Shades of Brown

From my last blog I promised to post results from 

stamping images in shades of brown.

Then how they colored!

The 3 shades of brown I choose to stamp:

Memento - Toffee Crunch

Archival Ink - Coffee

Adirondack - Espresso 

(yes, I did go back to my favorite color)

First Shade of Brown - Archival Ink Coffee

Colored using Distress Markers

Second Shade of Brown - Memento Toffee Crunch

Colored with Copic Sketch Markers

Third Shade of Brown - Adirondack Espresso

Colored with Copic Sketch Markers

What did I discover?

1). How important the intensity the shade of brown must be

2). How different the effect of color is when the same shade of

 Copic Marker is used - E81 and E44 basket horn  

3). The impression and detail that the stamp gives after coloring

Cornucopia is a symbol of Abundance

Next images I will stamp using Memento in Rich Cocoa and Espresso Truffle.
 Please comment what your thoughts are on stamping with different colors?

Imagination!

-Elaine

Card #1

Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, Eggplant and Butternut - Bazzill

Patterned Paper: BasicGrey -  Eerie

Stamps: Cornucopia - Stampendous on SSS Watercolor Paper

Coloring: DIstress Markers in Fall tones, Tim Holtz Water Brush

Embellishment: Mon Ami Gabby Burlap

Tools: Fiskars Paper Cutter, Tomboy Adhesive, Sticky Thumb Dimensionals, We R Memory Corner Chomper

Card #2

Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, Orange - Core' dinations, Purple and Taupe - Bazzill

Stamps: Cornucopia - Stampendous, Salutation = Papertrey Ink - Falling Leaves

Coloring: Copic Sketch Markers -   E81,E44,YR04,YR07,YR09,YR23,YR24,E35,E41,E57,R22.R24,R29,V22,V25,V28,YG21,Y08,YG23,YG25,YG13,YG63,YG67

Embellishment: My Mind's Eye Enamel Dots

Tools: Tim Holtz Sander and Distresser, Fiskars Paper Cutter, Tomboy Adhesive

Third Thursday Tools

Simply...the Color Brown!

When stamping an image on to white paper 
99% of the time I use Adirondack - Espresso ink to stamp my image.

Dark Brown the color of soil - or as known "dirt".
And, we all know where flowers are planted... in dirt!

Why not black?

Just my opinion but the color black seemed harsh when coloring florals.
I want the color of the flowers to be the focus point.

Now, don't get me wrong I love the color of Black...

most of my clothing options are black

(from my Nordstrom days).

Or at least paired with Black!

I have noticed on many blogs that designers are trying
 new colors to stamp an image.
From shades of gray, brown and even black.

The photo above is an amazing idea shared in the

 Kick Start - On LIne Card Class by Kelly Rasmussen (guest artist).

Now, I am challenging myself to use different shades of the color brown.
I choose my colors from my Ink Swatch Tags!

I will be coloring Autumn images stamped with
Archival Ink and Memento Dye Ink in different shades of brown. 

Between now and Thanksgiving (just one week away) 

I will show you on the finished colored cards!

Please check back!

Imagination!

Elaine

Happy Halloween!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Witch discovered on one of my morning walks.

Whether you are carving pumpkins into Jack o' Lanterns,

trick-or-treating in a special costume, 

answering the door and sharing candy to the children,
apple bobbing or visiting a haunted house

... simply enjoy!

4523 Miles and 10 States!

Traveled 10 States, 4523 miles all in the Abarth!

My Husband, Ed and I went on a very special road trip!

 Highlights!

1).  Visiting with my best friends in Denver, Colorado -

Kim, Rosanna, Flo and Randy! Also, Gail and Cassie!

2). Seeing that my childhood home in Denver is still nice!

3). Dallas, Texas - City that started my Fashion career.

Having brunch with the Dallas Fashion Ladies -

Mary Sue, Cindy and Jolene!

(More on these woman in next blog)

4). Visiting the John F. Kennedy Memorial.

It gave me a greater perspective on the President's life and history.

5). The Dallas Arboretum - amazing garden!

Ed and I were so surprised at the pumpkins in the gardens!

6). Also, in the Dallas Arboretum the amazing glass artistry of Dale Chiluly.

