C4C- How do you like to spend your Friday nights...

Welcome to another Crazy 4 challenges Saturday! Today the challenge is to make a creation that shares what you like to do on your Hot Summer Nights. I like to do boring things like read a book with a drink lol!! But the other thing I like to do is treat myself..and a cupcake is often my first choice! The second part of the challenge is to add bling and one other embellishment. 

I have been itching to make a sample with this stamp and die set from Sizzix. I made this card to demo at SGD last Thursday and we had so much fun playing with it. I really like that it cuts out the extra swirl you see in pink on my cupcake top and to further make it stand out I added some glitter which added the bling for the challenge. I then added some stamped and die cut balloons from the set and used pink baker's twine to add my second embellishment. As if I needed a reason to use more of my lovely twine hee hee!

So how do you like to spend your hot Summer nights? Maybe with a special cocktail with some friends or perhaps a sweet treat and a book like me? Create a card with this theme and join us over at Crazy 4 Challenges!

Cheers, Andrea

Unity is Hip Hopping with Helmar and Susan Weckesser

hIp HoP!

The Unity stamps DT is having so much fun playing with Helmar Glue and the new Susan Weckesser stamps! If you haven't seen the previous posts on the Unity blog I encourage you to scroll down- some mind blowing fantastic projects ladies! 

I love love love Helmar glue and I used my beloved 450 liquid glue along with the Quick-fix permanent Adhesive runner in assembling my newest Smash book page. I have no worries that any of my art will fall out when using their super strong glue! 

As soon as I saw the amazing stamps by Susan Weckesser that are being released through Unity I knew I had to make a journal page in my Smash book. I was inspired to use a picture from my amazing friend Tanya's Wedding day. It was such a happy day and her one year anniversary will be here soon! I used Painted sentiments and Fly away. I really enjoy how big these stamps are!

While you hip hop along today don't forget that the Susan stamps are on sale! Check out the banner at the top to see the AMAZING dealio! Angela loves to give her deep discounts. Oh and don't forget to keep an eye out for prizes...make sure you leave a post on the Unity blog today!

Next on our Helmar/Susan W./Unity hop is another newlywed- just this past Saturday actually..Eryn!!! Congratulations sweetie!

Crazy 4 Challenges- Bo Bunny Little Miss

Good Day!!! I am a smudge late posting my Crazy 4 Challenges post. Totally forgot before I left on my trip to CHA!! We have a cool sketch today from the adorable Kelli. Click here to see the sketch and to play along!

Okay I am over and out. Need to go back as my bestie Tim Holtz is likely waiting to see me again today after our fun yesterday hee hee. 

Cheers! Andrea

High Hopes Stamps- Sketch Challenge

This week's challenge over at the HHS challenge blog has our lovely Diva Anna giving us a fun sketch to inspire us. Click here to see it and the Diva samples!

I used 'Sitting Party Buddy' on my card today. I coloured him up and showed him off last week in a tutorial on how to colour fur using your copic blender solution. Click here to see the tutorial if you missed it- one of my fave copic 'tricks' and sooo easy! 

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that I have a hard time using primary colours so I thought I should continue to challenge myself and use them again. Why I like to push myself out of my comfort zone I don't know....I'm afraid to fly so I get on a plane to Ireland by myself. I am clearly crazy lol. 

Feel free to join me on my journey of crafty crazy and make a fun card using High Hopes stamps to win!

Cheers, Andrea

Color Me Creative is going Navy...

Color Me Creative is playing along with Sweet N Sassy to show you lots of navy goodness!

Suzanne our fearless leader has asked us colour our image mostly in Navy or Dark blue. We used stamps provided by Sweet N Sassy Stamps and they are also generously providing the prize for this challenge. 

I am also entering my card into the following challenges:

Cards For Men- Happy birthday

Make it Monday- Anything Goes

The Cutie Pie challenge blog- Glitter and Bling

I also need to take this moment to share an important Crafty Public Service Announcement: Beep Beep...

