Distinctive Touches

New Copic Colors!

Announcing -  12 New Copic Colors!!!!

People are already talking about it...

In February 2012 these carefully chosen colors will be available in the Sketch Marker style, as well as Various Ink, bringing us to 358 total Copic colors.

G43 Pistachio, G46 Mistletoe, BG57 Jasper, BG90 Gray Sky, E84 Khaki, E89 Pecan,
BV34 Bluebell, V22 Ash Lavender, V28 Eggplant, RV52 Cotton Candy, R56 Currant, YR27 Tuscan Orange

  

I got a chance to play with the new colors and I am SO excited about them.  These are some of my favorite colors!!!  They really help to flesh out the current color families and they fill in some of the blanks, pairing with individual markers that were already produced. 

Here are some samples of the new colors and suggestions for which markers to pair them up with.

Two new markers pair up with the currently "lonely" G40 to give a nice, rich green combination.

 

A new shade (BG90) helps to lighten the other BG9's in the collection and allow for more contrast.

 

Two new colors flesh out the big jump in the E8's that were introduced last year.  I LOVE this combination and I'm thrilled with the additional two shades!  (This combination looks green next to green tones and brown next to earth tones.) 

 

My new favorite color is YR27.  I use the YR2's a great deal and am thrilled that my color family can now go even darker!

  The violet collection was somewhat lacking... so two new colors (V22 and V28) flesh out the current V2 color family.  LOVE the contrast the two new shades create!

 

A fun new color is R56 and it blends beautifully with the current R59 to create a dark, currant color.  When I blended them together, I thought they were both fairly dark. Since I like to have a lot of contrast, I added RV32 as the "light" shade in a blend and it worked beautifully.  Other colors that work well as blend-able lights for this group are R81 and RV11.

 

As you know, I love my blues... and the new BG57 blends beautifully with our current "loner" BG53.  If you want to create even more contrast, you can start with a layer of B000 for a bluer tone or a BG11 for a greener tone. 

 

Another current loner (BV31) is paired up with the new rich BV34.  This is a gorgeous combination!  To create even more contrast, start with a lighter layer of BV0000 and/or go even darker with BV17 or BV29.  YUM!

 

People wanted pinks... and I think the new RV52 really hits the spot.  It pairs up with our current loner RV55 to blend into a soft cotton candy sweetness.  If you want to darken it up a bit... add a touch of RV66 for contrast.

I can tell a lot of thought went into picking and creating these colors to help expand the current colors... not just to create more colors. 

And here's my very first image - colored with the new colors!

 

Digi Image by Whimsidoodles
X-Press It Blending Card
Copic Sketch Markers Used:
    skin - E00/E21/E33/E95/BV01
    hair - YR20/YR23/YR27
    clothing - E81/E84/E87/E89
    stem - G40/G43/G46
    flower petals - RV52/RV55
    flower center and belt - RV32/R56/R59
    shoes - E31/E35/E37

 

So... which new color is on YOUR shopping list? 

 

 

 

Cold Crusin'

I'm back from vacation... only it didn't really FEEL like a vacation.  Vacation to me means hot sand, bright sun, and warm waters.  This vacation was bitter winds, heavy seas, and dreary cloud cover. All in all though, I wasn't working... so I guess it still qualifies!  (Below is the one night that the cloud cover broke up and we were able to watch the sun set.)  Beautiful!

We took a 4 day cruise from Port Canaveral to the Bahamas.  Here's how it went:

Day 1 - Monday. 

• Cloudy and some rain showers in Port Canaveral, but that's okay... we are just boarding and heading south... it's bound to warm up. 
• Boarding was easy... and our luggage was brought quickly to our room... I mean, closet. 
• Watched the ship launch and head out to sea.  I think we were trying to outrun the roiling storm clouds... yeah, didn't happen.
• Dinner was an event.  Food on the last cruise we went on was amazing.  This time... not so much.  Maybe it's just the "first night" kinks. 
• Did I mention the heavy seas?  No?  Pardon me while I careen from wall to wall as I stagger down the hallway.
• Got back to the cabin and found this adorable towel monkey just hanging around. 

Day 2 - Tuesday.

• Woke up to the captain announcing our visit to Cocoa Cay was cancelled due to the 40 mile an hour winds and boiling waves. (We were told we would try again on the way back.)
• Spent the day on the boat.  The captain turned off all engines so we could "drift" for the day... otherwise it would have been too windy to be up on deck.  (Can you see how empty the deck was anyway?  It was COLD!)

• Took some Dramamine.  Took some more.
• Played 3 card in the casino.  Lost some money.
• Captain's Dinner.  Got all dressed up.  Ate some food (it was better today, but still not stellar.)
• Watched a show.  Giggled as the dancers tried to stay upright on the heaving boat. 

Day 3- Wednesday: Nassau.

• Docked alongside a number of other cruise ships. 

• Sat on deck for a bit and then went inside to play gin.  (Too cold and windy on deck.)
• Got on a huge catamaran and went out of the port to go snorkeling.  (Didn't raise sails.... just motored...)
• Got into the water (OMG...  everything is instantly numb!) and spent an hour body surfing on the waves and googling the cool fish and coral reef below.
• Got out of the water (OMG... everything is instantly flash frozen by the wind!) and sailed back to the boat.  (This time they did raise the sails and we FLEW back.)

• Took a HOT shower in the shower (I mean sink) and went to dinner.
• Lost some more money at the casino and saw another show. (We were docked still, so the dancers had no issues tonight.)

Day 4 - Thursday: Coco Cay.

• Ahhhh, the wind was down to about 20 mph and the waves a seemingly calm 5 feet - so we could visit! 
• Hopped on board the tender and bobbed and bounced our way to the island amid cries of, "Oh Lord... I'm going to be sick!" 
• Found a lounge chair on the beach (not a difficult task as it was mostly empty - just a few brave souls.)

• Went on a nature walk...  saw some iguanas, a cat, and a hen.  Exciting!!!

• Had some ship "BBQ" for lunch and then headed back to the boat as the sun (which had come out for a few brief moments) quickly disappeared.
• Found a lounge chair on the deck and relaxed.  The sun came out!!!!
• Had our last dinner (got a little goofy with the waiters, sang, danced, and did magic tricks).
• Watched a show.  Adult comedy... pretty funny after a glass or two of wine.
• Packed and got our luggage out into the hallway. 

Day 5 - Friday: Back to Port

• Woke up and headed down to debark.  An easy process.  Getting my land legs back... not so easy!  LOL

I'm back to work and trying to get all caught up and prepped for Christmas.  And I'm dreaming of our next vacation... someplace WARM and SUNNY!

Hope you are having a wonderful week!

 

 

Copic Meeting Overview and Catching Up

There's nothing like a little time with friends, crisp ocean air and planning for the future to make me happy!

I'm just catching up from the Copic team meeting in Eugene, OR last week where we brainstormed, planned, created, and played... all with enthusiasm and gusto.  Here are a few peeks at the fun we had...

The entire team...  Sherrie Siemens, Debbie Olson, Lori Craig, Nancy Zenke, Me, Marianne Walker, Jenn Balcer and Sharron Harnist hanging at the coast after a grueling day of meetings.

Our "gruelling" meetings... we did some serious work!  We worked on improving both our Standard and Intermediate Certification courses, created a list of locations and times for our 2012 classes, and brainstormed new and exciting opportunities!

(More information about above topics coming in the next few months...)

  We also took a brief art lesson from Ken (president of Imagination International Inc.) He brought in a bunch of radishes and taught us a bit about sketching.  (Surprise-Surprise... I have to learn to "let go" and not try to control my lines!) 

We also got a chance to meet with Richard Owens and Kacy Kizer, the two new Social Media specials.  They are doing an amazing job of getting Copic users connected and informed... lots of fun things for 2012!

One of the things that Richard talked about was using Twitter.  I've always avoided it because I really don't need another "time sucker" in my life, but after learning a bit more about it and how to use it properly, well.. guess who has a Twitter account?  LOL  (You can see my Twitter widget in the sidebar... about half way down.)  I will be using Twitter only as a business/Copic connection.  I will be posting info about new techniques, tutorials, and upcoming classes there... so please follow me!  (I promise... I won't overwhelm you with chirping.  LOL) 

There is also a "tweet" button and a FB "like" button at the end of each blog post now... so if you really like what I have to say, you can "Tweet" or "Like" it and forward it to others!  (THANK YOU!)

I have a TON of new and exciting things going on in the next few months... and I can't wait to share more! 

Thanks for visiting... stop by again soon.

Celebrating with Friends!

Good morning!  I'm back from my Florida "Hot Spot" book signing tour and I have to say... it was a BLAST!  I had such a great time celebrating the success of the book, chatting with friends (old and new), and sharing my love of coloring and crafting with such warm and welcoming folks. 

As you know... the first Monday of each month is Designer Crafts Blog Connection group blog hop... and today our theme is Celebrations!

Since I just got home from the trip and I haven't had any studio time so get crafty, I thought I'd share some of my favorite images from my trip. 

Everyone is concentrating SOOOO hard here at the My Favorite Things grand opening celebration event!  Thanks Kim and customers for such a warm welcome!

 

Here I'm at the beach in Naples, FL celebrating the 1/2 way point of the trip...  1,500 miles of driving...  it was nice to take a few minutes to play in the water.  Pure Bliss!

 

Here we are celebrating success!  What an amazing group (and TALENTED) of ladies here at Scrapbooks Etc. in Bonita Springs!  (Just look at those smiles!)

 

Here is a talented and attentive student at Cherry Blossoms in Coconut Creek.  Just look at those Yummy markers!

 

And here is one of the cards that we made.  Isn't he just adorable?  (Image by Mo Manning.)

 

I want to thank EVERYONE who made the book signing tour such a success!  It was GREAT to celebrate with friends.  For more celebratory posts... check out what the other designers created by clicking on the link below. 

 

[ DC Connection ]
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Kickin' It With Kim! (MFT)

It's HOT down here in Florida as I start my "Hot Spots" tour! Last night I KICKED it off in Ocala, FL at Priceless Scrapbooks and had such a great time with the gals there! We giggled, laughed, chuckled, snickered and even guffawed a few times.

And today I was lucky enough to spend the day with my friend Kim who owns My Favorite Things (MFT) and her family as we helped her KICK off her new GRAND OPENING of her store.

It's a sweet space all decked out in pink and it was so fun to see all of her stamps and the beautiful samples made by her team... simply lovely. I taught two classes there today and I had such an amazing time. The gals were SO willing to "try new things" and "not be afraid of the dark" in coloring. I enjoyed their positive attitudes and willingness to play and have fun.

One of the cards we did was this adorable little guy... Karate Boy.  I taught skin tones and how to color white... and everyone really kicked up their coloring a notch!  LOL

Okay.. I've KICKED around the whole "kickin" thing enough... nothing like KICKING a dead horse right?  Oh, wait... that's beating a dead horse... errrrrr, welll....... (grimace).