Simply takes your breath away!

 Such inspiration using colored glass!

(Future blog)

7). Okay, I admit it I am a fan of the television show Dallas!

Yes, we went to Southfork!  

Missed the new season of filming by one day!

8). Santa Fe, New Mexico
Beautiful architecture and spirit!

"Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha"
Honored for  embracing Kindness,  Forgiveness, Love,
Compassion and Joyful of Peace.

9).  Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico

Words can not express her talents for painting and her love of New Mexico!

10). Las Vegas, Nevada

Visting our friends Jim and Renee! Also, Potter and Toby!

11). Food and Wine!

Great steak at Red Rock Canyon Grill in Wichita, KS

Tex-Mex at Gloria's and Southern Style Barbecue at Smoke in Dallas, TX

Fried Chicken at Babe's in Fort Worth. TX

Fabulous margaritas at Agave Lounge in Santa Fe, NM

Grilled Barbecue at Cruisers on Route 66 in Williams, AZ

12). One of the best Birthday's I have had!

Early BIrthday cake at Flo and Randy's!

Wonderful gift, dinner and a very special day from my husband Ed!

Also, a scavenger hunt from Kate and Per to Central Market!

One of the best days were in Ft. Worth!

A day at the Texas Motor Speedway for owners of the Abarth by Fiat!

(the reason for this 3-week road-trip)

Ready, Set, GO!

Ed racing!

Ed getting ready to go on the track!

Ed racing on the track in the Abarth!

It was such fun to watch Ed race around the track!
Also, meeting Lisa!

This "road trip" was one of our "pretty good" trips!

Hope that y'all get the chance to take a road trip -sightsee and explore!
Even if it is a day trip!

Christmas in September

Contemporary - Bold Colors for Christmas!

Black is always an elegant and refined color.

Yet, when used as color for a reverse stamping technique...

black simply showcases the other colors you have chosen.

The first time I saw black used on a reverse stamp was card that Kristina Werner

created for Stretch Your Stamps - On LIne Card Classes.

It jumped off the page for me!

Embellished using Twinkle Goosebumps - color gray-green!

Right now we are in week two of Kick Start - On Line Card Class.

Kristina and Jennifer McGuire challenged us to pull something

out of our stash that we have not used... for me the reverse stamp.

Heat Embossed the sentiment using Martha Stewart Ebony embossing powder.

New bright green silk cardstock and gunmetal metallic cardstock

giving the card a Holiday feeling!

Tip# 4

Always use a brayer when applying ink onto the

 cardstock from a reverse stamp.

Imagination!

-Elaine

Supplies:

Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone, LIme Green - Silk Cardstock, Gunmetal - Bazzill

Ink: Archival - Jet Black

Stamps: Reverse - (Not sure)  possibly Hero Arts?, Sentiment: Memory Box

Coloring: Copic Sketch Markers - YG01,YG21, YG23, YG03, R22, R24, R27, R29

Embossing: VersaMark, Martha Stewart Ebony Embossing Powder, Martha Stewart Heat Gun, EK Success Powder Tool

Embellishment: Queen Co. - Twinkle Goosebumps, Spica Marker, Ribbon - Peddler's Pack

Tools: Adhesive- Tomboy, Rubber Stamp Concepts Adhesive Tape, Fiskars Paper Trimmer, Recollections Brayer, We R Memory Corner Chomper

Third Thursday Tools

Road Trip Supplies!

My husband, Ed and I are venturing out on a road trip.

I thought do I want to take any papercrafting supplies with me?

The answer of course is, Yes!

First item on the list - Copic Sketch Markers!

How do I travel with all of my markers?

With my Copic 72 piece Wallet.

This month's Third Thursday Tool!

When I received this Copic Wallet the question was - 

Will I really use it? How can I narrow down from using all of my markers?

So... I sat down with all my sketch markers and created color charts.

Color charts using my personal color palates.

Color Palate Charts I created are

Color Wheel Basic, Spring, Summer and Fall.

Each Color Palate Chart has 72 colors selected.

Same number of slots the Copic Wallet has to hold the markers.

Above is the photo from my Color Wheel Basic and Spring color palate.

Now, the Copic Wallet is empty.

