Charcoal Coloring

This card was inspired by the Try It On Tuesday challenge, which is Feathered Friends. I have many bird stamps, but decided to use this one from the Unity May kit of the month. I also wanted to do some coloring with charcoal.

I have an inexpensive drawing paper pad made by Mead, and it works great with the charcoal. It isn't real smooth, but that just adds some texture as well. Here is a photo of the first bird I colored:

This is a very 'open' image, so you can add many or less details that you wish. I die cut the bird panel out with a stitched rectangle die from C.C. Designs. It isn't glued down yet, I was still deciding on some embellishments and sentiment.

I shared this on the Unity Show and Tell Facebook group, and the Girls there just loved it. I think I may just frame this whole card so it is out on display.

Thank you for visiting! 

Distress and Oxides

Sharing these tags I made last night following the techniques from artist Jolande from the Netherlands. She is visiting the U.S. this week at Unity Stamp Co. On their Facebook page, they have been doing live videos with her as she shows her mixed media techniques. I've always admired her work, and the stamps that I have used on these are hers and Marleen's images available from Unity.

The tag on the left uses Distress Oxide inks only. They blend very well together, and have a lighter look than the original Distress. I clear embossed the flower, heart, and sentiment.

The tag on the right uses regular Distress ink, much brighter color, but harder for me to blend well. The flower and sentiment are clear embossed, and I used black Versafine ink. The swirly circles were inked with Distress then clear embossed.

I did not use any water on either tag, I wanted just a full blended background. One thing to remember is to dry your ink layers as you go. Otherwise, you will end up embossing the whole tag. 

If your interested in seeing Jolande's work, visit the Unity Stamp Co's Facebook page, and watch the videos. love her! :)

Hello Hello!

Playing with my dies again, I created this colorful background following the Your Next Stamp color challenge:

I die cut several colors from the YNS Hello die. I played around with the arrangement a bit, and decided with this cascading pattern. I ran the die cuts through my Xyron sticker maker to make it a little quicker to put down, rather than using my glue pen. After that was done, I die cut three more words in Melon Mambo, and glued them all together and made a stacked sentiment right in the center. The photo doesn't show the color well, but it is a brighter pink. And to add in yellow, I used Daffodil Delight card for the base.

Thank you for visiting!

Die Cut Background

This card was inspired from the monthly Paper Smooches challenge, which this time is flowers.

I decided to create a background made from die cuts. I used the PS dies Single Rose and Foliage 2. I die cut several pieces, arranged them, then glued them down to the Very Vanilla layering piece. From Soft Sky card stock, I die cut the PS Duo Die 1 for the frame. I die cut another rose and trimmed off the leaves and glued it to the outer frame.

I stamped the sentiment from the PS Lovely Thoughts to the inner part of the frame in a darker blue ink, glued it down, and attached the outer frame with foam tape. The card base is the same light blue card, but I sponged all around it with the blue ink.

Thanks so much for visiting! 

No Line Water Coloring with Reinkers

Hi there! Sharing a page I made for my personal journal today. This one measures around 5" x 8" and uses images from Unity's May kit of the month. I wanted to do the no line coloring, so I inked this image with Antique Linen Distress marker onto water color paper. Usually I just swipe an ink pad onto my craft sheet and use that for coloring, but this time I used my Stampin Up reinkers. I must say that I love how this turned out. I can get a lot more depth in color by using the reinkers, so I will be doing this from now on!

The colors I used on the vases are Perfect Plum, Garden Green, Island Indigo, Cranberry Crisp. And for the flowers I used Strawberry Slush, Cameo Coral, Perfect Plum, Crushed Curry. I used a regular paint brush also. As I was coloring, I did use my heat tool to dry in between layers, I think that allowed me to get the darker shading.

I wanted a very light background, so I used a brick stamp and the Antique Linen marker again. After I stamped it, I rubbed my finger over it to get it to blend a little more, and make it lighter. The sentiment I inked with black Versafine in my stamp positioner tool. I inked it two or three times.

Now I have a pretty page for my journal. Thank you for visiting today!