Well I'm off to bed now... I'm going to KICK off my morning pretty early and head south...  (sorry, I just couldn't resist!)

 

What? No Lines?

That's right...  well, light lines at least! 

Another tip/technique/challenge that is happening over at Make It Crafty is coloring images that have been stamped with super light ink. 

It might sound like no big deal, but it's VERY different than coloring in a nice, solid black lined image. 

Here's my very first attempt:

I'm not horrified by it... but I'm not really thrilled with it either.  It's all about learning new things and then practicing them.  That's my plan with this technique. 

As you can see, the stamped lines aren't really visible (they are in the hair because I colored with light shades)... and that makes coloring a definite challenge... the look is very different... almost soft and fuzzy like watercolor. 

I used London Fog ink (I think I want to get some of the uber light blue to try again.) And the image is Standing Pretty by Elisabeth Bell.  And here are the colors I used:

Thanks for stopping in!  Have a Colorful Day!

I've got PLEATS!

I decided to take some time off of "work" today and color.  Yes... I color for work...but today I didn't color for any specific project or deadline.. I colored just for fun...so I guess I had the day off!  LOL

I recently joined the Make It Crafty group on Facebook and I'm so impressed (and somewhat intimidated) by the talent over there!  Zoe (artist and group administrator) colors like an angel... and I want to soak up everything I can from her. 

The group posts challenges and tips for people to try... and I tried two today! (I'll show you one today and another in a few days...)

Here's the first new thing I tried... coloring PLEATS!  Now, I've colored pleats on images that already have pleats on them... but I've never done it on "flat" images. 

Here's an adorable image from My Favorite Things called Cute Is What I Do.  This is the way I would normally color her... (yup... and like normal, I changed the light source half way through the process!  LOL)

And here she is with PLEATS!  Isn't that awesome?  Now, it was my first attempt at pleats and I got a little pleat crazy... and they do look a bit zig-zaggy... but overall, I'm pretty happy and I can't wait to practice this technique and really perfect it. 

Here are the Copic markers used:

What fun...  I love that I can now take a fairly simple image and really bump up the difficulty level. 

What are you waiting for?  Go out and get your pleat on!

Happy Anniversary - Sort Of...

Uuunghhhrr....that's about all I can even mutter today.  Why?  Because my brain is fried, my body aches, and my eyes are so scratchy that I'm thinking my eyelids are sandpaper. 

Yesterday was our 15 year Anniversary. 

Nope... we didn't stay up too late celebrating and partying...  we stayed up late waiting.  Waiting for what you ask?  A plane... heck, we would even have jumped on a train, an auto, or a bike! 

What started out as a simple idea of helping a friend turned into a waiting game... and lots of grumpy people. 

I had a friend flying into town who needed a truck.  Hey, we have a truck!  Nate was out of town and flying in last night (my friend was flying in much later) and so I decided the best thing to do was leave the truck at the hotel where he was staying and then shuttle it up to the airport and wait for Nate.  So I did. 

Did I mention that it rained here last night.  A LOT...  winds, thunder, lightening... it was all very very frightening.  And of course it delayed flights. 

Nate got re-routed to Memphis (an hour further away than where he started from)... and delayed, delayed, delayed...  My other friend took off from Oklahoma and made it as far as Alabama.  Apparently Atlanta wasn't accepting visitors. 

Did I tell you it was 9:00 pm when I arrived at the airport to await my hubby?  Oh, and did I tell you it was our Anniversary?  He was due in at 8:30....  that didn't happen. 

Finally at 3:30 AM his flight arrived... after hours of "will it take off or will they cancel?"  And the whole time me being stuck at the airport.  Yeah, I could shuttle back to the hotel and snag the truck back and go home... but they wouldn't give me the keys because I had written the my friends  name on the package... not mine.  So I was stuck... waiting... 

So were lots of other people.  LOTS....  In fact, there wasn't a single chair, bench, or luggage cart available to plunk my tired butt on... so I walked...  a LOT... I did 32 laps of the Atlanta airport North and South terminal.  I'm feeling it today. 

Anyway...  when Nate finally arrived, we drove home (at least I think that's how we got home...) and went straight to bed...  I think he was asleep even before he walked up the steps. 

After just a few hours of sleep... he got up and headed to work and I took care of the dogs. 

So... uuuuuggghhhnnrrrggeeh... yeah, that's about all I can manage today. 

PS - I actually DID make a card for him... it's still sitting on the table unopened.  I'm thinking his eyes weren't working so well either this morning.  Sigh... guess we will have to celebrate today...  hhhhm, I'm thinking sleep would be a GREAT way to celebrate! 

Thanks for stopping by...I'll see you on the flip side.... that is, if I'm awake!

Ink, Art, Friends, and Copic!

Phew...  I FINALLY am catching up after my week of Copic fun and instruction. 

Marianne Walker and I traveled to Berne, IN last week to teach a standard certification class to the employees of DRG Publishing (Annie's Attic and CardMaker Magazine) and a few other lucky Copic enthusiasts.  I have to say... it was one of the most entertaining groups I've worked with!  LOL  Those of you who have taken a class with me know that I can be a bit on the silly side... and Marianne... well, let's just say we had the group giggling the whole day. 

Here's a photo of me working with Tanya Fox, the EXTRAORDINARY gal who worked with us to get our book (The Copic Coloring Guide) published.  She is an amazing editor and a fabulous friend.  We had such a great time in the class... I can't wait to head back to have some more Copic fun in the future!  You can read more about the event HERE in the DRG news release. 

After an amazing day in Berne, Marianne and I drove to Indianapolis to meet up with Bianca Mandity for our very first Copic Ink and Art Workshop event.  Saturday dawned bright and sunny and the room quickly filled with excited participants and LOTS of paints, inks and supplies! 

Bianca and I tag-teamed it during the morning session where we taught 6 different techniques that combined Copic inks with a number of other mediums.  Then in the afternoon, we each taught a break-out session.  Bianca taught hand dying silks and I taught an acrylic medium canvas class. 

We asked students to be adventurous and experiment... and boy did they!  I was thrilled with the "what if" that became the motto for the day.  Every student left with oodles of new information and techniques that they can adapt and incorporate into their own artwork.  It was not only a hug success, but an amazing experience.  I can't wait to grow and expand the program! 

In other news... our book is FLYING off the shelves!  I couldn't be happier.  I'm getting lots of wonderful feedback and I am blown away by the kind comments and the overwhelming support.  Thank you ALL so very much... you are the reason I do what I do. 

I'll be back soon with more updates, some colored images (yes... I do still color sometimes LOL, and a list of classes and workshops that are coming up. 

The Copic Coloring Guide is HERE!

This is it!  The day I've been waiting for... the day I've dreamed about... the day I can celebrate! 

I am officially an author! 

I'm so proud to announce The Copic Coloring Guide... a go-to guide for Copic users!  Whether you are completely new to the markers or you have been using them for years, this book contains wonderful and informational tutorials and projects for every skill level. 

I paired up with Marianne Walker and together we share our combined knowledge and love of Copic Markers. Included in the book are step-by-step tutorials explaining the numbering system, how to pick good blending groups, how to blend using a variety of techniques, and how to use that mysterious colorless blender.  Also included are over 40 card projects with easy to follow, step-by-step coloring and assembly instructions... from some of the most talented color artists in the business. 

Here's a sneak peek of one of my FAVORITE projects from the book... (It is so hard to pick a favorite... there are so many awesome samples- but I just love the texture on these two adorable little cuties! - Image by Whipper Snapper Designs) 

I want to thank Tanya Fox, our Editor Extraordinaire, for jumping in with both feet on this project and for being willing to take a chance on a new author and for truly making it the most amazing experience I've ever had.  I want to thank DRG for supporting our efforts and for being as excited about the project as we were.  I want to thank Marianne for saying YES when I asked her to join me on this journey... and for being an amazing friend as well.  I want to thank the superbly talented group of designers who shared their work in the book  - you are my inspiration!  I want to thank YOU... my friends, students, fellow artists who all have cheered my successes and shared in my frustrations along my journey.  And lastly, I want to thank my husband Nate... without whom I could not breath.  You are my very soul.  Thank you.

(Phew... I feel like Sally Fields giving her acceptance speech... LOL)

The book is now shipping and is available (or will be in a matter of days) at a store near you.

Super Duper Uber Excited Hugs Today! Thanks for stopping by!

colleen

 

 

Learning to be an ARTIST!

I've got to share!

I'm working on my next article deadline, our new Mixed Media event (details will be available in the next day or two!!!) and prepping for my classes in North Carolina next week. 

But I wanted to take a break and share a bit about my trip to Phoenix last week and my very first Intermediate Certification class!  Debbie Olson and I team taught the class and it was AMAZING fun!  OMG... I got such a high from everyone's excitement and enthusiasm and willingness to try new things.

The class is all about looking at yourself as an artist and continually pushing your work to the next level... and to do this, you need to experiment and try new things.  Sometimes things you aren't really comfortable with. 

In the Standard Certification class we give product basics and the rules of use... but in the Intermediate - wow... stand back...we ask you to break all of those rules! 

I'm so impressed with the progress everyone made in just the one day!  And I know students went home and practiced and pushed the boundaries and improved their art.  I'm so proud of all of them and so proud to have been a part of their growth. 

Here's just one of many images that students can practice with.  I tackled it after going through my training for the class and added it to my new ART portfolio.  I'm pretty excited about it... and I'm thrilled to be learning and challenging myself along side my students. (Image drawn by Marianne Walker for use in the Intermediate Certification Class.)

*For a list of all current certification classes accepting applications - Click HERE.

*For a list of all of MY certification class locations for 2011 - Click HERE.

Thanks for stopping in today!

 

My BIG News... (FINALLY!!!!)

Okay... I've been teasing and taunting for months and it's finally time to share!  If you saw my appearance on Julianna's show HERE than you already know........ (drum roll please,.,.,.,.,..,.,.,)

 

I WROTE A BOOK!!!!

 

Yes, I finally did it!  I'm super-duper excited (like jumping up and down grinning) to FINALLY be able to tell you about it! 

I paired up with my good friend Marianne Walker and together we bring you ...

Many of you have been asking for a book - and we listened!  Inside you will find product and compatibility information, coloring and blending tutorials, tips and tricks for using Copic markers and numerous card projects from some of your favorite designers... each with easy to follow instructions!  Whether you are just beginning your Copic journey or if you are an experienced adventurer with them... you will LOVE this book. 

Here's the deets peeps:

• 64 pages of scrumptious goodness
• published by Annie's Attic (well known for quality crafty publications)
• $14.95 retail price
• On Sale Date: June 26th (e-version downloads available about May 27th)

So I know you are saying, "When and where can I get a copy?"  (Do I know you or what???)

