Happy New Year!

Hey, hey!

Here we are on the cusp of a brand new year and I thought these cute critters from the Impronte d'Autore Party Time set would make for a fun and playful way to wish my fellow card makers and colorists all the best in 2024. I recently got this set, and a few others, from Crafty Purple Frog and it still makes me so excited to have another option when adding to my collection of Impronte d'Autore clear stamp sets. The sentiment is actually from another set, Peace, Joy and Hope, that was in the same order so I could get up to free shipping. While the Party Time set is intended for birthday cards the only alteration I had to do to make this trio ring in the new year was wipe the ink away from the balloon that the bunny is holding and turn it into a sparkler instead. 

No matter how you choose to welcome 2024 tonight, I hope it finds you safe and well and optimistic about all of the possibilities a new year brings. Stay crafty my friends!

 

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Catherine Pooler
stamps- Impronte d'Autore (Party Time and Peace, Joy and Hope), Papertrey Ink (Confetti and Streamers)
ink- Memento tuxedo black, london fog and Catherine Pooler limoncello, tiara and sauna
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 2
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Doodlebug sprinkles
Copic markers:
bunny- BV31, E50, E40, E41, E42, R000, R30, E04
mouse- E40, E41, E42, W1, W2, W3, W4, R000, R30, E04
frog- R000, R30, R21, E04, G20, BG90, BG93, YG01, YG03, G24, BG96
hats/noise makers- Y02, YR23, E47, C2, C3, C5, C6, C10
shadows- W1, W2, W4, W5
sparkler- Y000, Y00, Y02
 

May the new year be as fabulous as you are...

Hello there!

I'm up on the Bellariffic blog with my final Scenic Saturday card of 2023. Uptown Girl Vera and her Vanity has always brought to mind stories of her getting herself ready for some glamorous party. With her stylish up-do and voluminous gown, you know this is a girl who isn't afraid of the spotlight. So, as we come up on the new year with all of the celebrations that will be held to bid adieu to 2023 and welcome in 2024, I quickly realized that it would be perfect to have Vera getting ready for the glitziest New Years bash of them all. 

I started by stamping Vera and her Vanity in the center of the card front using Memento Tuxedo Black ink then proceeded to color her dress using a stippling technique. This creates the look of a sparkling sequined gown due to the high contrast between the dark and light grey markers that I used. The bright gold of the bow, her shoes and the vanity mirror create a 'visual triangle' that leads the eye throughout the scene. To create the spotlight effect that pulls focus right to Vera herself, I first colored in the wood floor letting the colors fade to white as I neared the edges of the card. Once that was done I masked off Vera and her Vanity before using the Copic airbrush system to frame the scene. The same effect can be done with an ink blending technique as well. For some added embellishment I used both the colorless blender and a white Sharpie to add the floating sparkles. Because I didn't have a New Years sentiment in my stash that suited this card I ended up creating my own using my computer and printing it out on a strip of card stock that I then added to the top of my card and decorated with some glittery gold enamel dots. Now I am sure that Vera is more than ready to ring in 2024 in style.

Thank you all for joining me on these Saturdays and may the new year be your craftiest one yet!

 

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Catherine Pooler
stamps- Stamping Bella (Uptown Girl Vera and her Vanity)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
computer generated sentiment
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 2
Studio Calico enamel dots
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Wink of Stella clear glitter pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20
hair- E33, E37, E79
clothes- C2, C3, C6, C7, C9, 100, Y02, YR23, E47, W2, W4
vanity/stool- Y02, YR23, E47, E40, E81, W3, BG93/W4, W5, W7, W9
vanity clutter- N0, N2, N3, 0, R20, R22, C4, C6, C10, RV25, RV99, BV000, E50, E53, RV13, RV14, W4, W6, W8, G20, BG90, BG93, YG25, G28, BG000, BG53/YR30, YR31, G00, BG000, N6
floor- E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E47, E49
cbackground-C3, C4, C7, C8, C9, C10, 100

Sugar and Spice...

TGIF my friends!

The latest Sweet November Stamps coloring break down series that I post over on Youtube just wrapped up yesterday so I can finally share the completed card here on the ol' blog. The focus of this particular series was coloring and indoor scene with and outdoor view. To that end I paired Mrs. Claus from the Cup of Cheer set with one of the windows from the older Simple Room: Autumn Add along with some of the small baking accessory stamps from the Sugar and Spice set to add a bit more life to the scene. Over the course of five videos you can watch me as I color and explain my thought process and choices made during the creative process. Next week I will be starting all over again with a brand new series, so if you are on Youtube I hope you will check them out.  :)

Laters!

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Catherine Pooler
stamps- Sweet November (Cup of Cheer, Sugar and Spice and Simple Room: Autumn Add)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Versamark watermark
Hero Arts detail white embossing powder
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Pear Blossom Press gold gel pen
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
sorry, I didn't keep a list but you can see the colors used here

Stay cozy...

Hello, hello!

I've been taking this week to get ready for things that are coming in the new year. One of those things was cleaning up my hard drive where I found a couple of Christmas cards that I missed posting before the big day came and went. So here I am with this cozy Christmas scene featuring one of the charming Winter Woodland Mice from Stamping Bella. I paired him with one of the sentiments from the Snuggle Weather set because that big woolly mitten looks quite cozy indeed.

Well, I should get back to work... thanks for stopping by!

