Anthuriums and Free Anthurium Digi

Aloha friends,

It's been a while because of health junk but today was a better day. For the longest time I've been wanting to try and just sketch images rather than searching for ones I would like and then buy them. I could not figure out how to use the Wacoam Bamboo sketch tablet so gave up and used a pencil and Pigma Micron 3.0 pen lol!!! Then I scanned it and it's for free to anyone who would like it. As I strike out further, I will try and upload more free images as long as the getting old part doesn't tamp me too far down. ---Right click over the image, then click on "Save Image As" and select a folder in your computer to store it. You can resize it in a "Paint" or Word program, even copy it four times on a single sheet of cardstock as you print. Enjoy!!!

Oh, and I watched one of the YouTube artists draw and picked up some great hints from his tutorial. Here is a link to watch Alphonso:

Alphonso Dunn, Basic Drawing Flowers

I left some lines lighter or blank to help your coloring or painting to look more realistic, like light is hitting those areas. Plus our eyes tend to fill in those details, too. I hope you have fun with this should you want free digis. And this is how I watercolored it:

Anthuriums drawn with pencil and Pigma Micro 3.0 mm black pen

Gasai Tambi watercolors

Prismacolor pencils

GKD white Cardstock; SU Rich Razzleberry; Gold mirror cardstock; Neenah Solar White (inside) 

XCut Embossing Folder "Foliage"

SSS mini gold sequins

I added a score line around the image

Mahalo for stopping by!

Wishing you a healthy & joyous week ahead ♥ Aloha!

The Fire Hydrant

Aloha!

When I saw this stamp set by MFT, well, I knew I had to get it. It tickled me. Today I made a set of four to send out to friends or family who may be having a not so good of a day. It will be entered into the My Favorite Things Color Challenge. You still have a couple days to come play along!

Stamp Set: "You Make My Tail Wag" by MFT
Cardstock: GKD
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black & Flannel Gray; VersaMark w/White EP by SSS
Colored with Copic Markers
Spiral (Sunburst) Stencil by Clear Scraps
Foam Adhesive (behind the sentiment)

I sketched a sidewalk, cut out the images, made an angle cut and added shadows and the red dot paper. Inside has some gray heart paper with puppy paw prints, like the envelopes ♥

Mahalo for visiting!!!

With aloha ♥

It's Snowing! Somewhere :)

Aloha!

We saw the weather for the northern and northeastern parts of the country -- woooo. Snow! We get snow on our island, too. We have two mountains that make up most of the island which are around 14,000 feet high. So during January to around March, people can go up and snow board, ski, sled, then come down and lay out at the beaches and swim. It can be a 70 degree difference between up there and down here on the same day. But I do miss seeing a layer of thick, fresh, untouched snow for as far as the eye can see, and the deep sound of quiet. The cold part? Not so much ☺

This card is for one of our cardmaking buddies because I know life's been rough for so many of us. It is not for a challenge, just for the sheer enjoyment of coloring and throwing glitter on something and hoping it sticks. Yes, it gets all over the bed, me and Bruce, but he's ok with that. And we like to sparkle. I'll change the bedding tomorrow.

Stamp Set: "Eve Girl" by Unity
Cardstock: GKD 120# white, 80# white, Passionate Pink (I used some purple distress ink over it after embossing it so it doesn't look pink)

To answer questions about the inks and colors used, here is a list--

Inks: 

1. Distress inks sponged for the background (first dot with Molotow mask or rubber cement where you want all the snow fall kept white, let dry. After drying you can use sponge daubers to color the background.) Spun Sugar, Picked Raspberry, Tumbled Glass, Chipped Sapphire, Dusty Concord, and on the edges Black Soot. After removing the dried mask for the snow fall, I made them extra white with Signo White Gel Pen and the Sharpie Pump Paint Marker.
2. Copic markers (knit hat has RVs, sweater has BVs, Gloves are YGs, hair has Y02 and Y21 for the highlights, and dark Browns for the rest of her hair)
3. Image stamped with Ranger Archival Black (just to try it out - I think I still prefer Memento Black but it was fun to try)

Embossing Folder: Darice "Paisley" (pink layer)
Glitters: Elizabeth Crafts "Warm Diamond" and American Crafts "Spark Tinsel" (bottom of card)
Silver Ribbon, Pink Twine (SU) I know it looks red, but it's bright pink
Signo White Gel Pen and Sharpie White Paint Pump Marker (for all the snow blobs)
Wink of Stella (on sweater, knit hat); Scor Tape and Dries Clear Adhesive

The inside sentiment says:

"We are like snowflakes,

all beautiful in our own way."