Growing In Unity Winners and Also Paper Piecing

I'm sharing this card I made for the Unity Show & Tell Facebook group challenge, which is paper piecing. I've used the Unity kit called A Beauty All It's Own, and paper pieced her with papers from C.C. Designs. I colored her skin and legs with alcohol markers. I die cut a birch frame from C.C. Designs and outlined it with Antique Linen distress marker.

The background was stamped with the Tea Time Unity background stamp. The sentiment I just got from one of their grab bags. I also added a little Linen Thread bow to the side of the frame.

Now onto the winners from my Growing In Unity commenters last week. I used the random number generator to pick the two winners.

Berina RGA

&

Melinda Feliciano

Congrats to both of you! Please email me your mailing info to psmiles430 at yahoo dot com, and I will pass it on to Unity for your stamp prize! Thanks again for everyone who visited me last week!

Growing In Unity-Coloring Faces

For my final Growing In Unity week, I am sharing a full face image colored with pencils. This Unity kit is called Only Imagine. Isn't she adorable? Just look at those eyes! Unity has many 'Girl" images to choose from, and from various artists. You will not be disappointed!!

Like my other projects, she is inked with black MFT hybrid ink onto Crumb Cake card. Starting with light and moving to dark shading. And I don't think I've mentioned in my other posts this week, but when I color with these pencils, I use small circular motions, and a very light hand. The next layer is the same, but pressing down a little harder on the pencil. And this is repeated until I'm happy. Sometimes I will color over a section 4 or 5 times, but I like how you can control the amount of color. My alcohol marker coloring isn't always this easy :)

I dressed up her panel by adding a pretty die cut frame from Bo Bunny, and retired patterned paper from Stampin Up. The background panel was made by crumpling up a piece of crumb cake card, and lightly sponging over it with brown ink and gluing it down flat to a black card base. And I don't always add a sentiment to the front of cards, but the inside will always have one. In some cases, you just don't need one on the front :)

Thank you for visiting me this week, I have enjoyed sharing with you all. Be sure to visit the other GIU Gal Sandra, and see what she has shared!

Growing In Unity-Coloring on Dark Cardstock

For today's card, I wanted to show how coloring looks on dark cardstock with pencils. This is a piece of Elegant Eggplant from Stampin Up. I inked the stamp with Dusty Concord Distress Ink. The ink really won't show at all when you're done, but I didn't want to use black.

This is actually the third image I tried coloring this way. I only have a set of 12 pencils, so my colors are a bit limited. This unity kit is called Be Present, and I like the way it turned out. Trying to photograph it was another story!! I kept getting a glare!

I started coloring this the same way I would color on lighter card. Laying down a light layer, then slowly adding in shading. Her dress is done with two blues and white. Hair with brown, red and yellow. Rose is done with purple and white. And I found a Prisma beige pencil in my stash that I bought years ago, perfect for flesh tone. I shaded also with light brown.

I kept this card really simple. I did add some die cut photo corners in gold, to set off the purple panel. Cute plaid paper from MFT, a little doily, and a light yellow card base. I think that's all this needed,

One more day for me to share another Unity project during my GIU week! Don't forget to stop by and see what Sandra has made! Thank you for stopping by!

Growing In Unity-Quick Coloring

Today's cards take me back to the style that I used to do lots of, layers, die cuts, pretty papers, and stitching. But the main focus is of course the stamped images. The Unity stamps I've used today are from their Itty Bitty line, Flowers for a Friend, and Second Chances. The sentiments come with these as well, which also makes a card come together quickly.

I've stamped them onto my Crumb Cake card stock again, there is something about the kraft color that just makes pencil coloring stand out. Simple coloring with my Prisma pencils, only adding a little shading to some of the images, but I colored them all. The jar is colored with flesh tone and brown, I was going for more of a crock look than glass.

They are both die cut with stitched dies, and also a pretty paper layer behind them. I decided to go with a light gray paper behind those layers, some color, but not overwhelming. The gray piece is backed with another layer of kraft that I heavily sponged with ink. Then I took them to the sewing machine and added some zig zag stitches all around.

The card bases match the patterned paper, and adds a little bit more pop. I layered everything together, and decided to paper punch the one sentiment, and turn the other into a banner, both are sponged with ink as well. While the coloring of these images are quick to do, the rest of the card takes a little more time. But the end result is well worth it!!

Thanks so much for stopping by, and don't forget to stop and see what the other GIU gal Sandra is sharing today!

