Thinking Inking

Coloring Cats and Dogs. . . or Foxes!

Welcome! I've been continuing to prepare for my new Copic Workshop classes coming up soon in Detroit and Dallas. Sample books evolve, obviously, but I wanted to add another sample to my Animals class book. I also wanted to  introduce you to Imagination International's Tracing Memories Application. This app is for those of you who say, "But I can't draw!" (I really think that drawing is a teachable skill, just like handwriting, but I won't argue that point right now.) Even if you do not currently draw, you can still use your Copic markers to color images that are important to YOU. Finally, just a little plug here for Marianne Walker's Coloring Dogs and Cats Copic Foundations Book. If you're not sure where to start, this book will help!

Back to the fox story: we have fox kits in the woods behind our house. I've never gotten close enough to get a good picture, so I looked online for a good reference photo. Talk about cuteness overload! This little curled up, sleeping fox kit said "Pick me, pick me!" And I couldn't resist. . .

I started with a photo from HERE and opened it in Imagination International's free Tracing Memories App (or HERE is a direct link to Tracing Memories in Apple's App Store). When the app does its magic, you get a window like the one above (on iPad or iPhone. I used my iPad because I wanted screen shots that were larger.)

I lightened the contrast of the lines just a little, wanting to keep them subtle.

Next I used the eraser to remove the sky and shrubbery. I wanted something subtle up there, but I wasn't sure what. Erasing it entirely seemed like the way to go. 

I also used the eraser on the rock that he was curled up on to round and soften the edges. It was then ready to save and print.

I printed the resulting Tracing Memories image on a laser printer using X-Press It Blending card for paper. The top image is what I started with, and the bottom image is my finish line.

Shown above are the Copic Markers that I used to color the sleeping baby fox image. 

Here's one process photo: I still needed to darken several places on the fox, on the rocks, and in the forest-y background.

And here it is all finished--for now anyway! I'm an incorrigible fiddler, so I may fiddle with it more if I decide it needs something else.

Now, if you could use some help in figuring out just where to start (after you print your image from Tracing Memories), I would suggest Marianne Walker's Coloring Dogs and Cats Copic Foundations Book. But it's a FOX, you might say. I know. Fox, dog. . . close enough to get ideas right? I treated the texture on the fox a lot like Marianne treats the texture on long-haired dogs. I just had the added benefit of having some of the texture there before I started--a mixed blessing since you need to work WITH the printed texture rather than fighting it! 

That's it for tonight. I'll be back in a couple of days with an MFT Stamps Release in Review card--it's on my tomorrow to do list. Have a lovely weekend!

Hey, Gullfriend: MFT May Product Launch

Welcome! The My Favorite Things Stamps May release is now available! I saved my Seaside Seagulls card to share tonight because I had so much fun making this one. 

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the Seaside Seagulls images; I paper pieced the sky and water with papers from the Watercolor Wash paper pack and dotted the shoreline with white gloss and Glitter White Blizzard Nuvo Drops. 

All of the new May products are now available, and the links below should all work. Each of the MFT Design Team members will have projects to share tonight, so please check out the MFT Stamps Blog for many more cool projects and products, as well as a chance to win fabulous prizes. Good luck, and thanks for visiting!

Seaside Seagulls	Die-namics Seaside Seagulls	Die-namics Inside & Out Stitched Rounded Rectangle STAX	Die-namics Blueprints 25	Die-namics Stitched Sentiments Strips
Die-namics Beach Scene Builder	Smooth White Card Stock	Blending Card by X-Press It	Natural Heavyweight Card Stock	Hybrid Ink Pad Black Licorice
Berrylicious Premium Dye Ink Pad	Cornflower Premium Dye Ink Pad	Thick & Thin Paper Pack	Watercolor Wash Paper Pack	Nuvo Crystal Drops - Gloss White
Nuvo Glitter Drops - White Blizzard	Foam Mounting Tape 1/4"

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Bits and Pieces: Kirarina Oil Based Pens

