Elzybells Challenge 19 - Rachel's Sketch

Here is my card for this fortnights challenge over at Elzybells. This time the challenge is a sketch designed by the very talented Rachel. I have stamped the very cute Butterfly Ted and coloured him in with Copics, cut out and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base is simply a sheet of DB paper with ribbon wrapped around the top and bottom. Pink CS punched into a circle, message stamped on {from the Little Hello set} and popped behind the image. Gem stones added to finish. I am not 100% happy with this card but I like the image and how it is coloured so I didn't want to waste it. Oh well, you win some you loose some!! Please visit Elizabeth's blog to see all the other DT cards in one go and details of how you ccan enter the challenge.

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Anita's, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Ribbon by Ribbon Oasis, Woodware 2" circle punch, Papermania Adhesive Gems, Copic Markers.

Elzybells Cake

I have quite a lot of male Birthdays in my family coming up in May and oh how I struggle making mens cards well I thought I would make a couple using this fab image from the Elzybells Little Hello set. I have stamped the cake and coloured with Copics and cut out with a Nestie Label 1 die and added to base with 3d foam. The base is simply 2 shades Bazzill Dotted Swiss CS, the top one 'regular' blues and the bottom turquoisey blues. added to a white card blank and message {from the same set} stamped at the bottom. I do like how these turned out even if they are very simple.

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Bazzill. ACCESSORIES: Nestabilities dies, Copic markers.

Hello There ...

Hello to my readers, I just wanted to let you know that I have added a CBox on the panel on the right for you to ask any questions you may have. Thought it would be easier having them in one place! If you have no questions feel free just to leave me a message/say hi etc!

For all of those of you that were aware of the pain I have been experiencing in my back, I had my first physio appointment today and she has found that the bones in my lumbar and coccyx are impacted - how lovely! She doesn't think that this is the same pain that I have been referred to her with, caused by what I believe is kidney stones, however she has found this out so is going to try and improve things for me for this problem.

Beer Jim

I have made this card using one of the fab downloads © Sally-Ann Hancock, this one is from the Jim - Just Chillin' set. I have printed him out and coloured with Copics, cut him out and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base is simply 2 shades of DB CS added to a white card blank. Greeting {Our Craft Lounge} stamped in the corner and Dew Drops added to finish.

STAMPS: SA Hancock, Our Craft Lounge. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Dew Drops, Copic Markers.

Dino-Mite Day!

This card is made using the very cute CC Designs set Eric and Chrissy Go Prehistoric available from Dies to Die for. I have stamped the cute dino and palm tree out and coloured them both with Copics, cut out and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base is 2 shades of green CS added to a white card blank. The top one has been embossed using the Distressed Stripes embossing folder. Message stamped and cut out with a Nestabilities die and also added with 3d foam.

STAMPS: CC Designs. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug Distressed Stripes embossing folder, Copic markers.

Footballer Boy

This card is for my cousin and made using one of the fab images © Kerry Steptoe. I have printed him out and coloured with Copics and used a black pen to make the ball into a football, cut out and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base is simply red & blue Core'dinations CS added to a white card blank. Message stamped {Our Craft Lounge} in the corner - simple as that!

STAMPS: Kerry Steptoe, Our Craft Lounge. INK: Memneto Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Core'dinations. ACCESSORIES: Copic markers.

April

I have made this card for my cousin using this fab Rubber Romance April stamp available from Dies to Die for. I have stamped her out and coloured with Copics adding glitter to her drink with my Spica pen. Cut out and added to base with 3d foam pads. Base has been made by layering up black & pink Bazzill Dotted Swiss CS - also available from DTDF on to a white card blank. I had punched a slit using the MM Ribbon Punch Tool into the image and wrapped black ribbon through. Message {Whiff Of Joy} stamped and cut out using a Nestie label die and added to the ribbon. Gem stones added to finish.

STAMPS: Rubber Romance, Whiff Of Joy. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs, Bazzill Dotted Swiss. ACCESSORIES: Making Memories Ribbon Slot Punch Tool, Satin ribbon by Ribbon Oasis, Nestabilities dies, Papermania Adhesive Gems, Copic Spica At You glitter pen, Copic Markers.

