Happy Birthday Sweet Bell Bell

So many wonderful crafty groups, so many wonderful friends, so many wonderful creative ideas! Some groups work around sketches, others use lots of cutting techniques and then there is a group of extremely talented people who color. I mean color up a storm! Do you know who I’m talking about? Yes, I’m referring to Make it Crafty and the ever talented Facebook Group with an awesome Facebook Fan Page — please visit them all, you will be so happy you did!

As most creative sites, some weekly challenges involve sketches and, I must admit, they’re not something I ever consider… just not my favorite to follow… but, thanks to some friends’ encouragements at Make it Crafty, I decided to give Sketch#6 a try and that’s how my birthday card to my sweet little Bell Bell was born; used the following images: Girlfriends skipping, Rosey Walk, Rainbow Meadow and Whimsical Flowers.

I took each of the background images and placed them in InDesign and then placed one of the girlfriends over each background image keeping the overall measurement of each image at 3″ x 3″. Once printed, I made my die cuts with the gorgeous accordion die set, can use Karen Burniston’s die set by Sizzix or there’s a new wafer-thin version of the album available by Elizabeth Craft Designs and Karen Burniston. And if you really love accordion cards, there are many other possibilities as well. Also, I used Fancy Pants Parkbench paper along with Fancy Pants Be. Loved paper — love that they’re all made in the USA, please support our local manufacturers!

Once everything was colored (few hours of fun!), I used a string to serve as jump rope for the little friends and added Ranger Glossy Accents to highlight the little birds, the ladybug and the rainbow — my Bell’s favorite color!

Please remember that I am always happy to personalize the artwork with a name, a quote or a special message, endless options really. Also, colors are always customizable options, after all Copic Markers come in 358 different colors!

Please visit my Etsy Store and  Facebook Page for more ideas and colored images. 

I am also posting more detailed photos below, please check them out too.

hugs, Rita

The Copic markers I used: will list shortly, there were so many

I’m entering her in the following challenges (not entered to all listed, some challenge I’m just keeping so I can remember to check the wonderful artworks):
– Marker Pop Challenge#37
– The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #63 Love 
– Tiddly Inks Challenge Primary Colors
– Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge
– Make It Monday #179 Challenge 
– Stampin for the Weekend Challenge Flower Power
– Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes
– Glitter n Sparkle Challenge# 72
– Alphabet Challenge A for Always and Forever
– Divas By Design Challenge Rubber Stamp Only
– 7 Kids College Funds Challenge# 93 Anything Goes
– Cute Cards #309 Buttons and Bows
– 613 Avenue Create Challenge# 59 Anything Goes
– Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge 
– Crafting When We Can Challenge# 63 Bling
– Love to Scrap #24 Anything Goes
– Ruby’s Rainbow Challenge #73 Textures
– Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
– Card Making Mamas Make it Sparkle
– Brown Sugar Challenge # 81 Use a Die Cut or Punch
– Totally Papercrafts Challenge
– Sweet Stampin’ Challenge
– Crafty Sentiments Challenge Anything Goes
– One Stitch At A Time Challenge# 200

Life is better at the Beach

Something very new today: my very first boy card! And what else could it be than my beloved Milk N Coffee’s image: Boy plays with Sand Castle. Please take a look at our Design Team’s wonderful creation for today’s show case at Milk N Coffee.

A little secret: I LOVE the ocean! I can simply go to the beach and all the worries in life stop and if it’s my choice, beach time is in Carmel-by-the-sea and Pacific Grove. So the sweet little boy was really destined to make a nautical card!

How did I create this card? With the idea of wanting to make a nautical card, I was stuck… didn’t really have any nautical themed paper or embellishment… so I made some. First of all, picked out my favorite Neenah Wausau Pearlescent Cardstock in navy blue and some standard white card stock. Once cut these 12×12 sheets into half, I started slicing each by 1/4″ little strips and then placed these little slices on the opposite color to create a white and blue stripes effect. Once the front of the card was half way lined, I cut a large circle out from the middle and outlined the cut line with some hemp twine bead cord from Bead Landing.

On a separate Neenah solar white stock paper, I printed and colored the image with Copic markers and placed under the circle cut. Now the embellishments: created each element in Silhouette Studio and let my Silhouette Portrait make the intricate cuts — photo below — and then assembled everything. I hope you like my card as much as I loved creating it. And my favorite part: tied a sailor knot!

