Thinking Inking

The Rainbow Will Come

Welcome! Today I have a sweet little My Favorite Things image to share with you, the Rainbow Will Come. With that umbrella and fashionable slicker, she needed some bright colors.

These are the Copic markers that I used to color the image. (Videos of the whole process are embedded below, in two parts, since I can upload to YouTube in only 15 minute segments. LINKS: Rainbow Will Come: Part 1 of 2 and Rainbow Will Come: Part 2 of 2)

That little piece of lacy trim is cut with a Spellbinders Lace Doily Accents die template. I colored the umbrella top twice and popped it up with foam tape after trimming the second one closely. Papers are from Cosmo Cricket's DeLovely Mini Deck, and ribbon is some aqua seam binding. (DeLovely is an older line--hope it's still out there!)

Finally, I'm assuming that most of you who use Copic markers already have a source that you typically purchase your markers from, and that's great! However, if you've been looking for certain colors that are unavailable where you usually shop, I heard just today that the Copic website is offering free shipping April 6-13 (starting this coming Friday) in honor of their attendance at Sakura Con this week in Washington--just thought I would pass that info along in case someone could use it. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

JustRite Papercraft April Release: Spring Rose Medallion

Welcome! Today I have a Spring-y card to share with you from the JustRite Papercrafts April release. For the focal image I used the Spring Rose Medallions set, stamped in Memento Desert Sand ink on ivory cardstock. I used a Nested Oval Medallion Labels die to trim and emboss the focal image before coloring it with the Copic markers shown below. I cut a second, larger medallion shape from PTI's Sweet Blush cardstock to mat the focal image and inked its edges with Versamagic Pink Grapefruit ink. 

Isn't this a pretty set? I have another card started using the same set!

I also used two other new JustRite stamp sets that will be featured later this week, Fleuriste Newsprint Background Stamp and Classic Lace Edges Two. I stamped the lace image with Versamark ink on cardstock-weight vellum and used detail white embossing powder to heat-emboss the lace. I then used a Spellbinders Classic Edges Two die template to cut my lace edge. A bit of stitching, some distressing, off-white seam binding with a vintage button, and that's it--one more Spring card for the stash!

Would you like to see what some of the other JustRite DT has come up with? Be sure to check out these blog posts then! You will see a couple of new names on the list, Sheri Holt, who is working with Friday challenges now, and Amy Tedder, more about her in the paragraph below. . .

This week we are revealing a fresh new look for JustRite Papercraft and launching the beginning of a new stamp line called Amy Tedder Designs. Amy is launching a new blog called Amy Tedder Designs today as well. You can see the entire release on Amy's Blog today! To help Amy celebrate the launch of her new line, we are giving away a fabulous Blog Candy Prize.  Leave a message on Amy's new blog telling her what your favorite JustRite Stamp set is and for every 100 comments she gets we will pick a winner who will receive the entire April Release - that's eight Amy Tedder Design stamps sets for free!

Good luck, and thanks for stopping by today.

JustRite Inspiration

Debbie Olson (here)
Amy Tedder
Darsie Bruno
Linda Duke
Michele Kovack
Angela Barkhouse 
Sheri Holt
Kathy Jones
Heidi Blankenship
Barb Schram

P.S. If you still have some of the older JustRite sets on your radar, now would be a great time to check out the JustRite Original Warehouse sale for $5 and $10 deals. Supplies are limited, so  you may want to shop early for the best selection. Happy shopping!

Hello, My Dear Friend

Welcome! I had hoped to get several cards made Thursday and Friday, but my husband reminded me that he needed my tax information immediately if not sooner. I have two business trips coming up back-to-back in April, so there was really no time to procrastinate any longer. Ughhh--no fun! Thankfully, my part is now finished, so maybe I can get back to snatching some creative moments. :-}

I was feeling "stamp-y" this weekend and stamped several backgrounds to cut apart and mix and match, so you'll probably see these again later this week when I get back to my little backgrounds stack. I had received the Papertrey Ink Anniversary set Pretty Peonies almost a month ago, but I hadn't had a chance to play with it earlier. It's such a pretty set! While you can't purchase Pretty Peonies, many PTI customers have earned the set. (If you need a substitute, you could use the In Bloom set, Rosie Posie, or many other floral sets. Experiment!)

