Artful Sentiments Copic Color Callenge

Good Saturday Morning to you All! The Copic colors for this weeks challenge at Artful Sentiments by KimmBT Copic Color Challenge are E11, RV21, and E47.


I had E11, RV21 and E39 so that is what I used for this love struck giraffe from Dog Gone Stamps.

The RV21 is the lightest color you see on the rose, the E11 was used as the second shading color on the giraffe and E39 was used as the darkest shading color.

Please come and join us for the copic color challenge, we would love to see what you do and it is always so much fun to meet new people. You can use any stamp image to color so there are no restrictions and you don't have to use all of the copic colors or just use the closest ones that you have to the suggested ones. It's all about having fun!!!

Have a great day and see you later.

Cathy

Hanna Stamps Friday Challenge card

Hanna Stamps has a challenge every Friday and I used to do them all the time, then life and work got in the way. I have really missed doing them so when my work schedule changed this week and I am now working evenings again I decided that this was something that I really enjoyed and so it is back on my schedule :) That was either a greeting or a warning however you want to take it!!!
I created this card using the sketch challenge Frances so graciously hosted today. I used Ballerina Riley, (who doesn't love a dancing moose?), I colored her tutu pink to match the dp I picked out. I sponged the edges of the main image and the matt with Tim Holtz frayed burlap distress ink.
The circle was punched with my Marvey scallopped circle punch and stamped with the sentiment from Lots of Thoughts from SU. The top border was punched with the Martha Stewart fancy scalloped border punch and I added a band of ribbon and a two prima flowers with a gold rimmed half pearl in the center.
Thanks for looking, have a great Friday!

Cathy

KLM Design Team Announced

Hi everybody:

Just a quick note before I start stamping for the day, I love saying that, now that I am working evernings again I get to play all day!!!

KLM Designs had a DT call and announced the first DT yesterday. There are some amazingly talented ladies on this team and I was chosen too!!!

Check them out by clicking on the KLM Designs link here. There are only a few designs in the store right now but more are on the way. There is something for everyone.

I really like the digital images that you can download and use immediately. I guess I like instant gratification :). You can resize them or print them reversed by using the mirror setting on your printer preferences. Oh, the possibilities!!!

I just wanted to tell you the great news. I am excited to be on this DT. If you follow my blog you might remember Charlie the Clown I did last week. It is so ironic that the clowns are named Carl (which was my father's name) and Charlie (which is my son's name).

I'll be back later with a project for the day.

Cathy

Dustin Pike Knight

If you like really well drawn characters and love to color you will love Dustin Pike's site. He has a free digital image every Wednesday. I don't remember which week this was but I colored it last week and finally made a card today. FYI his images this week are a boy and girl graduate.

The image is just the Bear Knight and horse and I thought it needed a little something else so I dug out my retired SU Dreams and Dragons set and used the castle which was the perfect size to go with these two characters.

I think this would be a super Birthday card, You're my knight in shining armour card, or just a fun card for anybody. It makes me smile :)

Have a great day. I think I am done posting for the day. Yeah, I know last week I didn't have hardly any posts and this week you are inundated. Hope you like this week better, I know I do!!!

Cathy

Color Challenge on StampTV

Theresa is the hostess of the Color Challenge this week on StampTV. I get to play during the day when my brain actually functions ha ha. Just kidding. I started working evening shift again and I love it. I get to be home during the day and do the things I want and work from 5 to midnight. It works for me because I get to do all the things all day that I want to do and at night I concentrate on work. During the day I was wishing I was home and less productive at work and play :) Enough of that, Here is my card for the Keep it Cool challenge to use Blues and any other neutral color:

I don't know how many blue butterflies there are in nature but I did it anyway. First I stamped the trees from Tree Silhouettes in the background using Tim Holtz Weathered Wood distressed ink. Then I stamped my butterflies from Take Flight in Momento Tuxedo Black ink.

Of course because I wanted the colors to blend into each other I used the Copic Gradiant technique (one of my favorite techniques). The blues on the butterfly on the left are darker shades. I start with the lightest in the center and work my way out. On these butterflies I used 3 different shades of blue. On the right butterfly I used 3 lighter shades of blue.

I sponged the edges with Tim Holtz Distress inks Denim and Antique Linen. I didn't want to distract from the main image too much so I added a piece of navy blue grosgrain ribbon and 3 navy brads. Super easy 30 minute card ( hey, that is fast for me)!

I forgot to mention that I used the digital paper from GinaK Designs StampTV freebie section called Jersey Shore.

Hope you like my card. I think it would be a really nice Father's Day card as it may have a ribbon but it is pretty masculine other than that.

Have a great day. Thanks for stopping by.

I forgot that I wanted to ask your opinion?