If you are a store owner... you can get a jump on the pack by PRE-ORDERING your copies today at DRGWholesale.com 

If you don't have a store... well, June will be here before you know it!  (wink)

You can check out more about the book, see additional images and get notified when it is in stock HERE on the Annie's Attic web site.

Of course, we will make a big announcement (in colorful style with some give aways I'm sure) when the book becomes available. 

Until then...  I've got some free time on my hands and a laptop at my fingertips! 

Thanks for stopping by!

Designer Crafts Blog Connection - Let's Get Inspired!

A few months ago I participated in a Blog Hop to help support three friends and their product line with Sizzix.  It was so much fun and everyone's projects were amazingly inspiring! 

We were so excited about sharing the creativity, that we decided to continue! Many of the designers formed a webring so that we could easily visit each other's blogs and websites and revel in the creative pursuits of each other.  And we don't want to be alone in that cloud of creativity...  we want to invite YOU to join in the fun of the hop. 

We are all independent designers working in a variety of creative fields and specialties.  The group consists of leading edge designers in a variety of mediums... so there's something for everyone.  Even though I'm mainly a papercrafter, I'm always inspired and intrigued by the jewelry and fabric artists in the group... it's a great way to start thinking outside-the-box and get my creative juices flowing!

We are an informal group, but we decided to have a common "theme" posting once a month or so... and today we just wanted to introduce ourselves and share some of the neat things we saw (or heard of) at CHA. 

I didn't get a lot of time to wander the floor, and when I did it was all business and making contacts... so I didn't snap a whole lot of photos, but many other's did and I'll share some of those with my thoughts on what I did see here:

 I have to give a shout out to the GORGEOUS booth that was just across from us...

DCWV - A runway of paper fashion!!!

Our booth may not have had a runway... but it did have this...  (I SO want one of these store displays!!! - I'd put in on my car and drive the CopicMobile!)   



And these aren't pics directly from the show... but they are some of my favorite NEW products that were introduced...

Denim canvases from Canvas Corp.

This new Color Me paper from Hot Off The Press... I SO want to try the glossy with our markers and ABS!

The new Gabrielle paper collection from Bo Bunny!!!  Absolute chocolately goodness!

 

I LOVE these three uber cool templates/stencils from The Crafters Workshop. ohhhh, the possibilities!

 


And one of the most exciting things I saw... well.... NEW STAMPS!  There are oodles of them out there... but these are some of my favorites!  Stampavie. 

 And one of the things I'm most excited about since I'm always looking for great patterned paper?  Bazzill Basics now has it!!!  Woot-woot...  I so love that and can't wait to see even more collections from them!

 Okay... those are my top picks... head on over to visit these fellow designers' posts or click on the web-ring logo to visit the next blog in the ring and see another side of CHA.

[ DC Connection ]
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JGoode Designs
Live a life Handmade
Carla Schauer Designs
Life in the Craft Lane
Life in the Craft Lane
Carol Heppner's Studio
Eileen Hull- thoughts from my studio
Debra Quartermain
Roxi's Creative Juice
Theresa Cifali: This Artist's View
The Creative Goddess
Stampin' Queen Creations
Candice Windham Designs
Scrappin' it
Lorine Mason Designs
Terry Ricioli Designs
Fat Cat Creations
Cool2Craft
Mel Designs
Roann Mathias Calligraphy
Pink Lemonade
Faerie Dust Dreams
Balzer Designs
Distinctive Touches
Art in Entertaining
Life Snippets
Something to Cherish
Just a thought Or Two
Ken Oliver's World in Progress
Megpie Designs
Creativity Stirs the Soul
katydiddys
Sandy Laipply
Something Created Everyday
365 days of crafts
T'art
Beth Watson Design Studio

Did You See It???

Did you?

I survived my first "live" show and I have to admit... it was FUN!  Besides the fact that I totally dork out when the camera goes on, I actually had a really great time sharing and connecting with the audience.  And everyone was pretty darn excited about my announcement too! 

If you missed the show, you can view it HERE on the Cool2Craft Chanel on YouTube. 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Julianna's New Show!

It's almost here... time for the premier show of Inspirations by Julianna Hudgins!

Julianna's first LIVE web-TV show will air on the Cool2Craft Network at Noon EST / 9 PST Monday, Feb. 28th.  The Cool2Craft format is produced by Tiffany Windsor and features guest designers who share live craft demonstrations. Viewers can watch the show via Facebook log-in or via the internet log-in.

I can't tell you how excited I am to be a guest on Julianna's show tomorrow!  I will be joining guest Sue Turchick, president of Crafters Home, as we bring you tips, techniques, industry news and crafty ideas!  (I'm going to be sharing some very big news...  so make sure to join us to be among the first to hear!!!) 

And if that wasn't exciting enough, Julianna has a HUGE (or should I say GRAND) giveaway in honor of her first show!

So...  where are YOU going to be on Monday at Noon EST?  Hopefully joining me on Inspirations by Julianna Hudgins! 

Join us LIVE to participate in the chat and ask questions... just log into the room at:

http://www.linqto.com/rooms/Cool2Craft/

or through Facebook at:

http://apps.facebook.com/cooltocraft/

 

Working during the show and your boss won't let you take the day off?  LOL  Don't worry, if you can't join us for the LIVE show, you can watch the show later in the video archives. 

http://www.cool2craft.com/video-archives/

 

Find our more about the show and how to join us HERE!!!

Lights... Camera... ACTION!

Did you know that I am TOTALLY camera shy?  Anyone who has asked if they could take photos during a class knows this... I always reply, "Sure...as long as you don't take photos of me!"  LOL 

That's why when my good friend Julianna Hudgins asked me to be a guest on her TV show Inspirations by Julianna I sort of freaked out and said, "Ummm, really?  Me?  (Nervous Giggle)...  ummm, I guess so,"  secretly hoping that a case of Typhoid Fever or Scarlet Mumps would temporarily put me out of commission. 

But, I guess I'll have to put on my big girl panties and suck it up, because I'm going LIVE at noon on Monday, February 28th!!!

I'll be making a BIG announcement (no... I'm NOT pregnant!) and demoing how to color and create this adorable card. 

You can find out the details and learn more about my appearance on Inspirations by Julianna HERE on the Cool2Craft site. 

I'd be super excited to see you there... 

 

Wild Guesses!

Oh you folks make me giggle!

I never expected to be "expecting" after making my blog post on Tuesday... but apparently half of you think I am.  Sorry to say... that's NOT my good news.

The other half of you folks guessed right. (I'm sure you found the link helpful right?) 

I've been asked to write for CardMaker Magazine!!! 

Each issue will feature some sort of coloring tip... from ways to use your copics, to lighting issues to different mediums.  The first issue (March) is available for digital subscription right now... and the print copy hits news stands on January 18th and includes an article on how to use Copic markers to color skin tones.  The image here is a snippet from the card projects that is included - and that super adorable image is from Mo Manning. 

This is the very first time I've been published in a print magazine (I've done lots of on-line work)... so I'm giddy beyond belief and I'm thrilled to finally share the news with my peeps. 

So... if you ever have coloring questions or suggestions for the article... just let me know. 

Now for the drawing...  I put everyone's name who guessed right into a bag and drew out the winner.  Congratulations to...

Leigh McKee said,

Well, and this is very selfish on my part, but I hope that you have a regulare piece on Copic Coloring in the CardMaker magazine!

Thanks for the chance to win! 

Leigh, please contact me with your snail mail addy and I'll get your prize in the mail.

Thanks everyone for commenting and sharing in my good news.  I'm headed to Greenville, NC tomorrow for a Copic Demo at Uptown Art Supply.  If you are in the area, stop in and say hi!

Colorful Hugs

And Yes... More New Stuff From Copic!

Copic has lots of new products coming out this year at CHA. To win a free 2011 Copic Color Swatchbook, leave a comment on Friday's post. Tomorrow we will draw the winners, so be sure that you've left a comment on each Copic Designer's blog.

2011 Copic Catalog
Unlike past years, the new Copic catalog is a showcase of artists and inspiration, as well as a place where you can find all your favorite Copic supplies. See gorgeous creations from a variety of artists, from papercrafting to pop-culture. The new catalog will be available in the booth at CHA, and will also be available for download soon from the Copic Website. You can find this in your local stores at the beginning of February.

 

Thanks for stopping in!  Come back tomorrow for the most COLORFUL news of all... and to see who wins the new color swatch books!!!

Who Doesn't Like Copic Candy???

Edited to Add...This contest is now closed.

The Winter Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) trade show is coming up and so we want to give you a sneak peek at what new things you can find in the Copic booth this year.  Each day we will reveal something new and exciting!  Check back for more new products from Copic all weekend long!

The first new product... isn't really new... it's more like an addition!

New Ciao 36 Colors
Copic Ciao marker, the perfect beginner marker, now has 180 colors available, up from 144. The new colors are taken from some of the most popular Sketch colors and are very helpful for filling in gaps in your Ciao collection. Available individually or in the new Ciao 36 E set. These markers are now in-stock and shipping, so look for them from your favorite Copic retailer.

 


Colors include: E25, E40, E41, E59, C0, C2, W0, W2, BG13, BG72, B18, B28, B99, E000, E15, E18, YR000, YR15, Y000, Y35, YG09, YG17, G29, G82, BG000, BV000, BV25, V01, V05, RV14, RV69, R000, R14, R81.

S0... what better way to get excited about new products, than with a giveaway? Leave a comment on THIS POST (by midnight 1/9/2011) then Monday, January 10th, winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be mailed a NEW 2011 Copic Color Swatchbook to keep track of their Copic collections.   Three winners will be chosen from EACH of our designer's blogs, so after you check this blog, go visit the blogs of all the other designers. All comments are welcome, though the contest is only open to the US & Canada.

You'll see a new name on the list of designers, Bianca Mandity, an altered artist and instructor from Indiana. Bianca is joining the Copic Instructor team to help with training Fine Art stores and Art Schools, so give her a big welcome, and look for more Altered Art and Fine-art events popping up on the Copic Calendar.

Sherrie Siemens
Marianne Walker
Jennie Black
Debbie Olson
Lori Craig
Bianca Mandity
Sharon Harnist
Jenn Balcer
Colleen Schaan

Speaking of events... are YOU going to be attending CHA or do YOU live in the LA area?  Are YOU interested in being Copic certified?  If so, we would like to invite you to apply for our Intermediate Certification Class being held January 27th or our Standard Certification Class held January 28th.   You can find details and applications HERE.

Be sure to check each blog, leave a comment, visit over the weekend to see more new stuff and come back on Monday to see if you've won a prize.

I'm Moving Up! (Or Getting Old...)

Typically I shy away from the word SENIOR... I mean, who wants to think of an AARP membership or dinner discounts before 4:30 PM? 

But this is one SENIOR moment that I am super excited about...

I am happy to announce that I've joined the Senior Design Team over at Gina K. Designs!  I had such a great time working with the gals on the Card Club Team that I quickly said yes when Gina asked me to join her on the senior team.  Gina is announcing the newest additions to the team today and I have to say... the team ROCKS! 

