Sunday, September 28, 2014

CAS(E) this Sketch Challenge #94, CASology Challenge: Week #114 and some Copic Class Homework

Happy Sunday everyone!! The weather here has been absolutely beautiful. It is a little hot today but the sun is shining and you cannot beat that. I actually spent time in my craft room after a nice walk today. Any day that I have time to sit down and create is a good day in my book.

Today I am sharing a card that I created for two challenges. The first was a sketch challenge from CAS(E) this Sketch and the second was a CASology challenge, which was to use the word "Flutter" as inspiration. Here is the card I created:


This card was a bit different for me. I rarely use such a bold patterned paper as a background for a card. I decided to step outside my comfort zone, though, and use a piece. Below is the sketch I used as a guide to the design.


When I saw this sketch, I knew immediately that I could utilize a bunch of die cuts I had floating around on my desk. Each of the strips were cut eons ago using a PTI die. I never cut the die apart so I die cut the middle of the patterned paper, adhered it to a white card base and slipped the colored strips inside the empty rows.


Next, I used an MFT banner die to cut a vellum banner, which I then stamped a sympathy sentiment on. I layered the sentiment banner underneath an aqua frame.


I die cut the butterfly out of a scrap piece of paper and adhered that to the front. I love this butterfly because it is so delicate. It is the perfect element for a sympathy card too. Actually, it is the same one that I used on this card last week.


My last step was to adhere three sequins to the front of my card. Once again, it was so easy to put together but it took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do. I always take so long in making anything because I am constantly second guessing myself!!

Once again, I am entering this card into the following two challenges:


In other news, I worked on some homework this weekend for the online Copic Class I am taking. I definitely recommend it to anyone that has Copic markers. I have to admit that I am having a rough time with some of the coloring. 

My first homework I am sharing is from lesson #4. It was how to shade flowers using different methods. On my worksheet, I practiced one shading method and the other I used a flicking method to color the image.


For my colors, I actually went to my Copic Pinterest board to try some color combinations that I have been dying to use. I like my coloring on the yellow, blue and lighter purple flowers. The darker purple I didn't really like all that much at first. I stopped coloring them mainly because I could not get my gel pen to work for the stamens and so it became muddy in the middle. 

I also worked on Day #5's homework. Day 5 taught us how to shade skin tone and hair. Again, I used some colors gleaned from my Pinterest board to try out for both the skin tone and hair.


The first girl's hair was supposed to be a reddish/brown. I think it is an epic fail because the red did not blend into the brown the way I wanted it to. The hair technique on the first two practice faces I used a flicking method. I really like this and will be practicing this on some stamps that I own. The last image I like the skin tone but not how the hair came out. I did not have the right colored marker that was called for. I also am not loving the paper I am using. It is one that was recommended but I find that it bleeds more then some other papers that I used. I really didn't have a choice, though, because I had these images copied at Staples and they would not put my heavier card stock through the copier.

The last practice image is from Day #5 of class too. I am actually embarrassed to even post it because it was an EPIC fail.


I totally messed up the right side of the shading on the head. If it wasn't for that, I could live with it, I think. I also had a bleeding issue with my V25 marker. It started GUSHING color as I was trying to shade the tulle underneath the dress. I cleaned it up the best I could with my colorless blender but I could not get all of it.

Well, that is it for today. I thank you for stopping by and checking out my blog. Have a great night!!

Supplies:


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Copic Class Practice, Day 1 and Day 2

Just a quick post tonight. I started the online Copic class last night. What a TON of information!!

I took an intro course years ago at my scrapbook store so I was ready for some more information and techniques. So far I am learning that I have a lot of practice to do!! I also am not a huge fan of large images to color. They take too much time!!

So here are my practice sheets for the last two days. I have to admit that I should have colored more but do not have a ton of time. I do what I can do!!

Day 1


I played around with color combinations for this sheet, as well as one, two and three color blending. I learned that 1) you can get a decent blend with just two colors and 2)blending purple is something I have a difficult time with. I also do not do well with where the light is. I am looking forward to that lesson in the class.

Day 2

Today the classes concentrated on types of blending, as well as feathering. I found that I do not really love tip to tip blending. I am just not great with it. I tried it with the blue bird and I just could not get a great blend out of it. Instead, I used an acrylic block technique that was taught on the butterflies. It was to color on the acrylic block and then pick the color up with the lighter marker. I like how both the butterflies came out but not sure about color choices.

That is all for today. Have a great night!!


Sunday, September 21, 2014

Freshly Made Sketch #154

I am back!!! This is my second post of the day so I will make it quick.

I started this card last night. My inspiration was Freshly Made Sketch blog's #154.


This looks like a very simple card but as it always goes with me, I played with it a long time. I am not happy with the two butterflies. I wanted three but the space would not hold that number and have the added sentiment.


I started the card wanting to use a cover plate from PTI but after die cutting it, I knew it would not work. I found this pretty piece of patterned paper by American Crafts in the "Dear Lizzy Neapolitan" 6" by 6" paper pad and knew I had to use it. I then die cut the rectangle and one butterfly out of two other pieces of patterned paper from that same pad.


I love the Memory Box butterfly. It is so delicate!!! I die cut the middle of the butterflies out of black and used black Stickles over it. I so wish I could of fit one more. Just the two bugs me!!