About a year ago I wanted a onsie template but none of the ones I saw on SCS were exactly what I was looking for so I created my own. The original one that I created I used some really cute patterned paper one for a boy with trucks and cars on it and one for a girl with a ruffle at the neck, legs and the flowers were glittery.
My sister called me today and asked me to make some baby boy shower invitations so I told her, no problem, and headed to Michael's to get the baby boy patterned paper I had used before. Well, they didn't have any, of course. I found this cute polka dot that I thought would look cute by adding the cuttlebug airplane.
I have the template saved to print directly onto the cardstock. It fits perfectly into a standard size envelope. I cut out the onsie from the blue cardstock and then cut a second front from the designer paper. I added the baby button, added the faux stitching in onsie detail and added 3 brads at the bottom to look like the snaps. The inside is stamped with the invitation from the SU Bundle of Joy stamp set.
What do you think? Is it baby boyish enough?

Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Cathy

Pattern and Texture Potluck Friday Challenge on StampTV

I had time this week-end to create two challenge cards for StampTV challenges.

I have had these Indian images for a long time. I had ordered them online when I was making rag quilts but quit making the quilts before I used them. I thought that this image might go pretty good with Theresa's Out West stamp set from GinaK Designs.

To use the fabric image which came with a 1/2 inch border of fabric around the printed image I pulled the strings to make the fringe. I decided it looked funny with all four sides fringed so I trimmed the top and bottom leaving only the sides fringed.

The SU Blue Bayou cardstock matched the Indian image colors so I only had to add the Top Note die which I used a cream color die and sponged with Vintage Photo distress ink by Tim Holtz. I used the label die cut from Quikutz for the bottom and mounted my skull, cactur and hat around the Happy Trails sentiment.

The leather strip was tied in a knot and added to the bottom sentiment panel.

I already had fulfilled the pattern challenge with the weatherd beige cs for the card base. I had two pieces of texture already as well in the fabric and the leather strips, but I wanted to add the sterling silver dream catcher to the Indian image, I think it sets it off nicely. I just tied the leather strip onto the jump ring for the dream catcher.

I did another challange card as well but I will wait and show you that one tomorrow. Hope you had a wonderful week-end and thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

Memorial Day Tribute

I created this Memorial Day collage using the Artistic Outpost Hero's and She-Roes Stamp Plates to honor the Service men and women past, present. and future who serve to protect every one of us. My father was in the Navy, my father- in -law was in the Navy and my husband is retired from the US Army.

I did a little detail coloring with my copic markers and sponged with Tim Holtz distress inks for that aged effect I seem to like :). I wanted to use the WAC wings that would have been a pin on the hat and on the uniform as well and I didn't want it to look stamped, novel concept when you are using stamps!!!

I stamped my versamark pad onto a piece of white cs and covered this with gold embossing powder. I did this 4 times and while it was hot I stamped the wings and freedom stamps into the hot embossed cs. Let the stamp sit for a minute or two to allow the embossing powder to cool. Wait another minute or two for the cs to cool and cut out the image as desired. Since I wanted mine to look like metal wings I cut with a small outline area all the way around. I left a little more border on the Freedom stamped word. I then wanted one more faux metal item so I took a cs star and pressed it into my versamark pad and embossed it with gold ink as well. I did 3 layers for the star since I wasn't stamping any images into it.

I hope that everyone is enjoying their long week-end, but I also hope that you remember to at least think about the Heros and She-Roes who have served and particularly, those who have lost their lives to protect us.

I will have more to post tomorrow, I am having a personal stamp retreat in my stamp room and no one is invited. I can't wait to play all night and all day.

See you later with more posts, I think I am up to a couple of challenges tonight :)

Cathy

Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge #9

Happy Saturday morning to all! Sorry about the late post I slept in a little bit today. Here is my card for Kimm's Copic Color Challenge this week to use the following colors: B26, BG15, R29 and a grey. I had B26, BG15 and R29 and used C1 to shade around the little dragon character from The Digi Shack.

The main body is colored with BG15 and the darkesst shading is B24. The chest, wings and horns are R17 shaded with R29. I outlined the image with C1 which I like to do to add a more dimensional visual for the image. If done correctly it looks like the image is popped up on the page when it actually is not.

We would love it if you would play along with our challenges. You don't have to use all of the copic colors all that is required is that you use one and you can use images from any stamp company, if you are reading this I know you have at least one stamp that would work!!!

You can't tell, because of the lighting when I took the picture, that the teal bg has a grid pattern pierced into it with my cutterbug paper piercing tool.

I hope you all have a wonderful week-end. I have to work tonight and then I will be off until Tuesday night so plan to get a lot of creating donw. See you later,

Cathy

Copic Creations Challenge #4 Blonde Hair

The bi-weekly Copic Creations Challenge #4 is to color blonde hair. I usually struggle with blonde keeping it as light as I would like so I thought this was a perfect challenge for me.

