Merry & Bright at Faery Ink

Today I am showcasing one image from a bundle at Faery Ink.  The non-traditional colours really make this Christmas card Merry & Bright!

You can find all the information and more photos on my blog post here.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Penny's Paper-Crafty Challenge - #460 ATG
2. Brown Sugar - #296 ATG
3. Classic Design Team - #12 ATG
4. Crafting By Designs - December ATG
5. Crafting With An Attitude - #58 ATG
6. I ♥ ProMarkers - #399 ATG
7. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #1949 ATG

Do You Believe? at Faery Ink

This week at the Faery Ink blog I am showcasing one of the gorgeous new images only available on Patreon. 'Spirit of the Holidays' will only be available this month, so grab her while you can.  
All the information on my card, plus a little extra via my blog post here.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. I ♥ ProMarkers - #397 ATG
2. Crafting With An Attitude - #57 ATG
3. Crafts Galore Encore - #69 ATG
4. Crafty Creations - #402 ATG
5. Classic Design Team - #11 ATG
6. Crafting By Designs - November ATG
7. CCC Digi Creations - #109 Christmas
8. Brown Sugar - #295 ATG

A Pirate's Life For Me at Faery Ink

Did you manage to grab the Faery Ink One Day Fae this month?  Don't worry if not, you can still grab her in the Etsy store.  All links and information in my featured blog post here.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Passion For ProMarkers - WK494 ATG
2. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - May ATG
3. Classic Design Team - #4 ATG
4. Crafts Galore Encore - #63 ATG
5. Crafty Creations - #391 ATG
6. Crafty Catz - #463 ATG

Bauble Fairy Christmas

I thought I'd get one last post in before the year ends!  Did you all have a wonderful Christmas?  I spent mine in the mountains, but unfortunately the horrible colds and coughing persisted for all of us.  It was lovely to get away and do something different though.

Today I am sharing a CAS Christmas card that I made following a wonderful tutorial from Zoe at Make It Crafty.  She has recently ventured into doing video tutorials and launched a new site The Coloring Lab.  If you haven't checked it out yet, there is a free course you can take. 
I bought this bauble fairy class a few months ago, but I was then so busy with other things I hadn't done it.  I was determined to get it done before Christmas though so I made time and did it over a couple of days.  The tutorials are using Copic markers, but you can use any brand you like. 
Do you ever make a card you couldn't bear to give up?  I do that all the time...so you know what I do then? I give them to my husband, lol.

Products used:

• Kraft card blank
• MIC chipboard sentiments
• Distress Ink - Forest Moss & Stormy Sky
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle - Onyx Black
• ProMarkers - Meadow Green, Lemon, Leaf Green, Cardinal, Hot Pink, Carmine, Pastel Pink, Raw Sienna, Gold, Yellow, Duck Egg, Cool Aqua, Turquoise, Coral, Sunkissed Pink, Putty, Marine, Holly & Forest Green

I am entering my cards into the following challenges:

1. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - #418 ATG
2. Passion For ProMarkers - WK473 Mega Christmas Challenge
3. Simon Says Wednesday - ATG 57
4. Crafty Gals Corner - #181 ATG (5th Blogiversary)
5. Crafty Creations - #381 ATG
6. Christmas Crafts All Year Round - December ATG

Unicorn Moon Celebration at Faery Ink

Today I am showcasing another of the Unicorn Masquerade Party images.  Can you tell I really love fantasy and magical things?!
All the information and closeup photos can be found at my Faery Ink blog post.

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Classic Design Team - #9 ATG
2. The Paper Shelter - #354 Sentimental
3. Simon Says Wednesday - Bling It On
4. Passion For ProMarkers - WK462 ATG
5. Creative Fingers - #152 ATG
6. CCC Digi Creations - #96 Use Pearls/Gems

Big Hair, Don't Care!

I love images with big, flowing hair... I just don't love colouring them! I think I just try too hard with hair and then hate it.  

Considering this, I grabbed one of Make It Crafty Zoe's e-books 'Colouring Long Hair in fine detail' as it comes with a gorgeous image 'Zoe' by Krista Smith.

I usually colour all of the hair with my darkest shade first, working down to the lightest.  I often lose any highlight areas this way though, as I'm not really thinking about it.  Zoe's technique is to think about the highlight area first, then start with medium colour and take a section at a time.  

I'm really pleased with how the image came out, so I decided to put her on a card.

