30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 30

Today is the last day of #thedailymarker30day challenge *tear* and I'm a little sad. I've had such an amazing time coloring and actually using stamps that I had purchased years *cough* ago but hadn't used yet... I'm determined to break that trend.... So today's image is actually from a brand new set called "indescribable gift" by Stampin Up. I just got it in the mail this week and figured it would be the perfect end to a great month. I inked it up with MFT Black Licorice Hybrid ink and stamped onto Neenah Exact Index 110lb white card stock. I colored with copics and finished it off with a little bit of stardust gel pen. I really like how it turned out. 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 29

I literally had 5 minutes today - just 5 minutes! This is what I came up with, including glitter & scraps! I was a speeeedy crafter this morning, and that almost never happens! Crafty time warp miracle! Haha :-) 

This image was quickly stamped using the new Stampin Up Painted Petals set. 

30 Day Coloring Challenge -Day 24

Day 24! Wowza! This post will be short & sweet, as it is just after 12:30am and i have to get up in about 4 1/2 hours to go to work.... This is another Stamping Bella image, this one is called "Bubbles loves her Bubbly". I stamped it with MFT Black Licorice Hybrid ink on Neenah Exact Index 110 lb card stock and colored with copics. You can't really see it, but I also used a little wink of Stella in the round bubbles, and along the squiggly bubble lines in the bathtub. I was really happy with how all the colors came together. 

Okie dokie time to sleep! 

-xoxo

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 23

Don't be scared!  This is one of the new Art Impressions Big Mouth Stamps and it's my submission for Day 23 of #thedailymarker30day challenge. 

In addition to the mischievous gator - this set also includes a little birdy stamp, a die to cut out the "big mouth" and a sentiment that says: "A little birdie told me it was your birthday... so I ate him"

How can you not love that? 

This Art Impressions Big Mouth - Gator  stamped in My Favorite Things Black Licorice Hybrid Ink on Neenah Exact Index 110 lb cardstock and colored with Copics. 

I used YG00, YG01, YG63, YG67, YG93, YG97 and a 0.03 Copic multiliner to go over some of the finer details (eyes, teeth & fingers) to crisp up some of the essential lines.

I can't wait to put it all together and use it for my brother's 30th birthday card... Eric - you don't read this blog, right????.....If you do, you'll love the finished card even more than this sneak peak of a partially finished image.  Plus, I will be super impressed that you follow a card making blog - way to go for exploring new interests! It's hard to say that with a straight face... 

 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 22

OH - MY - GOD!  BECKY - LOOK AT HER BUTT... 

Sorry...I couldn't help myself (I'm actin' like an animal), Sorry again... I see Sir Mix-a-Lot lyrics in the strangest places.... 

If you are laughing - it's because your brain radio is tuned in to the same station mine is. :)  Bringing back the 1992 hit: Baby Got Back....and blending it with 2015 card making.  Awesome. Dirty Pop Culture, twisted up by crafty gal's sense of humor. 

This AMAZING stamp is my submission for Day 22 of #thedailymarker30day challenge.  This is one of the new Spinner sets from Art Impressions.  This specific set is called the Fairy Spinner and you know what's super fabulous about it, besides the obvious fabulousness of the image?  *GASP*  There are matching Fairy Spinner dies! I am super super SUPER excited!  This means I won't have to fussy cut and pray the two images match up.  Which also means, I will be using this set for allllll kinds of things.... Birthday Fairy, Tooth Fairy, Christmas Angels.... look out, "I'm hooked and I can't stop starin'...ooooo Baby!" 

I don't know why this is making my laugh so much... I hope you're giggling too!

These images were stamped with My Favorite Things Black Licorice Hybrid Ink on Neenah Exact Index 110 lb cardstock, and colored with copics.

colors used:
Skin: E50, E51, BV00, and RV11
Hair: Y21, Y26 and Y28
Dress: R81, R83 and R85
Wings, Wand and Hat: BG10, BG11, B32, BV31, BV34 and Clear Wink of Stella

 

I can't wait to die cut these images and put them on a card. 

