New Release at The East Wind

There's a new release at The East Wind today and she's really a cutie.  Meet Lucy Loo 'Teenager'.  This little gal looks like she's really in control so I wanted to use the "Thumb's Up" paper clip I had which was either red, white, or blue. My paper choices were along those lines from BoBunny and K&Co.  My first thought was "All American Girl", but truly, she's the global epitome of "Girl Power".

Here's the closeup.  She's colored with Copics and fussy cut.  I've placed the ball under her hand instead of by her side.  I adore her expression and there are so many different ways to color her.  Check them all out on our FB page.

Lots of TEW fun happening all over the place so...

Here's the important stuff:

Challenge Blog

Show Room Blog

FB Group

FB Fan Page

Etsy Shop

I'm entering this in the DL.Art Summertime challenge, Inspiration Destination ATG, and the Outlawz Tuesday Color Challenge using Red, White and Blue. 

Smudgefest Day 4 Thrashed Thursday

Can't believe I'm hanging in there for Smudgefest, the fun filled week sponsored by Smeared Ink, where we receive a prompt each morning and must do the challenge by midnight.  I've played in this in years past, but not for awhile, and it totally snuck up on me, but I thought I'd try it anyway.  It's really a lesson for me.  No one has any idea how I labor over projects.  It's takes days (and sometimes weeks) for me to hash out an idea and make it come to fruition.  It's partly procrastination, I know, but it's also a bit of fear of failure.  I need to be reasonably sure that my project will turn out how I envision it, rather than just going with the flow.  You don't have time for that here.  Ya just gotta get busy. And although I'm not always thrilled with my outcome, I'm proud that I'm just creating.

So much for confessions.  Today is Thrashed Thursday and I can't tell you how happy I was since I've been hoarding a corrugated box since Christmas because the inside was BLACK.  Cool!  I rescued it from recycling numerous times because hubby didn't like it laying in the hallway so I finally hid it under the bed in the guest room until the right occasion came up.  AND THIS IS IT!  I cut a tag shape and distressed the crap out of the edges with my Distrezz-it-all.  (Boy, that makes a lot of noise, especially at 4:45 am, but fortunately, he didn't wake up)  Then I tore off some more of the black.  The die cut is from Memory Box with a Spellbinders circle cut out of a scrap of specialty paper.  I stamped the little ghost Grumpy, again from the SI Halloween Grumpies set, on black with Versamark, embossed it with white, and fussy cut and popped him on the tag.  Added a metal brad and rope hanger and called it done.  WooHoo!

I'm entering this in the Outlawz Monday Greeting Cards Tic Tac Toe challenge using Die Cuts/ Punches/ Image/Embossing, Simon Says Monday Tie it Up, and Crafter's Cafe use Some Torn Paper,  Fab'n'Funky No Patterned Paper and Papertake Weekly ATG w/Option of Torn Edges.  

Smudgefest Day 3 Wet Wednesday

Well, I'm starting to sweat it a little.  Today didn't go exactly as planned but i'm happy to say I managed another day of Smudgefest with the theme of "Wet Wednesday" .  I'm kinda timid about using mixed media, especially inky stuff that can be dropped and splattered all over the place.  First of all, I need to carry it all down to the kitchen, because my craft room has no available space for such nonsense. Second, I have a tendency to want everything to go perfectly as I envision the very first time which is rarely the case.

First attempt with Dylusions Spray in Post Box Red through a produce bag and then oversprayed with water in a Mini Mister.

Second attempt, again Dylusions though the mesh which I then turned and sprayed with Dylusions Black.  It seemed to turn brown with the mixture.  Not pleased.  Third attempt was so hideous I didn't even take a pic.  Switched gears and used blues and greens to do an underwater scene and it ended it up a mess, but I finally did decide on a stamp and abandoned the sprays altogether, et voila!

This time I did the old run your Distress Ink pads (Broken China and Tumbled Glass) across your craft mat, spritz it with water and mop it up.  The stamp and sentiment are from the Smeared Ink Abyss rubber set, stamped in Forest Green StazOn (because I couldn't find my black, but I like it better anyway).  The details in this set are amazing!  After stamping, I dipped the top of the mini mister in Tumbled Glass and stamped bubbles and the darker ones are with an air dart with Broken China.  Gotta say, I was thrilled, but it took up the majority of my day and I've got 2 DT things due Friday and another project due Saturday.  Hope I can keep this up too.  Up for grabs are exclusive new digis that won't be available until Smeared Ink opens it's doors again.  Can't wait!

