Bordering on Romance "Copic-type" Watercolor / OWH Challenge #118

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Hey y'all. Happy Friday! The weekend countdown is on. :) I hope you've had a great week to this point and the weekend gets even better for you!

Where do you find inspiration for your projects? It surprises me sometimes where I get mine and how things often just fall into place. Last Friday I was able to get a ride home with a commuter-friend of mine. Actually she seems like such a nice person, I hope we get to be regular friends too. Hi Michelle! She's a creative person like me and on the 30+ minute ride home we got a chance to talk about stamping and scrapbooking and products we like, love, want to know more about.

Well, she asked me if I used Copics. I told her I didn't for a couple of reasons. 1-There's just so many and to be honest the 're a little intimidating. 2- I couldn't imagine the cost of getting all of them especially when I already have all the SU ones. 3- I had seen plenty of cards using SU markers to create the same effect. I had even tried my hand with ours and had been happy with the results. 4- This process takes so long it's definitely not one I would use everyday.

Wouldn't you know it, in just the few days since that conversation, I saw a tutorial for getting "Copic" results with our markers. Let me tell you I was on that in a Hot Second! Although I had tried my hand at this achieving these results before (by blending multiple colors) I had used it on regular cardstock and while I was happy, I felt like there could be even better results. I knew it was just my lack of experience. The video showed beautiful "Copic" type results, and I knew I wanted to try it! The difference between mine and theirs, watercolor paper. Amazing what a difference in results with just a piece of paper!

Then I saw a sketch challenge over at Operation Write Home and thought it might be just perfect to try the technique again, this time with the watercolor paper.

Here's my card- (Normally I wouldn't do the picture so large, but I wanted you to really be able to see the coloring)

"Copic-type" Watercoloring with Stampin Up Markers

I was so excited with how not only the card but the technique turned out. I'll do an End of the Week Technique on this soon. Because I was doing this for a challenge I wanted to go ahead and post it.

Want to know the best part of the watercoloring? Instead of using multiple markers in varying shades of the same color, I used one marker only for each of the three colors. I used Regal Rose for the main floral image, Island Indigo, for the smaller flowers and Lucky Limeade for the leaves. That's all! No 2 or 3 colors for each image, just one. Can I just say once more, how amazing our products are!?!

What do you think? For a first effort with this, after seeing the video, I think it looks pretty awesome and like it was done with Copics and the tutorial I saw had even better results! I'm sure mine will improve with time as well.

Here's the OWH Sketch-

I stuck pretty close to it. I just extended the border some and flipped it on it's side. Truth be told the whole time I was making it I had it just like the sketch. It wasn't until I had the watercolored tiles applied that I decided to flip it on it's side and then I knew that was how it should be. Luckily I was able to remove my colored pieces from the dimensionals, without damaging them, and re-configure them.

I love the Bordering on Romance stamp set. If it's a favorite of yours too, you only have 3 more days to order it from the Occasions Mini before it retires. We have no idea if it will be carried over to the new annual catalog. 

I used a base of Blushing Bride c/s, cut at 8 1/2 x 5 1/4. The Whisper White c/s was cut at 3 x 5, to leave the 3 x 3 center section. Next I used my Edglet to create the scalloped border, by running it through my Big Shot. I love the added ruffled edge the edgelet gives. Next I used my Adorning Accents Embossing Folder to create the embossed detail. I just love how they coordinate perfectly! I really hope all of these pieces are making a return to the annual catalog! I stamped the little row of flowers using a another stamp from the Bordering on Romance set. It was made to coordinate with the edgetlet and embossing folder. Love it! Of course it makes beautiful borders all on it's own as well. :)

For the focal point I stamped the image in Staz-On, so the colors wouldn't blend with the black ink, on a 2 x 2 piece of watercolor paper. After coloring the image with my 3 markers I cut the paper into quarters and mounted them on 1 1/8 squares of Blushing Bride c/s with Tombow and then adhered them to my WW base with dimensionals. I sponged the edges of all the cardstock except the watercolor paper for added dimension. The final accent was two strips of  Blushing Bride Pleated Ribbon. All products used for this card with the exception of the inks, adhesives, and the WW and watercolor c/s could potentially be gone in just 3 days. Wow, that makes me sad!

Here's the video showing this technique-

Here's a look at the inside-

For the inside, I tried to do the same technique. While I think it looks nice, it doesn't have quite the same impact. This is due to the regular c/s used. You have to be careful with regular c/s as it can breakdown slightly if you apply the color repeatedly to a small area and then try to blend it. I didn't put a sentiment, because I'm not sure who this is going to or for what occasion just yet. It may be a Mother's day card for one of the special women in my life.

