Great Day to Fish

Are you ready for another coloring challenge at Make it Colourful? This week we're challenging you to color with depths and shadows, to make something look 3D. For my project I went overboard, of course, and colored a full scene. I went minimal with the embellishments and made this card with father-themed in mind.


I colored the images with Prismacolor Pencils, this time blending with the pencils only. I had to apply a lot of pressure to keep the colors smooth so I might be back to a paper stump with oil for the next round. However, I am happy with the bright effect as if the sun is just rising on a perfect summer day.


DT Challenge: Make it Colourful - Challenge #6 (Shadow & Depth)
Challenge: Craft Your Passion - Challenge #44 (Anything Goes)
Challenge: Critter Sketch - Challenge #51 (use critters)
Challenge: Tip Top Tuesday - Challenge #21 (frame it)
Challenge: Scrap-Creations - Challenge #8 (animal antics)
Challenge: Bearly-Mine - Challenge #3 (for the guys)
Main Stamp: Great Day to Fish (CAH) and Country Walk (MiC)
Patterned Paper: Green Stack (DCWV)
Prismacolor Pencil Colors:
-grass: 991, 913, 909, 908, 961, 938
-trees: 910, 909, 911, 908; 920, 1006, 909, 907; 1021, 1020, 909, 961
-road: 940, 1068, 941
-wood/dock: 941, 946, 961, 991
-sky/clouds: 1068, 938, 1023, 1024, 1022, 1025, 901, 964, 938
-beaver: 943, 941, 946, 961
-moose: 997, 940, 942, 941, 946, 961, 962, 964
-shirt/shorts: 928, 926, 924, 925, 937; 991, 910, 909, 907
-hat/water: 1023, 919, 903, 901

Did you know? On 12 February 1988, the U.S. Navy cruiser USS Yorktown, while exercising the "right of innocent passage" through Soviet territorial waters, was intentionally rammed by the Soviet frigate Bezzavetniy (collision pictured) with the intention of pushing the Yorktown into international waters. This action has been called "the last incident of the Cold War".
[USS Yorktown, Wikipedia.org]

Louisa & Leoncio Sweethearts

Ready for another challenge at The Stamping Bazaar? This week is Valentines themed but I made my card to also be used for an nontraditional wedding card too with Louisa and Leoncio! So many of my cards this week have been red and pink and I couldn't get over the call of this green and gray paper. Plus it works well with the music paper and two sweethearts together. So come on over and join the challenge and lets see what you come up with.


DT Challenge: The Stamping Bazaar - Challenge #15 (Valentines)
Challenge: Copic Creations - Challenge #43 (cool colors)
Challenge: Catch the Bug February Challenge (Anything Goes)
Challenge: Aly's Sunday Challenges #35 (bling bling)
Challenge: Stampin' Sisters in Christ - Challenge #75

(no sentements but with a love theme)

Main Stamp: Louisa & Leoncio (TSB) by Marina Neira
Patterned Paper: AB Lotus Tea Box (K&C)
Metal Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities Octagon & Scalloped Octagon and My Favorite Things Die-namics Notebook Edge
Copic Colors:
W00, W1, W2, W3, W4, W5, W6, W7, W8, W10

Did you know? Sweethearts are small heart-shaped candies sold around Valentine's Day. Each conversation heart is printed with a message such as "Be Mine", "Kiss Me", "Call Me", and "Miss You". Necco manufactures nearly 8 billion Sweethearts per year. Necco introduced 10 new Sweethearts Conversation Hearts sayings each year which are theme inspired, for example "#1 Fan", "Fit for Love", and "Dream Team" (2005); "Sweet Home", "Home Soon" and "Call Home" (2006); and "Cool Cat," "Puppy Love," "Love Bird," and "My Pet" (2008). However, in 2010 and for the first time in 145 years, Sweethearts discarded all its previous phrases and asked the American public to tell us how they express their love.
[Sweethearts, Wikipedia.org & Sweethearts, Necco]

Emo Valentines Rio

Phew, can you believe six posts today?! And I can't believe I found so many Valentines articles in Wikipedia... and I didn't even get to Valentine being a variety of Sunflower! It's been fun and a full day of Simply Betty Stamps featuring one of my favorite lines. ;D Unfortunately, here's the last card made from the Emo Valentines Kit and this cute chick should look familiar from yesterday's card.


Challenge: Bee Crafty - Challenge #47 (hearts)
Challenge: Crazy 4 Challenges - Challenge #43 (Valentines)
Challenge: Creative Cowgirls - Challenge #6 (Valentines)
Main Stamp: Emo Valentines Rio (SBS)
Pattern Paper, Dies & Embossing: Emo Valentines Kit (SBS)
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R12, G20, G24, G28
-hair: E34, E57, E59, E49
-creams: E40, E41, E42
-reds: R32, R35, R39, R20, R21, R22
-purples: V12, V15

Did you know? The Valentines were one of the most highly regarded American Doo Wop groups from the mid 1950s. Their records are highly sought by collectors.Although they never had a record on the national hit parades, they were extremely popular in New York and the East Coast in general and had many regional big sellers. The stage performances of the group were sellouts and their harmonizing and choreography in sequence were amongst the most accomplished of their time.[Valentines (Doo-wop Band), Wikipedia.org]

Emo Valentines Miller

These Valentine cards remind me so much of the smaller one I gave away in elementary school. Now as I look at my kids' own Valentines, I chuckle at the silly romantics of the messages, old and new, like MARRY ME, ONLY YOU, URA TIGER, SWEET TALK, and KISS ME for example. When did Conversational Hearts get txt messages on them? Apparently they add 10 new ones every year... but we'll save that trivia for tomorrow's post. ;D


Challenge: Allsort - Challenge #89 (It must be love)
Challenge: Easy Craft Projects - Challenge #31 (love)
Challenge: Gingerloft - Challenge #11 (red)
Main Stamp: Emo Valentines Miller (SBS)
Pattern Paper, Dies & Embossing: Emo Valentines Kit (SBS)
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R12, G20, G24, G28
-hair: E34, E57, E59, E49
-browns: E40, E41, E42, E34, E57, E59, E49
-reds: R32, R35, R33
-blacks: W2, W4, W6, W8

Did you know? Valentine is a chain of over 100 privately-owned restaurant franchises operating in the province of Quebec, Canada.The first restaurant opened in 1979 in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec. A few years later, its founder, Jean-Pierre Robin, opened a second restaurant in Saint-Hyacinthe in order to meet the demand for its "famous hot-dogs". Soon after, Robin's brother, Daniel, joined him, convinced of the potential of the company. The menu mainly includes French fries, hot dogs, hamburgers, poutine, club sandwich, hamburger steak, hot chicken sandwich, smoked meats, chicken burger, chicken strips and breakfast items.
[Valentine (Restaurant), Wikipedia.org]

Emo Valentines Lola

Two hours isn't a lot of time and was just enough to de-bone a ham hock in preparation for dinner... ham and bean soup. One of the simpler meals in my cookbook but one that also gives me more time to color! :D And if you're wondering, yes, I did stay up all night to finish these. :D Of course, it didn't help that I started at 10:00pm to begin with!


Challenge: Catch the Bug February Challenge (Anything Goes)
Challenge: Ellephantastic Challenges - February Challenge #23

(distressing with a love theme)

Main Stamp: Emo Valentines Lola (SBS)
Pattern Paper, Dies & Embossing: Emo Valentines Kit (SBS)
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R12, G20, G24, G28
-hair: R81, R83, R85
-browns: E40, E41, E42, E34, E57, E59, E49
-purples: V12, V15
-reds: R32, R35, R33, R20, R21, R22, RV11, RV13, RV14
-blacks: W2, W4, W6, W8

Did you know? Valentine is a city in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,820 at the 2000 census. Recently Valentine was nearly destroyed two years in a row due to a disastrous wind storm and then the "Big Rock Fire" the next year. However, in 2007, National Geographic Adventure magazine included Valentine in its list of the best ten wilderness towns and cities. This city also participates in an annual re-mailing program where thousands of pieces of mail flow into the local United States Post Office so that they can be re-mailed with a special Valentine's Day postmark and verse.[Valentine, Nebraska, Wikipedia.org]

Emo Valentine Christian

Christian is a fun character and unfortunately I didn't get to show him in his tighty-whities, but it still works out. :D This is the only card I added an extra embellishment and had to use some chipboard wings covered, of course, with Liquid Pearls. After I had finished, I thought it would have been cool to make Christian look like a playing card... but alas, maybe next time.


