Copic Oz: Blending Journal Technique #2 Skin Swatches

 It's time for another Copic Oz Blending Journal Technique, this time the Copic Oz Design Team is focusing on Skin Swatches, Kate has a great tutorial over on the Copic Oz Blog, and there is a competition in play for the chance to win one of the new Copic Oz Journals.

I wanted to build a page that I could place over the back of my Blending Swatches, where the colour leaked through the pages, as is the case with the Fabulous X-Press It Blending Card.  The FREE Copic Oz Templates are great for this, you simply print them out, colour in, and add them to the journal, I have used double sided tape in this example.

I coloured in groups of three, each line has the same use of the specified skin colours, then each has a different application of colour for either cheeks or freckles or a combination of both.

First Line--is a very pale complexion, and I used the same ink for the freckles as I did for the hair of each girl.  I think what this taught me is that this technique is better suited to darker skin complexions, but I persisted.  So the Yellow Haired Girl has a smattering of yellow freckles; the Auburn Haired Girl has auburn freckles, but washed out with a cover of the lightest complexion colour and then some rosy cheeks directly over the top; the Brown Haired Girl has a good patch of brown freckles, the poor thing is a little embarrassed and is also blushing.

Second Line--is a mid-tone Caucasian complexion, with cheeks applied in three different spots on each of the girls.  So the Yellow Haired Girl has centred rosie round cheeks; the Auburn Haired Girl has a side blush; the Brown Haired Girl has low-rise cheeks.

Third Line--is a tanned up little girlie.  So the Yellow Haired Girl has muted freckles; the Auburn Haired Girl has blushed cheeks; the Brown Haired Girl has a blushed cheeks and freckles combination.

Of course there are many different skin combinations to sample in a Copic Technique Journal, Kathy and Kate both have some more ideas, and we would love to see what you call your favourites, link up to win... enjoy and good luck!!

What's in it? 
Stamps:  Nil--Copic Oz Skin Combination Template
Paper:  X-Press It: Blending Card
Ink:  Printer, Copic Markers.

CopicOz Blog Hop Winners

Thanks to all that came along on the CopicOz Blog Hop for Koala Kids, Sascha has posted the winners over on the CopicOz Blog, and directions for claiming your prize, congratulations to:

CopicOz Blog: JulieT
Kathy's Blog: Loulou
Edna's Blog: Adriana Morales
Kate's Blog: Ashandra
Facebook: June Johnston

Congratulations ladies, I am sure you will really enjoy your lovely prizes!!

And a big shout out to all of you who have already supported this Card Drive for Koala Kids, hopefully even more of you can play along, here is the link to all the details, send in your card and on top of the chance to WIN BIG, there will be $5 donated for every card received to this very important charity!!

Copic Oz: Blog Hop for Koala Kids

Today the Copic Oz Design Team is creating Get Well Themed Cards for this year's Copic Card Challenge for the Brisbane Scrapbook Expo to be held on the long weekend in June.  This competition supports Koala Kids, details on the competition are provided below for your reference.... firstly about this Blog Hop.... you should have arrived here from Kathy's Blog, if not head back to the start over at the Copic Oz Blog.

I thought a nice bright fairy would be a great Get Well Card for one of the very important Koala Kids.... and given their illnesses a little dash of magic is often required... so I kept with the Magic Happens sentiment that comes with the La La Land Daisy Faerie Marci.

She is coloured across the blue, red and yellow colour palettes to tie in with the fabby butterflies in the background paper, her wings are raised just a touch with some X-Press It Foam Tape.... and look closely she has some cheeky little freckles, the subtle kind!!

There are prizes all the way along the Hop and 5 chances to win A Copic Prize Pack which inlcudes: Copic Markers, a NEW X-Press It Blending Journal and a Bundle of FABulous FABScraps Goodies.

So win first by commenting along the Blog Hop, and then get busy with your entry/ies for the Copic Card Challenge... About the Competition:

We are very excited that this year X-Press Graph-X will be supporting Koala Kids – a great organization which supports kids with Cancer.  To participate:

• Enter a “Get Well” themed Copic card or they can use the FREE didgi image provided (but this is NOT essential)
• Cards can be returned in stamped self-addressed envelopes or you can leave them with X-Press Graph-X and they wiill be donated to Koala Kids to be given to a child with cancer
• There are over $750 worth of Copic prizes to be won
• X-Press Graph-X will be donating $5 for every card entered to Koala Kids
• Click here for more information about the Koala Kids Charity.

The next stop on the Hop is Kate... don't forget to comment along the way to WIN WIN WIN... and also comment on the Copic Marker Australia Facebook Page, prizes will be awarded there as well.

