How to Color Your Hair When Quarantined Card

Hello, all you poor, bedraggled peeps!

I was ecstatic when my hairdresser finally was allowed back to work! They have a huge retail space that’s broken down into individual salons and everyone has to stay in their cars until called. She is very fastidious, so with both of us wearing masks, we felt safe. I don’t color my hair, but thought these cute free digi stamps by Impression Obsession stamps (HERE) would give her a chuckle – So I colored up one for her and one to give to a friend. She like them both!

I started out easy, getting back into coloring with Marvy Uchida LePlume II markers, and Faber Castell Polychromos colored pencils with Pebbles Inc. chalks.

 

It’s always restful to take some time to sit and color — no matter what your age!!

While the markers are brighter, I had a hard time remembering how to blend and the paper kept wanting to ball up on me, so I switched to the colored pencils…

Hope this brought a smile to your face!

Hang in there and be very careful out there!!

~D.Ann

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Kindness is the Way Coloring Class Cards

I’m excited to tell you about a wonderful coloring class and a gorgeous digital stamp set you can get for FREE! Yep, $0.00!! AND, if you’re reading this before August 16, 2018, you still have a few days to enter the coloring contest and win one of up to $200 in prizes! You can find the details on these two sites by the two ladies who are so generously sponsoring this little bit of KINDNESS:

I took the class and learned a lot. I tried coloring using two different sets of pencils…(and learned it’s a lot slower going than with markers, but maybe that’s because I’m more used to using markers. The first pencils I used: Spectrum Noir AquaBlend pencils (which I just colored, but was too chicken to use water to blend. maybe next time!):

See the fuchsia and pale yellow color combo? That was Inspired by Home  – the current Power Poppy Sparks Challenge… 

The color combo for those gerbera daisies inspired by one of my orchids that’s currently in bloom:

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I then had a go with a new set of Faber-Castell Polychromos that I received as a gift. Yes, you can see lines in the border shading… I was coloring on leather covered lap desk… come to find out that made the surface too soft and it was embossing, too! Oh well, it has a distressed, shabby-chic look!

And, since this week is the first Creative Confetti Challenge at  PowerPoppyYou’re a Gem! using birthstone colors, I did the background in light emerald and added this sentiment in emerald as the leaves go so well with the flowers:

Supplies:

  • Power Poppy Kindness is the Way digital stamp set (get yours HERE)
  • Elizabeth Craft Designs A Way With Words: Thanks die by Quietfire Design
  • Spellbinders Blooming Garden Especially Made For You die by Marissa Job
  • Spectrum Noir AquaBlend pencils: Apricot, Azalea, Beeswax, Bison, Blue Marine Brunette, Carrot, Cherry, Claret, Cobalt Blue, Coral, Currant, Fossil Gray, Grapefruit, Mango, Oregano, Papaya, Persimmon, Petunia, Pineapple, Pink Tulip, Rose Sky Blue, Soft Red, Sorrel, Tobacco, Watermelon, Wheat
  • Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils: Brown Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow, Cinnamon, Cobalt Blue, Crimson, Dark Naples Ochre, Fuchsia, Green Gold, Leaf Green, Light Cobalt Turquoise, Light Green Light Magenta, Light Ochre, Middle Cadmium Red, Middle Phthalo, Naples Ochre Orange Glaze, Permanent Green Olive, Pink Madder Lake, Red Voilet, Rose Carmine
  • Core’dinations cardstock: white, orange, blue, black and green
  • Scotch tape runner
  • Aleene’s Original Tacky Glue

I’m playing along with the following challenges – click on any one of them for more information on how you can join the fun:

Feel free to leave a comment… I enjoy reading them!

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

 

 

 

Love Card and Review of Spectrum Noir Colorista Markers & Gemini Die Cutting Machine

Hello, dear peeps!

Today I have a beautiful card to share with you and a brief review of some nifty new products, too.

First an amazing story: In December, Crafter’s Companion had an amazing sale of 75% off some of their fabulous stamp sets. I threw everything I wanted into my cart and then went back and whittled it down to what my budget would allow. When the order arrived, the box was way to heavy and as I started looking through it, I found it contained not only my order, but many of the items I had wanted, but had to put back. Flummoxed, I called the company to let them know of the mistake, thinking it was a glitch in their system. I was totally overwhelmed when they told me the extra goodies were not a mistake, but were a surprise gift!

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Woo-hoo! I am still utterly amazed and so very thankful!! They made my day!! Actually they made my dayS for years to come as I play with these fab goodies!! I’m still doing a happy dance!

Enabler alert: See something you like? They are having another 75% off sale in January – you might want to check it out HERE! (No, I don’t get any commission.)

Among the things I had ordered were a set of the new Spectrum Noir Colorista markers to try and a Premium Marker Pad with colorable glitter.

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The markers have fine nibs at each end… one is fine, the other ultra fine, with just a smidge of difference when  in use. They are alcohol dye-based inks. I drew a line with each end and you can’t tell a whole lot of difference.

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The marker pad pages are heavyweight artist’s grade paper and have various parts of the design covered with clear glitter that will take on whatever alcohol ink color you use.

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The designs are intricate and some spots are so small it is a challenge to keep the ink from bleeding outside the lines. I was able to take my colorless alcohol blender from another brand and ‘push’ the color back in most of the time. I guess I should make the time to take their free online coloring course! : ) (You can find it HERE.)

