limits, inspiration, and color swatch for Some Odd Girl!

sometimes limiting oneself can have WONDERFUL effects, especially when one feels overwhelmed with the amount of crafty things in one's stash.  ;)

today, i'm up on the Some Odd Girl blog with some inspiration for you!

i surprised myself by playing along with part one of Kristy's Color Swatch Journal for May!  she's thrown down the Copic color BG23 or equivalent Spectrum Noir color GT2, and invited all our crafty friends to share their blendy combos to see what we can come up with!  since i'm a Speccie girl, i went for the GT2 and instead of sticking within the GT family, i went with BT2 (which was much lighter for my base) and BT6 (which is a step darker than i might normally choose to blend).  my challenge was to limit myself to just 3 markers and try to rock some monochromatic coloring. 

enter our gorgeous Coy Kaylee digi stamp - she's one of my absolute faves!  the simple outfit helped with this "challenge" because i didn't face the struggle of aiming for more depth than i might be able to achieve with just 3 markers.  you can always layer on top of color once everything is dry, but after too much saturation, there tends to be a mottled effect and i really wanted to avoid that.

here's my card, featuring sentiment from our Birthday Mae clear stamp set, Sunshine Sorbet paper, and Hexie Dots wood veneers:

 

whatcha think?  is she looking a little sickly, or is the combo fun?  i've played around with pink and blue monochromatic coloring (and, of course, grey tones), but this is the first time i've ventured into the green family (aside from hair colors) and i wasn't sure as i was going along.  in the end, i'm pretty content with it, and now i'm anxious to try the other Color Swatch Journal prompts!  have you checked it out before?  CLICK HERE to see what i'm talking about!

here's a (slightly) closer view of my girl:

and i may just try this one again soon!  tomorrow's Friday - any plans for the weekend?  apparently The Son has a lunch or dinner thing in mind for us on Sunday (it's Mother's Day here in the U.S.), so i have a little quality time to look forward to.  in the meantime, i'll be back Saturday with a super fun event you won't want to miss!

a final Inspiration Team project for Crafter's Companion USA

well it has been a FUN year with Crafter's Companion USA!  i tinkered with my very first Spectrum Noir markers and became an Accredited Colorist (woot!), made some awesome new friends and learned some fun new techniques, was introduced to the Ultimate Tool (which has become a HUGE source of inspiration, especially recently!), and was among the first to play with the fab new Spectrum Noir blendable colored pencils.

there is a LOT going on in my life, and it's definitely a time of huge changes, stressful transition, and, currently, a whole bunch of questions as i wait to see what my career will hold.  my bank is closing, and my job (and 58 others' jobs) will cease to exist, and the direction in which i'm heading is totally uncertain.  we have a waiting period, but in a few weeks, i should have some idea of what's ahead.  WHATEVER is ahead, it's going to be a huge change, and could involve looking for a new job, or beginning a career in insurance.  career moves at 40?  why the heck not, right?

regardless, i'm keeping an open mind and i'm certain that things are going to be okay.  the company for whom i work has been amazing so far, and the future is bright!

so with that, folks, i bring you my final Crafter's Companion USA project...

and here's my supply list:

Art-Kure Britain in Bloom EZmount stamp set - "English Rose", stamped on frosted vellum with StazOn Jet Black ink
embossed on Luxury Centura Pearl cardstock using Die'sire 6x6 Embossalicious embossing folder - "Decorative Heart"
on the same panel, i stamped the birthday sentiment from the Sentimentals EZmount stamp set - "Imagine", using my StazOn
i misted on the embossed panel using Memento Fireworks Spray - Angel Pink, then splattered a few random speckles of Spectrum Noir re-inker BP3
colored up some white Thickers using Spectrum Noir markers - PP1, BP2, True Black

i wish i could capture the shimmer, but it was hard enough to photograph with my glitchy camera!  if everything with the job gets sorted soon and i know i'll be employed in a few months, i will be getting a new camera...  in the meantime, i'm being extra frugal.  

