New Release at Aurora Wings

I'm joining the Aurora Wings Showcase Team today to introduce the newest member of the Sprite family, Mushroom Flower Sprite.  Isn't she a girly girl, all decked out like that?  I can see her colored a million different ways, can't you?
She's available in the AW Etsy Shop HERE in jpg form, or HERE in no background png, if you want to add her directly to digital paper and then color her.  (Saves the fussy cutting and extra layers for mailing.)

Here's a closeup of this cutie.  She's colored with Copics with a bit of shading from Prismacolor pencils.  I chose the colors based on the center mushroom in the background, coloring her skin and cap first, and then was faced with hair color.  Hmmm...  The underside of the cap was already dark, I ruled out red because of her flowers, and blond or light brown washed her out.  Okay then, green it is!  Although I used the png version and planned to print her directly on the page, the composition wasn't quite right, so I ended up fussy cutting and popping her with foam after all. (P.S. I also flipped her in my program before printing because it worked better for the design and the background had text so it was not an option there.)

The background and other ephemera all came from the Ephemera's Vintage Garden Woodland Wings Collection which I bought especially for this project.  I wanted her to have a woodsy home and this journal kit was just perfect.  I cropped and printed the journal page several times to fussy cut and layer and also added a bird and another moth from other pages.  I backed it with a moss colored corrugated page from DCWV and added some texture with burlap, Frantage, reindeer moss and a rope hanger.  The distressing was done with a scissors and Walnut Stain Distress Ink.

Here's the dimensional view.  Hope you like.  The AW teams have done a phenomenal job with Mushroom Flower Sprite, so be sure to visit the Showcase Blog and check out the amazing projects.  It's so much fun seeing a new digi colored in a variety of ways.  Also note that tomorrow is the last day for our "Say It With Flowers" Challenge, so be sure to get your entries in. The new challenge, featuring the Stella Team, begins on Monday.

Here's how to keep up with all that's happening at Aurora Wings.

Aurora Wings Challenge Blog

Aurora Wings Showcase Blog

Aurora Wings Etsy Shop

Aurora Wings Digi Shop

Aurora Wings FB Group

Aurora Wings FB Fan Page

I'm entering this in the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Craft Your Passion ATG, TTRCD April 26-May2 ATG, the Southern Girls Texture, the Outlawz Saturday Paper a la Mode Mixed Media challenge, Simon Says Wednesday ATG, Inspiration Destination ATG, Crafty Gals Corner ATG, Clear it Out Spring is Here Theme:Nature Stash:Greenery (I used Reindeer Moss and green corrugated card stock), 613 Avenue Create ATG, LTSCB #76 ATG 3/ 3), Crafty Catz Fairies or Something Enchanting and The Cutie Pie Woodland Friends Challenge. 

Tic Tac Toe for The Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge

It's my final day of guesting at The Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge and I want to thank the ladies so much for having me.  It has been a blast.  Gotta say this last one sort of threw me for a loop, though.  Quite the creative Tic Tac Toe board where one not only needs to use the color, but also the "twist" in each box.  Eiyiyi!  My card is also a bit out of my comfort range totally "assembled" from the 8x8" World's Fair DP from Graphic 45.  I do admire those who do this well, but I personally can't help but feel I've "cheated" a bit not coloring an image and only using a limited amount of die cuts. (Spellbinders Grand Labels Four)  Quite a bit of fussy cutting though, so I'm pleased how it came out.

Here's the board.  I've used the diagonal from top right to bottom left.  (Helped that it had a "FREE" spot.  LOL)

I did, at least, do some popping of the layers, so here's the dimensional shot. The flowers were fussy cut from additional pages from the stack and I've shaped them with my foam board and shaping tool.  The twine is from my stash.

If you're not a member of The Outlawz Forum, you should definitely check it out.  There are challenges going on 7 days a week and the chance to win monthly prizes.  Nice friendship and support, as well.

I'm also entering this in the 613 Avenue Create Orange and Blue Plus 2 (neutral colors) Challenge and the DL.Art April Linky Challenge.

New Release(s) at The East Wind

It's Friday, so that must mean we have a fabulous new release at The East Wind.  Actually, there's  THREE and I've used TWO of them  in my card.  The adorable gal is Aurora 'Little Baker' and behind her is Love Kitchen.  I wanted to use the two together, but printed them separately to make my little scene.  You actually can buy the images already together as well, HERE, but I had plans to move and manipulate the scale for my design and with the two separate, I had lots of options for future projects as well.

So what's with all the cats?  Well, Aurora's tee shirt has a kitty on it (which looked a lot like the logo I made up as a child for my "Red Cats Club") AND I thought the cookies could just as easily be cat treats.  A kitty is perched on the shelf of Love Kitchen, so why not give him some friends?  Cats have been my favorite animal since I picked out my very first kitten at age 4.  They're independent, but loving and I can't imagine ever being without one, or two, or three.  The small kitties are all from an Impression Obsession die and the large pouncing cat is a Memory Box die.  I'm thinkin' this is what my friend Ike's kitchen looks like with all her resident kitties, and besides, I wanted to link it up to Ike's SUYP (cat's only challenge) which this month is Furrything Goes.

Okay, so I'm gettin' kinda chatty here, but I gotta say, I love how this turned out.  It's my fave color scheme and I had fun playing with the retro checks digi paper from AMBillustrations.  I think the tan mat looks like a butcher block counter and gave me another space to add KITTIES!  The sentiment is a rub on from Melissa Frances.

Here's a closeup of Aurora 'Little Baker'.  She's colored with Copics with the silver baking sheet done with Prismacolor pencils.  I've paper pieced her apron to match her kitchen and fussy cut her without a border to add her to the background.

And here's Love Kitchen.  To be honest, coloring the entire background intimidated me a bit, so I printed it once and left it uncolored, then used the NB png version to add the checkered wall behind and cropped that into a heart. After cutting out the heart, I colored what was left of the image, again with Copics and pencils, and glued it on the uncolored image for a heart shaped "spotlight"  affect.  To balance the card, I added some punched photo corners and adhesive beads.  Wouldn't you just LOVE a kitchen that was red, black and white like this?  I'd redecorate in a heartbeat if I didn't have green granite counter tops.

Here are of all the important links you need.

Challenge Blog

Show Room Blog

FB Group

FB Fan Page

Etsy Shop

I'm also entering this in the As You Like it Favorite Animal and Why challenge (explained up  in paragraph 2), Craft Rocket Favorite Color Combo (Red, Black and White), Crafting with an Attitude ATG, 613 Avenue Create ATG ,  DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Brown Sugar ATG, Creative Fingers ATG (3/3), 4 Crafty Chicks "F" is for Food,  Cre8tive Hands ATG, TTRCD April 19th-25th ATG, Quirky Crafts It's Raining Cats and Dogs, LTSCB #76 ATG (2/3) and the Outlawz Saturday Paper a la Mode With Heart Challenge. 

New FB Challenge at The East Wind

There's a new FB contest on The East Wind FB Group Page  with the theme of Rainbows.  We want to see all the colors of the rainbow or use an image of one.  My original plan was to use either rainbow DP or color a rainbow background, but I had so much fun coloring rainbow hair before, I thought I'd try it this time in a bright version.  Unky has so many gals with fabulous hair in her Etsy Shop that it took me awhile to choose.  I finally Googled "Rainbow Hair" and was inspired by a braided version, so I printed the gorgeous 'Lucy Loo' Scent of Spring.  The quote, by Maya Angelou was computer generated and I colored the open letters in "Rainbow" with all the colors.  the background digi paper is from AMBillustrations.  Pretty CAS, but frankly the coloring wore me out.  LOL

Here's the closeup, colored with Copics and Prismacolor pencils.  Quite the challenge, but I'm pleased at how it turned out.  

Come join the fun!

Here are of all the important links you need.

Challenge Blog

Show Room Blog

FB Group

FB Fan Page

Etsy Shop

I'm entering this in the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Aud Sentiments ATG, Dream Valley ATG, Crafting from the Heart ATG, Creative Fingers ATG, Crafting with an Attitude ATG, and Cute Card Thursday Add a Quotation.

Rainy Day and Mondays Always Get Me Down

I don't get to play in Ike's World Challenges nearly as much as I'd like, but when I saw the theme, Rainy Days, and the fabulous Freebie, Tatty, Wetty Kitty, that Ike so generously supplied for this challenge I KNEW I'd be coloring him up.  

I laughed out loud when I saw him because he reminded me of my Goliath and his reaction to rainy days.  We've managed a few late rains in our drought stricken CA, and the kitties have been less than amused.  Goliath tears out the back door and stops dead in his tracks when he realizes what's going on.  Then he begs to come in and runs to the front door.  You see, he figures that the weather out there is somehow different.  UUUhhh...NOT!  He peers out and looks at me like, "WTF?" and in he comes again.  One more door to try.  He's sure it's not raining out the garage.  Out he runs, but I leave the garage door open a tad, and the door out to the garage slightly ajar, because I'm tired of this game. Sure enough, in minutes he's back in looking totally annoyed and confused.  So you can see why I go such a kick out of this poor bedraggled cat with his umbrella head gear.  Wonder where I can get one, by Friday, in fact.