Stamps that I used included Background Basics: Twinkle and Background Basics: Wrought Iron, in addition to flowers and a sentiment from the Pretty Peonies set. I also used a snippet of patterned paper from the Dearest Jane Collection. Inks were Hibiscus Burst, Raspberry Fizz, Spring Moss, and Chamomile Distress ink. I used Kraft, VIntage Cream, and Raspberry Fizz cardstock, as well as Kraft twill for my ribbon. 

That's it for tonight. Thanks for stopping by!

JRS Butterfly Challenge

Today I have a challenge card from last Friday's JustRite Blog challenge--yes, I'm about a week behind. . . The challenge was simply to use a butterfly and soft spring colors. I pulled out my Butterfly Gardens set along with some softly colored My Mind's Eye Blush Lost and Found papers. I've had a couple of people asking about how to cut a shaped card base, so I used one of those while I was at it--hope it helps. (Sorry--I can't link Butterfly Garden since it just sold out after the challenge was announced. However, you can get some great deals at JustRite's Warehouse sale HERE. Every JustRite Original Stamp set is on sale for $10.00 or  $5.00.)

Cutting a shaped card base is really pretty simple. You just cut, score, and fold your cardstock large enough to cut the shaped base, then place your chosen die (in this case, a Grand Scalloped Circles die) so that the die goes slightly past the fold. Letting the die extend past the fold gives you that little hinge part that you need. Sometimes I leave a larger hinge (where that little pen is), but in this case, I stayed very close to the edge since I had two scallops that I could hinge with. That edge is NOT cut through though. 

Here is the same thing with a different base die. Click to enlarge, and you will be able to see the hinge on top a little better. Sometimes I run the plates through my Grand Calibur twice when I am using thicker cardstock--winding forward, then winding backward before it winds all of the way through. 

These are the Copic markers that I used to color the image.

After coloring by Butterfly Garden image, I cut and embossed it with a Spellbinders Standard Circles Large die template. I stamped, colored, and trimmed an extra butterfly, which I coated in glitter after coloring. Other dies that I used were the Persian Motifs and Grand Circles.  I added some self-adhesive pearls from Zva Creative to accent the Persian Motifs shape.  Well, that's it for today. I hope you are having a fabulous week, and thanks for stopping by!

Schoolgirl with Book Bag: Copic Demo

Welcome! Today I have a little Mo Manning image that 've had fun coloring with my Copic Markers for you; it is one of her Four School Kids images, found HERE. I videotaped the entire process, though I had to split it into three YouTube videos to get it all on there in fifteen minute or less segments. (I'll link them at the bottom in case you want to see them.)

After I finished the jeans and started looking for some appropriate patterned paper, my best paper for the job was warmer in tone than the jeans were, so I used some warm grays (W1, W3, W5) to warm up the color of the jeans. I lost some of the texture, but it was still a worthwhile trade-off.

Papers are from October Afternoon's Farmhouse line. I tea-dyed my twill to age it and used a Papertrey Ink vintage Pure Poppy button to trim the left side of the twill. The postage stamp edge is made with a Spellbinders Postage Stamps die template.

Video one covers hair and skin. Video two is jeans and shirt (including texture on the jeans), and Video three is jacket, backpack, and shadow. I sped up the coloring in a couple of areas since it was originally close to an hour long. (Yes, that's why I don't do many coloring videos--I'm slow!!) I hope these are helpful. Have a lovely day!

 

 

 

Pink Parisian Birthday

Welcome! Today I have a very pink birthday card to share, though not quite as pink as it looks on my screen right now for some reason. . . I combined several JustRite sets here, including a sentiment from Shabby Chic Labels Four, a background shape from Greetings from Paris, a postmark from Bon Voyage, a frame from Just Keep Calm, and my favorite border from Lace Borders. Cardstock is PTI's Hibiscus Burst, and inks are Hibiscus Burst, Fresh Snow, and Chamomile Distress Cube (all PTI), as well as Adirondack Shell Pink.

