Teaser Time at MFT!

Welcome to day one of the MFT teasers for November. The image that I am showing you today is called "Just Chillin'", it is a new Wyatt stamp that you can find in the Pure Innocence category at My Favorite Things. I thought this would be a fun image to put on the jar that hold the marshmallows for hot chocolate.....a perfect treat on snow days!
Here is a close up of the coloring that I did with my copics. I also paper pieced a few of the items to tie in the patterned paper from the frame and tag on the project.
I love doing shakers with winter themed images....the kids like to shake it when they see it in the cupboard.
Here are a few details you should know about this month's release:
Teasers begin October 30th and will happen every day until and including release day. You can find the list of designers for teasers each day at 11am EST on the MFT Blog.
The release party will be happening on the MFT Forums on November 3rd beginning at 8pm EST (that is 5pm for us here in the pacific time zone).
Don't forget to check out our guest designer contest this month. You can find all that info in the forums HERE.
The big "Hop and Shop" day will be release day (November 3rd) where you will be able to hop and see all the goodies on the designer's blogs and then do a "shop" the festivities will begin on the MFT blog.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sketch Friday!

I am not a real Halloween buff so this is my one and only card of the Halloween season. I couldn't resist but to make at least one card with these cute little costume monsters from the set called "Tiny Town Halloween" from My Favorite Things.
I had some serious fun with my copic airbrush system and grungeboard too! I have had this Halloween house kicking around forever and I thought it would make a cool backdrop for my trick or treaters. A few shots with Y38 for the windows and then some B79 for a silhouette look (but I didn't want it black). I also added some shots of BV29 to the bats and added some deeper yellow to the moon as well.
The little costume monsters were stamped in versacraft and then embossed in white.
Here is a little side view as I wanted to share the neat dimension the grungeboard gave my card. I used glossy accents to glue my bats down (just a small dab in the centers so that their wings could curl up).
As you can see I strayed from the sketch (I know, again). I started with the circle image (the moon) and knew I could use the bats as my "bow". The house is that dividing paper piece that runs right up the middle. There is my thought process behind this sketch....
Here is the sketch so you can play along in TAYLOR'S challenge.
Don't forget to see what the rest of the sketch crew came up with:
Jami Sibley: More is More
Monika Davis: M.A.D. Stamper
Melissa Sauls: In Stamping Mode
Lori Craig: Making a Difference
Rachel Sztonyk: Gingerbread Gallery
Alice Lihsuan-Wertz: Alice's Little Wonderland
Lisa Hjulberg: The Craft's Meow
Rosie Hughes: Love my Craft Room

That's it for today....be sure to pop back tomorrow as MFT teasers begin and I have a fun little project to share with you!

Outside my window

I am enjoying watching the squirrels outside my window today....It is amazing to me how they can cling to the very end of the branch....with no fear whatsoever!
This squirrel in particular is dangling at least 30 feet above ground.
Here is a larger shot....brave little things!
See you tomorrow for Sketch Friday!

Twill Flower Tutorial

Have you had a peek at your Splitcoast Stampers newsletter this morning? If you have then you have seen that I posted a twill flower tutorial. You can see the full tutorial HERE on SCS.
These are fun to make out of something as ordinary as twill tape. In these cards the blooms are the showcase but I also needed some great sentiments to pair them up. For breast cancer awareness month I decided to make this one pink and use the sentiment set from My Favorite Things called "Polka Dot Greetings" as well as the coordinating Die-namic die to match this fabulous set!
The paper is from the vintage posy line of Melissa Frances....so soft and pretty!
Here is the flower in green. No, I don't have both pink and green twill tape. I just use my copic markers to color them any shade I would like. This is G07.
This is another sentiment from a My Favorite Things set called "How does your garden grow".

Below is a video I did for this tutorial. In the video you will see an airbrushed version of coloring the twill tape. Thanks again for watching!

Back from Chicago

I am back from Chicago and playing a little home catch up, unloading suitcases and all that fun stuff.... I did want to share a picture of the wonderful women I had the pleasure of spending the weekend with!
In this photo:
Debbie Olson, Colleen Schaan, Lori Craig, Jennie Black, Marianne Walker, Mandi Klinger, Myself, Bianca Ndm, Jenn Balcer, Sharon Harnist

We had a blast!