Products used:

• Kraft card
• Green card
• Spellbinders dies
• Recollections ribbon
• Heart Tinklings and word chipboard from MIC
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle 'Onyx Black'
• ProMarkers - Cinnamon, Tan, Sunkissed Pink, Putty, Umber, Henna, Cocoa, Caramel, Warm Grey 3, Hot Pink, Lipstick, Olive, Pear, Cardinal, Ruby, Holly, Lush Green, Mint Green, Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna & Ginger

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Anything Goes
2. Pammies Inky Pinkies - #1828 AG
3. TTCRD - 17-24 July AG
4. Crafty Creations - #370 AG

A Bunch of Thanks

I was asked to make some thank you cards, so I thought I would experiment with some different colourways on the same image.  I love how different colours can completely transform the way things look.  This also satisfies my not wanting to make the same card again. I really love handmade cards being one-of-a-kind. The only time I really do bulk cards similar is for Christmas, but even then there are usually slight differences.

Products used:

• Card blanks
• Coloured cardstock
• Word dies
• Sequins
• ProMarkers - I was colouring a few at a time, so didn't write down the colours I used!

I am entering my cards into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Anything Goes
2. Lil Patch of Crafty Friends - #85 Anything Goes
3. Passion For ProMarkers - WK451 Add A Sentiment
4. TTCRD - WK 3 July Anything Goes
5. AAA Cards - #118 Use A Frame

Birthday Fishes

Don't you just love it when you've got enough points for a freebie?  I just couldn't resist getting 'Mermaid Viviane' from Make It Crafty as she comes with a couple of separate Koi fish.  

I've coloured sea backgrounds a few times now, but wanted to try doing it a different way.  I've basically done thick lines of different blue-green shades to represent the light shining through the water.  I added some bubbles after.  The Koi fish are fussy-cut and raised up with 3D foam pads for some dimension.

Products used:

• Card blank
• Yellow card
• Make It Crafty chipboard sentiments
• Gold glitter gel pen
• White Sakura Gelly Roll
• ProMarkers - Burnt Orange, Bright Orange, Pumpkin, Sunflower, Cinnamon, Tan, Dusky Pink, Putty, China Blue, Rose Pink, Burnt Sienna, Caramel, Sandstone, Turquoise, Duck Egg, Cool Aqua & Tea Green

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Animals
2. Simon Says Wednesday - Bright And Cheerful
3. Creative Fingers - #148 Anything Goes
4. Cupcake Inspirations - #449 Under The Sea
5. AAA Cards - #118 Use A Frame

Fairy Wishes at Ching-Chou Kuik

Already our last week of inspiration at Ching-Chou Kuik's challenge blog, but you still have plenty of time to enter here. Don't forget, the theme this month is CATS OR DOGS.

This week the team were challenged by Aurora to use fairies, so I have used the greyscale 'Misty Moon' to make a birthday card.

Products used:

• Kraft card blank
• Coloured cardstock
• Doily dies
• Chipboard words and Tinklings from Make It Crafty
• ProMarkers - Lavender, Powder Blue, Indigo, Midnight Blue, China Blue, Cobalt, Tea Green, Putty, Sunkissed Pink, Almond, Cool Aqua, Hot Pink, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Magenta, Black, Gold, Amber & Sunflower
• White Sakura Gelly Roll
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle 'Onyx Black'

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Pammie's Inky Pinkies - #1824 AG
2. A Bit More Time To Craft - #70 AG
3. Classic Design Team - #26 AG
4. Creative Craft Cottage - #108 AG
5. TTCRD - WK June 19 AG

Aja Celebrate's at Faery Ink

Eeep could I be more excited?! Amanda at Faery Ink recently had a DT call and I was chosen as one of the new Faerykins <3

I don't officially need to start sharing projects until next month, but after colouring most of the images for the Unicorn Masquerade Party, I just had to start sharing sooner!

I have made a twisted easel card using Aja - you can find her in the freebie album in the Faery Ink Facebook Community.  She comes with or without a mask.  For more magical images, check out the Etsy store. 

Products I have used to create my card:

• Card blank
• Coloured cardstock
• Core'dinations Glittersilk card
• X-Cut butterfly punch
• Papermania gems
• Sizzix dies - Flourish #9 & Decorative Swirl #4
• Provocraft Vintage corner die
• Spellbinders Grommet Tag die
• Glitter brads
• Make It Crafty chipboard sentiment
• Crafter's Companion 'I Believe' embossing folder
• ProMarkers - Umber, Walnut, Cocoa, Cinnamon, Tan, Caramel, Black, Henna, Burnt Orange, Pumpkin, Amber, Apricot, Holly, Lush Green, Mint Green, Meadow Green, Soft Lime, Cool Grey 1-5
• Gel pens
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen - Black Onyx

The Glittersilk card is my favourite for making cards like this, it's got such a great texture and shine.  

I used stippling with gel pens to create sparkle on the dress and wings.  

My favourite way to colour a background is stippling as I don't need to create a smooth blend this way and it uses a lot less ink!  Normally I use the bullet end for this, but this time I used the chisel end. 