Here is what I came up with. I used the Flower Girl beauty from Dog Gone Stamps and colored the dress mint green with teal shading, gave her fair colored skin to go with the blonde hair. I only used 3 shades of yellow for my hair and then I added some white highlights.

I mounted the main image on soft sky SU cardstock and then mounted that on a dp from SU.

I am so looking forward to this week-end and having time to stamp and play. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great week-end.

Cathy

A picture of me at work!

Just kidding, but for sure this how my week has gone. I thought this monkey from Dustin Pike Designs would be a perfect card for my "I'm still here but going bananas" blog post:)

This darling little monkey was fun to color, but I think everything is fun to color ! I have been working on a few things this week but haven't had as much free time this week as I normally do. The new colt is taking extra time until he gets used to going out to the pasture with Mom. Right now it takes two of us, one to lead the mare and one to lead the baby, so I haven't been getting home until after 8:00 p.m. and then eat something, and by the time I get to stamping or coloring it is 10:00.

My schedule will change this week-end and I am going back to working from 5 to midnight. I can cut back my hours because we get a nice shift differential by working the evening shift. I am very excited that I will be home during the day and plan to do a lot more challenges than in the past.

Back to this cute card! The only thing that I did differently was to use Copic blender fluid on a square of washcloth, about 2 inches square, to make the monkey fur look more realistic. It may not show up too well in the picture. I usually just dab it good once and wait until it dries because it is kind of magic stuff and the effect shows up better as it dries so it is easy to overdue the processes, ask me how I know? :)

I promise that I will be back nightly at least for a few days as I have to work Friday during the day and then my nights start on Saturday but not until 6:00 p.m.

I apologize that I haven't posted this week but thank you for not crossing me off your list of sites to visit, I love to have you stop by and see what I have been playing with.

Good night,

Cathy

Dustin Pike Digital Images are Awesome!

Wouldn't this be a cute, very masculine card for a little boy, a teen, or any guy who likes cars and mud and dirt. I think that covers a lot of guys :)

Dustin Pike is a designer of digital images. I just found his site through a fellow DT member, Becky in East Tennessee, who is a DT member for him. He has a free download image every wednesday and unfortunately just lost his "real" job and fortunately for all of us has much more time to create wonderful images. Check them out.

I colored with my copic markers and then I sponged around the main image with Tim Holtz Tattered Burlap distress ink and mounted that on SU Red Riding Hood cs. I used my cutterbee paper piercing tool around the main image and then for added interest I ran it diagonally on the Sahara Sand layer that the main image would be mounted on. I like the way that it turned out.

I wanted to use my philips head brads for a more masculine feel but I only had three brass ones so I used a Tim Holtz swim basket pin to look like it is holding the hey and drive charms.,

I think it looks like something my grandsons would like.

Tomorrow I am going to have a Dog Gone Stamps card for you and also an Artistic Outpost image will be posted on the AO blog site Wednesday morning.

Right now I am in the mood to go color, so that is what I am going to do. See you tomorrow!

Cathy

Charlie the Clown KLM Designs

KLM Designs is having a DT call and I am contemplating applying. They are offering a free digital image and I like to try to use a companies stamps when applying if I can. What do you think?

Isn't Charlie cute holding the little blue bird? This was so fun to color. I added polka dots to the vest with a Copic micro pen .01. The pen was in the goodie bag of copic supplies when I took the Copic Certification class. I love that pen and use it all the time to do things just like this :) That being said, I colored the digital image with copic markers.

I can see myself sending this card to someone who needed a smiley card (one that makes everybody smile), a kids birthday card, or Just Because card.

I sponged the edge of the main image with Tim Holtz distress ink in Tattered Burlap and Broken China. I bought a K and Company matt stack at Michael's yesterday and found this really neat diagonal check paper that matched the colors perfectly. I sponged the edge of that with the tattered burlap distress ink also. I used a second piece of the double sided matt paper and used the backside for the final piece of dp. I had made two cards without any sponging so I was having withdrawals :)

I tied a piece of beige twill tape (it came on a bundle of washclothes that I bought at Target)and tied a bow knot on the far right side. I dug through my antique white buttons and found two that I liked with the dp and tied the brown checked ribbon through the button holes.

Thanks for looking and have a good rest of your day.

Cathy

The Digi Shack Sketch Challenge

The Digi Shack has a sketch challenge this week. I love their images so I try to play along sometime during the week. Here is my card for the sketch.

I didn't want my card to end up too bright and wanted to use this dp for the sketch. I printed the Lani Surfer image smaller than the last one that I did and it fit pretty nicely in my Marvy Scalloped punch. I used my SU scalloped punch for the Aloha Tags (thanks for the freebie)which were also from The Digi Shack.

