Thinking Inking

Teapot Card and a Special Request

Tonight I have a card to share, but even more importantly, I have a very special request. Have you seen the Christmas in July post on the Cosmo Cricket blog? Cosmo Cricket is giving $1 per comment posted, up to $1000, to a local food bank. I would love to see 1000 signatures on that post; how about yours? If you wait, you may be too late. I think Julie has already left that post up longer than she had intended!

For this card I chose PaperTrey Ink's Tea for Two set, one of my favorites from back in April, and some Cosmo Cricket Early Bird papers (Cherry Pie and Farmers Market). The teapot is paper-pieced using the little miniature version on the cover sheet of the Early Bird Collection; I love using the cover sheets for small things like this. Because I wanted to simple shadows to help with the illusion of dimensionality, I chose a Copic T1 marker to add shadows, softening the edges with a o clear blender marker.

The background behind the teapot is cut and embossed with a Spellbinders Labels 4 die template, and then airbrushed while still in the die with Copic BG13 and T1 markers. I cut the same shape for the sentiment on the inside of the card since I was making a z-fold card. Buttons are PaperTrey Ink Lemon Zest Vintage Buttons, and ribbon is 1-1/2" wide ivory silk from Sharon Johnson's Stamp Simply Store. Inside sentiments are stamped in PaperTrey's Aqua Mist and Pure Poppy Inks.

If you haven't signed that Cosmo Cricket Christmas in July post yet, would you consider doing so? Thanks so much for visiting!

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P.S.  Don't forget about the Spellbinders Blog Frenzy drawings; the next few reveals are on these blogs:

7/11  Karen Hunsaker

7/12  Kazan Clark

7/13  Linda Duke

Everyday Button Bits

Hold onto your hats, because this is a seriously fabulous stamp set that the PaperTrey Ink girls are using tonight! I have been playing with this set for the last two days and loving the possibilities. (I have five cards started with the same set--that's unheard of for me!)

I am sure that Nichole will explain the premise of the Button Bits set, but as a brief explanation, it has numerous images that are made to be completed with the addition of buttons. Coupled with clever sayings and that trendy print/cursive combination that I love (think Vintage Picnic Sentiments), this set is a winner!

I stamped my stems in New Leaf ink on Stampers Select White cardstock, and then die cut it with my Spellbinders Classic Square Nestability. I left the die in place after embossing and used a Copic BG13 and YG13 to airbrush the sky and grass. (Both are in the PaperTrey Copic line up.)  Buttons are Berry Sorbet and Sweet Blush Vintage Buttons. The background stamp is also part of a new set--enough said! ;-) 

Please be sure to visit all of the PaperTrey Ink designers; I just know that you will love this set as much as I do! Thank you for visiting.

Becky Oehlers

Betsy Veldman

Dawn McVey

Geny Cassady

Heather Nichols

Lauren Meader

Lisa Johnson

Nichole Heady

Melissa Phillips

Michelle Wooderson

Niki Estes

Eye on the Sparrow: CPS123

This week's CPS 123 sponsor is Sweet n' Sassy stamps. I chose the His Eye Is on the Sparrow set because I knew I could use its sentiments in my collection. Papers are from the Pink Paislee Spring Fling Collection. Inks are Versamagic Turquoise Gem and Jumbo Java, along with Rich Cocoa Memento and Antique Linen Distress ink. I thought I would share a step-by-step Copic coloring tutorial on this image; hope it helps!

I used one of the new pale Copic colors, BG0000, for the background; it has just a hint of color--perfect for blending cleanly into the background of the paper.

Next I colored the branches and greenery with the markers pictured. (Click on any image to see it larger.)

The flowers were next; usually I would color blossoms a paler shade, I think. Since I really wanted to make them work with the patterned paper, I deepened the values a bit.

The sparrows were the trickiest part. I chose some grayed-down browns after Googling "common American sparrow." (If you're an ornithologist, don't look!)

Finally I added created my layout, trimmed my focal image down, distressed its edges, and added some yellow Stickles to the flower centers. Buttons are from my stash, probably from Buttons Galore. Won't you consider playing along with the CPS sketch this week? Thank you for visiting!

Enjoy that Pie!

This Pie in the Window image is my favorite from Karen Lockhart's last release; mmmmm--I can almost smell it! I chose my Copic markers (shown below in two rows) based on the colors in the Cosmo Cricket Early Bird papers (Cherry Pie and Sunrise) that I paired with the image. (In that line-up, you'll see four of the new pale Copic colors--love them!--and two of the new Spica colors, Buttermilk and Mint, a pale green.) Ribbon is PaperTrey ink's Pure Poppy Stitched Grosgrain, stained with just a sponged distress ink in order to tone the pure white stitching down a bit.

