If It's Free, I'll Take It

So, I don't know why we humans are wired to take advantage of freebies, but I know I'm not the only one. Food samples, digi stamps, a free trial of Prime, free entree with entree purchase, $10 free for signing up...I've taken advantage of all these. While I can't exactly share my Kroger food samples with you, I can share where I've found some free digi stamps.

If you feel like they're too complicated, I'll be the first to disagree. I don't do anything fancy...I just download the image and pick a size...then I print it and color it up. Every once in a while I combine digi sentiments with a digi image like in this card, but not always. 

You can see what I used here on IG...I can't figure out how to share just the image since I already deleted the photo from my phone, so you get the whole screen shot :)

On this card, the Power Poppy images (not freebies, but you can find them sometimes on the Kit and Clowder facebook page) came with the sentiments and I just put them together in Corel Draw and printed on kraft paper. I used white Prismacolor pencil first and then colored on top of the white. I added in some gel pen white highlights at the end too.

PaperCrafter magazine has a ton of free images and sentiments on their site, as does Simply Cards & Papercraft, which I just discovered. They have All Dressed Up and 2 Cute Ink stamps, Uniko and others. I have some already printed out to color up tonight.

You can also find some freebies here from Whimsy Stamps and a cute bear from Heffy Doodle.

Okay, hope you can find something free you like on one of these sites! Oh, and I signed up with Rakuten (aka ebates) to get the free $10 check. I use it with my Kohl's and Amazon purchases and earn money back...if you're interested in just the free $10 or want to continue to use it, check it out here and we'll both earn some cash...Free!

And my Kroger is doing free grocery pick up til the end of the year. It's usually $5, but I still like using it. I'm definitely using it for the next few weeks!


Happy Friday!
Chark

What Flower Are You?

Over at Power Poppy Stamps, one of the challenges this month is What Flower Are You? And that was easy for me. While I love the smell of carnations, the look of hydrangeas and the Old World Rose I've got growing in the flower bed, I'd have to say I'm more of a lilac. I love lilacs, I was in a play in college where I sang about lilacs (and drew the poster design with lilacs), my mom had lilacs all over our yard, and I'm an April baby, so spring (when lilacs are in bloom) is kind of special to me.

I love the florals at Power Poppy and this is one of my favorites. I used some blues (colored pencils, watercolor markers and then glitter markers) for this one, even though the lilacs at my moms are purple because I like blue!

You can see a tiny bit of the sparkle on the top flowers in this pic, but irl, it's got lots of glitter.

The beautiful papers are Carta Bella Flower Market. I enjoyed coloring this image...and kept adding to it to get more color variation. If you want to join in the challenges this month (there's a new one each week), head to Power Poppy's blog.

Happy Saturday!

Chark

With Cherries on Top

When I was a kid about a hundred years ago...okay, 40 years, we used to say "Pretty please with cherries on top?" It meant we reeeally needed a favor, like super needed it, and if you were me, your sister was balking at helping you out....so you needed to make it a really important please. And of course, the ultimate request was, "Pretty please with cherries and whipped cream on top?" And sometimes, it worked and my sister would actually turn the tv (no remotes at my house) or bring me a glass of kool-aid. Maybe.

Today I'm sharing a cherry card with a digi stamp from Power Poppy, the ultimate place for nature stamps imo. You can get the acrylic stamps too (and I have some) but the digitals are super nice when you need something to color right now. I colored this cherry stamp with Prismacolor pencils and fussy cut it and put it on a matching red background.

The checkerboard paper is Graphic 45 and I inked the edges with Candied Apple Distress Ink. I added teal and red sequins and a sentiment from My Favorite Things. I'm entering this in the Think Spring Challenge at Power Poppy and you can enter here too! The blossoms are coming on the flowering trees and it's a pretty sight. No cherries for awhile, but they are budding! I looovve seeing the plants green up and the buds on the trees. Winter can be long but the Spring is definitely all the more welcome because of it.

Happy Easter Weekend!