I used a JustRite Nested Oval Medallion Labels die for the outside of the frame, as well as two Spellbinders dies, Classic Ovals LG and Blossom Tags and Accents. Ribbon is some white seam binding, and pink rhinestones are from Zva Creative. That's it for today--have a great one!

Peace Be with You

Welcome! This morning I made another card for my father-in-law and mother-in-law So far I have made masculine ones, but I thought that if I give it to both of them, I might get by with some pink today. ;-) I used several JustRite sets on this card: Cast All Your Cares, With Sympathy, Classic Scallop Borders Clear, and Harlequin Script Background Cling.

These are the Copic markers that I used on the greenery, though I later toned the leaves down a bit with a YG61 (not pictured).

These are the markers that I used on the blossom and the bud.  I also used a YR30 and YR31 for the flower center (not pictured). 

In addition to the JustRite sets that I listed at the top, I also used three Spellbinders die template sets: Grand Labels One for the card base and the pink mat layer, Labels Sixteen for the triple-stacked focal image and mats, and Classic Scallop Edgeabilities for the lacey edge.  I used Becca Feeken's Peg Bow Maker to tie the triple bow--trust me, I'm not naturally a triple bow tie-er! Inks used were Versamagic Pink Grapefruit, Tuxedo Black Memento, and PTI Berry Sorbet, New Leaf, and Chamomile distress ink. That's it for today; thanks for stopping by!

Birthday Medallion

Today I saw a great Thursday sketch on the October Afternoon blog and wanted to make a card from that sketch. For the focal image I used Papertrey Ink's 2012 Birthday Tags set, stamped in Hibiscus Burst, Simply Chartreuse, and Aqua Mist inks. I hand cut the outer oval and used Spellbinders Standard Circles Small die templates to cut the inner layers. To cut the ribbon banner, I used a Nested Pennants die template, cranking it only part of the way through my Grand Calibur so that the die did not cut the end. I finished cutting the end longer by using my paper trimmer. 

For the inside of the card, I used Papertrey Ink's Inside and Out Birthday set, trimming the bottom of the card with a strip of the OA Sidewalks paper to tie it into the paper ribbon element on the front of the card.

Paper are from October Afternoon's Sidewalks collection, and buttons are Papertrey Ink's Vintage Buttons in Hibiscus Burst, Simply Chartreuse, and Aqua Mist. To cut the card base, I used a Spellbinders Romantic Rectangles die template. A bit of stitching, sanding, and sponging of distress ink, and that's it--one more birthday card for the stash. Thanks for stopping by!

For the Happy Couple

Welcome! Seem like my blog and I are strangers these days. . . We've had house-guests and other "that's life" happening, so paper crafting hasn't been on the front burner. It was fun to get back down to my studio tonight and play with my stamps and paper. Besides, I needed a wedding shower card for this weekend, so I had ample incentive!

I chose Papertrey Ink's Beautiful Butterflies set for my sentiment and the butterflies, and the Background Basics: Twinkle set to over-stamp and add texture. Papers are from Cosmo Cricket's Evangeline Mini Deck. I used two Spellbinders die templates on my card,  Classic Square Small and Fleur de Lis Squares. A bit of sewing and distressing, and I have one finished wedding shower card--whew! Thanks for stopping in, and have a fabulous day.

Eat {Cup}cake!

Welcome! After I started playing with my new Tremendous Treats: Birthday set, I just had to color another of the sweet little images. One of my nieces has a birthday coming up soon, and this little cupcake is just the thing for her.

These are the Copic markers that I used to color the image.

What's a cupcake without some glitter? I used a glue pen to add a bit of Prisma glitter to the star and the highlights of the cupcake. Papers are from PTI's Happy Spots patterned paper. I used a Mega Mat Stack 1 die to cut the card base and a Tiny Tags die to cut the star tag.

That's it for now--have a fabulous weekend!