 

 

 

 

"So Cosmo says you're fat,

Well I ain't down with that

'Cause your waist is small and

your curves are kickin'..."

 

For such a sexualized song - I really like the message.  There's someone for everyone, and "beanpole dames in the magazines" aren't the only attractive body type. 

 

Much love to Sir Mix-a-Lot and Art Impressions. 

 

I'll probably have this song stuck in my head for days....

 

xoxo,

Amanda

 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 21

Day 21 of #thedailymarker30day challenge!  It's hard to believe I am over 2/3 of the way through this fabulous coloring challenge.... there is a part of me that wants to continue coloring once a day until I use every stamp set in my clutter room, I mean Craft Room.  :-P

This stamp and sentiment is Uptown Girl Audrey Loves Makeup from Stamping Bella.  I love these cute skinny ladies.  I think this is what my inner goddess looks like...svelt, stylish and sophisticated...  Then when I walk by a mirror in real life, I actually look like the Art Impressions Girlfriends stamps...well-fed, sassy and up for a good time.   Do other people have that observation about themselves? 

I think thats why I love both stamp companies so much.  Both capture how I see myself in my head and in reality. 

 

This image was stamped with My Favorite Things Black Licorice Hybrid Ink on Neenah Exact Index 110 lb cardstock and colored with copics. 

 

I used my fave combos:

 

Skin: E00, E02 and BV00

Bows, Jewelry & shoes: R81, R83, R85, Clear Wink of Stella

Hat, Purse and Ruffles: BG10, BG11 and BG13 + a little silver Wink of Stella on the purse clasp.

Dress: BV20, BV23 and BV 25

Gloves: C01 and 0

Lipstick: R85 and Silver Wink of Stella

 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 19

I'm probably 7 weeks too late for this adorable love stamp.... But I figured it's always good to have a love theme ready in case I need an engagement card or an anniversary card...

This is my submission for Day 19 of #thedailymarker30day challenge! This stamp is from a clear set by Penny Black. Suuuuper cute. Stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah Solar White 110 cardstock and colored with copics. 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 20

Here's my submission for Day 20 of #thedailymarker30day challenge. These images quack me up.... Hehe! So cute! These are from the Lucky Duck set by There She Goes Stamps. 

Stamped with Memento tuxedo black ink on Neenah Solar White 110 lb cardstock, & colored with copics. I never use yellow because I find it really hard to pick "the right yellow" so I figured this would be a good opportunity to practice! 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 16

Over half way done with the challenge and I'm stilllll going strong! This is my submission for Day 16 of #thedailymarker30day coloring challenge. 

 

This is another fun one from There She Goes Stamps. This is "Birthday Bot". I stamped him in Tuxedo Black ink onto Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock and colored with copics. I went a little nuts on the pointalism after I had an oops...I opened a juicy marker over the image and splat! Shower of light blue dots.... This has happened to me before, so you would think that I would have learned my lesson about opening markers away from my image. *sigh*  Sometimes I need to learn things twice....  Despite my juicy marker splatter, I think this image turned out pretty good!

I also covered the robot with a good coat of wink of stella clear brush pen.  You can kind of see the sparkle.  :) 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 15

I couldn't help myself, here is another cat themed stamp from Art Impressions. This one is from the Try-Fold set called "Cat Lady TF". This is my submission for Day 15 of #thedailymarker30day challenge! 

Image was stamped on Neenah Solar White, 110lb cardstock in tuxedo black memento ink and colored in copics.  My russian blue kitty looks just like the blue gray one that is laying on it's back...