I did minimal coloring on the water and tried to stay light with my shading with my copic markers. I used my new Martha Stewart border punch for the band at the bottom . I tied a piece of Pretty Pink grosgrain ribbon that I had dyed with SU reinkers and my card was almost done.

I wanted to make something for the top but everything that I tried didn't appeal to me. I tried photo corners and I tried to make photo corners with the border punch edging but those ideas didn't work for me. I ended up making a narrower border band and adding a border band of pretty pink down the center.

If you haven't checked out The Digi Shack you should. I'm getting pretty addicted because they are all about being colored and you all know I love anything that I can color :)

Have a good day.

See you later tonight. I am going to try to get a couple more challenges done today. I want to do the challenge over at Dog Gone Stamps. Jana always has awesome challenges and this week's is no exception and "gasp" I haven't done any challenges this week for StampTV.

Goodnight

Cathy

Artful Sentiments Copic Color Challenge#8

Good Morning everybody. It's Saturday and that means a new copic color challenge at Artful Sentiments by KimmBT. The colors this week are: RV21, G02, BV01 and any light color.

Here is my sample card:

I used a digital image from The Digi Shack. I colored the flowers with the RV21 pink and BV02 lavendar for the main colors of the flower petals. I colored the leaves with three shades of green and the darkest was G02. My light color is Y15 yellow used for the flower centers.

I then punched a rectangle with my Martha Stewart fancy scalloped punch leaving about 3/4 of an inch on each end that i left closed. I punched the flower image with my Marvy Scalloped oval punch. I considered sponging the edges of the floral scallop but decided to use no sponging on this card. ( yes, I am having sponging withdrawal at the moment :) ) I tied a pretty pink ribbon that I dyed with SU reinkers. Added buttons to the corners. I then mounted this on white.

I used my cutterbug single line paper piercing wheel to outline the edge of the white panel. I then mounted all on a pretty pink cardstock base and my project was done. This is a simple quick card and you can add a sentiment tag to the ribbon for almost any occasion.

You need to join us for this fun challenge. Create a card and upload it to the website, we would love to see what you do. If you are a beginning user of copic markers color a picture and show us what you did, we were all beginners at one time too.

See you later tonight with some challenge cards, it is the week-end, my time to play!!!

Thanks for stopping by

Cathy

Final card for Artistic Outpost Cracker Jack Release

Here is my final card for the Cracker Jack Release for Artistic Outpost for whom I am so proud to be a Guest Designer. I have gotten to showcase some awesome sets since December
When I think of Baseball, I think of apple pie, and America as well so I always think of the colors of Red, White, and Blue. I used the baseball stamp to create the dp for the card base. I just randomly stamped the baseballs to cover the white cs and then overstamped Take Me Out To The Ballgame in Red ink.

I colored the umpire (today he is an umpire) with a blue hat and white shirt and sponged the outside border with cranberry red. I created the sentiment tag by cutting a piee of white and a piece of black and punched the end with my tag punch. I am all about using what I have in a way so that it looks like I used another product. The tip to use the tag punch to create the tag end came from my friend Theresa.

Thanks for stopping by every night to view my release projects for this totally awesome set. This set can be used for masculine greeting cards, for kids baseball scrapbook pages, Birthday invitations, Gift cards, coasters, the list goes on. I will definitely be showing more of this set in the next few months so keep checking back.

Now I just need to get the Hero's bundle :)

See you later, Have a great week-end.

Cathy

Out of the Office for a Meeting?

This gentleman, from Cracker Jack just released at Artistic Outpost, looks very serious about his favorite sport and business. I am sure that many of his afternoon meetings during baseball season were in the ball park. The ribbon says it all, "Take me out to the Ball Game!" It looks like it was casual Friday at work that day :)

I colored the gentleman with copic markers and sponged with Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Brushed Corduroy. I stamped the word Baseball in cranberry red Adirondak ink to match the stamped ribbon, which was a great find at Hobby Lobby on sale.

I was looking for something to mount my baseball on and saw this red bottle cap. I have seen my friend Lynn Stevens use bottle caps but had never found any to use myself. I took mine outside and used a hammer to flatten it out. Not as pretty as Lynn's but it works for what I wanted, her's has nicely rounded edges and mine was just beat into submission!

Mounted my image on brown cardstock and then I off set two panels, one with the baseball word collage which is very cool stamped in brown and one sponged brown. I distressed all the edges a little to age it a bit.

I mounted everything on one of my favorite masculine dp's the brown with green dots.


