Geeky Mae - Just for fun

So I've been spending A LOT of time in my basement lately ... another one of those pesky 9 day weekends for me :)  I colored Mae last night (in triplicate) and stopped short of a card because while I know who these are going to I was too tired to come up with a layout.

Here's what I ended up with this afternoon:

I used my niece's school colors (Go Hawks)  and colored similar to her hair and eye color.  For the black pearls I colored self-adhesive half back pearls with Copic Sketch 100.

I didn't use a ton of Copics on this one either.  Here are the deets:
Eyes/Hair: E57, E55, E53
Skin: E13, E11, E00, E000, E0000
Shirt: YR23, YR24, Y21
Skirt: C8, C6, 100

For the green version (shown below - for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame) I used BG99, G28, G24

And the blondie girls' hair is Y21,  Y26, YR24

Thanks for stopping!

CPS and FBW Remix

I'm so excited for some of these new challenges I've found on line - there are no company requirements so I can use what I have / what I want and just follow along with the theme (or layout)

This week I combined the CPS layout with the FBW theme which was to decorate the inside.

Here's my card:

 I started by Coloring the Brella Fairy (from SoG)  I used a new feathering technique I learned to color the dress.  I really like the  way it turned out.

Copic deets to follow:
YG17, 13, 11 (leaf)
V91, 95, 99 (eyes)
BV13, 08, 29 (hair)
R29 (hair tie)
E11, 13, 00, BV20, R81 (skin)
BG11, 13, YG11, 13, Y11 (dress)

To make the plaid I used BB:Retro striped image and stamped repeatedly in Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder and Concorde Crush (all SU!)

Inside I stamped a sentiment form Thanks All Ways (PTI) in Concorde Crush and added the plaid pattern in Wisteria Wonder and Lucky Limeade.  I added the strips of Concorde Crush and Lucky Limeade to give a good separation between the writing area of the card and the decorated part (and to hide the little bit of a biff I made on the top row of the plaid .... creativity at work :) )

Thanks for stopping!!

Vacation Project #4 - Hambo Hoedown #43

This week's Hambo Hoedown was to use something soft on your project.  I made it (barely) by using some wide twill striped ribbon.  See it - yeah over there on the far left side, next the notebook paper punch ... yep that's ribbon.  Its soft and it counts.  I wanted to put a bow or a knot there too, but due multiple attempts at this card, I didn't have enough left to do that.

Here is the whole card.  I really struggled with this one today and I'm not sure why.  I did learn something new though.  If you accidentally die cut paper that has adhesive all over the back, you can clean your steel dies with rubbing alcohol.  It will eventually get the adhesive residue off  *cough don't ask cough*

I used the new Computer digi for the main image and shrunk down my balloon penguin to fit in the computer screen.  I printed the sentiment using Courier font and die cut with the Half and Half die from PTI.

Thanks for stopping!

A Hambo Holiday

The Hambo Hoedown this week is to use a tag in your project.  The Wee Henry Turkey digi was the participation prize for last week's hoedown and I used it to make a simple Thanksgiving card for my parents

I wanted to have a rough linen look, but my linen texture plate was too subtle so I went with the square lattice embossing folder from SU!.  I actually sewed the black embossed layer on with a zig zag stick.  You can tell in person, and it gives a nice subtle texture over the top of the lattice pattern.

I cut the tag with the button card die from PTI, embossed with the square lattice, then distressed the edge with Tim Holtz Tea Dye distressing Ink

Wee Henry and his buddy were colored with Copic Sketch markers.

Thanks for stopping!

Last of the Birthday Barrage (and a Hoedown card)

This week's Hambo Hoedown is to use a frame on your card and the new digi set Camera Guy from Hambo Stamps

I just remember always taking a picture of someone taking a picture of me.  Its like a rite of passage in my family.  So since this card is for my aunt who will be celebrating her 90th birthday soon, I thought a little homage to the family tradition was in order

 Its a simple little number but super cute.  I printed the Camera Guy on white card stock and colored with Copics.  Then I punched a hole in some black card stock with my largest square punch and used my spiral notebook punch to make it look like a film strip.  If I was thinking I would have done it in shades of brown so it looked like a negative.  Maybe next time ... but see that little sparkle of light on the camera's lens?

I did have the mental fortitude to add Crystal Effects to the lens so it looks like glass :)

Thanks for stopping!

MIM and SFYTT November

Today I got to play with the Make It Monday video (making your own backgrounds with multiple stamps) and the November Sketch For You To Try (early even, thanks to a sneak peek post on FB).

I again made a birthday card for my aunt's 90th birthday card barrage (I just like saying that out loud .... birthday card barrage ... see how that just rolls off your tongue!)

I used the digi stamp I selected as my prize for being Queen of the Hoedown this week from Hambo stamps.  I fell in love with the little penguin the first time I saw him!

