Zig Clean Color Brush Markers

Hello Friends!  Wow its been awhile, hasn't it?!  It's finally summer!   My first year as a middle school teacher (after 17 years in Elementary) was so hard!  It was such a hectic, hard, and rewarding year.  I barely crafted at all!  I feel so out of practice right now!
I was chatting with my crafty friends and I heard about Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers.  Well of course I couldn't ignore the siren call of new supplies.  I clicked on over to my trusty friend Amazon and bought some.  Of course then I needed a water brush, some bristol board, and some watercolor paper.  Next I watched a few You Tube videos where I was assured that this was the easiest thing evah!!!  I am calling BS on that.  And I know how to watercolor, like actually paint paintings, with real watercolor.  I've taken some pictures of work in process so you can see a few different things.  The finished card above was done on watercolor paper as were the baskets in the picture below.  If you are using watercolor paper the colors blend more effortlessly but if you get things too wet you will find your colors bleeding all over the place.

The picture below is the pens used on PTI cardstock with a tiny bit of water applied with a brush. You can see that on this thick cardstock the colors do not blend as easily.  Also too much water will shred the cardstock.

The picture below shows the pens on Bristol paper.  Its smooth like cardstock but not as thick.  The colors blend very easily especially without water.  However, the paper will also stand some water to be used with blending.

This final picture is hand drawn art (Please forgive my horrid lettering!) on PTI white.  I used the pens and a bit of water.  I am really sorry I didn't just stick to copics here but I thought you might like to see one more example.

Butterflys

Hello friends! By the time you see this I will be in Moss Landing. I can't wait! This is probably the last of the scheduled posts... I am not sure but I think its the last I am going to get done. I will be home and crafting again July 1.

Everything here is PTI, except for the butterfly. The butterfly is from Hero Arts. I love that set. Its called Antique Engravings. Its a relatively new set. The sentiments are from Vintage Picnic. The paper is all PTI. Thanks for continuing to visit while I am on the road! See you soon!

Snail Mail

Hello there! I am still in Colorado (well technically I haven't even left yet... but when you see this I will be there!) I have a lovely vintage picnic basket for you today. Just a single card, no set! LOL! If I could do this over I would switch out the pp. Doesn't quite work but its too late that puppy is glued down. Ah well. The pp is from American Crafts- newer line. Everything else is PTI. Thanks for stopping in!

Welcome Back!

Hi! Welcome back! Its been a week since I last posted. Can you believe I was without internet that whole time? Wow, it was so weird... the first few days I felt like an addict without a fix! Anyhow I changed internet companies since company one didn't think fixing my internet should be a priority. Then there was some wait time while company two installed everything. Now we are up and running and things are so far going well. In the meantime I have been very busy at work and got almost no crafting time in. I do, however, have a card to show you today.
Card Deets: Bitty Bird, Sending You, and Vintage Picnic Stamp sets by Papertrey Ink. Soft Stone cardstock (PTI), purple paper ( Doodlebug), copic markers, palette ink

One Last Notebook and Some Randomness

Hi friends! I've got one last notebook for you today. Same basic layout, etc. I used PTI rustic cream cardstock, EchoPark paper, and Vintage Picnic and Take Note stamps from PTI. The picture isn't the greatest. I'm sorry about that, I don't think I will ever be a photographer.
Randomness:
I got the happy news that I am getting published again! I am so excited about that! It will be in Paper Craft's 225 Cards and Gifts. Its another gift box. I will be sure to be shouting from the roof tops when it comes out.
In other news it will be a quiet weekend on the blog as I will be at CSTA (California Science Teacher's Association) conference today and Saturday. We also have weekend guests, 2 soccer games, and one school harvest festival. I feel tired just thinking about it!
MONDAY- I will have the first of the sneaks for Shady Tree Studio's latest release. I already have everything made up, taking photos this weekend. You are going to like these stamps. Super cute. Sneaks will run Mon, Tues, and Wed. Release will happen on Wednesday, October 27th. See y'all Monday!

Grocery List Part Deux

Another in the recent grocery list making frenzy. I used PTI yellow (I can't remember the name! Golden something I think...) PP from Imaginiese. PTI Take Note and vintage picnic stamp sets. Copic markers, aqua mist ribbon, aqua mist scalloped circle.

Grocery List

Hi there! So sorry for the sporadic blogging, still getting used to the school schedule. Work is cutting into my free time! My mom was up visiting this past weekend and she asked for a few grocery note pads to give as gifts this Christmas. Mom offered to pay, but I can't take money from my own mom, not after all the things she has done for me. So anyway I have worked on a few in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. This is my favorite so far. I used some of my favorite Echo Park paper. I used PTI Ripe Avocado for the base, Echo Park pp for the mat and for the picnic basket. I used PTI's Take Note and Vintage Picnic stamp sets. I colored some of the details with my copics. A little Ripe Avocado ribbon helps finish it off. Thanks for stopping in today!

Lets Do Lunch!

