Some new colouring techniques

I've recently signed up to the Kit and Clowder Elements of Nature class 

So far I love it! Alyce has such a great way of teaching with her video tutorials and step-by-step instructions. 

I've completed 3 of the lessons so far - 

 This is my dad's Father's Day card - the lesson was colouring the rusty watering can - a technique I've not tried before. I'm so pleased how it turned out.

These Lilies were a joy to colour - Alyce has challenged me to do them as white as I always go for bold bright options!

Here's another new technique - colouring dew drops. Again I loved this and have never been able to create them before. Until now!

I will share some more as I learn. I've used my Copics to colour all of these.

Take care Zo xx

Behind the scenes - notebooks

So I'm here today to share another Creative Together 'behind the scenes' type post this time featuring notebooks.

Last year I decorated notebooks to fundraise for my chosen charity and this year is no different. Profits from every notebook I make are donated to BANES Young Carers.

This wonderful charity supports so many young carers in our area including my own son, Keagan. Their support and the friendships made are invaluable and every penny raised goes towards continuing their fabulous work.

So notebooks - some I buy and decorate. Others I make myself especially plain paged versions. As my Bristol Rovers notebooks were so popular I'm bringing them back for this year. Though I will also decorate different themes I promise!

 So I start by covering the front with Centura pearl card followed by hammered card to create a nice base. I often draw stitches around edge as well.

 I cut out the letters using a Tim Holtz die. I have a little pot that I keep all of my 'Bristol Rovers' letters in. I tend to have a session of preparing lots of letters.

 I use this girl footballer - the image is from Some Odd Girl as you can see I colour up a whole batch all different. I have great fun colouring their hair. Their football kit is, of course, styled after Bristol Rovers home kit.

 As you can see I do have a vast collection of pens so I can pretty much choose any colour I want!

Once the base is dry I add the image. I create a shadow background using grey dots to ground the image so she doesn't look like she is floating.

Here are some of the notebooks I will be uploading to the shop soon.

Thanks for popping by

Take care Zo x

WOYWW 333

Happy Back To The Future Day! 

Marty McFly arrived today from 1985 in the 2nd film if you didn't know those Back to The Future films?! No, oh okay I'll carry on with my desk then! Visit The Stamping Ground to join in and find deskers from all around the world! 

 Right side - pens and my colouring journal with my latest colour combos.

 Window side - NEW stash! I bought the gorgeous Simple Stories paper and stickers. There's also my latest book folding art project.

Look some papers are foiled!!

Right my daily Q & A journal asks - 

What new word have you learned?

I don't actually know this. I'm someone who reads a lot and am a bit of a geek so will happily look through a dictionary. But I haven't done that lately. 

Take care Zo xx 

A Saturday Share - Colour Combos

Hello you lovely people. As the title suggests I'm back to share my latest project that I've been working on over the last few days. Ages ago I did something similar to this layout, but back then my colouring wasn't as good and I didn't have the range of pens I have today so I thought I'd redo these colour combo pages!

The image is from Some Odd Girl called Shy Kaylee

 This is in my colouring journal (Smash Book).

Beside each image I've written the colour combos for the skin and the main hair combos. It's a great reference to keep especially when you find yourself struggling to think of what colour to do!

Today's Q & A daily journal asks - 

What's the most valuable thing you own?

I'm not really a materalistic person, but of course things like my laptop etc cost the most money. However, the most valuable things I own don't cost that much money. Things like my family photo albums from when I was a child and before these photos are the most valuable to me. Along with my rather large collection of books and also my Bristol Rovers programmes and memorabilia!

Enjoy your Saturday.

Take care Zo xx

 

WOYWW 332

Well hello desk dashers I'm here this happy Wednesday to share my desk with you.

Pop over to Julia's Stamping Ground to see what this is all about and join in!

So my desk - 

 Right side as usual -  home of lots of pens. That's my colouring journal (Smash Book) that I started when I first took a colouring class online with Kit and Clowder. I often practice my colouring and keep examples in there. I also write down colour combos I love too.

The window side is fairly tidy. My latest WIP book art and my open notebook where I'm planning my blog posts. The book with the magnifying glass on it is my Daily Q & A journal which gives me prompts and questions. I decided to start using them on here.

My daily Q & A journal asks -

What expression do you overuse?

Not sure it's a proper expression but Keagan and I decided I say, 

'Boo, come here!' 