Please remember that I am always happy to personalize the artwork with a name, a quote or a special message, endless options really. Also, colors are always customizable options, after all Copic Markers come in 358 different colors!

Please visit my Etsy Store and  Facebook Page for more ideas and colored images. 

I am also posting more detailed photos below, please check them out too.

hugs, Rita

* artwork is available to purchase at Son of a Bean Coffee House

The Copic markers I used:

Hair: YR20, YR21, YR24
Skin: E00, E11, E13
Sand: E30, E31, E33, E35, E43
Sky: B0000, B000, B00, B01, T0, T2
Outfit: BG01, BG02, BG05, BG07, BG10
Bucket: R22, R29, R46, R59, R89
Flags: YG11, YG61, YG63, Y08, Y17, B16, B26
Anchor and wheel: E71, E77, E79

I’m entering her in the following challenges (not entered to all listed, some challenge I’m just keeping so I can remember to check the wonderful artworks):
– Marker Pop Challenge#37
– The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #63 Love 
– Tiddly Inks Challenge Tags
– Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge
– Make It Monday #179 Challenge 
– Stampin for the Weekend Challenge Flower Power
– Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes
– Glitter n Sparkle Challenge# 72
– Alphabet Challenge A for Always and Forever
– Divas By Design Challenge Rubber Stamp Only
– 7 Kids College Funds Challenge# 93 Anything Goes
– Cute Cards #309 Buttons and Bows
– 613 Avenue Create Challenge# 59 Anything Goes
– Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge 
– Crafting When We Can Challenge# 63 Bling
– Love to Scrap #24 Anything Goes
– Ruby’s Rainbow Challenge #73 Textures
– Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
– Card Making Mamas Make it Sparkle
– Brown Sugar Challenge # 81 Use a Die Cut or Punch
– Totally Papercrafts Challenge
– Sweet Stampin’ Challenge
– Crafty Sentiments Challenge Anything Goes
– One Stitch At A Time Challenge# 200

Dreaming with Your Feet

I just love looking at new images and always excited to see new releases. While admiring All Dressed Up’s new releases, I noticed Three Little Party Girls and instantly thought of my dancer friends so here’s a card for you, girls!

And the quote I had in mind was just so fitting too: “Dancing is like dreaming with your feet!” ~Constanze

How did I create this card? As my usual routine, I turned to Silhouette Studio to outline and have my Silhouette cutter complete the intricate cuts.

Once prints and cuts were complete, I colored the little girls with Copic markers and made my die cuts with the gorgeous accordion dies set by Karen Burniston with the matching frame and label set. Also, I used Recollections Valentine paper pack with some little flowers, leaves and pearls.

Please remember that I am always happy to personalize the artwork with a name, a quote or a special message, endless options really. Also, colors are always customizable options, after all Copic Markers come in 358 different colors!

Please visit my Etsy Store and  Facebook Page for more ideas and colored images. 

I am also posting more detailed photos below, please check them out too.

hugs, Rita

* artwork is available to purchase at Son of a Bean Coffee House and will be used as the base for our February 8th event: Make a Valentine’s Day Card!

References:
– Working with Digital images
– Working with More Complex images
– Coloring Hair with Copics

The Copic markers I used:
(will list shortly)

I’m entering her in the following challenges (not entered to all listed, some challenge I’m just keeping so I can remember to check the wonderful artworks):
– All Dressed Up Challenge#9 Follow a Sketch
– The Squirrel and the Fox Challenge #63 Love 
– Tiddly Inks Challenge Tags
– Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge
– Make It Monday #179 Challenge 
– Stampin for the Weekend Challenge Flower Power
– Through the Craft Room Door Anything Goes
– Glitter n Sparkle Challenge# 72
– Alphabet Challenge A for Always and Forever
– Divas By Design Challenge
– 7 Kids College Funds Challenge# 93 Anything Goes
– Cute Cards #308 Clever Cutting
– 613 Avenue Create Challenge# 59 Anything Goes
– Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge 
– Crafting When We Can Challenge# 63 Bling
– Love to Scrap #24 Anything Goes
– Ruby’s Rainbow Challenge #72 Spots and Strips
– Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge
– Card Making Mamas Move it Challenge
– Brown Sugar Challenge # 81 Use a Die Cut or Punch
– Totally Papercrafts Challenge
– Sweet Stampin’ Challenge
– Crafty Sentiments Challenge Anything Goes
– One Stitch At A Time Challenge# 200