Welcome! I'm back home from my Copic Certification weekend in Pittsburgh with some fabulous people! Tomorrow I'll have one more MFT Stamps May Release post, but tonight I thought I'd share a crafty project that I whipped up right before I left for Pittsburgh. I've been playing with a variety of lettering projects and tools in preparation for the new Copic Workshops; so when I needed an envelope for a special girl's birthday card, I decided to make one with the WeR Envelope Punch board that has been sitting unopened in my cabinet for a few months. That is a cool tool!! Now that I know how to use it, I'll definitely be making more envelopes. NOTE: This is actually a REDO of my envelopes with some of the information changed, since I didn't think I should be sharing an unedited name and address online. I didn't want anyone to panic about that!

After punching my envelope, I pencilled in my guidelines and roughed in my lettering. Next I used my Kirarina 2Win Oil Based pens to letter on my envelope I chose three different pens to give it some color variety: Royal Blue, Aqua, and Emerald. One thing you should be aware of is that you can't totally erase guidelines after marking over them with the Oil-Based Kirarinas. So be sure to pencil those guidelines in lightly.

Next, I thought I would experiment on a clear envelope since those are sometimes a challenge to address. (I've always just used labels on a clear envelope before.) What do you know--it worked! I did have to use the darker colors for them to show up well; but after they dried, the ink seemed like it would stay. (Drying was fast. I rubbed across the address hard several times with my fingers before noticing any tinge of color on my fingers, and the address was still quite legible, as you can see.) I also tried them on a scrap of vellum, and they dried quickly on that too.

I'm headed to Detroit on May 19-20 for three new Copic Workshops: Coloring Animals, Coloring Landscapes, and Hand Lettering. Three weeks after that, I'll be back in Dallas for these same Workshops (June 9-10). Those are my last two class trips until Fall, and I hope to meet some of you there! 

Thanks for stopping by today,

Sending Hugs: MFT Release Day 2

Welcome! How about a gigantic flower shaker card for Day 2 of the My Favorite Things Stamps Release Countdown? I love a shaker, and custom dies combined with plastic shaker pouches certainly simplify shaker card construction. 

In addition to the Die-namics Shaker Flower dies, I also used a border from Stitched Scallop Basic Edges 2 and a perimeter die from  Blueprints 25. The blossom pieces were cut from patterned paper in the watercolor wash paper pack, while the background polka dots are from the Dots and Stripes Bright paper pack.

While I linked all MFT products below, the links to the NEW release product links will not work until Release Night, Tuesday, May 2, at 9pm Eastern time. Be sure to visit the  MFT Stamps Blog to enter for today's prize, and to see a full list of links for the DT members showcasing today's release sets! Thanks for stopping by today,

Die-namics Shaker Flower	Label Maker Sentiments	Circle Shaker Pouches	Die-namics Blueprints 25
Die-namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges 2	Smooth White Card Stock	Premium Dye Ink Pad Grape Jelly	Gumdrop Green Card Stock
Sour Apple Card Stock	Lemon Chiffon Prestige Card Stock	Watercolor Wash Paper Pack	Dots & Stripes Bright Paper Pack
3 mm Sparkling Clear Sequins	4 mm Summer Mix	Foam Mounting Tape 1/4"	Mini Multi Medium Matte Glue

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"Sea" You Soon: MFT Release Day 4

Welcome! It's Day Four of the My Favorite Things Stamps May Release Countdown, and today I have a "mermazing" card to share! 

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the outline images. (The rest of the images are also in the stamp set, but are solid images.)

I used my Stitched Dome Die-namics and Frame to create a window for my little mermaid to peep through, while the background is the new Mermaid Tail background.

The new items shown will be available on release evening, Tuesday April 2 at 9pm, Eastern. Links for new supplies at the bottom of the page will work then; all other links should work now. Thank you for stopping by tonight, and I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps Blog for a complete list of participants in today's release blog hop, as well as for information on how to enter the prize drawing on the MFT Stamps Blog!