I made the card CAS because the image deserved top billing. The digi paper is from AMBillustrations. 

Here's a closeup of the fab image.  He's colored with Copics with fur detail from Prismacolor pencils.  I hope I captured the "tatty, wetty" look.  LOL  The sentiment was purrfect and comes with the image.  Ike's SUYP (cat's only) challenge this month is Furrything Goes, so of course I'm entering there, as well.  Ike is so generous with her freebies and offers one for each challenge so if you've not visited them, you surely must.  You can check out more of Ike's fabulous designs HERE.

I'm also entering this in the Outlawz Monday Greetings Cards Furry and Funny Challenge, Incy Wincy Designs Inspired by a Book, Song, Movie (the song Rainy Days and Mondays), Creative Moments ATG/Make it Funny, The Mod Squad Water, Water Everywhere, the DL.Art Thankful Thursday Water Challenge, TTRCD April 19th-25th ATG, Quirky Crafts It's Raining Cats and Dogs and the DL.Art April Linky Challenge.

Monochrome at the Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge

Wow, April is flying by and I'm so enjoying my Guest Designer spot at The Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge.  This week our Challenge is MONOCHROME and I had a ball with this quirky image from Bloobel Stamps called Need Coffee (as a matter of fact, I DO!  LOL)  shades of brown, obviously with digi paper dots and checks from AMBillustrations.  Unfortunately, the coffee bean digi paper is unlabeled in my files.

Here's a closeup of Need Coffee.  She was great fun to color with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and I've added a stamped coffee stain ring under her cup from IndigoBlu.  The design is a bit confused and off kilter (just like me before my coffee.)  Better quit while I'm ahead a grab me a cuppa.

I'm entering this in the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Simon Says Wednesday Let's Do The Polka and Southern Girls Patterned Paper Free For All.

Aurora Wings Say It With Flowers

Our new challenge begins today on the Aurora Wings Blog with the theme of "Say It With Flowers".  Mitzi has so many beautiful floral images that I had a hard time making a decision.  (Didn't we all?) I finally chose Primrose Elf because it is one of my favorite Spring flowers, in fact, I'd never seen them until we moved to California more than 36 years ago.  The tight little clusters in a myriad of colors looked like little bouquets to me and I was immediately smitten.  (Besides, Primrose Elf is holding a kitty and you know I love me some kitties!)

My project was cut with Spellbinders Grand Labels Four as a base with white accents from Elegant Labels Four, Fancy labels and ornate Gateway from Heartfelt Creations.  The dotty paper is digital from AMBillustrations. 

Here's a closeup of the adorable Primrose Elf.  She's also available in png form HERE on Etsy and on page 3 of the Big Eyes Collection in the Aurora Wings Digi Shop HERE, and also HERE.  She's colored with Copics using the fluorescent Pink and YellowOrange.  WOW!  They sure are BRIGHT!  I tried to tone them down a bit with my white gel pen outlines and a few other RV's (that I forgot to write down, sorry.)  All in all, I'm pretty pleased though, and they do look like the real primrose colors.  Also attempted some hazel eyes. What do you think?

"The Secret Garden", by Frances Hodgson Burnett, is also one of my fave children's stories, and the lovely gate die seemed perfect.  My first try was to cut them in regular card stock, but they weren't really sturdy enough to stay open, so I  tried again (and again, and  again, with shims and several different machines until they finally cut through my light cardboard (from the back of one of my card stock stacks.  Recycling, yea, me!) et voila!

The flowers are Prima, but I wanted to add centers like the real primroses so I used two tiny punches to add the yellow centers and colored some adhesive pearls as well.

Finally the dimensional shot.  I always use colored foam between my layers that I cover with transfer tape.  Not only can you cut it any size you want, but the colors disappear between the layers when looking from the side.  

Be sure to visit the Aurora Wings Challenge Blog to see the fabulous floral creations by my "Aurora Team" mates and please come play along.  We can't wait to see what you create.

Here's how to keep up with all that's happening at Aurora Wings.

