sketchin' fun

Hey everyone! Time for another Creative Inspiration DT challenge! *I know I did one last week, but I am filling in for another member who has life hitting her hard all at once. Wishing you the best hun!!!*

This week's challenge is a sketch challenge...

The thing I like about sketches, is that they are basically jumping off points. A basic layout that you can make your own. So this is my interpretation of the sketch:

Paper: Coredinations, white cardstock

Ink: Memento, VersaMark

Stamps: Basic Grey "Aviary", "Filigree", "Swirlie"

Artful Inkables "A Bird's Song

Fancy Pants "Fresh Mod"

CI Paint: Rose Quartz, Evergreen

Other: white satin ribbon

The birdcage, chain, and vines were all stamped using black Memento ink. The vines are actually only two stamps that I have stamped overlapping the ends. *one reason I love working with clear stamps is how easy it is to perfectly line the end of one stamp up with the next*

I wanted to add just a hint of color and sparkle to some of the flowers and leaves, so I painted them in with CI paint. (quick tip: for very fine detail/small spaces, use a tooth pick or wooden skewer to paint with... just like you do when you want tiny dots or lines when you are painting your fingernails.)

One of my favorite uses of this fabulous paint is matching my cheap white ribbon perfectly to my project while adding a subtle shine. To keep the color very soft, I spritzed the ribbon with water, and mixed some water into the paint before brushing it on. (and it still has sparkle!!! love it!)

for the inside, I kept it simple as well. The swirls were stamped with VersaMark and Memento ink. (quick tip: when using clear stamps, some times the dye inks tend to bead up leaving you with a splotchy image. To fix this, you can lightly file the stamp with a nail file or rub it with an eraser. You can also use a VersaMark pad. Simply ink your stamp with the VersaMark, then with your dye ink. This will not hurt your dye ink pads, and it gives the stamp enough stick to hold the ink)

The bird was stamped using the CI paints. YES, you can stamp with sparkly paint!!! I get a small amount of paint on a finger dauber, then pounce the paint onto the stamp... Stamp like usual. Ta-Da!!! A beautiful colored image with intense shine factor! (quick tip: work FAST. The paint dries quick! Also, after using any kind of paint on stamps, quickly and thoroughly wash them. Dried paint on stamps = BAD NEWS!)

Another fun way to add color and sparkle to your page is to make a puddle of CI paint mixed with water (your water to paint ratio will alter how intense or subtle your color) then drag the edge of your paper through it. You can change how much of your paper gets wet by changing the angle of your paper- the more you tip your paper towards your puddle, the wider your edge of color will be. And YES, it will still sparkle... even watered down. Play around with this... different paper wick differently... try misting your edge before dragging it through to help the wicking... Basically, just have fun with it!!!