Growing In Unity-White on Kraft

I love the look of white on Kraft, so that's what I'm sharing today. Another simple coloring technique, but the white gives lots of contrast.

My kraft paper is Crumb Cake from Stampin Up, and I used my stamp postioner tool on both of these images. Once you color with the white, it covers a little of the black outline, so I like to stamp over it again when I am finished. The daisies are from the Unity kit Love Runs Deep, and I've had this stamp for a long, long time. It's very dainty and sweet, and perfect for this type of coloring. The sentiment comes with it as well, and I added a little piece of paper doily behind the punched tag. The only color I added was in the ribbon.

The Unity kit I used on the card is called Beauty in everything, and is a new release. I thought her dress would make a perfect accent for the white coloring. I've used my Prismacolor white pencil on both. To add a little color to this card, I added some designer paper behind her, and used the Crumb Cake for the card base with a little added sponging of ink. I also added some black thread before adding the main panel, which I used foam adhesive to pop it up. This is a larger stamp, so I made my card into a 5" x 5" square.

Thanks so much for stopping by today, and be sure to visit Sandra to see what she has to share!

Growing In Unity-Journal Cards

Hello! And welcome to my first post for The Growing In Unity! I am starting the week off with some simple coloring, just to highlight a little bit of a stamped image. I have also decided to stamp onto some journal cards that I have had for some time. I don't do the traditional journaling, but these cards are great, because they are already pre-printed. Mine are from Stampin Up, but many companies offer these.

So to offset the pre-printed cards, I left the main focal image uncolored, and just added a little color to each. The stamp kits I used from Unity are, (from left to right) Otter love this much, Wondrous, and You are my main squeeze. I used my Prismacolor pencils on these, and they were so quick to do. These are a 3" x 4" card, so perfect size to add to any greeting card, journal, or tags.

Throughout the week I am going to share more coloring options for beginners, to the more advanced colorist. There is two of us sharing projects this week, the other gal is Sandra, so go check out what she is sharing as well. Unity is offering a prize of stamps to one person who comments throughout the week on my posts. And who wouldn't love to win some stamps?!

Thanks so much for visiting!

BEE-Cause

This card was inspired from the Your Next Stamp challenge following their sketch:

I knew I wanted to use the YNS Hugs and Kisses paper pad, so I chose colors from it to use on my background. I took a piece of watercolor paper, and sponged Oxide inks in Worn Lipstick, Fossilized Amber and Iced Spruce. Then I spritzed a stencil with water and laid it on top of the sponged paper. It made a fun and subtle background.

I also wanted to use this cute bee from the YNS Smiley Happy Critter Crew Three set. He only needed a little coloring, and I used my Prisma pencils. I die cut him out using the YNS stitched circle dies. I arranged my papers and stamped the sentiment and heart from the same set, and made it into a banner. I added some clear wink of stella to the bee's wings for sparkle.

After I finished this card, I thought it would be perfect to give to my friend from work, who's last day was yesterday. It was hard writing on the inside, as it made me sad knowing we weren't going to be working together anymore. And when she left for the day, we both shed a few tears. I will miss my friend, but.....she is working another job close by, and we will have to visit each other often!!

Thank you for visiting today! 

Prismacolor Premier Pencils

I have been wanting to add some good quality colored pencils to my art supplies for some time now. I went back and forth deciding on which brand to get, and the other day when I was at the store, I finally bought a set of Prismacolor pencils. I only went with the set of 12, just to see how I liked them. Well, I am totally sold on these! Such rich color, easy to blend, and the white pencil is amazing!

Of course I watched a few videos how other people use these, and one colored on kraft card stock. I loved how that looked, so I stamped this image from Unity from the kit Steps of Courage with My Favorite Things black hybrid ink onto Crumb Cake card from Stampin Up. I only used two colors plus white on each of the flowers, and the greenery. It did take me over an hour to color this in, but, I was taking my time, and just getting the feel for these new pencils.

I am very happy with the results, and look forward to getting more sets of these pencils. I like coloring more with these than my alcohol markers.

Next week I am excited to be featured on the Unity blog for their Growing in Unity. Every day I will share a project featuring their wide variety of stamps with you!

Thanks so much for your visit!