As we celebrate both our new summer releases as well as our new website, we're offering 20% off both the unmounted and mounted versions of Cracker Jack and She-roes. Please enter the following coupon code at check-out: cj-sr-20off We are also offering 20% the purchase of both She-roes and Hero unmounted sets. This is a special item in our store located here. (Please note you can not combine the coupon code with this set. However, you can purchase this bundle at 20% off and use the coupon code to purchase Cracker Jack. Coupon offer ends May 31, 2009.)Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the other Design Team and Guest Design eam members blogs for more samples using the two new sets. I personally have one more sample after today so be sure to stop back.

Thanks for stopping by. TGIF!!!

Cathy

Hey Batter Batter!!!

I used the Artistic Outpost Cracker Jack baseball card frame and stamped on white cardstock. I stamped the Boston baseball player on a separate piece of white cardstock and colored him with copic markers, added red pinstripes and then I cut him out and popped him up on the card frame. I then mounted the baseball card on red cardstock.

I really like this blue designer paper with red polka dots so I used that for my card base designer paper. I added a baseball bat from a SU sports set. I stamped the baseball word in Tim Holtz weathered wood. Stamped the Greatest past time in black ink and used a circle punch to round the end to look like a tab. I mounted that on red cardstock and trimmed the end of that piece with the circle punch as well.

I used a SU star punch for the blue star which I outlined with the red Copic Atchou glitter pen. I added 3 star eyelets. I used my crop-a-dile to fasten the eyelets.

This would be a great guy birthday card.

As we celebrate both our new summer releases as well as our new website, we're offering 20% off both the unmounted and mounted versions of Cracker Jack and She-roes. Please enter the following coupon code at check-out: cj-sr-20off We are also offering 20% the purchase of both She-roes and Hero unmounted sets. This is a special item in our store located here. (Please note you can not combine the coupon code with this set. However, you can purchase this bundle at 20% off and use the coupon code to purchase Cracker Jack. Coupon offer ends May 31, 2009.)

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out the other Design Team and Guest Design eam members blogs for more samples using the two new sets. I personally have two more samples after today so be sure to stop back.

Have a great one!

Cathy

Artistic Outpost Cracker Jack Vintage Baseball is Here!

May means summer at Artistic Outpost. We love the warmer weather, however, as we write this it has rained for 48 hours straight. Bring on the SUN!!!

Our two brand new releases for the season are sure to become some of your new favorites celebrating heroes of different kinds, the boys of summer and our armed forces. We are pleased to release Cracker Jack & She-roes.

Enjoy Cracker Jack...
Our love of baseball runs deep. Childhoods were spent at the ballpark either playing ourselves or watching our brothers. At the turn of the century, when baseball became an American passion, gentleman wore hats and ties to the game, the players rode the subway to Ebbets field in Brooklyn, and there was no such thing as the "replay".We hope you enjoy this collection, inspired by the great players, and the original ball clubs that inspired a nation.

A little about She-roes...
Women have always carried half the sky. During WWII, women began carrying their half in the armed forces as well. Whether they were nursing the sick or flying in the Women's Air Corp, this collection celebrates our "she-roes".

Both collection are available in unmounted sheets or pre-cut on EZ Mount cling foam.

As we celebrate both our new summer releases as well as our new website, we're offering 20% off both the unmounted and mounted versions of Cracker Jack and She-roes. Please enter the following coupon code at check-out: cj-sr-20off We are also offering 20% the purchase of both She-roes and Hero unmounted sets. This is a special item in our store located here. (Please note you can not combine the coupon code with this set. However, you can purchase this bundle at 20% off and use the coupon code to purchase Cracker Jack.)

Be sure to check out the rest of the DT and Guest DT members blogs to see all the new release

Lisa Somerville

Gerrie Johnnic

Kelly Burton

Michelle Murphy

Debby Boltman

Debi Wind

Judy Hayes

Lynn Stevens

Rachel Baird

Robin Willis

Sharon Briss

Susan Conrad

Toni Tessler

See you tomorrow with more new release samples!

Cathy

StampTV Challenge Card

Here is the card that I made for the Technique Challenge on StampTV. This week Gina showed us how to make the dp with using the shaving cream technique. This is such a fun technique and the outcome is a little different on each piece of paper.

I cut 4 - 4 1/4 by 5 1/2 pieces of white cardstock to place on my shaving cream mixture. For this piece I used Cool Carribean, Kiwi Kiss, and Pretty Pink SU reinkers. I cut my last piece of Cool Carribean to use as the base of this card.

I used my copic markers to color the images from My Cuppa Joe stamp set from GinaK Designs . I sponged around the edge with Tim Holtz Broken China Distress ink and tied a pink ribbon that I had dyed a while back. I love using my SU reinkers to make my custom color ribbons that match the SU cardstock. I don't think that I ever use my reinkers to ink a stamp pad :)

I had so much fun stamping and coloring this past week-end and had time to create 3 StampTV challenge cards and actually got them done before the deadline. Deadlines got a little easier to attain since I got my new laptop computer.

