Kitten curiousity

Today's card uses a new image from Mo's Digital Pencil. This cute kitten was available as a short-term freebie to fans of Mo's Facebook page (if you aren't already a fan, why not?).

I challenged myself to add in stripes instead of just colouring him solid - I used my cat Natty as my model although in truth the result bears absolutely no resemblance to her (lol). I'm still pretty pleased with the result as this is a real step forward in my colouring repetoire. I also practiced my blending, especially on the leaves. You may not be able to tell, but they are coloured with a mix of orange, yellow, green & brown copics.

I decided to make this card very clean & simple by using a sketch design from Cute Card Thursday and keeping the embellishments to a minimum. The papers are from Basic Grey and the brads are from my stash (I did add some Glossy Accents to the brads though as they were too flat). I made multiple print-outs of Mo's digi stamp, in different sizes, so that I could add the leaves falling down. I had a lot of fun adding dimension to the leaves! After cutting them out, I rounded the edges (using a rounded stick and pressing into my palm) and then added Zip-dry glue in layers so that the leaves would hold their rounded shape. I'm pleased with the results because each leaf appears to curl slightly differently so it looks like they are actually falling over the kitten.

Challenges:
Copic Creations - shading on or around your image
Craftalicious Challenges - harvest festival or autumn
Little Red Wagon - make your own embellishment (I altered the brads but also made the leaf embellies from a digi stamp)
Sketchy Colours - yellow, orange, green, brown
Stamp Something - something with Fall colours
All Sorts Challenge - plain & simple

A Free Christmas

There are just too many digital images available and too little time to colour and use them all! This latest is a freebie being offered by Bugaboo as part of the Holiday/Special Occasion challenge at CDAC. Isn't the little mouse too adorable? In addition to this being a free image, the papers and sentiment were also a free gift with purchase of a magazine. So this card basically cost me $0 (the buttons even came out of my lost button jar).

All of the Nitwit patterned papers and embellishments (except for the buttons) came free in the latest issue of Paper Crafting Magazine. I coloured the mouse to match the soft blues/pinks/greens in the papers. The only real effort for this card was the addition of some glossy accents to the holly berries and the embossing of the card blank itself (using Cuttlebug "Flourishes" folder). Oh, and the cutting out of the holly leaves ... thank goodness for sharp scissors!!!

Challenges:
MAWTT - sketch, plus choose at least 3 items from the "to do" list (I chose buttons, embossing, leaves, 2 patterned papers)
Creative Belli - anything that starts with "B" (buttons, bumpy [embellished] paper)
Totally Gorjuss - Christmas
CDAC Holiday/Special Occasion Challenge - sponsored by Bugaboo, Christmas

Copic shading

The latest challenge at Copic Creations is to add shading either around your image or within your image. Well, I bought this digital image a few weeks back and have been dying to use it so this was the perfect challenge to inspire me. The image is from Make it Crafty - I am in love with all their images but hesitated buying because I worried that my colouring isn't good enough for these incredibly detailed stamps. It took quite a bit of work but I am really happy with the result!

For the first time, I made full use of my collection of grey markers on a project. I used warm greys for shading the wood and plants, cool greys for the stone steps and neutral greys for everything else. I tend to be quite hesitant about my shading but this time I pushed myself to add more and as a result I think the image looks very dimensional.

I chose some Basic Grey patterned papers (from the "Pyrus" set) and used basic kraft paper for all of the matting. The sketch is from the current Basic Grey Challenge. The only part of this card that makes me unhappy is the 3 flowers that I made for embellishment. I tried to mimic the shape of the flowers in the stamped image and then crumpled up the paper to give more dimension, but I'm afraid they just don't really work. I can't think of anything better though so they'll have to do for now. Hopefully I will come up with something better before the card gets used. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Challenges:
Basic Grey Challenges - sketch
A Spoon Full of Sugar - anything goes
Creative Card Crew - autumn or fall (autumn colours)
Everybody Art Challenge - autumn (autumn colours)
Charisma Cardz - anything goes
Copic Creations - shading on or around your image
Stamp Something - something with Fall colours

Lending a hand

Another thank you card for the upcoming "Crop for Kids" weekend crop. This time I used a Dustin Pike Doodle Dragons image (isn't it fun?) and a bit of a different colour combo.

