no line coloring

Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember + Altenew!

September 16, 2023

Being able to play with the different collaboration stamp sets for Simon Says Stamp’s STAMPtember celebration is such a joy and helps reinforce my love of this hobby-turned-job, which is basically the entire point of STAMPtember!! The Altenew STAMPtember collaboration set is indicative of Altenew’s general aesthetic: elegant. I had such fun coloring this beautiful rose arrangement, adding a few special touches to make it really pop. Let’s get started with the details!

To start, I stamped the Altenew STAMPtember collaboration stamp set using Contour Ink from Hero Arts onto a mini-slimline card front of Hammermill cardstock. I wanted to highlight the beautiful and detailed stamp with a simple layout, so I stamped the bouquet smack dab in the center of this mini-slimline card front. I colored the images in some lovely shades of coral and red, with warm green foliage, using OLO markers. When working with alcohol markers, I always try to make sure that I have at least four markers in a gradient to ensure that I have maximum contrast and depth. No-line coloring can be a bit fussy, but the only part that I find truly challenging is the flower centers. Those tiny areas are a bit difficult to get perfect, so I have a trick to share with you: opaque pens. I used the Karin Star Sparks Deco Gel Pens and Karin Milky Way Deco Gel Pens to add the stamens to the center of each flower, using a few different colors to add variety and interest! I just love how this turned out!

Because I wanted to keep things simple to allow that beautiful floral bouquet to stay the star of my card, I created a simple frame around my colored image using 1/4″ masking tape right up against the edges of my mini-slimline card front. I used a blending brush to lightly blend Altenew Dusty Rose Fresh Dye Ink around my colorful image. The light shade of warm pink accents the red flowers beautifully without altering the colored image.

For the greeting, I heat embossed one of the sentiments from the Altenew STAMPtember collaboration set onto some white cardstock using Rose Gold embossing powder from Altenew. I trimmed the sentiment down and popped it up on the colored, blended panel using foam adhesive. I added a few shimmering gems for one last sparkling touch!

Well, that’s all for my project today! The gorgeous Altenew STAMPtember collaboration set also comes as a set with dies so that you can easily create beautiful cards with dimensional die cuts, as well! If you love this set as much as I do, I wouldn’t wait too long, because these sets usually sell out very quickly, and once they’re gone, they won’t be restocked. Thanks so much for stopping by, and happy STAMPtember!!

STAMPtember Begins with a New Release!

August 31, 2023

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! STAMPtember has officially begun over at Simon Says Stamp, and it’s going to be such an amazing celebration for the entire month, with marvelous surprises and gorgeous new products with which you can create long after the party has ended! This month is all about celebrating stamping and the joy that comes with it, and I’m so excited to be part of it. The first STAMPtember release just went live in the Simon Says Stamp store, and I have two projects to share with you using several of the new goodies. Let’s get started with the details!

The color palette for my projects today was inspired by the new Purple Fields Pawsitively Saturated Ink Cubes that were released tonight! This set of six ink cubes features two different purple palettes to make for super simple stamp layering and ink blending, taking the guesswork out of which colors work together, as well as creating a beautiful ombré color palette. Both of my projects today feature a deep blue violet with pops of vivid magenta, but utilizing two completely different styles.

To start my first project, I die cut some of the gorgeous Etched Primrose dies, Layered Rose Leaves dies, and Privet Branch die from some plain white Hammermill cardstock. I then used OLO markers to transform these plain white die cuts into this vivid magenta and mint floral bouquet! I added some shimmering handmade watercolors to the centers of each of the flowers to add extra sparkle. Before arranging my bouquet on my card front, I trimmed down a panel of Blue Violet Cardstock to A2 size and used a blending brush to blend the Iris ink from the new Purple Fields Pawsitively Saturated Cubes set over the Diamond Circles Stencil. This tone-on-tone blending creates a super subtle pattern behind the floral bouquet and adds just a touch of interest to the background!

After I had adhered my floral bouquet to the stenciled card front using foam adhesive, I turned my attention to the sentiment. I heat embossed the outline “enjoy” from the new Enjoy Phrases stamp set using silver embossing powder on more Blue Violet Cardstock. I used the handmade metallic glitter watercolors to fill in the interior of the outline; the opacity of these watercolors really makes the word pop from the deep blurple cardstock! I popped up the sentiment elements with a double layer of foam adhesive to really help it stand out. Finally, I added a few shimmering gems for some more sparkle. Such a vivid, dramatic card!

For my second card, I used one of the darling new Happy Days stamps from the STAMPtember release! These sweet storybook critters each are so unique and have the most precious expressions on their faces. I can’t wait to color more of them. I started by using Blending Brushes to blend a super saturated sunset sky background using Amethyst, Lilac, and Iris inks from the Purple Fields Pawsitively Saturated Cubes. I splattered the darker section with some glittering metallic watercolors to create stars. Such a fun effect!

