Cookie Bugg & Autumn Bugg

~ sproatmeyer ~ 15 Comments

It’s another Tuesday and we have a great challenge at Tiddly Inks to get your week started! The challenge for you is to create something with the theme “Sugar and Spice with a Twist!” We want you to make a sarcastic or humorous. ;D


I took this as the perfect opportunity to use a new sentiment I found from Inkadinkado – this one says “It’s fun to grow up because TV and cookies stop being bad for you.” I created a scene to go with it using Cookie Bugg for the grown up and Autumn Bugg for the little kid (the rebellious disgruntled kid, of course). Then I colored in some expressions on their faces to match.


I’d have to say I totally cracked up laughing when I saw this sentiment at the store because it was soo true and related well to recent experience. Nothing more “telling” than to have your own kids catch you in the act of grabbing an extra snack. LOL


I pulled the card together with a few embellishments: pink gingham ribbon, black gems and a couple black sequin flower centers. The background utilizes a bunch of scrap papers I had in efforts to use up some scraps.


DT Challenge: Tiddly Inks Challenge #55 (sugar and spice with a twist)
Main Stamp: Cookies Galore Set and Autumn Bugg (TI)
Patterned Paper: Olivia (BG)

Copic Markers colored on Copy Paper:
-skin tone: E000, E00, E21, E11
-browns: E41, E42, E43, E44; E31, E37, E33, E35, E23
-yellows: YR20, YR21, YR23, YR24
-greens: YG13, YG17, G07, G28, T4, T6, T8
-blues: B0000, B01
-purples: BV0000, BV000, BV00, BV01
-pinks: R20, R21, R22, R24
-grays: W1, W2, W3, W4


Did you know? A Zeppelin bend (also Rosendahl bend) is a general purpose bend knot. It is a secure, easily tied, and jam-resistant way to connect two ropes. Though its simplicity and security may be matched by other bends, it is unique in the ease with which it is untied, even after heavy loading. Even though it is not very well-known, it is praised by some sources as a nearly ideal bend knot. A bend knot is a knot used to join two lengths of rope. [Zeppelin Bend, Wikipedia.org]

Cici, Fifi and Toto

~ sproatmeyer ~ 12 Comments

Welcome to another challenge at Make it Colourful where this week we have a woozy of a coloring challenge! LOL Now, that’s not to scare you away because it’s actually really simple once you understand… so stay with me! So what’s the challenge? Color Reflections! Muaha ha ha.


I have to admit, this is one of those cards that I took multiple pictures while in the process of coloring. I colored the images as normal and assembled my card until it was complete then took a picture of it “just in case” my next step didn’t work out. LOL It’s true! Then I added the reflecting colors on the images and retook the pictures of the newly finalized card. ;D


The color reflections can be seen all over the three sprites – it’s where one item “spills over” onto the other and actually does wonders to cover up mistakes if you color out of the lines. Here’s a comparison of the before and after shots where you can clearly see the added reflections all over these cute little tykes! Click on the picture for a larger view – the effect is subtle and mainly in the shadows of the images.


I’m not sure how I like the effect – on one hand the extra color adds a lot of depth to the image and brings the coloring closer to real life. In that aspect it looks gorgeous! However, on the other hand, the extra color is different and I brings down the “brightness” of the images. Of course, I was going for a dramatic effect to show the technique so perhaps there is a middle ground that would be perfect.


I wanted to really showcase these sprites, Cici, Fifi and Toto, so I kept the rest of the card and embellishments darker and more on the monochrome side. That way the colorful sprites really “pop” and grab the eye’s attention. Hope you like the card and have fun with the challenge – can’t wait to see!


DT Challenge: Make it Colourful – Challenge #23 (color cast/reflection)
Main Stamp: Cici, Fifi, Toto and Whimsical Mushroom (MiC)
Patterned Paper: Marjolaine (BG)
Chipboard: Filigree Jewels (MiC)

Copic Markers colored on Copy Paper:
-skin tone: E000, E00, E21, E11
-browns: E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E47
-reds: R22, R24, R29, R59; R02, YR02, R05, R08, YR18, R29
-yellows: E50, E51, YR20, Y21, Y23
-greens: YG61, YG63, YG67, G99
-blues: BG000, B01, BG02, BG05; BG10, BG11, BG72, BG75, BG78
-pinks: R20, R21, R22
-grays: W4, W6, W8; T0, T1, T3, T5, T7, T9
-color reflections: E43; G40, G82; B41; BG11, BG72; R20, R21, R22; YR02; T0, T2, T4