I looked up Copics to do a comparison and they have 214 colors in 16 different color families. Their markers are $6.99 each and feature a wide tip and a finer pointed "nib" type tip. Theirs are refillable and you can replace the tips. The cost for a full set of Copics, a whopping $1495.86. WOW! Stampin Up's markers by comparison have 38 regular colors separated into 4 color "families", which coordinate perfectly with all of their papers and accessories. They have both a wide, brush type tip and a fine tip that's perfect for smaller areas or journaling. SU's markers are $3.50 each and you can get the entire set in a carrying case for a total cost of only $109.95, that breaks down to just $2.89 each. Both sets of markers can be refilled. The main difference in the two marker styles was that the tips on the Copic markers were replaceable. However for $3.50 with SU you can just get another marker if needed. Now after seeing that I can get the same results with SU markers for 50% less per individual marker and 1/10th the cost for a complete set, the decision for which to get is pretty clear. Granted if I was doing graphic art or big time illustrating I might feel a little different, but for making beautiful cards, scrapbook layouts and gifts the answer seems pretty simple, at least in my mind and to my budget. *Note- This is just my opinion after doing a price and specifications comparison. You're opinion may vary.*

So what did you think about today's card? I hope you liked it! If you did, I'd love it if you left me a comment! If you liked it please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've placed the buttons on my sidebar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are always welcome too!

If you need to buy supplies to make your own special projects, you can shop in my ONLINE STORE 24/7. Don't forget our Occasions Mini Catalog ends on April 30. Our Retired Lists are also out. The Accessories are While Supplies Last only and many are discounted up to 60 % off and they are flying off the shelves. Many items are already sold out. Our retiring stamps are only here until May 31. Make sure you don't miss your favorites!

Well, that's all I have for you today. I hope you have an Amazing Weekend filled with Family, Friends and of course lots of time for creativity!

Till next time-

Remember- Life isn't about Waiting for the storm to pass, but Learning to Dance in the rain.

Be Safe,

Shan

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Sometimes It's Like Pulling Teeth... OWH #103 -My #2

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Hey y'all. How are you today? We're trying to stay warm and dry here in the DMV because the rain is supposed to be coming later today and they say the white stuff may be coming back tomorrow. Sheesh! You'd think it was January or something, for realls! But I have a card for you today that is bright and cheery and spring-time all the way.

In keeping with my "resolve" to "try" and do a challenge a week I found this one over at Operation Write Home.

Have you been to their site yet? They send cards to military members for them to send back home to their families. How amazing is that?!? They will also send our beautiful cards to our Heros. (Why does that not look right?) Do you love this concept? I LOVE it! So, I love the sketch, and have been working on a lot of Valentine's day cards but felt like it would be too obvious, so I decided to try something else. I saw a card yesterday that I really liked, done in the new Sweetshop DSP and it sparked my creativity for this card. I kinda knew what I wanted but I went back and forth, back and forth trying to decide. Which paper do I want to use, which stamp set, what embellishments will I use? (Are you thinking, really? Shan and embellishments?) Back and Forth, Back and Forth. Even after I narrowed down the DSP series, I still had to narrow down the actual paper I was going to use. I guess that's the problem with having so many amazing DSP's. (: Finally, I was able to pick one. But let me tell you, I bet I still spent a good 30 minutes deciding the paper and embellishments for this card. (In case you haven't been following me long, I don't usually use embellishments. (Rhinestones-that's just bling, pearls-same thing) I rarely use ribbons and I think this is post 70 something and it's the 2nd post with a brad. Prepping for this card was "Like pulling teeth!" Have you ever heard that expression? Thank goodness they did the layout for me!

I took a few liberties with the sketch, something I rarely do. If you know me, and have followed me at all you know I'm a pretty stick to it kinda girl, right down to the dimensions of the layers and the shapes they have on it. In fact there was a time, way back when, that if a sketch had a heart on it, and I didn't have a heart, well I wouldn't be doing that sketch. But, I digress... Ready for my card? Here it is-

I don't know about you but this just makes me smile.

This is Sale-A-Bration to the MAX! Are you SOOO Excited for it? I can't wait for you to see the catalog! I started with a base of Pool Party and layered it with Everyday Enchantment DSP.

