Card Twenty-Seven, Get Well Owl

Made for a sick friend:

Hero Arts Owl Stamp Spectrum Noir Markers Random Paper

Card Twenty Three - Winter Window Sill

I felt like coloring, and I have a very pretty Penny Black stamp I'd yet to use, so I got out the Momento ink and stamped and then colored with Spectrum Noir Alcohol Ink Pens.

I'd intended it to be a regular card, but it turned out to be long, like a postcard, so I let it be what it wanted.  I used a Christmas sentiment underneath and cut another space for me to sign my name.  I looks a bit bent in the picture but that's because I had to stand it up to take the picture.

Here are other views of the card. I used colors in the tan range and earth brown range, and for the purple light, I used pale yellow and hibiscus.  The windowsill was light green.

I used a Wink of Stella clear glitter pen to highlight the snow. It's very hard to photograph but it adds a little something when you see it in person.

If you want me to tell you what color pens I used in detail, just let me know.

Card Twenty - Fishies

Sorry about missing a couple days - it has been very busy for me, which means I did two things in two days.  I'm going to need to sleep a week to catch up from all that activity!

Who doesn't like cheerful little fish?

I found a digi stamp that I thought was cute.  I found some enameled dots in fun colors and patterns, and snapped them up when I saw them as they are usually single colored.  I wish I had more but I haven't seen them since I bought them.  They make very cute matching bubbles for the fish.

It was very simple.  I printed the digi stamp than colored in the fish with spectrum noir markers and fussy cut them out.  Found some older blue paper that had a light pattern on it that seemed to match the idea of water and adhered it to cardstock, and then used dimensional adhesive for some of the fish to make them pop.  Added the dots - and done.

Fun, easy, and cute.  The saying, "Just Keep Swimming" is one of those that is good for those of us with cancer, other diseases or who are facing a rough patch in our lives.

Card Fourteen - Christmas Snowman

I am really at the mercy of light outside when I take photos.  For some reason it is overcast today and so my pictures look washed out.

Anyway, I got a digi stamp online, colored it with spectrum noir markers, used Stickle's glitter glue for the snowflake.  Added a vellum tag which I stamped with Merrry Christmas and used Wow white opaque embossing powder and heat set it. Secured with a flower with an enameled dot for the center.  Done.

I'm into coloring these days.

Close up of the sparkle

Spectrum Noir:
Flowers, scarf, heart and house:  DR1, DR3
Copic Green
TN3 wood
TB1 background
Birds were some colored pencils I had.
IG1 for the shadow.

Card Thirteen - Peacock Spectrum Noir

Today's card is a Peacock,  colored with Spectrum Noir Markers, brushed with clear Wink of Stella and Stickles Glitter Glue.

I've been finding coloring very therapeutic lately. In fact, I've become addicted to it. I've colored quite a few cards that I've yet to show but you'll see them soon.

Frustration has entered the building. I'm using my inexpensive but pretty Spectrum Noir alcohol markers. I purchased the entire set at one time, but I've discovering that several have dried out, even though they have not been used. There is an easy fix, involving denatured alcohol (just adding a few drops to the pen and shaking) but I have to go to the hardware store and I've been too busy. Until then, I keep picking up a pen and finding it dry.

I bought the old first gen set, 72 markers - and this is a known issue. Sometimes, you get what you pay for.  The whole thing cost me $70.00 and a Copic pen is about $7.00 each so no way would I have had the range of colors in Copics for that amount.

The newest Spectrum Noir set has supposedly solved this problem with a new design and they are still cheap.  So I definitely recommend them if you want to use alcohol markers.

Anyway, the card:  I got a free peacock picture here. I love you people who put these free stamps out for us to color!

 I printed it on index cardstock. Spectrum Noir markers used were the BT line.  I used CG4 for the yellow part of the feather and LV1 for the background.   I didn't plan ahead for the background so figured I'd fill it with with the LV1, but that's the one that got dry. So I circled as best I could and went over it with Wink of Stella.  It is much prettier in person.

 Here is a closeup, you can just kind of see the Wink of Stella glitter on the bottom left above the bird's head but it is glittering all over the paper.

I added some Stickles glitter glue on the feathers in Blue/Green below the yellow which you can also sort of see above.  I used matching bling in the upper left corner with a Happy Birthday stamp in the bottom right.  I used a Hot off the Press Feathers paper pack for the matted background. I'm giving this to a friend whose birthday is tomorrow.

 Hopefully, she won't notice that I was running out of ink for the background!  It is a pretty card in person, very glittery.  I must figure out how to photograph these things.

Wonder if I should do a video of my making them?

Card Twelve - Simple Flowers

Sometimes, you gotta keep it easy. I had this blue paper from from HunkyDory, an English company. It was part of an Artful Card set.  So cut, glue, add flowers,  and done!

