The Outlawz POM Challenge - Anything Goes

We are so excited to have Whimsy Stamps sponsoring our challenges this month at The Outlawz POM challenge.

This is the adorable image I used:

She is called Emma Swinging. Here's a close up:

You can learn how to make those glorious clouds from Dorcas. I have a very simple technique for making those bows and you can see how to make them here.

This was colored with Prismacolor Pencils and OMS. Sorry, I don't have my list of colors. That always happens when I color downstairs (our main level).   We've had so many tornadoes lately and my craft room is upstairs.

I hope you get a chance to play along in our challenge. And if you pop over to view Dorcas' tutorials don't forget to leave her some love ; )

Hugs~

A Watercolor Card

This is one of those projects that I had to put to paper just so I can move on.. lol! I have been trying to learn how to watercolor. So far I watch more videos than anything but I enjoy watching artists of any medium! I love youtube for that!!!  

Here's how it started:

That's 140 lb. Cold pressed watercolor paper. I taped it down using drafting tape (or painters tape will do) leaving a nice 1/4" border all the way around. Then I used a paint brush to wet the entire thing.

Next is the fun part!! I just painted on swashes of color and then splattered some on too.

How fun is that?? Then while it is still wet I sprinkled it with Sea Salt.

Then I just set that aside while the Sea salt worked its magic. While that was drying I painted my image. This is a Sweet Pea stamp available from Crafts and Me here

And here's the completed card:

So maybe now that I have this out of my system I can get some DT cards done ; )

Challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenge - Vintage/Distressed (I went with Distressing)

Everybody Art Challenge - Fairies

Party Time Tuesdays - Anything Goes

Hugs~

One Crazy Stamper - Sarah Kay Rose's Garden

This is your last week to enter our Flower challenge this month and get a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to One Crazy Stamper.  My final card for this challenge is Rose's Garden by Sarah Kay for Stampavie.

I just love these Sarah Kay images. Because the stamp is pretty intricate I kept the rest of the card fairly simple. Rose was stamped with Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black and then colored with Copic markers. Here's a close up and my list of markers:

I used the flowers Lora carries here and then just added generic white buttons that I airbrushed with my copic R37. The shapes were cut with a Spellbinders Nestabilitie Die.

Thanks for taking a look and I hope you'll head over to join our challenge!

Challenges:

Incy Wincy Designs - Buttons and Bows 

Simon Says Stamp and Show - Buttons

My Partner in Crafting Crime - Photo Inspiration (I was inspired by the colors and flowers)

Aly's Sunday Challenge - Bakers Twine

Hugs~

A Mermaid and an Announcement

I am thrilled to announce that I was chosen to be on the new icopic design team. I am beyond excited and cannot wait to get started! My term doesn't start until May 1st but feel free to pop over there and load up on some great stamps, markers, bakers twine.... the list goes on and on!! 

Now on to a card I made for a few challenges. Crafts and Me has a pink challenge going on and Make it Colourful is a challenge to color black hair.  So, here's my attempt at satisfying both ; )

That background was so much fun! You can see how I do those here. I really have to remember to not use dark blue cardstock anymore! For the life of me I can never get it to photgraph correctly and this is after editing it. The same thing happens to me with dark purple.

Here's the close up:

Last, but not least, here's the Copic colors I used:

B99 and B97 are not that dark IRL (in real life).

The stamp is from Crafts and Me and she is called "Hidden Treasures".  Ok, now off to link her up in some challenges. Hope you are having a great evening. It is storming to beat the band here (again!!).

Challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenge - Pink and Sweet (I think she's sweet)

Make It Colourful - Color Black Hair

Hugs~

Squigglefly "Black and White"

Our challenge for you this week at Squigglefly  is "Black and White". I knew exactly what I wanted to do! Check out this gorgeous image called "Storybook Dress" by artist Revi Devi Paat

I haven't made a shaped card in a while and this one was really fun! Here's the inside:

Lots of doodling with my white gel pen and my Copic liner. One of these days soon I think I need to make a Zentangle card just to get it out of my system. But I doubt that will do it, I love to doodle!!

There are so many new artist this past month at Squigglefly! The newest one just joined up this weekend and her name is Charlotte Jones so help to give her a warm welcome to the Squigglefly family! It's also a great opportunity to use the 10% spring cleaning sale!!

Hope to see your black and white creations at the challenge! 