so there you have it.  i will be hanging out with my Crafter's Companion products a whole lot, and i can't wait to see what the amazing Inspiration and Education teams create in the next term!  drop by the Crafter's Companion USA blog to see the first introductions for the new term!  thanks to the whole CC crew for everything - it's been a great run!  xo

brand new Scruffy Little Cat stamps coming THURSDAY to Crafter's Companion!

heya gang!  quickie post to give you a little sneak peek of what's coming to the Crafter's Companion store this THURSDAY!  there's a new(ish) line called Scruffy Little Cat and we've got NEW stamps coming out on Thursday...  they're too stinkin' cute! 

i've stamped my image on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink, then colored up miss Hayley using my Spectrum Noir markers... here's my color list:

skin - FS4, TN2
cheeks - PP1, PP2
lips - CR6, DR3
eyes - CG2, DG2, GB10
shirt - FS6, FS8
skirt - CG2, DG2, GB9, GB10, BG7
purse/shoes - IG1, IG2, IG3
jewels/box - FS1, FS3, IG1, GB3, GB1, TN3, TN5, BG3, BG7, FS8, DR3, PP2
hair - BG1, BG4, BG6

check out the full range of Scruffy Little Cat goodies, including EZMount stamps, clear stamps, paper pads, embossing folders and a CD-Rom! 

peek around the Crafter's Companion Facebook page over the next few days to see more from this new release!

another Crafter's Companion BOX, using the Ultimate Tool!

i know i've mentioned i'm loving my Ultimate Tool from Crafter's Companion USA, and the many embossing boards that come with it, or are available separately, but OH MY GOOMIE, this one could be my fave!  (until my next order comes, that is!)

this project, up on the Crafter's Companion USA Facebook page today, uses the Ultimate Tool with the Ulti-bags embossing folder for a totally cute and functional PURSE!  everything just fits together so well, and i added a handle and decorated to make it super girlie.  behold!

i coloured up the flowers and leaf from Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy - "A New Leaf" EZMount stamp set with the following Spectrum Noir markers:

flowers - BT1, BT2, EB1, OR1, BG3
leaf - GB3, TN3, BG2

this ALSO happens to fit our current Tags, Bags and Boxes challenge!  CLICK HERE to play along, and use any of your Crafter's Companion USA or Crafter's Companion UK stamps, or our other exclusive products (the full rules list is posted - read carefully!).  projects MUST incorporate more than just Spectrum Noir markers or blendable colored pencils to qualify.  good luck!

blending my Spectrum Noir colored pencils!

good morning, lovely chickens!  

time for another Crafter's Companion Facebook page project!  

i thought i'd play with my Spectrum Noir blendable colored pencils, and actually BLEND THEM!  using my paper stumps with the blending solution, the colors just seem to melt into each other, and i absolutely LOVE the effect!  check it out:

i used "The Butterfly Effect" from Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy EZMount stamps, and the following Spectrum Noir pencils:

 4, 15, 20, 89, 91, 95, 117, 119, 120

blended them up and added some flicking in for a bit of texture, and this is what i was able to achieve:

whatcha think?  :)  i love the butterflies in this line to begin with, but now i just love coloring them more.  CLICK HERE to see what's new and exciting at Crafter's Companion, and if you don't already subscribe to the newsletter, you're missing out!  you get the first news on sales and sneaks!  here's how you sign up at the main Crafter's Companion page (in the left sidebar):

announcing Spectrum Noir BLENDABLE COLORED PENCILS - they're HERE!

well folks, we've been talking about 'em.  and talking.  and talking.  and now they're HERE! 
announcing the Spectrum Noir blendable colored pencils from Crafter's Companion!  WOO HOO!

i have been busy getting acquainted with my new pencils, and i'd like to share my first release card with you today...  CHECK ME OUT!

here's what i used: 