Check out Gina's Blog HERE for all of the deets!

In honor of my announcement, I decided to share some of my all-time favorite Gina K cards from my stash.

 

 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Copic Class Updates

I'm back from Chicago and playing catch up on all of my work.  I had such a GREAT time with the other gals on the Copic Certification team... what an amazing group of women!  Here we are after a surprise lunch cruise on the Spirit of Chicago... a huge boat that cruised up and down the Chicago shoreline.  We are all a bit windblown and chilled, but we couldn't resist huddling up for a photo or two. 

During the trip we all attended the very first Intermediate Copic Certification class that was taught by Marianne Walker.  What a blast... and I can say, it's a hard-core class full of color theory, design tips and coloring concepts.  I can't wait to start teaching this one! 

We discussed possible locations for both standard and intermediate classes for 2011 and I will be posting my own list very soon (sometime this week).  So be watching for that. 

If you are interested in taking a Copic class but don't feel you need or want the full certification class, you can join me at My Creative Classroom for my Everything Copic class.  It started today and will be the LAST ONE AVAILABLE!!!  I have made the decision to leave MCC and focus on some of the other opportunities that have become available for me.  So if you want to see me on-line...sign up THIS WEEK!!! 

Hugs!

Kicking Butt in New York!

That's right folks... me... kicking butt!  LOL

I'm headed to Carle Place, NY today to spend the weekend demoing Copic markers at a Grand Opening for a new Dick Blick store.  I am SO excited!!!!  I get to sit and color and people can watch (I hope I don't crack under the pressure!) and chat and ask questions. 

Since this is more of a fine art venue and not as much a paper crafting crowd, I've been working on expanding my "skills" and I've been busy coloring Manga.  OMG.. I have to tell you..  Coloring LARGE is SO much fun!!!  Most of the images I have are full size 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper with one large image.  It's so different from coloring in small stamped images... I have so much more room to add textures and play with different techniques.  It's also quite different in that most Manga is done with minimal blending (at least that's what I've discovered in my research).  I have a hard time with this... because I'm the queen of blend, blend, and blend some more!  LOL   But I've been playing and coloring and really having fun. 

Here's one of the images I did for practice.  Since I don't really draw, I went to the store and got a book with 500 Manga images that you can download and print and color... just what I needed!  LOL  This is one that I'm pretty happy with so far.  I've still got a ways to go... but I'm having fun learning!

If you are going to be "on the island" this weekend... stop in and say hi!  I'll be demoing HERE from 1-4 on both Friday and Saturday afternoon. 

I'm off... see you next week!

Oh My Stars!!! Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge

I've joined in again on Kraftin' Kimmie's Challenge and this week the challenge was STARS... and imagine my surprise when I realized this was definitely going to be a challenge!  LOL 

I had a couple of ideas floating around in my head, but I kept coming back to this one idea... and so I went with it.

I started by stamping "Whichypoo" onto white paper and then masking her off.  I also masked a moon.  (Can you see where I'm headed with this?) 

I airbrushed the night sky background with BV23 and then used B21/B24/B26 which gave it that nice bright blue color... but I wanted it just a tad bit darker so I used BV25 for a nice blue purple look. 

I removed the masks and then colored the image. (Here's a hint... when airbrushing a background, color the image FIRST and then mask and airbrush... otherwise you end up leaving inky fingerprints in the background.)  After I colored little Witchypoo... I pulled out the big guns... the STARS... I used liquid pearls in lemon yellow to contrast nicely with the night sky and set those stars to sparkling! 

This is one of those "must see in real life" cards...  because even my hubby went, "Wow... I really like that one!"  LOL 

I hope you like it too!  You can join in on the challenge HERE on Kraftin' Kimmie's Blog, and don't forget to check out all of the Halloween goodies she has in her store - they're spook-tacular!

More news and updates!!! (part 3 if you will...)

I've been busy stamping, coloring, designing, and planning!  There is still so much I have to share with you all!

I know you are all wondering WHEN and WHERE the X-Press It Blending Card will be available (see this post for product info)... While I don't have a list of all of the stores carrying it... I do know of a few who have already announced that they will be.  7kidscollegefund and Oozak are both on line.  I have no affiliation with either of these stores... but I've shopped both with wonderful results.  As far as your local independent crafty stores... go in and ask!  Let them know you want it.  It is available for stores to order now. 

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Another new announcement from Copic... 

Intermediate Certification Classes!!!

You read that right!  We are now going to be offering intermediate certification classes as well as our regular certification classes.  

The intermediate certification classes will start this fall (location soon to be announced) and we will add more classes around the nation in the next year.

The class is technique based and geared to those who want to take their coloring to the next level.  Topics covered include: picking colors, various light sources, coloring tricky things like faces, hair, and reflections, shadows vs. shading and more advanced color theory.  

Note:  You can not take the intermediate class without having first taken the beginner certification... so sign up today for the beginner class near you if you haven't yet.

Please do not email for applications or information about the intermediate certification classes as it is not available yet... the team will be posting more information as soon as it becomes available.  

______________________________________________________________

As for the beginning certification classes... more locations are posted each week.  Here is the list of our current open classes:

Atlanta, GA August 23, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Green Bay, WI August 21, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Albuquerque, NM August 29, 2010  OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Branson, MO September 3, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Pittsburgh, PA September 6, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Oakland, CA September 11, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

New Orleans September 15, 2010  CANCELED

Minneapolis, MN September 16, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Salt Lake City, UT September 25, 2010  OPEN TO STORE OWNERS, DESIGNERS AND INSTRUCTORS

Calgary, AB Canada September 26, 2010  OPEN TO STORE OWNERS, DESIGNERS AND INSTRUCTORS

Buena Vista, CA October 2, 2010  OPEN TO STORE OWNERS, DESIGNERS AND INSTRUCTORS

Jacksonville, FL  October  8, 2010  OPEN TO STORE OWNERS, DESIGNERS AND INSTRUCTORS

I will also be teaching a beginning certification class in Richmond, VA on November 8th - Applications are not available for that one yet.

You can find class details and applications HERE for the above classes.

I'll have more news and updates for you in the next day or two... along with something sweet (wink)

Have a colorful day!

News, Updates and Exciting Information! (Part 2)

Are you ready for even more great news?  In addition to the new X-Press It Blending Card, Copic introduced another great product at summer CHA...

Introducing - X-Press It Double Sided High Tack Tape

This is one product that will put your adhesive woes behind you!  I didn't think I'd love it... but I do!

I've used another brand of "sticky" tape for years... and while I loved the holding power, I hated the filmy static cling and the gunk it left on my cutting tools.  X-Press It to the rescue! 

X-Press It is:

High Tack - for an extremely strong hold

Double Sided - easily removable liner

Works Well on Multiple Surfaces - wood, metal, plastic, fabric, paper

Great for Instant Hemming (or for fixing fashion faux pas like a gaping neckline) LOL

Heat Resistant - works great for embossing

Acid Free - perfect for using with photographs

Tears Easily - no more mucking up your scissors with gluey gunk!

Available in 1/8, 1/4 and 1/2 inch widths

So many people got a chance to try out the new X-Press it Double Sided High Tack Tape at the Splitcoast Stampers booth.  Copic hosted a 2 hour make-and-take at the super show and happy customers left with both an adorable holiday envelope and a sample roll of tape. 

Tomorrow...  it's yet another new product! 

And stay tuned in the next few days for even more exciting news!!!

Have a colorful day!

Copic News And Other Updates

I'm busy getting ready to head up to Chicago on Monday for summer CHA!  I'm SO excited...  I'll be teaching and demoing in the Copic booth most of the week - so if you are there, please stop in and say, "Hi!"

Before I leave, I have to finish stamping some images (so I have something to color while sitting in the airport), do a bit of DT work, clean the house (we are having friends come visit this weekend), do laundry, and I should probably think about packing sometime before Monday morning too!  LOL

The crafty things I've been working on are "top secret" for now, so I have no eye candy to share this morning, but I do have some info updates.

If you are interested in a Copic Certification class, below is our list of classes currently open and accepting applications.  Each week new classes are opened.  You can find more information about the classes and get the applications HERE.

CHA Chicago July 26, 2010

Lincoln, NE  August 7, 2010 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Atlanta, GA August 23, 2010 (This is me...)

Green Bay, WI August 21, 2010

Albuquerque, NM August 29, 2010

Branson, MO September 3, 2010

Pittsburgh, PA September 6, 2010 (This is me...)

Oakland, CA September 11, 2010

New Orleans September 15, 2010

Minneapolis, MN September 16, 2010

Salt Lake City, UT September 25, 2010

Calgary, AB Canada September 26, 2010

My other certification classes that aren't open for applications yet are... 

October 8th (Friday)
Jacksonville, Florida

November 8th (Monday)
Richmond, VA

_____________________________________________________

Other updates...

We have a new look over at My Creative Classroom!  Over the summer we upgraded the website and gave it a make-over.  It has a crisp, fresh look and is even easier to navigate.  Our summer classes are winding down and our fall classes will be posted and open for enrollment during August. 

I will be teaching:

The Coloring Craze - Starts Monday, Sept. 13th

Everything Copic - Starts, Monday, October 4th

The Coloring Craze II - Starts Monday, October 25th

More information and class descriptions will be available soon. 

Thanks for stopping in...  I'll be checking in with short posts from CHA!

Simply Hanging On!

WOW...  I never expected the amount of visitors and/or comments on my last post about my New Studio.  Your excitement and your sharing in my joy was just totally overwhelming!  Thank you all for the well wishes and blessings for my new space. Some of you asked about all of the stamps and supplies I purged as I was moving... and I do still have them all...  I'll have to set up some Super Space Blog Candy here soon - stay tuned for that!

I was finally able to get down to my new space to do some serious crafting and I wanted to share two new cards with you tonight for the GinaK Seeds of Kindness Blog Hop.

I have fond memories of my grandmother always growing violets in her kitchen... and this image reminds me of her joy in caring for them.

 

Stamp Set: Seeds of Kindness (violets and sentiment)
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
Paper: GinaK Luxury White #120, Sweet Mango, Wild Dandelion, and Chocolate Brown
Designer Paper: Basic Gray (Origins)
Copic Markers: G12/G14/G16/BV01/BV04/BV08/E93/E95/E97

__________________________________________________________________________

With this second sample I wanted to show that Copic markers can be used on card stock that isn't white.  I use white most often, but when I want a really special look, I use something different.  Here, I've stamped the hanging basket image directly onto a Soft Sand card base and colored it in.  Since the markers are alcohol ink, the ink is translucent and the color of the card base is still visible.  I LOVE the way this turned out.  Of course, I didn't want anything too fancy or distracting to show up the subtle coloring, so I kept the layout super simple and refrained from adding layers and embellishments (although it was SO hard not to add a button or a snap or something!!! LOL)

 

Stamp Set: Seeds of Kindness (hanging basket and sentiment)
Ink: Memento brown, Craft white
Paper: GinaK Soft Sand and Chocolate Brown
Copic Markers: G40/G82/G85/N0/N2/N4/N6

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Are you a Copic Junkie?  Ready to join the Copic Crowd?  Join me over at Stamp TV in the Copic Coloring Crowd group.  It's a place to share experiences, tips and techniques, ideas, samples, and just plain "talk" color.  Everyone welcome!

