Enchanted

It's Saturday!! This past week has been a much slower pace than normal for my family, as many of our commitments were cancelled due to the kids' March break. I almost didn't know what to do with myself! Normally, Ainsleigh has five different dance classes I have to get her to, I have volleyball, my husband Dean has volleyball and my son Nathan has shifts at work that we need to get him to and from. Everything slowed right down this week though, and I have to admit it was nice! No rushing the second I get home from work to get supper on the go! It all starts up again on Monday though...so I'm going to enjoy every moment of this weekend!

We have a brand new challenge for you over on the Kraftin' Kimmie Challenge Blog! Your hostess this week is the phenomenal Michele Boyer!! Her challenge is called "An Eyelet Here...an Eyelet There"! So break out your eyelets, your setters and your Cropadiles...oh, and a Kraftin' Kimmie stamp, which is mandatory if you want to be in the running for a fabulous new stamp!

This week, I inked up "Gwendolyn", one of Crissy Armstrong's fairies from the March release. Oh my, all four of the fairies this month are just gorgeous! I love colouring Crissy's fairies. Between their hair and all the folds in their clothes, I'm just in Copic paradise! lol Now, Gwendolyn is especially appealing to me because she has a horse! Oh, I was a horse crazy kid growing up! I took riding lessons and worked in a barn as a teenager, but never had my own horse. I also drew horses...constantly! I think my high school art teacher got sick of all my horse projects! lol But, they are a beautiful animal.


I paired Gwendolyn up with some pretty vintage paper from TCP. I've used papers from this line on several cards made with Crissy's fairies. They go beautifully with the images. As my supply has run out, I am going to have to buy more...hopefully my local store still has some! I used two eyelets/snaps to thread some ribbon through, and attach it to the sentiment (that comes with Gwendolyn) which was mounted on a Fancy Tag from Spellbinders. I also used my Doodle Parts Spellbinders to create the flourishes.

Gwendolyn was stamped on Neenah cardstock and coloured with my Copics...yes, I know I always use the same medium!! BUT WAIT...this week, I tried something a little different. I also added in some shading on the horse with my Conte crayons and a blending tortillon. I first coloured the horse with my warm grays, and gave him a bit of a dappled look. Then I went to work with my black Conte crayon (I used the 2B, as it is softer and blends a little easier on a smooth paper). I deepened the shadows, and added some definition to his face. I also added some through his mane and tail. (I had an angry moment while colouring when my C5 ran out...I'm also out of C3, so the mane and tail were done with only a C7, C1 and whatever ink I could manage to squeeze out of my bone-dry C5...ugh! refills on now on the way!). I also added in just a touch of white Conte crayon to emphasize some highlights.



I originally tried to do the background with my Conte crayons too, but it was a bit of a disaster. (They work much better on a paper with some "tooth".) So, out came my scissors, and I cut the image out. I actually really like it mounted on the paper like this though, so not all "disasters" will ruin your project...there's almost always a way to "fix" things!

All right, off you go to the Challenge Blog to see the samples by the other Krafty Girls...they are stunning! Then pull out your Kraftin' Kimmie stamps, go and get yourself inky, and make something using eyelets! Leave a comment on the challenge blog complete with a link, and you just might be our lucky winner! Now this week's challenge is slightly different...you will actually have two weeks to complete your project. You can look for our next challenge to be posted on April 3, 2010. So no excuses! You've got loads of time to make something, and we can't wait to see it.


Oh, just a reminder...if you were wanting to get your hands on one of the Spring Tea Party Kits, there are literally only a couple left!! My advice....BUY IT NOW, or you just might miss out, and that my friends would be a tragedy. (ok...a little dramatic, but you get my point! lol)

Have a blessed Saturday,

Melanie

(ps...Next Saturday, I will be doing a Copic demo at a fundraiser organized by Phebe, owner of The Town Scrapper, in beautiful Petrolia, Ontario!! If you are interested, you can check out the details here...space is limited though! Hope to see you there!)

Stamps: Kraftin' Kimmie "Gwendolyn" and accessory sentiment "Wish"
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copic markers (I also used Conte crayons)
Paper: Neenah, TCP, Bazzill
Embellishments: Ribbon, dollar store pearls
Tools: Spellbinders Fancy Tags, Ovals and Doodle Parts