Sunday, August 28, 2011

A great Copic experience!

Hey hey hey.... hello again...

I know about scrapbookers who can create wonderful things without using latest trends, tools or techniques... Some others need to be "in" with all the new machines, what's hot in the market at the time, and have to learn everything simultaneously to apply to their work (or maybe just because, and then they end up with lots of materials they don't use again). Others just learn one technique at a time, limit numbers of tools, and think too much (sometimes too much), before investing money and time in a next big trend... Well, nothing wrong with that... just different... and I am part of this group.

Since my hobby time is limited, I try to invest money and effort in the tools that I really think I will use more and have a "return"... And, really, budget represents a big chunk of the "reasons pie" here...

So anyway... this introduction is just in preparation to confess that I had never used a copic marker ever in my life... until yesterday. I know, I know... you must be thinking... is she from Mars or something?

Well... I knew that I wanted to explore Copics when I was ready to invest some time on it... So I went to a basic class and learned about these wonderful markers that are not really new. They have years of existence and they are mostly used for Manga style/technique. But, during the last couple of years or so, these Copics friends have become one of the most loved scrapbookers' tools around the World.

So... I want to present my first Copic painted image ever in life...


It's a Magnolia stamped girl and I really enjoyed painting it... I can't say it was a difficult technique in terms of the movements you need to apply, or the concept in theory itself... and it was really fun... it was!!! But of course for a professional result, you should practice, practice, practice, practice.... that's when you see the difference between my image and yours, and the rest. So I didn't quite get the "illumination" effect, but I have to say I am really proud, considering this is the first time I have a Copic marker in my hand... (I didn't even know they were not so thin and that they have two ends for different uses... Daaahhhh!).



The parts I enjoyed most painting were the face and the hair... I really didn't get the desired effect in the dress but I can live with it...hehehehe...

I went out of the line in some spots (notice hair at left side), but since I was going to cut the image, it wasn't a big deal. However, I loved to learn there is a "blender" that is really an "eraser" or a "pusher" to correct these mistakes. That was awesome to learn...

My teacher, Maribel, (see her work HERE), also gave us some cut materials to scraplift a card from her inspiration... so I ended up with a finished project I really love.



It seems that Copics markers will be added to my wish list... and even though I will act with measure, I'll probably be acquiring some colors to continue practicing. So, to the "bucket list" of fun experiences, I just checked "paint with Copics"... :)


Friday, August 26, 2011

More Kitty...

Hello there....

Remember the cards I told you about in my last POST?

Well... here are the other ones I made...



For this one, I included six scalloped squares of the same size, each with different elements... the kitty, sentiment, number and girl's initials were among them...


And then it's this other one with the big sentiment and the number one embellished with flowers. Isn't it cute?


I also made this tag with scraps from the cards...




So there was plenty of kitties for the little girl's 1st. year... I love to create cards with the same theme of the party, so recipients would know that they were made specially for them.

Hope you liked them...


(Note: Kitty images from public internet sites available for personal use)

Monday, August 22, 2011

Hello you Kitty...

Hello you!

A friend asked me for some Hello Kitty cards for a 1st. year of his niece. He wanted several cards to provide for some members of the family to bring to the bday party.

He told one card would be on behalf of an aunt, another one from him, and another from the grandparents, and the great grandparents... etc...

So I created different looks...
This one... I wanted to simulate an old fashioned look by maintaining the kitty modern look, thinking that maybe the great grandparents would like it. Therefore, the use of the dollie, and vintage ribbon.

This other card is a more modern one, but I made a cake the main attraction, and created a border with the repeated kitty face.



Then, here's the opposite... it's the kitty face the big element, and then the sentiment and an improvised banner with flowers.



I made two more cards... Will share with you in my next post.

Thank for your comments and your friendship...



(Note: Kitty images from public internet sites available for personal use)

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Special Room


Hello Hello... How's your day going?

Oh yeah, I've been very busy at work and haven't done much of scrapbooking lately... You know, life needs to be balanced... Even though I love to cut papers, play with photos and glue everything together... sometimes one just needs to take care of other areas in life...hahahaha... So when I get a chance to enter my scrapbooking room and stay for a while... I will enjoy more because I allowed time to miss it... (same thing with people and other things in life... we sometimes need to miss someone to enjoy more when we see them again).

So, talking about my room...I realized I've never showed it to you... Let me not be bluffing, I really don't like to show it... It's always a mess. But today I decided to show it just how it is... with the papers in the floor, the messy tables, the projects unfinished... and so...

This is what you se when you enter into my room:


Ta daaaaa!

Furniture is from Home Depot and Kmart... very simple to assemble and great to choose the ones you know you will use best. I just drawed my husband what I would like, and he knew he could easily make it reality with this furniture.

You can see I have very limited qty of cartridges and punches compared to most scrapbookers, but enough for me to create. I think the more we have, the more we don't use.
That happens to me specially with my stamps... I love all stamps... and I have to be careful not to get them all... so I have a drawer full of them and try to use them more and more so I can feel better when I get more and they look similar to others I already have...hahahaha

At first I wanted to have only the small table you see at the end, and the center of the room it's supposed to be open space. However, I usually cross this large table in the middle and work there. When in need to use the table for other things, I free the mess and have the open space.
But this is generally how you'd see this and sometimes with the unfinished pages there.

Here's a corner I don't use as much as the other areas of the room. Here I have magazines, pretty cases, party favors and things we have to use once in a while and for reference.

When I'm at the large table I have the computer in front of me so this is what I see. I did not have a clock until recently that I place this vinyl on the wall (bought it in Marshalls and it's from DCWV). Anyway... why would I want a clock if the time goes so fast when I am here!!!!


Hope you liked my special space... I'm sure you have one. I started with the dining room table, then another table I placed in different spots, and now I could separate a room just for this... No matter how big, the color in your walls, or if you have windows or not... I'm sure you have one too. Tell me about it... and thanks for your comments.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Wedding Card


Happy Day!

We went to a wedding the other day... Ceremony and reception were celebrated in a valley at the top of the mountain... fresh air... nice people... music and family. The bride was beautiful... so simple, natural beauty, so authentic....

So sad it rained all and by the time of the wedding the floor was so saturated... But we had a good time anyway.

And I made this card for the newly wed, and wanted to share it with you.

I used the same colors from the wedding invitation: white, cream/beige and green...



I embossed white card stock with the Cuttlebug, and combined with border punched cream card stock over the green base. I stamped a sentiment and embellished with a pre cut figure, ribbons and bling bling.

I hope you like my card... and leave me a comment. Share something about your wedding or other's. Tell me about how was the celebration... was it at night? In a house? A hotel? Nothing fancy or you had the best for the occasion? Do you have a nice memory you want to share?

(cardstock: Stampin' Up, Bazzill; stamp: Spanish Memories; pre cut shape and border punch: Martha Stewart; ink: Staz On; bling bling: Recollections; adhesives: Scotch; miscellaneous: Cuttlebug, ribbons)