I will fill it with Color Wheel Basic and Fall color palate.

Then I will be ready to go...Vroom!

Inspiration!

-Elaine

Last few weeks of Summer

What have I been doing and where have I been?
Outside enjoying the sunshine!

First, I absolutely love the month of September.

It is a perfect time to spend outdoors visiting new areas and having fun!

We explored the Eastern part of Oregon -

Baker City, Joseph and Hell's Canyon.

Part was driving in a car and part on a Harley...yes a Harley!

(Photos will come in a future blog)

One day I went to the Swan Island Dahlia Farm in Canby, Oregon.

Simply... it takes your breath away when you see it.

It is my pleasure to share the gardens with you!

I hope you enjoyed the dahlia's!

Now, I need a great Dahlia stamp - any suggestions?

Imagination!

-Elaine

Block Party

In my neighborhood I saw parties happening on the blocks.

Then, I though why not have a party on the block that we live.

Now we are celebrating our 3rd Annual Block Party!

Reminder invitation for our Block Party.
It was fun to color the flowers using a array of colors.

Every Sunday of Labor Day weekend.

We block off the street, bring out the grills, tables and chairs.

Salads, Desserts and drinks!

Kids play games, color the sidewalks with chalk, play sling-ball and visit!

It is such a pleasure to make time to spend with your neighbors!

Imagination

-Elaine

Supplies:

Cardstock: - Bright Green - Bazzill, White - Flourishes Summer Blossoms

Ink: Adirondack Espresso

Stamps: Flourishes Summer Blossoms

Coloring: Copic Sketch Markers - Lots of colors

Tools: Dies - Spellbinders Labels Eight, Cuttlebug, We R Memory Keepers Crop-a-dile, Scotch Advance Tape

Christmas in August

Simply...Crafted!

There are those times in life when your list of what you

 want (or need) to do is so long.

For me it is wanting to be outside enjoying the sun and blue skies,

before the weather turns gray and rainy!

My fellow Oregonians will understand!

So... I simply crafted this card for the Holiday Season.
Stamped using one of the new colors from Memento - Love Letter.

Added a bit of glitter for sparkle!

Perhaps I will send this one to my Granddaughter, Daphne.

She loves glitter!

Imagination!

-Elaine

Supplies:

Cardstock: Kraft - Speckletone

Ink - Memento Love Letter

Stamps: PrintWorks - Poinsettia, Sentiment - Memory Box

Glitter: Martha Stewart Garnet

Tools: Fiskars Paper Cutter, Martha Stewart Fine- Tip Glue Pen

Borders

When you think of a border I envision the outer edge.

The edge of a square, circle, triangle, objects even a flowerbed!

I placed my border stamps in the middle of this fun and bright card.

It was fun to flip the borders one up and one down.

Flowers are from the Hero Arts Stamp & Die-cut

Heat embossing the flowers and borders added a little shine in the light.

The small flower is placed on the larger flower

 using foam square for dimension.

Tip #3

Challenge yourself to think and

explore new options when stamping.

Now, I am thinking outside - at least outside the edges!

Next Stamp - Reverse

Imagination!

-Elaine

Supplies: 

Cardstock - Kraft - Speckletone, Purple, Red, Orange and Green - Bazzill

Stamps: Borders - Making Memories, Flowers - Hero Arts Stamp and Die Set Floral

Embossing: Ink - Versamark, Embossing Powder - Stampendous Clear Transparent

Tools:  Martha Stewart Heat Gun, Therno O Web Foam Squares, Adhesive - Tomboy

Third Thursday Tools

Early mornings I am in my garden cutting flowers for our home.

What do I use to cut my flowers with?

Felco F-6 Classic Pruner - Third Thursday Tool.

The Felco F-6 Pruner is made for smaller hands, 

have light weight handles and a wonderful blade of hardened steel.

Felco Pruners used for cutting Lantana flowers from my cutting garden.

 Also, I use these pruners when designing floral arrangements.

Tip - Always cut flowers on a angle prior to arranging in a vase.

Angled cuts allows the flowers to take in more water.

My favorite flower tool! Felco F-6 Pruners!

"Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; 

they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul."

- Luther Burbank

I do believe this quote!

Imagination!

-Elaine