When I got my tax refund I decided that I could use it to buy the stamps that I had been wanting but hadn't had the extra money for, but I decided that since Jim and I need to use the computer at the same time that it would be more beneficial and keep peace in the family if I got a laptop with internet service so we could both work at the same time. It has been a wonderful investment, especially in my temperment. The old saying is true, "If mama isn't happy, nobody is happy :).

Now I don't have to wait until well past midnight most nights to post to my blog or check my email.

I am going to say good night for now. See you tomorrow.

Cathy

See what I got for Mother's Day!

Lookee what we got for Mother's Day. Isn't he just the cutest little thing. The mare doesn't have the white circle on her cheek it was the flash from the camera. Doesn't she look proud of her baby.

The mare is a Thoroughbred mare that won multiple races and the baby is bred to be a race horse also but for right now he is just the sweetheart of the barn.

Just thought I would share a little Mother's day portrait. Now you all know why I love Theresa's new set so much.

Have a great rest of the day.

Happy Mother's Day from Cathy, My Sis, and her new baby

Shaving Cream Technique on StampTV

Hi everyone. This week GinaK, of GinaK Designs Stamp TV, showcased the shaving cream technique. Since I started stamping a couple of years ago I have always wanted to try this technique but I never found instructions or I was too lazy to look too hard, I prefer the first scenario. Gina's video explained everything perfectly. The part I couldn't figure out on my own was what you did with the shave cream after you got it on the cardstock. The solution is easy peasy. Gina used a Pampered Chef scraper which I didn't have but I did have a shower squeegie scraper.

I wanted to make a blue and brown shaving cream technique card because I wanted to use it to make the challenge card for Theresa's Color Challenge which was to use Chocolate Kiss cardstock and any other color. I thought blue would be nice. I like blue and chocolate almost as much as chocolate and pink. I used Bayou Blue and Close to Cocoa SU reinkers for my colors.

I colored the Iris from the Elegant Flowers that came with my Floral Frenzy StampTV package in turquoise to try to match the ink colors I had used for the shave cream.

I had the brown stitched ribbon but the stitching was white so I colored the white stitching with my copic markers.

Be sure to check-out Gina's video and you can make a card like this too.

Thanks for stopping by. See you tomorrow!

Cathy

Artful Sentiments by KimmBT Copic Color Challenge 7

Good Saturday morning to all! Sorry, I am late posting this, usually my posts are right after midnight and I am sure that will be the case in the future :

The colors for this week's copic color challenge at Artful Sentiments by Kimm BT Copic Color Challenge are BG15, Y06, R17 and any other color from the orange group.

I chose a stamp set from Hannah Stamps called Cafe that I have had for a while but never inked up, Gasp!!!, I know what's up with that, couldn't be that I have too many stamps, NEVER!!!!

YO6 is used on the flower, the hair, and the reflection on the table.

BG15 was used for the polka dots on her dress, coffee cup, and shoes.

R17 was used for the darker shading on the dress and headband

The orange group was represented with YR16 for the main color of the dress and headband

Be sure to come and play along with us, it is so much fun and you get to COLOR!!! You can use any stamp that you like. Be sure to leave a comment in the Mister Linky comment box on the Artful Sentiments Copic Color Challenge blog so that we can come and ohhhhhh and ahhhhhhh over your beautiful creation.

I'll have more later, this is going to be a busy stamping (play) day for me.

Have a great day and see you later.

Cathy

Aloha! Surf's Up

The Digi Shack is having a contest using the newest release digital images, the three wahini's. I was good and only purchased Lani the little surfer.

I think these new images are incredible and they print out so nicely on my regular Georgia Pacific white cardstock I buy by the ream at WalMart.

I colored the image with copic markers and used a little white gel pen for highlights. Black hair is really hard to color. I started with 4 shades of grey and then went in with black.

Since I colored the water in a couple of shades of blue I didn't want to color in or even airbrush the sky so I just did a generous sponging around the edges with Tim Holtz broken china distress ink.

I stuck pretty much to the teal and yellow theme on the card but did use the red hibiscus bloom with a yellow button in the center in the upper left hand corner to tie in with the redish orange flames on the surfboard.

Check in tomorrow for the first official DT images for the Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge by KimmBT. The colors are pretty cool and I can't wait to see what the other DT members came up with for the colors.

See you tomorrow. I should have some StampTV challenge cards as I plan to stamp all day and night, because I can hippee!!!

Take Care,

Cathy

The DigiShack Color Challenge

That's a good question! The Buzz is that The Digi Shack has just released some new digital images that are just a cute as the rest of the images that I can't resist. In honor of their new release of 3 hawaiian wahini images they are having a color challenge as well.