Chark

It's So Much More Friendly with Two

Happy National Winnie the Pooh Day! It's A. A. Milne's birthday today and he was born in 1882. I grew up in the 70s when Disney put out the The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, the animated film. And I loved everything about it—how there was a narrator, how they showed the text of the book and Pooh interacting with the words, the story, the characters, the drawings. 

Pooh is so innocent and kind and not-too-bright and you want to protect him. Piglet is like many children, just a little afraid of being little. Eeyore has the best gloomy attitude...funny and sad and he has friends despite his gloominess. Tigger has all the excess energy of a toddler and the talent for knocking things over in his eagerness, just like kids. And Christopher Robin is the best friend who can make everything better. This movie made me feel happy and I watched it every time it aired on tv, and then I bought it for my daughter on VHS, which I still have! I also got the books and read them to my kids and Pooh stuck with them too.

I saw Christopher Robin when it came out this fall and asked for it for Christmas. My hubby got it for me and we all sat down to watch it. It's a story about how a grown Christopher Robin meets Pooh and friends again and it's delightful. The voice actor for Pooh and Tigger is the same from the 70s! Everyone in my family enjoyed the movie. 

I'm sharing a little card I made with Kindred Stamps and already put up on the blog, but it features the cutest Pooh stamps, so I had to share again. I used Prismacolor pencils and drew in the tree and grass.

I also have a non-Pooh-related project to share and that's this blackberry digi stamp card I made with Power Poppy Cherries and Berries set.

I colored it with Faber-Castell Polychromos pencils and then added the sentiment with a black Faber-Castell pen. It makes me think of berry picking in the woods, and I like to think Pooh and Piglet did their share of berry picking in the Hundred Acre Wood. Aha, it IS a Pooh-related project!

Happy Friday!

Chark

April Showers Bring May Flowers

Over at the Power Poppy blog, the challenge is to do something with your birth month. My birthday is in April and though I like that the stone is a diamond, it doesn't scream color challenge. And there aren't too many holidays in April, except April Fool's Day and about a hundred birthdays of my family and friends. Seriously...it's the craziest month for birthdays over here.

So instead of that, I just used the little ditty we heard in school, April Showers Bring May Flowers...and what do Mayflowers bring? Pilgrims! No, I didn't make a project with pilgrims, rather I used May flowers. I have some heritage roses that bloom in May and they are gorgeous—a beautiful shade of pink and they smell even better!

I used my Prismacolor pencils on this lovely digi. I trimmed off the second cup of roses so I could use a larger image. Hope you'll join in with your birth month here.

Happy Friday!

Chark

Power Poppy School Challenge

I love the digis over at Power Poppy and when I have a chance, I sit down and color some up. They have a new challenge each week and you can link up all month, and I was super inspired by the Back 2 School challenge. You have to raid the kids' stash and use school supplies—isn't that fun?

Here's my card, using the Power Poppy Lilac stamp. My mom had lilacs while I was growing up and I loved their strong scent and lovely purple flowers made of mini blossoms. Today I colored mine blue with my fabulous Tombow Dual Brush markers, but I can almost smell them anyway!

For my three school supplies, I used a staple for the patterned paper flags, a manila file folder that has been embossed with wood grain and a tab that says August that I sacrificed from my calendar. 

I'm not sure how many people still use file folders, but planners are definitely important to keeping the school year straight! And I sneaked in an extra supply if you count the regular copy paper I printed my digi stamp on. I don't often use fancy paper unless I'm planning some major mixed media.

Thanks for the inspiration, Power Poppy! Join in the challenge for a chance to win here.

Happy Wednesday!
Chark

Shades of Gray

This post isn't about an adult-themed book, but rather, a Neutral Color Challenge over at Power Poppy stamps. They have some of the most beautiful floral stamps ever and I have a collection of their digi images. When I saw this gray challenge, I was intrigued. I've never done much gray coloring and never (that I recall) with florals, so I hopped onboard.

Here's my take with grays and a smidge of light blue behind the Mistletoe image. I decided it deserved some glitter, so I used some wide washi tape on the card. I couldn't decide if it needed a ribbon, but now that I see it again, I'm thinking yes. The coloring was fun, and challenging since I only have one gray Prismacolor pencil. I found another gray in Crayola pencils and also used black and white Prismacolor pencils. 