Do not...I repeat DO NOT..cover your beautifully coloured image entirely in Stickles and expect all your lovely colouring to still show through...Beep Beep..

Now back to our regular scheduled programming.

I have to admit I have a hard time with Primary colours. A very very hard time. In fact when I went to put this card together I was hard pressed to find any Primary coloured card stock to use. Thankfully I bought some 6x6 My Mind's Eye paperstacks a few releases ago that were boy and primary colour themed so that I had something to work with. I think I need to get at least a few sheets of Red, Blue, Green and Orange paper to have in my stock. Can't NOT have something ready at hand after all hee hee. 

What about you? How are you with Primary colours? Is there a different colour theme you shy away from like Pastels or Earth Tones? I would love to hear about it!

In the meantime come and join us at the CMC site and practice colouring up your blue items!

Cheers...Andrea

Crazy 4 Challenges- Flag inspiration

Today's challenge with us Crazies is to use the colours in your Country's flag as inspiration. As a proud Canadian I am all too happy to wave my red & white pride!

I used 2 Donna Downey stamp sets released by Unity called "Imagine it" and "Create Today" that I have owned for a few years. I just love the large flower images and quotes. I have to admit I took some creative license with the pink flowers...but pink is just a lighter red ;). I put my red glitter heart close to the centre of the card to mimic our red maple leaf. Additionally I thought this quote from the set spoke volumes about what life can be like in Canada. We are lucky that in this wonderful land of ours that our dreams are within reach if you work hard enough and keep believing. I AM CANADIAN!

How does your flag inspire you? We would love to see your creations! Hop over here to see more flag inspired creations and how you can link up your project with ours. 

Cheers! Andrea

hIp HoP....with Unity's Stamp Of The Week...

I am starting off the hIp HoP for Unity this week and I used the SOTW- Many of my Smiles. I love the sentiment with the vintage bird image. I am very into the vintage, shabby chic look of cards and this stamp inspired me to pull out yet again my have papers from Pink Paislee London Market to show off this fantastic stamp.  I had so much fun using these colours and distressing it all to make it as shabby as I could lol!!! 

I know just the person to give this to- (hint hint Anja lol). To one of my friends that makes me laugh hard and often. Thank you for that. 

Before I go...I have to enable hee hee. Wouldn't be me if I couldn't enable others to shop like I do! Unity is having a great 4th sale! There are 21 kits marked down to $4.44 PLUS you can still grab those uber cute stamps released last week for only $3.29!!! I have a soft spot for the 'Talk Nerdy to Me' stamp...must.have. Click here to see Unity Store Website!

Now it is time to hop on over to the girl who inspires me creatively and also in my fashion choices...

ERYN!!

Andrea here to show you a fun, quick and easy way to give a fur look to your copic creations! 

I am using "Sitting Party Buddy" for my sample today. What a cutie!

Supplies you will need:

Copic paper- I use Xpress-It

Copics

Memento ink in Tuxedo black

Copic blending solution

washcloth

First I colour the image and I do it quickly by adding all my layers of colour at once before blending. With this technique I am not too worried about any lines showing. Makes it even faster. 

Here is the image coloured. Notice I haven't coloured any area outside of the fur. I left them uncoloured as I am using blender solution and I don't want it to accidentally bleach out an area that I don't want that effect on. 

Now I grab my Copic Blender Solution and my washcloth. I am using a washcloth because I want a 'nubby' fabric. 

Okay, time to dampen my cloth - not saturate- and start dabbing...

I did the body..now time for the face. You can already see the blender solution starting to work its magic on the bottom half of the bear. 

And here he is! Look at how soft and nubby his fur looks! I finished colouring the rest of the image to get him ready to use on my next High Hopes Creation! 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and give it a try yourself. See how fun and easy it is!

Don't forget to play along with our current challenge- Use Orange and Green- maybe you have a fuzzy wuzzy High Hopes stamp you can use!

Have a Crafty Day...Andrea