Custer's Last Stamp Marcasite Pumpkin

I LOVE coloring pumpkins and came across this old rubber stamp in my stash made by Custer's Last Stamp called Marcasite Pumpkin.  It didn't stamp very well because it's old and dried out.  After coloring it up I went over all the black lines with a Copic Multiliner pen.  I did a little research on the stamp company and found it is no longer in business I'm sorry to say.  

The Copic markers I used are:

Pumpkin - Y15, YR02, YR07, E23, E25, G46, G43

Leaves - YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67

Background - B00, B41, B21, B34, E21, E23, E25, E29

I tried to keep the layout simple since the stamped image is so big using card stock colors that coordinate with my Copic markers.  I added an Autumn sentiment from a Papertrey Ink acrylic stamp set to finish my card.  The blue background splatter is made using a Mini Mister with Copic ink from a refill and spritzed onto the paper after I masked the main image.

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OWH Midweek Throwdown Challenge

My card today is for our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge.  The theme is Friendship,  I colored the cute House Mouse stamped image this last summer but didn't have a nice sketch/layout for it.  Splitcoast Stampers has the perfect sketch #355 and I had lots of fun making the card!

I'm sorry I couldn't find the scrap of paper I wrote the Copic marker color numbers on.  That's one of the pitfalls of setting aside a colored image.  The patterned paper was a scrap I'd air brushed with Copic markers and stamped using Copic blending solution and a background stamp.

The other cardstock colors are Mohawk Bright White, Neenah Solar White, Stampin' Up! Pumpkin Pie & Garden Green and Astro Brights Galaxy Gold (the closest I could find to the retired Stampin' Up! Summer Sun).  The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set called Signature Greetings and is cut out with Spellbinders Mega Ovals and Mega Scalloped Ovals.  I added three color enhanced (G28) Dew Drops for balance and the embossed panel is made with a polka dot Cuttlebug 5 X 7 embossing folder.

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Friendship

Whimsy & Stars Studio Blessed Harvest

We have a new challenge starting today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, the theme is "Fall" and I found a wonderful fall themed digital image to use!  This pumpkin image is from Whimsy & Stars Studio, it's called Blessed Harvest.

A "fall theme" sounds so good living in Arizona right now too, our high temperatures are still 110+  I don't know about you but I'm so ready for cooler temperatures even if we don't get to see all the leaves turning different colors...  anything under 100 degrees would be a welcome relief.

I love coloring pumpkins and had so much fun coloring this digital image.  I used Copic markers E41, E42, E43, E44, B21, E35, E39, E44, E47, E49, Y04, YR02, YR04, YR07, YG03, YG67.

I was following a tutorial from Marianne Walkers blog she'd made in 2007 or 2008 coloring pumpkins and teaching about color contrast and high contrast.  The blue background on this really scared me, she called for B23 and the colorless blender.  I had everything colored and added the B23 and thought I'd ruined the whole thing, yikes!  I continued on with B21 and used the colorless blender to add dots to push the color away and blend it out more.  I like the finished affect and was happy I could save it. 

I hope you have time in your busy week to come play in our Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge using a fall theme!  

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Fall theme

Bugaboo Stamps Christmas in July

We have a new challenge that starts today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps, since it's been 110 + degrees here in Arizona for more than 30 days I think it's time for a Christmas in July challenge!

My card uses a Bugaboo Stamps digital image and is part of the November 2010 Stamp Club image package.   I colored with Copic markers T1, T2, T3, R22, R24, 27, Y15, Y18, E40, E41, it's cut out with a Spellbinder's Oval and matted with the Oval Scalloped dies.  The white panel is embossed with the Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder and the Stampin' Up! Cameo Coral panel is embossed with the Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder.  The snowflake is from the MFT Stamps Die-namics Snowflakes die, I added a black rhinestone to the center and the "Merry Christmas" sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set.

I hope you'll play along with our challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps this week.  Thanks for visiting my blog -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Christmas in July

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Copic Markers Find A New Home

My daughter was in shock when she found me gathering up Copic markers to sell off a few weeks ago.

I have a friend who is teaching Copic coloring classes where she lives and she asked if I'd like to sell any of mine for her students to use.  I had to think about that for a few minutes...  

I haven't been using my Copic markers like I used to in the last few months and have said that if I had to do it all over again I wouldn't buy ALL the markers...  so I thought she presented me with a great opportunity to purge some (140) of my markers where they'd be used and loved.  

Don't worry, I still have two towers packed full of the Copic markers I use most often.  

If you were given the opportunity to purge some of your Copic markers would you?