Cutie-Patootie

Today is the day ... the new Elzybells stamps are being released today! For todays card I have used the very cute Cutie-Patootie stamp again and CASE'd this fab card by Kimmie for the layout. I have stamped her out and coloured with Copics, mounted her up with lilac and then blue CS and added to base with DST. The base is simply a layer of Doodlebug Spring Garden Flocked CS. The pink flowers on the paper are all furry - so cute! I have then added two flowers from the lovely Vicki {thank you so much Vicki} with Dew Drops and stamped the greeting on to yellow CS and added to the card with 3d foam pads. Thank you for your company over the last 3 days and all the lovely comments, they are very much appreciated :0)

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Prima Flowers, Dew Drops, Copic Markers.

My Little Bit About Copics

I have had a few questions about Copics again recently so I thought I would just add my little bit on here in the hope that it helps a few of you. As you can see from the photo below I have a mixture of Copic Ciaos, Sketches and Originals. I like all three really but it was just what was available to me at the time, I like the Ciaos as they are a little cheaper than the other two but they do come in less colours. I started off with the Ciaos and built up the colour families with the sketches and then got a few of the originals as I was unable to get the colours in the sketch type at that time.

I store mine in these acrylic desk tidies, if you buy the sets these are what they come in. I myself just buy the pens seperately so bought these for them to be stored in. I got mine from All That Scraps in Canada and Cult Pens here in the UK which is where I buy the majority of my Copic pens too. I try and store them in their colour families so it easier for me to find when colouring an image.

In terms of colouring I use a thick cardstock - mostly the Softies range from Craftwork Cards. As this is so thick it will dry my pens out quicker than using thinner cardstock but persoanlly I like this cardstock and it works well for me. I would love to know what card you like working with using Copics? I always stamp with Memento Tuxedo Black as this has never run for me. I used to use Airondack Pitch Black but I did find that it did run on certain cardstocks. I definately wouldn't recomment Stazon though for Copics, that defiantely does run.

So for choosing the shades that I want? Well I tend to pick one colour and then pick the shade below and above. So for example here I have chosen R83 so I have also chosen R81 for the lighter shades and R85 for the darker shades.

I personally add the darker shades first and then add the next darker shade over this and run a bit further over and then the lighter shade. I used to do it the other way around but have been doing this recently and feel it works better for me. I am happy to do a mini picture tutorial of how I colour but there is so many about I don't think it would be worth it for any of you!! A tip I would say is that some shades of colours you can go over again and it will become darker and you may not need to use a darker marker but this does not work with all the colours. Although the more layers you add the darker it will become. I use greys if I want to colour black as the black pen is so dark you cannot shade with this. I use the blender pen for correcting mistakes and also for shading around the image for sky/grass.

I pick the colour I want to use from my Copic Colour chart. I have a blank one which I have added the colours that I have beside. I find this great for trying to match the colour to my cardstock/patterned paper that I want to use in the card I am making. Please feel free to e-mail me for one if you don't have one.

Well, I hope this may have helped some of you. Please feel free to ask any questions you may have and if I can help I will, however I am far from an expert using these pens!

Ladybug Love

Here is my second sneak peek of the day using the lovely new soon to released Elzybells Ladybug Fun stamp. I wanted to show you that although there are 3 bears on the image you can use just part of the whole image too. I have stamped the image out, coloured with Copics and cut out. I have added him to a square made with Nesties and this has then been added to the base with 3d foam pads. The base is red & black CS added to a white card blank with ribbon wrapped around. Sentiment from the Cute Critters set stamped at the bottom and teeny gem stones added to the image panel to finish. So, do you know which new stamps you want to get yet? I know I have a long list!

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Anita's, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Nestabilities dies, ribbon by Ribbon Oasis, Papermania Adhesive Stones, Copic markers.

Ladybug Fun!

Thank you for joining me for Elzybells sneak peeks day 3! Only one more sleep then we can get our little mits on them!! Are you excited? I know I am!! So for my todays peek I am showing you this gorgeous stamp called Ladybug Fun I have stamped the bears out and coloured with Copics, cut out and mounted to dark yellow CS then added to base with 3d foam pads. The base is simply light yellow CS added to a white card blank with a dark yellow strip added then the sentiment layer - isn't that new sentiment lovely? Prima flowers added to the panel with a white brad. I have seen some great sneak peeks so far and I am sure there will be loads more today! :0) I have another for you later too!

