Frosty Fun

Wow, it's actually getting CHILLY here in Texas. Enough so, that my hubby had to cover up the flower beds. But, knowing Texas...tomorrow could be 90 degrees.

It's challenge time over at Kenny K's Krafty Krew. And for this week's challenge, it's Frosty Hues all around. This means use the cool half of the color wheel...pale blues, frosted purples, silver, white...just about any color that says "Frosty" to you will do!

The first sponsor this week is our own Kenny K!

The prize from Kenny is the winner's choice of 5 digi's.

And our second sponsor is 

Loves Rubber Stamps

Laura's prize is the winner's choice of a $10.00 stamp from her store!

Here is my entry this week. I used the Sassy Miss Movie Star image. Doesn't her belly button get cold? 

Yes, she's colored with Copics. Don't get your hopes up. I'm not converting. The quaint little row of houses was cut out using a Cricut cartridge (um, I forgot which one, sorry). The fake snow flocking was placed in all the appropriate places with a shmear of crystal lacquer to hold it in place! 

I really share the sentiment of this card. I do miss snow. A lot.

A Perfect Marriage--Copics and Prismas

Okay, so y'all know I recently made the GINORMOUS leap into the vast ocean that is Copic Markers. Well...ginormous for ME.

I've discovered that marrying Copic Markers and Prismacolor Pencils together to color stamped images...is a match made in crafty heaven.

Who knew? And why do I suddenly want to start singing "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" from Fiddler on the Roof?

(clears throat)

Matchmaker, matchmaker 

make me a match

something that I

won't throw in the trash

Help me create with my pencil and pen

something that's truly Zen...

I'm so excited to really delve into this blended "medium"!!! I've pretty much figured out that it's MUCH more effective (and easy) to lay down a layer of REALLY light color with my Copics as a base than it is to try and achieve a light, EVEN tone of colored pencil. Perhaps I shall do a tutorial on this in May...

So that's what I'm working on doing from this day forward...'til death do us part (or my Copics run dry).

Take this card, for example.

I made this card for my friend's daughter Andrea. She just turned 1. I loved this image as it TOTALLY reminds me of Andrea in her little pink tutu-esque skirt. To achieve this look, I took my Copics and laid down the lightest tones you see in the card...flesh, pink, yellow and tan (for the hair). I don't remember the specific Copic #s, but suffice it to say...they were all REALLY pale. I didn't do any shading...nada. Just laid down a single layer of color for each element of the image (skin, hair, sweater, skirt, shoes, frosting).

Once I had the entire image colored it looked flat and boring. But this is exactly what I was hoping for. Laying down the pale Copics gave me an incredible foundation for building the shadows with my Prismacolor pencils.

It worked GREAT. I was even able to use odorless mineral spirits (OMS) just like I normally would to blend the colored pencil. The Copics remained true, even with the use of OMS. The end result is really FaBuLoUs!

I think I very well may have found a way that I can and WILL use Copics in my card making.

Copics and Prismacolor Pencils...it's a perfect marriage...I'm tellin' ya.

Ingredients:

Digital Stamp - Nellie Snellen (Dawn with birthday Cake)
Copic Markers
Prismacolor Pencils
Nestability dies - Spellbinders (Scalloped Oval)
mini scallop scissors
patterned paper
cardstock
grosgrain ribbon

Copic Blog Hop! REALLY!!!

O-M-G...

I'm participating in the FIRST-EVER blog hop at Making Our Mark, Copic's Design Team blog. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. "Torrey...doing a card for Copic????"

No, Hades has NOT frozen over. I am honored to say that I was ASKED to be a guest designer for this hop!!

My bestee, Jodi, challenged me to make a card using Copic Markers. At first I was...horrified. I mean...y'all know I am not a Copic girl. Not by ANY stretch of the imagination. It's not because I don't like Copics. In fact, I think they're the bee's knees. They're the ULTIMATE in art markers. It's just that I'm, Copicphobic. Truly.

But, Jodi is an AWESOME teacher and she walked me through some basic Copic coloring principles.

The entire design team has gone gaga over the new Steampunk set created by their very own Colleen Chapman and once you see all of the inspiration we have in store for you, you’re going to want to get your hands on this set.

Here's some extra incentive… complete our blog hop, leaving comments and love all along the way, and you’ll receive the entire stamp set free. Can you believe it? Plus one lucky person will be entered into the drawing at the end with a chance to receive the Copic Sketch Set Ex-6.

Remember to collect letters all along the way so you can spell out the “secret” word to claim your prizes! The letter you need from my blog is.... have you guessed it yet?

"S"

You should have traveled here from the FaBuLoUs Shelley's Heartstrings blog… Isn’t she terrific?

In honor of this auspicious occasion (new Steampunk line, first blog hop for Copic and ME actually using Copics) I made a card using the debonair stamp I call "Steampunk Stuart". He's dashing, isn't he? And YES, I used Copics as the BASE for coloring my image...BUT the kicker is, I used Prismacolor pencils over the top of the Copic base for the shadows to really make the colors "pop" and give the whole image more depth and texture. I just couldn't abandon my beloved Prismas altogether now, could I?? I am, after all, addicted to them. I think I've found a "happy medium" with my medium...know what I mean? By using BOTH Copics and Prismacolor pencils...I get WAY MORE control than I EVER could with Copics alone. And one more note...I was able to use my odorless mineral spirits to blend the Prismas OVER the Copic base without it affecting the underlying Copic color. Totally cool, huh? 

By the way, I'm still TOTALLY Copic-challenged.

My blog was the caboose of this Hopping train. So your final stop is back at the station at Making Our Mark. A great big Texas THANK YOU for letting me join in the fun here as a "guest" design team member!!!

You just may make a Copic girl out of me YET...if I can use them in tandem with my Prismas.

If you get lost along the way, remember you can always get back to the beginning by visiting the home site at Copic Marker Scrapbooking!

Ingredients:
Image - Colleen Chapman for Copic
Copic Markers
Prismacolor Pencils
Sprightly Sprockets and Nestabilities dies - Spellbinders
Brads and ribbon - Creative Impressions
Copper bookplate and buckle
Patterned Paper
Copper leafing pen
Cardstock
Glitter pen - Sakura

Playing with my Copics

What is a Copic, you might ask? Well, simply put, it's THE premier, top-of-the-line alcohol ink artist marker available (check out the link to their site on the left side of this blog). I was fortunate enough to be gifted a set by the generous folks at Copic --for my current secret project-- (Thank you Copic!!!)

I've been a little intimidated to use them...so I used them for the first time last night on this birthday card for a friend (Happy Birthday, Misty). These are not your "ordinary" markers. You use these like paint and paintbrushes. I laid out a palette of color swatches with my darkest markers on an acrylic block, then I picked up the color with the tips of my lightest markers and applied them to the paper. This way, I can achieve just about any shade I want and get a blended effect that mimics air brushing. So, this is my first try with the Copics. I know I need a LOT of practice, but hey, that's the fun of it.

To make this card: 

• Stamp an image onto white cardstock (use Memento ink--it doesn't run with Copics
• Color it in with Copics
• Run it through a Wizard using an embossing folder (I used the DEboss side)
• Stipple-brush brown ink over the top to "age" it
• Stipple-brush brown ink on coordinating paper and paper-piece background
• Embellish with ribbon and charm

Supplies:

Copic Markers

Memento Dye Ink (Tsukineko)

Distress Ink (Ranger)

Geisha Stamp (After Midnight Art Stamps) 

Cuttlebug embossing folder (Provo Craft)

Patterned Paper (Scenic Route, BasicGrey)

Cardstock

Foam spacers

Ribbon

Charm