Mahalo for stopping by!

I am truly grateful for each and every one of you ♥

Aloha!

Heart Tails Anniversary

Aloha!

It's another hot day here and I'm missing the changing autumn colors on the mainland. The a/c is on, hoping for clouds and watching "The Lady Eve" on the tv with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. It always makes me laugh, especially when Henry Fonda's character keeps getting soaked with food and drink during the formal dinner.

House Mouse is having a very challenging Challenge! It's using three colors: Turquoise, Purple and ONE neutral (shoot me). But I need more anniversary cards, so must keep pushing onward!

Here is the link to the current challenge: House Mouse Color Challenge!  

Stamp: "Tails of True Love" by House Mouse; "Flowering Fields" by Stampin' Up

Inks: Memento Warm Cocoa

Prismacolor Pencils

Cardstock: GKD Turquoise Sea, White; Ranger Kraft

Pattern Paper stash (I lost the cover, sorry :P  )

Die: MFT Diagonal Stitched Squares

Embossing Folder: We R Memory Keepers 3D Hearts

SU Twine, DoodleBug pearls, stash plaid button, Perfect Pearl Spray (on the turquoise card base), SN clear glitter brush (on the flowers and mice's heart tails ♥)

If you look closely, you'll see heart shadows below their tails.

Mahalo for stopping by!!!

With much aloha ♥

Coloring Book Flower

Aloha ♥

Are you into using coloring books? I was trying to hold off as long as possible. But I saw one on Amazon called "Color Calm." The name intrigued me. It's about 8" x 5" and takes color markers well without bleed through. But I won't tempt it with water. This is not a card but an 8 x 5 picture with an easel on the back.

I still cannot find the first project I colored in it. That baffles me. My Bible showed up :D :D :D Bruce had laid something on it. Color me happy. Plus I am watching some gentle hula and listening to Hawai'ian music. Heavenly. If you enjoy gentle guitar and beautiful Hawai'ian singing with hula, check out this link and let your mind dream you are in the islands ♥

Nathan Aweau

Color Calm coloring book
Kaisercraft gel pens (a lot of these colors are metallic. I wish you could see it IRL)
I used the Black metallic pen to add the dotted outline
Sponged background with Memento Inks; grass blades with Memento markers
Cardstock: GKD Ivory 120#; AC blue and green
Corner Rounder
Tear Drop Rhinestones

Mahalo nui loa for all your love ♥ With aloha

Sunset Thanks

Aloha again (twice in one day)!

I started this and the previous card yesterday. Yesterday was embossing day and today is distress ink coloring day. This is also an emboss resist and I considered adding it to the previous post but Blogger does funny things if you combine posts.

Same technique, stamp set, inks but without adding markers or glossy accents, same challenge Paper Smooches "Give Thanks!" 

Stamp Set: "Botanicals 1" by Paper Smooches
Die "Thanks" Paper Smooches
Cardstock: GKD 120# 80# white; AC Black
Inks: Distress Inks "Squeezed Lemonade, Fossilized Amber, Wild Honey, Fired Brick"
Ranger Detailed Black EP, VersaMark pad and marker (dots)

Mahalo for making the trip over to my blog!!

With aloha ♥

Dragonfly Night

Aloha all,

And look at that, another week gone by. I hope yours was a great one and here's to the next one!

This is a nighttime sky cause I love astronomy, meteor showers, planet watching, and any kind of cool sky sights! Paper Smooches Challenge is "Giving Thanks!" I am thankful for every moment and all of the creations around us ♥

Using the Emboss Resist technique is a great deal of fun for me :) It's fast, usually easy (sometimes not) and you never know exactly how the blended inks will look when you're done.

I used the VersaMark marker to add the black dots, embossed, splattered water drops, and then used Sakura metallic gel pens for different star colors. Every once in a while we can see a twinkle of green, blue, yellow, reds so I made sure to add a couple of those stars and even a shooting star. I covered the black embossed parts and sentiment with Glossy Accents. I did the bottom half of the sentiment with purple and the top of it with blue perfect pearls (before the Glossy Accents). You can't really see the two colors on sentiment like IRL.


