Hedge Hugs

It's Tuesday and that means another challenge at the CAS Colours and Sketches blog.  This week's challenge is a sketch.

Here is the sketch posted:

I had a lot of fun with this week's challenge. The square is perfect for a nice size image and the rectangle underneath works great for a sentiment.

I did quite a bit of masking since all the images are separate (stump, hedgie, flowers).  The hedgie and the stump are shaded using a MISTI, but any stamping platform will work (and I should be getting my Stampin' Up! Stamparatus any day now - yay!)  I describe the technique in detail in this post.

I started by stamping two (remember my motto - "I always make two in case I mess up") and boy am I glad I did!  I ended up forgetting to put the mask on the hedgehog when I stamped the stump on one of them.  Totally blew it.  But since I had the other one I didn't have to start over.

I die cut three green squares and stacked them under the image square to lift it off the card.  Instead of gluing die cut letters to the front, I cut them out of the front and let the negative show the pink card base underneath.


I hope you enjoyed this card today.  I have a list of some of the supplies with links to my Stampin' Up! website below.  If you order please use Hostess code 6924WDJ - valid through March 28.  (If you order $150 of products-before tax and shipping-do not use the code so YOU get the hostess benefits.)

And a $50 order qualifies you to earn a FREE product from the Sale-A-Bration catalog!  Details here.

Stamps:  Stampin' Up Hedgehugs
Dies: Stampin' Up Stitched Shapes, Stampin' Up Little Letters (retired)
Cardstock: Sweet Sugarplum, Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz


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Coloring with Tombows - My First Attempt

Happy Monday!  I usually look forward to the weekend but this week, I'm looking forward to the week.  I've been worried and busy with a daughter who is traveling, 2600 miles from home and caught the flu. Long distance finding her an urgent care and extending her stay so she won't get on a plane sick has been trying, to say the least.  But she's resting in a hotel with medicine and a stocked fridge and will hopefully be well enough to fly on Friday!

Now on to today's card!  I created this card for last Wednesday's sketch challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  I love sketch challenges and this one intrigued me because there were quite a few elements to the sketch.

The sketch:

I had purchased a pad of patterned paper about a month ago and actually loved 90% of the patterns.  I usually figure if I like half the patterns I'm doing well.  So I was excited to see the opportunity to use this pack!  It features Paris and this Penny Black stamp fits with the paper perfectly.

That said, I'm not totally happy with  this card.  I also just bought some Tombow markers.  This is my first attempt using them.  I had wanted a loose, wash feel for the coloring.  These markers don't necessarily lend themselves to that.  It was a bit of  a struggle for me get get "loose" with them.  Perhaps with more practice.  Or perhaps I'll just use them for more controlled coloring.  We'll see.

I'm also not thrilled with the combo of the mixed media paper, which is off white, paired with the bright white of the patterned paper.  But I did want to post something that didn't come out exactly as I had wanted.  I know we all have made cards like that - just not what we had hoped for but nice just the same.

I didn't have time to correct everything so I think I'll try re-making this card in a different medium.  Probably either Copic or Prismacolors.  I'll link back to this post when (or should I say if) I do.

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Easter Wreath on Weathered Wood

Happy Friday!  Are you ready for the weekend?  I know I am.  My card today is one that I created for an inspiration challenge at Fusion Challenge blog.

For the challenge you can use the photo as inspiration or the sketch or both.  When I saw the wreath on the door I knew that I had a wreath die that would be PERFECT.  Here is the challenge:

Not only would the die be perfect, but I have a paper stack of "wood" papers!  I did not want my card to be dark so I picked a light color weathered wood paper and cut it to 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 inches (A2).

I love the color combination of yellow, lavender and purple.  It reminds me of Spring.  I cut the flowers from various shades of those colors and the foliage from two shades of green and Crumb Cake which matches the wood tone on the distressed wood panel.

I decided to use this sentiment since it could stretch across the card and I thought the style went well with the die.  I cut two strips of Crumb Cake cardstock and heat embossed "Happy Easter" in both white and a metallic purple.  I wasn't sure which one I would like better.

I decided on the purple - it really does have a nice glow in person.

