by and feel free to comment before you leave! I love comments!

Stamps: Pure Innocence 02 digital stamp, Stampin' Up! All Year Cheer I sentiment

CS: White, Teresa Collins Fabrications designer papers

Inks: Computer ink for printout, Copics for coloring, Micron 03 for circles on dress, white gel pen for dots in circles, egg shells, and highlights on hat, and on shoes under Copic ink

Other: Nestabilies Classic Oval Large and Classic Oval Scallops Large dies, large oval punch, small oval punch, Ornare decorative corners piercing template, punching tool, sewing machine, olive-colored gem for shoe, foam tape, cream organdy ribbon

To Someone Special

This card was made for my granddaughter who recently had a birthday. I love this image. It's another Pure Innocence digital stamp. It's so sweet, and it's so much fun to color. I seem to be drawn to them lately.

For this one, I went monochrome.....just because. I actually found it quite satisfying to limit myself on colors. I had done a card that way in the past. 

I loved playing with my old Stampin' Up! Botanicals set on the gray designer paper and inside the card. I hadn't pulled it out in a long time. It's a classic that will never age. The images look so beautiful stamped.

On the inside, I went simple. Just a piece of the Basic Grey Granola paper with some paper piercing around the edges. The bee is also from Botanicals. The "Happy Birthday" image is from SU Birthday Greetings. It fits in so well with the Botanicals set, don't you think?

I took this pic so you could see the shine on the wings. Maybe I should've added glitter, too? I dunno.

And I gave her some princessy slippers by adding a gem to each. 

Well, thanks for looking! Take care!

Stamps: Pure Innocence PI049, SU Botanicals, SU Birthday Greetings

CS: Black, Papertrey Ink Stamper's Select White, Basic Grey Granola designer papers

Inks: Copic W1, W3, W5, W7; Memento Tuxedo Black

Other: Nestabilities Curved Rectangles, SU corner punch, SU 1/2" circle punch, clear gems, Inkssentials Glossy Accents (on wings), paper piercer, foam tape

Pure Innocence Card

This very simple card is for a friend's birthday, but there is no indication of that on the outside. Unfortunately, I didn't get pics of the inside, but trust me, it says Happy Birthday in there. This design would work for a number of greetings: friendship, missing you, come to my party, etc.

I colored the digital girl image with Copics. I used gems on all the flower centers just to give the card some zing.

And more gems were used to decorate another area because it just needed something. I'm happy with the ribbon choices pared with the scalloped paper.

Well, thanks for looking! Have a good day!

Image: Heather Ellis Pure Innocence 004 (digital image)

CS: White, DCWV The Citrus Matstack designer papers

Other: Copic markers, Martha Stewart Double Scallop punch, yellow gems, red gems, turquoise ribbon, red dot ribbon

Winter Friend Card

Hello to anyone who might wander over here to my stamping place! I hope you enjoy your visit! I am back in the swing of things after a 3-year hiatus and am enjoying myself immensely. Stamping is a very satisfying, albeit expensive, hobby, and I love it.

I made a bunch of these cards for some online friends in lieu of Christmas cards, as I got a very late start on my Christmas cards last year and didn't have time for 10 more cards. So I made these January/Winter cards instead. Do you like my little pom-pom trim? It looks like little hanging snowballs!

I was looking through my Pure Innocence digital stamps and thought this cutie would be perfect for a Winter card. So I printed out 11 copies of her (one as a sampler) on good white cardstock and got busy coloring them. I did the backgrounds with Copic markers BG10, BG11, BG13, and BG18 until I ran out of ink for the BG10 and BG11 and had to find substitutes. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I had to use another brand of markers and found them wanting. But they did fill in for my Copics until I could get some refill ink.

I used R29, some YGs (yellow-greens), some Es and Rs for her face, Some Es for her hair, and the W7 plus a reddish brown for her boots (although the pic doesn't show it right).

