Snowman Redux

So I spent yesterday redrawing the snowman from last week's post (see below). This time I put the snowman on kraft, drew light pencil circles in to follow and looked at the Hallmark card a little closer. I do like this more than the silver on black paper version I made...but it's definitely more of a copy. An homage, if you will, to the original card that sparked my imagination. I'm not trying to put them out of business, so I'll share a link to buy their cards here just in case you love the originals.

Here's my second try.

And my first try.

And the Hallmark card.

I think there are plenty of inspirations for our cards and actually having another card inspire me is pretty normal...one time I took inspiration from a clothing tag and one time it was a dress someone was wearing at church and a book cover once. I take lots of photos that have something that inspires me and often it's a color combo or a stamp I own but see used differently than I thought. Sometimes it's some cute nature photo that I have nowhere near the talent to draw, but wish I did.

I love watching videos for inspiration but I rarely follow through on those videos. But I keep watching 'em! Some of my favorites are Vicky Papaioannou whose art journal pages are really great and she creates multiple cards with a kit videos that I enjoy (and she has a fab accent) and Mary Polanco, who is super down-to-earth and makes mistakes and tells you how she fixed them and who does comparison videos and gives alternate supply ideas (plus her cute kids sometimes show up).

What inspires you?

Happy Weekend!

Chark

Bearly Hungry

Today I have another entry to share for the Lawn Fawnatics Fun with Food Challenge. 

I pulled out the cute Love You S'more stamp set and made a little bonfire night scene. We always have s'mores outside when the weather gets cooler. I don't actually invite the wildlife, but these guys seem like buddies, so they're having s'mores themselves.

I used Prismacolor pencils and Stickles on the stars and stamped onto kraft paper.

You have another day to join in the challenge, so ink your Lawn Fawn stamps up and link up!

Happy Saturday!

Chark

More Whimsy

As I told you in the last post, I received the Jane Davenport Whimsy Girls Art Journal for my birthday and have been playing around with it. It comes with drawings and papers and stickers and then you add to it with colored pencils, markers or paints and collage. 

This girl's face came without hair, so I gave her some white and pink doodled strands.

She's printed on kraft paper and I knew I wanted to use white pencil with her. I used a white Uniball and other Prismacolor pencils in aqua and pink and doodled with a black Faber Castell pen. I think she looks like Marie Antoinette...I may have to go back in with some cake doodles.

The quote was there already too, but I could add my own. Did you know that Marie Antoinette said "pardon me, sir, I did not mean to do it" at the execution because she stepped on the executioner's toes? She's definitely not as bad as history makes her out to be. She was so young and inexperienced with ruling. I've read several books about her (I love me some historical fiction and biographies) and Confessions of Marie Antoinette was a good one.

I couldn't find a picture of what the journal girl started out like, but I'll try to do that next time. This journal is so fun...I love faces and doodling so, it's right up my alley!

Happy Wednesday!
Chark

2 Cute 4 Me

I joined the 2 Cute Ink Stamp Club and had some coloring fun the other night. I haven't used these for a project yet, but they are so stinkin' cute! The club is $5 a month for a set of digis and then you get an exclusive digi each month and can buy any from her etsy store for $1 each. Seems worth it to me, I love her drawings!

Here's a close-up of the cutie gingerbread boy.

I love using Prismacolor pencils on kraft, they are so vibrant.

Happy Monday!
Chark

Fastest Favor Bags In The West

On today's post at a2z Scrapbooking, you can see the project I made in minutes. I don't think they show it, but they were fast and easy to make. I'm usually behind even when hosting parties that I've know about for weeks. 

Mostly because I tend to think I have more time to do things than I actually do. For instance, I had all day to finish a list I made of errands and chores. I even put some specific hours to be finished. And yet...here I am, with three things left undone and it's midnite. oops!

But I'm getting this post up :) and it wasn't even on my list, so yay! Hop over and say hi and see the Hero Art Stamp & Cut I used that's currently on sale for $7.50! 

Happy Friday, friends!
Chark

Last Weekend Before School

Panic! Everyone try to get some fun in! BBQ? Pool? Late-night Movie? We'll be headed to the the beach, enjoying the sun. 

In the meantime, here's a little cooling action for you. I'm still testing out my Sizzix snowflakes and this time, I did an impression with one on gold paper, instead of cutting through it. If you have an embossing pad you can use that or you can make your plate a little shorter so there's less pressure and the die won't cut.

I layered it with a wooden heart and a doily. It goes on a kraft gift bag, because I love kraft and gold and white together.

Here's a close-up so you can see the shine a bit on the snowflake.

This was so fast to make and might be nice for a little holiday gift card for a teacher or friend...just to dress it up a bit. 

Happy Last Weekend Before (our) School,
Chark

Coloring Isn't Just For Kids

***GIVEAWAY AND THE SPRING COFFEE LOVERS BLOG HOP IS HERE***

So happy that our March challenge over at a2z Scrapbooking is coloring with Hero Arts stamps and stencils. Coloring in images is relaxing and fun and it's always interesting to see how people interpret a challenge. I'm planning to learn something along the way from the Design Team and the participants...maybe you'll be one!

Here's the card I made using the technique of stamping in white on kraft and then coloring on top of the white images with Prismacolor pencils. I'd seen other people do this technique and decided to finally give it a go. I thought it turned out great—the white ink really helps the colors pop.

If you hop over to a2z, you can see a closeup of the coloring and the little matching gift bag I made for the card, using the same technique.

Hope you join us for a chance to win $25 to the store and also to teach me your coloring tips!

Happy Wednesday,
Chark
ps if you need some crafty supplies and use the coupon code CHARK15 at a2z Scrapbooking Supplies, you'll get 15% off your total of $25 or more. I love coupons!