Challenges:

Craft Your Passion - Show Us Your Layers

Make It Monday - Anything Goes. I love this challenge!! You need to pop over and follow ; )

Paper Playtime - Friends

The Outlawz Greeting Cards - Anything Goes (must include a sentiment)  

Hugs~

Create Sand and Clouds with Watercolor Pencils Tutorial

I am really excited to share this technique with you. It is really fun!!  (and inexpensive!!)

And here's my finished card:

I can't wait to try this technique on cobblestones, rocks, cliffs, bricks... the list goes on and on!!! You could do a field of flowers so easy by flicking in some pinks, red, purples, yellow, and some greens!! Let me know if you give it a try. I would love to be see what you do ; )

Hugs~

The Outlawz POM Challenge - Easter

Our challenge for you this week at The Outlawz POM group is "Easter".  You've seen this image from me before but last time it was colored with Copics and I wanted to give it a go with my Prismas.  It's called Bunny Basket and you can get it at Squigglefly.

I adore this image. I think they are the most realistic bunnies I've seen! I also love the flowers and basket. It is a very easy image to color especially for any of you that may have trouble figuring out your light source.  It has a lot of shading already on the image. 

I created the sentiment digitally. Usually I try to upload those for you but I forgot to save it.  I also don't have my list of colors or any close ups!! I know... bad blogger here ; (

It's just been one of those weeks where everything just slips away, including the days themselves!! 

But I sure hope you won't let this week slip by without heading over and joining our challenge. Remember, it doesn't have to be Prisma's. It can be any technique you chose other than Copics or alcohol ink markers. I just happen to be a coloring fanatic and it's basically the only reason I make cards. I need to justify this obsession somehow ; )

Hugs~

Prisma Skin and Hair Chart

These are by no means the only color combos you can use for hair and skin, just a few of my suggestions. I am sure you can come up with better ones than these but I've been getting lot's of requests for combo's.  I hope these help, or at least give you a jumping off point : )

See how technical I was laying out the color swatches and that fancy font? lmbo!! And yes, I know some of them are missing the numbers. I decided to include those also after the first few so I apologize for that. Hopefully a Copic chart will follow shortly. I've been chasing my mojo all week, so if you see it, could you please tell it to come back home?

Stamps: (all are digi's)

The first girl is C.C. Designs Sugarplums Cherry Emma DIGI Download by Christine Wooden at All That Scraps.

The cute little girl I used as an Asian example is 

The Birthday Girl from Mami Doodles. If you've not seen this artists work you need to check her out!! I love her stuff and they have a unique look!

And lastly is the beautiful Sadie with Apples from the fabulous Mo' Manning.

Hugs~

One Crazy Stamper - Sarah Kay Penelope

We still have our Flower challenge going on for the whole month of April at One Crazy Stamper. You could have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to the store!! 

This week I've used Penelope by Sarah Kay for Stampavie. 

She was stamped first with Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black. Then she was colored with Copics. Here's a close up and a list of the colors I used:

The flowers were made very simply with several layers of flowers. I used quite a bit of Tim Holtz Distress Inks on this in Vintage Photo and Spiced Marmalade. The shape was cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities. 

Thanks so much for looking and I hope you'll find time to join in our challenge ; )

Challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenges - Lots of Layers

Incy Wincy Designs - Bright and Bold

Crafty Calender Challenge - April Showers Bring May Flowers

Wee Memories - All Things Adorable

Totally PaperCrafts - Spring Time

Hugs~

The Outlawz POM Challenge - Try a New Technique

What a  fun challenge we have for you this week at The Outlawz POM challenge,  "Try a New Technique".  It doesn't have to be a brand new technique just something you personally haven't tried. 

We are thrilled to have Whimsy Stamps sponsoring the POM challenge this month!! 

The more times you enter, the more chances to win 3 images from their Digi line!

We also have SCACD and Oozak sponsoring gifts site wide for the entire month with amazing gifts so head over to The Outlawz to check those out too!!

Ok, now back to the new technique I used. I tried creating my whole scene in the background. I've done clouds before but this my first time creating a treeline and shore in the background.

It was so much fun to color!! That bow was made with a square of gauze (yes the kind of squares for bandages..lol!!) But I thought it added some texture and wasn't girly.. ya' know?

Here's a close up of just the image:

Isn't this image from Meljen just adorable??!!  It's called "Great Day to Fish". I colored this with Prismacolor Pencils and used Odorless Mineral Spirits. 

You may have seen my tutorial on doing clouds with Copics but for creating these types of clouds you can see tutorials by Dorcas using Prismas and Annika using Copics. Both are amazing!! 