Challenge: CES Challenges #22 (Red & Romance)
Challenge: Stamp, Scrap & Doodle Saturday Challenges

(use strips and polka-dots)

Challenge: Crafty Hos' Challenges #26 (Lov theme)
Main Stamp: Emo Valentines Christian (SBS)
Pattern Paper, Dies & Embossing: Emo Valentines Kit (SBS)
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R12, G20, G24, G28
-hair: W2, W4, W6, W8
-browns: E34, E57, E59, E49
-purples: V12, V15
-reds: R32, R35, R33, R20, R21, R22, RV11, RV13, RV14
-gold: Y32, Y35, Y38
-wings: C00, C1

Did you know? Saint Valentine (in Latin, Valentinus) is the name of several martyred saints of ancient Rome. The name "Valentine", derived from valens (worthy, strong, powerful), was popular in Late Antiquity. Of the Saint Valentine whose feast is on February 14, nothing is known except his name and that he was buried at the Via Flaminia north of Rome on February 14. It is even uncertain whether the feast of that day celebrates only one saint or more saints of the same name
[Saint Valentine, Wikipedia.org]

Emo Valentines Betty

Ready for another Valentine card today? Here's Valentine Betty with blowing a big smakaro! This is one of my favorite Valentine Emos and I adore the hair bow. Betty and London were originally both winking which I changed with a little modification. Enjoy!


Challenge: Crafty Calendar February Challenge #17 (Love)
Challenge: I Did it Creations - Challenge #41 (Love is in the air)
Challenge: The Crafty Pad - Challenge #107 (Love is in the air)
Main Stamp: Emo Valentines Betty (SBS)
Pattern Paper, Dies & Embossing: Emo Valentines Kit (SBS)
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R12, G20, G24, G28
-hair/shoes: W2, W4, W6, W8
-browns: E40, E41, E42, E34, E57, E59, E49
-reds: R32, R35, R33, R20, R21, R22, RV11, RV13, RV14

Did you know? Archibald Thomas Pechey (1876-1961) often credited simply as Valentine, was a British lyricist and novelist. The pen name Valentine was derived from his mother's family the Vallentins, who were London distillers. Pechey as 'Valentine' often wrote lyrics in conjunction with composer James W. Tate. Songs written by Valentine include "Love Will Find a Way" and "A Paradise for Two".
[Valentine (Writer), Wikipedia.org]

Emo Valentines London

Today will be a fun day featuring all six Valentine cards I made from the Emo Valentines Kit I got in the mail, starting with London! There is a lot of work that went into the kit so putting them together was a breeze... simply divide up all the elements and start working. It was fun and I hope you enjoy them.


Challenge: Catch the Bug February Challenge (Anything Goes)
Challenge: Saturday Challenges #120 (Valentines)
Challenge: Cupcake Inspirations - Challenge #97 (photo inspired)
Main Stamp: Emo Valentines London (SBS)
Pattern Paper, Dies & Embossing: Emo Valentines Kit (SBS)
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R12, G20, G24, G28
-hair: YR20, YR21, YR24, Y32, E55
-browns: E40, E41, E42, E34, E57, E59, E49
-purples: V12, V15
-reds: R32, R35, R33, R20, R21, R22, RV11, RV13, RV14

