Running With Scissors...

Horse Nouveau

 

So much for photographing cards outside.  Oh, well, it was a nice idea.

 

Today I’m sharing a card I made with one of my free digital images from Dover Publications.  I can’t help but think “My Little Pony grows up and meets Mary Engelbreit” when I look at this.  When I decided to color this image I went with the markers I was carrying in my bag at the time, hence the pinks and purples.  Then, when I was trying to decide which color to use for the card base I ran the gamut of colors in the image – too much black, too much white, way too much purple.  Finally, I pulled out this checkered black and white glossy pre-cut card and it seemed right, somehow.  And that’s how I wound up with “My Little Pony grows up and meets Mary Engelbreit” card.

 

 

I colored the image on Classic White cardstock with Copic markers, then took a notion to spray the image with a glossy sealer.  I applied several quick-drying coats, then added glitter and sprayed more gloss.  The result is an image that looks like it was colored on ultra-glossy cardstock.  The colors really pop and the image has wonderful depth to it.  Well, that’s all fine and dandy until you try to photograph it.  Glare everywhere, and not much in the way of gloss, pop, or depth is apparent.  I hope you can imagine. . .

 

 

All the cardstock I used is either glossy or shimmery.  The purple flower is the last of six I bought in 2007, which averages out to a use of one a year – sheesh!   The flourished design on the petals was gold, but I colored it with a silver Pilot paint pen and added glitter.

 

I hope all of you moms had a very nice Mother’s Day.  My husband wanted to get me something special, but I told him all I wanted was time – no laundry, housework, or cooking, no making the bed, no going to the store.  Well, he saw to that and more.  Let’s just say I ended my weekend feeling a little spoiled.  Back to work and real life, now.  Have a great day!

Gone to the Dogs

 

After my play fest with the dress forms I had to get down to the business of making my son’s birthday card.  I entered a card in a Squigglefly challenge… gosh… around Christmastime (has it really been that long ago?), and I won a free image.  This one was on my wish list because, well, you know how I feel about dogs, and I thought it would be great for guy birthday cards.  So I saved it for my son, and here it is, Another Birthday.

 

 

I appreciate how well illustrated this digi stamp is.  Whether an image is intricate and elegant, or simple and whimsical, if it’s got beauty and/or character I’ll probably like it.  Which is why, I suppose, I can’t stick to any one style.  I guess Life really is like a box of chocolates.

 

I printed on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and colored with Copic markers.  The candles are glittered with Stickles and the circle frame is popped up on foam mounting tape.  The layout is pretty straightforward and the only embellishment the three brads attaching the sentiment flag.  It almost seems rather under-embellished after last week’s cards, but, you know, it’s a guy card.    Colorful, though.

 

I’m so happy you could drop by today and I hope to see you again later this week.  Take care!

 

Stamps:  Squigglefly Another Birthday digital stamp, Flourishes Medallion Motif sentiment  Paper:  Red, Kiwi, Classic White, My Mind’s Eye Out of the Blue designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Brads, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, Spellbinders Standard Circles Small, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Vintage Kids at Play

 

Hello!  Today I’m focusing on an image I colored weeks ago and just now got around to giving it a home on a card.  It’s another wonderful free vintage digital image from Digital Two for Tuesday, and you can find this particular image right here.  Just click on the image and then right click and save to your computer.

 

 

I printed this on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper at a time when I thought I might try water coloring, but regardless of the heat setting after printing I found my ink jet ink would still smear.  However, Copic markers work very nicely on watercolor paper, so I fell back on those once again.  I matched up the designer papers with the colors and the era of the image as best I could.  I even used vintage buttons from my Mom’s button collection.  Hoping to keep it gender neutral I didn’t get too frilly with the design.  The image is circa 1900, so it’s a little before the time of my circle of friends, but if I like it I hope someone else will like it, too.

 

There are more details in the recipe, below.  Thank you for visiting and for your comments which I always enjoy so much.  Happy day!

 

Stamps:  Free Digital Kids at Play  Sentiment from Flourishes Kid’s Play Two   Paper:  Crumbcake, Kraft, Webster’s Pages designer paper, 90 lb hot press watercolor  Ink:  Printer, Chocolate for sentiment  Accessories:  Ribbon, buttons, linen thread, Herringbone embossing folder (for the two Kraft horizontal strips

Simple Pleasures

 

Monday greetings!  I’ve been working on some birthday cards – both children and adult – for a special order, and I’ll be sharing some of those this week.  Today’s card uses an image I’d colored in advance, and I thought it would be pretty for one of the adults.  It’s a digital image from Squigglefly called Simple Pleasures Birdbath.