Here is the fun sketch that was the inspiration for this card:


I will be saving this for later because I know a few more cards I want to create with it.


I am also going to enter this card into Darnell's NBUS challenge at djkarddreations.


I had never used the butterfly die cut nor this patterned paper pad before today. Thank you for the challenge Darnell!!

I appreciate you stopping by tonight. Have a fabulous night!!


Supplies:
Paper-American Crafts, Bazzill
Dies-My Favorite Things, Memory box
Other-Enamel Dots (My Minds Eye and Doodlebug Design), black Stickles, Adhesive Foam

Lawn Fawn "Get Well Soon" Card #3

I'm back today with my third and final card in my Lawn Fawn "Get Well Soon" card series. This set is tiny but the ways you can use the set is not. I had a lot of fun playing with it and will be using it in the future to make some more fun cards.


For the last card, I decided that I wanted to use the stamps to make my own patterned paper. I chose to randomly stamp the band aids and the little cross in red in a strip to the left of my card. Next, I used a white card stock scrap and stamped the "get well" sentiment in gray on lower third of left. I then adhered scrap to the card front.


I die cut a red circle out of card stock and adhered it using foam adhesive to the front. I then adhered the pill bottle and the bird that had been colored with Copic markers over it.


My next step was to adhere three enamel dots in yellow around the circle. I thought that the card needed a bit more so I used glossy accents on the cross and heart.


The whole card came together quite quick. I am surprised by this since it was the last one I designed.

So that is it for this set. I have a ton more stamps/dies sitting on my desk that have never been touched. I am hoping to make some new things with them later today now that my desk is relatively clean. I also have a ton of "extras" that I stamped and haven't used but I am not ready for a "what is on my desk" challenge yet. Maybe next week.

I thank you for stopping by. Have a great day!!


Supplies:
for specifics, please click this link to Scrapbook.com

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Lawn Fawn Get Well Card #2

I wanted to post my second Lawn Fawn card last night that I created using the "Get Well Soon" stamp set but an unexpected night with no Charlotte was thrust upon my husband and I. What were we to do? We went out to dinner and then came home to watch a movie together. A perfect way to spend a Friday night in my book. After a hectic week of being sick, just relaxing was the way to go.

I spent most of today cleaning my bedroom and then organizing my desk in my craft room. What-a-mess!!! I still have a ways to go but needed a break. So here I am.

This get well card is my favorite out of the three I created using the Lawn Fawn set.  It was just downright fun to make. From the get go I decided not to use a sentiment on the front.


To start with, I utilized the paper scraps from my first card to edge both sides of the card. I have SO MANY scraps that they are no longer fitting in their designated spot. I figured using them up immediately would be key!!


I then stamped the band aids onto a white scrap of card stock and used Copic markers to color them in. Little hearts were added for a fun around the plasters. Next, I adhered the white panel to the middle of the card front.



Instead of a sentiment, I created a tiny shaker box using the Lawn Fawn "A Birdie Told Me" die set. I die cut a word bubble out of black card stock and white fun foam. I then die cut a heart out of each so that I had an area to place the glitter. I think it was the perfect element for above the little sparrow's head.


I used foam adhesive to adhere the sparrow and the band aid to the lower right of the card. The tiny heart stamps were added after.

The last step was to cover the black card stock with glossy accents. It was not planned but I noticed that when I had adhered the word bubble to the card, I got some adhesive on the front of it. I chose to just cover it with the glossy accents instead of making a new bubble. There is a sentiment inside but I was too lazy to photograph it.

I am going to submit this card to the "Good Medicine Recipe Swap" at the Catered Crop.



Thank you for joining me today. Have a great night!!


All supplies were from Scrapbook.com. Please click the link for specifics.




Thursday, September 18, 2014

Lawn Fawn "Get Well Soon" Card #1

Hello everyone!! I apologize for being so long away from my blog. I have missed it.

As I stated in my last post, I have had a difficult time fitting in time to create, time to blog, time to work out and also live my life since I started back to work this fall. To top it all off, I caught the ick that everyone has around school this week. It is rampant!! I am finally feeling a little better but still trying to get over the cough. Anyway, I did make some cards last week and thought I would share them with you.

Today I am sharing the first of three get well cards that I created using the Lawn Fawn "Get Well Soon" set. Hmm... As I am typing this, I am thinking that maybe my subconscious was trying to tell me that I was getting sick!!


I LOVE this little set. When I tried to order it the for the first time, it was sold out and I had to wait a month or so. It finally came in and I have been having fun making different cards with it.


Isn't this so cute? I originally created this for a retro sketch #131 entry but I never followed through on uploading it before the challenge ended. Here is the sketch that I was inspired by:


Instead of making a square card, I just made the focal point a square and then used patterned paper that contained squares. I replaced the sentiment banner with a word bubble.


I started by die cutting and stamping a bunch of the images from the set and coloring them with Copic markers. I then die cut the patterned paper and layered everything onto the card front.


The three stamped images I used foam adhesive to give them a little pop.


That was all there is to it. It sounds so easy but it took me longer then I am explaining. I love the way it came out, though.

I am entering this into the Catered Crop's "Get Well" challenge.

Thanks for looking!!


Supplies: