Can you color too much?

I started a new coloring group this past weekend.  It is so relaxing to sit around with a group of ladies and just color! 

Because of the season, we started with leaves and fall colors.  The trick is, CTMH doesn't carry a lot of fall colors in the Shin Han set but what they did do, was provide a color recipe for all 40 exclusive colors. 

I choose Poppy, Goldrush, Desert Sand and Canary for my fall color selection (and to coordinate with Swan Lake paper packet).  Creating those 4 colors required layering of different colors to create the desired color.

• Poppy= clay, lt orange, carmine, and pastel green
• Goldrush= clay and marigold yellow
• Desert Sand= pastel green and clay
• Canary= Lt. orange and Pastel green 3x's

When you layer the inks in the order above, you do get the colors you are looking for!  It really is magic!  If you would like the "recipe" for the CTMH colors made from our 25 Shin Han markers, contact me and I will email you the file. 

Another technique I shared with my coloring groups is creating your own coloring pages (which you can then turn into beautiful cards).

For this month I used the Lovely Leaves stamp set. 

One of the benefits of My Acrylix stamps is that multiple stamps can be added to a single block to create "one" stamp.  I arranged the leaves on the block below, using a "triangle" pattern to use for random stamping.  You can see the idea of "triangle" random stamp here. 

Then using Memento Black ink, which, when dry, resists bleeding with alcohol markers, I stamped on White Daisy cardstock, nesting the leaves together.  When you look closely, you can see a pattern but when colored and then cut up for cards, the pattern becomes random.  (My sheet of paper is 5.5 x 12, easy to cut into 5.5 x 3 pieces to create 4 cards.)

Finally, after coloring my leaves and cutting, I added a touch of Swan Lake paper and coordinating cardstock to create this card. 

"Happy Fall" is from the Woodland Critters stamp set.  

If you are local and would like to join my coloring club, we meet the first Saturday of the month.  Each month, for 6 months, you receive 4 Shin Han markers and supplies to create 3 cards.  If you are not local, but would like a kit, these are also available. 

Enjoy the fall colors,
Michele

Swan Lake

Have you seen this new paper packet?  We went from flamingos in the summer to swans in the fall and they are truly beautiful.  But, you will notice, although there was plenty of opportunity, I didn't use the swans in the layouts I created for my scrapbook workshop but you can always add them.    The workshop will be Friday October 7th, 9:30 a.m.  If you are not local, purchase the workshop from my website, and I will send you both my cutting guide and you will have access to the CTMH cutting guides as well. 

Remember you can always click on the photos to see them larger and better see the details. 

Enjoy the fall and bringing those summer memories to your scrapbooks.
Michele

It's Here! Holiday Expressions in now available.

Find all the crafting products you need for the holiday season in the 2016 Holiday Expressions idea book from Close To My Heart. See all the products on your Consultant’s website or at closetomyheart.com.  View this short video for a brief tour of the delightful products. 



Ready for holiday crafting?
Michele

September SOTM Blog Hop: Blessed Beyond Measure

Welcome to the beginning of fall.  Well at least in many places we think of fall as the beginning of September or when the kids go back to school.  But I love the September weather in the Pacific Northwest and so for me, it is a continuation of summer with some of the fun artwork for fall.  And that leads us right into the stamp of the month.

Blessed Beyond Measure is the featured stamp set and has a wonderful fall feeling to it.  If you have arrived here from Vickie"s Blog thanks for joining us.  From here, you will travel on to Gina's Blog and enjoy the blessings of her artwork.  And here's the card I created. 

Using Swan Lake, a new paper packet from the Holiday Expression catalog, I featured the pumpkin stamp from the set.  I stamped on Saffron Cardstock in Goldrush ink to get that true pumpkin color.  I used the Mahogany Shin Han marker to add detail.  I added the small spray of leaves stamping with fern ink on fern cardstock.  The sentiment is stamped in Cocoa ink and the leaves are colored with the Sap Green Marker. 

I look forward to using this stamp set throughout the fall!  Remember, you can purchase this stamp set during the month of September order.  The retail price is $17.95 or $5 with a qualifying purchase.  Contact your consultant or visit my website to purchase your set today. 

Now remember you will be traveling onto Gina's Blog for more artwork. 

Enjoy the colors of fall!
Michele