Sheena Douglass A Little Bit Sketchy EZmount stamp set - True Colors
Everyday Sentimentals EZmount stamp set - Imagine
Memento Tuxedo Black ink
Radiant Neons Electric Orange ink
Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock
Spectrum Noir markers and blendable colored pencils:
markers (base layer) - LY1, OR1
pencils (on top of the the markers) - 015, 020, 022, 024, 027, 109, 113, 115

that's really all there is to it.  i went VERY lightly with the pencils but it helped that i had put down a base layer to make the colors bolder - i am getting used to them and the pigments are LOVELY with lots of different intensities!  you're gonna love 'em.  CLICK HERE to check 'em out and be sure to visit the Crafter's Companion blogs *USA and UK* and the Spectrum Noir blog to see all the GORGEOUS creations using these lovelies from the design teams!

Bebunni baby love at Crafter's Companion!

he's adorable, right?  i am a huge Bebunni fan, and when i was asked to make a card for a baby shower for one of my co-workers, i knew EXACTLY what had to be done!  Bebunni to the rescue!  i've got a Crafter's Companion inspiration project on the Facebook page today, and i hope this IS inspirational!  :) 

this one uses the ridiculously adorable Bebunni "Built With Love" stamp set from the Baby collection.  this little cutie is SO much fun to color, and i love that the blocks can be colored to go with ANYTHING - any color scheme, any theme, any patterns, etc.  FUN!

here's a zoom!

Bebunni is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock, and  colored up with my Spectrum Noir markers:

Bunny - BG1, BG3, BG5
Ears/cheeks/tummy/paws - PP1, PP2
Blocks - DG1, LY1 and CG1, CG2

zoom again!

(how much fun are the cloud distressed wood veneers?)

and that's how a baby (card) is born at 1:30 a.m. when you're on a strict deadline!  love him?  CLICK HERE to check out the full Bebunni range,

playing with Spectrum Noir re-inkers!

hey there, chickens!

i've got a card up on the Crafter's Companion USA Facebook page today, and it's super bright and super pink!

i'm not a huge mixed media person, but i have developed a little penchant for alcohol inks via my lovely Spectrum Noir markers...  i may never actually NEED to use the re-inkers to re-ink my markers, but i sure am loving them on their own! 

here's the card i made using one of the gorgeous Britain in Bloom stamps from Art-Kure by Mike Goss - this one's English Rose:

the sentiment is from the Sentimentals set, "Friends and Family" - both are inked with StazOn Jet Black and i sponged around the edges of the main panel with Jet black as well.  i used my Spectrum Noir re-inkers PP4 and BP3 with some of the blending solution to create my very pink background...  zoom for a look:

and an embossed chipboard piece (black, bright and pale
pink embossing powders) with a resin flower to accent:

so.  first of several Mothers' Day cards i need to make for people at work - i'm going to be busy this weekend!  CLICK HERE to visit the Crafter's Companion Facebook page - there's some BIG stuff going on right now and you're not going to want to miss it!  *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*  HAPPY FRIDAY and i hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Sneaks of Sheena and India and Spectrum Noir!

hey there chickens!  did you see the big EVENT going on at Crafter's Companion right now?!  we're promoting an upcoming Sheena Douglass release that could, quite possibly, be my favourite ever.  yeah, i know i've said that before.  ;)

the new sets are from Taste of India, and they will take your breath away!  Sheena has outdone herself with this gorgeous new art, and i'm super pleased to share my card...

this is "Marching Elephant" - the image...  but i've also added the sentiment from "Tiger Tiger" and accents from "Henna", "Henna Mango" and "Mandala" to show how awesome all of the sets work together.  are they not AMAZING?!

my Marching Elephant is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock, and coloured with Spectrum Noir markers AND blendable pencils...  here's what i used:

Spectrum Noir markers:
elephant - BGR2, BGE3, GG1, GG2
tusks/hooves - FS2, GG1
blanket/flowers - OR1, OR2, GT1, GT2, DR5, DR6, PL2, PL3