And... I look forward to seeing your entry for the Competition, every entry counts for both the chance to win prizes, and also importantly as a cash donation to this very worthy Charity.... come on Paper Sisters, support this wonderful card drive!!!

What's in it? 
Stamps:  La La Land Stamps: Daisy Faerie Marci
Paper:  My Mind's Eye: On the Sunny Side
Ink: Memento:  Tuxedo Black; Copic Markers
Extras: Spellbinders: Nestabilities--Fabric Swatches; Kaiser: Bling; SU: Ribbon; Random Twine

Copic Oz: Blending Journal Technique #1--Colour Swatches

This week the Copic Oz Blog is starting a series of Techniques for use in their newly released Blending Journal.  Kathy has a tutorial for this week's technique which is all about setting up your own Colour Swatches.

There are free templates available on the Blog for you to use in your own Copic Blending Journal, and for those who play along and share there are prizes to be won...

I got busy sorting out my favourite green combos for colouring leaves this week, choosing two sets of 5 colour combos, one from the Green Colour Family, the other from the Yellow Green Colour Family.

I like to have my instructions close to an example, so I dissected the free template to build two strips of colour combos on the one page, with a row of leaves from the Flourishes Magnolia stamp set used to demonstrate how each colour combo looks.  I think it is always valuable to assess options when they are displayed using the same stamp.

I hope you will join in the journey over the coming months and build your very own Blending Journal!

What's in it? 
Stamps:  Flourishes: Magnolias
Paper:  X-Press It: Blending Journal, Blending Card
Ink:  Memento: Tuxedo Black; printer
Extras:  CopicOz Technique Template.

FabScraps: Pins'n Needles

I have a little feature on the X-Press It Blog today which features new Chocolate and Vanilla papers, and a Sewing Album from FabScraps, enjoy the end result here or head on over to the X-Press It Blog for the detailed making.

Enjoy!!

Waltzingmouse Stamps: Release Day Blog Waltz--It's Raining Men

Release Day is finally here for this wonderful month of manly images from Waltzingmouse Stamps, in true rodent tradition we are parading the stamp sets in a release day Blog Waltz, you should have arrived from Iwona's Blog, if not why not head over to Claire's Blog and start the rodent dance from the very beginning, there will be a delight of manly inspiration for you to enjoy along the entire journey....

For my card today I thought it would be nice to mix sentiments from My Kind of Guy and Man of the Hour, mixing generations really.... and then adding the modern twist with the "Like" Badge to really bring it into the current decade.  I mixed browns, caramels and green tones on the focus panel, subtle differences I know, but in keeping with the different tones in the paper I thought...

I wanted to add a dash of masculinity to the panels without adding to many embellishments, so took the border strip from My Kind of Guy and stamped off some strips on co-ordinating brown DSP to make the cross hatches, I always like a bit of weaving!!!

Thanks for stopping in... the next stop on the Blog Waltz is the every lovely Jeanne.... enjoy!!!

What's in it? 
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps: Man of the Hour, My Kind of Guy
Paper:  Echo Park: This and That--Charming; Early Espresso Card and some sage green like card from very deep in the stash!
Ink: SU: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Kiwi Kiss
Extras: SU: Paperclip; Like Badge from the Greatest View.

Waltzingmouse Blog Party--Spring Flowers

This month's Waltzingmouse Stamps Blog Party celebrates the arrival of Spring with flowers and all of their colour.  Of course in Australia we are entering Winter, in Queensland that means you might need a light cardigan at times.... so not comparably cold, but still lacking in spring blooms....

So for today's card I chose a little rodent flower, but kept the colours a little warmer than spring, with still a punch of colour or two.  There is certainly a lot going on in the land of rodents at the moment, the release of three fabby stamp sets is imminent, and there is another little surprise that follows too... watch this space!!

In the mean time head on over to the blog and check out all those who are participating in this little Spring Flowers Party, enjoy!!!

What's in it? 
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps:  Vintage Garden Flowers; Rescue Remedies Additions
Paper:  American Crafts: Dear Lizzie--Lucky Charm Papers; SU: Card--Midnight Muse, Pirouette Pink, Kraft
Ink:  Memento: Rich Cocoa
Extras: Spellbinders: Nestabilities--Splendid Circles, Circles;  Flourish with a Bling: Chocolate Pearls; May Arts: twine; Beutron: Button.

Waltzingmouse Stamps: April Preview Day 3--Man of the Hour

The Waltzingmouse Design Team is showcasing the font-a-licious Man of the Hour today as part of our month for the boys, there will be a delight of sentiments especially for the men and boys in your life on today's little tour around the Design Team.