Instead of the 2 - .75 x 5.5 layers they have listed on the sketch I opted to triple wrap the sheer Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeaide ribbons, criss-crossing the layers and knotting them. I originally had longer ends but it looked a little fussy. I may go back later and add bows but I think it may be too much, I think just the simple knot works. HMMMM- here's a thought too, I may try this card again without the brads using our new edgelet to frame the curve of the stamps and turn then so they face downward. What do you think?

Instead of the banner across the middle I opted once again to rebel. (I wonder if it had anything to do with the drink I was drinking as I was designing? Hmmmm? No I'm going to simply go with Design Dictate) Instead of the banner I chose to use three of the decorative brads from the Everyday Elegance Brad Pack. I used my mat Pack and Piercing tool to space and punch the holes and then place the brads. I trimmed the edge of the brad closest to the edge so it wouldn't show.

I colored the postage stamp image from Fresh Vintage with my Blender Pens and Classic Ink Pads in Pool Party, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeaide and then stamped the image on Very Vanilla c/s. I used my Postage Stamp Punch to punch the image out and then matted it with a square of Pool Party that I punched out with my Square Punch. I adhered these with Dimensionals and this is the only part of the sketch that I stuck to. (:




Here's the inside-

A simple greeting from another Sale-A-Bration set (wouldn't you know I looked at the name last night so I wouldn't forget it and I forgot it again) I think it's Elementary Elegance. The font is so beautiful! I simply huffed on the stamp from the front and stamped on the bottom corner for a little something extra. If you send cards to OWH, they can't have any glitter on them. ): If this were going to someone here, then I would definitely let Tink have her way with that little corner.

Well, that's all I have for today. What do you think? I have to figure out something for this weeks EWT, it's coming up quick! I've also got Stampcamp coming up next week. I hope you liked today's card and I hope it encourages you to step out of your box and do something you don't often do, whether that's using an embellishment like ribbons or brads or entering a challenge. Just Try. If you liked it, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

If you need supplies to recreate this card or others like it you can shop at my online store 24/7

Card Supplies-
Card stock- Pool Party, Very Vanilla, Every Day Enchantment DSP
Ink-Classic Ink Pads- Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeaide
Stampsets -Sale-A-Bration- Fresh Vintage, Elemetary Elegance
Punches- Postage Stamp, Square
Sale-A-Bration Ribbon and Brad Pack
Accesories- Mat Pack, Piercing Tool, Blender Pens, Dimensionals, Glue Stick. Clear Block - C

I hope to see you back later this week for my End of the Week Technique.
Till Next Time-

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

A Triple Challenge and A Little Holiday Cheer OWH #99, SQSC #17, PPA #124

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Hey y'all.

Friday is finally here! Woo-Hoo! The cold is coming quickly here in the DMV and we are expected to drop nearly 20 degrees during the day today and maybe even some of the white stuff. YUCK! But, I'm doing a Christmas lunch with my co-workers and counting down to the weekend. I hope you have some fabulous plans for this last weekend before Christmas. Holy Cow, it's so hard to believe it's almost here!

No Christmas card today though, I'm looking ahead to V.D. (Ok, I hope you all went back to High School with me on that one.) Of course, I meant Valentine's Day. Operation Write Home is sending Valentine's Day cards overseas to our troops and they need to be sent out by Dec. 31st. Have you heard about this group? They send cards to our troops so they have beautiful handmade cards to send home to their loved ones. They also send cards to our Hero's from us, to thank them for the Amazing Job they are doing. Check them out. Here's their Sketch Challenge for this week-

It doesn't happen often for me, but as soon as I saw it I knew what I wanted to do. I just needed to flip the whole card on it's side and I'd be in business. This really doesn't happen often for me so I was really excited. One of the things I also really liked about the challenge sketch is it gives dimensions on it. What a big HUGE help that is, especially to someone like me. This of course meant I didn't have to do any math to try and figure out my dimensions. Thanks OWH!

However, While I was waiting to get a chance to stamp, I saw this sketch over at Stampin Queens-

I thought "It's kinda similar to the OWH one, just flip it on it's side too, skinny up the middle layer and stretch out the top one." Are you seeing it?  Now if you  have followed me at all, you know I usually don't see these kinds of connections. I'm usually a very literal interpretation kind of girl, so I was really excited that I might be able to do 2 challenges with one card. The only thing it didn't have was the little accents in the corners. I hope they'll forgive me for not using them.

