Inktense Pencils… Finally!

Ok, here’s the post I’ve been promising for a while about my new Inktense pencils.  I bought them from Scrappy Craft because they were the cheapest I could find.  The transaction went great – quick shipping and the product was packed nicely and got to me in perfect condition.  This is how I have them out, sitting right next to my work area on top of an Iris cart:

One of the first things I did when I got the pencils was to make a color chart:

So far I’m in love!  They blend out with water so easily and can be really nice and soft looking or super strong and vibrant, depending how much pencil you put down.  So far I’ve mostly been just playing with the softer look (kind of like Distress Inks), but I’ve seen some really neat stuff online with the stronger colors (like this post from Jennifer McGuire, who did such beautiful Inktense art that I just had to buy a set for myself!).

Here’s the latest card I’ve made using the Inktense pencils in the softer range:

I did her face with Distress inks because I still haven’t found the right shades of pencil for the skin tones I like to do.  All the rest was done with the Inktense pencils.  You can also see other images I’ve colored with the Inktense pencils here.  This card is also for the Sugar Bowl challenge – Anything Goes with a Sugar Nellie Image (I used Blossom).  The sketch is from Tuesday Morning Sketches and the sentiment is from the Talk Bubbles 2 stamp set.

One of the things I like best about the Inktense is that once you hit all the pigment with water and it fully dries, it’s permanent.  What that means is that if I accidentally paint over an already colored section, it won’t mix with the previous color and ruin it!  I can just wipe off the second color and the first color stays as pristine as it started – perfect for me since I tend to make this mistake a little too often!

One other thing is that you don’t really *need* to use watercolor paper.  I’ve done some of my simpler coloring on just plain old Georgia Pacific cardstock from Walmart!  The colors also show up really nicely on colored cardstocks, like my favorite Kraft from Papertrey Ink!

Of course you don’t need to buy the full set, but I fully recommend these pencils if you like to watercolor – they’re just so much fun!  TFL!

hey there

Hi all!  Today’s card was made using the Sugar Bowl sketch:

I stamped Up Up and Away and colored her with Copics.  The dress and balloon were paper pieced and the sentiment is from the Sentiment Sampler set.  I hand dyed the seam binding to match and the papers are from Bella Blvd.

This is also for Simon Says Stamp – Anything Goes, C.R.A.F.T. Challenge – use stitching, and Little Red Wagon - use chevrons. I hope you like it and TFL!

No Lines!

Hi all!  Today I decided to play along with Challenge Up Your Life, which is to do the No Lines technique.  Here’s my card:

 

I used Just A Girl (again!) from Sugar Nellie and a sentiment from the Framed Greetings stamp set.  The sketch is from Mojo Monday (turned on its side but with the ribbon left in the same orientation).  I hope you like it and TFL!

Just A Girl

Hi all! Today's card was made using the Sugar Bowl sketch:


I used the Just a Girl stamp from Sugar Nellie and 7 (yes, 7!!) different patterns of paper from the My Mind's Eye Everyday Flair paper pad. The Thanks die is from Quickutz and the Catalina Wreath die is from Memory Box.

This is also for Daring Cardmakers - use at least 6 different patterned papers, Stampin' for the Weekend - your style (my style is all over the place, but I almost always distress layers to make them stand out a little), and Fab 'n' Funky - Cute and Girly. I hope you like it and TFL!

Bear Hug

Today's card was made for a few challenges:


I used the Bear Hug image from Sugar Nellie and the sketch from the Sugar Bowl.

The image was colored with Copics and her dress was paper pieced. I stamped/colored/cut out an extra bear to go over the paper pieced dress for realism. Then the whole image was cut out and stuck on with foam boosters. In case you're wondering about the little twine bow, it's tied to a little tag that comes out with the sentiment "Just because" on it (sorry I didn't take a pic of it). The swirl die is from Sizzix.

This is also for:

• Truly Scrumptious - All Creatures Great and Small
• PaperPlay - Critters
• Delighful Challenges - Use your scraps
• Do You Stack Up - Layers

I hope you like it and TFL!

Luvvie

Today's card was made using the Sugar Bowl sketch, and the optional theme of paper piecing:


I used Luvvie and some really old papers from my stash. I colored her with Copics and paper pieced her dress and the heart. The baker's twine is from Timeless Twine.

BTW, don't forget to check out this month's Sketch For You To Try, which is being sponsored by YNS! It's a really fun sketch and I'll be playing a little later this month. TFL!

I hope you like it and TFL!

Manga Girl #2

Today I have a card made for the Sugar Bowl Challenge which is to use their sketch:


I used Manga Girl #2 who, shamefully, has been sitting and waiting for years to be inked! I colored her with Copics entirely in the BV color family (except for her skin), the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink and the baker's twine is from Timeless Twine.

