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

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

You Make Me Smile

ETA: Jamie Lane asked me to enter this post in the technique week challenge over at Frosted Designs. Do you have a favorite technique that you could enter? My current fave is "watercoloring" with Copics. Go enter for a chance to win some free digis! Thanks for the encouragement, Jamie!

Just like I'm crazy about our new Basset, Ally, I'm crazy about digital stamps. Maybe it's because they arrive so quickly after paying for them (usually, within hours) or maybe it's because I can color them, and I LOVE to color.

I'm just nuts about this fairy. I found her on Etsy and just had to have her. She's such a sweet thing. She was created by Claire Keay of Jellypark. I love her illustrations and plan to buy more. She's an awesome watercolorist, too.

You can see that the fairy's wings and flower wreath have glitter on them. I also glittered the flowers and the butterfly. I used Crystal Snow fine white glitter, my favorite all-around go-to glitter.

I glued tiny clear gems to some of the flowers for extra sparkle and dimension.

I'm working on doing shadows and such with my Warm/Cool Gray Copics. I'd love to get more of them so I can vary the intensity; mainly, I need more in the cool range. Those grays are so versatile! They really are a necessity, imo. I grab them all the time.

I wanted this scene to have a watercolor quality about it. I still have lots to learn, but it sure is fun trying!

I took a page from Amy Sheffer's book and distressed the edges of my dp (Basic Grey Stella Ruby) to jazz it up a bit. Then I sewed it with a straight stitch and went back over it with a freehand stitch. That was great fun!

Thanks for coming by for a look! Hope you enjoy! Check out Claire's other wonderful illustrations here.

Stamps: Sitting Fairy by Claire Keay of Jellypark, sentiment by Jody Poesy (no longer selling stamps), SU Canvas

CS: SU Old Olive, black, Basic Grey Stella Ruby Collection, PTI Stamper's Select White

Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, printer

Copics: W1, W3, W7, C1, T1, 0 (colorless), E000, E02, E25, E27, E33, E35, E41, E43, E44, E57, E93, BG10, BG11, BG13, Y21, YR23, R02, R20, R22, R24, R30, R81, YG11, YG13, YG17, YG91, YG93, YG95

Other: Pumpkin Pie SU marker, Nestabilities Labels 2, Stamp-a-ma-jig, tiny clear gems, Diamond Glaze (to glue gems down), black zigzag ribbon, Crystal Snow fine white glitter, glue pen, scissors for distressing edges, sewing machine, 3D-Dots

Hi There! Penny Black cuteness and an award!

Good evening!!

I have loved Penny Black stamps ever since I saw them for the first time over 7 years ago. But do you think I ever bought one?? Why I hold off on getting things I love I do not know.

Well, I went into Archiver's yesterday. Need I say more? Penny Black is now offering their adorable images in clear stamp format and in sets!! Now I have no excuses. I was totally taken with the Micey Day set. I couldn't wait to get them home and color them!

And do you know what I found to be a perfect mouse-y color? True Thyme. Remember True Thyme, one of those Stampin' Up "In Colors"? It is PERFECT. Perfect Perfect Perfect. I hardly ever use that color even though I like it. But I can see that there will be more opportunities now that I have mice to color, and cats and dogs! (more on that when the time comes) If you have any True Thyme ink and you have any animal stamps you'd like to color, I recommend it as a wonderful color choice!

I want you to know that I could not get the colors adjusted right in these pics. The purples are redder than they really are and the blues are bluer than they really are. I used Pale Plum and Perfect Plum and Bordering Blue and Brocade Blue to color with. So try to imagine that when looking at these.

I was so taken with Tosh's Wisteria card and Amy's also, that I grabbed a Basic Grey Wisteria pad while at Archiver's. It's colors are just perfect for the inks I chose.

This sketch is from this week's Mojo Monday (week 88). I went a bit outside the box and used the Labels One Nestabilities dies to create my 2 columns behind the circle. I hope you can see the tiny greeting to the left of them. I bought that in a set by TAC years ago and can't recall the name. If anyone knows it could you educate me so I can write it on the stamp storage box they're in? I thought it went so well with this image. So sweet!!

You'll notice, no Cuttlebug embossing! I know, hard to believe! I just decided to skip it for a change. I thought there was enough busyness on this card already. I did add the Sizzix Architectural Accents die cuts, though. The corner on the top left just needed something. Then I felt it needed to be balanced on the bottom right.

I had so much fun watercoloring this image! I used Versafine Onyx Black ink on Canson watercolor paper (found at Hobby Lobby). Then I colored with markers, water brush and ink pads.

In case it's hard for you to see, I wanted to point out that I took a scissors blade to the edges of the Wisteria papers as I wanted a really rough edge on them. The thread cutter does a nice job for a light distressing, but the scissors really rip that edge!

Now, on to the award! Sandee over at Simply Southern Sandee has awarded me the Exalting Christ award! This is my second time receiving it and I feel honored that Sandee would pick me as one of her recipients! Thank you, Sandee!! You're a dear!

Well, thanks for looking and have a wonderful day tomorrow! Can you believe that the weekend is already so near?

Stamps: Micey Day set by Penny Black, "hi there" sentiment by TAC

CS: Black, Basic Grey Wisteria, Canson watercolor paper

Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, True Thyme

Markers: Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Mellow Moss

Other: Nestabilities Labels One, Standard Circles Large, Standard Circles Small; Sizzix Architectural Accents die, Basic Grey Porcelain brads, 3D-Dots, Sticky Doos, water brush, black rick-rack ribbon, sewing machine, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Xyron 150 Create-a-Sticker, scissors for creating rough edges on dp, Inkssentials opaque white pen (for highlights on cup handle)

Happy Memorial Day!

