Copic colouring

Happy Robin Christmas

Hello there. I hope you are all well. This card is for the new challenge at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge, which begins today:

A close-up picture:

The theme for this challenge – and all the challenges actually – are anything goes, as long as it a Christmas. Come along and join us to get your stash ready for the end of the year………..the Design Team have some amazing inspiration………..

I had a recent delivery of the Clearly Besotted April release, and as I was shopping, I took a look around at their sale pages. This ‘Rockin’ Robin‘ stamp set, matching dies, and add-on stamp set were all in the sale. Well – it would be rude not to buy them, wouldn’t it?

I used the Lawn Fawn ‘Hillside backdrop‘, and after I cut it out – wondering what to do about the background part of it. My eyes fell on my recent purchase (I know, another one) from Catherine Pooler, and the background ‘wild thing‘ stamp, which I thought would look like falling snow – especially when I embossed it with Wow! sparkly powder.

I stamped the images in Gina K amalgam ink, then coloured with Copics. I did stamp the belly’s of the birds with the add-on dotty stamp, but then went over the whole with a red Copic – I wanted a full red belly.

Whilst I was colouring and putting a card together, I made another similar:

I hope to see your creations on our challenge site – bye for now. 🙂 Lynda

Have a Magical Day…

Hello again. I have a card to share today based in the colours from Color Throwdown:

When I saw the challenge colours come up last week, my page loaded very slowly – so I saw the purple first, then was hoping for a yellow or green as I had these little dragons in mind……….and got both yellow and green! With some grey thrown in, too!

I generally get inspiration the first time I see a challenge – the colours or the sketch – but it takes me a few days to organise myself – which is why I generally post to the challenge in the last days – if not the last hours!

I bought these little ‘Dragon Plushies‘ from the newest release from Clearly Besotted, and stamp, coloured and die cut them. I used 2 or 3 three Copic colours for the dragons, the yellow’s and purples, then added some green anyway, because I didn’t quite know how I was going to put these onto a card.

Then I realised that part of that same release had a stamp and die set ‘Scene It More’ which I thought would be ideal. I stamped the hills and trees, then stamped again the hills. Stuck together, and coloured with a few YG Copics.

I did use some grey on the trees – but kept that quite light so the dragons and hills drew the eyes. I mounted the coloured piece onto some Lawn Fawn grey card stock anyway, to give two border edges.

I was tempted to ‘ground’ the dragons with some shadow beneath them – but I was too scared to add that to the mostly completed card….. – I do have some fear! I also thought the right side dragon looks almost as though it’s in flight……maybe…..kinda……and stuck down with foam pads – maybe hovering?

Whilst I was planning my colours and colouring, I had a look on the Clearly Besotted web-site – blinking heck that’s some amazing colouring! I am no-where near that standard of colouring, but this time I had fun with the colouring – usually it’s a chore to me. (I also had to Google what a plushie was!)

The sentiment is from that same dragon stamp set, and I think is quite universal and for any occasion. I mentioned yesterday about whether or not to put a sentiment on a card – sometimes I don’t – unless made with a specific person and occasion in mind.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – yellow, purple, green, grey

FabnFunky challenges – just add ink – messy or colouring

Inkspirational – pop it up – use foam tape etc for dimension

QKR Stampede – anything goes

Happy Cottontail Cutie

Hi there everyone. I have a card to share to day which is just bursting with colour:

I am trying to make more scenic cards – well, some elements of a scene anyway. This card had some grass – that’s part of a scene, right? I really struggle with the other elements – but I’ll keep trying.

I am also trying to do cards with die-cutting, to see if I can keep the die-cuts clean and smudge-free……..and this card fitted the bill just right.

I took the MFT ‘Cottontail Cutie‘ die set and cut it out of white card. I then took some of the elements and coloured with Copics. I then die cut the MFT ‘Stitched Blooms‘ out of white card, and coloured with Copics, too.

The grass is made out of Lawn Fawn ‘simple grassy hillsides‘ – and this is where I struggle to layer – I think I cut the hills out of the same piece and don’t leave enough border at the bottom. I think I should leave a wider bottom (where have I heard that phrase before?) and then cut it off when I have decided on the layers………..maybe I’ll learn that lesson someday!

The grassy hills are coloured with Copics, too, and stuck down as you see, with the flowers inserted – and I also used some of the leaves to the grass.

I then thought the background was a little too plain, so I used a We R Memory Keepers embossing folder, just for a little added interest.

I put the card together, adding a little flower to the cottontail’s hand, because – well – I could….I realised when taking the photograph, that the cottontail is kinda floating there, somewhat above the grass…..do you see?