Spectrum Noir colored pencils:
shading/texture (elephant) - 114
shading (blanket) - 097

just pencils for a bit of added texture and depth, but you'll see more of them in upcoming projects!  the background was made with a stencil and i inked some Electric Orange and Electric Purple Radiant Neon inks...  here's a little zoom:

(okay, a big zoom)...  LOVE this elephant.  and i need to get the tiger coloured up too, because he's just beautiful!  CLICK HERE to check out the rest of the sneak peeks on the Crafter's Companion blog (we're featuring this new set all week - starting yesterday!) and see what my utterly talented teammates have done!

one more for the road:

and i love it.  clean and simple design (for a change!) and some gorgeous Sheena Douglass, coming soon!!

Sheena has these lovely FLOWERS at Crafter's Companion!

told you i like my Sheena Douglass stamps!  

i'm up on the Crafter's Companion Facebook page today with a new card, and it's all about Sheena!  this gorgeous flower comes from another of her new sets from the A Little Bit Sketchy line - the set is called Bloomin' Beautiful (the sentiment comes from Only Words - Through the Rain) and i'm kinda LOVING this card...

i used a bunch of things i don't typically use, including some Smooch ink, those paper flowers, some Ranger liquid pearls and those AWESOME gold hexagon sequins...  the rest are basic staples (the doily, vellum and loads of pop dots!).

the Sheena flower is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock and colored with my Spectrum Noir markers:

flower center - LY1, OR1
petals - CR1, CR7, CR10

the sentiment is also stamped with Tuxedo Black, and the flower is shaded with colored pencil (coming soon!).

so, no, this is NOT my typical style, but i love how it turned out!  there's a shabby/gritty feel while still being feminine and (i hope) kind of elegant at the same time.

and from another angle, to show the yummy gold:

pop over to the Crafter's Companion store to see the new stuff (more Sheena coming next week, and i can't WAIT to share!), and if you haven't already checked out the new StazOn midi inks and the Radiant Neons, what are you waiting for?!

the new Angelica and Adam series at Crafter's Companion is ADORABLE!

oh my.  there's another new release at Crafter's Companion, and the design team has been keeping busy and having LOTS of fun with the new stamps!  this particular set is perfect for the little chicas and the little dudes in your life (whether they're genuinely little ones or they're big, grown-up ones!). 

i love these new Angelica and Adam EZmount stamp sets, and i couldn't wait to color up the adorable Ben!  

here's my card that's up on the Crafter's Companion Facebook page today!

so where do i begin with this one?
stamped Ben and the sentiment with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock.
embossed the small side panel with Darice Stars 12" folder (and colored the stars with BGR1)
inked around the edges of my panels with StazOn midi in Cactus Green (they're new and they're FABULOUS!) and Delicata Golden Glitz inks.
and COLORED!  yeah, i spent a bit of time on the details for this one...

i dotted, blended, dotted, blended, dotted, blended and continued until i achieved an effect i really liked.  in hindsight, i wish i had thought of shadows under Ben, but next time, i guess.  :)  

anywho, there you have it!  close-up?

 

here's my Spectrum Noir marker list:

skin - FS5, FS7, FS9
hair - TN2, OR1, OR2, EB4, EB7
shirt - LG1, LG4, GD3
shorts - IG2, IG4, IG5
shoes - BG1, BG4, BG5
tree - TN2, EB6, EB7
leaves - DG2, DG3
rope - GB1, GB8
background - BGR1, BGR2, LY1, DG1, GB1, OR1, TB3, CG2, JG1, Blender

closer?

 
whatcha think?  isn't he a cute little thing?  you can grab Ben and his friends by CLICKING HERE, and i TOTALLY encourage you to take a peek at all the new, amazing inks that are in the shop now!  seriously - the StazOn Midis and the new Radiant Neons are FANTASTIC!