I popped one flower off the card using a foam dot then added iridescent sequins that change from yellow to purple.  It really adds some sparkle to the wreath - almost like little berries!

I hope you enjoyed today's card.  The new Fresh Spring Floral die is very versatile - this could easily be made a thank you, birthday or thinking of you card just by changing the sentiments.  And by changing the colors you can match it to the seasons or your recipient's personal tastes.

Die: Cottage Cutz Fresh Spring Floral
Stamp: Lawn Fawn Celebration Scripty Sayings 

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Skating Week Day Three

It's my final day for skating cards this week!  (Okay, so it's really not skating WEEK, but skating few days.  That just didn't sound as good.)  I'm not sure if this guy is a figure skater or a speed skater but he is cute.  And I had to put him in a red,white and blue scarf!

When I created yesterday's card I made two backgrounds so I used one here.  The bear is colored with Copic markers.  This stamp begged to be a slider, so it is.  I used two slider mechanisms so he wouldn't twirl - I suppose that does make him speed skater instead of a figure skater!

Stamps and die:  MFT Polar Bear Pals
Ink: Copic markers - B21, B24, B28, N0, N2, N4,C00, C0, C1, R24, R27, R29

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Skating Week Card Two

Day two of my skating cards in honor of the Olympics! Today's card is also for the color challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.

The colors this week are:

I used a blender pen with the the colors' re-inkers to color the bunny and bird.  The background is stenciled in Marina Mist using a stencil I've had forever but never used.  I thought the squiggly lines might look like the lines left by the skates, but I think it turned out looking more like cracked ice.  In either case, I think it works.

Stamps and Dies: MFT You Make My Heart Spin

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Skating Week at Spectrum Ink

I've been watching the Olympics this past week.  And among my favorite events are all the skating competitions.  So I thought I'd make some skating cards this week.  Heaven knows I have enough winter stamps that feature ice skaters!  And these two penguins reminded me of ice dancers.

I designed this using last Wednesday's sketch on Splitcoaststampers.  It was an easy to color card - just a little cool grey and BG marker to add shape to the penguins and ice, then some Y and YR for their feet.

I used three coats of Wink of Stella on the snowflakes as well as on the ice - they really sparkle in person.  Of course I had to add quite a few sequins for that flash seen in figure skaters' outfits!

Stamps: Mama Elephant Arctic Penguins
Dies: MFT Stitched Hexagons, MFT Snowflakes
Patterned Paper: Lawn Fawn

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Sweet Spring Fox

Years ago we had a fox pair that lived under a huge cedar tree near our backyard.  We saw them (and their eventual litter) for one spring.  Ever since then I've had a soft spot for foxes.  I have this sweet fox die that was begging to be used.  And as with Tuesday's card I kind of knew what I wanted to do but not totally.  Even though many (if not most) of my cards do not turn out as I had envisioned, I usually start with a plan.  This was the same except I didn't have much of a vision beyond "flowers behind the fox".

I had an idea for my palette of colors but nothing specific.  So I started by using a flower/foliage die and cutting it in multiple colors.

Then I played with the colors and arrangements and eventually decided on these flowers in the blue family.  I'm starting to like just die cutting a bunch of flowers and playing with the arrangements.  It makes for quite a few extras that can be used later for more cards!  The fox is cut from Cajun Craze cardstock with his chest and tail tip in Very Vanilla.

I assembled the fox and colored his eye and nose with a black multi-liner pen. Then I die cut a stitched panel and arranged the flowers.

I used an embossing folder to give interest to the card front.  It is actually a panel that is cut to the same size (A2) as the card front and adhered to it.
 
Finally, I used foam dots to adhere the fox between the flowers and foam tape to pop the stitched panel up off the card face.

This card would be super simple to recreate with any critter or flowers dies or punches, and any embossing folder.  These dies are from Cottage Cutz and the EF is from Stampin' Up!  It is generic enough to be a birthday, thank you, or just thinking of you card.

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope you enjoyed today's card and get a chance to do something creative this weekend.

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Copic Markers with Prismacolor Valentines

I collect Gorjuss Girls stamps.  I say I "collect" because, although I buy and love them, I rarely actually USE them.  So I think that makes me a collector.