Smudgefest Day 2 Tape Tuesday

Welcome to my Day 2 of Smudgefest, the fun filled week of challenges sponsored by Smeared Ink.  I woke up at 4:45 am and my first thought was "What's the next challenge?"  Turns out it's "Tape Tuesday", use any form of tape on your project.  Of course they'd love something uber creative, but I'm just trying to keep up and still manage the 3 other projects I have due the end of this week.  

Gotta say I admire people who can casually slap a piece of Washi on their project and it looks way artsy, you know, like it's just MEANT to be there.  That ain't me.  I've got quite a collection of the stuff, since it was new and exciting awhile back, but most of it's still in the package, until today, that is.  So I immediately thought of the Mummy Grumpy from the Smeared Ink Halloween Grumpies set (which I just happen to have in rubber and SHAME on me, they've never been inked).  I stamped the little dude a couple of times, once on an ATC sized piece of card stock and twice more for fussy cutting.  I wrapped his bod in multiple layers of my Halloween chevron tape following the lines of the stamp, added it to the ATC and layered on his toes and eyes, complete with googly eyes.  I colored the parts showing with Fluorescent green Copics, inked the edges and added another piece of washi I'd stamped with one of the sentiments from the set.  DONE!  WooHoo!  Not the most creative, but he's kinda cute, don'tcha think?

Smudgefest Day1 Metal Monday

Okay, so I was feeling guilty about entering Smudgefest with a project that just happened to fit the theme but wasn't specifically made for the challenge.  I mean, the point is to wake up and be surprised by the theme and then make something, hopefully using a Smeared Ink Stamp or paper (if you want to be eligible for the daily prize).
  

So, in the spirit of fairness, I made a quicky ATC for the "Metal Monday" theme today.  I wish I could have done more, but hubby has an itch to see new Mission Impossible movie and saying I needed to stay home for Smudgefest probably wouldn't fly.  The image is Backbend from the Toxic Ballerina set from Smeared Ink and the background is from one of the SI digi paper sets, but for the life of me, I can't remember the name of it.  The image was colored with Copics and I've  added a Tim Holtz metal Philosophy Tags.  Hopefully I will be able to hang in there for the 7 fun filled days, but we'll see.  Check out the rules and stuff for Smudgefest by clicking the banner top right.  Prizes are daily and Random so you can drop in whenever and play.  Gotta run and get boofy before the show. See ya tomorrow.

Fur and Feathers/Tooth and Claw

It's another Macabre Monday, time for a new challenge at HDH with the theme of Fur and Feathers/Tooth and Claw.  I think I've got it covered.  LOL  I've used Poe Cat and snatched the Raven off of Poe Skull Bust, both from the fabulous Ike's Art.  Both the red feather and Nevermore Background sheets are from the Poe Boy Digi paper pack from Smeared Ink (counting the days 'til the shop reopens)  I've added a cool metal claw from and black feather that I've dabbed with red nail polish.

I colored both digi's with Copics and Prismacolor Pencils, and fussy cut.  The blood spatter is stamped with Barn Door Distress from the Inky Dreams rubber set from Smeared ink and covered with Glossy Accents for shine.  I've also added Glossy Accents to the cat's eyes (or socket, if you must) and the blood drips on the teeth and feathers.

I'm adding this to the Quoth the Raven Quest #46... POEtry, Ike's World Challenge All About the Night, Smudgy Antics August ATG with optional Creepy Creatures Challenge, Dream in Darkness August ATG, A Step in the Dark August FB Challenge and Left of Center using the LOC theme (or "What's New Pussycat?"  LOL). 

New Challenge at Gecko Galz

Our new challenge starts today at Gecko Galz with the theme of Life is a Circus. I've used two papers from the GG Life's a Circus paper pack for the background, filling in the center oval of the main page with striped paper from the same pack in my printing program and matting it in matte metallic gold . I then resized 3 of the images from the new  August Clowning Domino Sheet, cut them out, matted them with matte metallic papers in gold or bronze and glued the center image directly to the background and popped the two smaller images on the diagonal with foam.  The clown in the bottom left corner is from the Clowning Around Collage set, which I fussy cut and popped as well.  The sentiment is computer generated, inked with Distress and I've added some adhesive stars for embellishment.