Did you know? Valentine is a town in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The population was 187 at the 2000 census. It is the only incorporated municipality in Jeff Davis County.Valentine's name refers to the date of its founding in 1882 by a Southern Pacific Railroad construction crew: February 14. It is one of several cities named Valentine in the United States where one may send envelopes in order to obtain special holiday postmarks for Valentine's Day from the United States Postal Service, for which the town and its post office have received national media attention.
[Valentine, Texas, Wikipedia.org]

Rio Birthday Girl

This is a very special post today, even though it's a wee bit late, it's a birthday wish for Rio. Happy Birthday Rio! Read all about how this image came to be, her priceless Birthday Wish and the special gift the kids at St. Jude's Hospital are getting! I love the Emo kids from Simply Betty Stamps and this is what I made for her 13th Birhday.


Birthday Details: Simply Betty Stamps - Birthday Rio
Challenge: Simply Betty Challenges - Valentine Birthday
Challenge: Stampin With the Dragon - Anything Goes
Challenge: Polka Doodles - Challenge #5 (with hearts)
Challenge: Alphabet Challenges - N is for Numbers
Challenge: Totally Paper Crafts - Friendship Challenge
Main Stamp: Rio Birthday Girl (SBS )
Patterned Paper: AB Lotus Tea Box (K&C)
Metal Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Ten
Copic Colors:
-skin: E000, E00, E11, R12, R89
-hair: T2, T4, T6, T8
-clothes: R20, R21, R22, R24, R29, R89, YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, B12, B14, B16, E50, E51

Did you know? A fugue state is a rare psychiatric disorder characterized by reversible amnesia for personal identity, including the memories, personality and other identifying characteristics of individuality. The state is usually short-lived (hours to days), but can last months or longer. Dissociative fugue usually involves unplanned travel or wandering, and is sometimes accompanied by the establishment of a new identity. Fugues are usually precipitated by a stressful episode, and upon recovery there may be amnesia for the original stressor.
[Fugue State, Wikipedia.org]

Pergamano Fairies 1

I made this card using another cute fairy from Pergamano who just turned this little tomato into a stage coach for a princess! Ha ha, get it? Instead of a pumpkin it was a tomato because it was red, although it could have equaly been an eggplant from the purple! Okay, I'll save my dry humor for another day. LOL.


I used the Carriage of Love from Make it Crafty and this time went with deep rich colors. I "tried" to keep the embellishments minimal but ended up adding dragonfly brads and lots of gems anyway plus lots of glitter on the fairy.


Main Stamp: Pergamano Fairies 1 (P) and Carriage of Love (MiC)
Patterned Paper: Cambridge (SU)
Copic Colors:
-face/hair: E000, E00, E11, R12, V12, V15, V17
-wings: V12, BV01, BV02, B41
-the rest: E40, E41, E42, E43, E44, E47, Y32, Y35, Y38, R35, R37, R39, V12, V15, V17

Did you know? Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada and is rooted from a German superstition. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter-like weather will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.
[Groundhog Day, Wikipedia.org]

Summer Breeze

As promised, here is a card I made with Summer Breeze! I enlarged the image and used just the top but this time coloring her with brown hair and a deeper color pallet. One of the challenges is to choose between Spring and Winter... will the Groundhog see its shadow? I chose to go with Spring! The changing of the seasons is nice but Spring and Autumn are my favorites and wish they lasted longer. ;D


Challenge: Pile It On - Challenge #6 (Bright and Breezy)
Challenge: Stamp Something - February Digi Challenge (digi)
Challenge: For Fun Challenges - Groundhog Challenge (Spring)
Challenge: Papertake Weekly Challenges (Anything Goes)
Challenge: Sarah Hurley - Challenge #27 (diecuts)
Challenge: Sew Many Challenges #42 (Anything Goes)
Main Stamp: Little Miss Muffet Designs (LMMS)
Patterned Paper: Just Dreamy (MME)
Metal Die: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Seveteen
Copic Colors:
-skin/eyes: E000, E00, E11, R11, R21, R22, B91, B95, B97
-hair: E41, E42, E43, E44, E47, E49
-clothes: R32, R35, R37, R39, BG72, BG75, BG78, B91
-other: T2, T4, T6, T8, E42, C1