Challenges:

Shannon's Sentiments - Inlcude an Animal

Simon Says Stamp - Card for a Child

A Spoon Full of Sugar - All Creatures Great and Small

Top Tip Tuesday - Spring Has Sprung (let me explain.. lol!! In our family warmer weather means the men folk get back to fishing!!)

Paper Playtime - Weather

Hugs~

2nd Guest DT for Mad For Markers

This is my 2nd guest spot on the DT for Mad For Markers. It's been a lot of fun ladies and thanks for asking me!!

The challenge for all this month is to use YR, RV and BG. (Those are Copic families for my Prisma ladies). I knew I wanted to use a Kenny K image I was making for my son's 20th (my baby is 20!!!) birthday. So how do you do a guy's card with pink?? Easy.. put it on the guitar ; )

Here's a close up:

And the side shot so you can see his popped up arm:

I don't have a Happy Birthday sentiment stamp very appropriate for a man. So I decided to do more of a ransom style sentiment and as I was laying it out I realized they really look like little Scrabble tiles. I love to play Scrabble and used to force the kids to play with me.. lol!  Those other funky little shapes are guitar picks.

Here's the colors I used for my card:

I hope you will pop over and join the challenge!! You have the rest of the month ; )

Oh, and the ticket is on the Freebie page blank. If you want the "You Rock" you can grab it right here:

Thanks for looking!

Challenges:

Crafty Cardmakers Spotlight - Cards for Teenage Boys  Ok.. my son is 20 but this would have worked for either of my boys from about 12 on ; )

Karen Doodles Challenge - Birthdays

Woodware USA - Anything Goes

Hugs~

Happy Easter!!

Does anyone remember your new Easter outfit as a kid? I always got a really special new dress, tights, shoes.. the whole sha-bang. But I couldn't wear it until Easter! That's a long wait for a kid. This image by Mo Manning, named Easter Bunny, reminds me of that:

Here's a close up:

You can see how I made those clouds here.   You can see in this pic that I had a hard time chosing my pinks (and didn't want to remake my little chart.. lol)

The first set of pinks was to match paper I changed my mind about. The second set proved too bright once I added my purples. It just didn't look right.  Sounds like the tale of Goldilocks.. the third one was just right ; )

Challenges:

A Spoon Full of Sugar - All Creatures Great and Small

Digital Tuesday Challenge - Little Woman

The Crazy Challenge - Easter

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Ooh La La Creations - Easter

The Pink Elephant - Easter

Stamps R Us - Easter

Creative Belli - Eggs, Bunnies

The Sisterhood of Crafters - Easter

Hugs~

One Crazy Stamper - Kiki

We really have a fun challenge for you all this month at One Crazy Stamper... FLOWERS!! And to think.. Jacilynn hardly knew me when she made our list of challenges almost 6 months ago.. lol!!  I love, Love, LOVE flowers!!! I also love CC Designs Sugarplums so what could be more perfect??

Here's Spring Kiki:

I stamped her with Memento Ink in Tuxedo Black and then colored her with Copics. Here's a list of the colors I used:

I used papers from Bo' Bunny. Check out all the gorgeous papers Lora carries!! 

The sentiment is from the Amy R Sassy Sentiments set. The only other accents (other than all my stash) are the rhinestones.

I cannot wait to see what you come up with for this fun filled challenge!!

Hugs~

Squigglefly "Fabric/Stitching"

It's Chelsea's team to inspire you this week for our Squigglefly challenge and she's chosen a fantastic theme!! So show us your Fabric or Stitching. Your stitching can be faux as I have done. Do I love my white gel pen or what??

I love this image from artist Cheryl Alger. It is called "Bunny Chit Chat".  Here's a close up:

You can see how I do my sky, grass and clouds here. The first part is just with your markers, from 6 minutes on is how I do this particular technique.

And how I make my bows here.

Here's the colors I used to with my Copics:

Geez, I really need to start using my scraps in a landscape orientation (note to self.. lol).

Don't forget to "follow" when you head over to the Challenge blog!! Just a few more followers and you can get 2 (yes 2!!) new Shy Bear images.  I would love it too if you pick up our Challenge badge and place it in your sidebar to help us spread the word about our challenges! Thanks!! Can't wait to see you join us!

Challenges:

Aly's Sunday Challenge - Bunnies

The Crafty Pad - Spring

Creative Inspirations Challenge - Easter

Paper Sundaes - Childhood Memories (well, I've never actually talked to a bunny, or rather, they never talked back)

Sparkles Forum - Easter

2 Sisters - Spring

Bee Crafty - Easter

Copic Creations - Your Favorite Technique (using a tranparency for my palette and creating some custom shading colors)

Hugs~