I wanted to depict swirling snow, so I used the D'Vine Swirls embossing folder and a swirls stamp from the retired SU! set I Like Your Style. I stamped in SU! Real Red ink (do they still sell that color? I feel so ancient asking that!).

I used a Uni-ball Signo white gel pen on all the white areas. And I did a little stitching around the edge. What made the card pop for me were the red gems. They really added a lot.

Inside, I just made a simple design using the I Like Your Style stamp I used on the outside and 2 stamps from the SU set Amazing to Zany (probably also retired).

I made another card yesterday and will be sharing that one soon. Thanks for coming by! Please let me know that you stopped by! I love visitors! Happy Weekend!

Stamps: Pure Innocence 008 digital stamp, SU! Amazing to Zany, SU! I Like Your Style

CS: White

Inks: SU! Real Red, Copics

Other: Cuttlebug D'Vine Swirls embossing folder, turquoise stitching, red gems, pom pom trim, foam tape, Uniball white gel pen for white highlights

Did you give up on me yet?

Hello to the 5 or so people who still come by to see if I'm here. ;) Has it really been since March that I haven't posted? Well, that's because I haven't been stamping until this past week when I finally cleaned up my stamping area. I can't work in a mess and I have been too tired and lethargic to deal with it. But I got out the bottle of cod liver oil in my fridge and took some every day this week and I've had more energy. I cleaned out our overflowing junk drawer and dealt with the box of junk drawer junk from the last time I emptied it! Plus, I went through our vast pen and pencil collection and checked to make sure all the pens worked and then sharpened all the pencils. And I threw out a lot! Not to mention cleaning up a big section of my study where I stamp. So thanks, cod liver oil!

This card is fairly simple considering how much I usually load up my cards, but I just couldn't think of anything to add that would improve it. I struggled a lot with the image and trying to color cleanly. Those Copics are so juicy that it's hard to color in small areas. I hope someday they come up with a marker that has the regular point, a smaller point (I never use the chiseled end, do you?), and can be used with an air brush. That would be perfection in my book. Aren't the CIAO markers like that except that they can't be used in an air brush?

Well, I'll go back to my cave now. I hope to be doing more stamping soon. My creativity is in a bit of a rut and I'd like to break out of my usual choices and do something fresh with some old stamps. *sigh* We'll see. Thanks for coming by! Today, I gave you something to see for a change! ;)

Stamps: Pure Innocence 023 digi stamp by Heather Ellis, word stamp by Stampin' Up! set Smorgasborders

CS: Black, Pocket Full of Posies by DCWV, White

Ink: Computer ink and Versafine Onyx Black

Copics: B41, YG13, YR12, R00, R02, R29, E33, V06, Colorless Blender

Other: Nestabilities Inverted Scallop Circle, Standard Circle, Cuttlebug Birds and Swirls embossing folder, black polka dot ribbon, sewing machine, corner ticket punch, 1/2" circle punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, velcro tab (for holding card closed), foam mounting tape.

For You

I am still without my beloved Canon Rebel so please forgive the slightly gimpy picture. A good camera is priceless.

This card is for a friend whose birthday is coming up in a week or so. I'll admit that this image isn't really a birthday image, per se, but I think it can pass as one with the "card" and all. It can, can't it? I'll also admit that I already had this image printed out and decided to use it rather than print out something else.

I wanted to try using only (or mostly only) colors in the warm neutral Copics to see how it would turn out. I love it! And I also wanted to try that shiny black hair tutorial I posted recently. Pretty cool, I think, but a little harder than I expected since I tend to overdo, and under-doing is better in this case. My inspiration for this coloring job came from this artist's style. Maybe a little Tim Burton-ish. Unfortunately, the camera couldn't pick up the more subtle shading I did on the face and the envelope doesn't even look colored, but it is. Also, the flowers are redder than they look. *sigh* I miss my good camera.