__________________________________________________________________________

For more details on the card kit that is included with the purchase of the Seeds of Kindness stamp set, please click here.  Then, to see even more samples with this versatile stamp set, visit these designer's blog links who are participating in the hop tonight:

• Jessica Fick
• Colleen Schaan
• Suzanne Dean
• Bev Gerard
• Lee Murphy
• Melissa Shultz
• Giovana Smith
• Sharri Seffens
• Linda Payne
• Carla Suto
• Brenda Turner
• Janice Whiting
• Sankari Wegman
  

And for even MORE inspiration be sure to check out the Idea Center for all the samples that everyone has shared in the StampTV gallery.

Thanks for stopping in... let your world be colorful!

A New Space to Work and Play!

It's the post you have all been waiting for...  MY STUDIO IS DONE!!!

It's taken a LOT longer than expected, but it was SO worth the wait.  I have to send out a HUGE thank you to my father who did 99.5% of the work on it.  When he agreed to build it for me, I don't think he had any idea what an undertaking it was going to be.  So here's to you dad... still coming to my rescue after all these years.  (MWAH)

And now for the pics...  grab a cup-pa joe and settle in... let's take a tour!

A long time ago in a galaxy far away.... (Oh too dramatic?  Then lets just go with this...)

Sometime in April down in the basement...

 

The work began with studding in walls and creating a ceiling tray for all of the HVAC stuff.  (See all those boxes in the other room... those are the cabinets!)

After the walls were up, the electrical and insulation was added.  (I think I was actually in Florida teaching when this step happened. LOL)

It all started to come together once the drywall was up and the mudding was done.  (Ugh, I WAS home for this step and lucky enough to get to help sand...)

Wow!  What a difference a few coats of paint makes... unfortunately it turned out "Doctor Scrub Green" instead of the bright, cheery celery green I had planned for.)

The next step... up go the cabinets!  It was definitely a two person job.  (Thanks awesome hubby!)

 

All of the wall cabinets are up... time to do the floor cabinets.  (Sorry.. no photo!)

Then the LONG wait for the counter tops.  It took a month longer than expected to get them made and then when they came to install... the sink was cut out in the wrong spot!  Grrrr, so I waited some more.  (tick-tock-tick-tock)  

But as you can see... once they finally got in correctly, the space was AWESOME!!!  The island in the middle is approximately 4 x 6 just to give you a scope of the size of the place! 

And then the hard work began for me...

I packed up my temporary studio and hauled it from the second floor down to the basement.  (Phew... good thing I've been working out!)

As I unpacked boxes, I just put things out on every horizontal space I could find... good thing I've got a lot of room.

 

And after two days (or was it three?) of unpacking and putting things away... my space is all cleaned up and ready to go! 

It's all nice and bright and cheery... just don't look at the floor.  It's a mess!  We spent a ton of time (and hard work) etching and cleaning the concrete.  We then stained it with this sort-of-terracotta wash... but it looks nothing like I planned... so someday in the future we will probably put down some Purgo or something. 

Here's another view... those double doors go to the rest of the basement.  There are doors right behind where I'm standing that go outside. 

And here's the rest of the room.  We were going to do built in bookshelves, but a trip to IKEA solved that space quite nicely.  That is a 5 x 5 foot grouping of shelf squares with an additional single column of shelf squares on each side.  I have all of my books and magazines housed here and it's also a great place to showcase some of my work.  (I still want to add a cozy chair by the window for times I want to curl up and soak in some inspiration.)

The next few photos are some close ups of my actual "stations".  This one is my white-board calendar and storage for my buttons, sequins and Stickles.  It is housed above a 5 foot wide work station.

 

This is my "main" work station; this one's about 3 feet wide.  I've got my most-often used inks and embellishments here.  I've got my Copics handy-dandy and ready to use!  (There is also under-cabinet lighting for each of these work stations - perfect for coloring late at night.)

For someone who claims not to sew.. I sure like to collect fabric!  LOL  This will apparently be my sewing station.  It will be nice to actually have my machine set up and ready to use!  (That stack of fabric on the very upper-left shelf is what I'm going to make my curtains from for my room... you know... when I have a few spare moments! LOL)

This is part of my painting station.  I LOVE having the sink already!!!  I've got a whole bunch more paint that I need to unpack yet... and my canvases are down below in some narrow cabinets.  That center island will be PERFECT for my painting and mixed media work!

This is one of my favorite areas!  I purged about 3 boxes of stamps and only kept what I really like and use.  I've got a TON of stamps housed in the Gina K binders and I've got more stamps to add to them.  I don't have many wood stamps anymore... but I kept some backgrounds and my favorite larger ones and placed them so I could see them.  I can't WAIT to use this area.  My inks and other stamping supplies are in the cabinets below.  (I have a whole drawer full of adhesives... can you believe it???)

And last but not least... my paper and cutting station!  Due to logistics, we had to face the drawers this way instead of toward the inside of my work area... but I'm good with that!  I saved my old two-drawer file cabinet that I store my card stock in and spray painted it white and dad rigged up a way to get it to be the same height as the rest of the cabinets.  I LOVE this area!  I have all of my cutting dies in the drawers to the left, my card stock in the file cabinet and my extra paper (for classes) in the big cabinet.  The only issue I have with this station is that it's too tall!  Or wait... maybe it's that I'm too short!  Seriously - I used to have my cutting tools on a card table and it was much shorter.  I can't get enough leverage to actually USE the stuff at this station... so I'm going to have to rig up a step of some sort...

Either that or start crafting in platform shoes!  LOL

Well... that's it.  That's what I've been working on for the last 4 months!  That's why I've gotten so little crafting done.  It's been aggravating and exhausting, and exciting... and I can't wait to get it inked and painted up!!!

I've got LOTS of room to get crafty now.... so who wants to come over and play? 

Thanks for stopping by - I'll be back with something crafty next week.

 

Home Again!

I'm back... and all I can say is, "I LOVE Puerto Rico!" 

I had such a terrific time teaching classes, getting to know the other instructors, and meeting the amazing students at this years Puerto Rico Scrapbook Event 2010. 

I started the event by teaching a Copic Certification event to a room full of total Copic Newbies!!!  It was SO cool to introduce them all to the colorful world of Copic and to see them catch the excitement!  I was so thrilled to have such a great mix of students...from painters, to calligraphers, to graffiti artist, to paper crafters, to fabric artists, to mix media artists... all coming together to learn and share!  

That night, all of the instructors meet up at a local restaurant soak up the local culture and cuisine.  Here are some of the dishes we ate... I'm not exactly sure what it was LOL... but it was TASTY!

The next morning I launched into the first of three full days teaching to the most excited audience I've ever had!  The folks in Puerto Rico really know how to show their love!  I almost felt like a mini-celebrity...  doing photo shoots and signing autographs.  What a rush! 

Each night, the attendees met to crop, chat, sing, dance and drink!  I've never been to a crop that was more fun!  I learned to Zummba, drink Mojitos (yum!), speak a little bit of Spanish, and most importantly... RELAX! 

I can't thank Yamille and Juan Carlos (and their AMAZING staff) enough for the experience.  I also want to thank Julianna Hidgins and Tiffany Windsor (not photoed) for being willing to spend some time sharing their experiences and expertise with me.  

Colorful Hugs All Around!

Copic Class Updates and A Sneaky Peeky!

I've got purple pinkies, teal thumbs, and fuchsia fingers...

I'm busy getting ready for a Copic Certification Class in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Monday and I've been re-inking my class markers...  Nothing like a little color to brighten your day. 

While I'm there, I'm also teaching some Copic classes at The Stamp Shack.  These classes filled so fast we had to add a whole additional day to the itinerary!  LOL  Here is a picture of my prep for one of the projects we are doing... and you thought I only colored stamps!  LOL   (I'll share the finished project after I get back... I don't want to spoil the surprise for the folks taking the class!)

Speaking of Copic classes...  we have a whole slew of Copic Certification Classes open to the public right now... head on over HERE to check out the classes that are currently accepting applications. 

I've got my schedule for 2010 pretty much set.  You can check HERE to find out when and where I will be teaching Certification Classes this year... and HERE to see what consumer classes I'm doing too.  

Don't want to travel?  Timing isn't right?  Not in your area?  Check out my Everything Copic class at My Creative Classroom... it started just this week and there is still time to enroll. 

Please email me if you have any questions about any of the Certification classes or about any of the classes I'm offering.

Thanks for stopping in today.  I'll leave you with a little sneaky peeky at something I'm working on... 

Stained Glass

I want to thank each and every one of you for visiting my blog during our Three Day Mega Hop for JustRite Stamps!  WOW... I was blown away by the sweet and kind comments...  I even had a few people say my designs reminded them of Mary Engelbreit!  WOW... now THAT'S a compliment!  Make sure to check out the JustRite Inspirational Blog starting later today for a list of blogs that will be picking the winners!

I have just a quick post today as I'm getting packed and ready to head to the airport!  I'm off to Framingham, MA for the weekend to teach two HUGE, sold-out Copic classes and to mix and mingle at the Collins Group Trade Show.  It's sort of like a little, mini-CHA with lots of great manufacturers showcasing their products and three days of classes and learning and fun!  I'm SO looking forward to it!

One of the classes I'm teaching is a basics Getting Crafty With Copics and I will be speeding through the coloring/numbering system and teaching the basic blending techniques.  Here is the card that the participants will be creating...  the image is called Stained Glass Magnolias and it is from Magenta.  It's a pretty simple card, but I really want them to focus on the techniques and not the design. 

I'll TRY to remember to take pics and I'll share more about the weekend when I get back.

Wish me luck... and if you are attending... make sure to stop in and say hi!

Have a wonderful weekend!

colleen

Potted Preview!

Are you enjoying all of the wonderful previews for March?  I sure hope so!  I've been hopping to all of the other designer's blogs and they are AMAZING!  Talk about inspiration...

Tonight I have a card to share with you using one of the images from the March Card Kit Stamp Set.  You are SO going to love this set... whether you are "wishing" for spring or "planting" some ideas, this set has 4 adorable line drawings (perfect for coloring in or for paper piecing) and 4 coordinating sentiments.

I used the potted seeds and the "you're my best bud" sentiment for my card.  I stamped the image twice on some Gina K Luxury white (leaving a space in between them) and colored them (sorry... I forgot to write down the colors... the pots are E90's I believe).  I then stamped and colored another pot and cut it out.  I popped it up in between for a "row" of potted seed packets. 