Have you ever tried grayscale coloring? It's kind of cool! Here's another one, using an actual flower and not leaves, the Joyful Lilies stamp. For this one, I added a blue-gray to the lilies and a gray-green to the leaves. I mounted it on pool cardstock and added pink glittery sticker dots. 

This collection is permanently open, so give it a shot anytime!  Neutral Color Challenge at Power Poppy. They'll be doing some changes to the challenges and adding prizes (whoo-hoo!)

Happy Friday!

Chark

Daisies Galore

I love Power Poppy's beautiful stamps...they have both clear and digital stamps. I use the digis because I usually want them now and can't wait for the mail. Plus I can make them any size, which is super great.

When the FB group I'm in, Kit and Clowder, had a free digi from Power Poppy, I had to join in. Kit and Clowder offered a free coloring class for this image too. They make for a great duo! My first try was with a single bloom included in the free digi set. I used my trusty Prismacolor pencils.

Then I tackled multiple blooms while watching Say Yes to the Dress...I am somewhat fascinated by this show. 

I love weddings and I loved planning and crafting for my own, 28 years ago! But I'm still fascinated. I love a good long look at the bridal mags. So this show is right up my alley, especially when you add all the human drama. I've told my adult daughter we must go to a bridal salon, have her try on dresses and come out and show me. Whereupon I will say things I've heard on that show like, "It looks like a tablecloth," and "No, just no." 

My all-time favorite line was from a mother to her daughter who was getting married in a church. The mother was ultra-conservative and the daughter less so. The dress wasn't even terribly revealing, but the mom said, "You're going to make Jesus cry if you wear that." I about fell out of my chair laughing. I totally want to say this in a salon! Luckily, my daughter is a fun-loving gal too and she's on board with this idea! lolol

I added some light blue to this background of warm colors. Don't you love this stamp? Gerbera daisies are gorgeous irl too! Alyce over at Kit and Clowder is a great coloring teacher if you're tempted to try one. She also offers a couple of free classes here and there, like this one with the daisies.

Happy Monday!

Chark

Mistletoe Card with Power Poppy

I love the botanical stamps from Power Poppy and I enjoy their realistic detail, so I've purchased some of the digital stamps this year. I got this mistletoe digi free from Kit and Clowder and Power Poppy and made it for my husband's Christmas card this year. The sentiment I used inside is "Stand Here." 

I know the berries are supposed to be white, but I went soft red. I used my Tombow markers and used them as watercolors on a smooth surfaced paper. I added Nuvo clear drops to the berries and maybe you can see the dimension here. 

I'm sure I'll be coloring this one up again, it's so simple and lovely.

Happy Friday!

Chark

Hey, Happy Apple Day!

Tomorrow is Apple Day...supposedly celebrated first in 1990 and mostly celebrated in United Kingdom. But I say, hey, apples are for everyone. So, Happy Apple Day. I've got some Apple fun for you today.

First up, and most importantly, a delish looking apple pie recipe. This is a simple recipe and my mom uses a similar one—she and I do mix the cinnamon and sugar into the sliced apples (instead of layering with the apples), with a tablespoon or so of flour and a teaspoon or so of lemon juice. 

Also, we've found Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts (that you roll out a little) are sooo good. You don't even need to make your own crusts to get a great pie. Don't forget to vent your pie after putting on the top crust and crimping it. Set the whole pie plate on foil to catch drips. So easy and delicious.

Second, some really cute apple projects you can make. I love this idea for decorating or even little gift boxes for teachers. They used glass paint, but alcohol inks would work for coloring too. The paint would probably be less expensive. I even saw where someone filled their clear bottle with red tissue paper. I think these are a little classier.

Next I have some free digi apple art and fave Pinterest ideas for cards.

This one is yummy looking...caramel apples rock!

Lawn Fawn always has the cutest images. This card is from The Dies Have It blog.

Lastly, one more apple goody before I go...Power Poppy stamps are gorgeous and so realistic...pop over to see more of their goodness here. I have several digi stamps of theirs and they are a joy to color.

