First ever Copic Muskateers Blog Hop !

YAY !I'm so excited to be part of the Copic Muskateers' First Ever Blog Hop! If you've come here from Danielle's blog, you're on the right track.  If you haven't started at the beginning, check out The Copic Muskateers' Blog here. It might be obvious, but you'll probably be able to figure out the theme (being that it's the day before Halloween) ... it's ... drum roll, please ... H-A-L-L-O-W-E-E-N !

Here's the list of the gal's participating in the Blog Hop, and the order:

Rhonda

Danielle

Collette (you're here)

PJ

Aletha

Melanie

This fun image is a digital image from My Graphico. I actually love the way he turned out, even if the photo is a smidge washed out (I think I forgot to turn the flash off - my bad).  This Jack O'Lantern was colored in Copics - what else, lol - on Cryogen.  Love how the subtle glimmer of the paper shows through even the Copics for a soft glow.  I used various Halloween themed designer papers, matting all on black then popped the image panel up for dimension.  The sentiment is computer generated and I finished by adding some faux black nailheads and Martha Stewart punched border trim.

Hope you have time to create something fun and Halloween-themed this weekend!  For some more fun, please head on over to PJ's blog to see what she's up to.  Have fun!  Remember - when you're done, head on back to the Copic Muskateers blog and leave a comment.  A little bird told me there's some kind of prize in store for some special someone!

Happy Haunting !

Splitcoaster's Free for All for today

Today's challenge over at Splitcoasters was to use your bits and pieces - in other words, Paper Piecing.  I put together 2 cards. 

For this first one, I pieced 1.5 inch squares of papers from my scraps of Basic Grey's Bittersweet paper - dang straight, I'm not throwing any of that away!  Anyway, I put it on a diagonal and used the Labels 10 Nestie die to cut the shape.  For the mat, I cut chocolate just outside the border.  Then added some copper brads at the edges.  I used the butterfly from Stampin' Up's Simple Friendship set stamped in chocolate and the sentiment from their Full of Life set, stamped in espresso.  I tweaked the wings with a little bit of copic marker to give it some shading then added some clear glitter gel to the swirls on the wings.  The pieced panel was popped up on dimensionals and then the sentiment popped up for further dimension.  I love everything I make that uses this Bittersweet paper !

For the second card, I decided to piece this lovely Elisabeth Bell's dress after I shaded it with Copic markers.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up's Full of Life set and backed with rose paper.  Again, the dress and background are from Basic Grey's Bittersweet paper pack.  I finished with a rich chocolate ribbon and some white liquid pearls.

Thanks for stopping by.  Make sure you check in tomorrow ... The Copic Muskateers are having our first ever Blog Hop and I'll have something spooky posted after midnight!  Take care & have a great day!

Just finished Intermediate Copic Certification class

Just got back from the new Intermediate Copic Certification class.  Had lots of fun and met a couple of swell ladies - Judy and Cheryl - thanks for the camraderie!  Can't believe you gals live so close to each other and met for the first time in Chicago. 

Made a couple of cards this past few days before class.  This first one is for the Copic Muskateers Bingo swap - Pat, don't peek, it's in the mail, lol.  The image is from Mo Manning's Digital Pencil Too and was colored with Copics.  Part of the challenge was to add shimmer.  I did use some Pearl Ex on his wrappings and the pumpkin, but for the life of me, couldn't get the shimmer to show up in the photograph.

This next card was made following this week's Ways to Use it challenge - to incorporate fabric.  As you can see, I used the Nesties die to cut out the burlap layer behind the image.  The Penny Black hedgie is brand new - first time he's seen ink or Copics since I purchased.  What a cutie he is ... will have to do him again without cropping him half off the layer.

Fun card made with The Stamping Boutique's digital Halloween image.  I love this busy background paper paired with the thick black satin ribbon. 

As always, thanks for stopping by - love to hear what you have to say.

Fun with Digital Pencil Too

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS! to my Varsity Cheer squad for taking first place yesterday.  You gals rocked it.  And earned a bid to State Championship.  WAY TO GO!

These first two cards are done with the same image, Jill Two.  Both were colored with Copics.  For this first one, I kept it in the purple family.  Added some clear glitter gel to the crowns on her dress, and some purple glitter gel pen to the barrettes.  Spellbinders flourish and the corner detail has some white half-pearls added before finishing off with white satin bow.  Not sure on what sentiment to add just yet.

