My Copic Coloring Book

It's been awhile since I've shared anything about my Copic coloring book.  I made a coloring book as a reference for Copic color combinations and fun techniques. After going to the Copic Intermediate certification class I've been practicing and recently added another page.

I colored this giraffe by Marianne Walker with my markers.  The giraffe image comes in the Level 2 Copic coloring guide by Colleen Schaan and Marianne Walker.  There is a CD in the book with all the images for you to practice with that they use.  I enjoy trying new and different color combinations, techniques and don't think I would have ever put together this color combination by myself.

Thanks for visiting my blog today & have a great weekend!

Challenges:
ATC's & Cards With Attitude - Anything Goes
Inspire Me Fridays - Anything Goes

Bugaboo Stamps Halloween Brats

I know it's kind of odd to be showing a Halloween image in April but I'm still working on my 2012 Mini Calendar!  I love Bugaboo Stamps images so my October calendar page has one of Jodie's Brats and her Halloween Fence.  I colored the scene using Copic markers and added the night sky using Isopropyl Alcohol and a Q Tip then the B23 refill and the other end of the Q Tip. 

The layout is actually a sketch and still kind of looks like the sketch.  The papers are Via Vellum Basic Black, Stampin' Up! Pumpkin Pie & Barely Banana & Orchid Opulence.  I used the Bind It All for the holes I will eventually use to bind it. 

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Catch The Bug - Anything Goes
Anything Goes Challenge - Anything Goes
Divas By Design - Anything Goes
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes

2012 Mini Calendar - July

We finished our 2012 mini calendars Thursday afternoon, yea!

Debby, Shirlie and I have been working on a 2012 mini calendar project for several weeks now and I'm very happy to say the project is complete!  July was our last layout to do and I had a really hard time coming up with something.  Debby and I are from the USA and our friend Shirlie is from Canada was a small part of the problem, the rest was me - I think my calendar mojo was on vacation. 

We had a sketch to work with and "googled" 4th of July and Canada Day coloring pages to find digital images.  I'd been through all my folders and didn't find anything suitable.  

Here's a photo of Debby and Shirlie working on binding their calendars with the Bind It All.  I'd collected Cheez-It's boxes for our covers.  Debby and Shirlie covered theirs with patterned papers and  I left mine uncovered - just a naked Cheez-It box, lol. 

We've been getting crafty every Monday morning we can since November when they returned to Arizona and now it's time to say goodbye again till next season.  Thanks for the great time Debby and Shirlie I'll be counting the weeks till we can play again!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Whipper Snapper Easter Bunny Trio

I have a fun piece of a project I've been working on to share with you today.

Back in November I decided to make a 2012 mini calendar and do a class with a couple of my friends, the plan was to make three calendar layouts a week so we'd have a nice Christmas gift for someone special.  As you may already know my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer December 8th and my calendar project kind of went by the way side.  My husband is doing well so far, we are waiting to see the next doctor before he can start treatment possibly at the end of this month.  

My calendar isn't done yet but I haven't given up and I do have one more layout finished.

I started with Clear Dollar Stamps Year Round Calendar then stamped the cute Easter Bunny Trio stamp by Whipper Snapper and went to work coloring with Copic markers.  The markers I used are:  RV00, RV02, RV04, YR65, YR68, W0, W1, E41, E42, E43, B21, B23, B41, V01, V12, V15, YG01, YG23, YG25.  After I had it colored I matted the image panel with Discount Cardstock's Royal Blue and then added it to a 5 1/2 X 5 1/2 inch square of Stampin' Up! Pixie Pink.  I felt like it "needed something" so I embossed the edges of the pink with a fun Sizzix embossing folder and punched the holes in the top with the bind It All after I took this picture. 

I also wanted to let you know that we have a new Midweek Throwdown challenge at Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps with an "Easter" theme.  I don't think my calendar page qualifies for the challenge but it does have an "Easter theme"  (:  The deadline to send our Easter cards for our troops to write home on at Operation Write Home is February 15, I'd better get my box sealed up and in the mail soon!  There are also a bunch of other fun challenges going on at the Stars & Stamps blog this week in recognition of the first ever OWH Cruise!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Operation Write Home Stars & Stamps - Easter
365 Cards - Marvelous Markers
City Crafter - Colors of the Rainbow
Digital Tuesday - Pink or Red
My Time To Craft - A is for Adorable
Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Paper Pretties - Texture
Scrapbook Sisterz - Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter Leprechan

Here we are with my March mini calendar page layout, isn't this digital image by The Paper Shelter cute?!  

My layout is super simple to showcase the cute image from The Paper Shelter and also the calendar from the Clear Dollar Stamps Year Round Calendar digital stamp set.  

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
Creative Craft Challenges - Free For All
Sassy Cheryl's - Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter Crocodile Love

I have another fun calendar page to share with you today!

I've been working on a small desk calendar for 2012 and this is my February layout.  I merged two images Clear Dollar Stamps Year Round Calendar and The Paper Shelter's Crocodile Love to fit the sketch I wanted to use and went to work.

The scalloped border is a new Spellbinders die I've acquired but haven't used much yet.  The cardstock colors are SU Taken With Teal, Basic Black, Neenah Red Pepper Linen & Mohawk Bright White.  I added a strip of black and white gingham ribbon and punch the holes I'll need with the bind It All.