I'm including a close-up, but you'd better not look too closely or you'll see some mistakes.  I didn't realize they were there until the 3" image filled my wide screen--yikes!

I hope you had a great weekend. We've been busy with family fun, including sleepovers in my son's playhouse--umm, camp. . .  Must be a man-thing. ;-D  Not needing to be tough, I'm ordering an air mattress. Thank you for visiting!

To Grow an Old Friend

I have a patriotic card ready for tomorrow night, but I wanted to slip this card in tonight because there is a stamp giveaway going on at the JustRite blog with the last drawing ending on Friday night. What are you waiting for? Go sign up!

I chose this pot of flowers from the new JustRite Stampers Friendship Centers and Borders for the 3-1/4" stamper (the set that's being given away, available on July 7), and made one of my friend Mish Wooderson's tent cards, using a Spellbinders Classic and Petite Scalloped Circle Nestability. Paper is Basic Grey's Wisteria line; ribbon is some gorgeous silk from Sharon Johnson, and pearls are from Ellen. (I don't see the exact ones that I have, but these are close.)

I altered my outer ring a bit to make room for the pearls. I can always piece it back together since it fits in the track. 

You will see the Copic markers that I used pictured above; click on the picture to see it larger. Notice anything odd in the picture?  YES! It's a couple of the new pale colors--you know, the ones with which we stampers like to tint around the outside of an image! These are starting to ship in the next couple of weeks, so be looking for them if you like a pale perimeter glow as much as I do. 

That's it for tonight. I need to quit stamping for a day or two and get ready for my guests on Saturday. Thanks for visiting!

P.S. Here's a picture of those fab new pale Copic colors--yes, I know I'm blessed!

Basket of Birthday Wishes

I love clear cards, but I forget to make them very often! Tonight I'm sharing a clear card using PaperTrey Ink's Vintage Picnic set and 2008 Bitty Box papers.

I stamped the picnic basket in Tuxedo Black Memento ink on PTI's Kraft cardstock and colored it with Copic T1, R22 and YG91 markers, then enhanced the stripes with Blossom and Mint Spica glitter pens.  I cut the colored basket out and set it aside.

Next I stamped the basket and tulips on Vintage Cream cardstock and colored the tulips and greenery with the Copic markers shown below (All PaperTrey Ink Copic colors). I die cut the tulip basket with a Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestability and lightly sponged the cardstock edges with distress ink. Using a Spellbinders Labels Four die, I cut and embossed a mat from PTI's Berry Sorbet cardstock. Button is a Berry Sorbet Vintage button, and ribbon is Spring Moss Satin.

For the card base, I chose PTI's clear cardstock and cut it 4-1/4" x 11". (Next time I would probably cut it 5-1/2" x 8-1/2" instead because I think I would prefer it standing that way.) The cardstock and papers inside the card are Berry Sorbet cardstock, and Spring Moss and Berry Sorbet 2008 Bitty Boxes papers. ent, from Vintage Picnic Sentiments, is stamped in Versamark and heat-embossed using the Filigree white embossing powder. I attached the cardstock inside to the clear base with a mini glue dot in each corner.

Thank you for visiting; have a lovely day.

Americana Rocker Copic Tutorial on the CLASSroom Blog

I have this Lockhart Americana Rocker card posted on the CLASSroom blog today, along with a stepped-out Copic coloring tutorial. 

Have a lovely Sunday! 

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The Card Creations 7 post is here,  and the Spellbinders Pendants Blog Frenzy person for today, June 28, is Linda Duke.

Card Creations Volume 7 Blog Tour: You and Me

The winner of my copy of Card Creations 7 is number 103, Monique. Monique, I have e-mailed you for your address. Thanks!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 103 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

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I don’t know if you have noticed, but there has been a flurry of activity in blogdom this week and some fantastic goodies being given away in celebration of --[are you ready?]-- Card Creations Volume 7,  which is now available!  I recently looked through a copy and saw some ideas that I'm just itching to try, along with a lot of familiar names of blogging friends—some for the first time! 

I love the Card Creations series because it is always chock-full of trendy, simple ideas.  Paper Crafts was gracious enough to provide an extra copy for me to give away on this blog post. Not only that, but they are also giving away ten fabulous prize packages to people visiting and commenting on all fifteen of the blogs in the blog tour! (More about that below.)

