Sprite Mojo

my sprite in a jar

Welcome.  I have been a bit busy.  I have been asked to teach a class at a private retreat next week, and well, I have been making a few samples of a mini album I am teaching.  Anyways, along this journey to find some inspiration for my mini album, I stumbled upon this wonderfully creative challenge site.  And, so I have taken a break from creating mini albums to play along.   Sometimes, its good to change your focus, so you can get back on track.

I'm not quite sure how I stumbled upon this challenge blog: Aurora Wings, but I am certainly glad that I have.  This challenge site uses digital images.  I have embraced this new type of images lately.  And this challenge site, asks that you hand color your digital image.  I have to admit, I do love coloring.  There is a certain peace that goes with this activity.  You can't really focus on troubles, or worries.  You need to focus on the task at hand - coloring.  It gives your mind and soul a chance to take a break from the worries and busy-ness of everyday life.  A small retreat for your mind.

I needed a little direction for my creation, so I went to Mojo Monday, because they have some very easy-to-use sketches.  Here is this week's sketch:

Aurora Wings provided a free digital image this week, for the Sprite challenge.  I want to thank them for doing so.  Their generosity for providing everyone with a free image, is rather sweet {smile}.   I downloaded my free image, and set out to color my little sprite.  This is my first attempt at coloring a digital image.  I typically stamp an image in Staz-On, or heat emboss an image.  Because I typically love to water color.  I wasn't sure how the 'ink' from my printer would hold up to water, so I used my color pencils instead of watercolors.  It was really fun to sit and color.  Here is what I created:

The recipe:  The card base is Cream Cardstock from Paper Trey Ink.  I used Ocean Tides card stock (PTI) for the matt.  I used some scraps I had in my scrap box for the panels.  The yellow pattern paper is from My Minds' Eye and the polka dot pattern paper is from Heidi Swap.  I added a small open scallop trim border with whisper white card stock from Stampin' Up!.  I added some random machine stitching along the sides, and a zig zag stitch across the top of the scallop border.  I used a scrap piece of Melissa Frances pattern paper for the back drop of the jar.  I matted this piece to Ocean Tides card stock.  I added a simple single machine stitch to the piece.  (I repeated the ocean tides card stock matt and machine stitching to keep everything connected.)

I stamp and heat embossed the jar (Friendship Jar stamp set by Paper Trey Ink) onto Vellum Cardstock (Stampin' Up!).  I stamped and fussy cut the jar banner and adhered it to the vellum.  I stamped the bee in Staz-On and used my coloring pencils to color in his body.  The bee is adhered to the card front with foam tape.  

I printed my sprite onto shimmer white card stock by Stampin' Up!.  I adjusted the size of the image to 1 1/2" x 1 3/4".  To color my digital Sprite image, I used four different yellows, two greens, two browns and a black.  I fussy cut him out, and used foam tape to adhere him to the jar.  

I stamped my sentiment from the Garden Variety stamp set (PTI) onto a scrap piece of shimmer white card stock, inked the edges and cut a banner end.  I used hot glue to attach my sun flower and leaf.  I sponged linen ink on all of the edges of card stock and pattern paper.

Thank you for looking.  I hope you have been inspired to play along in either of these challenges, or both!  I have another post today of the second mini album I finished.  Please look for that.  But be aware, it is a photo heavy post.

Paper Cone

Well, it's time for another challenge over @ Our Creative Corner. Vicki, is our hostess this month. If you have a moment, you really ought to check out her blog: It's a Stamp Thing. She is pretty talented!

Our challenge is to make an Easter project, but NO cards. I made a paper cone filled with May flowers. It has a spring theme, but no Easter type images: chicks, bunnies, eggs. Just in case someone doesn't celebrate Easter, but would like to play along, I guess.

So, here are some photos of my paper cone. The image on the far right, is the one that is posted on the Our Creative Corner blog site. The other three I wanted to add. The image on the far left, shows the paper cone suspended, so you can see how it hangs. The next image (moving left to right) shows a closer view of my hand-made medallion. And the last image, is a closer look at my hand-made paper flowers. I used as much of Stampin' Up! products as I could. There are three pieces that aren't: the floral trim at the top on the pink ribbon, the layered pattern paper, and the fabric rosette at the bottom. All other materials used, are Stampin' Up! If you have any questions about specific product used, or how I did something, please contact me.

Thank you for stopping by. Post a comment, they really do make my day! And play along with our fun 3-D Easter/Spring themed challenge over @ Our Creative Corner! We'd love to see what you create!

Note Card Holder

I am instructing a class today,where we will be making a note card holder and four note cards. I want these cards to have a clean and simple design. Because sometimes less is more!

All supplies used for this class are Stampin' Up!. This is the front of the note card holder. I ran my white card stock through the big shot in the polka dot embossing folder. I used the stamp set 'Bird on a Branch'. I really like this stamp set, don't ask why, it just calls me. I wanted the colors to be feminine and to compliment each other. But I really didn't want to use brown and pink. (I have had an overload of brown and pink.) I stamped the greeting and the branch in basic brown classic ink. I stamped the flowers in cameo coral. I stamped the bird in Bermuda bay. I used the same colors in the card stock. I used the polka dot Bermuda bay ribbon to help pull the polka dot theme throughout the project. I wanted a softer border, so I used the scallop edge punch on the larger mat.

The first three cards we are doing are posted on my blog under 'My 100th Post' and the valentines day themed card we are doing is posted on my blog under 'Sweet Little Valentine '.

Thank you for looking, and enjoy your weekend! I should be posting another card either later today or tomorrow!