Crafts and Me Stamps: Felicia Mermaid + Shiitake and Oregano

I'm so excited to have accepted an invitation to join the Dynamite Digi Design Team of Crafts and Me Stamps! I have been admiring the magnificent work of these very talented and inspiring artists for quite some time and I feel so privileged to join them in their adventures.

Teresa at Crafts and Me Stamps carries an incredible selection of fantasy art images.  Something magical happens when I work with these images from magnificent artists like Ching-Chou Kuik, Sarah Burrier, Jasmine Becket-Griffith, Molly Harrison and Hannah Lynn.  My hands may be busy but my mind is at ease.  Worries are lifted.  I can relax and feel free to add color without restrictions since anything is acceptable in fantasy art.  The sizes of these images easily allow them to be the focal point of many projects without taking too much time to complete.  Relax and enjoy . . . it just doesn’t get any better than this – LOL!!!

This photo shows how I’ve used the newly released mermaid Felicia by Hannah Lynn.  I've included Best Creation's Surf's Up patterned paper with a Hero Arts sentiment, Punch Bunch medium dusty miller leaves, Petaloo's Color Me Crazy Wild Rose, Wild Orchid Crafts small roses and other colored roses.

The dimensions of this lovely, also newly released, Shiitake and Oregano image by Sara Burrier are perfect for including a handy removable bookmark from this pocket card.  I've used Bo Bunny's A Gift of Love Believe Peace patterned paper, Fiskars border punch, QuicKutz flourishes, a sentiment by Penny Black on the bookmark, another sentiment by Stamps on Fire on the card front, McGill's fern punch, and Wild Orchid Crafts roses airbrushed with Copic colors.

Here's the removable bookmark:

The Crafts and Me Stamps Dynamite Digi team and the Rockin' Rubbah team alternate weekly challenges here.  Why not give yourself a chance to win some awesome prizes while improving your card-making skills?  Pop over to find the latest challenge and submit your entry.

I'm entering these cards at the following listed challenge blogs:
Sir Stampalot's July Anything Goes Challenge here
Allsorts July Free and Easy Challenge here
Stamp Something July Digi Day Challenge here
Crafty Catz July Colours of Summer Challenge here
Secret Crafter July Here Comes Summer Challenge here

Copics used:
skin - E000, E01, E11, E93, BV00
hair - E31, E35, E47

Felicia
mermaid tail, top - BV00, Y32, R43, YR65, 0
shell - C1, C3, C5
fish - BV00, G20, BG11, YR02
outline shadow - C2
airbrushed sea - E11, Y11, YG11, BG11, BG49, BG78
leaves, shells, starfish, etc. - G20, G21, G24, E30, E35, E39, BG11, BG49

Shiitake and Oregano
dress - B91, B95, B97
stockings - R83, R85, R89, N1
wings - B95, B91, R85, R83, G85, G82
leaves - G82, G85, G99
mushroom - E70, E74, E77, 23, Y26, Y28, E51, E53, E57
outline shadow - C3
airbrushed background - clouds B93, ground G85, G82
grass - G82, G85, G94, G99

Card Art with Copics: Magnolia Mini World

Have you seen the Magnolia Stamps Mini World miniatures?  Have you wondered why you would want a Magnolia in such a tiny size?  Well . . . here's a treat to tempt you.

I'm thrilled to have gotten my hands on a couple of these babies.  I've used the Magnolia miniature Edwin on Sled and Winter Forest to create the background of a little snow scene with the Magnolia Tilda with Fir from the 2010 Merry Little Christmas Collection.

This photo shows the three stamped images filled with Copic markers on a 5 1/4 x 4" piece of Bazzill Smooth White.

I attempted to create some shadows and used my Copic Cool Gray markers to add some cold-looking snow.  Things in the distance appear to be smaller and these miniatures are absolutely perfect for adding that effect.  This photo shows my fair attempts at using these miniatures to create depth in my card art . . .

Here's a photo of this snow scene adhered to the front of a Bazzill A2 card (4 1/4 x 5 1/2").  Since Magnolia images are of angels that speak from their hearts, I imagine that Edwin is sledding toward Tilda so they can put that tree on the sled for the rest of the trip home.  I had to remind myself that Magnolias are sweet because my first thought was "Men!  Go Figure."  LOL!!!  He's playing around while she's doing all the work!  . . . Remember . . . They're angels that speak from their hearts, Rose . . .

I added some atyou Spica clear for glimmer over the trees, the fur on Tilda's coat and places in the snow.  I'm not sure that I want to add any embellishments to the card front as they may distract from the snow scene.  Hmmm . . . do you have any suggestions?

Copics used:
trees:  G82, G85, G99
hair/sled (wood):  E31, E35, E47
sled (metal): C1, C3, C5
gloves/stockings/hairbows:  R22, R29, R59
jeans:  B91, B95, B97
Edwin coat/Tilda boots:  W1, W3, W5
Edwin boots:  T0, T6, T9
Tilda coat/hat:  V04, V06, V09 (fur E40,0)
skin:  E000, E00, YR00, R20
shadows/snow:  C5, C3, C1, C0
atyou Spica clear

Copic Creations "Reading" Challenge

Copic lovers over at Copic Creations have sent out a challenge to create a project related to reading (here).  Elizabeth O. Dulemba, award winning children's book author and illustrator from Georgia is sponsoring this challenge.  Elizabeth also provides free illustrations and has cool images for teachers, librarians, book sellers, etc.  She's allowing us to use her images for this challenge too.

It was difficult to choose from such a wonderful assortment of images.  However, I've developed a recent attraction to fantasy images and found a hungry little reading troll calling out my name.  The image is easily resized for any project.

My favorite bookmark is one that hugs my page so tightly that even as I travel with my latest read, and inevitably drop it, my page remains marked.

IT'S DOUBLE THE FUN!!!  Images, phrases and/or designs can be applied to BOTH sides of my favorite magnetic bookmark.


Here's how the printed page looks. Four bookmarks can be made from just one printed page!  I want to have the image and words right side up after folding my strip of paper so I need to have some print upside down.  I was also able to mirror the image for the troll to face the other direction and just needed to tweak Elizabeth's name/site tag so it was readable.

While cutting the 11" lengths to 2" wide, I had to trim 1/16" to 1/8" from the sides of some strips to center the image and words.

I scored the center of each strip, keeping the "mountain" of the score on the blank side so the "valley" of the score is on the decorated side.  I used a bone folder to smooth each folded crease.

1/2" magnet strips are especially helpful here.  I cut two 1 1/2" pieces to adhere to the inside bottoms of my folded bookmark.  When I place it over my page, the magnets hold my bookmark securely in place.



What color is a troll anyway?  Oh, the possibilities are endless!  Being a mythical, mystical or plain ol' fairy tale creature, I guess it can be any color I want it to be.  I filled one image using some earth tones.  I filled the image on the other side using shades of purple.  I'm not concerned about the ink from the markers bleeding to the inside of my bookmark since it's covered when closed anyway.  I airbrushed a frame around the outside of both sides of my bookmark and adhered the magnets about 1/4" from the bottom of each side.

My bookmark is ready for duty.

Which troll will greet me each time I open my pages? Will it be purple? Or, green?