This is an anniversary card that I had in this issue. I enjoyed making this card because it combines some of my favorite things—a whimsical Kim Hughes image, my beloved Copic markers and Cosmo Cricket papers, and my favorite Spellbinders Label die. I chose my marker colors from the paper colors, and I gave the male bird the bolder color for variety.

So, would you like a chance to win a Card Creations 7? Leave a comment on this post saying what you stamped or crafted last. The random number drawing for my blog’s copy of Card Creations 7 will close at 10pmCST on Sunday night, June 28—one comment per person, please.

Now, how about a chance to win one of the TEN prize packages that Paper Crafts is giving away (five on the Moxie Fab World Blog and five on the Paper Crafts Connection Blog)!  In Addition to leaving a comment here, you will need to visit and comment on all fourteen of the blogs linked below:

Charlene Austin

Ashley Newell

Beatriz Jennings

Kim Hughes

Carla Peicheff

Dawn McVey

Betsy Veldman

Kim Kesti

Alli Miles

Maren Benedict

Melissa Phillips

Sherry Wright

Teri Anderson

Layle Koncar

After visiting all fifteen blogs in the blog tour, you will need to go back to Moxie Fab World and/or Paper Crafts Connection to tell your favorite project. Be sure to check out specific instructions on Moxie Fab World or Paper Crafts Connection. Best of luck in winning a prize!

Summer Flowers: PaperTrey Ink July Blog Hop

 

For tonight’s July PaperTrey Ink Blog Hop, the theme is anything summer, complete with inspiration photos. Here is Nichole’s challenge:

“Summer is FULL of so many wonderful colors, sights & sounds!  This month your challenge is to get inspired by the lazy days of summer and reflect our inspiration in a project of your choice!  Whether it be the colors in your favorite summer treats, the pattern on your bathing suit & beach towel or even the texture of the sand between your toes, use any or all of these things as a springboard for your design.  Please be sure to share an image found online, in a magazine or a photo you have taken yourself that communicates your point of inspiration within the body of your blog post!  With everyone's amazing contributions, this ought to be one of the most colorful Blog Hops yet!”

I found some flower pictures that I had taken a couple of years ago in Door County, Wisconsin, that just shouted summer to me, so I’m drawing inspiration from those tonight.  Even though the flower from the Friends ‘Til the End set isn’t a Black Eyed Susan, I colored it that way using the Copic colors shown below ( all PaperTrey Ink colors: Lemon Tart, Summer Sunrise, Dark Chocolate, Ripe Avocado, Smokey Shadow).

Patterned papers and cardstock are all PaperTrey Ink—Dark Chocolate and Vintage Cream cardstock, and Friends ‘Til the End, 2008 Bitty Boxes, and Green Tea Leaves Collection.

Thanks for joining me for the June PaperTrey Ink blog hop! 

Arranged with Love

Goodness--this is turning out to be quite the blogging day!  Just to let you know ahead of time, I have two posts going up this morning, and I'm also hoping to post for the PaperTrey Blog Hop tonight.  Tomorrow's post has a giveaway attached, so you may not want to miss that!

My friend Melanie Muenchinger has a new flower set out called Arranged with Love. Melanie sent me the set, knowing that I love flowers and love to color. This is a large image on an oversized (5" x 7") card.  After spending a while coloring it, I wanted to give it some breathing space and let it be the big arrangement that it really is!

I used so many Copic markers that I photographed them in a big bunch rather than setting them neatly in a row. (The row would have been too long for my blog column.) Anyway, for anyone who wants to see the colors, they are shown on the left. The colorless blender in the lower left is a custom blend of half colorless blender and half BG000 ink.

The little pink pearls on the stamped notecard edges are found here, and the ribbon is from Sharon Johnson, found here.  Cardstock colors are PaperTrey's Stamper's Select White, Basic Black, and Sweet Blush. I stamped the image in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and lightly sponged its edges in Antique Linen Distress ink.

Finally, if you are looking for this stamp or any of GinaK's other new releases, there is a release party in their SplitCoastStampers member forumfrom 7-10pm CST, stamps here, and Melanie's blog post about her stamp here.

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The Spellbinders Pendant Blog Frenzy continues at these blogs:

Thursday, June 25, 3009 – Keri Lee Sereika

Friday, June 26, 2009 –– Sherry Cheever

Have a lovely day!