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Bugaboo Stamps Cowboy Collection

Our challenge today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps is a color challenge in honor of Independence Day tomorrow.  The color are red, white, blue and kraft!

I used two cute images from the Bugaboo Stamps Cowboy Collection, they are colored with Copic markers E41, E42, E43, E44, E00, E000, R02, R37, R24, R22, B97, B45, B21, W3, W1, W0, C6, C3, C1, C00, Y13, Y15, Y18, YG11, YG13, YG17. 

The layout and sentiment for my first card were inspired by Operation Write Home, I thought using the horse shoe to spell out "miss you" would be great for a service person to send home to their child. 

Especially a little cowboy! 

I used Stampin' Up! Brocade Blue, Kraft, Neenah Solar White and Red Linen card stocks.  The red panel was stamped with the Paisley background stamp by Stampin' Up! and the Kraft panel was embossed with a Sizzix embossing folder.  I also used the Stampin' Up! Just Jeans background stamp on the Brocade Blue.  The "miss" part of the sentiment was computer generated.

My second card uses the same papers with a different layout, I used Spellbinders circles and pinking circles, my Scor-Pal for the scored lines on the Kraft panel and a computer generated birthday sentiment.

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Color Challenge

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Bugaboo Stamps Birthday Monkey

You know... I've never been too fond of monkeys or coloring monkeys until I discovered Jodie's Bug A Boo Stamps monkeys!  I've had a change of heart about coloring monkeys.  

I know, I'm weird!  But it's a fun kinda weird!

For my card I used one of the cute monkeys in the Birthday Monkey collection and my card is for our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge this week.  The theme is Cards 4 Kids.

I colored the image with Copic markers to match my digital paper I found recently at My Grafico.  Copic markers - YG01, YG093, W0, W1, R27, RV25, RV23, E42, E43, E44, E74, E71, E70, RV00.

My layout is SC314 from Splitcoast Stampers.  The other cardstocks I used are Papertrey Ink Raspberry Fizz & Stampin' Up! Old Olive.  

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps  - Cards 4 Kids

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Copic Marker Tutorial

I took some time today to play with a Copic marker technique I like to use.  I watched a video that inspired me on how to do a bleaching technique with Copic Blending Solution, stamps, markers, air brush, etc.

The card above is my finished product, the Spellbinders Labels 14 is where I used this technique.  Instead of pulling out my air brush I used BG13 & BG15 markers.  I was in a hurry, I needed to clean up and fix dinner for my family.  It's a little streaked but I like the overall effect.

Here's a picture of the right way to do the technique.  Air brush with your markers BG13, BG18, BG72 onto a sheet of card stock.  Spritz your stamp with Copic Colorless Blender and stamp on the air brushed card stock.  I held my stamp down longer than I would have if I were using ink.  Be sure to clean off your stamp after each time you use it for a clean impression.  

One of the reasons I brought out my air brush system today is I was working on finishing my card and couldn't find a matching button to go on the tag I'd made.  Do you ever have that happen?  I used a small piece of foam tape to hold my button down to the paper I air brush on and sprayed it with several coats of BG13 and let it dry.  This works so much nicer than using a marker to color the button and dries much quicker too.  Another thing I tried today was using the BG13 marker to outline the edge of the Spellbinders tag, I went over it several times to make it darker.  I like the way it looks and think I'll try to remember to do this more often.

The stamps I used are actually rubber and acrylic stamps.  The dragon fly is by Stampendous, the flourish is by Kaiser Craft & the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink.  The dragon fly is colored with Copic markers BG13, BG15, BG18, BG23, V15, V17, T5, T3.  My layout was to accommodate the largest Spellbinders Labels 14 die, I also used a Spellbinders Oval and tag die.  The white panel is embossed with a Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder and I added straight lines in the center with my Scor-Pal.  

I hope you enjoyed my mini tutorial and are maybe inspired to try this Copic technique yourself.

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Hambo Stamps Nerd

Welcome to our Operation Write Home Memorial Day Weekend blog hop!

Our theme for this hop is Thank You cards based on Operation Write Home sketches, if you visit my blog to see my cards regularly you know I love sketches!  

I'm not going to spend a lot of time "talking" today because there is so much eye candy to see on this hop, I do have a supply list below if you are curious about the products I've used to make my card.

Supply List:

Hambo Stamps Nerd digital stamp set

Papers:  Via Vellum Black & Cyan, World Win Treasures Smoke, Doodlebug Design Lipstick Dotted Line

Ink:  HP LaserJet

Copic Markers:  Skin – E000, E00, E01, E11, R21, Hair – YR21, E34, E25, Shirt – B00, B02, B14, Pants – E41, E42, E43, E44, Belt Buckle – C0, C2, C3, Glasses – BG0000, G0000, B0000, Shoes – W0, W1, Flowers – R81, R83, R85, YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67

Tools/Accessories:  Spellbinders Square die, Papertrey Ink Envelope Liner die

I used OWH sketch #99 for my card layout.