So – I think she is just so bursting with joy among the grass and flowers that she is almost flying – almost like that popular drink – giving her wings…..or maybe she is jumping for joy? I still love it, though. 🙂

I caught some daylight to take the photo, but it has been dull all day here in Chesterfield UK, a little cool and windy too.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Watercooler Challenges – anything feminine goes

MFT Colour Challenge – Razzleberry, Cotton Candy, Lemon Chiffon, Limelight (Copic colouring to try and match)

Cardz4Galz – Flora or fauna or both (obviously gone with both)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge – Animal Antics

Holiday Cheer

Hi again. I hope you are doing well. I have a Christmas card for you today for the new challenge at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge. This challenge is always ‘anything goes’, and I hope you join us to have that stash ready for later in the year.

Here is my card:

I used a stamp set from Gerda Steiner designs I received when Justin Hovey was doing her de-stash sale. After stamping with Gina K amalgam ink, I coloured with Copics – very simple colouring, no shading, as this card stock isn’t suitable for blending, and I didn’t want white – but a cream/off white card for this.

I added the two little birdies and kept them in the same colours as already used. I think they look a little upset about being sat on the reindeer’s antlers….don’t you?

The frames are from Reverse Confetti. I did think about raising one of the frames, but kept it quite simple in the end, letting the images speak for themselves.

The Design Team have some amazing projects for you to help inspire you, and I hope you are able to join us for the next couple of weeks. I look forward to seeing your creations.

🙂 🙂

A Big Birthday Wish

Hello there. I have a busy day ahead – crafting and house stuff. I’ve already been out for my third mini-bike ride…….I’ve just started to cycle, and currently only going out for 15-20 minutes. The second time I went out I fell off – that seat was just too high and I couldn’t put my feet down when I stopped……gravel rash in hand and knee – but now all good.

So, now I feel all proud that I’ve already done some exercise – I feel craftiness coming on. I have to make a card for the next Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – due to start on the 26th March; it is Mother’s Day here in the UK next Sunday – 31st March; it is my mum’s birthday on Thursday 28th March………..and on the 3rd of April the next ABC Christmas Challenge begins………I’d better get to it, hadn’t I?

The card for posting this morning was a little fiddly, but I enjoyed creating it:

I stamped the Mama Elephant ‘Little Cat Agenda‘ and coloured with Copics. All the same colour, and only used red and yellow for the items the cats were holding, as I knew I was going to do a vibrant and colourful background.

I then used Distress Oxides in rainbow colours to create the background, and cut it out with my newly purchased MFT ‘Puzzle Cover-Up Die-Dynamic’. I toyed with the idea of putting the puzzle pieces back together correctly, then thought about them all back crooked, but went with this way – some gaps between each piece.

It also took me a bit of time arranging these little puddy tats – I didn’t want yellow additions on the yellow piece, and wanted to ensure some contrast between the cats and the background.

The sentiment is also from MFT – a freebie from Seven Hills Crafts ages ago, but a great range of birthday sentiments in different fonts – I usually go to that stamp set time and again.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Always Fun Challenges – dogs or cats

Freshly Made Sketches – sketch

Seize the Birthday – Birthday with option dots and stripes (not used)

MFT Birthday Project – birthday and rainbow colours

Flowers are always a good idea

Hi again. I managed to get some crafting time after work today, and used my new Concord and 9th ‘Fine Line Florals‘ die set, and the Lawn Fawn ‘Fancy Lattice Backdrop‘ die:

I used the colours from the current Color Throwdown Challenge – red, yellow, soft green, and white – and I am sure I did the most complicated method of creating this card that you can probably think of……….

I started with some red card, backed with double sided sticky paper, and die cut the large flower. I then die cut the flower and leaves in white card, and coloured them with Copics.

I then placed the red flower outline over the yellow flower, and added the black centre part.

All the pieces are pieced back into the outline – because the Gemini Junior cut them out so well – they all fell out…………..now where did I put my reading glasses???? I certainly needed them for that job!

Here is a little close-up:

The sentiment is also from the Concord and 9th matching stamp set – I think I may have to use that sentiment again – love it!

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Color Throwdown – red, yellow, soft green, white

The Flower Challenge – flowers anything goes

Aud Sentiments – any sentiment except Happy Birthday

Copic Peony

Hello there. I decided to have a go at Copic colouring again for this beautiful stamp set from Uniko – the Pure Florals Peony:

I enjoyed colouring this image so much – strange for me to actually enjoy colouring – so I did another one:

I even managed to grab some fresh air to take the photos – I do miss going outside to photograph my cards. It makes such a difference.

The colours for this image was from the current challenge at Just Us Girls – yellow, purple, teal; the layout is for the current challenge at CAS Colours and Sketches; and Copic colouring to enter the current challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More, where they invite you to ‘make your mark’.

I hope you are having a fabulous day, (perhaps recovering from St Patrick’s Day), but I am waiting for our St George’s Day on 23rd April………..

🙂 🙂