Stamp Set: "Botanicals #1" by Paper Smooches
Die: "Thanks" by Paper Smooches
Cardstock: GKD 120# and 80# white; AC black
Inks: Distress Inks "Tumbled Glass, Blueprint Sketch, Milled Lavender, Dusty Concord and Black Soot"
Perfect Pearls Interference Blue and Violet (Interference pearls looks esp brighter on dark cardstock - this is black)
VersaMark, Ranger Detailed Black EP, Glossy Accents, Signo White Gel Pen, Sakura Metallic Gel Pens, Dries Clear Adhesive

And thank you for stopping by!

With aloha ♥

Sunkissed Autumn Anniversary

Aloha friends!!!

How was your week? I hope it was wonderful ♥ And now we go into another weekend and life is going faster and faster. I'm still trying to catch up on Anniversary cards!

I have lost the last two projects I worked on {sigh!}. Looked everywhere but at least I found my giant Bible. It went missing in here, too!

StampTV has a challenge this week to USE A TREE! Seemed easy enough but I'm still having to work on when to stop.

--Ye Olde Products Used--

Stamp Sets: "A Sunkissed Autumn," "Fanciful Tags" (sentiment) and "Whimsical Fall" (the apple basket and leaves) - all by Gina K. Designs
Cardstock: GKD White 120#, Neenah 80# White, and a little AC Red
Inks: Copic Markers (almost everything but sky), Memento Dew Drops(sky), VersaFine Black (sentiment)
"Vintag" Rose Bud Red Glitter
Wooden Leaf (from one of the StampTV kits) colored and then glittered
Stampin' Up oval and scalloped oval paper punches
Other: Dries Clear Adhesive, Scor Tape (line down side which I added glitter to), Ranger White Enamel Accents, SN clear glitter marker, Memento Black marker, BIC Red marker

PS That is not birdie doo dripping down the apple basket.

I meant it to be a highlight but the

Signo gel pen was to transparent, so I used the

Enamel accents. It dried faster than

I could wipe some off :(

Mahalo for stopping by to visit!!!

With lots of aloha ♥

A Set of Cards for Gifting

Aloha!

How are you my friends? It's a beautiful, sunny but cooler day here in Hawai'i. We can feel "fall" in the air, too, as it gets cool at nights and mornings, a crispness but still warm afternoons in the 80s. This is my favorite time of year in Hawai'i! The humpback whales start showing up to calve their young, then start back for Alaska around March.

I made a little set of cards to give to friends. The cards and envelopes are ocean themed. I like to give a book of stamps with cards which is an idea I got from Jennifer McGuire ♥ It will make it easier for them to use if the stamps are right there with them. Using a MISTI makes it super fast to kick multiple cards out. After stamping, I flicked a little ink to make ocean spray. The backs of the envelopes are stamped with faded sand pipers.


Stamp Sets: "Wetlands (for the gift cards and envelopes)" and "Sheltering Tree (the envelope for personal card)" by Stampin' Up
Cardstock: GKD Prickly Pear, White - both 120 and 80#
Ink: Memento; VersaFine Sepia for the sentiment; GKD mini inks for the tree on envelope
Spetrum Noir clear glitter brush pen
MISTI

Gift Card Set "Wetlands"

The envelope with a personal card inside;

Pkg of "pet" forever stamps :)

Thank you for stopping by dear ones!

Have a great week ahead ♥

A Purr-fect Day!

Aloha!

Today is Day 4 of the The Daily Marker 30-Day Challenge. I'm still hanging in there :D

Isn't this a sweet image? I love Penny Black's little critter images and have not yet inked this set up yet. So, it's about time!

The image is colored with color pencils and blended with Gamsol. But you know me - it was just too plain so I kept on going. I edged layer with blue, then sponged blue and pink around the sky and made some violet. Then I got bored with the usual rectangles and drew two lines and cut the corner out of the top left. I added the glass dew drops and used foam under the sentiment, Glossy Accents on the butterfly and flower. I added a gold heart charm to her collar and some ground.