Supply list:
cardstock- Simon Says Stamp and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Stamping Bella (Winter Woodland Mice and Snuggle Weather sentiment set)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and Versamark Watermark
Hero Arts detail white embossing powder
Spellbinders hemstitch die
Doodlebug sprinkles
Copic markers:
mouse- N2, N3, N4, W5, R000, R30
mitten/cheese- E40, E81, E43, E44, R43, R46, E18/Y11, Y32, Y19, Y26
wall/floor- G43, YG63, YG67/E43, E44, E47, E49, E23

 

The magic of Christmas...

Wishing my crafty friends all of the wonder and magic of Christmas, today and every day. 

Love and hugs to everyone.

Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
digital stamps- Sweet November (Christmas is Back: Background Builder set, Christmas is Back: Boy Kneeling and Gnome Home: Holiday Background Builder set) 
stamps- My Favorite Things (sentiment)
ink- Versamark watermark
Hero Arts detail white embossing powder
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 2
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
sorry, I didn't keep a list but you can see the colors used here

Where are you Christmas...

Hello friends!

I'm up on the Hello Bluebird blog with my final blog post for 2023. It's Christmas Eve so how could I not ink up the super adorable Christmas Eve set that released last month. With the way that Santa is holding up his lantern it made me think that he is looking for something, but what could he be searching for? I stamped one of the cute reindeer from the set behind Santa, so maybe he is looking for a wayward deer from his team that lost its way in the snow storm? The lantern also lead me to creating a night scene so I could really play up the contrast between light and shadow throughout this winter scene. To create the glow of the lantern light on Santa and the snow covered ground before him, it's all about coloring with a broad range of markers that go from very dark on the parts of his body that are furthest away from the lantern to very light on the parts that are closest to the light source. For the bright white spotlight of snow at Santa's feet I actually left a lot of the white card stock showing, using a very light yellow marker (Y000) to halo the white space and warm it up just a bit. Now, leaving that white is all fine and good but it won't make a big impact unless you pair it with dark colors too. That is why I chose to use dark blues and grey tones throughout the rest of this night scene to create the contrast that would make that light look like it is shining bright.  

While I was coloring the background I happened to be listening to Christmas music and one of my favorite songs came on to provide the final bit of inspiration that I was needing to finish this card. "Where are you Christmas", sung by Faith Hill, is one of those holiday songs that always hits me right in the feels and as soon as I heard that opening line I knew I wanted it to be the sentiment on this card. The only problem being, that isn't a sentiment that can be found on any of the current HB stamp sets... so it was time to get creative. I found the perfect scripty Christmas stamp in the Bold Holidays set and I was able to piece together the rest of the phrase using three different sentiments in the Typed Christmas set. Through careful inking and some white heat embossing powder, I was able to add the perfect sentiment to go with this little searching Santa. And what I love most of all is that it elevates the scene from Santa looking for a reindeer to something deeper and more touching. The idea that Santa himself is looking to find the true reason for the season is quite impactful I think.

A very merry Christmas eve to all who are celebrating today.  :)

 

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Catherine Pooler
stamps- Hello Bluebird (Christmas Eve, Bold Holidays and Typed Christmas) 
ink- Memento rich cocoa and Versamark watermark
Hero Arts detail white embossing powder
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20, Y000
beard- E41, W2, W3, W4, , W5, Y000
clothes- C1, C2, C3, W4, C4, C6, C8, C10, Y02, YR23, E47, R20, R22, R24, R27, R29, RV99, E55, E44, E47, E49, YG21, YG03, YG95, YG99, Y000
lantern- G07, G46, BG99, Y000, Y11, Y13, Y15
reindeer- E41, E42, E43, E44, E57, E74, E77, E79, T7
sky/trees- B97, B99, BV29
snow- C0, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, B60, B91, B93, Y000

 

Santa knows everything...

Hello there!

So I've had these cute Sneaky Mice from Colorado Craft Company stamped and sitting on my desk since July so I figured it was high time to get them on a card. With all of those presents scattered around I couldn't resist adding a big ol' Christmas tree for them to be under. I pretty much stuck with the classic Christmas colors of red, green, silver and gold for this cozy scene and of course there is plenty of sparkle and shine on the wrapping paper and ornaments decorating the tree. The sentiment is from the same Sneaky Mice stamp set and I just love it with these two naughty mice.  :)

I hope your weekend is full of Christmas magic!

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Catherine Pooler
stamps- Colorado Craft Company (Sneaky Mice)
ink- Memento rich cocoa and Versafine onyx black
My Favorite Things stitched scallop rectangle die
Wink of Stella clear glitter pen
Ranger glossy accents
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
mice- E40, E41, E42, W00, W3, R000, R30, E04
stocking- C1, C3, C4, R24, R27, R29, R59, YG17, G99
ornaments- C0, C2, C3, C5/YG01, YG03, YG25, G07/R43, R46, R29, R89/Y02, Y15, YR23, E47
tree/tree stand- E44, E87, E89, G24, G46, G28, BG99/YG25, G07, BG99, R24, R29, R89
carpet/wall- W1, W2, W3, W4, W5/E41, E42, E44, Y21, Y26, Y28
presents- C2, C3, C4, C6, C0, YG23, YG17, YG67, Y02, Y13, Y18, Y11, YR23, YR24, E47, R24, R29, R89