I really didn't want this to look like a Christmas card even though the snowman and wintery clothing definitely leans that way. I think the matching of orange with a lighter green manages to avoid just that. After colouring in the image with my Copics, I added some Stickles (frosted lace) to give the shine of snow at their feet.

I keep looking at the card thinking that it needs "more" but I can't decide more of what. I guess clean & simple is sometimes the best way to go ...


Challenges:
All Sorts Challenge - plain & simple
Totally Papercrafts - a kind of magic (what could be more magical than dragons and living snowmen)
Raise the Bar - bundle up (scarves, hats, gloves)
Crafty Ho's - sketch

I spy a birthday boy

My oldest son is at an age where he will be attending lots of birthday parties so I am increasing my stash of boy birthday cards. I had a bit of fun making this card over the last couple of evenings. I chose this Mo Manning image for a couple of reasons - first, it was "Talk like a pirate day" on the weekend, and second I just LOVE this image. 

I coloured the pirate with Copic markers and then matted it on some scrap cardstock. In fact, all of the cardstock was from my scrap bin! I love how the multi-colour arrow paper mimics the direction the pirate is looking. Since this is a boy's card, the ribbon embellishment is actually some sisal cording that I coloured with Copic to match the pirate coat. The only other embellishment is a chain across the middle fold (made with a EK Success border punch).



The pirate flag is some clipart I found online. I added the "I Spy" wording over top, cut out the image, added a toothpick behind the flag pole and then glued the entire thing to strong cardstock so the entire thing would stand up. What I think is kind-of cool is when the card sits flat, the flag lays down flat too, only to pop up when the card is folded/opened.

A pretty simple card but I find that boys just don't appreciate too much detail and bother.

Challenges:
CCEE Stampers - talk like a pirate
Crafts & Me - easel card
My Time to Craft - kids at play

If the shoe fits ...

There are just so many ways to finish this sentiment that I will just leave it to your imagination. The image is from Bugaboo (if you hurry, you can get the image free!). I used one of Scrappy's Bugaboo sketches for the design. And the papers are from Basic Grey's "Eerie" pack. This was a very quick & easy card but I'm liking it, mainly for the options of what to write inside (does the shoe fit because you're a witch or something that rhymes with witch? hmmm).

Challenges:
Paper Playtime - if the shoe fits ...
A Spoon Full of Sugar - fall into Autumn colours
Stamp Something - something digi (the image)
Creative Belli Challenge - anything that starts with "B" ("b"asic grey paper, "b"rown matting, "b"ig-"b"uckled shoes)

The "Crop for Kids" is nearly here

16 more days until the BC Crop for Kids!!!! I can hardly wait for a weekend of scrapbooking, card making and gossiping with my friends.

As part of the Crop, we've been asked to donate thank you cards (to be given to the sponsors). Every card donated will result in an entry into a special draw. Well, sounds like a good enough reason to make a couple of cards .... There are 2 cards today so make sure to keep scrolling down.

Card #1:
This first card uses a sweet teddy bear image from Tales From Pollycraft along with My Mind's Eye papers. I kept the design very simple, using a card sketch from Papertake Weekly Challenge. The colouring is done (of course) with Copics.

Challenges:

CCEE Stampers - teddy bears
Craftalicious - thank you
Papertake Weekly Challenge - picture inspiration (I chose the colours as my inspiration)

Card #2:
This second card uses a fun image from Doodle Dragons Studio. I wanted to make this card more masculine so I chose some fun embossed papers from DCWV citrs matstack. The card  is a diamond fold with the bear image on a paper spring. It's hard to see in the photo but the bear's nose & paws, as well as the sentiment, are cut out and popped up to give dimension - instead of using pop dots, I layered on glue so that the entire image would be rounded. The final touch was the addition of the bows on either side.

Challenges:

CCEE Stampers - teddy bears

Craftalicious - thank you

Simon Says Stamps - move it (the image in card #2 is on a spring)
Everybody Art Challenge - a different card shape
Doodle Dragon Studio - fancy folds
Quirky Crafts - sketch (it was a lot of fun adapting this sketch to a diamond shaped card)