Today I used two of them!  YAY!! These are from the mini collection which works better for A2 size cards than the regular sized stamps. I consider them a bit of an experiment since I normally like the stamps colored in rather dark tones similar to what is seen on the packaging.  But I wanted to try something different so I lightened things up and used brown for shading rather than black.

I wasn't (and I'm still not) completely content with them.  I think the background helps with the colors.  But since these are Valentine's cards for my daughters, I had to know when things were good enough and stop there.  It's not that they are bad - they just aren't what I had envisioned in my mind. I went down a creative path and it didn't take me quite where I was hoping to go. But that's okay - now I have a reason to try coloring these again using a different palette!

I used a very light base color of Copic markers.  Then I went over that with Prismacolor pencils.  When I was almost finished I used Gamsol for some blending.  After using Gamsol I rarely go back in to add color, but I did here.

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you enjoyed today's post.  And I hope it shows that not every card turns out as you intend, but that it can still yield good results!

Inks: Copic Markers with Prismacolors
Stamps: Gorjuss Girls Little Heart and Little Love

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Tag You're It!

It's Tuesday and another new challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.  This week's sketch features a tag or other similar shape.

Here is the sketch posted:

I had quite a bit of fun with this sketch.  I knew basically what I wanted to do, but not exactly.  I had the stamps picked out just not colors.  And I also knew the flowers should be two toned.  So I started picking out color combos I liked and began stamping.  I used the framelits to cut out the flowers and leaves then played with the arrangement.  Sometimes it's fun to experiment and see where things take you.  Originally I thought I would use more flowers but as I started to lay things out I realized I didn't need as many as I had thought.

I had also die cut two tags in different colors using a die I've had forever from MFT.  So I ended up with two cards!  (This card could easily be made with a different shape tag or even a tag that was cut on a paper trimmer.)  And I still have enough flowers left for more cards.  I went a little wild with the stamping!  When I have extra of something I store it in the back of the stamp case or pocket so it's easy to find.  When I store extras elsewhere I usually forget I have them.

I hope you enjoyed this card today.  I have a list of some of the supplies with links to my Stampin' Up! website below.  If you order please use Hostess code 2BQK2KJZ - valid through February 20.  (If you order $150 of products-before tax and shipping-do not use the code so YOU get the hostess benefits.)

A $50 order qualifies you to earn a FREE product from the Sale-A-Bration catalog!  Details here.

Stamps: Stampin' Up! Jars of Love and Perennial Birthday
Dies: Stampin' Up! Everyday Jars Framelits
Embossing Folder: Petal Pair Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

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A Double Duty Card and More Watercoloring

It's almost Valentine's Day, so bear with me as I make a few more cards with that theme.  Today's card is made for a friend with a Valentine's Day birthday. 

I wanted it to have a Valentine's feel but not too much of one.  I thought the heart made from roses was perfect for this.

I used ZIG Kuretake Real Brush Pens to color the card on Strathmore Mixed Media paper.  I really like mixed media paper for watercoloring cards.  It is smoother than cold press watercolor paper and does well with washes.  And it takes stamps well.  If I were doing some heavy duty watercoloring I probably wouldn't use it, but for a card like this it's great.

This card was made with the same stamp set and using the same technique as last Wednesday's heart card.

I'm entering this card in CAS-ual Friday's February 2 challenge - Hearts, Hearts & More Hearts

Stamp set: Simon Says Stamp Roses for You, MFT Anything But Basic Birthday Wishes
ZIG Kuretake Clean Color Real Brush Pens

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More Watercoloring and Some Odd Little Dogs

Okay - I'll admit it.  This stamp set is a bit unusual.  It really amused me when I purchased it but then I then realized that it could be a bit difficult to color and use.  Definitely not for everyone.

The style just doesn't lend itself to realistic shading. And it doesn't really require natural dog colors either.

I wanted to participate in this week's color challenge at Splitcoast Stampers - Wild Wasabi, Wild Wisteria and Soft Sky. 

 
Normally I try to think of things that could actually be the colors used in the challenges, but this week I wanted to do something a bit out of the box.  And so the combination of colors and dogs was born!

I colored the dogs loosely in watercolor using the challenge colors and a bit of light grey for the shadow. 