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 17

Here's my submission for Day 17 of #thedailymarker30day challenge. I tried to be quick today... The images are from a There She Goes Stamps set called "A Drink A Day". I did a little masking so my lady could hold her lemon drop martini in her grip. Otherwise it looks like she is ready to play Rock, Paper, Scissors and crush her lemon drop. =-)

Images stamped with memento Tuxedo Black ink on Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock, and colored with copics. I tried to mimic one of Sandy Allnock's fabulous backgrounds. For this one I used BG10 and BG70. It isn't as smooth as I was hoping for...but that can probably be solved with more practice. =-)

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 18

Here's my submission for day 18! This was my first time trying to color black hair with the Warm Grays. And I have to say that I REALLY like how it turned out. Super cute! I am sure I will refer to that color combo again in the future! (W4, W7, W9, W10 and 100)

These images are from the "Cutie Pi" set by There She Goes Stamps. I think this is another one that @torico27 may have designed for TSGStamps. It came with a bunch of punny sentiments about chemistry and science. Suuuuper cute and giggle worthy! 

Images stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink on Neenah Solar White 110lb cardstock and colored with copics. 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 14

I am a total cat person. Ok - back up - I am not really an animal person at all... It's more fair to say I am a "cat stamp" person.... Haha :) I love cat stamps! 

I love my real cat, but I'm like her 3rd favorite person. Which I guess is kind of a big deal for a cat.... She loves my Husband the most, which I understand... He IS the one that feeds her. But then she loves my husband's best friend the 2nd most.... And then I'm a distant 3rd. She only really shows me affection when no one else is around. 

Anyway - I love cat stamps because they are cute and cuddly without the excess cat hair. Adorable. 

This is my submission for Day 14 of #thedailymarker30day challenge.  This stamp is from the "Crazy Cat Lady" clear stamp set by Art Impressions and exclusively sold at Michael's. As soon as I heard Art Impressions was releasing new stamps and they would be sold at Michael's, I literally jumped in my car and drove right over. 

Now, I really do love this stamp company, but I do not like the clear stamps they produced with Hampton Art. I feel like they are made with sub-par materials and do not stamp a very good image. Even after stamping 15-20 times with an acrylic block, MISTI, and with the stamp press... no matter what tool I used, I still wasn't happy with the outline.  I even tried using different copic friendly inks (memento tuxedo black and black licorice hybrid ink from MFT). Rather than waste ANOTHER sheet of paper, I decided to color the best image of the bunch and then go back and outline the image with a copic multiliner. 

I stamped this one on Neenah Solar White, 110lb cardstock and inked the image with Tuxedo Black Memento ink. Colored with copics. 

Even with my stamping difficulties, I really do like this image. It is super cute. 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 13

This is my submission for day 13 of #thedailymarker30day challenge!  These cuties are from a set called "Slugger" by There She Goes Stamps. I *think* @torico27 designed this set for TSGStamps. I love her illustrations, they are too cute! Torico designs for My Favorite Things now and continues to put out some fabulous stuff. 

I think I'm going to put these little guys on an accordion card... Not sure yet. 😄

Anyway, these were stamped on Neenah Solar White, 110lb cardstock & inked in Tuxedo Black Memento ink. And of course colored in copics. 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 12

WAHOOO!  Day 12! here's my submission for #thedailymarker30day challenge.  It's another one from Stamping Bella.  Super cute girlfriends.  I love it!

Both the image and sentiment are from Stamping Bella: Pattie and Dottie Friends Forever

 

Stamped with tuxedo black memento ink on Neenah Solar White, 110 lb cardstock. 

 

Colored with copics:

 

Boa: BG10, BG 11, BG13 & Wink of Stella

 

Ground: W0, W1, W1, W3, 0

 

Girl on Left:

• Hair: BV00, C5, C8, 100
• Skin: E31, E33, RV11
• Dress/shoes: RV10, RV11, RV13

Girl on Right:

• Hair: Y21, Y26, Y28
• Skin: E00, E02, RV10
• Dress/Shoes: BV00, BV02, BV04, BV13

 

 

 

My reflex is to color all people in the picture with the same skintone.  I think that was more of a learned habit because when I started coloring with copics, I tried to color all "people" stamps with my own skintone.  And I think I did that because it was easy to hold up my coloring against my own arm to see if my coloring looked like real skin.  Last January I took a Copic Workshop on coloring hair and skintones and I learned a WHOLE lot of combinations that were just amazing.  Since then, I have been trying to use what I've learned and I have been super happy with how well everything is turning out!