I used some Apple/Violet Happy Spring digital paper that goes so well with all of the new colors and sets this month.  Of course, I had to add a few well-placed embellishments (buttons and ribbon) to polish off the look.

There are a few changes to the Card Kit for this month... each kit will receive the Happy Spring stamp set and instruction sheet along with 4 sheets of pure luxury cardstock, 1 sheet of exclusive patterned paper with 4 different designs, 1 yard of ribbon, and brads.  The cardstock will NOT be pre-cut... this means you can either make the cards that are shown in the kit.. OR design you own! 

Are you ready for even more inspiration? 

Start with Gina's Blog

Then, find out more information about the new Card Kit here: Jessica Fick

Finally, check out these Designer's blogs: Asela Hopkins {Illustrator of By Your Side}
Melanie Muenchinger 
Theresa Momber
Nina Brackett
Cathy Tidwell
Lee Murphy
Kurtis Amundson
Emily Giovanni
Erika Martin
Bev Gerard
Colleen Schaan
Sankari Wegman
Valerie Stangle
Jennie Harper - our Guest Designer for this Month!

StampTV is celebrating it's first birthday and the festivities are in full swing with this month's release!  We'll be holding this month's Release Party on StampTV and couldn't be more excited about all that Gina has planned for everyone!  The party kicks off this Thursday, March 18th starting at 7pm and ends at 10pm (all times CST) when all the new products will be available for purchase in Gina's online store.

To keep informed of all the party plans and activities, check out this link:

Release Party Forum on StampTV

Copic Sparkle Winner an Our New Home

What?  It's Tuesday already?  What happened to the weekend? 

Oh yeah...that's right... I was busy buying a home!  LOL

In all the hustle and bustle of the "Big Move" I almost forgot to post the winner of my Copic Sparkle Blog Candy!!!  So without further delay... here it is...

Congratulations to Diane!!!  Diane wrote...

Wonderful blog, wonderful markers! Take care, ~Diane

Posted by: Diane | February 03, 2010 at 12:39 PM

Thanks everyone for the kind comments both about the blog and about the product.  Diane, your Spica Glitter Pens are on their way!!!  

Now for all of you who have been begging for pictures of the new place... here they are!!!  We closed yesterday and headed over for a few quick pictures... oh, and to drop off the new TV that we purchased already!  (Rolling my eyes... the boy's toys!)

Walk along as I give you a tour...

This is the outside front.  I can't wait for the flowers and bushes to start blooming!

This is the most important room in the house... it is my unfinished art studio!!!  I've been designing and planning all week. 

Here is the kitchen... it's pretty awesome!  Now I guess I'll have to learn how to cook.  LOL

Here is one of my favorite things about the house... just look at those windows!  It's the view of our living room from the upstairs balcony.  I somehow have to figure out what sort of curtains I want to use here...  hmmmmm...

Here is the living room from the main floor by the kitchen.  See... Nate's already playing with the new TV.  (more eye rolling)

Here's something pretty cool... our bathroom... or should I say "The Spa" as it has already been dubbed.

Guess what's just off the bathroom?  A walk in closet.  And I do mean walk in... heck... we could probably drive a car in here... it's HUGE!  I'm gonna have to buy more clothes!  LOL

And the bedroom... with a nice cozy fireplace... just flip a switch and ahhhhh - how romantic! 

The view from the bedroom... LOTS of wood!  I love how open it all is.  Our dogs will have a field day running in circles from one walk way to the other.

Here's something strange...  can you say, "Arrrrrrrh"  (This is in the guest bathroom off the living room... it REALLY doesn't fit with the rest of the style of the house... I'm thinking of doing a pirate theme complete with Parrots in there.) 

And some more outside... 

The deck off the kitchen.

 

From the lot line corner... so happy to have some wooded area! The pups will LOVE that.

The back.  Yup... just look at all those windows...   who wants to come help me wash them?

Here's the side with the walk out where my studio will be.

And here's a final shot of the house...  I can't believe it's all ours... (well... it's all the banks... but we will just pretend it's not!  LOL)

We are so incredibly blessed! 

The movers and packers will be here (in OK) this week and we drive back to Atlanta on Saturday.  Then the hard work begins!

Thanks for hanging in there with me though the house tour... I've got some more sneak peeks of beautiful stamp images tomorrow - so make sure to stop back!

Hugs,

colleen

CHA Recap - from a newbie!

As many of you know, I attended my very first CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) Trade Show last week in sunny Anaheim, CA.  I can't begin to tell you what a wonderful experience it was for me.  I knew going in that it was going to be busy, but I had NO idea how CRAZY busy it really would be.  LOL

 

(I assisted at a Copic Certification class - Sherrie Siemens was demonstrating the ABS.)

My flight left Tulsa on Friday afternoon and I arrived safely in CA later that evening.  There was a tiny snafu with my room (they didn't have me on the list???) but that was quickly settled.  I hauled my jumbo suitcase (almost as large as I am) up to the room and was greeted with smiles and hugs from Debbie Olson and Lisa Strahl.  After I got over my giddy idol worshiping - I realized they were two of the most genuine, down-to-earth, sweet gals. 

 

(Our booth all set up and ready to go... before the bagpipers let the crowds in.)

During CHA it's up early for a quick breakfast before heading over to the show.  Our booth seemed to always be buzzing with excitement, whether it was a group of people learning about Copics for the first time or a number of folks who just wanted to ooh and aahhh over the coloring demos by Debbie and Sherrie (I ooh-ed and aah-ed a lot too!) 

(Sherrie demoing a coloring and blending technique.)

Talk, talk, talk is all it seems I did for 4 days straight!  LOL  By the end my voice was hoarse and I sounded like a elderly chain smoking guy, but that didn't stop anyone from wanting to stop by and listen. 

I was able to sneak out of the booth for a bit and roam the show floor... it being my first time there and all.  I didn't do the photo thing... sorry... I was sort of in awe of the whole thing and didn't think to unearth my camera from my bag.  LOL 

 

(I met TexasGrammy!!!  Bev is the sweetest - we recognized each other at a dinner one night and both jumped up and hugged.  She is as adorable in person as she is on-line.)

I met so many amazing people...  from all walks of life.  I was finally able to meet many of my "imaginary" friends from on-line... it was GREAT to finally meet them all in real life.  I made contacts with a lot of manufacturers and even found a new (to me) product line or two (you'll see more about this in future blog posts.) 

 

 (OMG... I got to meet Kendra and Sankari - GORGEOUS girls... the lighting was bad so I B&W the photo.)

After the show each night it was off to dinner (and sometimes meetings).  And even though we managed to get back to the room at a decent hour each night, sleep just somehow never seemed a priority as new friends chattered into the wee morning hours.  We all decided sleep is over-rated and we would catch up on it when we got home.

 

(Fall colors were a hit in our booth with Marianne Walker, myself, Lori Craig and Nancy Zenke)

And now that I'm home... I'm catching up...  on phone calls... on emails.... on classes...  on the preparations for the move... and yes... I've even managed to sneak some ZZZZZZzzzzs in there too.  

 

(A night out with friends!  Nancy, Sherrie, Marianne, Jennie and myself...all very tired, but still smiling!)

Thanks for stopping by to visit!  Come again soon.  I'll have some sneak peeks, some exciting news, and some blog candy to celebrate with!

Colleen

Fairy Dreams and Wishes

I'm back from CHA and I've got lots to share...  but that will come later!  Stay tuned...

For tonight - It's time to get hopping again with GinaK Designs. 

Tonight's blog hop is showcasing Alicia's set Dreams and Wishes... along with the uber cool photo box that has been the star of Stamp TV this month. 

I don't do much scrap booking... probably because most of the photos that I take are of cards... and how many scrapbook pages can I do of cards???  LOL 

But as we contemplate our next move, I've been taking some photos of the things that I really like here in Oklahoma.  Things that I will miss... like the gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, the field behind our house with the horses and coyotes, the pretty creek that runs through the neighborhood... things that remind me to slow down and enjoy my surroundings.  And of course, I need somewhere to put all of those pictures... since I'm not slowing down enough to scrapbook them yet!   I'm putting them into this adorable photo holder that I made...  

I created the box from a sheet of innocent pink and then layered some Basic Gray Indian Summer patterned paper over smokey slate... and then I added a belly band of smokey slate and attached the image of Alicia's fairy onto it. 

I colored the fairy with my Copics and then added some faux stitching and doodling around the various layers.  

Super simple and very quick... the perfect project for us busy gals!

Check out these links for even more inspiration:

Jessica Fick

Melanie Muenchinger

Lee Murphy

Asela Hopkins

Erika Martin

Bev Gerard

Colleen Schaan

Suzanne Dean

Theresa Momber

Sankari Wegman

StampTV Idea Center

Now, it's your turn! Please hop over to Gina's blog to add the direct link to your blog post showcasing Alicia's Wishes and Dreams stamp set in the Mister Linkey Box. Gina will have a special prize for the one link that she chooses out of all the participating bloggers - check out her blog for the details.

School is Now in Session!

Are YOU looking to learn how to create fabric scrapbooks?  Do you want to learn how to take better digital photos?  Have you always wanted to know how to color? 

Come join us at My Creative Classroom as we kick-off the new Spring 2010 semester!

Our classes are now posted and open for enrollment.  Chose from stamping, paper crafting, photography, altered arts, fabric arts, jewelry making, and die cutting machine classes... there's a bit of something for everyone. 

And to help us celebrate and spread the news, we have started a Facebook Page!  Of course, we couldn't start the semester off with a bang if we didn't offer Prizes and Discounts now could we? 

We are currently running two contests...

#1 - We are giving away $30 scholarships to 5 lucky FANS of our Facebook page during the week of January 25th.  One lucky winner will be drawn each day of that week.  You have to be a fan to win... so check out our page HERE and become a fan!  

#2 - We are starting up our "guess the topic" contest again.  Last fall we hosted several contests where students had to try and guess the next topic in our FREE class, Everyday Moodlings. Here is how it works.

1. Below you will find the first clue to the topic we will be covering next week in Everyday Moodlings.
2. If you think you know the answer, email it to contests.mcc@gmail.com
3. Sign up for our newsletter to receive more clues and enrollment information for Everyday Moodlings.  (Already signed up for the newsletter AND the free class?... just sit back and wait for clue #2!)
4. Once the project is posted in Everyday Moodlings we will choose a winner and email them.
5. The winner will receive a $25 scholarship towards any class of their choice.

Here is your 1st clue: This item is regularly used in scrapbooking. Crafters used to be able to buy them at craft stores in a large rotating tower. Email your guess to contests.mcc@gmail.com

Click here to sign up for our newsletter and receive additional clues.

Sound interesting?  Here are the classes that I will be teaching this term.  I would love to have you join me...  