Hi there! Today I have a cute little card featuring Vintage Picnic. I stamped the picnic basket on Kraft and then colored a bit with my copics. I pieced the napkin and colored the fruit.
The base is PTI rustic cream. I used another Doodlebug Fancy Frills for the border and I stamped a vintage label one on the card using summer sunrise. Sorry to post and run but I have a million things to do today! Have a good one!

CPS Challenge

Hi there! Do you use CPS (Card Positioning Systems)? They have a great sketch each week and then one lucky participant gets a fabulous prize. Sketches are the perfect thing when the mojo isn't flowing. You can check out CPS here.So following the sketch I broke out of my little A2 rut (like 90% of my cards) and went for this tall, skinny number. The actual size is 3.5x8.5 inches. It actually went together quite quickly because the focal image was already cut and colored. When I don't have alot of time or when I am just in a coloring mood I make small pieces and store them away for when I am ready to do a whole card. The base is lemon tart (PTI), the mat is summer sunrise (PTI) cut with label one nestie and stamped with a coordinating stamp from Waltzingmouse stamps. Both trims are Doodlebug fancy frills (from the cupcake collection). The sentiment and basket are from PTI's Vintage picnic.
And here is a close up of the little basket. Its stamped on Kraft and colored with copics. The little napkin is summer sunrise bitty dot paper. The fruit/food was stamped on white and colored with copics. Fun little coloring while you are watching tv. Thanks for coming by!

Blue Eyed Owl

The last in my frenzy of wise owl projects. This one uses both Wise Owl and Vintage Picnic. The patterned paper is Urban Prairie by Basic Grey. Cardbase is Aqua Mist cs from PTI. Hibiscus burst twill tied around the top. I dont know about this guys eyes. I rarely use these eyes because I think it makes wise owl look a little strung out, maybe he has had too much coffee.

Stop and Smell the Flowers

How about a little more Penny Black?  Aren't these little hedgies adorable?   I stamped them on white (stampers select from PTI) and then colored with my copics.  I mounted them on some PTI bitty boxes patterned paper that I had punched with my ek success bubble bunch.  The whole thing is then mounted on spring rain cardstock and finished off with a sentiment from PTI's vintage picnic sentiments.  The ribbon is PTI satin hibiscus burst.

*** Tomorrow is my son's birthday.  He is turning 6!  Where has the time gone?  Anyway today I will be in the kitchen whipping up a lego star wars cake.  I hope it turns out!  If its not completely embarrassing I will post some pics of it tomorrow.

Basket of Birthday

Another one from my Vintage Picnic stamping frenzy. I think this is the last of them (I need my craft table back so I can make more!). I used all PTI. CS: spring rain, kraft, and white. PP: lemon tart boxes. Ink: dark chocolate. Scarlet jewel buttons, jute twine and lots of copics for coloring. Stardust stickles on the flowers. Thanks for stopping by!

Just Because Strawberries

I love the color on this one!  PTI's new pp is awesome, those little grid boxes are so versatile!  I stamped it up with Vintage Picnic and then colored with my copics.  I made the little flower with some scraps, a brad, and a SU  punch.  The ribbon is pure poppy saddle stitch.  The picture is a little bright because I took it outside.

Some bad news (crafting wise anyway):  My dh decided to rip up the carpet and lay down some pergo.  Now I am thrilled with this!!  However my crafting table and all my stuff had to be boxed up until he is done... probably two weeks.   I am so sad about that!  I am already itching to color... however my dining room table is also in the garage along with my craft table, coffee table and sofas- so really no where for me to work.  I do have some previously done stuff to update the old blog-o but no new stuff for awhile.  Keep your fingers crossed that he works quickly!

You've Got Mail

Made with PTI's new Vintage Picnic.  I just love this set, especially the fonts for the sentiments.  I can see this one getting lots of use.  I made the background strip with the sentiment stamped repeatedly on Kraft cardstock.  I aged it a bit with PTI's tea dye ink.  I colored the basic with copics and added some PTI buttons and twine.  

A basket of thank you

Another card using PTI's vintage picnic.  Love this set!  So much fun to color.  Everything here is PTI with the exception of the rhinestones (no clue, sorry) and the copics I used to color.  I also used the vintage tea dye ink to go around the edges of everything.   Color choice is very different then what I normally use.  These colors are opposite on the color wheel, I am more of colors that are next to each other kind of girl.   Hope you are having a great weekend!

A 4th Birthday

My dad's birthday is on the 4th of July.  Happy Birthday Dad!   He used to tease us that they only had fireworks on his birthday.  I was ok with that though, I told him it was because his birthday was at night and mine was during the day.   Hahaha, the genius of a 4  year old.   On to the card:  The stamp set is the new Vintage Picnic, I finally got to play with it!   Patterned paper is bitty boxes.  Cardstock is kraft and select white.  The blue is by Bazzill.  The buttons come from doodlebug but the twine is from PTI.  That little star stamp near the sentiment is from the Wise Owl set.  I colored the image with my copic markers.  I love to color.  Have a happy 4th this weekend!