 

utterly BEAUTIFUL new Sheena stamps from Crafter's Companion!

wow, so, seriously!  Crafter's Companion might just have some new releases - like, a TON of them - and i love these new sets from Sheena Douglass!  i was SO excited to ink them up and colour away with my sweet Spectrum Noir markers.  check THIS beauty out!

the stamp set is "True Colors" from the new Sheena's A Little Bit Sketchy series - in this particular set, there are two BIG, beautiful butterflies, and 5 fabulous sentiments, and trust me, when you start colouring them, you can't STOP. 

stamped both the image and sentiment on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink, coloured with the following Spectrum Noir markers:

LY1, CT3, CT4, GB3, OR1, OR2, CR8, BG4, BG7, BG9, True Black

die-cut my sentiment with a Nesties die and inked around the edges with one of the new StazOn Midi ink pads (coming soon!) in Orange Zest (my fave, of course!) and added some bits and bobs here and there.  :)

and i used the sketch at the lovely Lesley Croghan's blog, Always Playing With Paper for the #3 challenge...  here's the sketch:

there are some differences, but this is what inspired me for my card design, so there you go.  :)

and that's all she wrote!  hope you have a fantabulatious hump day!  we got MORE snow, and to be honest, it's not going to interfere with my need to go out with the hubbin for some frozen yogurt this evening!  hee hee.

dreaming of DAFFODILS at Crafter's Companion

morning, chickens!  i've got a Crafter's Companion card to share with you today that is up on the Facebook page (have you "liked" it yet?  there are ALWAYS lots of gorgeous inspiration pieces, fun questions, great ideas, and lots of giveaways!)...

this one features the beautiful Daffodils set from Art-Kure by Mike Goss, along with a sentiment from Mulberry Wood "Love You" set:

i stamped the Daffodils on Luxury Centura Pearl cardstock with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and used my trusty Spectrum Noir markers to color them up... 

Flowers - CT1, CT2, CT4, LG2, LG3
Flower centers - CT4, GB3, GB7
Shading - BG5
Stems - CG3, CG4
Background - GT1

matted the image on a piece of copper foil cardstock, added my sentiment, some fabric and paper tapes, plus a chipboard flourish and wood veneer heart, then a handful of sequins to finish it off. 

here's a close-up in an effort to show some of the shimmer:

whatcha think? 

you're my FAVE - Crafter's Companion DT creation

helllooooooo chickens! 

the middle of the week, and while things are hectic as i prepare myself (mentally and physically) for a temporary assignment, i am happy i didn't have to drive up to our main branch today, as originally planned.  so here's to late crafty nights and not having to get up extra early!

i have a super cute Mulberry Wood card for you today that's up at the Crafter's Companion USA Facebook page...  strangely, i seem to be all about CRITTERS lately, and these two are just so stinkin' irresistible, i couldn't wait to colour 'em up!  check it out!

aren't they CUTE?!  they're from the "Love You" set from the Mulberry Wood series, which is full of quirky little critters!  i stamped them with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock and coloured them up with the following Spectrum Noir markers:

Kitties:  fur - GG1, GG2, GG3; ears/cheeks - PP1, PP2
Flowers: EB1, EB2, OR1
Leaves/grass: LY1, LY3, DB2, DG3
Background/border: HB1, HB2

just look at them!  KITTIES!  what's not to love?!

the border around the edge of the main panel is made with the little accent stamp from the set - i thought it would give it a cute effect without being too busy.  and now i'm not sure i want to give this card to anybody, because i rather like it, with my loopy bow (a first for me!).