All the release details can be found on Claire's Blog along with deets on how to win free stamps this release...

This set is really all about the font combinations, so in this first card I took one of the fonts and built a nine-panel background, in three different colours, this left enough room at the bottom of the front panel for a little strip sentiment... the more fonts the better I say!

And then it was time for the tag, this is one of many images in the set, most of which can be swapped and shared with one another, I stamper the "super" in blue ink and raised this element with foam tape; the "hero" is stamped on green card and fussy cut before directly adhering to the tag... just a little bit of lift.  I though the fabby stacking stars were a perfect finishing element for this HERO card.

The second card today has another great sentiment, that I thought would look good housed, so it literally is, in a little house I fashioned from the stamp shape and a couple of triangles for the roof.  This is a pretty CAS card for me, I thought the house sentiment went well with the THANKS,  and given today is all about fonts why not a double dip of the Happy Father's Day image also included in this set...

There are so many combinations are available for you to work with, perhaps especially for your own Man of the Hour!!

I am sure the Design Team has a great and wonderful variety for you to absorb, here are the links:

Anya Schrier 
Becca Feeken 
Belinda Chang Langner 
Clare Buswell 
Edna Morrisedie 
Iwona Palamountain 
Jean Martin 
Jeanne Jachna
Jen Cuthbertson 
Jennifer Holmes 
Julia Aston 
Karin Åkesdotter 
Kelly Schirmer 
Kim Duran 
Laurie Schmidlin 
Lynn Mercurio 
Renee Lynch 
Sandie Dunne 
Sarah Martina Parker 
Teresa Kline 
Tosha Leyendekker 
Claire Brennan

Thanks for stopping in today, I hope you are excited about the upcoming Rodent Release, not long to wait now!

What's in it?
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Stamps: Man of the Hour
Paper: Kraft; SU: Old Olive, Bashful Blue;; Midnight Muse, Early Espresso; Authentique: Free Bird--Nest (Comfort & Familiar)
Ink:  Midnight Muse, Early Espresso, Old Olive and something I borrowed from DOT!
Extras: MFT: Die-Namics--Stacking Stars; May Arts: Chocolate Twine; Kaiser: Pearls; PTI: Mat Stack 3 Die

Waltzingmouse Stamps: April Preview Day 2-- Nordic Baby

Today's preview set is a continuation of the lovely Nordic stamp sets that Waltzingmouse Stamps has released, this time with a baby focus... and because this month is all about the lads, I have themed both of my cards for the baby boys this post....

The first card, uses just simple card and ink.  I made another card with a vertical centre feature panel, I like these obviously.... and the little cross-stitched circle of hearts that come with this set made for some nice fat scallop borders when stamped together...

I stamped the circle in full for the feature panel, colouring in the hearts in two alternating shades of blue.  The sentiment is direct stamped, and then the little knitted booties are stamped in blue on blue card and I cut little square edges all the way around to continue the cross-stitch look.... this is not for the faint of heart or eye sight, but I was glad my scalpel did the talking in the end, as the finish is nice for this stamp set.

For the second card, I once again featured the circle image from this set, but I stamped in red on red card, and then made openings in a piece of patterned paper for each of the circles.  There is some BG stamping on the DSP and then I finished the card with a bold sentiment and die cut flourish.... perhaps for those of us that celebrate the birth of babies with a good dash of colour, rather than a wash of pastels... although I am sure this set used with soft colours will be lovely as well.

No doubt we have a plethora of variety on offer from the remainder of the Design Team, here is a path to your visual delight:

Anya Schrier 
Becca Feeken 
Belinda Chang Langner 
Clare Buswell 
Edna Morrisedie 
Iwona Palamountain 
Jean Martin 
Jeanne Jachna
Jen Cuthbertson 
Jennifer Holmes 
Julia Aston 
Karin Åkesdotter 
Kelly Schirmer 
Kim Duran 
Laurie Schmidlin 
Lynn Mercurio 
Renee Lynch 
Sandie Dunne 
Sarah Martina Parker 
Teresa Kline 
Tosha Leyendekker 
Claire Brennan

Thanks for joining me again today for a peak at the newest little rodents on the block.... one more stamp set to be revealed tomorrow, see you then!

What's in it?
Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps: Nordic Baby
Paper: Simple Stories: Happy Day Paper Collection; SU: Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Early Espresso, Ridinghood Red
Ink: Memento: Rich Cocoa; SU: Midnight Muse, Ridinghood Red
Extras:   MFT: Flourish DieNamics; Kaiser: Pearl; Flourish with a Bling: Brown Pearls.