 

 

And gosh, I think I might need to do something about the picture quality ... I have been taking pictures with my iphone5s.  Perhaps I just need better lighting?  probably.  I need to figure that out... 

 

Anyway.  Happy Sunday.  I hope everyone has a good day!

xoxo,

Amanda

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 11

Here's my submission for Day 11 of #thedailymarker30day challenge!  I pulled a random flower stamp from my craft stash (Stampendous I think??) and embossed it with white embossing powder.  and then I tried the watercolor thing again with my Koi Watercolors.  I'm still not comfortable with watercolor, but I think I just need more practice. 

 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 10

This is today's submission for #thedailymarker30day challenge!  I love love love this new set from Hero Arts/Operation Write Home! This cute racoon and bunny rabbit is from the Stamp & Cuts Baby Animals set.

 

One of the Sandy Allnock classes I took back in January 2015 featured this stamp set.  I couldn't wait to get my hands on it.  As soon as Simon Says Stamp had it on their website, I couldn't put it in my shopping cart fast enough...  here's my first coloring adventure with this stamp set.

 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 9

Here's my submission for Day 9 of #thedailymarker30day challenge!  Woo! SO Super excited about today's coloring adventure! 

 

I've had these stamps in my collection for over a year now, and I haven't really had an opportunity to spend much time with them, until now! I think they are from Penny Black (Mo Manning), but I'm not 100% sure.... let me know in the comments if you can confirm.... Anyway, to whoever designed these, I love them. They were a blast to color! 

 

These images were stamped on Neenah Exact Index 110 lb card stock, in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and colored with copics.  I put a little wink of stella on the bubbles and glossy accents on the bubbles in the Boy picture.  I wasn't sure if I wanted to add glossy accents to the bubbles in the girl picture, so I am going to wait on that until I'm ready to put this image on a card. 

 

The bubbles are my favorite part... I took 4 or 5 of the super bright/light copic colors (BV000, B000, RV00, YG1, Y00) and scribbled a little blob of color inside the bubbles. Then, I took my colorless blender (0) and scribbled over the bubble (but inside the lines) until there were no crisp edges between the different colors.  Then, I covered the bubbles with Wink of Stella.  They look FAB. 

 

I colored the boy image first, and then the girl image.  Looking at them now, I see that my girl picture has a jaw line, and my boy picture has a flat neck....  eh, just goes to show me that I need to practice more.  I'll leave this image as it is, and try to provide more contours to the face and neck area on the next "people" stamp I color in.   

 

 

 

I never get tired of the comments from @kathyrac or the other wonderful crafters on Instagram.  Everyone is so awesome.    and hey.... it looks like one of my coworkers liked my coloring too.  

 

 

 

 

later.

xoxo,

Amanda

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 8

As each day passes, I am loving this challenge even more.   I am REALLY enjoying all of this coloring!  Today's submission for #thedailymarker30day challenge is this fun image from the "From the Herd" stamp set by Stampin up.  It's super cute. 

 

I stamped the image on Neenah Exact Index, 110lb card stock in Tuxedo Black Memento Ink and colored with my copics.  I'm happy with the result, especially the chicken's tail feathers.  I really love the multi colored tail feathers. :)

 

 

 

 

And as always, I LOVE the instagram comments I am receiving from my fellow Instagram crafters and, of course, @kathyrac!  *squeal*

 

30 Day Coloring Challenge - Day 7

Another Short and Sweet Post!  This is my submission for Day 7 of #thedailymarker30day challenge! 

 

This stamp is from Smarty Pants set by There She Goes Stamps.  Sadly, this stamp company doesn't exist anymore, but I am sure I will enjoy coloring the stamps I have from this company for a really long time.