I really love the chipboard sentiments from Make It Crafty.  They give great dimension and you can colour them with pretty much anything

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. I ♥ ProMarkers - AG
2. Simon Says Monday - All Things Bright And Beautiful
3. Creative Fingers - #147 Anything Goes
4. Crafty Gals Corner - #167 Summer Colours
5. Brown Sugar - #279 Wedding or Party
6. CCC Digi Creations - #93 Eileen's Challege Anything Goes
7. Classic Design Team - #26 Anything Goes
8. Crafting By Designs - Anything Goes

Cherry Blossom Smile

I always knew spring had arrived back home because there would be cherry blossoms everywhere.  They are one of my favourite flowers, but unfortunately I don't see any here.  
I couldn't resist this gorgeous 'Cherry Blossom' digi from Make It Crafty, which is on sale right now at only $1!!! Plus a massive bonus that Zoe has created a background for it too.  
The image definitely needed to stand out, so I printed the included sentiment with it and made a CAS card with just a bit of ribbon and lace.

Products used:

• Kraft card blank
• Lace & ribbon
• White Sakura Gelly Roll
• ProMarkers - Baby Pink, Dusky Pink, Almond, Primrose, Soft Lime, Walnut, Cocoa, Raw Sienna, Caramel, Sandstone, Olive, Moss, Pear, Fuchsia, Pink Carnation, Blossom, Mulberry, Denim & Blue Pearl

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Flora
2. Cute Card Thursday - #350 The Great Outdoors
3. Let's Craft & Create - #137 AG
4. CCC Digi Creations - #92 Flower Power

Thankyou Floral

Yay it's finally looking like spring here - sun is shining, the sky is blue and it's finally getting into double plus temperatures.  I haven't seen any pretty spring flowers yet though, so I've been colouring some up and creating some dew drops on them.
Make It Crafty have some awesome new florals which can be mixed an matched to create your own images. For my card I have used a pre-designed corner, plus flowers from a set.  I used a single flower which matched the large flower in the corner and popped it up on foam pads.  

Products used:

• White card blank
• Red cardstock
• Make It Crafty Thankyou chipboard
• White Sakura Gelly Roll
• Spectrum Noir Sparkle - Spun Gold
• ProMarkers - Burgundy, Cardinal, Ruby, Lipstick, Burnt Orange, Sunflower, Pine, Forest, Apple & Warm Grey 1

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Dew Drops
2. Simon Says Monday - Flower Power
3. Simon Says Wednesday - Anything Goes
4. Crafty Creations - #365 Anything Goes
5. Crafty Gals Corner - #164 Anything Goes
6. Card Mania - #103 Spring

Little Fluffy Clouds

It's not feeling too much like spring here, so I thought I'd colour myself a nice spring sky.   Thinking of a title for this post brought a song to mind, which I'm listening to as I type - 'Little Fluffy Clouds' by The Orb (yipes, it's 27 years old now 😲).

This is another tutorial from Make It Crafty's 'Colouring Skies' book.  I've changed it up a bit and used a different image (Summer Dreams) with the background.  The images come with the eBook download, which is awesome. 

I'm marking myself with a 'could do better' on the clouds, lol. I kinda got the shadow on the tops instead of the bottoms.  Rectified it a bit.  It was my first try though so I'm not too unhappy. 

ProMarkers used - Khaki, Pear Green, Apple, Forest, Bright Green, Leaf Green, Pine, Lavender, Powder Blue, Lilac, Cinnamon, Tan, Dusky Pink, Putty, Raw Sienna, Gold, Sunflower, Canary, Mulberry, Cerise, Pink Carnation, Burnt Sienna, Caramel and Sandstone

I am entering my colouring into Make It Crafty - Spring Skies challenge

Sunset Beach

Hey Crafty Peeps, is it spring where you are?  We have a beautiful sunny day here but still lots of snow, so I'm not really in a spring mood just yet. 

I've been eyeing Make It Crafty's 'Colouring Skies' eBook for a while, so with it being half price for their latest challenge I knew I couldn't wait any longer! 

I will be framing this picture for my gallery as I'm really pleased with how it turned out.  I wasn't too sure about the sky when I started.... not so easy with bullet nibs! 

• ProMarkers - Buttercup, Tulip, Amber, Pastel Pink, Carmine, Amethyst, China Blue, Cobalt Blue, True Blue, French Navy, Caramel, Sandstone, Warm Grey 1-5 & Black
• White Sakura Gelly Roll
• Wink of Stella

I added some Wink of Stella to really make the sea shimmer

I am entering my picture into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Spring Skies
2. Creative Moments - #138 Anything Goes
3. Lemon Shortbread - #62 Anything Goes
4. Let's Craft and Create - #135 Anything Goes
5. Simon Says Monday - Whatever The Weather
6. The Corrosive Challenge - #3 Anything Goes
7. Colour Crazy - WK10 Anything Goes

Sexy Grey Tie

Lately I have been practising my skin colouring.  When I started I was only using three colours for skin, as my ProMarker collection was limited.  Since taking some classes at Kit & Clowder and getting a lot more ProMarkers, I now use 4 or five colours for skin and different blends for some diversity.  