 

 

I printed on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and colored with Copic markers.  This image makes me think of spring and my own birdbath which is often spilling over with flowers of some sort.  The raccoons were always knocking the bowl off its pedestal when they climbed up to get at the water so I planted flowers in it instead.  The first year I used fish fertilizer in the planter, and one day I was out working in the garden when I heard a contented chirring sound.  I followed it to its source and found a raccoon happily digging away to get at the fish it supposed was in there somewhere.  No more fish fertilizer in my garden!

 

I hope this day finds you well and happy.  Enjoy your week!

 

Stamps:  Simple Pleasures Birdbath digital image from Squigglefly  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White Cardstock,  green textured, Pale Plum, Memory Box Gossamer designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, flower, button, linen thread, doily, Spellbinders standard circle die, Sizzix brick wall embossing folder, Martha Stewart Arched Lattice punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Anemones

 

We spent the weekend at our son’s house recently, and while the guys painted in the kitchen I colored at the kitchen table.  I packed up all my Copic markers in my sturdy Copic carrying case, along with a few digital images I’d printed some while back.  I colored three of them – more coloring than I ever manage to accomplish in one sitting at home.  Gosh, if that’s how it’s going to be I think we should go there more often!  Of the three images I colored, this is the only one I’ve turned into a card so far.

 

 

These anemones are one of the free samples I saved from Dover Publications.  Sign up for their weekly sampler to receive emails which will lead you to a variety of free images to color.  I printed on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and, as mentioned, used Copic markers for coloring.  The designer paper is retired BasicGrey Scarlet’s Letter.  It’s a bold switch from sweet spring pastels, but these sun loving, spring blooming red anemones were a fond favorite in my garden for many years.  They’ve died out now and been replaced with a delicate pink and white variety that bloom in the late summer shade.

 

Happy stamping!  I’ll see you again soon!

My Sweetie’s Valentine

 

The moment I spotted this Puppy Love image while browsing digi stamps at Designed2Delight I knew it would be my Sweetie’s Valentine.

 

 

Printed on Flourishes Classic White cardstock and colored up with Copic markers, I made it as close to Wally and LuLu as I could manage, though these pups in love would be adorable in any color.  I surrounded them with hearts and placed them on BasicGrey Sugar Rush paper.  All the die cut pieces were made with Spellbinders.  I situated the heart dies on the designer paper to place a tiny heart in the center of one, and “love” in the center of the other.  Stickles Stardust glitter accents the hearts.  However, I see I failed to glitter the tiny heart above their heads.  What was I thinking?  I must remedy that.

 

Wishing you a sweet and wonderful day, and I’ll be back to visit again soon!

Nuthin’ but a Hound Dog

This is the card I made for my son’s birthday.  It’s not a birthday image, but inside it says “Kick back and relax”, and this guy is about as relaxed as relaxed gets.  Also, aside from the tattered furniture and the dog breed, it looks a little bit like home.  I love the image.  It’s one of my new digitals from Just Inklined called Best Seat in the House.

I’m trying to use up some designer paper scraps before I cut into new, and it’s surprising how many cards you can get from two coordinating 12 x 12 sheets.  They go on forever, which is about how long I’ve had this paper.  In this case the square frame and circle were already cut so I designed the card around those pieces.  The chocolate scalloped circle was sitting in a scrap basket, as was the circle tag, already stamped, pierced, and ready to go.

The coloring was done with Copic markers.  I had originally intended to use this image for my husband’s Father’s Day card, but I’ll come up with something different now.  I think it would also be great for a “get well” card, or even for retirement.

Thanks for your time today.  I’ll see you again soon!

Stamps:  Best Seat in the House (Just Inklined digital), sentiment from Flourishes Sweet Violets  Paper:  Mustard and Wasabi textured, Flourishes Classic White (for printing image), Flourishes Classic Ivory (circle tag), Chocolate Chip, BasicGrey Oh, Baby Boy designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Chocolate Chip, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, brads, circle punch, Spellbinders Standard Circle, Scalloped Circle, Grand Classic Squares, and Flourish Accent dies, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Boy Fishing

I’m getting ahead of things a little with a Father’s Day card but, frankly, I wanted to color this image and then I didn’t know what else to do with it, considering the sentiments I had available.  If I’d been thinking ahead I might have printed my own sentiment for it… but, then what would it be?  “Better luck next time”? or “Heard you were having some trouble”?

This is another one of those free digital images from Digital Two for Tuesday.  If you like images of children, she has lots of those, including some very sweet little girl images.  It’s very generous of her to share these with everyone and it sounds like great fun how she goes on the hunt for potential images – all vintage, copyright expired.