Happiness is Homemade

Happy Friday everyone! I am here in Chicago coloring up a storm with my friends....but I do have a fun card to share with you today. Did you see the newest a la modes that were released this week at MFT? This one is called "what's cooking" and I love her oversized bowl! I am a bit of a sloppy stirrer so I made some of the chocolate go over the rim of the bowl and onto her pretty apron.
I also used a couple of scraps that I had on my desk from Melissa Frances....The top of a little recipe card from the Kitschy Kitchen line.
I colored the little Maya Road chipboard spoon with my copics and had to add a dab of chocolate to that as well.
Here is a close shot of my copic coloring. I stamped her with Espresso Adirondack ink on the new X-press it Blending Card. Have you used this paper yet? I love the blendability of it! You can find it in small and large quantities in Ellen's Shop HERE. This paper is very white so I used my airbrush to soften it and blend with the kraft card stock I was adding it to.
Short and sweet today....off to play with my friends in the windy city!

Have a great weekend!

VIP Blog Hop and Shop

Welcome to the VIP blog hop and shop! If you have hopped over from Jen's blog you are hopping along just fine...
For my project today I had some studio calico papers still sitting on my desk so I thought I would make a clean funky card design. This came together quickly as the only copic coloring was the little apple on top of the teacher's books.
As a finishing touch I ran my completed card front through my cuttlebug with the notebook edge Die-namic die for a fun school supply look.
Interested in what is in the VIP kit this month? Then check out the graphic below...lots of goodies!
Who's next on the hop?....It is the fabulous BARBARA! Have fun checking out what she has whipped up for the hop!

A La Modes Teaser

Welcome to this month's a la mode teaser from My Favorite Things. This image is called "It Must Be Love". The a la modes will be released tomorrow along with the VIP kit! This particular a la mode would be fantastic for engagement cards.
I paired her up with some funky papers from Studio Calico...I love the hip graphic feel of this paper. Colored with my copics and cut out.
I stitched a little vellum pocket for the tag. On the back of the tag you could write your engagement wishes.
Here is a close up of the diamond she is toting....I outlined it with my orange copic multiliner then added some glue with a glue pen and dusted it with glitter.
The little tag on this card has these rings on them and I thought it would be fun to deck one out. Just a combo of rhinestones in various sizes....

Thanks for the stop by.....check out all the other designers participating in today's peek on Kim's Blog by 11am EST.

Inky Play

Time to get a little inky! This is a ceramic ornament that I picked out of a clearance bin (I think it was 50 cents). I used the Tim Holtz applicator and sponged on copic various refill of BG45, YG95 and BG72. I made sure my ink was dry and then stamped the bird and the cage in Archival black ink and then quickly wiped it off while the black ink was still wet. This lifted the color from underneath revealing the white surface.
I went in with my blender pen for a little fine line clean up and then stamped the sentiment over top in Brilliance black ink.
Love this new stamp set which is an entirely new look from My Favorite Things...it is called "Caged Bird" and you can find it HERE.
I also spritzed my seam ribbon with some YG95 so that it would match my ornament.
I totally enjoyed my ink play today....hope you have a fun day too!

JustRite 12 Weeks of Christmas Blog Hop #6

Welcome to JustRite Stampers’ newest Wednesday feature, 12 Weeks of Christmas Blog Hops #6! Every Wednesday up until Thanksgiving some of your favorite designers will be joining some of the JustRite design team for a series of Christmas blog hops, showcasing JustRite’s entire Christmas Collection of stamps! This week, it’s most of the Copic design team and Certification instructors! So mark your calendars for Wednesdays at 9am Central for great Christmas gift, card & project ideas, starting at the JustRite Inspiration blog!
So thrilled to share today's card with you! I love the look of this vintage santa from the Vintage Christmas set at JustRite! The sentiment is one of many beauties from the nested sentiments and verses set as well.
I paired him up with the petite pages from Webster's pages. For a finishing touch I added flowers from Prima and a metal foliage piece from Tim Holtz.
Here is a close shot of the coloring. I stamped santa in tuxedo black memento ink and then colored him with my copics. R32,35,59 for the reds and W00,1,3,5 for the whites. He is stamped on the new X-press it blending card paper from copic. I airbrushed it with a combo of E50 and YR31 at half strengh to blend it into my patterned paper layout.

Please visit these designers’ blogs to see what fabulous Christmas projects they have for you on the hop today!