BB Mermazing	Die-namics BB Mermazing	BG Mermaid Tail Background	Die-namics Stitched Dome STAX
Die-namics Stitched Dome Frames	Die-namics Blueprints 27	Die-namics Blueprints 15	Smooth White Card Stock
Sno Cone Card Stock	Summer Splash Prestige Card Stock	Hybrid Ink Pad Black Licorice	Tropical Teal Premium Dye Ink Pad
Blu Raspberry Premium Dye Ink Pad	Spearmint Premium Dye Ink Pad	Limeade Premium Dye Ink Pad	Limelight Premium Dye Ink Pad
Orange Fizz Premium Dye Ink	Persimmon Premium Dye Ink Pad	Cool Diamond Microfine Glitter	Foam Mounting Tape 1/4"
Quickie Glue Pen

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Totally Grateful: MFT Release Day 5

Welcome! It's countdown time for the May My Favorite Things Stamps Release, and today I have a simple card to share pairing the new Pastel Roses All Over paper pack with some previously released stamp sets and dies. (And don't worry--if simple is not your style, I got a little carried away with tomorrow's card!)

The Roses All Over background stamp has always been one of my favorites, so I was really happy to see patterned paper come out in both bold and pastel Roses All Over--it gives that same great look with less work. ;-)

The "I am totally" is a partially cropped phrase from More Essential Sentiments; I cropped off the word grateful so that I could use the large grateful die from the Grateful for You stamp and die set. I glued three layers of white cardstock die cuts together to get a thick grateful, then glittered and airbrushed my word with Copic BV02 and V12 Copic. Airbrushing it took away some of its shimmer, so I dipped the word back into the glitter while it was still tacky to touch. Actually, it would have been much simpler to have used purple glitter. . . if I'd had any. ;-)

There are several fabulous new products being showcased today; I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps Blog for a complete list of designers playing along with today's new products! Remember that while all MFT products are linked below, the NEW product links won't be live until Release Day, Tuesday, May 2, and 9pm Eastern time. All other links should work now. Thank you for stopping by today,

More Essential Sentiments	Grateful for You	Die-namics Blueprints 15	3 mm Sparkling Clear Sequins
Die-namics Stitched Sentiments Strips	Roses All Over Pastels Paper Pack	Smooth White Card Stock	Premium Dye Ink Pad Grape Jelly
Cool Diamond Microfine Glitter	Glossy Accents	3 mm Sparkling Clear Sequins	Foam Mounting Tape 1/4"

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Coloring Flowers with Copic Markers: A Succulent Twist

Welcome! I just spent the last six hours coloring a planter of succulents from a photo that I took in a home improvement store last weekend. So there is no way that it isn't going to become a post, even if it isn't a stamped image! I'm headed to Pittsburgh this weekend to teach my last Copic Certification classes of the year, as well as a Coloring Flowers Workshop. (The rest of my 2017 classes are all Copic Workshops.) Of course that means that I'd like to have a few new pieces in my portfolio.

When we were plant shopping this past weekend, I was intrigued by several flowers, as well as a little planter of succulents. And while I have a lot of floral images in my portfolio, I didn't have any succulents. So, succulents, anyone?

Before I show you three progression images, I wanted to give a shout out to the Copic Coloring Flowers Color Foundations book by Marianne Walker. The coloring foundation series is basic enough that someone should be able to pick one up, follow the instructions, and successfully complete several images, while learning many general Copic principles along the way. They really are a great resource for learning the basics, or even for teaching your own students. Marianne shows many helpful hints and tips that will make it worth your while to read and practice.

I took pictures as I worked, and the Copic colors that I used are listed on the side of my page. I worked first in pencil, and them went over the lines that I wanted to keep with a Copic Warm Gray 0.5 Multiliner. The 0.3 Multiliner size is actually my favorite size--it's a bit smaller than the 0.5. I need another box of 0.3's, so I went with a 0.5 here. (I will post a large format picture at the bottom of the post with ALL of the Copic marker numbers showing. You should be able to click on it to get a full-sized version if you'd like.)