Thanks for the comments on my last post. When I think of competitiveness in the card-making community, I think of how many of us feel the need to use the latest stuff or we think our cards aren't worthy of posting, or something like that. At least, that's my problem. This happens to me all the time: Just when I start collecting the latest Spellbinder dies I find out they're yesterday's news and all the cool stampers have moved on to the new sets...and they all seem to know what are going to be the most popular dies. The same with stamps and inks and embellishments. They must have a money tree in their back yard or they're being given free stuff. I don't know.

I know it's childish of me to struggle with this stuff, but I do. And I doubt I'm alone. It's the main reason I avoid going on too many blog hops. I just can't take how behind the times I am and I feel constantly tempted to buy more stuff to keep up. Yes, big confession. So I stay in my own little corner and try to be content with what I have. It's the best way for me to deal with it. My budget groans when I try to keep up, doesn't yours?

Please forgive me for ever feeding the spending frenzy by what I've posted here. Perhaps I should do more to encourage using what you have rather than point you to yet another thing to buy. These days I am far less "stuff-oriented" than I used to be. Maybe it's the memory of all that money I've (over) spent over the years on this hobby. It makes me afraid to step foot in a crafting store! I keep thinking of all the other stuff I already have. I should not be buying more.

Okay, back to the card. One thing I want to mention that I did differently is I distressed both the inside and outside edges of the blossom. You can use a scissors (hold scissors open with the sharp edge exposed - rub the scissors along the edge while holding the paper firmly or vice versa - whatever works for ya) or a thread cutter to achieve that look. Also, it's hard to tell from the pic, but the girl image is under the blossom die cut. I cut a hole in the center of the blossom and used foam tape snipped into tiny pieces around the "petals" of the flower to raise it up.

Hope you have an inexpensive, fun-filled evening! ;)

Stamps: Pure Innocence 004 digi stamp, All Year Cheer I word saying

CS: White, black, PTI Pure Poppy, Basic Grey Granola, Stampin' Up! Swirl vellum

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, computer ink

Copics: W00, W1, W3, W5, W7, 110, R29

Other: Martha Stewart Doily Lace border punch, SU! spiral punch, Spellbinders Nestabilities Blossom die, Standard Circle Large die, Cuttlebug Script embossing folder, sewing machine, clear gems, red gingham ribbon, foam tape

Just saying hello

Yay! I actually created a card! I've put my stamping on the sidelines for awhile now. Real life has pushed it way down the list, but I just had to do some creating or I'd burst!

I actually made this card on Sunday, but my camera has a problem and needs fixing, so I had to borrow my daughter's camera. Unfortunately, it's not as crisp and clear as mine is in low light, which is all I had to work with. So forgive the not-so-great photo.

Nothing much new here. I picked the same old standbys: ticket corner punch, cuttlebugging some of the designer paper, favorite polka dot ribbon (which, of course, comes in tiny, expensive little spools!), digital image as center point.

As always, I had fun coloring the sweet little girl from the Pure Innocence collection. And she was what prompted me to choose the papers I did.

I used my new Martha Stewart Arch Lattice border punch and trimmed the ends to create a pointed edge.

The envelope and arms are popped out with foam tape. I wanted to show that better, but the camera wouldn't cooperate with me.

I highlighted here and there with an opaque white gel pen. I love how much that trick adds to the look.

I hope you enjoy this meager offering of mine. Have a lovely week!

Recipe

Stamps: Digital stamp Pure Innocence 004, saying from Hero Arts CL305 set Sending Happy Thoughts

CS: Black, Pocket Full of Posies by DCWV designer paper, Basic Grey Wisteria designer paper, white

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black, computer ink

Copics: Y15, R24, YG63, E25, E35, E00, E93, BV08, BV11, T1, E41, W1, W3, W5

SU Markers: Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue

Other: Cuttlebug Floral Screen embossing folder, Spellbinders Nestabilities Classic Oval Large, Classic Oval Scallop Large, ticket corner punch, Martha Stewart Arch Lattice border punch, Inkssentials opaque white gel pen, black polka dot ribbon, foam tape

Dream

Hello! We are getting such beautiful weather lately! Sunny and cool and windy! Doesn't feel like NE Georgia in April a-tall! Is it unusually cool where you are?