I stamped the mouse from Happy Days on his little mushroom using Contour Ink onto Hammermill cardstock, then colored the image using Warm Gray OLO Markers. I wanted to create a little sunset scene, with the mouse gazing up at the stars, so I “glazed” the lighter areas of the stamped scene with a super pale pink alcohol marker, creating a bit of a pink glow on the image to match the glowing pink sunset background.

To give my stargazing mouse some ground out of which his mushrooms could grow, I die cut two strips of some deep teal cardstock using a grass border die from Honey Bee Stamps. I layered the strips one behind the other, popping the front grass border up with some foam adhesive and tucking my mouse behind it with some more foam tape. I heat embossed another greeting from Enjoy Phrases, this time using the solid large “enjoy” stamp with silver embossing powder and fussy cut it out and pairing it with the retirement sentiment. I loved the notion of a retiree finally having time to gaze at the stars and contemplate the universe like this sweet little mouse! I popped up the greeting pieces using more foam tape, then added a few sparkling gems for one last touch of shine!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! You can check out the entire STAMPtember release HERE. Buckle up, because STAMPtember 2023 is going to be an amazing ride! Be sure to check back this weekend as we kick things off with a fabulous blog party! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Holly Wreaths and Mistletoe…

June 25, 2023

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi there! I am back today with my first holiday card for 2023! (My first card that I’m sharing on my blog, anyway-been working on holiday cards for upcoming releases since April!) I am planning to share a holiday card on the 25th of my blog each month, hopefully giving me the opportunity to use some of the beautiful holiday products that I always seem to run out of time to use before Christmas each year. This month, a mere six months before Christmas, I have pulled out the absolutely stunning Center Cut Holiday Poinsettia stamp from Simon Say Stamp. I’ve used this stamp set only once before, to make one of my Christmas Cards in 20 Minutes Or Less series on YouTube from a few years ago (you can check out the video HERE), but I couldn’t resist pairing it with my colored pencils to create this festive monochromatic holiday card! Let’s get started with the details.

I started with a panel of cherry red cardstock cut down to A2 size. I then stamped the Center Cut Holiday Poinsettia in the center of the panel using white pigment ink. I prefer to use white pigment ink with colored pencils on colored cardstock, because it seems to blend more seamlessly into the colored pencil, while no-line coloring ink or coordinating colored ink might simply become intensified depending on the type of colored pencils you use. I used Caran D’Ache colored pencils to add tons of color and dimension to these poinsettias, foliage, and berries, judiciously using my white pencil to add a base layer of white on some areas, which helps the colors blend seamlessly together while also allowing them to pop from the vibrant background. Coloring this beautiful and intricate image took a few hours, but I think the results were totally worth it!

Once I had finished coloring, I die cut the gorgeous Peace on Earth Scripty Die once from red foil cardstock and twice from white cardstock, adhering the three layers of cardstock together to create a dimensional die cut greeting. I used red foil cardstock to help differentiate the sentiment from the somewhat monochromatic background. The textural difference between the red background cardstock and the foil cardstock, as well as the extra layers of height, helps make the sentiment pop from the vivid background.

I adhered the greeting in the center of the penciled panel using liquid adhesive. To add a little more interest and to create the look of a vignette, I blended some Redwood Fresh Dye Ink around the edges, helping to keep even the corners of my card front interesting. Finally, I added some gems for sparkle!

I love how elegant the vibrant cherry red looks in each of the different elements of the card. So festive! Thanks so much for stopping by today, and have a marvelous day!

Simon Says Stamp Out Of This World Blog Hop-Day 1!

June 23, 2023

This post was sponsored by Simon Says Stamp. Thanks, Simon!

Hi friends! Today, my friends at Simon Says Stamp are celebrating the release of their new Out Of This World collection with a two-day blog hop! You should have arrived here from Cheiron Brandon, and your next stop is Miriam Prantner. You can also start back at the beginning at the Simon Says Stamp Blog. There’s something for everyone in this release, and of course, I am in love with the floral products, especially since I illustrated a new background stamp for this month’s release: Dogwood Bleeding Heart! I have two projects to share with you today, so let’s get started with the details!

I shared a Copic project using my new Dogwood Bleeding Heart design in THIS blog post, and in my quest to color it with all of the mediums, I decided to pull out my Caran D’Ache colored pencils and do some no-line coloring on colored cardstock. When working with colored pencils and colored cardstock, I like to stamp the image first using white pigment ink. I find that this white ink blends more seamlessly into the colored pencil coloring. I stamped the Dogwood Bleeding Heart on some Briar Rose cardstock from Concord & 9th with white pigment ink, orienting the image so that it was gracefully dripping down the top and right sides of the A2 card front.

Depending on the colored cardstock that I’ve selected, I occasionally will add a layer of white pencil before adding the colored pencil. This helps the colors blend a bit more easily, especially if the colors are very different than my colored cardstock base. On this card, I used a white base layer for the green leaves, which allowed me to maintain those light highlights on the curves of the foliages while also making sure that I could blend the different greens seamlessly. Keeping a sharp point on my pencils is also extremely important for keeping those lines nice and crisp. As with all no-line coloring, keeping the edges between the overlapping images crisp and distinct is key for keeping the overall shape of the image, and a sharp pencil point helps tremendously to keep the edges crisp. I accented the centers of the flowers with some white gel pen, which works a treat over the top of the colored pencil work.