And then I saw this sketch over at Pals Paper Arts and thought "No Stinking Way! 3 challenges from 1 card?" Here's the PPA sketch-

Here I thought "If I just flip the layout of the top layers side-ways, ( a quarter turn counter-clockwise) I think it will work."  And you know what? I think it does!

What do you think? Here's my card-

Can I just say, it turned out just like I saw it in my head, and it came together so quickly too. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

I started with a base of Real Red and then a layer of Pretty in Pink for my strip, which I adhered with Tombow. I then used my LOVE Letterpress Plate and my Big Shot to create the center panel. I inked it up with Real Red classic ink (although I do believe it probably does work better with the Craft Spots) and ran it through. This was, sad to say, the first time I had used this plate, but I will definitely use it more. I popped this up with dimensionals and then added my large Red Glimmer Heart which was left over from my Valentines Day swap a few weeks back. I used a few dimensionals on this too.

It's kind of hard to see in this picture, but there are embossed hearts on the pink layer. I made a Textured Plate with the backing from our DSP packs and my small heart punch. I did an End of the Week Technique on it a while back. You can check it out HERE if you haven't seen it yet. The hearts are all turned randomly on 3 lines (yeah, random was really hard for me here, because there are a lot of hearts!) and then glued down. Here's a look at what the strip looks like-

Ooops, it looks like I  showed the debossed side :-)

Here's a closer look at the card-

Just a little added touch of the unexpected and since I made it myself, I know no-one else will have one just like it.

Here's the inside of the card-

As I currently own just one Valentine's set that's what got used even though it's from last year and is retired. I used Real Red for my ink and let Tink do her thing at the bottom. Now, if this card was actually being shipped to OWH I wouldn't have been able to use the Dazzling Diamonds, I would have just used a small Glimmer heart instead.

So what do you think? I think I pulled it off. I always wondered at how people could get 2 or 3 challenges out of one card. Most of them are sketches and color challenges or mashups, but I think I managed to get 3 different sketches out of one card. I'm enjoying this because I'm sure it will probably never happen again!

If you liked today's card, I would love it if you left me a comment. It's great when I get to hear from you! Also, if you liked today's card, please feel free to +1 or Pin it. I've added the buttons to my side-bar for your convenience. Friends and Followers are also welcome. :)

Today's Card recipe-
Cardstock- Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White and Red Glimmer
Ink-Real Red
Big Shot- Love Letterpress Plate
Punch- Large Heart
Accessories-Tombow, Dazzling Details, Two-Way Glue Pen

Now back to the holiday's for just a moment. Ever get a phone call and you look at the number and go???????

That happened to me yesterday when I looked at the caller ID and it was my home number. Now I know my studio assistants are pretty talented and Duecey actually likes to talk on the phone, but him calling me, well that would be one for the record books. And, as I'm an empty-nester, (except for Deucey and Bitty) I knew no-one was in the house unless my resident ghost had decided to call and there again, one for the record books. So I answered the phone to find my sis on the other end. *WHEW!* She was calling to tell me she was dropping off a surprise, but where could she put it so the babies wouldn't get it for the next few hours because Bitty was already playing with. We finally came up with a hiding location, but I was going bonkers trying to figure out what she possibly could have left for me that Bitty Kitty wanted so bad.

I got home and found this-

Ok, I actually found it in the spare bedroom so Bitty wouldn't play with it and brought it up so I could take a picture. Do you know what it is? It's the Charlie Brown Christmas tree! With the little red ornament and Linus' blankie around the bottom. You know what else? It plays the Charlie Brown theme.

My sis had got us both one and it was just in time for me to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas on t.v. last night. She is so AMAZING!!!! Really, Just the Best!

Here's the cute card that came with it too. Just right for my studio assistants-

I was laughing SO HARD! I loved my early gifts and just wanted to be able to share them with you all. I hope they bring a little joy to your day. Remember also, to Just Dance, and to dance like no-one's watching.

I hope you have a Great weekend filled with Family, Friends, Lots of Love and of course plenty of time for designing!

Till next time-

Be Safe,
Shan Pin It

Sneak Peek 3 Challenges OWH #99, SQSC- 17, and PPA 124

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Hey y'all just a quick Peek at tomorrow's post. I had to hurry up and upload it so I could get in on Operation Write Home's Challenge #99.

*Note- The full post is up HERE. Thanks for visiting. :-)

Here's their sketch-

I just rotated the sketch for my card.

If you're wondering about the pink strip it's embossed with hearts from a texture plate I made myself just for this card. Closer images tomorrow.

Full post tomorrow.

Till then-
Be Safe,
Shan



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