It's Keagan's nickname and I'm usually asking him to look at something or shouting for help!

What about you? What do you say often?!

Take care Zo xx 

Positivity!

Good morning! 

So another Tuesday has arrived & many are already counting down to Christmas. I'm usually bouncing off the walls with excitement, but with Keagan being away this year, I'm not so bothered. Looking on the positive side of it I don't have to spend as much this year as Keagan won't have space for lots of presents!! 

My daily Q & A journal asks - 

You have no patience for ........?

Well I have to say it's negativity.

Those who know me say I'm one of the most positive people they know. It's how I am. Even before all my health issues I chose to look at life with a glass half full mentality. This has increased since my diagnosis for all my conditions.

I'm the same with football. I look for the positives even in the games that are utter rubbish!!

Crafting too, I focus on my improvements in technique and design rather than worrying I'm not good enough with what I do.

 Am sharing this card I made for my niece as an example of points of view. The positive is the card itself, love what I've done, but if I was a negative person I may say the photography was not so good and I may not focus on the creation itself.

So my challenge to you this week is to see the positives and put them first.  You have to learn to accept the not so good of course, but don't let it drive you. Look for the positives and make that your focus.

Take care Zo xx 

A pin = simple sharing.

Today's Q & A daily journal asks -

What makes you feel wonderful?

Like most of us, receiving compliments from friends and family is always lovely, but for me the one thing that makes me feel wonderful is when you get those compliments from strangers.

Through crafting and colouring we crafters get to 'meet' each other online. Plus many other crafters will pop by our blogs, pin our creations for inspiration etc. This is wonderful.

Only the other day I saw a pin on Pinterest of my colouring combinations that I coloured years ago. I had put it in a Smash book for reference. My colouring has come a long way since then but I still see that pin being repinned often. That is a huge compliment.

This is the page that people keep pinning. This is the original in my smash book! I want to do a more up to date version. I will share that when I do.

Take care Zo xx

 

It's time - World Cup!

Okay so anyone who knows me will recognise I may be a little distracted over the next few weeks. Yep it's World Cup Brazil starting this week. Crafty Boots are celebrating all things sport in honour of this fabulous occasion so pop over to join in & see the fab DT inspiration.

I opted for football naturally!

This footy stamp is from Crafter's Companion and it's perfect as it can be coloured to suit any team. This is for an Arsenal fan but I opted for England styling!

Coloured with markers - I love creating the dotty background to enhance the image.

I'm definitely going to colour this Bristol Rovers style at some point.

Take care Zo xx

For Destiny

Hello there, happy Sunday, it's a lovely day here, well clouds with some sun, but still nice! I thought I'd pop by and share this birthday card I've made for my niece, Destiny, who will be 7 this week. 

I love this cute Some Odd girl image Bookish Tia. I coloured her with a mix of Copics and Graph It markers. The papers are from Amy Tangerine and Heidi Swapp. 

The shaped card base is from Dawn Bibby's collection. I've added some embellishments like the candi to finish it off. Hope you like it, I think Destiny will!!

I'm entering it into the following challenges - 

Crafting at the Weekend - Anything Goes

Crazy 4 Challenges - Schools Out

Hiding in my craft room - Freestyle/Anything Goes

We Do Doobadoo - different shapes

Would love to know what you think, leave me a comment, I love to read them!!

Take care Zo xx

It's a Boy!

Good morning, it's Tuesday again which means another Digi Choosday challenge launches over on the Polkadoodles blog. 

Here's my project - 

So for this challenge I couldn't resist using this gorgeous Teddy Bear I coloured him with a mix of markers including the fab Graph It's  I kept the project simple and used up some of my offcuts of card. I embossed them using some folders from my stash. Simple matting and layering and the sentiment finished it off.

I really enjoyed colouring this bear, I reckon he/she would look fab in any colour, in fact I may do that!

Here's some close ups -

Look forward to seeing your entries!

Take care Zo xx

Magic on Monday!

Hello Monday and hello everyone!

Back today to share a peek at my latest DT creation for the Crafty Boots shop which sees us share inspiration using products available from Crafty Boots on-line store. You can see the whole post here - 

Fairy Magic!

But I thought I'd share a peek on here for my followers to see, I'd love it if you'd pop over and have a look, perhaps leave a comment to let me know what you think, and I'd absolutely love it if you would follow, okay enough pleading from me! Here's the peek -

Enjoy your day.

Take care Zo xx