SO.  in Leah news...  beginning Monday, i'll be commuting to the main branch to help another department that's very short-staffed.  i'm comfortable with the actual job i'll be doing, but i'm not terribly familiar with the people with whom i'll be working, and the commute (!!!) is over an hour each way, whereas i'm used to driving 5 miles to get to my branch.  gonna take some adjusting, and i don't know how long it will last, but i was told at least 2-3 months.  EEP!

so here's to finishing out a great week at HOME, enjoying our awesome staff and the quick jaunt, and to the END of sleeping in.  i'll have to leave by 6:30 to get there by 8 am and i am NOT an early morning girl.  wish me luck!

the stork visited and brought a BEBUNNI!

you've seen Bebunni, right?  oh my goomie, Crafter's Companion has the sweetest little bunny critter, and if you haven't met Bebunni, you've been missing out!  there are a whole SLEW of stamp sets available, and for today's card, i used a set from the Baby collection called "New Arrival".  this set comes with SEVEN different sentiments, plus two frames and, of course, a bunny.  :)

everyone's having babies lately, so it's time to build up my baby card stash again!  let's start with an EASEL card!  (i NEVER make these, but somehow i was feeling the mojo!)

i went rather CAS for this one, with just a few die-cuts, my punched sentiment, and a few buttons (there's also twine under the main panel but it hides!).  that's it!

i stamped Bebunni with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock,
and coloured him up with the following Spectrum Noir markers:

fur:  BG1, BG3, BG5
ears/feet:  PP1, PP2
blanket/balloons/around sentiment:  FS1, FS2, FS3, OR1, OR3

and i added some white gel pen on the balloons and popped up a couple of the clouds with foam dots.  that's it!  hope you're all as excited about the weekend as i am!  happy FRIDAY, and i'll be back tomorrow!  later, chickens!

playing with Mixed Media (!!) and Crafter's Companion goodies

hey there, crafty chickens!  hope the week has been good to you!  it's been busy, rainy, and COLD here, and i'm glad the weekend is here.  i'm going to round things out with a card i made using my Crafter's Companion goodies (that's on the Crafter's Companion Facebook page today!), and i'm kinda LOVING the mixed media thing i've got goin' on here.

i'm not usually one for flat cards, and i often struggle with mixed media, to be perfectly honest.  but since i wasn't specifically going for the vintage look, and stuck with what makes me happy (bright colours, gold things, punchinella, mists), i found this came much easier than expected.  :)

SO.  here we are!

i busted out my Luxury Centura Pearl Snow White cardstock, misted with Memento Fireworks (Angel Pink) and added some drops of Spectrum Noir Re-inker (BP3), then sponged some Delicata Golden Glitz ink using punchinella as a mask.

i stamped Sheena's A Little Bit Scenic (Silhouette Grasses) using StazOn Jet Black ink, then stamped the sentiment from the same set using a wet chalk ink, embossing with black powder.  i LOVE the effect of the black embossed dots from where the Delicata hadn't yet dried.  love it!

snipped a doily and added pieces for interest, then found some matching gold hexagon confetti, inked my edges and stuck it on down onto my card base. 

i promise you it was SO much easier than it looks!  OH, but check this out:

the Luxury Centura Pearl cardstock is TO. DIE. FOR.  the shimmer is incredible.  and it holds colour so well!  for example:

the embossing with the shimmer makes a pretty fab combination, oui?  

all in all, i'm happy with this little experiment!  you can grab most of my supplies at the Crafter's Companion store, but CLICK HERE to see all the new stuff because there's a ton of it!  and play along with the challenge we've got going on by CLICKING HERE...  this month it's all about Clean and Simple! 

Bebunni LOVE at Crafter's Companion... i DO love him!

hey there, chickens!  hope your week is off to a great start!  i have a sweet little somethin'-somethin' to share, featuring the sweet little Bebunni from Crafter's Companion!  he's a cute lil' fella, and even though this particular stamp is from the new Bebunni Love series (this one's called Hearts), i thought he'd work well for a baby shower card.  check him out!

i stamped Bebunni on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored him up with my Spectrum Noir markers...  i used:

fur - IG1, IG2, IG4
ears/nose/tummy/tail - PP1, PP3

hearts - LG1, LG2, LG4, BT1, BT3, BT4

for the background, i sponged around some little cloud masks right onto the card base, die-cut a deckled rectangle frame and used the negative, added some raindrops, sequins, a few little embellies and a sentiment, and VOILA!  there's loads of dimension here with tons of pop dots.  i loves me lots of dimension!