The tricky part of the succulents that I've colored above is that green and red are complimentary colors--or colors that are across from one another on a color wheel. That means that if you mix them, they can easily turn muddy. But if you FLICK the colors on and don't over-blend, you should be fine. Again, put the ink down, and move on.

Here it is a couple of hours down the line, with most of the background added, as well as the small-leafed succulents on the right. I used a Copic Warm Gray 0.1 Multiliner to add a crackle texture to the dish.

Here I have finished that large succulent on the bottom. It had a lot of blue-greens, blue-violets, and blues in its leaves, as well as some warmer greens toward the center. I think that this was my favorite part to color, with those red-tipped succulents in the back left being my second favorite. I chose to leave some of the background out at the top of the image because it was cluttery and did not enhance my finished image. Other than that, I stuck pretty closely to my photograph except in areas that it really just didn't matter (such as the pebbles in the dish).

Here is a higher resolution copy so that you can see the markers that I used; if you click on it, you should get a full-sized version.

Are you ready to try some flowers or some succulents on your own? Even if you don't draw, keep in mind that there are many apps that turn photos into line art for you, such as the free Tracing Memories app for iPhone and iPad. That particular app will give you some of the shading as well, unless you lessen the detail and lighten the lines enough to get rid of the shading. Don't let the drawing part stop you from branching out with your Copics and trying something that appeals to you. And be sure to check out Marianne's Copic Coloring Flowers Color Foundations book if you could use a little assistance!

Thanks for stopping by,

Peace: Power Poppy Sunset Sway

Welcome! It's time for April's Power Poppy Instant Garden Release, a seasonally inspired digital confection called Sunset Sway. Marcy tells us that Sunset Sway contains naturalized Clusiana Tulips and Wild Anemones. (And I'm always glad that she tells us exactly what flowers are in an image so that I can look up color schemes online!)

Sunset Sway comes with two large images--one featuring a butterfly, and the other only the flowers. The included sentiment says, “May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace.” (I pulled just the word peace from the sentiment for a little sentiment banner on the outside of my card.)

I took pictures as I colored, though I often go back at the end and darken areas that aren't dark enough once everything is colored. Shown above are my Copic greenery colors.

Shown above are the Copic markers that I used to color the anemones. Anemone petals are delicate and thin--they remind me of oriental poppies with that same near  translucency.

And here are the Copic markers that I used for the tulips and the background. I wasn't really planning to color the background, but leaving the edges of the tulips white meant that I needed background so that the tulips wouldn't simply look unfinished. 

When I was trying to find a die in my collection that would work with the size image that I had printed, I chose the MFT Stamps Inside & Outside stitched Oval. I could have rotated it a bit more an gotten all of the petals inside the window, but I wasn't fond of where the stems ended up when I tore that. So I fussy cut just a tiny bit around one of the anemone petals so that it could extend out and past my stitched oval mat. Cardstock is X-Press It Blending Card and MFT's Wild Wisteria. I used MFT Blueprints 25 Die-namics for the outer stitched edge on my card front mat.

Again, HERE is a link to the Power Poppy Instant Garden (digital) stamp set, Sunset Sway. I hope you get a chance to visit both then Power Poppy Blog as well as the blogs below for more Sunset Sway inspiration! Thanks for rising today,

Power Poppy Blog
Barb Walker
Cheryl Scrivens
Jenn Dove
Jessie Banks

You'll Find Your Way: MFT A-maze-ing Card Kit

It's finally release night for the My Favorite Thing Stamps A-maze-ing Card Kit! I wanted to go a different direction with tonight's card, making one that would be appropriate for a guy. I was thinking in terms of a graduation card--or maybe even an encouragement card for that last year or so of high school when you've got to figure out what you are doing for the rest of your life. . . 

I wanted to show you the inside since the maze mechanism is actually on the inside of this card. Just in case you forget to use your MISTI when you are stamping the maze guide line, that little mat layer will save your card. You can stamp another scrap of white cardstock and hide its edges under the mat layer. While the glue is still wet, shut the card front to make sure that your maze insert lines up perfectly, and nobody will ever know the difference! (Don't ask me how I know.)