Amazing Alcohol Inks

All in Once Space: Inspiration Journals

Express Yourself: Portraits in Multiple Mediums

The Coloring Craze

The Coloring Craze II

Everything Copic

Stamptastic Techniques 101 (Beginner)

Stamptastic Techniques 102 (Intermediate)

Layered Collage for Cards

Unsure of how on-line learning works?  Check out my MCC Info page HERE for more details.

Have a wonderful day! 

Colleen

Copic at CHA and other Certification News

Soon... very soon, I'm going to be jumping on a plane and heading to sunny California!  (At least I hope it is sunny.) 

I'll be attending my very first CHA event and I'm so excited!  I will be assisting Sherrie Siemens during the Copic Certification class on Saturday... (There are actually two certification classes being held at CHA this year...)

Jan. 22nd, Anaheim, CA Taught by Sherrie Siemens & Kathy Sanders Open to Stores and Designers, Opens to the public next week

Jan. 23rd, Anaheim, CA Taught by Sherrie Siemens, Colleen Schaan, & Kathy Sanders Open to Stores and Designers, Opens to the public next week

If you've been waiting for a certification class and you are going to be in the area... don't wait... sign up for one of these two classes NOW!  Be the first to receive the all new Certification Manual - click HERE for more details.  

Don't worry if you can't see me at CHA... I have markers and will travel!  LOL  I've been working on my spring schedule for certification classes and have two already set up and more in the works.  You can always check out my Copic Certification Class page HERE to get the latest updates. 

Here's what my schedule looks like so far...

Certification Class Schedule for the Southern Region for 2010

March 13th 2010 (Saturday)
Lafayette, Louisiana
The Courtyard Lafayette Airport (Marriott)
*Applications available beginning the week of January 17th

April 19th 2010 (Monday)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Courtyard by Marriott - Fort Lauderdale East
*Applications not available yet

You can find more information about other Certification events and Applications for open events HERE.  

Come join me and make your world a colorful place!

Colleen

Not all THAT difficult!

I am truly blessed.  I sometimes think that one person doesn't deserve all this happiness, but hey... I'm not going to complain about it!

I've been blessed in so many ways - both big and small - a wonderful family, amazing friends, a successful career, a dream job teaching for Copic, an exciting move to the big city, and now this... one of the most exciting things that has happened to me so far...  

I've been asked by the team over at Gina K. Designs to join the new Gina K. Designs Card Club Design Team!!!  Of course... it was a no-brainer to say yes immediately when Jessica contacted me about it.  I kept asking her if it was some sort of joke... did they really want ME? 

Apparently they do!  (You can read more about it HERE and see the other mondo-talented gals who are going to have to put up with me on the team!  LOL)

I've long admired Gina for her sweet personality, her smart business decisions, and her honesty and kindness.  She is someone I look up to - so you can imaging what an honor it is to be asked to join her team.  I am truly humbled.  

And even though I am not going through any difficult times right now (far from it), I know many people who are.  I have one friend in particular who is facing the death of her mother - always a terrible ordeal, but doubly so during the holidays I think. 

I made this card to let her know I care. 

I masked off three squares and sponged the insides with Aged Mahogany Distress Ink by Ranger.  I then stamped the flower image and the sentiment from Comfort and Peace by Gina K. Designs using the same ink at full strength.  I used a white velvet ribbon from Basic Gray to give the card a touch of depth and texture. I hope this brings her a sense of comfort and a small bit of peace.

As for me... What a day... what a week... heck - what a year I've had!  I'm so glad you've let me share my blessings and triumphs with you today!  Make sure to come back on Sunday night for some fun new stuff!!!

"A" is for Apple - and a Winner!!!

First off I want to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who visited and left comments on last week's blog post! What a wonderful community of crafters you all are. 

I know you are dying to know who won the big Copic give-away... but I'm going to hold out just a bit longer...  well... at least until the end of this post!  LOL

I wanted to share this card with all my blog readers... it's for you!  I got this adorable little Apple Emma from C.C. Designs and this was my first attempt at coloring her up.  I wanted a traditional fall/school look so I stuck with a basic red and green color combo.  The green patterned paper actually wasn't the right shade of green, so I whipped out my G24 marker and colored the paper to match the image.  (Gotta love how easy it is to make everything match with your Copic markers!)

I wanted to cut out the image with my scallop Nestability, but somehow I got it mis-aligned and one edge got chopped off... so I improvised and came up with this fancy bit of framing. 

I added a few stitches, some highlights on her cheeks, some eyebrows, and a tiny button nose to help her breath.  Isn't she sweet?  Just like all of you!

(Colors Used: E0000/E00/E02/E21/E25/E27/E29/G40/G21/G24/G28/R22/R24/R27/R29/E50/E42/E35)

Now... for the part you've all been waiting for...(drum roll please....)

I had over 360 comments - and I printed them all off... chopped them apart, piled them on the floor and then drew one... (with the help of my dogs!)

           

And the lucky winner is....

Lisa Gobea!!!  She writes...

    Wow, your Santa is just so over the top wonderful. Congrats! I use mostly the sketch, and I make cards to put on my blog that I started just to share my joy of Copics. I just found these wonderful markers this summer only after I had purchased the Stampin Up set of markers. Well what can I say, I sold those on ebay and spent the money to buy my first set of Copics.. I have never looked back.. I highly doubt that I will ever used another brand of markers..My copics give me all of the results that I have spent hundreds on hours and money on to get and never did. I want to get the airbrush system next. But I am afraid that will have to wait until after the holidays...lol...Have a great day.

Congratulations Lisa!  Please contact me and let me know if you would like the ABS-1 or the 12 Sketch Markers!  

Hugs to all... and thank you for visiting!

colleen

Colorful Blog Hop Celebration - With Candy!

*Commments are now closed.  Thank you to everyone who visited and commented.  I will be posting the winner on Monday, November 16th.

It is with butterflies in my stomach and stars in my eyes that I make this announcement...

I am joining the Copic team!!!  

I was contacted by Marianne a few months back and she asked if I would be interested in teaching a few Copic classes in the area.  Ummmm, YES!  (Didn't even have to THINK about that response.)  Apparently my students have been talking about me... and she was hearing good things (OMGosh - thank you thank you thank you students!!!)  LOL

I was a bit concerned that our upcoming move would put me out of the running for teaching classes, but our Atlanta location is actually a better area.  So...

I will be a Copic Regional Certification Instructor for the Southern region. 

I am SOOOOO pumped!  I will be able to travel and teach the ever-popular Copic Certification Classes AND meet TONS of wonderful crafters along the way! 

I just spent the past few days in Eugene meeting with Marianne, some of the other Regional Instructors, and the amazing people who run Imagination International Inc.  I can't tell you how honored I am to be representing such a wonderful company and to be working with such an amazing group of people!

I am joining a WONDERFUL team of uber-talented ladies and we are celebrating with a Big Ol' Copic Blog Hop and a chance for you to win some totally-rocking Blog Candy!

To participate, please leave a comment on THIS post answering ONE of the following questions:

1. How do YOU use your Copics?
2. Which Copic products do YOU use and WHY do you love them?
3. Why do YOU wish you had Copics?

There will be two ways to win:

1. One winner from each blog will be randomly chosen.
2. We will be reading through comments as well.  If we find a testimonial that we REALLY like, then we will contact that person about using their story for our CHA booth and they would then be given a prize equal to that of the random winners.  Make your comments good!

Wanna know what you could win?  (Well Duh, of course you do!) LOL

Winners will get their choice of either an ABS-1 or any 12 Sketch Colors.  WOW... now THAT'S a prize worth playing for!

          

Our blog hop will be open from Wednesday, November 11th through Saturday, November 14th.  Comments will be closed on my blog at midnight (CST) on Saturday, November 14th.  

So... go start hopping!  Please visit the other team member's blogs for more chances of winning!

• Marianne Walker
• Debbie Olson
• Sherrie Siemens
• Sally Lynn MacDonald
• Sharon Harnist
• Lori Craig
• Michelle Wooderson

And because I couldn't post without some EYE CANDY as well... here's my latest Copic creation!

 

I stamped the "I Believe" Santa image from Flourishes and colored him with my Copics (C00/C1/C3/C5/E0000/E00/E02/E93/R02/R05/R22/R24/R29/R37/G12/G14/G16).  I LOVE using stamps like this with stippling because it makes is super simple to color... already showing where the highlights and shadows are.  All I had to do was add color.  Easy Peasy!  I kept the layout simple and uncluttered with just a button (colored with my Copics as well) and a bow.  "I Believe" that this might actually be my holiday card this year! 

Thanks for stopping in today and celebrating with me. I want to send celebratory hugs out to:

The members of the Copic Blog Team

Debbie Olson

Michelle Wooderson

Sharon Harnist

Sherrie Siemens

Sally Lynn MacDonald

And the other Copic Certification Regional Instructors

Northwest: Sherrie Siemens / Marianne Walker

Southwest: Marianne Walker

Northern Midwest / Chicago: Kathy Sanders

Central Midwest: Lori Craig

Southern Midwest: Sharon Harnist

South: Colleen Schaan (HEY - THAT'S ME!)

Northeast: Sally Lynn MacDonald

Western Canada: Sherrie Siemens

Eastern Canada: Sally Lynn MacDonald

Floaters: Debbie Olson / Marianne Walker

So Thankful...

I have truly been blessed and I am thankful for so many things. 

I just wanted to share a quick project that I did with this in mind.  

I'm teaching an "Inching Towards the Holidays" class over at My Creative Classroom and it focuses on four creative holiday projects that use inchies in them.  Some use traditional stamped inchies and some, like this inchie frame, use non-traditional inchies. 

I made this one for fall/Thanksgiving and another in blues (with a layout that is a bit different) for winter/Christmas.  I really like how they turned out and they were so easy to do. 

(Sigh)... time is running short again, I've got a plane to catch in the morning and a busy few days... but I'll be back on Wednesday with something big... I mean REALLY BIG!!!  Stop back then, you won't want to miss it!

Thanks everyone for dropping in today!

Life is Full of Surprises - Big News!

Well... life is good.  

If you have followed my blog for any amount of time, you know that we move a lot.  We started out years ago and have lived in Green Bay, WI; Waverly, IA; Waterloo, IA; Kansas City, MO; Green Bay, WI (again - three different locations); Longview, WA; and Muskogee, OK. 

And now... we are headed to Atlanta, GA! 

I couldn't be happier!  I'm so excited to be headed to the big city!  

Nate was promoted and now has an office... WITH A VIEW!!!  Ohhh-La-Laaaa!  We knew it would happen some day... but this was a bit sooner than expected... so came as a slight surprise.  But a VERY, VERY pleasant one at that.

We are excited to be moving to a place where we can easily travel, we can soak in some culture (the symphony, the theater, the pro-sports events, the fine-dining), and we can find LOADS of activities to suit our creative and technological needs. 

