Just because... I love to Doodle !

Hello Crafters !   I hope you had a great weekend.

I've finally worked up the nerve to enter a card at Less is More.  The challenges there feature clean & simple card entries.   I've been enjoying looking at their blog where you will find beautiful & elegant card creations.    It's a popular challenge, last week had close to 200 entries. 

When I read last night that this week's (#63) challenge is to hand Doodle something on the card, I thought I need to jump in !   I love to Doodle as some of you know.     The other element of the challenge is to use a single layer, so no matting this time.    It's also suggested that you leave areas of white space and little or no bling etc.   This card features a doodle flower - one of my favourite subjects.

I hand doodled the flower onto watercolour cardstock using pigment pens and then added a little colour with Tom Bows and water.  I actually added too much water in a couple of areas.  Grrrrrrrr.  I decided to go ahead and enter this card vs starting over again as I'm running out of time this week, lots of things on my plate including getting ready for upcoming classes.   The sentiment "just because..." is from a little clear mini-stamp set from Basic Grey and was stamped with black Versafine Ink.  The package doesn't have a name or number on it. 

Well that's it for this evening.    Enjoy your week and thanks for visiting !
Shirley

Seasons' Greetings with a Doodle Poinsetta

Season's Greetings !      I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the season !

I'm posting a Christmas card today that I created with one of my new 'Shirley Doodle' stamps !  Crop Circles are getting closer to launching their new website that will feature a web store and their new line of stamps including 'Shirley Doodles'.       

Early in 2011, I brought a few of my 'doodled' cards into Crop Circles and the owners Ted & Helen thought the images would be fun if they were rubber stamps.     I don't feel that I'm an artist - I just like to 'doodle' and the images are simple & whimsical.   I had no thoughts of turning them into stamps.    It's been 'surreal' to have stamps made from my Doodles.   The focus this past fall was understandably Christmas images but there are more to follow.  I especially love to Doodle flowers with ink pen, colour with Tom bow markers and then create simple cards with them.

This poinsetta is one of 3 Shirley Doodle poinsetta's that are available at Crop Circles.  

The background for this card was created with Impression Obsession's Cover a Card CC053 Holly.  (I love those stamps !)   I stamped it on white card stock with Versamark Ink and embossed with gold.   I used Distress Inks Aged Mahogany & Bundled Sage to colour over the embossing.   The Poinsetta (Shirley Doodle) was stamped three times and embossed with gold.    I used the Sage Distress Ink on one flower and Aged Mahogany on the other two.    I also used Tom Bow markers to add dimension and Diamond Stickles for sparkle.     The flowers were cut out and layered as shown above and matted with burgundy & green card stock.   A few rhinestones were added for the finishing touch.   I also used Spellbinder Nestabilities:  S4143 & Cuttlebug Folder:  Divine Swirl.

Thanks for stopping by and Season's Greetings !
Shirley

Christmas Candles

Good morning !   It's a beautiful sunny Fall day here in Ontario !        I had a great time teaching at the "Christmas Doodles" class on Saturday at Crop Circles with the creative & fun ladies.    They made 8 cards with the new "Shirley Doodle" stamps, it was busy !  I'm posting a Christmas Card today that I designed for Crop Circles.   

I used a new Spellbinder Nestability to cut the shape and stamped and embossed the Candles & Holly with gold and coloured them with my Tom Bow markers.     The Christmas Candles image is a Shirley Doodle stamp.   I distressed around the image using the die as a 'mask' using "Old Paper" Distress Ink.     I used the Cuttlebug to emboss the green mat.  I used Impression Obsession's Cover a Card Flourishes CC027 with gold embossing on Basic Grey's 'Wassail' paper.   I also added some of the striped paper from that collection.    A bow and some red stickles were added as the final touch.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day !
Shirley

Christmas Poinsettias

Good Morning !

I am busy making card samples with the new Shirley Doodle stamps    I had fun this week working on these Christmas Poinsettia cards.

I stamped the flower 3 times on white paper and embossed with Gold.   The leaves and flourishes at the bottom were also embossed with gold.   I blended Aged Mahogany Distress Ink on the flowers, then added Interference Red -  MicaColour Paint and added more dimension with my Tom Bow markers.  I then cut out the flowers and layered as shown.  Stickles & a pearl sprig were added as final touches !

Stamped used:   Shirley Doodle Wavy Poinsettia, Impression Obsession Cover a Card - Flourishes CC027, Penny Black - Crystalline Sentiments & Snowflakes 30-018 (with Dye Ink), the leaves are from Hero Arts CL427 Antique Flower set.

Paper is by Basic Grey - Wassail 6x6 pad.  

I hope you can see the sheen from the Micacolour paints in these photos  !  

The card above was created with the same stamps & techniques but with alternate colours.  The paper is also from Basic Grey - Wassail. 

Have a great day & thanks for stopping by !
Shirley

Christmas Doodle Bird

I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful Thanksgiving weekend !    Awesome weather ! 

The 'Shirley Doodle'  stamps are starting to arrive at  Crop Circles.   I used the Bird Doodle to create this Christmas Card.

I stamped and embossed the bird with gold and used Mica Colour Paints - Stargazer to colour  it.   I love using these paints they add a beautiful sheen !     I used red & green card stock along with 'Yuletide' paper by K&Company to build the layers.     Starform border stickers, gold ribbon, stickles and a feather add the finishing touches. 

This bird doodle can be used for many occasions.   I painted this image with Tom Bow markers.  I used olive green & blue card stock along with 'Tim Coffey' paper by K&Company.    Glitter, navy ribbon and blue rhinestones add the final touches.   

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your day !
Shirley

Angel Doodle Cards

I'm excited this evening !   I've just picked up a message advising me that Shirley Doodle stamps have arrived at Crop Circles.  My friend Cathy asked if I would post Angel Doodle Cards on my blog, so here are a couple,  I hope you like them.  

The images were painted with Tom Bow markers.

Have a great day !
Shirley

Shirley Doodle Cards

We are enjoying another perfect September day here in Ontario.    I'm in my craft room finishing up some details for this Saturday's class but hope to get out into the gardens soon ! 

I used Graphic 45 paper on the bird and tree cards.   The cute little square Happy Holiday stamp beside the tree is by Outline Stamps.  The Christmas Tree, Bird and Poinsettia images are Shirley Doodles stamps.

Have a great day !
Shirley