Day Thirty-six

Only 13 posts and its day thirty-six! At this rate it will be a year before I can start applying clever names instead of numbers to these postings. Feel free to insert your own headshake and heavy sigh, I am.

Today’s post involves my favorite thing: “What If?”

I was “what iffing” if I could color the main portion of an image with just gray and do it with just a dotting motion. Dotting motion to me is lifting my coloring choice up and down on the paper, no circles or strokes allowed. I decided to use a free digital image from Beccy’s Place.  The image is called Balloon Bunny and by, clicking here you can grab it for yourself. I thought it made a good challenge because of the need to shade the belly area properly for dimension. Also, I just love the way she does the eyes on bunnies and bears.

My coloring medium was a Copic marker, C-1 Cool Gray No. 1 and the Copic Blender pen. To soften the dotting, I used the blender pen with the same motion. This is not my idea as I learned from Colleen Schaan, a Copic Certified Instructor, that the blender pen will “soften” the edges and intensity of a color that you might find a little harsh or heavy by dotting that color with the blender pen. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the foresight to snap a picture when I first started, to intent to try without realizing the opportunity for a blog post until almost finished. Live and learn...

The balloon was colored with Y02 – Canary Yellow, with the same gray being applied for shading. The feet and inner ear portions were colored with R11-Pale Cherry Pink and E31-Brick Beige was used on the eyes..

Finished image die-cut with Nestabilities Large Label, mounted on designer papers from Basic Grey (SweetPea Alyssa Collection), and sentiment from The Angel Company.

Hope you enjoy.

Done being so "technical." Time for a parting thought:

"Even if I don't reach all my goals, I've gone higher than I would have if I hadn't set any." ~ Danielle Fotopoulis

Day Thirty -four

As I know this birthday card has been received, I would love to share it with you. Yes, I made another manly card. Actually, this one is manlier than the one I did for my brother. No real ribbon here - just netting, jute and floss. The image was a freebie from Beccy's Place, "Old Boots." Click here for the image. Still working to master digital images. Don't know that I would use them 100 percent as there is a certain satisfaction that comes from stamping with rubber and ink. Believe this will be another area where compromise will be key.

Stuck with browns as I consider that to be a strong "guy" color and highlighted with touches of blue and gray to keep from being monochromatic. Choice of coloring medium would be Copic markers, what else! Can't master if I don't practice. Entire card is aged with Ranger's Tea Distress Ink and word sentiments are from The Angel Company.  Background paper from Stampin Up. Netting in background is old place mat cut into pieces. "Ribbon" is jute twine and embroidery floss. Believe it or not, took me twice as long to come up with the words on the front than it took to print and color the image. Never really realized how girly my birthday greetings were until I worked on this card.

I hope the recipient enjoyed getting as much as I enjoyed my attempt to make a manly card. If so, that means he probably went to a dark corner and cried like a girl with relief it was done!

Just kidding!! Hope you enjoy.