I cut it so that the dragonfly was in the upper right corner and mounted it on a plain card.  The paper in these HunkyDory card packs have embedded foiling which I like.   I have several that haven't been opened that are pretty spectacular.  One is of cats, very 50s, with their triangle heads and long tails, in foiled pinks and greens of that era.  I intended to make a card for my stepdaughter, who loves cats.

I haven't yet because the paper is so thick and heavy it is hard to cut and fold, even using a scoring board.

But I managed - with a new blade on my cutter.  

Of course, with a dragonfly you need flowers.  I used prima flowers.  When I buy things that will be used frequently, like flowers or enamel dots, that sort of thing, I always purchase them in white or cream.  That way, I can color them myself to match my pages. Of course, I buy other colors too but it is always good to have plain ones on hand to coordinate.

I took three cream flowers, one which had a silver foil detail, and used my Spectrum Noir markers to match the colors.  I put a holographic dazzle in the center of each flower, and used a silver word dazzle for "thanks."

It couldn't have been easier.

And yet, it still took me a long time.  I have called myself the slowest scrapbooker in the world and I'm sure that is true.  A simple card like this might take me hours.

I did a few others along the same lines, using the same products - dazzles and Hunkydory card papers.  The one below has dazzles along the edges, the flowers in the upper right.  The word "thanks" with the foiled edges was a punch out and part of a kit.

One thing to keep in mind as you, or I, make cards is they have to go through the mail.  So I try not to put too many dimensional objects on them.  Sometimes I'll go crazy and then use a padded envelope but for standard mailing you have to remember the post office.  So this is why I often choose flat items like Dazzles over other bling I could use.  

I needed an easy day and got one. I am hoping to do a 4th of July card but am not sure I'll have time. I have a lot of beautiful Americana papers too, so I'll try. If I don't see you, have a happy 4th!

Card Nine - Spectrum Noir Sunflower

Sunflowers are so cheerful!    I have a stamp from IndigoBlu (yes, you've noticed I like their stamps) and so I decided to color.

Coloring is such a meditative thing to do.  It reminds you of when you were six, of course, but it is something to do while listening to a podcast or otherwise occupying your mind.  For those of us with no artistic ability, coloring can make us feel like artists.

I used Spectrum Noir Alcohol Markers for my coloring.  I stuck to the GB (Golden Brown) line for the petals and did the EB (Earth Browns) for the center.

I remember when I ordered them.  I was pretty sick at that point, and my day consisted mostly of sleeping.  I wanted to do something simple while sitting in the light, so I treated myself to the entire set of alcohol inks.  They arrived the same day my friend from Salt Lake City did, (she was coming to maybe say good-bye, hah!).  We sat around my dining table and colored pictures we'd printed.  Although I was the one who does the artsy crafsy stuff, she turned out to be the much better colorist, knowing where light and shadows should fall.

Oh well, it was still fun for me.  She was bored.

So for the card, after I colored it, I fussy cut it out.  I mounted it on a piece of wood grain paper. I had a scrap of yellow gingham so put that on the bottom with a golden ribbon. I took another piece of the wood grain and cut a tag and stamped it with a tiny bee and the words "Bee Happy."

I tried a copper zing but it didn't show the details of the Bee so I stick with Versamark Fine black ink.  It shows more in person.

I colored two of the sunflowers so you will see another on a different card.

Card Four - Christmas Lamp Post

Who doesn't like to color?  I find it very soothing.

I found this stamp by Penny Black and had to get it.  In my opinion, Penny Black makes some of the best stamps for coloring out there.

I stamped the image onto cream cardstock using Momento ink.  When you plan to color with alcohol inks, you have to use Momento - something like Staz-on will smear.  After I stamped it, I colored it in using Spectrum Noir pens, which are more affordable than Copic.  I used the True Blue line for the blues and the Ice Greys for the greys and the dark red for the bow.  Green was using my one and only Copic, with a little Jade for shading.  I used the lightest Citrus for the yellow of the light with a few dots of the Brown/Orange.

Once colored, I used a Spellbinder Nestabilities label to cut out the shape, and then I went around the edges with a silver Wink of Stella for a bit of shine.  Then at the bottom, for the snow, I used some Stickles glitter glue in Diamond.  I mounted the shape onto some old blue dotted blue paper I had for at least a decade, and then on top of it I put a transparency overlay  that had white "snowflakes" on it for shimmer and an extra dimension.  I hid the mini glue dots under the largest white flakes!

I am going to tie a silver cord around the side of the card .... when I get silver cord.

I like to color even though I have a lot to learn about light and shadow - so more coloring ones will appear.  :)