What's Your Style?

Card by Aga Bailey

Card by Claire Todd (colored by Jenee)

What is your coloring style? I tend to color using lighter colors. I feel I can control and blend them better than the darker tones. My girlfriend, Aga Bailey, does fantastic coloring using the darker colors. So, I copied off the above card made by Aga as a sample of using darker colors. Last night I colored my image (pretty much like her's as I was working on technique, not originality). I had the colored image (as well as the print off of Aga's card) sitting on my craft table when my daughter, Amber, and my granddaughter, Claire, stopped by. Claire is 7 years old and loves to craft. She saw the image and the sample sitting there and asked me if she could make the card. Since I really had no plans for the image (as I said, I was working on coloring so not thinking about the finished product), I gave Claire free reign.

Other than helping tie the bow and helping punch the white snowflake strip used in the middle (my craft table is high, so Claire couldn't get the leverage needed to work the punch), Claire put this card together herself. She picked her papers and the ribbon, glued, placed and completed everything. I had to laugh as she was picking out her papers. She pulled out a piece of red and white gingham but decided it looked "too picnicy" (don't you just love that term?). She pulled out several rolls of green ribbon, but they were "too light and got lost with the background." (Hum, can you tell she's spent a lot of time with me in the craftroom?)

Before she left, she used my ProMarkers (which she prefers over my Copics because the tip is more ridged) and colored another image. Then she asked if I would print off some images for her to take home with her. Lastly, she raided my envelop of already colored images and took some of those (as samples and ideas for her own coloring).

 We didn't get to spend a lot of time crafting this summer. She went out of town several times to compete in Tai Kwon Do tournements, and with both of her brothers being teens now, they have kept the family busier. School started back on 1 August, so the routine is even more hectic now. I sure do miss my little crafting buddy.

Chance to Win

Alas, there is no new creation from me today. I have spent the week dealing with a kidney infection which was not only quite painful, but which zapped me of energy and creativity. The antibiotics the doctor put me on have (finally) helped, and I am feeling better (enough so that I'm now irritated that my week has been "wasted" - grin). I seldom get sick, so I'm afraid I don't have much patience when I do come down with something.

Anyway, I did want to post about a fantastic give away over at http://jacquesmagnolias.blogspot.com/2011/08/sunday-sensations-from-magnolia-licious_21.html This lovely lady not only does the most beautiful cards, but every week she very generously sponsors the most wonderful eye candy. Sadly, I've not had the good luck to win any of that eye candy, but I keep trying. If you like those darling Magnolia stamps of charming little girls and boys (Tilda and Edwin), then this is the deal for you! Diana, the owner at Magnolia-licious, is offering a $25 gift certificate as this week's prize. However, you have to hurry. You need to submit your link before Tuesday night in order to be eligible for the drawing. That's all you have to do -- no card submission; no linking anything from the page; nothing, nada, nil. Simply go to the linky frog at the bottom of the post and enter your blog URL, your name and your email address. If you don't have a blog, then you can submit your name via email (it is all explained on Jacque's blog site.

So, run on over, submit your name, and you may be the winner (if you win, though, you have to share your prize with me - ROFLOL - no, I'm just kidding, but maybe you'll have better luck than I (grin)!

Happy Birthday, Amber

Today is my younger daughter's birthday. (I won't tell you which birthday, though - grin!). This morning my husband asked me if I'd made a card for Amber. He got very upset when I told him I had not gotten one made. Now I fully intended to make one, and since I won't be seeing her until around 6:00 this evening, I knew I had enough time to come up with something special for her. However, dear Hubs went into a panic. He informed me I HAD to get one made or Amber's feelings would be hurt. Sigh, men can be so silly at times (smile).

Anyway, since that was before 9:00 am this morning, I took my time, had my breakfast, read my emails, and then went into the craft room. A dear friend and I were recently discussing the fact that I like easel cards, but never think about making them when I start a new card. She challenged me to make an easel for the very next card I made. Well, turns out that Amber's card is the very next one, so easel it is! I apologize for the poor photos. They are darker than usual despite the same lighting, but immediately after I took the last picture, the camera turned off -- dead battery -- so I'm using that as my excuse for the less than stellar pictures (as the saying goes, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!).

So, happy birthday to one of my sweet girls. Now I need to get a card made for her "little" bro whose birthday is five days from today -- can't wait as long to make his 'cause it has to get in the mail.

More Christmas

I am "playing around" looking for some images and ideas to use for my Christmas cards this year. It has been quite a while since I made my own cards. I used to do them each year, but the past years have just been filled with too many "things" that I've not had the time nor energy to devote to making them. Now that I'm back into card making and have more time, I thought I'd set a goal to at least make some of my cards this year.

I made the two cards above using Mo Manning's images called Little Elf Pipa and Little Elf Mim. I colored them in with my Copic markers. I colored the ornaments with the Copics but afterwards, I thought they looked a bit "flat" so after some thought, I pulled out my Sparkling H2O paints and colored the ornaments with the gold paint. Don't think you can tell from the attachments, but the Sparkling H2O's really give the ornaments a lovely shimmer. To fortify the concept that the ornaments are hanging on a tree, I punched two fir leaves and glued them to the top of the "string." To anchor the leaves, I added the tiny bows. (I use red velvet bows on the ends of branches on my own tree each year.) The sentiment is computer generated, and reads, "Have a Swinging Christmas."

I think the cards turned out rather cute, although I'm not sure this will be my final product (or the actual design I will use). For now I've had fun coloring the little elves and experimenting.

Just a Little Shy

Can't believe it has been five whole days since my last entry. This has been a busy week with not a lot of crafting/card making going on. Decided this morning that I was going to get at least one card made before I started into the usual Sat. chores (how is it that 2 people can generate so much laundry? We are either the dirtiest people around or the cleanest - LOL).

Anyway, this card is made using another darling image from Mo Manning. It is a digi-stamp, of course, printed onto Cryogen paper (yes, I need to restock ALL my different Copics papers, so using what I have left). I colored it with my Copic markers (I know I need to get in the habit of writing down the colors I use -- sorry, will try to start doing that). My sweet Hubs thought the pearls were a bit fancy for the gingham, dotty paper and little miss with stuffed bunny, but I like the contrast of the different elements (besides, don't you think those little pink rose buds at the end of some of the pearls are just so sweet?).

Hope you enjoy this little card. I am entering this card at:

Frosted Designs:  http://frosteddesigns.blogspot.com as their challenge this week is being sponsored by Copics, so colored image is the requirement.

Make It Colorful: http://www.makeitcolorful.com as the challenge was to color it pink.

Stamp Something: http://stampchallenges.blogspot.com as the challenge is digi stamp.

Raise the Bar: http://raisethebarchallenge.blogspot.com as the challenge is "anything goes."

Blog Hop

My girlfriend, Kristie Wilson, is owner of a fun little blog called Birthday Sundaes (I've mentioned this blog before). In honor of their first year and some changes in her design team, Kristie is holding a blog hop with some FANTASTIC prizes. I highly recommend, if you have time, that you hop on over to http://www.birthdaysundaes.blogspot.com and join in on the hopping fun. Not only will you have the opportunity to win those fantastic prizes that I mentioned, but you will get some really great birthday inspiration from the ladies who are sharing their great blogs.

In honor of Kristie's birthday, I've made the little card above. Congratulations Kristie!