Try mixing it up...

...don't be afraid to use different colouring mediums on the same piece.

Ignacio of Nicecrane Designs, recently asked me to have a go at colouring images from one of his new collections - he wanted examples on white & a darker background. So I printed some images onto some smooth white CS and some Neenah CS in 'Desert Storm' (pale kraft colour).

Here are the images printed out...

...and as you can see, the subject matter is some playful pups.
Grabbing my Spectrum Noir pens, I made a start on the white CS and started with some basic shades to start things off...

...I swept over the background with some CG1 (citrus green) and started to colour the pup with TN3 & TN6 from the tan range but I wanted to try the image on the kraft CS...

...some white pencil quickly started to bring the image to life and some biscuit shades started to bring dimension to the image...

 ...but the pencils were not strong enough to create sufficient colour in the background so I decided to mix in some Spectrum Noir pens...

 ...as you can see, the pencils and pens work well together.
I returned to finish off the image on the white CS and kept mainly to the pens...

 ...except for the pup in the water - he was given a touch of white pencil to 'tone-down' the tan colour slightly.
Here are the two completed images...

...the colour of the background CS really does give a different effect to the two pieces but so does mixing your colouring mediums. I'm sure some of you have watched demonstrators colour with alcohol pens and then they will use pencils (Prisma colour/Spectrum Noir) to highlight specific areas. What I wanted to show here was the fact that you can colour different areas of an image with different colouring mediums to produce the finish that you want.

The puppy on the kraft CS coloured with pencils looks very different from the puppy on the white CS coloured with alcohol pens but each works in its own way.

This set of images (by Cecil Aldin) is just one of the many fabulous sets that you can find over at the Nicecrane Design site and if you are looking for some inspiration as to how to use them, the DT over at the Nicecrane blog have lots of super ideas to share with you - please do hop over and take a look................................................................ 

Isn't it amazing...

...what you come across when looking for something else.

I was looking for a Mo Manning stamp that I have obviously put away for 'safe keeping' when I came across this Magnolia stamp...it is the cute Edwin and his Christmas list.

I can't remember the last time that I actually inked him up so while he was to hand I stamped him onto some smooth white CS and coloured him with my Copics...

...he was then die-cut using the Spellbinders scalloped oval.

Out came a couple of my Martha Stewart punches (the daisy trim and the fir sprigs) and some PP from my stash - think it is from a past Papermania Christmas range - and put together the card you see here.

Tomorrow is the October "Eastwood Crop" and it is being held at the Toby Carvery. It will be a super long day away from housework and the other distractions so hopefully I will be able to increase my collection of coloured images ready for a bit of card making.

Hope the weather is going to behave as it is not great carting totes across car parks in the pouring rain.

Hope you all have a super weekend................................................................

Same image...

...different colours.

Last month at the Eastwood Carvery Crop, I did quite a bit of colouring but didn't actually get anything made with the images that I had completed.

I love playing around with different colour combos on the same image as it always amazes me how different a change of colour can make something look.

This adorable little 'Miss' is from Lili of the Valley...

...and I have yet to finish her off. However, I did complete two other versions of this stamp...

...and I have made them into two very different cards.
I love the 'icy' feel that the aqua & silver colour scheme gives...

...need to get hold of some more of that CS and those flowers as I really do love this colour combo.
In this one, the image is coloured in a similar way to the unfinished image at the start of this post...

...and I have gone for a more traditional colour combo with a vintage feel.

The images have been stamped onto smooth white CS and I have used a variety of Copics and Spectrum Noir pens.

Talking of pens...did you see the Chameleon Pens on Create & Craft over the weekend? I was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo tempted but I didn't think the Bank Manager would be impressed as I've just had a rather large bill to deal with. I can assure you, it was very difficult resisting new pens to play with.

Never mind, I'm sure I'll get a chance to pick up these goodies when the old bank account has had a chance to take a breath..............................................................

Before it disappears completely...

...a Summertime card.