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Prima Flowers, Doodlebug Designs brad, Copic Markers.

Graduation Day Part Two

Here is another card using the very cute Elzybells Grad Girl to be released on Monday, this time in pink! I have stamped her out again, coloured with Copics, cut out and rounded the corners and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base is made by layering pink CS on to a white card blank, adding a strip of dark pink which one side has been cut using the SU! scallop border punch and ribbon added. Message stamped, cut out and mounted to dark pink CS, added with 3d foam. Rhinestones added to finish.

For the inside I have added a peice of pink CS, rounded the corner and added a strip of dark pink on top. The new Cap & Scroll stamp has been stamped and cut out with a Nestie circle. More rhinestones added to the bottom of the strip.

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Ribbon by Anita's, Stampin' Up! scallop border punch, Rhinestones by Kaisercraft, X Cut croner rounder punch, Copic markers.

Graduation Day

Ready for another day of Elzybells Sneak Peeks? Today I am using Grad Girl I have stamped her out and coloured her with Copics, cut out and mounted to base with 3d foam pads. The base is simply 2 shades of blue CS layered up on to a white card blank with black ribbon wrapped around. Message stamped down the side. Remember all the links to the other DT members are on my sidebar for you to see some fab sneak peeks! I'll be back later with another!

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Ribbon by Anita's, Copic Markers.

Spring is in the Air

Here is my second sneak peek for the new Elzybells stamps. I have used Cutie-patootie again, stamped her out, coloured with copics, cut out, mounted to Regal Rose CS and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base has been made by adding a piece of SU Sweet Always paper on to a white card blank and ribbon wrapped around with butterfly charm added. Message {another new release} stamped at the bottom. Thank you for visiting me today, I'll be back tomorrow with more sneak peeks.

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Stampin' Up! ACCESSORIES: Ribbon by Ribbon Oasis, charm by Charm Supplies, Copic Markers.

Elzybells April Release Sneak Peeks!

Elzybells are releasing some new, very cute stamps on Monday - woohoo! and the DT are showing sneak peeks from today all the way through to and including Monday. Here is my first using the Cutie-patootie stamp and isn't she a cutie! I have stamped her out and coloured her with copics, cut out and mounted to base with 3d foam pads. The base is simply 2 shades of purple CS layered up on a white card blank with thin ribbon wrapped around. The sentiment from the A Little Hello set stamped at the top and gem stones added at the bottom. Links to all the DT members blogs are on my sidebar ---> and I will have another sneak peek for you this afternoon too!

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craft Creations, Doodlebug Designs. ACCESSORIES: Ribbon by Ribbon Oasis, Papermania Adhesive Gems, Copic markers.

Elzybells Challenge 18 - Inside Out

I apologise in advance but I think this post is going to be a long one! The challenge over at Elzybells this fortnight has been set by the one and only Elizabeth and it is called inside out. You need to co-ordinate the inside of your card with the outside and don't forget the envelope too! So I have stamped the dog and spoon from the Party Pup set and coloured him in with Copics, cut out and added to base with 3d foam pads. The base has been made by layering up turquoise Core'dinations CS on to a white card blank and wrapping ribbon around the centre. Message {from the same set} stamped at the bottom.

For the inside of the card I have stamped the greeting {again from the Party Pup set} on to white CS then mounted to more of the turquoise CS and added a strip of brown Bazzill Bling accross the middle before adding the sentiment layer on top. The cake from the set has been stamped at the bottom and coloured with Copics.

For the front of the envelope I have stamped the cake again but this time inside one of the postage frames from the Faux Postage set and again coloured with Copics. For the back of the envelope I have simply added one of the sentiments from the same set as I think it is so cute!!

Hmmm ... that was a long post, sorry! Check out Elizabeth's blog for details on how you can enter the challenge and see all the other DT members cards as well but links to their individual blogs are on my sidebar!

STAMPS: Elzybells Art Stamps. INK: Memento Tuxedo Black. CS: Craftwork Cards, Core'dinations, Bazzill Bling. ACCESSORIES: Ribbon by Anitas, Copic markers.