Thanks to all those who have fought and died for the freedoms we enjoy! We owe you so much.

For this card I used the Mojo Monday sketch challenge for Week 87.

Have a blessed holiday! We'll be barbecuing and relaxing!

Stamps: God Bless America, Pledge of Allegiance and In God We Trust sets by Our Daily Bread Designs

CS: Black, Brocade Blue (DTPed with Bashful Blue ink), white, More Mustard, Real Red

Inks: Bashful Blue, Versafine Onyx Black, More Mustard, Creamy Caramel

Other: Cuttlebug Swiss Dots and D'Vine Swirls embossing folders, Nestabilities Large Pinking Circles and Classic Circles Small, 1&1/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, Fiskars Diamond border punch, Bashful Blue marker, Rose Red marker, piercing tool, sponge mat, star template, sewing machine, jumbo black brads, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Post-It Note (for blocking), Sticky Doos, 3D-Dots, Crop-a-Dile

Happy Birthday Butterfly

What didn't I do to this card? Dry embossing, direct-to-paper, distressing, heat embossing, paper piercing...you name it, I probably did it.

I made this for my sister. Her birthday is this month and I wanted to go all out for her. It seems my cards are getting a bit more artsy these days, doesn't it? Or is it just me?

Every inch of this card has been touched by ink. Please forgive me because I refer to this a lot in my post.

For the main black base I direct-to-papered (from now on known as DTP'd) using Basic Black ink. It sounds odd to want to cover black cs with black ink, but it does add a nice touch.

I DTP'd the Real Red cs with Real Red ink and then DTP'd along the edges with Basic Black ink, going around in a swirly motion. Then I ran it through the Cuttlebug using the Traffic Jam folder. I had actually planned to have the un-cuttlebugged area under the ribbon on the bottom of the card. But I accidentally glued it on wrong and didn't realize it until it was too late. Honestly, I like it better on the side, so that was a happy accident!

I distressed the black base and the red piece and also distressed the smaller circles and the bigger mustard circle. Really enjoying the distressed look.

To distress, I ran my open scissors blade across the edges, perpendicular to the edges, in the same way I would if I was sanding them. It's very simple and yields a nifty result. I inked the edges after distressing them to hide the plain cs I had exposed.

Close-up of distressing:

Lots of paper piercing. I used my Making Memories piercer mentioned in this post to do the holes. I used the spongy pad from my mat pack underneath. That piercer is great except that it loosens after awhile (the tip is reversible, so it comes out). So I had my hubby glue the stylus part (I don't need or use it) into the handle with super glue (found in some hobby stores). So far it's staying put, and I used it a LOT on this card.

I paper-pierced around the edges and around the Nestabilities scalloped piece. Also went around the circles. I did the back of the card as well to keep the theme going on the inside.

I stamped the "Happy Birthday" stamp from SU Birthday Greetings and a bit of a butterfly from SU Wonderful Wings on the main circle which was white cs using Basic Black ink; then I cut it out with the Nestabilities circle die. I DTP'd the circle with More Mustard and Summer Sun and sponged a bit of Only Orange on it here and there. I DTP'd the edge with Basic Black.

I only stamped part of the butterfly to get the antennae in place for my popped up butterfly later on.

For the smaller circles I used 2 circle punches: a 1" and a 1.25". Before punching the red one out I stamped the word "Sis" in Basic Black. The alphas are from the small Girls are Weird set from Purple Onion Designs. I DTP'd the red cs with Real Red ink. I should've stamped after the DTPing because of the smear factor. Then I punched it out. I DTP'd the black cs with Basic Black ink before punching. Then I distressed the circles with my scissors and DTP'd the edges with their matching inks. Then I paper pierced the edges...because I must. It's a disease.

For the butterfly I...you guessed it...DTP'd some white cs with Taken with Teal ink. Then I let it dry and did the same with More Mustard, but only a little bit, just to warm it up. Then I stamped the butterfly from SU Wonderful Wings in Brilliance Graphite Black ink over it and heat embossed it using detail black embossing powder. Then I cut it out and adhered it with Dimensionals to the main circle. I like the way it floats. I used Sticky Doos to pop out the big circle/scallop part from the red background piece.

The black mini brads were a last minute decision, but I really like what they add to the overall look. The ribbons are black organdy, black plaid and the teal ribbon was actually some cream grosgrain I saturated with Taken with Teal ink so it would match the butterfly and add an extra touch of that color to the scene. I used the TWT re-inker to really saturate the ribbon. Then I blotted it as best I could and let it dry before adding it. Someday I plan to get white grosgrain ribbon so I can stain it any color I want to match my cs.

For the inside I took 2 pieces of Real Red cs and DTP'd with Real Red ink and did the same thing around the edges with the Basic Black as I did on the front, only a bit more. Then I adhered them with Sticky Doos. Lots of paper piercing around them on the black. Between the paper piercing and the distressing the cardstock was just about like cloth!

Phew! This card was a job to make and a job to describe! I hope I didn't forget anything! Hope you enjoy it.

Stamps: SU Wonderful Wings, SU Birthday Greetings, Purple Onion Designs small "Girls are Weird" alphas

CS: Black, Real Red, White

Inks: Real Red, Basic Black, Taken with Teal, More Mustard, Summer Sun, Only Orange, Brilliance Graphite Black

Other: Cuttlebug Traffic Jam embossing folder, Nestabilities scallop and plain circle dies, 1" and 1.25" circle punches, 1/16" hole punch (for mini brads), Making Memories piercing tool, Sponge mat from Mat Pack, Sticky Doos, Dimensionals, Black mini brads, Black organdy ribbon, Black plaid ribbon, Cream grosgrain ribbon, Taken with Teal re-inker, Scissors for distressing, Sponge for Only Orange ink, Detail Black EP