This is also for the following:

• iCopic - use BV color family (see below for color listing)
• Kaboodle Doodles - Thank you
• Challenge Up Your Life - Thank you

Copics used: E00, E01, RV10, BV0000, BV000, BV02, BV11, BV13, BV17, BV20, BV23, BV25, BV29 (the last 4 were used for the shoes and hair). I hope you like it and TFL!

Just For You!

Today I have another Sugar Bowl card for you:


I have a lot of Sugar Nellie stamps that have never seen ink so I'm trying to use them and what better way than to play in the Sugar Bowl? :)

I used Bumble Bee and paper from Iralamija's Elegance Papers Collage. She was watercolored with my Tombows and the ticket die from MFT was printed with a computer generated sentiment.

Tombows used:
Hair - N25
Skin - 990, 850, 772
Wings - 772
Dress - 91, 373, 772, 856

This card is also for the following challenges:

• Papertake Weekly - Anything Goes
• Ribbon Carousel - Anything Goes (with something that comes on a spool - I sewed a straight stitch around my whole card with thread from a spool)
• Little Red Wagon - Use a die cut (I used 2 different Nesties and also the mini ticket die)
• Stamp Something - Anything Goes
• Ping Gem - colour inspiration challenge

I hope you like it and TFL!

Manga Girl #1

Today I have a card using The Sugar Bowl sketch (optional theme is "one for the girls"):


I used Manga Girl #1, which I've had forever but didn't ink up until now!
She was watercolored with my Tombows and the papers are from the Happy Go Lucky 6x6 paper pad from My Mind's Eye. The die behind her is the smaller of the Dizzy Doily Duo Die-Namics set.

Tombows used:
Hair: N25
Skin: 990, 772
Dress and hair bows:757
Shirt: 126, 158
Shadow around her: 312

This card is also for Creative Card Crew - anything goes, and Charisma Cardz which is also anything goes! I hope you like my card and TFL!

The Sugar Bowl Challenge 18

Today's card was made for The Sugar Bowl Challenge 18, which is to use buttons along with this sketch:

Here's what I came up with:

I used one of my favorite Sugar Nellie images, Just a Girl and some Basic Grey Lemonade papers. Her dress and shoes were paper pieced and colored just a bit with Copics, as was the rest of her. I cut her out and popped her up with foam boosters. I did some machine sewing and added a bunch of 'bellies to finish it off. I hope you like it and TFL!

My Sweet Bear

Today's card was made for the Sugar Bowl challenge 16 - Marlene's Sketch:


And here's my card:


I've been making a lot of big (for me anyway) square cards lately (5.5") so I wanted to do something a little smaller (4.25"). I thought the little bear from the Gorjuss girl stamp Bear Hug would be perfect for a smaller card and he was! He was colored with Copics, cut out and popped up with foam tape.

Besides using the sketch, we were also asked to doodle on our projects - ugh! I'm not big on doodling (except for the couple hand drawn frames I've done recently), but I figured if I had to do it, I might as well do a bunch! So I put little heart shapes with a Copic on the focal panel's scallops, and then drew over them with a black liner pen. I also drew little swirls on the side scallops, some funky little corners, and lines and dots on the top strip. I have to say I'm not thrilled with the end product, but at least I tried!

I finished the whole thing off with a lot of machine stitching, some May Arts ribbon and a beaded pin. BTW, I got the idea to put that silver basket bead cap on the pearl pin from one of my new favorite blogs, Tabby Craft Designs. I just happened to have the baskets on order for another project (which you will see here later!) when I saw this idea on Tab's blog - genius!!

I hope you like the card and TFL!

Other materials used: patterned paper - Basic Grey (Porcelain 6x6 paper pad); sentiment - Whiff of Joy; Dark Chocolate ink - Papertrey Ink; circle and scalloped circle Nestabilities; pearls and silver basket - Firemountain gems; pearl pin - local craft store.

Gorjuss Little Star

Today's card was created for the Sugar Bowl Challenge 15. We were to use Gayle's Sketch and also ribbons and/or bows:


And here's my card:


I've had my Gorjuss Girls set 3 for a while now, and finally got around to inking them up. I decided to use Little Star first. She was colored with Copics, cut out and popped up with foam tape. I added a couple itty bitty star rhinestones over the stars in her hair and finished off the card with a beaded pin and charm. Hope you like it and TFL!

Other materials used: patterned paper - Basic Grey (Lime Rickey collection); ribbon - local craft store; square Nestabilities - Spellbinders.

Day Dreamer Hello

Today's card was made for only one challenge (can you believe it? lol!) - the Copic Colour Challenge. I wasn't aware of this blog so I'm really glad I stumbled onto it because I love my Copics!

This week's challenge was to use the colors YG03, B45, and Y28. I used the Leanne Ellis image Day Dreamer and some papers from the DCWV Latte 8x8 stack:


I hope you like it and TFL!