JustRite Inspiration Blog
Sharon Harnist
Debbie Olson
Kellie Fortin
Becca Feeken
Marianne Walker
Kathy Jones
Barb Schram
Lori Craig
Stephanie Kraft
Jenn Balcer
Angela Barkhouse
Sherrie Siemens
Sankari Wegman
Colleen Schaan
Regina Mangum
Jennie Black
Kazan Clark
Sally Lynn MacDonald
Michele Kovack

Fall In Love

I have fallen in love with fall! The color is dancing on the leaves around these parts and the views are spectacular! It truly is my favorite season!
Just some simple stamping for me today......after a long and delightful weekend I felt like just playing a little in my studio. Have you seen the Tuesday Trigger at Moxie Fab World? It is really pretty and the colors inspired me.
This is a clear background stamp from Hero Arts called "Birds and Butterflies". You can find it at Ellen's shop HERE. I inked it up with some pigment ink and then sponged the edges of the stamp with my chocolate brilliance ink before stamping.
I then used my R19 copic marker to color in the birds and outlined them with my sepia multiliner pen.
The pretty little chipboard accent is from Basic Grey and the satin ribbon was in my stash (I think it was Making Memories).
Thanks for stopping by!

Thanksgiving weekend

Since I won't be posting anything crafty for the next couple of days I thought I would share some pictures of what we are doing this weekend. This is Thanksgiving fun in the Siemens' family!
Ah the fun hayride to and from the pumpkin patch...always a highlight no matter the age!
Dirty hands in a wet pumpkin patch.
That doesn't mean you can't have some fun with those dirty hands!
My little nephew....he is a cutie!
I loved this one of my niece dancing around her found pumpkin....

Hope you are having a blessed Thanksgiving!

Sketch Friday!

Happy Friday! Thanksgiving weekend for us here in Canada...Today I have a fun image to share with you. It is a new release as of today at Taylored Expressions. I have a weakness for cute penguins and these are adorable!
I paired up this pair with the winter petite papers from Webster's Pages. I also created my own little mistletoe with vine ribbon (that I snipped the leaves from) and pearls.

Colored with my copics......do you ever have trouble making white look more white?....Try adding grays to the "shaded" parts of the white and then blend away with your colorless blender. Here I used my W00,W1,W3. Don't forget to add a little blush to the cheeks. I use the tip to tip technique with my colorless blender to my R11 (when I am adding cheeks to something white like a snowman or penguin).

Don't forget to add a little sparkle with your spica pens....I think it makes the smooch a little more magical...lol!
Here is the sketch so you can play along in TAYLOR'S challenge.
Don't forget to see what the rest of the sketch crew came up with:

Monika Davis: M.A.D. Stamper
Alice Lihsuan-Wertz: Alice's Little Wonderland
Lisa Hjulberg: The Craft's Meow
Rosie Hughes: Love my Craft Room

Wishing you all a very wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! I am fortunate to have lots of family locally, so this will be a fantastic weekend to celebrate!
See you next week!

MFT BLOG HOP AND SHOP!

Yeah.....It is release day at My Favorite Things! SOOOO many sweet images this month and I get to show off "Snow Bear" from the Fred Bear line.
First off, blog hop info...
If you have come here from Michele's Blog you are hopping along just fine...If you are a regular visitor of my blog you might want to start at the beginning of the hop which is Kim's blog.
What a sweet scene...a bear building a snowman... I had some scraps of patterned paper in my winter drawer and I only had this little piece so I couldn't tell you the manufacturer.
I also used the new SNOWFLAKE DIE-NAMICS die to cut a little snowflake from a patterned paper scrap. Yup, green snowflakes...lol!
Here is a close up of the coloring. I have so much fun with these Fred Bear images because I love to color his fur with my copics and then add the fur with my blender soaked towel.

Here is an example of feather blending on the snowman's scarf. I blended BG72 and YG93 together, just like if it was knit with varigated yarn.
I used my airbrush for the background just to soften the white.

Next on the hop is the ubber talented BARBARA! Enjoy the hop/shop!

Certification Updates

Fall is in the air...literally...I have all these lovely spiders doing their thing all over my yard. They are actually pretty when the morning fall dew is on them. I am also quite happy with the amount of bugs they catch...

Also I would like to remind you to check out the Copic Certification Tab on the top of my blog as I just updated the status of the classes.....
For those of you in Halifax....I am looking forward to coming out but need a full class to travel all that way from BC....if you are a store owner please let your customers know about this event as it is now "Open to the Public"!
Looking forward to it!

