And a Great Time was had by All!

Happy New Year, Everybody! Hope everyone has a lovely evening. I have been enjoying getting back to scrapbooking after a Christmas hiatus. Here I've made another layout using Vintage Carnival. If you haven't been to We Are 3, you're really missing something. Bonnie and her Design Team make fabulous projects using We Are 3 papers and images. Click HERE to go see!

Lazy Day Layout

I made this layout using digital papers from We Are 3. The papers are from the Vintage Carnival collection.

A Vintage Carnival Layout for We Are 3

Hello, Everyone!  I'm here today to share some scrapbooking inspiration with you.  I made my layout with Vintage Carnival digital papers...perfectly cute!  For embellishments, I used Musical Notes from Thank You for the Music from SVG Cuts.  Last but not least, I added some fun embellishments from my stash.  The photos will be of my grandson dancing - the QR Code on the right will play a video of him dancing.

Hey Sailor and Mojo Monday

I hope you are having a wonderful week and creating beautiful things. Today's share is inspired by Mojo Monday #486...using Table Scraps. I've had this nautical paper pack for years - this sketch was perfect for letting me take advantage of its beautiful designs.

Father's Day and Sailboats

Last night I had a little more time to spend at my craft table, so decided to make something with the paper-piecing Sailboat file from Miss Kate Cuttables. It was fun to get away from the traditional nautical colors.

Sensational Stripes Challenge

Sensational Stripes is being featured as the challenge by Verve Stamps for this week.  Check out the entries - sure to inspire you with creative ideas for your card marking!  Be sure to submit your entry - there are prizes!

Image used is Simply Boy Bear from Kadoodle Bug Designs.

Nautical Layering

Hi, Everyone!

Isn't retirement the best!  The reality of retirement hits me each time I walk into a clean room in my house!  And my frantic schedule to get craft projects done has subsided a bit.  The list goes on and on!

Here is some cards using my most relaxing technique - paper pack, simple embellishments.  These are more cards for the Neebish Island Ladies Group Fundraiser on August 13.

There is a problem with a couple of these cards - wonder how long it will take my sister to point it out.  LOL!

Images:  Ship Silhouettes - Vector HQ; Whale with Anchor - Miss Kate Cuttables

Suzy Bee's Challenge - Cards to Inspire You

This past week was extremely busy.  After a quick & crazy trip to Las Vegas last weekend, the week just hasn't stopped.  But dropping some things - finished with my One-Stroke class - quitting my day job (but not to become a painter - lol!).  I keep thinking I'm freeing up time - but I find as I'm making plans with others, we are now into February and March!  Guess it never stops.

But, as always, I try to get some cards in on the weekend - and here is the first card I've made in over a week.  It's perfect to let someone know you're thinking of them after the loss of their pet.

I'm also attempting to figure out just what is my favorite way of coloring digis - so you will see more of this little guy as I try to color him using Copics, Distress Pens, Colored Pencils - and whatever other items I've spent all my money on to find the perfect medium for me.  :D  This digital from 2 Cute Ink is colored using Adobe Photoshop.  While I love the perfect blending everyone else gets with their markers - I am thinking I may just end up coming back to this method for my favorite.  We'll see.

Suzy Bee's Blooming Challenge this week is ATG with a Twist - Stripes.  I made this card this morning before checking out Suzy Bee's - but since I had a striped background, am entering it in the Challenge.  Will make more striped cards later today to include.  Be sure to check out Suzy Bee's for some amazing inspiration!

Here is my second card - this time colored using EK Success Pigment Markers.  These don't blend - though with patience you can darken areas by going over them several times. 

Here's card #3 - colored with Copic Markers.  So far - no front runner...LOL!  But because of my heavy hand, I do prefer markers with hard tips.  I find it very hard to "stay in the lines" with Copics - the tips are too soft - but I'm pretty pleased with the pup.

This next card was colored with PrismaColors colored pencils and baby oil.  I think what I especially like about working with PrismaColors is that I don't fear of my ink running out mid-project.  With markers, there really is no way of telling how much ink is in your pen - I'm not fond of refilling - but replacing gets expensive.  With light colors, it's even sometimes hard to even be able to tell if there is ink there.  Of all the images so far, I think the flower looks best using PrismaColors.  I want to add - I just learned about blending with PrismaColors.  Many people use Gasmol or mineral spirits.  In my YouTube search for this, I saw a video for using baby oil instead.  I tried both - I prefer baby oil...the end product is nice and smooth.  With my hard touch, with mineral spirits I tended to blend so hard, I would almost tear a hole in the cardstock.

Okay, last one for the night.  This next card uses Distress Markers.  The YouTube video I watched for this technique uses a craft mat.  I don't keep mine out all the time - it's stored rolled up as I purchased it.  So to pull out this huge craft mat when I want to do some quick coloring wasn't ideal.  I just purchased a Sizzix crease pad - the packing material included two plastic sheets - perfect!  Small enough to be handy all the time.

Now the big question - which method did I like best?  Well, I think I decided it's not the method so much as it is my creative mojo for the day.  Last week I wasn't happy with any method - the impetus for me doing this today.  Today - I liked all the methods!  But I think if I have to pick a favorite, it's going to be the PrismaColors and baby oil.  While I'm "satisfied" with all the results - the PrismaColors actually turned out closest to what I intended.  And while PrismaColor pencils are expensive - they are much cheaper than all the other methods.  I'm sure I will lose pencils long before any of them wear out - and I bought 60 colors at Hobby Lobby for about $15 with my coupon and employee discount.  I think I have a winner!