Butterflies are Free!

Hi friends,
Today's post is about the difference colors make when adding color to an image. I have printed out an image of a butterfly that I liked, and mounted it on two different card stock bases, one pink, the other red.

I took my Copic Markers and started coloring in the first one with blues, greens, and pinks, all in cool shades of the colors.  With the second butterfly image, I took the warm colors of  yellow, orange. and red and colored in the image. You can see the difference in the feel of the cards, just because of the colors I used to tint them.

Many artists use a color wheel when being creative, to help them with their color selections and providing them with color suggestions of what colors go well with other colors. I usually just use my "gut feelings" when coloring an image, and sometimes it looks good and other times it doesn't.  That is why I am trying to learn more about color, and how to use the color wheel when blending colors on a work of art.

Some people say they cannot do art because they don't know what colors to put together, and don't know how to draw and consider perspective. I am here to tell you there are many tools out there, and even here on the web, to help you learn more about these techniques.  So don't use that as an excuse, just get a few basic supplies together and "jump in", or do a little research on the web so you will feel more comfortable when trying a new form of Art. Art is proven to lessen stress, and will make you feel a whole lot better!  See you again soon!

SWEETNESS

Hello friends,
Sweetness is what I feel when I see this lovely fawn napping in the grass. This is the first time I have used this stamp, and I really like the way it stamped out.

The weather here in South Texas has been cooler the past week, and all the creatures have been coming out at sundown to enjoy the cooler temperatures. There is a private church school down the street from my home, where in the evening right before sunset, you can see a family of deer strolling through the school grounds into the wooded area beyond.  They stop and frolic in the well manicured lawn of the school, sometimes laying in the cool, freshly watered grass before they scamper off into the wooded area behind the school. I love to watch them graze and frolic, and wonder if they feel safe living in such a populated area as San Antonio. They inspired me to make this card and add it to my collection.

The entire picture area is the stamp, and I stamped it on watercolor paper with Versafine Sepia ink. Then I gently colored it with my Distressed Ink markers. I stippled on the blue background and them matted the picture in a light beige card stock, before mounting it on an animal printed card base. I believe I purchased the box of animal print cards at JoAnn's Crafts. I thought they were so unique, and would add an element of texture to my animal themed cards.

Take time to enjoy the nature in and around your home. Sometimes you too, will be inspired to use this nature in creating ideas for cards and art projects that you do. Take care, and visit again soon.

Pretty as a Peacock

Hi there stampers! Today's card is a peacock stamp I forgot I had. Several months ago when I was out shopping, I found this wonderful peacock feather ribbon. Of course I didn't know what I was going to use it for, but it was just so pretty, I knew I had to have it.  After months of looking for a peacock rubber stamp, I found this one in one of my stamp binders. It is by Inkadinkado, cling mounted, and it fit perfectly along the feather ribbon.

It was a little too tall for an A2 (quarter fold) card, so I checked my stash and found this 6" square card. I glued down the feather ribbon first, and then the strip of patterned paper across the bottom. Next, I stamped the peacock on white card stock and colored in the feathers on the bird with my Distressed markers. I added the branch stamped directly on the card base, two one inch circles of dark blue card stock and the title phrase before cutting out and adhearing the peacock. After the bird was glued on with foam tape, I used some Stickles and glitter pen to add a little bling to the peacock.

I think this made a really nice friendship card and I intend to send it to a dear friend that loves peacocks. Have a great weekend, and stay cool where ever you are.





With Love & Caring . . . . . to You!

Hello Everyone! Happy Friday! It's the start of another hot and steamy weekend here in South Texas. I am attending a card making class midday on Saturday, so I am sitting here on Friday planning what I need to accomplish between now and the beginning of the new week.

The temps are suppose to feel like 104 Saturday and Sunday, so I think I will just stay in the cool house and work on some greeting cards, and possibly try some background inking techniques for my Artist Trading Cards next month.

I am showing a card I made to send to a good friend who is having health problems right now. She is a very loving and caring person, and I want her to know exactly how I feel. This card is made with a Daisy filled tea cup stamp from Inky Antics, a little Mouser stamp from Impression Obsession, and a piece of patterned paper. The stamps were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink, and then colored with copic markers. I then cut them out and adhered them to the printed scrapbook paper before attaching it to the card base. I used a foam square to pop up the little mouse for accent.

The card itself was very easy to make, and I wanted to share it with you, so you could see how even the simplest of cards can let someone know how much you care for them, and that you took the time to make it with your own two hands.

Have a wonderful weekend, and take a few moments to let someone you love know how special they are. See you soon!

August Birthday's have begun!

August Birthday's have begun, and the first one this month is for a young man I have known all his life.

I always have trouble making masculine cards for men, and I really don't know why.  I have plenty masculine stamps and papers, it's just when I start to put them together, I stumble and hesitate.

On these cards I used the same motorcycle stamp from a set called Route 66 by Artistic Outpost. On the top card I stamped a background from Hero Arts and put a strip of washi tape down the right side. Then I stamped the motorcycle on a piece of printed scrapbook paper that had maps and keys and words collaged on it.  The phrase "get your kicks..... " is below the bike and the finish to the phrase is "on route 66" so I stamped the route sign on a small piece of card stock and stuck it on with a pop dot below the phrase. Another embellishment I added was a winged clock from Paper Wings Productions whose wings matched the washi tape, to tie the colors together.

On the bottom card, I just stamped the motorcycle and phrase on a solid white card, then added a block of torn printed paper at the top and a strip of it at the bottom. You could also add a strip of ribbon (no bow) on top or bottom or   maybe even a piece of leather to embellish in a masculine form. I may add something else at a later time.

Motorcycles are not strictly masculine images, in fact, my Mother told me in her later years that she always wanted to ride a motorcycle, and it is on my Bucket List as well.  I wish everyone a wonderful week, stay cool, and I will see you again soon.

Leaf Background

Hello fellow stampers,
Today I am showing a leaf background I recently did for a card. Stamping on a piece of heavy watercolor paper, I stamped the Hero Arts Maple Leaf stamp in four colors of Memento Ink. I started with the Grape, then Potters Clay, Pear Tart, and finally London Fog. I tried to stamp the images in a random pattern, with the darker colors near the center and the lighter colors near the outside edge. When the card was filled with the maple leaf stamp, I took my stipple brush and the Potters Clay Memento Ink.

The stipple brush is a round shaped brush with all of its bristles flat that will touch the surface of the paper. To "stipple" take the brush in your hand like a pen, and tap the bristles into the stamp pad gently. The more times you tap, the more ink you will pick up on the brush.  Then gently tap in the vacant areas between the leaf stampings to get the "stippled effect."  Of course, you may do many layers of stippling to increase the color intensity if needed, but I usually go by the rule, "less is more!"

To finish this background, I used a colored Spica glitter pen matching each color of leaf, and put just a hint of sparkle on each leaf. You can then add a sentiment to your background if using it to make a card.
Stay cool, and have a happy day. Keep Stampin'!