Li'l Pumpkin

It is teaser time and you know what that means! It is getting close to the monthly release time at My Favorite Things! Here are a few details you should know about this month's release:
Teasers begin October 2nd and will happen every day until and including release day. You can find the list of designers for teasers each day at 11am EST on the MFT Blog.
The release party will be happening on the MFT Forums on October 6th beginning at 8pm EST (that is 5pm for us here in the pacific time zone).
Don't forget to check out our guest designer contest this month. You can find all that info in the forums HERE.
The big "Hop and Shop" day will be release day (October 6th) where you will be able to hop and see all the goodies on the designer's blogs and then do a "shop" the festivities will begin on the MFT blog.

I gasped when I got this little sweetie in the mail! I love that she is trying to lift this massive pumpkin! Her name is "Li'l Pumpkin" from the Pure Innocence line at MFT. I paired her up with some Jillybean Soup patterned papers...oh so chic....
Here is a close shot of the image. I colored her with my copics and did some paper piecing....I love to shadow papers that I have pieced with my gray markers. Here I used a combo of my Toner Grays as I was looking for a warm shadowing but not TOO brown as the W grays.
Don't forget that big pumpkin will cast a shadow on the ground. I had my "sun" in the upper left of my sky.

We are getting closer to release day (Wednesday)....come back and see what I have for that!
See you then!

Pillow Book Pocket

It is teaser time and you know what that means! It is getting close to the monthly release time at My Favorite Things! Here are a few details you should know about this month's release:
Teasers begin October 2nd and will happen every day until and including release day. You can find the list of designers for teasers each day at 11am EST on the MFT Blog.
The release party will be happening on the MFT Forums on October 6th beginning at 8pm EST (that is 5pm for us here in the pacific time zone).
Don't forget to check out our guest designer contest this month. You can find all that info in the forums HERE.
The big "Hop and Shop" day will be release day (October 6th) where you will be able to hop and see all the goodies on the designer's blogs and then do a "shop" the festivities will begin on the MFT blog.

Here is my peek at a new sentiment set for book lovers (CLEARLY SENTIMENTAL ABOUT BOOKS)...I am also giving you a peek at 2 of the new dies (POLKA DOT GREETINGS FRAMED DIE and ROLLED ROSE DIE).
Here is a close up of the pocket I created. This is from an old pair of jeans. I pieced together some of my favorite fabrics and then added a pocket to the front...perfect for books!
I Loooove this new rolled rose die with its' scalloped edges. I used some of the felt I have purchased from the MFT store and made a double bloom from it. So quick and easy for projects!
Here are the thumbnail photos of the dies that I used.



Enjoy teaser day...be back first thing monday morning with a PI (pure innocence) preview!

Sketch Friday!

Some fun techniques to share with you today for friday's sketch challenge. I wanted to give a real homespun feel to this card to go with the sentiment. I figured the designer woodgrain stamp would be my "fire" in this quote and the apple would be the "food". They are both stamps from Hero Arts....love em'! You can find this woodgrain backgrounder HERE and the fruit engravings clear set HERE at Ellen's shop!

To the techniques....I stamped the woodgrain with versacraft ink onto a piece of canvas, fraying the edges a little before stitching onto my card base.
For the apple....it is stamped on a Jenni Bowlin label and then I filled my aqua painter with copic colorless blending solution and painted in the colors and shadows using the palette technique.
These look like the YUMMY honey crisp apples I have sitting on the counter right now! Oh how I love farm fresh apples....straight from the orchard (Willowview Farms) to be exact.

I love this sentiment...and I strive for it in our home too...it is a rub-on from Melissa Frances. The little stick pins were blue, I colored them with my E49 marker...

Here is the sketch so you can play along in TAYLOR'S challenge.
Don't forget to see what the rest of the sketch crew came up with:
Jami Sibley: More is More
Monika Davis: M.A.D. Stamper
Melissa Sauls: In Stamping Mode
Lori Craig: Making a Difference
Rachel Sztonyk: Gingerbread Gallery
Alice Lihsuan-Wertz: Alice's Little Wonderland
Lisa Hjulberg: The Craft's Meow
Rosie Hughes: Love my Craft Room

Pop in tomorrow as it is the kick off for the MFT teasers for October....I have a fun crafty project to show you!