Did you know? Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are flashes of gamma rays associated with extremely energetic explosions in distant galaxies. GRBs are the most luminous electromagnetic events known to occur in the universe and typically lasts 20–40 seconds. Most observed GRBs are believed to be a narrow beam of intense radiation released during a supernova event, as a rapidly rotating, high-mass star collapses to form a neutron star or black hole. GRBs were first detected in 1967 by the Vela satellites, but it was not until 1997 that they were better understood, with the use of optical spectroscopy to detect the first X-ray and optical afterglows and to directly measure their redshifts.
[Gama-ray Burst, Wikipedia.org]

Adela and Dida

~ sproatmeyer ~ 18 Comments

Are you ready for yet another card today? I want to introduce to you Adela the Fairy and her dog Dida which was released at Little Miss Muffet Stamps this week! She’s the first fairy that came through my imagination and hopefully there will be more on the way – but in the mean time, I hope you enjoy this card…


The image comes three ways, Adela & Dida, the flower, and then both images merged together in the way you see it here. This makes the image versatile and I love how the design team showcased her – check them out over at the Challenge & New Release blog.


I went all out on the embellishments which is the benefit to the larger 6″x6″ card sizes. I’ve almost used up all the black swirls that I have – although I love the shape and look of them, they’re hefty and so I use them sparingly. The stripped ribbon is a new addition to my stash and was fun to use for the first time.


Of course, I added some lasercut chipboards but this time I bent the wings on the butterflies so they were lifted off the page more; then I applied Petal Pink Liquid Pearls on the centers. I also used Liquid Pearls around the butterflies for an enchanted feel. The other chipboard embellishments were covered with a Pearl Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabber.


I’d like to enter this into the following challenges:
Color Throwdown Challenge #146 (daffodil, tangerine, kiwi green)
Sir Stampalot June Challenge (photo inspiration – flowers, red/orange)
Cupcake Craftroom June Challenge (flowers and leaves)
Forever Friends Challenge (spots and dots)
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenges #55 (best friends)

DT Preview: Little Miss Muffet Stamps New Releases
Main Stamp: Adela and Dida (LMMS)
Patterned Paper: Salt Air (CC)
Chipboard: Fine Swirls and Love Heart Swirls (MiC)
Metal Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels One

Copic Markers colored on Copy Paper:
-skin tone: E000, E00, E21
-browns: E50, E53, E57, E55
-reds to oranges: YR12, YR14, YR18, R17, R27, E09
-yellows: YR30, Y21, Y23, Y20, Y24
-greens: YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG99
-blues: B000, BV0000, BV000; B91, B93, B95
-pinks: R11, R12, R32
-grays: 0, C00, C1, C3

Did you know? Filigree is a delicate kind of jewelery metalwork made with twisted threads usually of gold and silver or stitching of the same curving motifs. It often suggests lace, and in recent centuries remains popular in Indian and other Asian metalwork, and French from 1660 to the late 19th century. It should not be confused with ajoure jewellery work; while both have many open areas, filigree involves threads being soldered together to form an object and ajoure involves holes being punched, drilled, or cut through an existing piece of metal.
[Filigree Metalwork, Wikipedia.org]

Coriander

~ sproatmeyer ~ 6 Comments

As the hottest months of summer approaches in the northern hemisphere our minds often turn to water and vacations at the beach. At least I wouldn’t mind a nice getaway at paradise beach with soft warm sand to run barefoot in. ;D This card features Coriander who can be playing in the sandbox in the backyard but for this card I’d like to think she’s living a dream on the perfect vacation!


The two images are Coriander, which was released today at Little Miss Muffet Stamps, and the background is Message in Bottle from Make it Crafty. I combined these images because I thought it was a fun story they told together – after all, wouldn’t a message in a bottle be quite the find!


I hope you enjoy this preview and that it inspires your “mini” vacation on a card. 😀 Come support me over at the Challenges & New Releases blog to see all the new releases this week and to play along in the challenge! You can use any stamp in the challenge, however, if you use a LMMS then the theme is always “Anything Goes” – I would love to see what you’re making with those images. ;D


I’d like to enter this into the following challenges:
Amber’s Crafts and Stuff Challenge #14 (vacation)
PaperPlay Challenge Week 24 (at the beach)
Lollipop Crafts Challenge #41 (inspired by a song: The Go Go’s Vacation)
The Rubber Cafe Challenges (summer)
Alota Rubber Stamps Challenge #61 (summertime)