After I had finished coloring, I used the Here For You die from CZ Design, cutting the outline layer with some heavyweight vellum and the detail layer with Simon Says Stamp’s Midnight Green cardstock, which I thought coordinated beautifully with the deep greens in the foliage! I also die cut a small rectangular frame using some white glitter cardstock and the A2 Thin Frames dies from Simon Says Stamp. This super thin frame highlights the sentiment die cut without overpowering the colored image behind it. I adhered the greeting with some clear dimensional adhesive, then added a few iridescent white pearls to fill in some of the blank spaces around the greeting.

My second card features my newest obsession: alcohol marker coloring on 3D embossed images. I shared a post HERE earlier this month, and it inspired me to use the same technique on this new Anemone Cluster Embossing Folder! I ran a full size A2 panel of Hammermill paper through my machine using the Anemone Cluster Embossing Folder, then cut the three dies that are included with the folder from another piece of cardstock. I placed the die cuts directly over the coordinating spot on the folder, then ran that through my die cutting machine.

Once I had completed all of the embossing and cutting for the flowers, I used my Copic markers to add vibrant coral and green to the embossed images. Between the detailed coloring and the extra tangible texture and dimension from the embossing, these colored flowers are so lifelike! Once I had finished coloring, I lightly blended some Pawsitively Saturated Heather ink around the edges of the card base, creating a halo around the colorful flowers and creating a subtle “sky” background. I popped up the colored die cuts in the proper spot on the embossed background using foam adhesive.

Once I had completed the floral embossed background, I die cut the beautiful Fancy Thanks die three times from Hammermill cardstock, layering them together with liquid adhesive to create a dimensional die cut greeting. The final touch was to add a few Opal gems to add some sparkle!

Well, that’s all for my projects today! Now for some fun giveaway information:

Each stop on the hop will give away a $25 coupon to Simon Says Stamp. The winners will be drawn from the comment sections of each blog, so be sure to leave a comment on each stop on the hop for maximum chances to win! Winners will be posted on the Simon Says Stamp blog on Wednesday the 28^th of June. The winners can email Simon Says Stamp to claim his/her prize

Simon Says Stamp is also running a free gift with purchase to celebrate the new Out Of This World release. Simply search tsck81180 in the search bar, add the product to your cart, and add code GALAXY at checkout to receive the free Distress Crayons with your order! This gift with purchase will expire 6/25 at 11:59 pm EDT

Here’s the full hop list in case you get lost:

Simon Says Stamp Blog

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

Trinity Stamps Birthday Instagram Hop!

June 9, 2023

Hi there! I am so excited to be participating in the Trinity Stamps Birthday Instagram Hop over on Instagram. I have long loved Trinity’s exceptional collection of gems and baubles, and their stamps, dies, and hot foil plates are just as magical. I was so thrilled to be asked to participate today, and I created an incredibly festive shaker card using a ton of the new release goodies. Let’s get started on the details!

I have to celebrate Trinity’s birthday with a yummy cupcake!! I began by stamping the new Celebration Cupcake Stamp with no-line coloring ink. I colored it with an intense teal color combination using OLO Markers. I also added some sprinkles using a white gel pen! I die cut the vivid cupcake image using the Coordinating Dies. Using the same color scheme, I stamped, colored, and die cut the number 9 from the new Number Candles and Coordinating Dies. My niece will turn 9 later this year, so I am saving this card especially for her!

For the background, I used the Stars and Sprinkles 4 piece stencil set using a trio of beautiful deep teal inks from Simon Says Stamp that coordinated beautifully with the colors of my cupcake! I blended each stencil on a 3×6″ panel of white cardstock, then blended lightly around the edge with the two lightest colors to create a festive background! I used one of the new Mini-Slimline Flat Shaker Pouches with Moonlight Confetti and sealed it up with 1/4″ Rip and Stick Tape.

After I had sealed up the shaker, it was time to work on the sentiment. I die cut and stamped a greeting from the Simply Sentimental Birthday Stamps and Coordinating Dies, die cutting the detailed “birthday” from coordinating dark teal cardstock and adhering it to a vellum outline die cut. I added the cupcake and greeting pieces to the shaker card front with more 1/4″ Rip and Stick Tape. Lots of dimension and fun, festive elements on this project!

To celebrate their birthday, Trinity Stamps is holding a $100 gift certificate giveaway on their huge 2-day Instagram Hop, as well as more prizes on their YouTube channel. I am one of the many stops on the hop that is sure to be filled with lots of inspiration from this beautiful release, so I hope you will check it out!

(You must leave a comment on my Instagram post to be entered into the giveaway.)

Check out my Instagram HERE.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and happy hopping!

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