I also created a custom dotted background using Polka Dot Basics for both the large white strip and the darker enchanted evening background layer.  I stitched the sentiment layer on with a little zig zg stitch.

I colored the Balloon Penguin using T6 and G99 to simulate black.  The balloon is R24, 29, 59 and the feet and beak are a combo of YR18, 15 12.

The sky was B41 and the "iceberg"  was C1, T1 and T4 along with some colorless blending

Thanks for stopping!

More Fun With Digis: Paper Smooches SPARKS challenge

This is my first Paper SMooches SPARKS challenge. 

I've seen them posted on the blog feed but haven't had the opportunity to play along before now.  Truth be told I've been a little afraid of digital stamps thinking they were too ... limiting?  Well,  I have been having a blast with them over the last few weeks and when I saw the SPARKS challenge today I just had to play along.

So here's my card:

I got a letter from my cousin in the mail today and my aunt is going to be 90 this month.  I thought a blingy birthday present card was just the ticket.  I was inspired by the challenge photo's colors as well as the repeated graphic image.

I colored the focal image using YR18, YR15, YR12, E53, E55, E57, and B18.  I also used T4 to darken up the gift bag a little and C1 to give that overall outline.

Added just that tiny bit o' bling  to make it sparkly.

Thanks for stopping!

Colors: White and Pacific Point.
Digi: Nov freebie Gift

Another Two-fer ... I is on a roll

Since I get to play in the Hambo Hoedown early this week, I thought I'd combine with the CPS 242 sketch challenge as well ... nothing like it ... I feel so LEAN (my worker peeps will get it :)

So here is my take this week:

The Hoedown this week was to use the Snail Rake and a SCS technique.  My technique was the delft tile technique.  I love the grout look and was hoping when I printed Mr. Snail Rake on the scored paper it would look like it was stamped on tile.  The printer went a little too far into the grout lines, but I still like the end result.

I sponged Pacific Point ink around the card stock to highlight the lines a little bit.  Printed the sentiment and added a little swatch of gingham paper and a glitter H button to finish out the sketch.

Thanks for stopping!

Fun with Digis: Weekend Two-fer

ETA:  I am Queen Of The Hoedown this week:  WooHOo



I get to play with stamps today!   La la la la la - LA

Its a rarity these days so I used my time wisely and got a two-fer (Hambo Hoedown AND CPS #241)  I love when multiple challenges come together :)

Meet the Newscaster ....

I used SU! Newsprint designer series paper for the background and digitally fiddled with the stamp set save Mr Newscaster as a GIF so I could overlay on the repeated sentiment from the same set.  Photoshop is Awesome I tell ya!  No other changes

I colored with Copics and used a silver paint pen to give some extra pizazz to the blazer buttons

Thanks for stopping!!

Fun With digis - Day 2: Paper Smooches

I've been collecting Paper Smooches digi stamps for a while now.  I forget about them all too often because my computer is upstairs and my stamp room is down stairs.  Oh for the day that the office/computer room/craft room will be combined (when I move to my condo after the kids are all off living their own lives :)

But I wanted to play around with them and when this cupcake was first introduced, some one (on the design team I think) made it into an ice cream cone.  I remember that and have wanted to try it.

Here is my attempt:

Made the ice cream kinda sherbetty colors, but it just sounded good and looked kinda summery now that fall has a firm grasp on my town.

In case you aren't a follower of PS (which you should be because Kim Hughes makes the most adorable hand drawn images) the cone part is just an extra layer of the cupcake paper.  I drew horizontal lines on it to waffle it up a bit.

I don't have any Stickles (gasp!) and I lost my 2 way glue pen (the horror) so I used a liquid glue and some glitter to sparkle it up.  I'm gonna have to get me some Stickles :)

Thanks for stopping!

Fun with digis - Day 1: Hambo Hoedown

I decided to use some of the digis I've been collecting and make some more "no reason" cards.  Well not exactly no reason this time.  A good friend plays along with the Hambo Hoedown and I decided to join in the fun. 

Everybody meet Cool Cat ... Cool Cat this is everybody

Cool Cat really spoke to me and I wanted this to have a postcard feel - you know "the weather is beautiful, wish you were here" kinda thing. 

I started out cutting the wavy pieces for the background layer.  I thought it gave it a beachy/water theme.  Then I colored in everything trying to recreate the peace, calm, serenity and relaxation of my recent Florida vacation.  I tried a sky shading technique I saw many months (maybe years) ago on Debbie Olson's blog - coloring next to the image, feathering it out and then using a colorless blender to smush it around.  

Notice the little bit of pink on Cool Cat's arm, cheeks and belly.  That's reminiscent of the Florida vacation too.  I think I'm finally finished peeling :)

The color scheme is Marina Mist, Spring Rain, Night of Navy, and too many Copics to mention :)

Thanks for stopping!