Aurora Wings Challenge Blog

Aurora Wings Showcase Blog

Aurora Wings Etsy Shop

Aurora Wings Digi Shop

Aurora Wings FB Group

Aurora Wings FB Fan Page

I'm entering this in the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Simon Says Wednesday Let's Do the Polka, 613 Avenue Create ATG, In the Pink Pearls, Inspiration Destination ATG, Clear it Out Challenge/ Springtime Stash Add a Flower, Crafty Friends For a Child, Crafty Sentiments ATG, the Corrosive Challenge Girls, Ladies, Women, Craft Your Passion ATG, Incy Wincy Designs Inspired by a Song/Book/Movie (Secret Garden), LTSCB #76 ATG, Stamping Sensations April One for the Girls, Cupcake Inspirations #356, Crafty Calendar ATG, Polkadoodles Floral Frenzy, a Beautiful Mess ATG , Crafting with Friends ATG, Creative Corner Spring Flowers, Creative Fingers ATG, Cut it Up Spring Flowers, Morgans' Art World Monochrome, Simply Papercraft ATG, The Stamping Boutique Flowers, Aud Sentiments ATG, the Outlawz Twisted Thursday ATG/Favorite Color and Crafting from the Heart ATG. 

Ribbon Tag for Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenge

So this time I decided not to be the last one entering at Wicked Wednesday and managed a cute little ATC using #348 Goldie Locks by Sandra Caldwell.  She's colored with Copics and I've added some polka dots to her bow with a white gel pen.  I know I've been using Sandra's images A LOT lately, but I can't help myself. They're cute, whimsical and easy to color, so there ya go.

I made a pocket in the ATC for a little tag that pulls out from the ribbon.  LOVE that Tiny Attacher for stuff like this.  I thought Goldie Locks looked a bit wistful so my sentiment is a Cuttlebug die cut  Seemed to fit. (I noticed AFTER taking the pic I'd forgotten to dot the "i" in "miss you".  All fixed now, but I'm in a bit of a hurry to enjoy this glorious Sunday, so use your imagination, please.)

I'm also adding this to the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Simon Says Wednesday Let's do the Polka and Crafty Friends for a Child. 

April Showers!

I'm sure by now you've all heard about our drought situation in CA, but believe it or not, we actually had a weekend of rain and even some sprinkles early today. Yea! (at least for our yard)  El nino didn't really happen as expected, but we're catching up and April showers, though rare for us, really will bring even more May flowers than usual. It inspired me to finish this card using the adorable image, #428 Springtime Friends by Sandra Caldwell.  I've used digi paper from AMBillustrations and cut a window using Spellbinders Labels 25.  I've added an acetate overlay from my stash and little acrylic raindrops to the overlay.  The image is actually attached to the inside so when you open it, the rain goes away.  (Sorry, no pic. I'm in a hurry, maybe later.)

Here's a closeup of Springtime Friends.  I took this pic before I  tried to cut it out, (also with Spellbinder's Labels 25) only to find I'd printed it too close to another image to cut it with the same die. (don't you HATE when that happens?!?)  I trimmed the image as close as I could, used the die anyway, and then added some punched grass and recut the image.  Problem solved. WooHoo!

I'm entering this in the Outlawz Festive Fridays National April Showers Day challenge, the Outlawz Monday Greetings Let There Be Sky, the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, the DL.Art Thankful Thursday Water Challenge, Inspiration Destination ATG, Ike's World Rainy Days, Cuttlebug Mania April Showers,    and Simon Says Monday April Showers Bring May Flowers. 

Artbymiran Challenge

OMG!  A THIRD post for today.  What's gotten into me?  ( You probaby won't see another thing from me until next week now, since I've got some DT things coming up that I haven't even started.  Cutting it close for another challenge, this time the Art by Miran ATG Challenge and I've made yet ANOTHER birthday card to complete my FIVE for the Simon Says Wednesday Happy Birthday Challenge.  WooHoo!  The sweet image is Delightful Daisy #197 by artbymiran. I've used Spellbinders Grand circles and Grand Dahlia dies for matting.  The glitter card stock is called Daisy Dear from Heidi Grace the the cool flowers are by Recollections.  I used Card Candy to balance the design and peel off stickers for the sentiment.

Here's a closeup of Delightful Daisy.  She's colored with Copics, taking my cues from the DP.  I like the way the kraft card stock added some depth and brought out the brown tones in the flower centers.  I'll be back to add this to some more challenges, but it's about wine o'clock and I worked hard today.  LOL

I'm entering this in the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Clear it Out /Springtime Stash Add a Flower Challenge, Simon Says Wednesday April Showers Bring May Flowers, Crafty Sentiments ATG, Creative Card Crew Die Cuts, Crafting from the Heart ATG, Use Your Stuff- Kraft, the Corrosive Challenge Girls, Ladies, Women, and QKR Stampede Spring Has Sprung.  