This second one was done in the same way, keeping it in the pink family with a little bit of chocolate detail.  I love this image.  Reminds me of when my wonderful daughter was that age and stubborn as all get out! 

This little cutie is my latest purchase from Digital Pencil Too ... I think I may be nostalgic for the times when I had a toddler.  I colored this "Shy" image with Copics and highlighted with a white gel pen then traced the darker pinks with clear glitter gel pen for a bit of sparkle.  The sentiment is computer generated.  Papers are rose red from Stampin Up and their pretty in pink satin ribbon for the knot.

Now, while I'm not normally a fan of Halloween cards, I thought this image (also a new purchase) of the mummy-wrapped toddler trick or treating was too cute to pass up.  For today's technique challenge, we were to incorporate "shimmer".  I thinned some radiant pearls and applied to the mummy-wrap and the pumpkin.  Can't see it in the picture, but it gives a soft shimmer when you turn the card.  I colored him with Copics before adding the shimmer.  Papers are eggplant envy and tango from Stampin Up with some PTI black.  The unknown bat was stamped in black before punching him with an oval punch then matting with a black scalloped oval.  Finished off with some faux nail heads.

As always, thanks for stopping by - love to hear what you have to say.

Spoonful of Sugar challenge 125

This week's challenge over at Spoonful of Sugar is to create a Winter Wonderland.  The sponsor is none other than The Stamping Boutique. 

I enlarged the Candy Land board image and colored with Copics then added some white gel and clear glitter gel accents before matting on green then adding the pretty in pink satin ribbon.

This card measures 5.5 x 5.5.  The sentiment was computer generated & punched with an oval before matting on scalloped oval pink mat.  Image panel is popped up for dimension on some gorgeous Basic Grey designer paper.

My second card is for the challenge at Splitcoast Stampers on Monday - to use wet stamping technique.  I didn't have as much 'bleed' on the wet layer as I wanted, but like the way the card turned out.  I used pink pirouette as the under layer & marina mist on the dry layer, with the sentiment stamped in pacific point.  For a bit of sparkle, I added some Stickles rock candy to some of the snowflake branches.

The third card I did followed the wet stamping technique, as well as the Clean and Simple challenge, "crinkle" (as in leaves) ... kind of vague, but I stamped the wet layer with saffron leaves.  After dry, I stamped pumpkin rocked in mellow moss over.  I ran this layer through the Stampin Up wallpaper embossing folder then sponged around the edges with green.  I punched out an oval and stamped the image through the 'window' that was created onto the card base.  A ribbon tied on before popping up for dimension and this was an easy-peasy card.

Thanks for stopping by for a look-see!  Love to hear your comments.

Stamping Boutique's - Digi Day at Paper Craft Planet

The Stamping Boutique ... PCP Digi Day

Last month was our first time doing a digi image day on PCP and it went soooo well that we are doing it again, and again and again!!! We will officially be holding digi day each month on PCP. We had a great turn out and had such a blast.

This month's theme for digi day is going to be Digi's in Pink! Yep...that's right, we are going to support Breast Cancer Awareness month for our digi day this go round. I promise you will have fun, meet some new people, chat with the ones you already know, play some games, maybe get a freebie, and get to play in some great challenges for chances to win images from The Stamping Boutique.

Important Details:
~Where~The Stamping Boutique PCP forum
~When~Saturday Oct. 16th
~Time~2-4pm EST
~What to bring~fast typing fingers and your crafting mojo

Card fun ... Plus shop my Etsy shop to help Mandy

This card was made for today's sketch challenge as well as yesterday's color challenge over at Splitcoast Stampers.  The digital image is from Mo Manning's Digital Pencil Too.  I colored her with Copics and matted on Razzleberry before popping her up for dimension.  Card base is saffron with razzleberry designer paper.  The two middle panels are the same designer paper flipped over and matted on Tango.  I added some saffron grosgrain ribbon to the lower panel.  The sentiment is computer generated and punched with a scalloped oval punch before popping up and extra layer so it sits above the image panel.  Finished off with some clear spica on her wings and red spica on her dress ties.  This is such a super cute image - I'm loving it!