With Valentine's coming up I wanted to colour up something sexy, so bought 'Anastasia's Grey Tie' from Make It Crafty.  There's a nice bit of skin on show with this image! 

I've gone very clean and simple with my card... the image and sentiment say it all.

Products used:

• Cardstock
• ProMarkers - 
• Skin - Cinnamon, Tan, Dusky Pink, Putty & Almond
• Hair - Burnt Sienna & Caramel
• Outfit/Shoes/Accessories - Indigo, Prussian, Violet, Aubergine, Plum, Mulberry, Magenta, Black, Cool Grey 4 & 5
• Background - Warm Grey 1-5
• Wink of Stella - Clear

A bit of sparkle on the mask & feathers

And to show my previous skin colouring... this was coloured June 2016.  No depth or shading at all, lol

Using Dusky Pink, Soft Peach & Oatmeal 

(Image 'Bathing Beauty' by KennyK Stamps)

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Skin
2. TTCRD - WK 16th Jan Anything Goes
3. Passion for ProMarkers - WK427 Something New (new image)
4. Simon Says Wednesday - Add A Sentiment
5. CASology - WK238 Glimmer

Whispy Birthday Wishes

I bought a load of Saturated Canary images before the shop closed, but due to DT work etc. etc. I haven't got around to using a lot of them yet.  I thought it was about time so I printed off 'Whispy'.  She's just perfect for folds practice and as it is Christmas I had to add some sparkle too!  Oh, and of course some of my new Make It Crafty chippies. 

Products used:

• Papermania cardstock
• Recollections embossed silver cardstock
• Glitter lace
• MIC Chipboard words, flourish & tinklings
• Anita's 3D Gloss
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Dusty Concord
• Ranger Tim Holtz Distress Oxide - Wilted Violet
• Memento Dew Drop - Tuxedo Black
• ProMarkers - Tan, Sunkissed Pink, Putty, Almond, Sunflower, Mustard, Canary, Raw Sienna, Midnight, True Blue, Sky Blue, Arctic Blue, Indigo, Prussian, Violet, China Blue, Hot Pink, Carmine, Soft Lime, Powder Blue
• Sakura Gelly Roll - White, Blue Star, Sky Star

I used white Gelly Roll to add a bit of sparkle to the wings

I used the pointillism technique with Sakura Gelly Roll pens after I'd coloured the skirt using my ProMarkers. 

I also added some 'stars' for extra sparkle in the lighter areas.

I coloured the word 'Happy' using Wilted Violet Distress Oxide.  After adding 3D Gloss on top and drying, it changed to a more pink colour. Unfortunately the gloss didn't dry too smooth... I was a bit impatient and used a heat gun!

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Sparkle 
2. Digi Choosday - WK51 Anything Goes
3. Morgan's ArtWorld - #25 Anything Goes
4. Little Miss Muffet - #179 Anything Goes
5. Colour Crazy - WK51 Anything Goes
6. Work It Wednesday - December (new lace, new chipboard, new Gelly Roll pens)

Birthday Sparkles

With all these Christmas cards and fiddly, twiddly bits I've been doing lately, I wanted to get back to basics and make a non-Christmas CAS card. I also wanted to go with a colour combo that I don't often use - Orange and Blue (although the backing card is more yellow as was the closest I had and it matched the flowers, lol).
I've added some sparkle to the dress using white Gelly Roll and also to the chipboard sentiment. 

Products used:

• Cream card blank
• Yellow-orange and blue cardstock
• Make It Crafty chipboard words and stars
• Make It Crafty Image - Tia Celebrates
• Sakura Gelly Roll - White
• ProMarkers - Coral, Sunkissed Pink, Putty, Satin, Duck Egg, Black, Cool Grey 5, Burnt Orange, Pumpkin, Amber, French Navy, Cobalt, Powder Blue, Gold, Sunflower, Warm Grey 1 & 2

I am entering my card into the following challenges:

1. Make It Crafty - Sparkle
2. TTCRD - WK Dec 19 Anything Goes
3. Crafty Gals Corner - #154 Anything Goes
4. The Corrosive Challenge - #12 Anything Goes
5. Simon Says Monday - Party!
6. Addicted to CAS - #126 Sparkle
7. AAA Cards - #105 Sparkle