Monday, September 7, 2015

Coloring Outside the Lines

I should be writing.  I really should.  But it's Labor Day and, somehow, it's a good excuse to sit at my craft table and play the day away.  (Hey...that rhymes.  Counts as creative writing in my book!)

This week's challenge at Heart2Heart is "Coloring."  I decided to use a technique I learned from an Online Card Class called "Stretch Your Stamps 2" to do a little "outside the lines" coloring.

Here's the supply list (all CTMH):

Stamps: Shower Flowers, Doodled Designs, Finding the Words
Ink: Cotton Candy, Hollyhock, Ruby, Topiary, Pear, Black Archival

To get the color variations and watercolor look of this, the technique requires solid images stamped and twisted slightly on glossy paper. I used a paintbrush and watered down Pear ink to fill in the light green.  The pink splotches were done by flicking watered down Ruby ink with a paintbrush.

I drew my lines--which I'm calling coloring--with the fine tip end of a Sharpie Marker.  For the fun of it, I altered the smooth edges of the largest flowers by drawing jagged edges.

This is a very free-form kind of coloring. It's almost impossible to make a mistake, but if you don't like what you come up with, it's only paper!!

After I had stamped and colored my flowers, I trimmed the panel to 4x5.25 and stamped the circle from Doodled Designs off the edge. I trimmed out the center, laid it over the card base, and used it as the guide for stamping my sentiment.  I can't actually draw, so I love how the doodled circle effortlessly builds on the free-form drawing theme.

Hmmm...it's gorgeous outside.  I think I'll use "we aren't going to have many more days like this" as my next excuse to avoid writing.

Until next time,
Becca

Friday, September 4, 2015

#pslattelove

Fall is my absolute FAVORITE season, especially with all the pumpkin spice products showing up in stores.  Today is a Friday Freebie over at Honey Bee's.  Hurry, it only lasts 24 hours!!  I downloaded the file and cut it with my Cricut Explore.


Paper is CTMH Goldrush and kraft cardstock.  I colored with Copics in YR15, YR12, and Y23 on the cup and E18, E13, and E11 on the sentiment.  I also used E47 on the little heart accent which was originally red.

I'm sending this to a friend who tries to hang onto summer as long as possible.  I know it's mean, but I can't resist sending her pumpkin spice themed things as soon as they start showing up just to annoy her.  She knows I love her!

Until next time,
Becca

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Oh Taste and See

I'm Baaaaaaack!

Moving is always...an experience. I wrote about the emotional side over at www.beccawhitham.com, but I'm happy to say the craft room is set up and I'm ready to start blogging again here, too.

Today's card is a combination of two challenges:
Freshly Made Sketches: #202
Heart 2 Heart: Poppy Color Challenge


This card is also a combination of old and new.  Here's a list of the supplies:
  • Stamps: CTMH "Cutie Pie" (cupcake, retired); Verve "Psalm 34:8" (sentiment, current)
  • Paper: CTMH Blossom (retired) and Zoe (current)
  • Accessories (all CTMH): Coral Reef Sequins (retired), Red Glitter Gel (retired), Liquid Glass (current)
  • Ink (all CTMH): Cranberry, Lagoon, Topiary
  • Markers (all Copic): YR00, YR21, YR18, Y23, R29, BG0000, BG10, BG72
I stamped the cupcake twice, once in Cranberry ink and once in Lagoon ink.  I colored with Copic markers to intentionally fade the stamped lines.  After cutting the two cupcakes out, I trimmed off the bottom of the Cranberry colored one and ran a red Copic marker around all the edges to define it.  I trimmed the Lagoon colored image, too, cutting down the frosting part so I had just enough room for a piece of foam tape to mount the Cranberry colored part on top of it.  I also used a dark marker around the bottom part of the cupcake to add definition.

Too keep my banner from wilting, I glued the diagonal stripe paper to a sturdy piece of cardstock and used a hefty amount of foam tape underneath.  I also used a hefty amount of foam tape under my frame around the sentiment.

It's good to back in the crafting saddle again.  To celebrate, please click on the new link I added to the top right of my page for a free book.  I wrote one of the chapters. ENJOY!!

Until next time,
Becca