DT Preview: Little Miss Muffet Stamps New Releases
Main Stamp: Coriander (LMMS) and Message in Bottle (MiC)
Patterned Paper: Linen Thread (DCWV)
Metal Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities Inverted Scalloped Square and My Favorite Things Die-namics Jumbo Scallop

Copic Markers colored on Copy Paper:
-skin tone: E50, E51, E53
-browns: E50, E51, E53, E55, E21, E30; E42, E43, E44, E47
-reds: R22, R24, R27, R59
-blues: BG11, BG13, BG15, BG18; B000, B00, B01
-pinks: 0, R11, R12

Did you know? Summer is the warmest of the four temperate seasons, between spring and autumn. At the summer solstice, the days are longest and the nights are shortest, with day-length decreasing as the season progresses after the solstice. The date of the beginning of summer varies according to climate, culture, and tradition, but when it is summer in the southern hemisphere it is winter in the northern hemisphere, and vice versa.
[Summer, Wikipedia.org]

Kids’ Creations

~ sproatmeyer ~ 13 Comments

My kids love to create along side of me and have really gotten into the spirit of challenges! They like to follow along in my footsteps and often ask what the challenge I’m making a specific card for. ;D So here are a few of their creations that they wanted to show off…

Lydia’s Tropical Island

Make it Colourful Challenge #22 Blues
Stamp: Palm Trees (MiC)
Cassandra’s Beach Girl

Little Miss Muffet Stamps – New Releases
Stamp: Coriander (LMMS)

Lydia’s Gifts

Stamp: Sled Packed with Gifts (WoJ)
Lydia’s Magic Coloring

I am amazed at the results of this coloring! Tilda is colored with “kids markers” but only three days later Coriander is colored with my “magic markers”… aka Copic markers! I can see her technique changed and her color choices are better – they really are magic!
Lydia’s Garden Fairy

Stamp: Pergamano Fairy (P)
Lydia’s Agent Cupcake

Little Miss Muffet Stamps Challenge #11
Stamp: Agent Cupcake (LMMS)
Cassandra’s Bumble Family

Tiddly Inks Challenge #54 (one layer)
Stamps: Double Trouble Bears, Father Bumble Bear, Mothers Day and Whaz Up or Down (TI)
Cassandra’s Hay Diddle Diddle

Little Miss Muffet Stamps Challenge #11
Stamp: Jumping Bessie (LMMS)

Just Swinging

~ sproatmeyer ~ 2 Comments

Welcome back for another preview of the Little Darlings stamps from Love to Stamp! Today I’m feature “Just Swinging” and had a lot of fun coloring her up. ;D You can check out all week long the sneak peaks at the Love to Stamp Store Blog and get all the details on the prize too.


I must say I love all the images I got to work with this week and this one is no exception. I kept this one simple because the image says it all. She looks like she just jumped in for the biggest swing ever – so much fun and brings back some childhood memories too.


From childhood to parenthood – I just have to say it amazes me how much us “Moms” take on! Right now I’m juggling this post, creating another card, answering my correspondence AND putting the kids to bed. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself ADD but rather I think we get used to the shuffle of daily life to the point we work best while our attention is divided. (Opps, I just cut my ribbon an inch too short – maybe I should focus a little more! LOL)


So back to this card – I used some of my favorite papers lately as I love the colors I can pull out of it. I’m all about colors as it’s the main thing that inspires me the most. ;D Sometimes it doesn’t all work out for the best but at least it gets my creative juices flowing! I also got to use some new lasercut chipboard embellishments from Make it Crafty which worked perfectly with some large gems I’ve been saving. Hope you enjoyed it and come along to play in our challenges this week. ;D


DT Preview: Love to Stamp Little Darlings Release II
Main Stamp: Just Swinging (LTS)
Patterned Paper: Stella & Rose Hattie (MME)
Chipboard: Filigree Jewels (MiC)
Metal Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Eleven

Copic Markers colored on Copy Paper:
-skin tone: E000, E00, E21, E13
-browns: E55, E57, E59
-yellows: YR23, YR21
-blues: BG72, BG78; C1, B0000
-pinks: R12, R22
-grays: N2, N4, N6, N8; 0, C1, C3

Did you know? The slide rule, also known colloquially as a slipstick, is a mechanical analog computer. The slide rule is used primarily for multiplication and division, and also for functions such as roots, logarithms and trigonometry, but is not normally used for addition or subtraction. William Oughtred and others developed the slide rule in the 17th century based on the emerging work on logarithms by John Napier. Before the advent of the pocket calculator, it was the most commonly used calculation tool in science and engineering.
[Slide Rule, Wikipedia.org]