My second card was made following last week's sketch challenge.  The image is a digital image from The Stamping Boutique.  I colored outside the tree with Copics to keep the tree white & snowy-looking before I added some diamond Stickles to the snowflakes.  Card base is bashful blue with marina mist used as the mats for the different layers.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up, stamped in marina mist.  I added some diamond Stickles to the sentiment panel as well as in the upper left for some faux brad action - to give it a bit of sparkle.  The designer paper is from Stampin' Up.

This 3rd card is just for fun ... An autumn card.  This digital image and sentiment are from glitterbabe over at Copic Muskateers.  At first, I thought the line drawings were a bit thick, but after coloring, I'm liking how this looks.  I added some glossy accents to his eyes and nose and popped a few highlights on with my white gel pen.  The various leaves were stamped in cajun craze, mustard and artichoke around the edges.  I sponged the edge with some mustard before matting on cajun.  I used the Stampin Up slot punch to give me space for a ribbon tie then popped the image panel up for dimension.  The card base is artichoke then cajun then some digital designer paper.

4th and last card (for now) is one I didn't think I was going to like, but now that it's done and on the card - I'm quite fond of him.  This digital image is from Whimsy and he was colored with Copics.  I added some glossy accents to his cheeks before cutting him out to pop him up for dimension.  I wanted to stay with the swiss cheese look, so I used some polka dotted designer paper and then put a strip of white cardstock that I had run through my swiss dots embossing folder then sponged with mustard.  I picked this bright ribbon to match the cheese.  The sentiment is computer generated and was punched with my scalloped oval punch, as was the mat, which I offset slightly before popping up for dimension.

Well ... I finally decided to take the plunge .... (The Nestea plunge, you ask?  ... Am I dating myself?) ... I opened up an Etsy shop. 

Now for the sad part to my story ... There is a young woman in our community who is involved in the local young girl pagaents as well as our cheerleading organization.  She was recently diagnosed with breast and lung cancer.  She has begun chemotherapy treatments and has already lost her hair.  Within the next couple of weeks, she is slated for surgery on her breasts and on her lungs.  Mandy has 3 children ranging from 13 down to 3 at home.  If you're interested, Mandy's story can be found HERE . Warning, she does not mince words and there's an 'adult content' warning you need to click on before entering due to her blunt language.

Our cheerleading organization has organized a t-shirt drive for Mandy, but I thought if I could sell some of my cards, for the entire month of October, I would donate all the proceeds to Mandy and her family.  I just filled a box last week with cards that I was sending to Operation Write Home, so my stash was substantially reduced, but I was able to put up 36 cards so far.  4 of them have actually sold - yippee! 

If you get a chance and like some of the cards I've featured on my blog, please hop over to my  Heaven Sent for You Etsy shop and take a gander.  Remember, for the entire month of October (Cancer Awareness month), I'm going to donate all proceeds from the sale of the cards to Mandy and her family.

As always, thanks so much for stopping by ... Please leave a comment, I love hearing from you.

More Cards for the Troops

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This first card was made for the Scrap It With A Song, Week 24's challenge - the song "Life is a Highway".  The digital image from The Stamping Boutique was colored with Copics.  I added some glossy accents to his headlights & the 'grille'.  This AJ is super cute!

My second card was made for the Spots 'n Stripes challenge over at A Spoon Full of Sugar's challenge blog.  Since the sponsor this week was MelJen Designs of Whimsy Stamps, I wanted to find something from her digital collection.  OMYGosh - where have these dog tags been?  I love, love, love the idea.  I added a computer generated sentiment through Word Art to the dog tags before printing out and coloring with Copics.  My "Spots" are on the grosgrain ribbon and my "Stripes" are on the vertical panel of red striped paper.

Both cards will join my stash of cards to send out to Operation Write Home.

Thanks for popping in for a look-see ... Have a fabulous day!

Kitty Kai says Happy Fall

This card was made using a digital image from Mo Manning's Digital Pencil Too, Kitty Kai.  I colored with Copics and then sponged around the edge with some Pumpkin.  The background was made using vanilla that had been stamped with the 'sanded' background stamp and sent to me through the Wish RAK over at Splitcoast Stampers.  On that, I stamped some random leaf images to bring in the fall.  The Ways to Use it challenge yesterday at Splitcoast was to incorporate a banner, so I computer generated this "Happy Fall" theme.  (Sara, if you happen by, don't look at the picture, lol).

I'm actually quite happy with the way this card turned out - Hope you like it too!

Thanks for stopping by!