The temps are dropping and everywhere is donning its Autumn finery but we are still getting some warm spells and a bit of sunshine - so I thought I'd use one of my Kenny K digi images that reminds me of Summer.

Who can resist an ice-cream when the weather is lovely...

...I haven't used any of my Kenny K images for ages and it seems such a long time since I made a card with a cluster of blooms like this.

This card is for a friend's birthday - it is okay to share on here as she doesn't follow any social networking sites of any kind.

I hope the weather isn't too bad where you are - I understand that some poor folk up in Scotland have actually had some snow........................................................................

Two weeks of...

...stress & bother.

For 18 years, Mum has had a car through the Motability scheme and I am her designated driver.

For 18 years, things have gone smoothly. No hic-cups with the 3-yearly car changes or the regular servicing appointments (other than they tended to forget to valet the vehicle unless reminded).

This year...hassle.

The "End of Agreement" notification arrived late so everything had to be sorted in a bit of a rush and it didn't help to be told..."you're a bit late coming in so I'm not sure we will be able to meet the change over date" hurumph!

It didn't help further to receive a phone call to advise the car was in - only to discover that the hoist hadn't been installed and that would be another week. Elements of service that had always been part of the 'package' now don't happen (cost cutting?) but it would have been nice to have been informed.

The car was finally collected a week ago...

...for the first time in 18 years it isn't BLUE. The last couple of cars we have had have been very dark (almost black) blue and they have been a nightmare to keep clean - so this time we went with 'Burnished Glow'.

A visit from the engineer to sort out issues with the hoist and adjustments that had been made to Mum's mobility scooter and things went from one extreme to the other - in the end I sorted it myself on Sunday.

Not overly impressed with the new vehicle - standard of workmanship not brilliant, previous standard features now treated as 'extras' so not included. Over all, nothing to get enthusiastic about.

At the end of the day, it has to meet Mum's needs and as long as it does that we will be okay with it but if the support & service continue to diminish - we could be looking for a new supplier in 3 years time....................................................................................

Macmillan coffee mornings...

...such a good cause.

My Dad was lucky enough to have a Macmillan nurse and I really believe that it was with this support, Dad survived much longer than the Doctors had predicted.

Tomorrow - 26 September - one of my staff has organised a cake sale for the whole of our office. Unfortunately, I will not be there but I made some wrist bands as a bit of fun.

We couldn't find wristbands anywhere so I dug out the Loom bands and made a variety of styles in the two-tone green design that Macmillan use. The box contains Single Fishtails, Triple Fishtails and Criss-Cross Quadtails. As this was a bit of fun to raise a few more 'pennies' I also did some other colours because not everyone likes green - everything has been selling well.

I'm currently making pink bands for Breast Cancer Awareness October.

If you are holding an event for Macmillan, I wish you all the very best..................................................

A birthday card...

...for an 80th Birthday.

I was asked by a colleague to make an 80th birthday card for her Dad - the remit was very sketchy..."He does a bit of gardening"...

I struggled to come up with something but in the end went with an easel card made to look like a garden shed...

...the shed was made from a sheet of Carta Bella PP from their "Sew Lovely" range - Woodgrain. This PP was the perfect weight and had a lovely texture to it that made the woodgrain seem very real.
Most of the other items on the card come from the Craftwork Cards "Potting Shed" range...

 ...the dotty PP with the thistles in the corners was used on the base. Card Candi added colour & texture in the corners and was added to a cluster of mini rosettes to create a hanging basket...

 ...the greenery was added by hand using a Distress Marker. The wheelbarrow...

was die cut decoupage and was luckily the right size.

All the sentiment panels came from the Potting Shed paper pack and the '80' was actually silver peel-offs coloured with a copper coloured Sharpie pen (why is it you never have the right colour for things like this?).

To be honest, I wasn't sure about the finished card - after all, 80 is a pretty big deal for a birthday. However, my colleague loved it and so did her family and as the party was yesterday there is no problem sharing it now.

Do you have problems coming up with ideas when the remit is vague?.........................................