Happy Friday,

Chark

Power Poppy Lilacs

For the August Power Poppy Challenge, I've chosen one of my favorite flowers, the French Lilac, to showcase and added a sentiment from the digi Ranunculus sentiment. The challenge is to mix stamps and I think together these make a lovely sympathy card. I used some green Stickles and my Wink of Stella glitter pen to add shine.

The background is dry embossed with a diamond pattern and then painted with these gorgeous Gansai Tambi Watercolor pearlized paints. You can see the green shining here. I used Prismacolor pencils on the flowers.

Hope to see you join in over at Power Poppy!

Happy Wednesday!

Chark

Stamp Mixing

For one of the challenges over at Power Poppy, you're supposed to mix stamps that don't come together as a set. I've been enjoying this and coloring a bunch of digi images. Some of my cards have been digitally mixed and then printed and colored but this one was printed then fussy cut and put together. 

I used Prismacolor pencils on the digi sets Everything's Rosy and Ranunculus. The congrats word die is Lawn Fawn.

You have until the end of the month for this challenge, but they always have color challenges up too.

Happy Wednesday!

Chark

Power Poppy Roses in Pink

I tried merging two digi stamps together for the Power Poppy Challenge this month "Mix and Match." I used Rose and Chamomile and the Let It Be stamps and liked the combo but wanted to do a little nudging of the flower placement, so I tried it again.
This time I'm using pinks for the flowers instead of purples. I used copper corner stickers to frame the sentiment and Prismacolor pencils to color the image. I do like the right-hand flower lower better (like in the pink version), but maybe I should move it a little more to the right for balance. Ah well, I'm not a professional stamp designer! :)

Which do you like better? The pink/yellow or blue/purple?

I'm entering the pink/yellow in the challenge too...hope you'll join in here. I love their intricate but easy-to-color flowers at Power Poppy...and you can pick up a freebie over at their shop too!

Happy Wednesday!
Chark

Let It Be

I'm a huge Beatles fan and when I saw the Let It Be digi stamp at Power Poppy, I knew I needed it...and I was so happy to learn it was FREE! So I snapped it up when getting some other digis. For their challenge this month, you're supposed to mix and match 2 stamps. I took a rose stamp from them (also a digi) and the Let It Be stamp and combined them.

I took the rose image, converted it to line art with no background in CorelDraw and then added the roses to the word art. After printing, I colored with Prismacolor pencils and mounted it on colored paper. The corners are copper metallic stickers. Love the classy touch. It's hard to see the shine on them, but it is pretty irl.

I saw a video where the artist used black pencil to darken her images and tried it here. It actually worked fine and I like how the flowers pop. I added some white Prismacolor pencil after all the purples, but I also left some parts of the flowers almost white.

I'm entering this in the challenge here...join in if you're feeling it! You have all month to enter.

Thought I'd take a moment and let you know there's a new challenge blog starting up called Mini Album Makers. I love mini albums, though I only have about 4, but I'm excited to see the new blog. If you pop over and follow them, you can be entered to win.

Happy Monday!

Chark

Power Poppy CASE a Designer

I just love how beautiful and detailed Marcella Hawley's stamps are over at Power Poppy. I've been stalking the blog and store for awhile and finally purchased my first two digi stamps (they have real stamps too), followed not long after by more stamps.😉

I'm going to enter this card made with the Everything's Rosy digital set for the Power and Spark Challenge, where you CASE one of the DT members. I've taken the glittered flowers, polka dots and black accent idea from this post from Allison. Here's her card. Lovely, right? Visit her blog to see how she made this one.

Ally glittered her tie dye flowers, and I used my Wink of Stella clear glitter pen on my flowers and mug. You can see the sparkly bits here. I trimmed out the bottom blossom and pop dotted it up. Next time, I'm going to try making her gorgeous background look.

I used my Prismacolor pencils as per usual while watching a Hallmark mystery movie based on the Hannah Swensen books, like The Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder I love the cookie recipes in the books and the Chocolate Chip one in this book is one I've actually made and love. They're crispy cuz you add crunched up cornflakes. Yum!

Thanks for the inspiration, Ally! Hope you'll join in over at the Power Poppy challenge here.

Happy Saturday!
Chark