...and I have blog candy!

Leave a comment so I can draw a winner for my blog candy Monday evening - good luck!

Most of all, have fun hopping =)

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Hero Arts Butterfly

Our Midweek Throwdown challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps this week is "Thank You"!

My card says "grateful", that's the same thing isn't it?  I used a Papertrey Ink stamp that I thought was really pretty to finish my card and use up the large space I had, I'm grateful to have this beautiful script stamp set in my collection.

My Hero Arts butterfly  butterfly comes in an acrylic stamp set and as a digital image from Two Peas In A Bucket.  I used the digital image so I could make it as big as I'd like and colored it with Copic markers in one of my favorite color combinations, orange and blue.  

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Thank You

Yolanda's Car

Since I'm not on any design teams right now I have more time to make cards using images I've collected but been too busy to do anything with.  Today's card is one of those (:  This fun image was made by one of our former Operation Write Home blog admin team Yolanda and was a freebie on her blog Imagine Make Share, which is now Slow Down Sunday.

The image is colored with Copic markers in the Blue Green family most likely BG11 - 13, the designer paper is digital by My Time Made Easy, the sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink acrylic stamp set and my layout is Splitcoaststampers sketch challenge #355.

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A Day For Daisies Angels Resting

For my card today I used A Day For Daisies Angels Resting digital image and colored with Copic markers pictured below:

My sketch layout is Splitcoast Stampers sketch challenge #296.  The cranberry colored panel is made using Copic R89, Colorless Blender and an acrylic stamp.  The card stock colors I used are Basic Black, Copic X Press It, Discount Cardstock's Royal Blue & Neenah Kraft.  I added Stickles Ice to the wings and used a couple different Cuttlebug embossing folders.

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Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff

My card today is for our Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps Midweek Throwdown challenge, our theme is "A Bug's Life".  

I used Bugaboo Stamps cute bee from their Spring Stuff Collection and colored it with Copic markers:

Y13, Y15, Y17, R21

T3, T5, T7

BG0000, BG000, B01

My layout is a OWH sketch from a year or so ago modified slightly.  I used two Cuttlebug embossing folders and the sentiment is a Papertrey Ink stamp.  It was a little tricky getting the happy and birthday just right and I had to peel up the pieces a few times but I just kept at it till I got it.  

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challenge - A Bug's Life

Inky Antics Charming Kitties

Our Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown challeng is a color challenge, using your favorite color combination and tell us why!

I've found that since I started coloring with Copic markers I really LOVE ORANGE, or Yellow/Reds!  So I have a couple of fun cards using Basic Grey Ambrosia papers and acrylic stamps from Inky Antics.  This set is called Charming Kitties.

My layout is a Splitcoast Stampers sketch challenge #355.  I used Copic X Press It blending card, Basic Grey Ambrosia designer paper, Basic Black, Neenah Classic Crest Pewter & Stampin' Up! Only Orange as well as Mohawk Bright White for the card base.

Copic markers are pictured below:

I have a second card using this cute stamp set too.

All the supplies used are the same except for the buttons from my stash and some crochet thread and I used a different embossing folders made by Sizzix and Cuttlebug.  The layout for this card is from Sweet Sunday Sketch #136.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

 

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Midweek Throwdown Challenge - Your Favorite Colors

The Stamping Boutique Poppies

My card is for our challenge that starts today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps. It's the Midweek Throwdown challenge and the theme is Tags n' Twine.  For a little extra added fun you can add "miss you" to the theme too!  The "miss you" part of the theme was added after I had my card ready so it's a birthday card but I did look through some of my previously made cards and I'll add a couple "miss you" themed at the end of my post just for fun.

My flowers came from The Stamping Boutique, I made my card using their Poppies and colored with Copic markers:  R32, R35, R46, R59, YG03, YG63, YG67, Y15, Y18.

The cardstock colors are Via Vellum Leaf Green, Thepapermill.com Cranberry, Astrobrights Solar Yellow & Neenah Solar White.  My layout is Operation Write Home Sketch #82 and I added a Spellbinders tag stamped with Papertrey Ink "happy birthday" and a button and my kinda twine for a finishing touch.

My kinda twine is just white crochet thread from a big box store.

This is a Hannah Lynn Designs digital image, you can read about her here.

 

And this cute image is by A Day For Daisies, you can read about the Copic color numbers and papers, etc. here.