I stacked my sentiment and put it on a trimmed banner shape from Blueprints 13. Patterned papers are from the Dots and Stripes Brights paper pack.

Finally, I wanted to share one more card because I had mentioned on Monday that you could use just the stamps to create your maze if you are worried about mailing a thicker card. Obviously, you lose that cool interactive element of having someone stand there and play with your card to get the little ball to the center of the maze, but it still makes a fun card either way!

Be sure to stop by the MFT Stamps Blog for more inspiration using the A-maze-ing Card Kit which is now available HERE at MFT Stamps! Thanks for visiting,

A-maze-ing Card Kit	Die-namics Blueprints 13	Die-namics Blueprints 15	Smooth White Card Stock	Sour Apple Card Stock
Dots & Stripes Bright Paper Pack	Gumdrop Green Premium Dye Ink Pad	Mini Multi Medium Matte Glue	Foam Mounting Tape 1/4"

InLinkz.com

An A-maze-ing Birthday: MFT A-maze-ing Card Kit

Welcome! It's Day 2 of the My Favorite Things Stamps A-maze-ing Card Kit reveal, and i went with a birthday card today. (You knew that I just had to use Sweet Celebrations paper in at least ONE card, didn't you? I love that stuff!) Today I paired February's Party Banners Die-namics with the A-maze-ing Kit contents.

I also used Blueprints 15 for some of the shapes on the card front, as well as Horizontal Stitched Stripes for my sentiment panel. The A-maze-ing Kit's dies make the window and its mat shape super simple, and the maze and shaker cover fit the shape perfectly. 

I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps blog for a complete list of participants in the A-maze-ing Card Kit Countdown--I know that you'll see some great ideas! Thank you for visiting today,

A-maze-ing Card Kit	Die-namics Party Banners	Die-namics Horizontal Stitched Strips	Die-namics Blueprints 15
Smooth White Card Stock	Blu Raspberry Card Stock	Cotton Candy Card Stock	Sweet Celebration Paper Pack
Mini Multi Medium Matte Glue	4mm Clear Droplets	Foam Mounting Tape 1/4"	Ripe Raspberry Hybrid Ink Pad

InLinkz.com

My Heart Will Always Find Yours: MFT A-maze-ing Card Kit

Welcome! It's card kit time again, and for the next couple of days I have some My Favorite Things Stamps A-maze-ing Card Kit projects to share--this is some serious interactive fun!

The circle die and circular mat die that come with the A-maze-ing Card Kit make creating a window for the maze piece easy-peasy--even for interactively-challenged people like me!  I chose one of my older dies, the Stitched Jumbo Fishtail Banner Stax, on which to heat emboss my sentiment. After my sentiment was in place, I used the window die that comes with the A-maze-ing Card Kit to cut the top of the banner and make it fit perfectly under the circular mat. I'm not sure if you can see it, but the maze shape with its little metal ball are topped with a clear shaker pouch that holds everything together easily. (I also made a card using the maze stamp without the plastic maze part, and that works too if you need to mail a thinner card.)

I hope you get a chance to visit the MFT Stamps blog for a complete list of participants in the A-maze-ing Card Kit Countdown--I know that you'll love what you see! Thank you for visiting today,

A-maze-ing Card Kit	Die-namics Stitched Jumbo Fishtail Banner STAX	Cherry Crisp Prestige Card Stock	Cement Gray Prestige Card Stock	Gravel Gray Prestige Card Stock
Smooth White Card Stock	Glossy Accents	Cherry Crisp Hybrid Ink Pad	White Detail Embossing Powder	Versamark Ink Pad
Mini Multi Medium Matte Glue	BG Diagonal Design Background

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Door Banner with Terial Magic

Just popping in to let you know that I have a guest post up HERE on the Terial Magic Inspire blog. I made a cloth door banner for my nieces using Terial Magic Fabric Stabilizer, My Favorite Things stamps and dies, and a bit of hand-lettering. It's all stepped out, and a full supply list is included. 

I hope you're having a wonderful Easter--He is Risen!