I'm pumped to think that there will actually be CRAFT and ART stores!!!  What a joy and a treat for me!

We are in the early stages of what I'm calling "The Big Move" and it will be crazy and nutty around here for the next few months... (and you are asking how that is different than normal for me?)  but I hope to still blog as often as I can and be crafty every chance I can sneak some time in. 

I just wanted to share the good news... life really IS full of surprises!

A Pile of Fun!

Wanna hear a story? 

We have a dog.  His name is Takeo.  He is 3.  He likes to bark.  A LOT.  He can open our shades.  

One night (wee in the early morning hours actually) my husband and I were startled awake by Takeo's terror filled barks.  He had opened the shade and was furiously barking at something outside.  By the tenor of his yowls and yips and snarls there must have been something HUGE lurking in the back yard. 

We both jumped out of bed fully expecting the house to be broken into by large, brutish thugs at any moment. 

Takeo was just about bouncing off the walls as his barks echoed through the house at this point.

Silently (and a bit terrified) we crept up to the window, turned on the outside light and peered out...  

The terrifying beast that met our eyes?

A turtle! 

Wasn't as cute as this pile of turtles from Hambo, but pretty darn close! 

Darn dog!

Hambo Stamps (one of my all time favorite stamp company for funny images and quirky sayings) now offers digital stamps as well as the regular red rubber ones.  I was THRILLED to snag this "turtle pile" image (along with a few others that you will see soon).  I used it to create this card for my mother's birthday.  I thought it was fun.  Turtles make me laugh... especially when they are creating a well-balanced cheerleader-like pyramid!  (I'm sure THIS would really set Takeo off...)

I used my Copics to color the image (printed the image onto Georgia Pacific card stock with a Kodak ink jet printer.  No problems with smearing or smudging. 

Speaking of Copics... I want to thank the wonderful ladies that welcomed me to Amarillo, TX this past weekend.  I taught my Copic 101 class at a sweet little shop called The Paper Garden.  It was such a super group of gals... full of questions and ideas and joy about coloring.  It was a blast!

Thanks for stopping by!

My First Fabric "Face"

The world has just gone crazy people!!!  I am sick for a few days and when I come back to post on my blog I find out that TypePad has changed it's look!  (Maybe I should have payed attention to all of those "We're Changing Our Look" posts that I kept getting...) LOL  Anyway... I'm tootling my way around the new layout and hoping for the best!  

Speaking of changes... I have a project to share that is a change from my ordinary!  I've spent the last year stamping and coloring and coloring and stamping... and I wanted to try something new.  So I went Textile! 

On a whim I signed up for a course called Faces On Fabric with Terri Stegmiller.  Create a painted and quilted, fabric wall hanging with my face on it... okay sounds cool... but did I fail to mention that I've never quilted before in my life?  Have I told you that I DON'T really sew?  Oh... who needs to know what they are doing... just jump right in.. that's MY motto!

So I did.  And I LOVED every minute of it! 

Here is how my FOF quilt started... okay... the drawing part wasn't so scary... I can do this!

And here is how my FOF quilt ended up.  Well... I'll admit that I'm no Martha Stewart... but hey... I'm pretty darn impressed with myself!!!  (Just don't look too closely at the stitching... that was a bit more scary than the drawing!  LOL)  It turned out EXACTLY like my drawing... I'm so PUMPED!  It's 15x15 and is just the perfect size for a small wall hanging. 

Even though I REALLY didn't have time for this course... I'm SO glad I took it!  I learned SO much and I'll definitely be creating more of these fun projects.  

Hope you enjoy seeing it!  Hopefully I'll be back sooner rather than later. 

Easy Peasy Pretty!

I've been doing so much coloring lately for all of my coloring classes that I almost forgot how to stamp a traditional card!

I was asked to create a mini-tutorial for Everyday Moodlings, our FREE class over at My Creative Classroom.  The topic... masking!  Each teacher approached this topic differently... some used masking fluids and paints, some created mixed media pages with a masked poem, some used stencils as masks with ink sprays and while others masked out images with stamps and post-its. 

Me... I created a brayered background by masking a fancy frame and the setting sun.  I stamped the silhouetted flowers AFTER I took my masks off to give the impression of depth.  You can check out my tutorial HERE.

(If you are not a registered member of the free class, it will ask you for a key code to get enrolled.  Don't have it???  Sign up for our FREE newsletter - get both the key code and all of the latest news on classes and special offers happening at MCC.)

Tomorrow we will be posting another great set of free tutorials on... well, the topic is a secret yet... you'll just have visit MCC tomorrow to find out!

Pretty Pot!

It's finally Friday and I'm looking forward to a relaxing weekend. 

Today I want to share something non-paper related...  My very first "I LOVE IT!" pot.   It's not my first pot... oh no.  I've been taking wheel throwing classes up in Tulsa since January and this is probably my 100th pot.  But it's the very first one that I absolutely LOVE!  

It is made with 5 pounds of clay and measures about 8 inches tall and 6 inches wide at the top.  It is the perfect size for a small houseplant or possibly a great container for large kitchen utensils. 

I just finished up the last glaze class and this was my final piece.  I experimented with overlaying two glazes - both with the same base.  I knew that the blue glaze tended to run a bit, so I rimmed that over the green.  I am so thrilled with the results!  The area where they overlapped has a hint of a buttery yellow. 

While I still have a long way to go and a lot of practicing to do, I am excited to see the progress I've made.  Now to talk my hubby into buying me a wheel for Christmas...

Thanks for stopping in today.  Have a super-duper-fantabulous weekend! 
Hugs

Papertake Weekly... YOU could win!

I FOUND SOMETHING NEW!!!

Sorry to shout...I just HAD TO... you see, I found these new images.   Yup... Uber Cute and PERFECT for coloring with my Copics.  And guess what...  they are Digital!!!  OMG.  I've resisted digital up until now because I really like the feel of wood and rubber, ink and acrylic.  But I saw these adorable "Pixie Chicks" over at Charmed Cards and Crafts and knew I had to give it a go.  It was actually much easier than I thought. 

Here is just one of the sweet little elves... (there are a bunch in the download).  I call her Holly, The Holiday Elf.  (Brilliant - I know!!! LOL)  She is soooooo sweet!  There are all sorts of things in the download for her to be sitting on, but I really just wanted her... so I cropped the excess circle under her legs and it sort of looks like she is sitting on a swing or a wall.  (Oh, okay... so it really doesn't, but I like the way it looks anyway!) 

I used Copics to color her in, Stickles glitter glue for the wings and the fur trim, and a white gel pen for the highlights in her eyes. 

The layout for this card comes from this week's challenge over at Papertake Weekly.  (It sort of evolved from the sketch into this... I would say I was "inspired by" the sketch...)  Check out what their awesome DT did with the sketch..  WOWZERS!  And play along... you could win a $25 gift certificate from My Creative Classroom... good towards ANY class being offered this fall!  (And there are a LOT of them!)

Good luck. 
And thanks for stopping in today!

I'm Craft Class Crazy!!!

Something must be in the air... or maybe it's in the water.  Wherever it is... it is creating quite a stir over at My Creative Classroom! 

Did you know that we opened our fall classes for enrollment on Tuesday?  Yup, sure did!!!  Have you checked out all of the fan-tabulous classes we are offering this term?  No???  Well... what'cha waiting for - get on over there and see all of the amazing new classes (and the super talented instructors).  Whether you are interested in Photography, Digital Scrapbooking, Jewelry Making, Mixed Media, Getting Inky, Fine Arts, or Stamping... we have something for everyone!   (These links are just a smattering of of your choices.)

We've got a lot of 'em... I personally have 15 classes running this fall!  I've been taping video, clicking pictures, and typing till my fingers are numb these past few weeks to get them all ready.  Check out my full class listing HERE and see if there is something that might interest you.  Find your inner artist in my Express Yourself: Portraits in Multiple Mediums, or hang out with me and do some inchie art in Inching Towards the Holidays. 

Don't forget the golden-oldies too.  I'm re-offering a few of my most popular offerings from the past two years.  Learn to color realistic images in The Coloring Craze and the Coloring Craze II, jump on the stamping bandwagon in one of my Stamptastic Techniques classes, or go crazy for Copics in my Everything Copic class. 

I know I will be spending a lot of time over at MCC this fall... both teaching AND taking classes.  I would LOVE to see you there! 

Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Card Details
Stamp: Stippled Rose (SU Retired)
Inks: London Fog (Memento)
Coloring: Copic Markers
Other: Nestabilities die cut, black organdy, Copic Multiliner - black

I'm Here if You Need Me.

Happy Friday all.  I'm so glad it is finally the weekend!  I'm a bit worn out from all of the running around that I've done this week.  It was the last week of my Surface and Design pottery class up in Tulsa.  I've got some really nice pots waiting to be fired in the kiln and I can't wait to see the results of my glazing experiments.  (If they turn out, I'll share pictures.)  

I have to decide whether I'm going to sign up for a third Throwing class on the pottery wheel.  I REALLY learned a lot during the intermediate class, and I would like to go on to the advanced class... but I just don't know if I have time this fall.  I will have to wait and see.  I've got so much else on my plate right now.  (What else is new right?)

We are ALMOST ready for our Fall Kick-Off over at My Creative Classroom.  There are a few new instructors and TONS of new classes!  I can't wait for the opening of enrollment... be watching next week for that announcement! 

And lastly, I found some time to be CREATIVE this week.  I was browsing though the latest uploads on SCS a few weeks ago and was completely drawn in by this card that Jeanne S. created.  It was simply, it was clean, it was perfect!  I knew that I wanted to use the layout in a card of my own... and so I pulled out my Elegant Flowers set from Gina K Designs and paired it with a pretty matching sentiment from Verve.  The irises are colored with Copic markers, punched out with a scalloped circle Nestability, and then sponged with lilac ink. 

It was really hard for me to NOT use any embellishments or doodle any frames on this card, but I think it turned out really pretty!  It would make a super fast and easy thinking of you or sympathy card.

Thanks for the inspiration Jeanne...  and thanks everyone for stopping by!
Have a wonderful weekend.

Teaching In Tulsa!

I'm super excited to announce that I will be teaching a Copic 101 workshop in Tulsa this fall. 

The details are all worked out and the date is set.  If you are in the area and are interested in learning how to use Copic Markers... join me in class!

           

            Where: ScrapHappy's
                        7142 S. Memorial Drive
                        Tulsa, OK 74133

            When:   Saturday, September 26th
                         10:00 am - 1:00 pm

            Cost:    $35.00 (includes three sketch markers and classroom materials)

            Call:     (918) 250-0472 to register

For a full class description and more information, please visit the ScrapHappy's website.

Card Details
Stamps: Sugar Nellie (Pen Pal), SU (Mini Mates)
Paper: SU (Brocade Blue, Night of Navy, So Saffron), Georgia Pacific (White), Basic Grey
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black
Other: Copic Markers, mini buttons