The color challenge colors are navy blue, white, dark brown and kraft. I did fine until it came to the Kraft and I have none. I do have the die cut tags from SU several years ago and one of the sheets is Kraft, problem solved.

I thought this image was just too cute, but I say that about all of The Digi Shack images. I can not tell a lie, as soon as I get this posted I am going to get a little hawaiian girl to color, just can't decide between them. There are only 3 I will probably end up getting them all, I have no will power :)

I used my new cutterbug double row wheel punch, this is such an easy way to make nice even rows of punches. I used the single row wheel punch on the brown and the double row on the navy blue.

I tied a ribbon in navy blue grosgrain ribbon and added my Kraft tag. I met all of the elements of the challenge, hooray!

Thanks for looking and be sure that you go check out the new images at The Digi Shack and if you haven't been there before, check them all out, I think you're gonna like them!!!

See you tomorrow I will be celebrating TGIF this week for sure!!!!

Cathy

It's Spring Butterfly time!

Artistic Outpost has a wonderful stamp plate called Happiness that has some of the most beautiful butterflies. In honor of the fact that it feels like Spring is finally here and warming up to my liking, I created a springy feeling card.

The tag is stamped with the swirly elegant butterfly from the Happiness plate. I used my copic airbrush to add the color to the stamped image. The photo has distorted the color a little bit because IRL the background paper really blends into the tag color. I think that it is the gold around the buttons that is throwing off the color. The designer paper is a digital download called Floral Frenzy from GinaK Designs.

I used my Martha Stewart scalloped border punch. I added a narrow piece of beige loop edged ribbon for a little bit more detail as I was trying to make the sentiment on the tag be the focal point of the card.

I am teaching myself to make these darling crochet flowers and I have finally gotten it down pretty well. I learned to do some basic crochet stitches growing up, many years ago, and never learned to read a pattern. I follow the pattern as best as I can and then make it work for me. It is pretty close to the way it is supposed to look. I think it fits nicely on this card and the color matched perfectly.

That's it for tonight. Have a great one.

Cathy

I am a chosen one-StampTV Center Stage for May

I was so excited to see lots of comments coming in on my email this afternoon. I thought it was for some of the cards that I had created over the week-end using Theresa's Out West stamp set. I was at work so I can view the email to the point that it says that you have a comment but when it is for StampTV or any other blog I can't access it. For some strange reason they think that when I am working that I should be earning my pay :), novel concept!

Center Stage is an honor selection for 10 members of GinaK Designs StampTV who submit artwork and tag it GinaK Designs. GinaK and the StampTV crew choose 10 cards to showcase and the "chosen" members get to put the Center Stage Button on their blog sidebar....totally cool!

The card that was chosen was for a GinaK Designs challenge for black and white cards. I used Melanie Muenchinger's Just so Sporty Hoody for the image, I love coloring those hoodies.

If you saw all of the awesome talent that exudes on StampTV every single day you would know what an honor it is to be chosen, especially in the second month of the award.

Not only do I get the Center Stage Button but a 10.00 credit on my next purchase from GinaK Designs, totally cool huh!

I just wanted to share my exciting news, now I have to get busy creating some projects that need to get done this week.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

My Vision-Someone to watch over Me!

I had this vision for this set, Out West, and I think it came out close to what I was trying to achieve. Judge for yourself.

I think the storm clouds turned out better than I expected. I got to use my Tree Silhouettes stamp set from GinaK Designs for the first time. This was the set I chose when I won Donna's 3D challenge a couple of months ago. I love those trees. I stamped them in Momento London Fog ink. Just a hint if you think that London Fog is a grey, wrong, it is misty green which is great for trees and it works for most everything but it was a surprise the first time I used it.

I colored the horse in greys to keep the dreamy vision I had. I tried to mute the grass and ground so that they were like a vision as well.

The horse head was stamped in versamark and embossed with white embossing powder. Not quite as subtle as I was wanting but I was pleased with it.

I finished it by adding a wide sheer dotted swiss ribbon at the bottom, mounted the main image on white cardstock, mounted that on black cardstock and finally mounted all on SU Sahara Sand.

I think this will be my final OutWest card for today :) I love this set and it is so easy to come up with ideas for great cards. I keep wanting to make scenes and not single images, not a bad thing just different because I have to create a lot of the scene elements by drawing them. I can't wait to see what Theresa comes up with next month!!!

Well, tomorrow it is back to work and I have some fun projects in the works. Be sure to keep checking back.

If you ever have any questions about any of my cards that I didn't explain, just send me an email and I will be sure to answer them.

Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

StampTV Challenge card

Okay, are you tired of seeing horses yet? I have this pretty Paint I did for a challenge card and one more that I am still creating but I think if it turns out the way I plan it will be my favorite.