All Copic colors used: skin - E00, RV10; hair - E53, E33,E35, E37; shirt, birds, flower - B41, B45, YG03; window frame - Y28.

Other materials used: sentiment (Mega Mixed Messages) - Papertrey Ink; tag - Quickutz; border punch - EK Success; ribbon - May Arts; beads - Dress It Up; pearl pin - local craft store; micro half pearls - eBay.

Sugar Bowl Challenge 13

Today's card was made for The Sugar Bowl Challenge 13 - Lilian's Sketch:


Besides using the sketch, we were also to use the color kraft in our creation. Here's my take:


I used Just A Girl along with Papertrey's Kraft cardstock and some papers from a REALLY old QVC scrapping kit.

The zig zag stitching on the middle border was hand stitched as my machine couldn't do a stitch that wide. Her dress and boots were paper pieced and the rest was colored with Copics. I also added a tiny little heart pearl in her hair. I used my own method to slightly enlarge the scalloped square Nestie to fit better on my card which is 5" square. For just a little bit of extra interest, I embossed and glittered the edges of the panel under the Gorjuss girl. I hope you like it and TFL!

Other materials used: Fresh Snow ink - Papertrey Ink; large flower - Prima; small flower - Paper Wishes; ribbon - May Arts; glitter chipboard letters - American Crafts; border punch - Martha Stewart; tiny heart pearl - MimiLolo Etsy store; Art Institute glitter.

Purrfect?

Today's card was made for The Sugar Bowl's Challenge 12 which was to follow the sketch below and use the colors blue and green.


This sketch really was a challenge for me as I normally don't do a lot of layers on my cards. I struggled with putting together the different patterns, and what sizes to do all the pieces, and most of all with the strip across the bottom. It didn't turn out quite like I wanted, but I'm still happy with it, partly because I really love these papers - DCWV's Latte stack. I love the muted colors, the patterns, and the Bazzill-like texture of all the papers. Anyway, here's my version:


I used a Gorjuss image called Purrfect Friend (she has a cat, but I didn't include it here because it didn't fit), colored with Copics and cut out. I added the little flower in her hair, punched from a bit of the same patterned paper and decorated with a tiny rhinestone. I hope you like it and TFL!

Other materials used: Prima flower; rubon and organdy ribbon - Stampin' Up!; twine - Papertrey Ink; tiny flower punch - Fiskars; button and rhinestones from stash.

Fizz

I played in another Sugar Bowl sketch challenge this week:


We had to use pearls on our cards so I added a pink pearl to the flower in her hair, and several to the photo corner on the bottom. I subsituted a bow with button in place of the 3 flowers in the sketch because I just couldn't get flowers to look right! Hope you like it and TFL!

Materials used: Fizz - Sugar Nellie (Leanne Ellis Designs) [bought from Funky Kits]; patterned paper - Making Memories (Garden Party line); cardstock - Stampin' Up! (Barely Banana); Copic markers; Nestabilities (long rectangle and Labels Four); lace border punch - Martha Stewart; photo corner punch - Stampin' Up!; celebrate rubon - Basic Grey; ribbon - May Arts; button - Making Memories; Spots & Dots and Swiss Dots embossing folders - Provo Craft; little pearls - seller on Etsy.

Luvvie

Since I *finally* got some Sugar Nellie stamps, I played with the Sugar Bowl Sketch Challenge 10 this week:


Here's a close shot of another of my handmade Prima flower accents:

I'm rushing to get this posted, so I'll update later with all the details! TFL!

ETA: Materials used: Luvvie stamp - Sugar Nellie; Berry Sorbet and Lemon Tart cardstock - Papertrey Ink; patterned paper - DCWV Garden Party; Copic markers; Long scalloped rectangle Nestabilities; Prima flowers; 1" circle punch and scalloped border punch - Stampin' Up!; heart scalloped border punch - Martha Stewart; Swiss Dots and D'Vine Swirls embossing folders - Provo Craft; ribbon - May Arts; button and crochet thread from stash.

Gorjuss!

I've been seeing the Gorjuss girls around for a while now and loving them so I finally caved and bought some from Funky Kits. I decided to use "Just a Girl" first and here she is:


Little details: I paper pieced her dress, added a little heart pearl over the drawn heart in her hair, cut her out and popped her up with foam dots.

I'm used to seeing the Gorjuss girls with black hair, so I'm not sure I really like her with brown hair....

Last thing - just a forewarning: I got a great deal on a couple full-sized Basic Grey Eva paper packs so be prepared to see a LOT of Eva on my blog!

Other materials used: sentiment - Papertrey Ink (Beyond Basic Borders); patterned paper - Basic Grey Eva collection; small tag - Cuttlebug; Nestabilities Labels 4; Copic markers and airbrush system; flowers and buttons - Making Memories; leaves - Prima; lace from stash.