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Tags n' Twine

Hambo Stamps April Showers

I have a card to share today that I made to submit for publication when I was on Hambo Stamps design team.  It didn't make the cut so I can show it on my blog now.

Since it was for publication I have a supply list below:

Stamps - Hambo Stamps April Showers digital stamp

Ink – HP LaserJet

Coloring Medium – Copic markers:  Y06, Y15, Y17, V01, V12, YG01, YG13, YG25, YG67, B0000, B01

Papers/Card stock – Mohawk Bright White, Via Vellum Black, Copic X Press It, Papertrey Ink Plum Pudding & In Bloom patterned paper

Tools/Accessories – We R Memory Keepers 1/8^th inch Corner Chomper, Cuttlebug 5X7 Dots embossing folder, Papertrey Ink Envelope Liner Die

In Arizona we don't have many April Showers as it's in the 90's here already and rain generally cools off our weather for us but it is bright and happy.

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Challenges:

Make It Monday - Anything Goes

Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff Bee

Ahhh, the house is quiet, the kids have returned to school after their two week break and I have a fun card to share with you!  I printed several of these cute Bee's from Bugaboo Stamps Spring Stuff collection that were too large for the card I was working on at the time.  

I used one of my favorite sketches from Splitcoaststampers #403 along with a scrap of digital patterned paper from My Grafico.  The sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and I colored the Bee with Copic Markers:

Y13, Y15, Y17, R21

T3, T5, T7

BG0000, BG000, B01

Thanks for visiting my blog today!

Lilyboo Designs New Easter Bonnet

I have an almost one layer Easter card to share with you today! 

In the end I decided to trim it and mat it on a panel of Astrobrights Eclipse Black for a little extra.  

I had lots of fun coloring my Lilyboo Designs New Easter Bonnet digital image with Copic markers and Copic refills.  I also used Lilyboo Designs Easter Eggs to help make my scene.  I merged the two digital images in my Publisher program after turning them into png files in Photoshop Elements.  I also used my Publisher program to draw the box around the scene, it comes out so much nicer than when I do it by hand.  No smeared ink either!

Lots of Copic markers!

I used the Copic ink refills to color in the background area.  I use a Q Tip dipped in 91% Isoprophyl Alcohol to wipe on the background area then saturate the other end with the refill color I'll be using and spread it around.  It gives a more even look than coloring a large area with the markers.  Sometimes it's best to repeat the process if it isn't as smooth as you'd like it.  I also go back and outline everything with the same color marker as the refill and blend, blend, blend.  

My card looked bare so I added a Spellbinders tag from the Tags Trio set and stamped it with an Easter sentiment from Papertrey Ink and pulled a yellow metallic ribbon through the tiny hole.

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The Crafts Meow Vintage Rides

Our Midweek Throwdown challenge today at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps is Ombre` Stamping or card making...  the definition of Ombre` is a color palette that is the same color scheme going from dark to light or light to dark.  

I have a new stamp set from The Crafts Meow called Vintage Rides and as I started to color this car I thought it might just work for this!  I colored the car with Copic markers:

R000, R11, R32, R35

C00, C2, C3

B0000

My card layout is also Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch challenge #160.  The card stock colors I've used are Papertrey Ink Smokey Shadow, Stampin' Up! Blush Blossom, Groovy Guava, Neenah Red Pepper Linen, Astrobrights Eclipse Black and Copic X Press It Blending card.  The birthday stamps I've used on my two cards are from Papertrey Ink too.

I colored several cars using almost the same Copic markers numbers but in different color families so see how they'd turn out.  I really like this yellow one! 

Here's what I used:

Y00, Y11, Y35, Y38

C00, C2, C3

B0000

I copied the layout for this card from a card that I made a few years ago that I came across.

The card stock colors are Astrobrights Galaxy Gold, Solar Yellow & Eclipse Black, Neenah Pewter, Copic X Press It blending card and the top yellow strip is from Bazzill I think, it was a scrap.

I hope you'll take a shot a Ombre` cards for Operation Write Home this week, after I got started it was fun!

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Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - MWT Ombre`

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Sketch challenge #160

Stampin' Up! Mini Mates

I have a just for fun card to share using the retired Stampin' Up! Mini Mates stamp set and Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps sketch #154.  

I colored the cute little Hedgie with Copic markers:

E41, E42, E29, YG01, YG13, YG25, R35, R46, R59, E25, E17, E30, RV10, B0000

Stamped the "hang in there" sentiment several times & created texture using a Darice embossing folder and basically followed the sketch layout.  My paper choices are Astrobrights Jupiter Java, Neenah Red Pepper Linen, Via Vellum Leaf Green and Copic X Press It blending card.

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