Have a blessed day -

Challenges:
Crafty Ribbons - Anything But A Card
Squiggles & Giggles - Anything But A Card

Clear Dollar Stamps Year Round Calendar

Last Sunday Clear Dollar Stamps had a Year Round Calendar blog hop to show all the fun things we can do with their digital stamp set.  I was so totally inspired when I was finished hopping I started working on a year round calendar to give as a gift.  

I'm making my calendar 5 1/2" X 5 1/2" square.  For my January page I used the Clear Dollar Stamps Year Round Calendar set and the Clear Dollar Stamps Snowman Cheer pre-colored digital stamp set and digital paper I used from a different Clear Dollar Stamps set.  I changed the color of the gingham digital paper.  The warm winter wishes sentiment was made on my computer and the snowflake is a Martha Stewart punch.  I have my calendar page punched with my Bind It All, when all the pages are done I'll make a cover and bind my little calendar so it will sit on a desk.  I'll show you more as I have them ready!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:
2 Sisters - Anything Goes
Squiggle Stamps - Anything But A Card
Inspire Me Friday's - Anything Goes
Paper Sundaes - Digital Images

Tiddly Inks Colorful World Inking of You

I have a second blog post today, I just finished my art journal layout for the Tiddly Inks challenge.  I've been thinking about what I'd like to do for this challenge for a couple of days now and it all came together just the way I pictured in my mind.

I used Tiddly Inks digital images "Colorful World" and "Inking of You" as well as some quotes about art and journaling that were stashed in a folder on my computer.  The girls are colored with Copic markers and the background for my pages I used the Copic air brush system, Copic refills, Colorless Blender and Mini Misters just for fun.  

Thanks for stopping by & have a nice weekend!

Challenges:

Tiddly Inks - Art Journaling
Crafty Ann's - Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Inspire Me Friday's - Anything Goes

Art Jouranl Link Party

I have kind of a different art journal layout to share today for our Link Party.  One of the reasons I like to have an art journal is to save ideas I'd like to make later.  

My art journal layout is a extra large "Flip Card" and the notes to myself on how to make it again one day.  

Here's the "flip" part...

The papers I've used are digital, they came from Sassy Designs.  You may have noticed that my two page layout has different colored paper from one side to the other.  I actually used the same paper file but it printed a different color.  I could have re printed it but didn't want to use the ink so I left it alone.

I hope you'll be inspired and join the Art Journal page/layout link party today.  Maybe you have a extra large card layout/sketch idea you'd like to make again one day...

Or maybe you have something completely different for your art journal you'd like to share.  Either way I can't wait to be inspired by your creations!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Crafty Boots - Anything Goes
Quirky Crafts - Anything But A Card
Stampin' Sister's In Christ - Must Have A Door

Art Jouranl Link Party & Gratitude Layout

Hi blog friends!  I was browsing around blog land recently looking at art journals and came across a group that had been assigned Gratitude for that day's art journal layout.  After walking away from the computer "gratitude" just wouldn't leave my mind.  I kept thinking about all the things I'm thankful for and a layout started forming in my mind. 

The top things on my list I'm thankful for are God & family so that was my inspiration.  I used digital images from A Day For Daisies, my Microsoft Publisher program, Copic markers and let myself go.  I love the way my Gratitude layout turned out!

I hope you are inspired and will join my Art Journal link party.  Maybe you'd like to do a page or layout about gratitude, if not it's okay to share what ever you'd like in your art journal.


I will have our first featured Art Journal page/layout tomorrow!

Thanks for visiting my blog today -

Challenges:

Creative Craft Challenge - Anything But A Card
Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Paper Pretties - Anything But A Card
The Paper Shelter - Anything Goes
Charisma Cardz Challenge - Anything Goes

Art Journal Pages Link Party

Art journaling has really caught my attention lately and I'm intrigued!  In my mind I could think of so many reasons not to try art journaling and I think the biggest reason is FEAR.

FEAR of not being good enough or not doing it right or sharing too much personal stuff... 

So here's my disclaimer:

This is my art journal, I haven't given myself any "rules" as to what I can put in it.  I'm not required to hand write my entries. It's o.k. to use and learn some new things using my Microsoft Publisher program.  This journal is for me to have fun and record what inspires me.

My journal is handmade.  I love coloring with Copic markers, but they bleed through the paper.  I decided my journal should be the Neenah Solar White cardstock I always use folded in half and bound on the 8 1/2" long edge.  You'll also see tabs at the top of my pages, those are cards that have the "ingredients" I used on my page or layout. You know, the technique, marker color numbers, stamps, digital images, etc.

I have a close up for you of my page.  I used Copic markers and soaked a piece of burlap with Copic blending solution to get the textured background.  

I also thought it would be fun to start an Art Journal link party on Thursdays.  This is JUST FOR Fun, no prizes to be won but I will post a featured Art Journal page/layout each Friday from the week before.  No specific challenge just inspire me with your art journal pages by adding your entry below in the Inlinkz widget!

Thanks for visiting my blog today-

Challenges:
Craft Your Passion - Anything But A Card

Creative Stamp Friends - Handmade Background
Craft Us Crazy - Anything Goes
Stamp Insanity - Anything Goes
Hooked On Craft Challenges - Things With Wings
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Creative Craft Challenge - Anything But A Card