Circle Back to This

Sorry I'm so late posting my Friday post, but I was coloring...you know how it is.

The November Challenge at Stamplorations is Stamps & Circles...I picked just the circles and stamps but not the colors...because although these are lovely, I love me some bright colors. I used the Arteza brush pens and used water with parts of it, but not all of it because I printed this digi on regular (not watercolor) paper and I didn't want it to warp too much. 

Here's my take using a free gorgeous digi from Stamplorations. I added white Uniball gel pen and sentiment stickers from Pretty Little Studio in Rose Gold. Then I mounted it on yellow cardstock and called it good.

This image is so fun to color and it covers a card front nicely. Here's a link to how I've colored it before. Definitely two different looks with just different colors.

Hope you'll join in the challenge, I have a feeling I'll do more than one, as I love my Stamplorations products and it's literally just the first of the month...29 more days to stamp it up in November!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Die Cuts are Challenging

So, I got this fabulous dragonfly cover die from Stamplorations and love it. I sat down and cut like 10 of these from different colored cardstocks and papers. I had to use different shims, and cut face-up for this to cut best, and the 80 lb. paper I had worked very well. If you have some challenging dies, don't be afraid to ask the seller for help. The folks at Stamplorations had great tips. I love the classic black, especially with this watercolored background (I used my Arteza markers as paints).

I put the die cut down on the card after it dried and did a little more focused watercoloring for the dragonfly, just by swiping the marker in each open spot. I removed the die cut and spread the color around in the wings and body.

Then I glued the dragonfly cover die on top and added Stickles to the wings and a silver paper Hello die from Paper Smooches. 

You can see the shimmer a little better here.

I'm entering this card into the Cutplorations February Challenge...I was inspired by the colors in this.

You have until February 28th to join in here!

Happy Friday, 

Chark

Snow? What Snow?

Even though it's nearly January, today it's almost 60 degrees here in Ohio. That is some weird stuff...especially considering it snowed three days ago. It was the coat-and-melt kind of snow, but it did give us a white Christmas, which you can see out my window here. 

I just entered a contest on IG from Arteza that had the theme of snow. I watercolored with  my Real Brush Pens from them and created two pieces. First was this fun and doodled piece here.

Next, I a stamped and hand-lettered the piece here. I enjoy the pens for lettering because I can get the thick and thin lines easily. When I use Tombows for lettering, I have to go over the letters a couple of times to get the thicker lines.

I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of snow, because it makes traveling tricky, but it is winter, and I do live in Ohio, so it's definitely expected right about now. Since it's rain and wind today, I guess I'll just go do my errands instead of staying in and crafting :)

Happy Friday!

Chark

Coffee Loving Tag

I used a coffee cup stamp from Hero Arts City Adventures to stamp all over a small manila tag and then colored with my Arteza brush markers. I love how many colors you get for the price and they are fab for lettering, I love the brush tip. 

I added white uniball gel pen and then smudged it a bit, since they are loosely colored. That white highlight in the middle of the cups made them so dimensional.

The wonderful sentiment is from Hero Arts and it comes with a die cut and lots of little sayings (birthday, year, have a, and more) to use with the wonderful die/stamp.

It's my last coffee hop entry, you can enter yours here if you want to join in the fun! Thanks to Amy and the whole crew for another fun hop!

Happy Friday!

Chark

Can't Stop Coloring

I joined about midway through the current 30 Day Coloring Challenge at The Daily Marker and here are some things I haven't yet posted. I love watching/listening to the tv and coloring at night with a cup of decaf tea. It's kinda become a thing now.

Here's a page from this Adornit mini coloring book. The images are printed on heavy textured cardstock (suitable for watercoloring or markers) and I used my new Arteza brush markers on this one. I've noticed the markers are hard to move around once they're on the paper versus the Tombow dual tip markers, but the colors are lovely and you get a ton. These little books are 4"x 6" and they have a ton of designs. I have some images from other books up on Instagram @chark99.

I love the Arteza markers for lettering, I can actually pull off some kind legible script with them, perhaps because they are true brushes and not felt tips. In this card I wrote the sentiment with an Arteza marker and then fussy cut it out. I wouldn't attempt to write directly on a card, I barely pull off stamping directly on a card!

I won this adorable stamp set from the Your Next Stamp blog during the Coffee Lovers Hop. I used Prismacolor pencils on the images and the marker just for the sentiment. I stamped her in light brown ink.

Here's a close-up. It's a pretty simple design, but I wasn't sure what else to do with it, so I'm leaving it as is until some inspiration strikes...or I need a thank you card!

Happy Friday!
Chark