Although I could have done this all digitally, I thought the popping the images made it more special.  Here's the dimensional shot.  So join the circus and be sure to visit the Gecko Galz Challenge Blog for inspiration from my fabulous teamies.  Can't wait to see what you create.  Visit often for more inspiration using the new products available each month in the GG Etsy Shop and each designer spotlighted will have a free stamp for you if you visit their personal Blogs.  We also have a number of challenges each month in our FB Group and the owner of Gecko Galz has a separate monthly challenge on her personal Blog. Subscribe to the newsletter (sign up on the Challenge Blog) and you can get a free collage sheet each month and there are also Freebies from Gecko Galz each month on Pinterest.  What are you waiting for?

The important links:

Gecko Galz Challenge Blog

GG FB Group

GG Etsy Shop

GG on Pinterest

Aurora 'Swim with Betty'

There's a new release at The East Wind today and it's perfect for summer.  Meet Aurora 'Swim with Betty'.  I've made a shaker card, although it wasn't my original plan, but the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers new challenge is "S" is for Shaker and when Edna says "Shake", I SHAKE! (Probably 'cause Edna was my mother's name. Old habits die hard)  LOL

Here's a closeup for the lovely Aurora and Betty.  I used the NB (no background as opposed to fully transparent) png version of the stamp and printed it atop digital paper from the Gecko Galz La Isla Bonita paper pack.  Many of The East Wind images come with several different printing options for the same low price (WooHoo!) so be sure to check the listing to see what is available. Then I colored her and Betty with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and added some epoxy bubbles.

The shaker itself was made from Cricut cartridge packaging.  I cut a window with my Spellbinders Grand Labels Four and scored and folded the card stock around the packaging.  I was adhered to a back panel after filling it with sand and beads to shake.  The die cuts, both inside and out) are Magnolia and I'v'e also added a seahorse, shells and a starfish from Jolee's. The sea floor at the bottom is a piece of kraft card stock that I covered in transfer tape, sprinkled with more sand and tore across the top.  The sentiment is from Graphic 45.  I really love how it came out.  (Thanks to you, SOSS!)

 Lots of TEW fun happening all over the place so...

Here's the important stuff:

Challenge Blog

Show Room Blog

FB Group

FB Fan Page

Etsy Shop

I'm also entering this in the Outlawz Twisted Thursday Water theme challenge, Craft Your Passion ATG, Digi Choosday Animals, TTRCD July 28-Aug 3 ATG, Crafting from the Heart ATG, MarkerPOP! ATG, and Animal Friends at/in/on the Water.

The Original Morning Goddess

Yeah, that's me, curlers, robe and slippers with a cat at my feet and a cup of??? I'm hosting Sparkle and Glitter today.  Don't I look thrilled?  JK, Just feeling a bit snarky today.  Of course, I love ALL of the RDS Blogs. The image is The Original Morning Goddess by RSD MFA and she's still my fave. Look at that 'tude!  Lots more Goddesses though, in Rick's Zibbet Shop.   Be sure to check them out.  She just begged for a snarky sentiment, don'tcha think? I've made a fairly CAS card because of all the flocking and paper piecing I did.  Just some simple matting, some DP and a few buttons for interest.
  

First she's printed on white card stock, with the computer generated sentiment and colored with Copics. I've flocked the robe by then printing the fabric on pink card stock and running it through my Xyron face down.  I find that even when flocking with a color, having the image colored makes for a more even coverage.  Then I printed the image in white again and fussy cut the cuffs (including the left hand) and tie belt and ran them through the Xyron as well. One more printing for the left hand again, which I colored with Copics and laced it on top, then I adhered the white parts to the pink and then sprinkled the whole thing with white Fun Flock. It softened the pink color a bit and fuzzied up the white as well but the hand had no adhesive so it remained unflocked.  This does mute the digi lines, but you can regain a bit of detail using a fine stylus on the lines and I also used some Prismacolor pencils to add a bit of shading over the flocking.  Don't use your Copics or you'll end up with a mess.

Finally, I colored and fussy cut the kitty and flocked him in gray, but added a fussy cut colored bow before flocking him.  Again, I used a stylus to uncover more of the digi details after flocking.  Then I cut a glitter pom pom in half and kept it together by gluing the cut edge with Glossy accents to add to her slippers. OOps, I almost forgot that I added Glossy Accents to her coffee cup, as well. Such fun details.  Gotta love her.