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It’s amazing that I colored this page with only five markers! I will say that on the glittered sections, the ink sat a while longer and was easier to pick up and blend (mostly I blended everything with the yellow). On just the plain paper, the ink dried quickly and took several passes to blend well.

Tip: I found that tip-to-tip blending was the easiest way to blend the colors on the plain paper.

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I got about this far when I decided I would cut out the two main hearts and make a card.

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Which brings me to the Gemini. I was recently given the funds to buy a Gemini electric die cutting machine, which will help on the days it’s too painful to crank a manual machine. HSN just had an amazing special that not only included the dies and embossing folders that normally come with it, but also the alphabet and number dies.

Enabler alert: HSN also had some Chibitronics in their clearance section! (No, I don’t get any commission.) I can’t wait to play with those, but that will be a while yet.  Stay tuned!

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The Gemini also comes with the regular cutting plates AND a magnetic shim, steel shim for intricate dies AND a rubber embossing pad – all included!. Everything is thinner and lighter than what one is used to using with a Big Shot or Cuttlebug. Because I chose to use intricate dies on my card, I used the magnetic sheet and metal shim.

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Note that the dies do make an indent in each. I am not sure how this will affect the metal shim’s function in the long run. As time goes by, I will have to update you on how that goes. The only thing that I see that will be an issue is the embossing pad I used the sandwich as instructed, but the die cut through the pad.

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The pad is still usable, but it will have to be replaced sooner than other embossing pads (I have never had to replace my embossing pads for my manual machines and neither have cuts in them. So far, that is my only negative comment about the Gemini. Everything else has worked fine and I am quite pleased with the results:

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Look at all that fabulous shine!

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Supplies used:

  • Crafter’s Companion Spectrum Noir Colorista marker pad In Full Bloom
  • Crafter’s Companion Spectum Noir Colorista markers Set 1
    • Daffodil, Rose Red, Orchid, Purple, Leaf Green
  • Crafter’s Companion Gemini Set Two & Set Three metal die packs
  • Crafter’s Companion Gemini embossing folder
  • Crafter’s Companion Die’sire Classiques – Only Words – 1″ Alphabet Decorative Uppercase and Lowercase metal dies
  • Recollections papers
  • Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L E-Z Runner Permanent Strips
  • Aleene’s Clear Gel Tacky Glue

I’m playing along with the following challenges. Click on any one for more details on how you can join the fun!

Thank you for stopping by today! I hope to be back soon with some fun organization tips… but first I have to get organized! Lol! See you soon!

~D.Ann

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p.s. any ads on this page are placed by WordPress and are not endorsed by me.

 

 

 

 

Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart! Zenspirations Mixed Media Coloring Page

Today I have something that I did just for fun. Joanne Fink had a couple of free downloads of coloring pages from her Zenspirations coloring books and is offering a prize for coloring them. You can find the details HERE. Coincidentally, today is National Coloring Book day… who knew?! Adult coloring books are very popular right now. They provide a relaxing outlet for creativity and are often recommended by health professionals.

The pages are springboards to jump start your imagination and  for you to doodle, Zentangle, and color. Here is the one I chose.

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And here is what I did with it: (You can click on any of the pictures to make them larger.)

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The hearts and strings reminded me of the song, so I made that the title and then went to town doodling and coloring. It is VERY relaxing! I couldn’t resist adding some multi-media bling to it. There’s some iridescent Creative Medium used with stencils, lots of glitter, sequins, perfect pearls and more…

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It’s not perfect and there are several oopsies – my hands aren’t as steady as they once were. One big problem I HAD to fix meant cutting out the main two hearts from the first page I’d started… I was using markers and the cardstock fibers were gumming up. I had so much work in on the hearts I decided to save them… mistakes are opportunities and I like the popped up look of the hearts on the finished project. I love how the Creative medium – on the hearts and under the butterfly – shines against a black background as you turn it in the light! Didja see the piano keys? They were inspired by another artist’s submission. (Kathryn Leonard – Thanks!) And, OF COURSE, there are kitty pawprints and a butterfly, too! >^.^<

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Supplies used:

  • Page from Joanne Fink’s Zenspirations® Abstract & Geometric Designs (HERE)
  • STAMPlorations ARTplorations Hearts All Over stencil
  • Spellbinders: die – Les Papillions 2, Impressabilities – Floral & Stone
  • Prismacolor colored pencils
  • Derwent Metallic colored pencils
  • Sakura Pigma Micron pens .005 Red & black, .01 and 1 Black
  • Sanford Uniball Impact Gold gel pen
  • Gelly Roll pen – white
  • Imagine Crafts Iridescent Creative Medium: Chartreuse & Pink
  • Ranger Inkssentials black embossing pen
  • Recollections Ebony Detail Embossing powder
  • Martha Stewart Crafts Essential Glitter: Garnet, Tourmaline, Kunzite
  • Ranger Inkssentials Glossy Accents
  • Ranger Stickles – Aqua, Fruit Punch; Distress Stickles – Concord Grape;Ice Sticles – Crystal Ice
  • Ranger Liquid Pearls – Dark Chocolate, Lavender; Adirondack Dimensional Pearls – Eggplant
  • Recollections gemstone stickers and faux pearls
  • K & Company nature gems
  • Nicole Spangles flower sequins
  • Art Minds flower cap sequins
  • Misc. adhesives, glue, sequins

I’m also going to enter this on STAMPlorations August Mixed Media Challenge:   http://stamplorations.blogspot.com/2015/08/stencil-sunday-august-2.html

I’m glad you could stop by today. Have a bright and colorful day!

– D.Ann

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