I Never Get Tired of Sunflowers

Especially this time of year, I just love sunflowers, and this is one of my favorite sunflower stamps.  It's from Starving Artistamps, and it's so much fun to color.  I've used everything from colored pencils, to paper piecing, to Copic markers...it comes out great no matter what!

This time I decided to try yet another way to color the flower.  I used Derwent Inktense pencils to create the base underpainting for the flower.  I started by stamping the image onto watercolor paper with Ranger Archival Ink.  Then, I very loosely colored the flower and leaves, and washed the colors with a waterbrush.  The background was created basically the same way.  I chose 3 shades of red and a gold and scribbled patches of color all over the background, then used a waterbrush to pull the color outward from the image toward the edges.  Once everything was dry, I used my colored pencils to add shading and highlights to the flower and leaves.  I also dotted on some red, black, and cinnamon colored Stickles in the flower center.  Since this is such a large image, I cut it out "outside the box" style so that I could add some borders and a few dew drops.  I have to say, this version is one of my favorites!

And, here's the latest progress pic of my dining room project.  I still need to find a replacement for the chandelier (I HATE the one that's there), and I need to finish up some of the woodwork, but the bulk of it is done...Yay!  I love the way it turned out, and now I'm itching to tackle the living room.  You know how it goes...one project begets another!

See you later.  I have some drawing homework to get after.

Just Because

Just a quick post this morning. I have busy day planned...I need to put the final coat of paint on the dining room, hang the new curtains, pick up the mess in there, tidy up the house, run to the grocery store, and get dinner going because Rachel, Tim and the kids are coming over later. Phew! Wish me luck!

This is another card using smARTworks Inchie Blocks - Set 4 and the Square Say set. I stamped both with Vintage Distress Ink and colored the pear with colored pencils. The paper printed paper is from Basic Grey (Marrakech) and the right-hand panel is made using a Technique Junkies tutorial called Brushed Inks.

I plan to be back here tomorrow with a new card and pictures of my finished dining room.

"See" you later!

Random Thoughts.....and a Card

We decided to extend our long weekend by a couple of days, so I've been off work since Wednesday. Extra time off...never a bad decision!

We went to see the Patriots play the NY Giants Thursday night, and yeah, I know, it's preseason and you never know who they're going to play, but seriously, couldn't Tom have played for a couple of minutes? Sigh. At least they won the game.

My dining room has been in need of some sprucing up since we bought this house. Finally, the old 1980's wallpaper is off the walls! Now we need to prep the walls and paint, and I'm hoping to actually start painting today. Problem is, I just don't have any motivation today. Ah well, maybe once I get started...whenever that is...it's already past 10 a.m. here. Procrastination. It's a terrible thing.

And a card...I do have a new card to share! This one is made with images from the smARTworks Little Bits #1 set and a sentiment from Inchie Blocks - Set 4. For my inchies, I washed the background with shimmery watercolors, stamped the flowers, and then colored them with Prismacolor pencils. I added the dotted borders with a black pigment pen. All in all, a pretty easy card!

Enjoy the weekend! We're having a run of spectacular weather here for a change...hope it's nice where you are, too!

Like These?

Yeah...me too! You can get them free if you're the lucky winner in the Starving Artistamps DoodleFactory Costume Party blog candy giveaway. You have until September 10th to enter, and all the details are posted here.

Good luck!

RSC September Sketch Challenge

The September Sketch Challenge over on Rubber Stamp Chat is being sponsored by Starving Artistamps. Tracey is giving away a huge selection of stamps to the lucky winner so check it out, and post a card to enter. You don't need to use Starving Artistamps on your card, but if you do use them exclusively and you're the winner, you get to pick one additional stamp set to add to your winnings. I'm not sure how anyone could pass up a chance like that!

Here's the card I did using Tracey's sketch. My images are from the Starving Artistamps DoodleFactory Into the Woods collection. I colored the images and the Prima flowers, which were originally white, with Copic markers. The frame is brown cardstock cut with Nestabilities and then glittered with copper glitter and cinnamon Stickles.

Have a great week! The weather here has turned cooler and it's definitely feeling like fall. What a relief after the heat wave we just had!

Bluebird That Makes Me Happy

Here's my latest drawing, and I have to admit, I'm pretty happy with the way it came out. It's a copy of a design from Kaaren Poole's Drawing Birds with Colored Pencils. It's 9x12 (cropped to 8/10 in this scan) on Stonehenge paper, colored with Prismacolor pencils.

I think my next big project is going to be a portrait. I've never tried one before, so this should be interesting! Actually, that's not true...I have tried a portrait. I had to do a pre-instruction self-portrait for a drawing class I'm taking. I might as well show you that too.

So now you know why I need to be taking the drawing class, lol!

Yay! It's the Weekend!

What a long week! It doesn't help that the weather here has been just gross. We are just finishing a 7-day heat wave with temps. in the upper 90's and humidity to match. Can you guess how glad I am that we put central air in last year? It's supposed to gradually cool off now, and by Friday it may feel like Autumn. New England weather...ya gotta love it, lol!

Here's a card that I made during the week in the air-conditioned comfort of my studio. The stamps are DoodleFactory Into the Woods collection from Starving Artistamps, stamped with Fluid Chalk Ink and paper pieced with scraps. The cardstock is Core'dinations, and it's really great stuff for distressing techniques.

Stay cool! Oh, and if any of you are wondering, the Moody Blues were amazing last weekend. Those guys still sound great!