and i loves me the Bebunni.  you can check out the whole Bebunni line by CLICKING HERE...  and while you're at it, why not check out the awesome MOVING SALE we've got going on?  happy shopping!  :)

December challenge at Crafter's Companion - Ribbon/Twine/Thread!

hey there chickens!  so there are only two weeks left before Christmas Day.  is that ridiculous or what?  WHERE did 2013 go? 

well it's been a busy year for me, but i'm looking forward to an exciting 2014 with lots of fun things on the horizon!  i know i mentioned that i will be staying on with Crafter's Companion as one of the members of their brand new Inspiration Team (!!!) and i can't wait for you all to see what we're up to!  lots of fun things going on with new products, new releases, new faces, and LOADS to check out on the blog!  you'll just have to trust me, because we still have a couple of weeks until it all happens!

in the meantime, if you're feeling up to a challenge, we're looking for Ribbon, Twine and/or Thread on your creations!  use your Crafter's Companion products (see the list of eligible items HERE) and play along with our December challenge, and you could win £30/$30 to spend at the Crafter's Companion store, and lemme tell ya...  it's EASY to spend!  :)

here's the card i made using the new Sheena Douglass - A Little Bit Scenic "Seascapes"...  these are GORGEOUS for masculine and elegant creations!

i incorporated ribbon and twine into my project, and backed my image with a simple kraft panel embossed with a Die'sire Embossalicious 6x6 folder (Chevrons), coloured my image with my Spectrum Noir markers (Blender, IB1, GG1, GG2, EB2, DG2, DG3, BG2, BG3, BG5, DR3, DR5, DR6, TB1, TB2, TB3), distressed the edges of my image panel, added a bit of minimal and subtle bling, and VOILA.  i can totally see this for retirement cards, congratulations, destination weddings, and even sympathy.  and believe me, it's easy and FUN to colour!  :)

so.  care to play along?  there's still PLENTY of time left in the month to join us - just CLICK HERE to see what the awesome UK team did to inspire you and to link up! 

holiday inspiration with Crafter's Companion

i have been a MAD card making woman this weekend.  between last night and today, i managed to whip up a SLEW of new cards for the two craft fairs i have coming up next weekend.  these two are among the 15 or 20 cards i made!

this first one uses the new Falling Snowflake E-Z mount stamp set from Stamp-It Australia's Twinkle line, and it's so simple but SO wonderfully customizable.  I. LOVE. THAT.

i opted for a bright and modern look, picking up on the glitter from the papers in the buttons and using silver ink.  i stamped my image on Ultra Smooth Premium White cardstock, and used my Spectrum Noir markers PL2 and HB3, with GB2 and GB7, and StazOn Metallic Silver ink on the sentiment. 

close-up!

simple, right?  and just a smidge of colour.

next up!  i decided i needed some elegance without being overly specific.
these birds are also from the Stamp-It Australia Twinkle - Falling Snowflake set:

stamped on the Ultra Smooth Premium White using Memento Espresso Truffle ink, i went over the whole image with my Spectrum Noir BG1 to age it up a bit, then accented the blue with BGR3 - love the dull watercoloury look it added.  fussy-cut and popped it up and added my accents.

so you've taken advantage of the SALES going on at Crafter's Companion USA this weekend, right?  'cuz WOO HOO, there's a lot of money waiting to be saved!  deals on stamps, cardstock, Spectrum Noir markers and storage, the eBosser, craft sprays, The Ultimate Tool, embossing folders, adhesives...  and shipping!  ANNNND double rewards points!  CLICK HERE to see the whole array of specials we've got going on! 

i don't suck at colouring!

'cuz Spectrum Noir said so!  :)  

go, me!  :)  i am an Accredited Colorist!

now i'm just holding my breath to see if i'll get an email from Crafter's Companion by tomorrow, telling me i've been selected for another term on their lovely design team.  cross your fingers for me, 'kay?  :D