There's still time left in our July Progressive ATG with an RSD image so be sure to join in so you can get the freebie for the next leg. Always fun stuff going on.

Here are all of the important links:

Sparkle and Glitter

Airless Chambers

RSD MFA Blog

RSD How2 Tutorial Blog

Rick's Zibbet Shop

Rick's Etsy Shop

FB Fans and Friends

I'm adding this to the Sparkle N Sprinkle ATG with loose Glitter, Embossing Powder and/or Flocking, Left of Center Use Texture, Crafting with Friends ATG, the Outlawz Monday Greeting Cards Use Buttons and Patterned Paper, Aud Sentiments ATG with a Sentiment, and Creative Knockouts Paper Piecing (all of the flocked elements are paper pieced, just not with patterned paper).

It's the SHITS, Gettin' Old! (Warning, some Profanity...DUH!)

It's my turn to post on Airless Chambers, the RSD MFA Dark Blog, so here's a little wall hanging I did using the fabulous HaunTed OUTHOUSE, just ONE of the amazing outhouses available in Rick's Zibbet Shop. I've removed the background from Madama de la Noche in my printing program and added her to the steps. This idea came to me after repeating my mantra, more than several times this week, for one reason or another.  Yeah, it's the SHITS, gettin' old, alright!

Here's a closeup of the combined images, colored with Copics with a touch of Prismacolor pencils here and there.  I've added spiderweb die cuts (I always think of then when I pass an outhouse (don't you?  EEEK!!!), some epoxy bats and edged the banner with my trusty Drippy Goo punch. 

The TP roll is from a design by Marlene Shaw who had a wicked sense of humor and gave out freebie stamps for years, but sadly, no longer blogs.  I added my own sentiment to the roll.  The spider came from a an experience I had as a teen.  I traveled to Bermuda with a high school boyfriend's family to visit his oldest sister and brother-in-law.  Fabulous trip, except for the BUGS!  One day, I was in the bathroom and when I pulled out the TP, the biggest palmetto bug (think the most GIGANTIC COCK ROACH EVER) rolled out with the sheet and my scream was heard round the WORLD!  Okay, not a spider, but close enough. Actually, a spider might have been better, except the one's there are HUGE and all hairy and shit, EEEWWW!!! 

The language goes even further South from here, so if you're easily offended, better stop reading NOW!

I've been missing the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers a fuckton and am thrilled to join in their current challenge

And as much as I love a good F-Bomb (well, perhaps I already got that covered), gotta say this lovely banner did influence my project a tad. Ya think?

I'm also entering this in the Left of Center Use 3 of Something challenge, not only because I used 3 spiders, but also 'cause those chicks can take a few choice words, Forever Dark ATG, and Dream in Darkness ATG.

New Challenge At Aurora Wings

Our new challenge starts today at the Aurora Wings Challenge Blog with the theme of "Anything with Wings".  This will be a 2 month long challenge as we are taking a break for the end of summer vacations and back to school preparations so it will run through September 19th.  It was tough choosing an image this time because there are sooo many gorgeous ones in the Aurora Wings shops, both Etsy and the Aurora Wings.com Digi Store, that fit this theme.  I finally settled on one that I've adored all along, but was a bit intimidated by, called What Dreams May Come. It features Little Elf Kia being carried through the air by a flight of dragonflies.  How MAGICAL!

Once I started coloring, I was pleasantly surprised.  Kia came together quite nicely, in fact she was a joy to color.  The trick is not to print the image too small, (mine is approx 6 1/2 x 6 1/2", yeah, I could have gone a bit smaller, but I be old and my eyesight is failing) and to start with the vines and leaves of the swing since they go right over the top of her curly hair.  I almost missed the tip of her little elf ear on the other side of the vine, initially coloring it as a leaf, but that's what colorless blender is for.  LOL  Here's a closeup.  All done with Copics.

The dragonflies are amazing, aren't they?  I chose two of my fave colorways for these critters that matched the colors I'd started with on Kia.  I've also added Glossy Accents to their eyes and Stardust Stickles to their wings.  I thought that a bit of cheesecloth gave some nice texture and reminded me of the pattern in their wings, as well.  Both DP's are old K&Co and the blue pattern has some glitter which led me to distress the edges of the paper with the edge of my scissors and Stickle around it too, but not until I'd filled in some of the white space with my dotty background around the images and inking the edges with Distress in Tumbled Glass.

