Joy Clair, Bread of Life...

Hello there cardmakers!  I'm back with a colorful creation for the Joy Clair blog.  I created this card using the new Manna from Heaven stamp set and the Leisure Arts Premium Colored Pencils.  I love how the images and colored pencils work so well together!  Hav eyou tried them yet?  If not, you should!  

To begin making my card, I started out by doodling a frame onto a white card base (with a topfold).  I added a little doodly bow on the corner to close the frame.  After that was done, I stamped the sentiment using the Many Names stamp set.  Then, I colored my doodled frame with colored pencils.  I love that they blend so well and are just the right softness to color softly on the paper (No scratch marks!).  After coloring the frame, I stamped the grains onto the panel and colored those too.  

Next up was the bread and the porridge bowl.  I used the same sweet colors for these images.  After finishing the coloring, I applied some glaze to the grains, bread and porridge bowl to make them dimensional, thick and glossy.  After the gloss dried completely, I arranged the images onto the card and attached them with foam squares. 

I think this card can be used for a variety of reasons and with a special note inside.  I'm looking forward to finding the perfect person to send it to. 

Spring/Summer Hop: Power Poppy Cup of Columbine!

Hello there coffee loving cardmakers!  I hope you've been enjoying the hop!  I know I have.  I've got a lot of commenting left to do this weekend so I'm kind-of happy it'll be a rainy weekend so I can get it all completed.  End of the year things at school have taken up my free time.  SHEESH!  

For my final post in the hop, I'm sharing a project created using the newest Power Poppy digi stamps called "Cup of Columbine".  I love this collection of images (with and without the bird) so I decided to color my first image with a combination of Copic Markers and to finish off the coloring, I used my Leisure Arts Colored Pencils.  I love these colored pencils because they apply to the paper so creamy and cleanly!  LOVE!  

I find coloring so relaxing!  I spent the evening coloring this beautiful image up and just had a ball.  Since the image is digi, I was able to print it in the perfect size to fit my card.  This image needed no additional embellishments so I simply finished the card off by adding a little gingham ribbon.  I liked the contrast of the pretty florals and the black and white check.  

A closer look at the coloring helps you see a bit of my favorite background coloring techniques with Copics.  I love to add stippled dots here and there...I also applied some colored pencil in targeted areas of the background to give more dimension and depth.  

 I love this color combo.  I did a little google search and found a collection of Columbines in this color scheme so that was my jumping off point. 

OK...Hurry up now.  The hop is just about over!  You can do it!  Hop, Hop, Hop!  Good Luck!

Thanks for stopping by!  Check out the hop deets below.  

Hop Deets:  

When:  Friday, May 25-June 1

Theme:  Spring and Summer

Use:  Coffee/Tea/Cocoa images

Prizes Galore!

 SUPER GENEROUS SUPER SPONSORS 

Check out the lead blog post from Coffee Loving Cardmakers HERE

Direct link to the Hop post is here:  POST YOUR PROJECTS HERE 

It's Christmas in July at Joy Clair!

WOO HOO!  It's Christmas in July!  It's an entire week of projects and discounts!  You've got that right, discounts!  Join us this week as we celebrate Christmas in July...With Joy Clair Style!  

Hey there inky friends!  This week I'm celebrating Christmas In July at Joy Clair.  All week long the designers at Joy Clair have been sharing some gorgeous Holiday creations and today Steph Ackerman and I are sharing our holiday projects with you!  I'm sharing this fun and festive card using a few NON HOLIDAY stamp sets from the Joy Clair collection.  

Yes, thinking out-of-the-box was the requirement for me this time as I do not have any traditionally Christmas sets from Joy Clair (yet).  SOOO...what was I to do?  Well, I dug through my collection of amazing stamp sets and pulled a few that inspired me to create something Holiday-ish!  Hope you enjoy!  

I selected Doodle Flowers and Hello Sentiments to create this jar of joy card.  I used my colored pencils and watercolors to color the jar and hand write the Joy sentiment.  I also doodled the background frame using a micron pen.  I think it helps contain the jar and helps pop this panel off the page.  

I added a few sprigs from the stamp set, doodled a few red berries and applied some micro glitter to one edge of the jar.  I also wrapped a bit of twine around the neck of the jar to incorporate the ribbon/fiber elements that are consistent in my designs.

Just adding a bit of colored pencil coloring within the doodled lines helped continue the color-theme and connect the border to the jar image.

So...The next time you're thinking of making a holiday card, think OUTSIDE of the box.  Change it up a bit because you don't have to stick to traditional holiday images when making handmade cards!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the rest of Christmas in July!