Sepia Tone Copic Tutorial

I happened across a most worthwhile post by a fellow Maggie lover and blogger, Penni. She has a wonderful video tutorial for coloring sepia tones with Copic markers that's worth a gander. Check out her video at http://lazycatscards.blogspot.com/2011/11/card-and-video.html or by clicking her name above. Then, send me a photo of your sepia-tone Maggie and I'll post it on my blog.
Keep eyes posted here to see my version soon...not sure I have all the E-Copics needed for her method but we'll see what I can do.

My Favorite Things!!

My Favorite Things is one of those interesting places one happens across online that is a true keeper. Besides the sweetest little stamps this store also has wonderful Die-namics die sets, many with stamps coordinated to fit within the die cut...brilliant!!

Well, today I was looking around this website and found another amazing service they offer which will definitely be worth a try in the future. Can you believe they also service Copic markers? Yes, you heard me correctly! You can send in your markers to have them refilled and tips changed. I've been buying refill ink lately and wondered what the heck I was going to do with all those bottles...well, this answers that for me. Next time I have a pen or two of colors I use less often, I'm sending them to My Favorite Things to be refilled. Geez...brilliant x2!!

I have a number of Ciao markers that need their nibs replaced and have dreaded doing it myself tho' am sure it is an easy task...for $1.95 I don't mind having it done for me. Enjoy the interesting tidbit...hope to see you soon with a fun paper creation.

Halloween Witchy (& Crafty) Tilda Decoration

Hello blog visitors! I'm excited because I'm running short on time for an outing with my gal pal, Bonnie, so will try to hurry this up so I can meet her on time!

I am entering my crafty Tilda in three challenges, Totally Tilda's Special Halloween Challenge, Copic Creations Clear Blender Techniques, & Magnalicious' Brown Paper Bag Challenge. I had great fun making the base for Tilda from a vintage wood thread spool on a rosette base made from 2 @ 16"x1 1/2" lengths of accordian pleated strips from my recycled brown paper bag. I glued the sections together and scored/folded at 1/2" intervals then antiqued, folded and formed into the rosette. This was glued with a mighty glob of E6000 to a 2" cardstock circle covered in some vintage 7 Gypsies paper. To the assembled rosette I glued(E6000) one vintage wood spool & went to town decorating. Again...no shopping trips were made in the construction of this piece...LOL!!

This is the first time using a vintage Tilda I purchased used on eBay a couple years back so the shades of black are fairly new to me. The new Copics worked well and I was able to get a decent outcome for a first try using C3, C5, C1, and N7...with an itsy bit of black and some mixing things around with the Copic Colorless Blender (CCB). Since I am using shades of the same color my CCB was invaluable. The apron highlights were added with the CCB...I ususally soften the folds with CCB here too but this design worked better without that this time. I had a bit of panic when the hat and hair melded into one image and I could not distinguish one from the other. A little work with lightning pigtails with my CCB and shading the interior of the hat worked! To further distinguish the hair from the hat I covered Tilda's hair in clear gloss gel. I wanted the Tilda to be as dark as possible to go along with the base so I also antiqued it all over with a sponge and walnut ink. I created a new string leash and legs for the spider from floral wire I colored with black Copic. Usually, I don't like things as cute as Tilda on items with an altered-art feel but I think this worked fine!

For my Copic Creations friends...I also use the CCB solution straight out of the bottle to clean the blades of my scissors after cutting gooey things like the EZ Mount backing for unmounted stamps!

The links in the Copic Creations challenge are worth a visit even if you don't want to enter!

New ORANGE Challenge Card!

Well, it's October and the challenge called for orange over at Copic Creations' challenge blog so what could one do besides a Halloween card? I tested out my newly won C.C. Designs Honey Witch digital stamp hand colored with my growing collection of Copics and applied her to a 5-1/2" card cut from the Cricut Wild Card cartridge along with coordinating layers of circles in black & orange. My recipe for witchy gal's complexion is to use a rim of G20 & lightly w/G99 around the head and fill in & blend with E50. Her blush and lips color are shaded with V00 & V06. I like the outcome!

Love the 5/8" orange & black grosgrain ribbon & bow, for fun I colored the thread on the orange Button-Up black with a Copic for the occasion.
On the inside I added a stamped tag and a creepy spider from the Cricut Paper Dolls cartridge. This was a fun little card to make with the double-sided vintage K & Co. DP. It's perfect for one of my sweet little grandgals!

Be sure to check out the other fun entries at Copic Creations Challenge Blog!

* Magnolia Challenges Galore *

To start I am entering this sweet little Tilda Christmas card in the great challenge featured at Just Magnolia Challenge #74 using their wonderful Dawny sketch below. My second entry goes for the first time to Magnolia Down Under whose Challenge #65 is titled "flowers & lace"...perfect for this card sweet Tilda too! My card was a huge stretch for me as I generally subscribe to the philosphy that "less is more" and really struggle with adding lots of embellishments.

For my entry I set out to recreate with my Copic markers a distressed/vintage-look like those using Distress Inks as watercolors. I'm pleased with the outcome and hope it translates in my photos taken on this dreary day on the East Coast!

Operation Write Home Mid-Week Throw Down

This week's challenge is for an easel card. My entry was inspired by reading on the OWH site how some of our troop's children sleep with cards from their parents under their pillow. Doesn't that make you want to create more cards for the children who are missing mom or dad?
Click here for the Mid-Week Throwdown Challenge!







Here are more patriotic children's cards I've been making for my next OWH submission:

Flutter By Weds. Challenge #123 and Copic Creations #35

Click images to enlarge.

This week's theme is all things winged at the Flutter By challenge blog...how fun and "Shading" at Copic Creations! In the spirit of the upcoming Fall season I decided to make a Halloween card and just had to continue using my new Charlotte by Kraftin Kimmie...who by the way, has no wings! No problemo...I just sketched and colored a pair with Copics to make her a cute little winged Halloween creature. This easel card has glittery Stickles outlining the sentiment on the easel card base and on the bat-like wings. I colored the image completely with Copic markers, pop-dotted the ghoulish little girl. This one is a challenge to color both because I used a lot of black coloring technique and the delicate features make bleeding a problem. Next, I plan to try another technique! The background fence is a Magnolia Tilda stamp on Bazzill cardstock, DP paper is a Halloween fav of mine by MME. A few black & grey Prima flowers and black diecuts with buttons & a Recollections metal embellie finish things off nicely.

I'll enter this on Copic Creations latest challenge which is "shading". Please notice how my coloring improved from the earlier Charlotte below (and don't forget to click the images for a larger look.) I don't have many Copics yet but am adding all the time and hope this card works well since it's sponsored by Kraftin Kimmie...my favorite new stamps!! I sure would like to win more, wouldn't you? Hurry over...they're picking the winner for this one on 10/1/10.

My recipe for this little ghoul's complextion is: Copic G50, G63, E50, YR16 (blush)...I just loved experimenting with this look! For the black and shading I used C1, C3, & N7.