The stamps are all individual dogs so I created masks to make a little family group.

The sentiment is die cut and inlaid back onto the card.

I hope you enjoyed this card.  It was an experiment for me and certainly took me out of my comfort zone for images.  I was a little unsure of it at first but the more I look at it, the more I like it.

Stamp: Indigo Blu "Duke's Gang"
Die: LaLa Land "Woof"

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Free Form Watercoloring

I'm calling today's technique free form watercoloring for lack of a better term.  I see people who do gorgeous realistic watercoloring and I really admire them.  But that just isn't me.  If I want to create in a realistic or controlled manner I'll use markers and pencils.  When I want to be loose and "wild" I turn to water colors (or at least a water based medium).

The sketchy nature of this stamp set called for a very free form style of coloring.  I used my ZIG Kuretake Clean Color Brush Pens for this card.  They have VERY vibrant colors which I thought would be perfect.  I applied a water wash to most areas and the went in with the brush pen.  If I wanted an area darker or more intense, I used my heat gun to dry it and went back over it with the brush pen.

The third heart was done on a separate piece of paper, die cut and adhered using foam dots.

For me, the final look I want to achieve dictates the medium I use.  In this case I wanted a very loose and free form look.  I've tried using the ZIG pens in a controlled manner but prefer my Copic markers for that.  These are great for a loose, artsy look.

I often say that I don't have a definitive style for my art.  It could best be described as "multiple personalities".  When I begin to create, I'm never sure who will show up!  This week - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - I think you can see that three of my personalities showed up at some point over this past weekend!  (All kidding aside, I think that my background in commercial art has given me the ability to be a chameleon.  When you have a client who wants a certain something you must learn to adapt.)

Today's card is entered in the Fusion Challenge for February 1 .  Here is the challenge that was posted:

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A Beautiful You with a Limited Color Palette

Today's card is for the color challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches blog.

The challenge this week is to use Powder Pink, Berry Burst and Wild Wasabi.  Patricia picked a gorgeous color combination.

It was tough to decide what stamp set to use but I decided on these from Altenew for a few reasons.  First, I think they are beautifully graphic which makes them perfect for a clean and simple card.  And I have made a vow to myself to use stamps this year that I've never inked up before.  It's a lofty goal to get every set inked up, especially when I keep acquiring new ones.  But I am going to try to use as many as possible.

I Hope you'll find time to play along with this week's challenge!

Stamps and Die: Altenew Simple Blooms
Ink: Stampin' Up! Powder Pink, Berry Burst, Wid Wasabi
 
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A Gnome Valentine - Copics with Prismacolor

Today I'm sharing the card I've made for my husband for Valentine's Day.  I still haven't quite finished it. I  have plans for the inside and I'll post it later.

The scene uses three Stamping Bella stamps and masking.  It wasn't too difficult.  Neither the left mushroom or boy gnome are intricate so the masks were simple to cut.  

I had a great time coloring this card.  I picked the colors based on the background paper I decided to use and used Copic markers for the base color.  I did do quite a bit of shading and could have left the image with just the markers but I wanted more detail.

The image on the left is just Copic markers and the one on the right has Prismacolor pencil over the marker.  I also used gamsol to blend.  You can see there is more depth on the right one but both would be fine to use. I usually color two images at a time, so I may use the left one as is for another card.  Of course, I'll have to find an appropriate occasion or sentiment to change it from a "love" card.

Stamps: Stamping Bella Lovey Gnomes, Tiny Townie Fairy Garden Fairy, Tiny Townie Fairy Garden House
Dies: Cottage Cutz Live Laugh Love, Technique Tuesday Charming Hearts, Stamps of Life Sailboat Die
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Stampin' Up! Calypso Coral, Pool Party and A Little Foxy DSP
Copic markers: R00, R02, R25, E00, E50, E11, E21, E31, E33, E34, E35, E37,  BG000, BG10, BG13, B0000, G43, G46, T0, T1, T2, T4, C00, C0, C1, C2
Prismacolors: all warm greys, 10% & 20% cool grey, 1082, 941, 1033, 941, 939, 927, 1001, 921, 905, 992, 105

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