This card was inspired by the artwork of Alina at simcards. She does these adorable circle flower thingies which inspired my distressed circle "flower" and she does an awesome job coloring her images and adding touches of white here and there. She also recently used the spiral punch, so that inspired me to pull mine out and use it.

The placement of the clear gems was inspired by sweet Donna at 3 Umbrellas. She does such whimsical things with gems and pearls!

I used the Forest Branches embossing folder on the main image. I'm iffy about that one, but I think it kinda works. Think "wind".

I used Stampin' Pastels (chalks) to color the sky and around the girl. So much softer and easier to apply than markers.

Well, I just realized that I can't give you my Copics color list because I put them away and didn't take note of which ones I had used! Oops! Sorry about that!

The main image was one of those I mentioned having colored a few days back. I hope to get another card made with another one I am happy with. I had a couple of duds that will likely end up in the trash, though!

Hope you have a lovely week! Thanks for coming by! Happy coloring!

Stamps: Pure Innocence 006 digi by Heather Ellis, word stamp from CTMH Geometric Thoughts

CS: PTI white, black, Basic Grey Recess (retired), Basic Grey Obscure (retired), and Basic Grey Lemonade 6X6' pads

Ink: Computer and Memento Tuxedo Black, various Copics

Other: Cuttlebug Forest Branches and Stylized Flowers embossing folders, spiral punch, Nestabilities Classic Oval Large, Classic Oval Scallops Large, paper piercing tool, circle punches, small and large oval punches, gems, Stampin' Pastels, kneaded eraser, 3D-Dots, black gingham ribbon, thin black grosgrain ribbon

You're on my mind

It's been hard for me to feel creative lately with the weight of this horrid health care reform bill pressing on my mind. But yesterday I got some organizing done in my stamping area and that helped. So after I organized, I colored.

I hope you're not tired of the Pure Innocence images. I just love them. They're so simple, so pleasing to the eye, so carefree, so fun to color.

I went simple on the colors and used the warm gray Copics to add shadows. Some of the coloring was done with Copics, some with SU markers. My Copic collection needs some blues and purples!

Here are the Copics I used:



I used the white gel pen to put a shine on the girl's shoes. I also added glitter to the dress, heart barrette, and the butterfly.

The red piece of card stock was cut in the center with one of the Nestabilities large pinking circle dies. Then I "stitched" around the edge with a white gel pen. I used foam mounting tape to adhere it to the black cs. It's slightly raised and the circle with the scene on it is adhered to the black below it, creating a window effect.

I decided to be a bit out of the box and set the scene catty-corner. I don't know, I just liked it!

I distressed the edges of the black and red cs with a scissors blade. On the purple cs, I drew a freeform wavy line along the edge with a light pencil and then paper pierced it. I erased the line with a kneaded eraser.

The sentiment is from the Upsy Daisy Stampin' Up! set I just got in the mail today. Will hopefully be playing with that set soon!

Thanks for looking! Making this card cheered me up a bit. I hope it cheers you up, too.

Stamps: SU Upsy Daisy, Pure Innocence 023 digital stamp by Heather Ellis

CS: Lovely Lilac, black, Real Red, PTI Stamper's Select White

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Copic markers: W3, W5, 110, R00, R29, R30, B0000, YG13, YG63, Y21, YR23, E35

SU markers: Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst

Other: Nestabilities Large Pinking Circles and Standard Circles Small dies, paper piercing tool, sponge mat, Inkssentials opaque white gel pen, black polka dot ribbon, thin black satin ribbon, white button (Basic Grey), foam mounting tape, Crystal Snow fine white glitter, glue pen

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

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