I watecolored this after printing on 90 lb hot press watercolor paper and heat setting the ink with my heat gun.  It was doable, but not perfect.  My printer does not use waterproof ink, which would be ideal, and I’m not sure if I want to invest in a new printer just so I can watercolor digi images.  It may come to that, but not just yet.

I kept it plain and simple for a guy.  You know how they are – no frilly stuff.  Cute image, though!

I have to run, now.  I’m trying to squeeze a lot into a little time.  Story of our lives, isn’t it?  I’ll be back soon.  Enjoy your day!

Stamps:  Boy Fishing (digital), sentiment from Flourishes’ What a Catch  Paper:  Chocolate Chip, Sage Shadow, 90 lb hot press watercolor, October Afternoon Fly a Kite designer paper  Ink:  Printer, Chocolate Chip for sentiment, various Stampin’ Up! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, linen thread, copper nailheads, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Bunny Basket

It’s almost Easter and I’ve been seeing Easter cards everywhere.  I guess I haven’t been very good about getting Easter cards done.  Someday I’ll be better about the seasonal cards…  I have no shortage of Easter stamps, but when I saw this beautiful digital image at Squigglefly I just had to pop it into my virtual basket.  You can find this particular image as well as similarly illustrated images here.

I colored this with Copic markers.  Even though I tried to limit the colors, there were too many to mention or photograph.  This is one of those easy to color images which shows you exactly where to add your shading.  I just love how soft and realistic it is.

I added a floral flourish in the corner with an old Hero Arts greeting.  The stamp reads “Easter Greetings”, but I isolated the one word by coloring it with a plum marker.  I think the rest  of the details are apparent in the photograph.  Everything is listed in the recipe.

I won’t keep you long today.  Just know I wish you all things wonderful, and a very happy day!

Stamps:  Bunny Basket (Squigglefly digital)  Paper:  Pale plum and pale yellow textured cardstock, Flourishes Classic White, Prima Fairy Flora designer paper  Ink:  Printer, plum marker, Copic markers for coloring  Accessories:  Prima flower, decorative brad, pearls, Spellbinders dies as follows -- Floral Flourishes, Nested Lacey Pennants, Grand Scalloped Squares, Grand Squares

Watercolored Freebie Digital Image

Before I plunged headlong into digital “stamps”, I did a Google search of free digital images, which led me to a blog called Digital Two for Tuesday.  Perhaps you’re familiar with it?  The blog author searches out vintage magazines, catalogs, books, you name it, looking for images on which the copyright has expired.  She then scans them and cleans them up and shares them on her blog for all to use.  I’ve saved several to my computer and will be using them from time to time.  I won’t always be able to direct you to the exact image as I picked them out here and there all the way back to the beginning of her blog.  This one, however, can be found here.  It came from an 1896 Burpee book, but I find it beautifully timeless.

This was my initial experiment watercoloring a digital image.  I’d read that you can heat set the printed image with a heat gun and it will prevent the printer ink from running.  Well, I can’t say I had such great luck with that.  With this image the ink didn’t smear much, but it did fade.  The water tended to wash out the printer ink, and since I use a lot of water when I watercolor I found that a negative.  I printed four different images on a sheet of 90 lb hot press watercolor paper, and I persevered through two of them, but it took too long trying to be careful, so I think the other two images from that sheet will be colored by some other method.  Please don’t take this as the last word, though.  I’m not at all experienced at this.

I hope you’ll enjoy checking out the Digital Two for Tuesday blog.  Look at the labels in her sidebar for different categories.  Fun stuff, seriously, especially if you like vintage images.

Now, about LuLu…  She’s doing great.  She wants to play and run, but I have to discourage that.  She and Wally have a hard time understanding the new rule – soft playing, only -- because roughhousing  was always okay before.  It requires reassurance that they’re good babies and I’m not mad at them, but they just have to be easy.  Wally understands the meaning of  “easy”, and when LuLu tries to initiate play, Wally lays very still and looks at me with an “I’m trying to be a good boy” expression.  A few more words to LuLu and she’ll go lay down with a toy.  She’s a good girl.  I have some sweet photos, but I’ll wait till Saturday to share them.

Enjoy the rest of your week, and I’ll see you again soon!

Stamps:  Digital Two for Tuesday blog freebie  Paper:  River Rock, Blush Blossom, 90 lb hot press watercolor, Webster’s pages (collection uncertain)  Ink:  Printer, Various Stampin’ Up! inks for watercoloring  Accessories:  Silk ribbon, decorative brad, lace from my sewing stash