Wicked Wednesday ATC Garden Friends

I was doing so well with the Wicked Wednesday ATC Challenges, then suddenly I dropped the ball.  Just managing to sneak this in for their Garden Friends Challenge using the adorable #255 Wings Gang by Sandra Caldwell.  Colored with Copics, grass is a Martha Stewart punch with a little Queen & Co. brad for the sun.

I'm also entering this in the Outlawz Twisted Thursday Anything with Wings challenge and the Critters and Creatures April Linky Party.

Charlie Who?

Another birthday card for a couple of challenges using the fabulous Charlie Who by Sandra Caldwell.  I'm afraid, in my world, this is the next milestone birthday (for the men, anyway ;D).  613 Avenue Create has the optional twist of make it masculine, the Outlawz Sunday CAS challenge calls card with a numerical age on it, and there's still some time for the Simon Says Wednesday Happy Birthday challenge.  WooHoo!

Here's a closeup of Charlie Who.  I don't make many cards with a male figure on them, but I gotta say, I LOVE this image.  He made the CAS format easy.  His expression cracks me right up and he was so fun to color, entirely with Copics, in monochrome warm and neutral grays.  I added the number in my Printmaster Program and thought the film strip ribbon and dots balanced the design out nicely.

Hope the sentiment gives you a chuckle.  I thought is was pretty clever (if I do say so myself).

I'm also adding this to the DL.Art April Linky Challenge, Dream Valley ATG, Craft Your Passion ATG, TTRCD ATG April 12-18, AAA ATG and SOSS "J" is for Joke (okay, so not as funny as some of them, but I still think it's cute).

The Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge

It's time for a new Color Challenge at the Outlawz and this week we'd like to see at least 3 of the colors shown with the Twist of Add Something from Nature. This is my second week as Guest Designer and I'm having all kinds of fun.

I guess I took the prompt a bit literally, but I colored all weekend and really wanted to play with some dies I'd never used.  The background die is a Cuttlebug Embossing Plus folder that I'd had so long I forgot how to use. Ooops, you needed to take the outer packaging off in order to feed it through your Cuttlebug.  The inner circle did not leave a border, so I used a Spellbinders circle die to make it a bit smaller.  I popped that on the turquoise card base and center and added 3 colors of butterflies from the Spellbinders Grand Butterflies dies.  The sentiment is a peel off sticker and I've added purple gems to complete all 5 colors.  Come join us at the Outlawz Color challenge this week.

I'm entering this in the Simon Says Wednesday Happy Birthday Challenge, and the DL.Art April ATG Linky Challenge.

I'm on a ROLL!

Okay then, 3 days of rain has me crafting up a storm (Ha Ha!  I made a funny). There's a number of challenges I don't want to slip by and it's rare I'm able to play wherever I want, so this is my second post of the day.  Yea, ME!  Here's a circular shaped card I've made using my Spellbinders Grand Circles and Scalloped Circles.  I chose the shape for the Outlawz Monday Greetings Absolutely No Corners Challenge (which ends TODAY!).  The adorable image is Faery Ink's Maggie Flower which I chose to enter the Faery Ink April Flower Power FB Challenge.  I made it a birthday card to enter the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Happy Birthday Challenge and the Aud Sentiments Sixth Birthday Challenge (congrats to these two fine companies).

I did something a little different with Maggie Flower.  Faery Ink Stamps come in a number of digital formats and for this one, I used the totally transparent png format to print my images directly over digital paper, from AMBillustrations, so I could print multiples for fussy cutting, paper piecing and layering.  I changed the size several times  in order to stagger the petals and also printed her on white, so I could color the leaves and her face with Copic markers.  I can't believe that the smallest layer was the exact size of the epoxy ladybug sticker I used over the printed image.  WooHoo!

Here's the dimensional shot.  I'm actually not quite sure how many times I printed her to get the full effect, but there was a whole lot of fussy cutting going on.  Gotta say I had a ball with this and really, really REALLY love how it turned out.  Hope you do too.

I'm also adding this to Come and Get it Bright Colors, Dare2BArtzy April Polka Dots, Lil Patch of Crafty Friends ATG, A Beautiful Mess ATG, the Stamping Boutique Flowers, Creative Corner Flower Power, TTRCD April 5-11, Sasayaki Glitter April Shaped Cards, Come and Get It Bright Colors, Inspiration Destination ATG, Our Crafty Corner ATG, Sweet Stampin' Paper Piecing and Crafting With Friends ATG.