Did you know? A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. Like all fungi, mushrooms are not plants and do not undergo photosynthesis. The terms "mushroom" and "toadstool" go back centuries and were never precisely defined, nor was there consensus on application. The term "toadstool" was often, but not exclusively, applied to poisonous mushrooms or to those that have the classic umbrella-like cap-and-stem form.
[Mushroom, Wikipedia.org]

Summer Breeze - New Release

Check it out - I've released a new digi in the store today called Summer Breeze. Here's a sneak peak and I'll be posting a card I made later on today! So take a look-see and come back later for some inspiration.

Little Misses - Summer Breeze

I started drawing something entirely different by request of my Mom, but somehow this gal appeared! On a beautiful summer day, I image she just finished reading her book, maybe one by Jane Austin or perhaps Mette Ivie Harrison. Hope you like her. ;D


Don't forget about the current challenge that I have going on and you can certainly use this image too. The theme is Anything Goes and you can CLICK HERE to get to the details.

Cupids & Tree of Love

I made this card a while ago and have been waiting for February to show it off! All the images are from Make it Crafty including the Tree of Love in the background. These fun cupids also decorate my blog... see if you can spot all three!


The card has a lot of action to it so I "grounded" it with a large embellishment grouping on the lower corner. The grouping is an ensemble of my favorite things... lace, head pins, laser cut chipboard (also painted with Liquid Pearls) and finally a charm. I could have added a few more, but the card was getting heavy. :D I also distressed the decorative paper in the background and used lots of foam dots to "lift" some areas.


Now that all the Valentine and love challenges are out there, I thought I'd make an effort to get this one in to as many challenges as possible... to stack them up! This might be one of the few Valentine cards I make so we'll see if I'm lucky enough to get any top picks. I think my average winning percentage is less than 1/2% so I'm just sharing for the enjoyment. ;D Here's a view of the background in full...


Bringing on the challenges:
The Cheerful Stamp Pad - Challenge #10 (Be my Valentine)
Creative Cowgirls - Challenge #6 (Valentines)
Stamping Scrapping Challenge Central (Valentines)
Die Cut Dreams - Challenge #82 (Lot'o hearts, no sentiments)
Crafts and Me Challenge (Red)
Flourishes Timeless Tuesdays - Challenge #103 (Valentine)
Simon Says Stamp Challenges (Love is in the air)
Paper Crafting Journey - Challenge #3 (Love is in the air)
Digi Doodle Shop's Best - Challenge #45 (Valentines)
Delightful Challenges (Come Fly with Me)
Crafty Purple Frog - Challenge #8 (Valentines Day)
Stampin' for the Weekend - Challenge #3 (St Valentines Day)
Mami Doodles - Challenge #19 (The magic of love)
Card Makin Mamas - Challenge #14 (Valentine)

Main Stamp: Whoopsie Cupid, Aim em Up Cupid, Run Away Cupid abd Tree of Love (MiC)
Patterned Paper: Lemonade (BG)
Chipboard: Love Heart Swirls (MiC)
Copic Colors:
-cupids: E00, E11, E13, E04, R21, B0000, B000, B02, C00, C1, C3, R22, R24, R29, R39, E43, E44, E47, E49
-tree: E42, E43, E44, E47, E49, R22, R24, R29, R39, G20, G21, YG63, YG67, G99, 0, B000, BG93, BG96, BG99, YG91, YG93, YG95, YG97, YG99

Did you know? The term "gizzard" can refer to the general guts, innards or entrails of animals, however, it is an organ found in the digestive tract of some animals, including birds, reptiles, earthworms and some fish. This specialized stomach constructed of thick, muscular walls is used for grinding up food; often rocks are also instrumental in this process. In certain insects and mollusks, the gizzard features chitinous plates or teeth. In some bird species, undigested parts of the food (including bones, fur, feathers, bills, claws and teeth) are formed together and passed back up into the stomach to be regurgitated, better known as pellets or casting.
[Gizzard, Wikipedia.org]