Cindy Lawrence is hostess of the Color Challenge at StampTV this week and the challenge is to use black, white, and one other color. My colors are black, white, and brown.

The only new set that I bought at the last GinaK Designs release party was Theresa's Out West but that is not the only reason that I am using the heck out of it, I love it! I have one more horse card to make today but depending on what I get accompished today it may be late tonight or possibly even tomorrow.

In case some of you wonder why I am so enthralled with authentic horse images. My kids showed horses in 4H for years and we spent many week-ends at horse shows. They didn't get horses we bought from trainers that already knew everything and the kids just had to sit on their backs, my kids got cheap, broke, but untrained horses and they trained them and all of them loved it and did wonderfully winning more ribbons and trophies than I can house.

In 1990 I decided that I was tired of having all of our spare money going to other trainers for our thoroughbred race horses so I studied and took the Kansas Racing Licence Trainers Test. I passed and was able to train my own horses at the track. I was licensed to race in Kansas, Iowa, and Nebraska I trained race horses for 10 years and still have 5 of my old runners at the farm and they will have a home there as long as they live. We are expecting a new arrival any day and I will post a pic when he/she arrives.

I have always wanted a Paint horse, but it never happened, so I just colored one up instead.

At any rate, I got to do some challenges this week-end and that always makes me happy. Now if I could just win one more new GinaK set I would be very happy, I'll be happy anyway, you will just see more Out West projects :)

See you later.

Cathy

Artful Sentiments Copic Challenge # 6

The colors for this week's Copic Challenge at Artful Sentiments are YG11, R20, and B21. I used R20 for the coral base color, the B21 was airbrushed on as the water, and the closest I had to YG11 was YG13 which I used as the base for the water grass.

The stamp is underwater from Dog Gone Stamps. I colored with copics, duh, that's the challenge !!! I decided to put the sentiment tag on but not add a sentiment yet as I am not sure what occassion I will use this card for.

The dew drops give the appeaerance of air bubbles. Please play along with the challenges. You will have fun, so come play with us!

I'll be back with more tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by.

Cathy

Out West Happy Appy!

I promised you another card using Theresa's new Out West set from GinaK Designs yesterday, better late than never :). I also completed it for Melanie's Pot Luck Friday challenge on StampTV:

I wanted to color the horse a little different so decided on appy markings, with the spotted blanket on the rump. I was actually going to make it darker but as I was shading I liked it when it got to this point so there it stayed :)

I also decided that this would be a good card to create a pierced mat for my main image and use my new cutterbug double row piercing tool. The piercing on the black panel under the horse image does resemble saddle stitching holes.

I used the Sateen flowers from GinaK Designs and left the three on the left side white and added black brads and colored the one of the right side with my black copic marker and added a white brad to that one.

The main image is mounted on a piece of Rough and Rugged digital paper which was pierced along the edge. That was mounted on black which was then mounted on a piece of SU designer paper from the Outlaw designer paper pack (which I hoard because they are so perfect for my western or masculine cards).

Once again, thanks for creating this wonderful set Theresa, I'm having a lot of fun with it.

I have a couple more projects near completion which means there may be another post later tonight or a couple tomorrow, depending on what I get accompished :)

Thanks for stoppping by,

Cathy

DT member for Artful Sentiments weekly Copic Challenge!

You all know how much I enjoy, okay LOVE my copic markers, so when my friend Lynn Stevens told me that Kimm BT was having a DT call for her new weekly Copic Challenge I sent in my blog and I was one of 5 chosen for the DT. I am sooo excited. Thanks Kimm and Thanks Lynn!

You can go to Kimm's blog and play in the challenge for this week here. The challenge is to use one or more of the copic marker colors chosen for the week, create a card, and post a link to your card on the challenge site. Easy Peasy! Kimm's challenges has a slight twist and that is to use the copic colors chosen ( or as close to the colors as you have and also a specified color group specified in the challenge.

This is a great way for those of you who are just learning to use copic markers to play along and practice with someone else choosing the colors for you, takes half the work out of it :).

Look for the DT cards on the May 9 challenge.

Before I go for the night I have one more card to show you using Daisy from Dog Gone Stamps.

I thought that Daisy resembled my very first dog, a beagle named Taffy, so I drew in a few spots to get the tri colored look.

I found the perfect sentiment stamps for my Dog Gone Stamps at Michaels and had a 50% off coupon so added bonus for me.

I bought the paw print twill tape ribbon at Hobby Lobby on sale and cut a bone shape out of shrinky dink to use as my charm. The Love sentiment is from Stampin Up.

Well, it is Friday and I am loooking forward to a quiet week-end of stamping and enjoying the warmer weather.

Thanks for stopping by,

Cathy