The sentiment was computer generated, cut with a Spellbinders Label 4 and inked with Tumbled Glass Distress after embossing while still in the die.  The metal dragonfly was from a set of bug paperclips I got on clearance eons ago at Starbucks.  I freed him from the clip, stickled his wings, colored him with Copics and added some gem eyes.  I thought the yellow bow helped bring some of the color from the flowers (all Prima) to the top right of the design.  That's why I added the second pattern, as well.  It needed something to break up all that blue.  So aren't I the little chatty one today?  Can't help it.  I'm pretty proud of myself for not shying away from an image I thought would be too difficult and I'm more than pleased with the results.  Also, I've already seen the gorgeous creations by my DT Sisters so be sure to visit the Challenge Blog and prepared to be amazed.

Here are all the links you need:

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 Dragonfly Dreams Midsummer's Delights, Hiding in my Craft Room Lots of Layers, Open Minded Crafting Kids Just Want to have Fun, Graph'it 2 Color Tones (blue and orange), Crafts Galore Encore Use a Stamp or Digi Anywhere, Dream Factory A Midsummer Night's Dream, Paradise of Stamps July ATG, DL.Art July Linky Party ATG, Inspiration Destination ATG, Crafting with an Attitude ATG, TTRCD July 14-20 ATG, and Simon Says Monday i scream for...(i is for inspire).

New Sprites at Aurora Wings!

I'm so excited to be joining the Aurora Wings Showcase Team today for the Double Release of two NEW Sprites!  Grab a cuppa.  this is a long post!  First off, here is the adorable Ladybug Sprite.  Sure to become a FAVE!  Gotta say, I squealed when I saw this one.  I considered using some non traditional colors for her, but Red, Black and White is also one of my FAVE color combos, so there ya go.  DP's are from the Everlasting 6x6" pad from Authentique and I used the MS Ladybug Punch around the Page to frame her.  Had to punch it in both black AND red and fussy cut the wings and back the holes with black (what was I thinking?) but I love the way it turned out.

Here's the closeup.  She's colored with Copics, fussy cut and popped and I've added 2 layers of vellum wings under the dotted top and Glossy Accents to the eyes on her hood.  The bashful Ladybug Sprite is available as a JPG digi here or as a PNG digi here.    JPG version is also available at the www.AuroraWings.com's digi shop. 


I'm adding this to the Alphabet Challenge "K" is for Kind Thoughts, 613 Avenue Create ATG, Simply Papercraft ATG, Simon Says Monday ATG,  As You Like it Favorite Color and Why (Red, since I was a little girl, so bright and vibrant.  I even color my hair red now, and when I took a What Color is your Personality? test it came up RED, too!  But I already knew that.  LOL), the DL.Art July Linky Challenge ATG, Crafting with an Attitude ATG and Inspiration Destination ATG.

I was equally excited to showcase Columbine Sprite, not only because I love the flower, but she completes another page in my Garden Journal.  See the entire project HERE.  Again I've used the png version of this Sprite and printed her directly on the page from the Cottage Garden printable journal from Ephemera's Vintage Garden. 

She is colored with Copics in the soft colors from the journal page to look as if she were a part of it.  The Columbine Sprite is available as a JPG digi here and as a PNG digi here at AW Etsy. Remember, you can easily tell the png version of Aurora Wings stamps by the colored dot background on the listing.  The JPG version of her is also available at the AW web site's digi shop.  Please visit the AW Showcase Blog for more fabulous inspiration.

I'm adding this to Crafting With Friends ATG, FAb 'n' Funky Flower Delights, and TTRCD ATG.

 If you're heading out to go shopping, don't forget to use code DIGISAVE25 for 25% OFF with minimum of $10 USD in digital stamps purchase at AW Etsy. This code is good this weekend, through Sunday at 11:59 pm EDT US. As always, the code is for digital items in the shop only.  Use of this code on orders that include non-digi items will result in the cancellation of such items, followed by a refund of that portion of your order.

Don't forget about your chance to save an endangered species (an adorable one, too!) AND get a chance to win $30 USD in digis of your choice OR one of Mitzi's coloring books, with international shipping covered!!   Please check out COLOR FOR A CAUSE!  A special summer event sponsored by Aurora Wings to help the fundraiser for Project Numbat, an Australian non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of native marsupial, the numbats. Here's mine, where's yours?

And finally, the current Sprite Delight II Challenge ends at 11:59 pm EDT TOMORROW.  There's still time to grab a Sprite and get coloring!