so much to be grateful for....

Hello my fabulous friends!

Sunday was a busy day for me! I needed to get caught up on 'thank you' cards... So many friends and neighbors have  brought meals in for my parents, and done other incredibly sweet things to help our family while my mom battles cancer. I don't have the words to express how much the love and support of all our family and friends (both in person and online) helps!!! 

The best I can do is tuck in a hand made card inside each stack of dishes when it is returned... or send one in the mail if there isn't anything to return.

I've been having lots of fun with the 30 day coloring challenge I've been doing this month (which I post to Instagram... you can find me HERE). So I took some of the things I colored and made them into finished cards...

Paper: Canson Mixed Media, Basic Grey, Prima Nature Garden

Stamps: Altenew Spring Daisy

Ink: VersaMark, Zig Clean Color

Dies: LDRS Creative Majestic Frame

Other: clear embossing powder, twine

This one, was not only practice for coloring white objects (which can be tricky), but also a experiment. Normally I use Bristol Smooth paper with my Zig Clean Colors.. I started using only Bristol because it was the only paper I could get good results with these markers... However, since I have more experience with the markers now, I wanted to see if I could get them to work on the Mixed Media paper I use for other watercoloring mediums... While it was a little different, I was able to get similar results as the Bristol. 

YAY! 

This stamp set also has a lot of meaning to me... at the end of January this year, my mom came back from the anniversary trip she and my dad took and told me she had found a scrapbook store she wanted to take me to... So we took a day trip together and drove 3 hours to a store called Doodle Bugs. It was INCREDIBLE! My mom bought the Spring Daisy stamp set for me after watching me get all excited over finding Altenew in an actual store instead of just online (Yeah, I get excited over weird stuff!). We made plans to come back together in a month or so to pick out paper for birthday cards she wanted me to make... 

9 days later she was in the hospital with severe pain and a cancer diagnosis, and everything changed.  

I still think of that shopping trip when I use this stamp set. 

ok... enough of the sentimental stuff... back to cards. :)

Paper: Georgia Pacific

Stamps: Polkadoodles Eleganza

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Chameleon Pens PK2, YO2, OL3, NU2, BR4, D

Other: Pretty Pink Posh Sparkling Clear sequins

I couldn't resist playing with this ADORABLE stamp set I got as part of my DT welcome package for LDRS Creative.... You'll see more of this set, I'm sure! It's so fun and whimsical!

I colored it using Chameleon pens... that color blending in the petals was SO simple with these markers! I'll have to put together a tutorial on different ways to blend colors with Chameleons.. after all, that is where they really shine!

Paper: Georgia Pacific, Basic Grey

Stamps: Crafters Companion Shooting Stars, Unity Thanks Above and Beyond

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic WG7, WG9, WG3, WG2, WG0, 0, T7, T5, T9, T10,  V12,V15,V17,YG95,YG97,7G99

Dies: LDRS Creative Majestic Rectangle Labels

Isn't that puppy just so sweet??? I needed a 'thank you' card for a friend of mine who helped take care of my parent's dog while my mom was in the hospital. I wanted the puppy to look like my parent's dog, so I had to shorten the ears a bit... Unfortunately, this is an old stamp set, and is retired. :(

You may have noticed, that last card was colored with something new.... well, new to me. 

Yep, I found an amazing deal on Copics on Ebay, and now have a full set of markers sitting by my work table!!! I am still learning them, but I am totally in LOVE! Ever since they arrived at my door step I have been going crazy coloring with them.  I get completely focused and lose all track of time.. 

That's how I know I've found a new art medium I'm going to love!

You'll still see Distress ink, Zig Clean Color, and Chameleons from me, but for all you Copic fans, you will now start finding Copic things on my blog too!

Check out this AMAZING hex chart by Sandy Allnock! It it is so helpful when choosing colors! It does cost a little money ($5.99) but in my opinion, it's worth it! (no, I wasn't sponsored to say that, I just know that I pull out that chart every time I color with Copics)

I'm curious... what are YOUR favorite coloring mediums?

Enjoy!

~Kassi