Entered into:

The Daily Marker 30-Day Challenge

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Thinking of You & Penny Black)

Stamp Set: "A Purr-fect Day" by Penny Black
Cardstock: GKD White 120# and 80#
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Summer Sky, Angel Pink
Prismacolor Pencils & Gamsol
Dew Drops, Pigma Micron Marker & Ruler, Glossy Accents, SU Round Punch, Signo Gold Gel Pen

Thank you dear ones for stopping by!

With aloha ♥

Jane's Doodles

Aloha everyone!

Day 3 of the Daily Marker 30-day Color Challenge. This is the little engine that could...

Another simple card - just used some watercolor pencils and glitter, trying to keep it eeeeeeezeeeeeee to keep chugging along through this month long challenge. I didn't use watercolor paper but if you only use a tad of a damp brush, you can smooth the watercolor pencil out and blend :D Then take each of the colors you used, make a little puddle (I used my craft mat) and then from way up high, tap your paint brush to leave speckles all over. I tore a piece of scrap paper to cover the vase and flowers as I did that. This is another anniversary card ♥ and I'll add the sentiment maybe later tonight.

Stamp Set: Jane's Doodles "Mom"
Inktense Watercolor Pencils and just a "smidge" of water
GKD 120# White Cardstock and some ... I forget which pattern paper this is (oops, sorry)
Stickles, Tombow Mono Multi Glue, SU Dazzles Glitter, Corner Rounder
JustRite "Nested Ovals Labels" Dies

With lots of aloha ♥

Fall Poppies

Aloha dear ones,

I'm still wrapping my head around November already. Just can't believe it. Ok, if I remember correctly, during the fall you can still see some poppies around the southern states. If not, here are a few!

These are very simple, just colored with Copics and a few color pencils. I have not used a ribbon in a long time and had to cover some space towards the bottom. There's some Spectrum Noir clear sparkle on the flower petals and little black drops scattered in the background. And it's done :)  I am so many anniversary cards behind that I'm sorry if I didn't send you one. I'll try for next year?  This is for a coupe close by so I think we can get it to them, late.

Remember, the Daily Marker 30-day Coloring Challenge. Color anything and enter it during November. Lots of prizes and fun video tutorials, all free.


Stamp Set: "Pleasant Poppies" by Stampin' Up
Cardstock: GKD White and AC Black
Gingham Ribbon, Black Liquid Pearls, SN glitter marker
Copic markers and Prismacolor Pencils

**Helpful Hints** You know how red alcohol inks love to bleed all over the place? At least for me they do. And if I use the blender pen, it just spreads more. So... here's what I do now. If red is spilling outside the lines, I take a white opaque color pencil and just color over it. I hope you can't tell which flowers bled all over lol. Well, it's a lot less visible anyhow.

Gel Pen Flowers

Aloha there,

This is a day of several firsts. It's the first time I am using a coloring book, gel pens to color the whole page, and creating a short video for an Amazon review of the pens. Whew, what a day!

And it's November!!!!

The Coloring Book was marked down on Simon Says Stamp a while back, so I caved and bought it. In the center is a page of flowers. The blank pages on the left side have an affirmation or positive thought for the day. The pages are 7 X 4-1/4 inches each so you can easily cut pages to fit smaller cards. This one I left whole, and on a single layer, not a card.

This will be entered into Day #1 of Kathy Racoosin's "30 Day Coloring" challenge. You can enter on Instagram, her blog, or join her new 30-day Coloring Challenge Group on Facebook to upload your photos. They have many, many giveaways at the end of the month. The whole idea behind her monthly coloring challenges is to make us take a short, daily (if possible) break - 10, 15 maybe 20 minutes, to give our minds and souls a chance to clear and wind down. You do NOT have to make a card or even complete the coloring project each day (even though it might feel weird not to lol). I hope you will play along! Here is a link:

30 Day Coloring Challenge

Coloring Book: "Color Calm" by Valentina Harper,, a floral/dotty page
"Top Quality Gel Pens, pack of 60" on Amazon (I got them for around $14 and now they are down to just over $10!) plain, and metallic colors
Perfect Pearls Black Onyx (little black dots on the silver areas)
Dazzle Glitter by SU, sprinkled over wet dots of 3D Crystal Lacquer (very sparkly)
Matted onto white, then black cardstock

Mahalo for visiting!!!! 

Wishing you a beautiful week, filled with creativity ♥