Bringing You Sunshine!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Good Morning and a happy Friday to you!

Well, it's my last Friday of official unemployment and I'm going to use it wisely! No chores or errands. Just lazing around the house stamping, sipping on a cup of tea and the music cranked up! :D Sounds perfect doesn't it?

The Farm Fresh Friday challenge this week is so colorful you gals are going to LOVE it!! In honor of Marie and Jess's venture to CHA this weekend (and to encourage all that rain to go away!) Jess has organised a 'Sunshine-y Sendoff'! Create a card or project that screams SUMMER! (Lord knows all of us in the northern hemisphere could use a little bit of summer!)

I sure hope all this color didn't hurt your eyes too much! LOL It's a little bright isn't it?! Hahaha When I think of summer, I think of the sun and that translates into yellow paper. To date, I've stayed away from yellow paper just because it's not a color I feel comfortable using. Kind of like my aversion to blue. But I do love this color combination of yellow, pink and blue - it's so fresh and happy!

After hearing nothing but snow plows and the stillness of snow falling all winter, the sound of the birds chirping reminds me that they have returned and warmer days are here again. That's why I chose Marina Neira's Sweet Messages set for this summer-themed card! The layout is from this week's Sketch Saturday challenge #86 which was perfect for this Crafty Critter image! And since this card had a whole lot of layers going on, it applies to A Spoon Full of Sugar's (#87) layers challenge this week. :)

Here's a detail shot of the coloring. I only use SU's reinkers and stamp pads as well as Distress Ink reinkers when I color. I have been trying to perfect the look of Paula Williamson's grass coloring with the reinkers. Paula uses colored pencils as her medium of choice. I will watercolor a 'puddle' of grass in and around the feet, then sponge over this with the same green ink for a softer look. Then when this is dry, I add the blades of grass to the area using minimal water on my brush so I get a thin, crisp line. It's still a work in progress though. :)

If you'd love to get a bit more sunshine in your day, check out what the Farmers and Critter Crew have whipped up for you this week:

Cindy Haffner
Cheryl Walker

Jessica Diedrich
Kadie Ensley
Kim Nath
Mary Giles
Melissa Connolly
Randi Wall
Mercy Kerin
Sparkle Smith

You can check out all the details for this challenge over at The Greeting Farm blog. Thanks so much for stopping by today and don't forget to enter my blog candy this week! I have been cracking up laughing at some of the stories you've told!! It's really obvious to me that our kids, husbands and families are the ones that make us laugh the most. It's the way it should be really! :)

Oh, and by the way, I have another post later this morning that I thought I might start for myself mainly. It's inspired by all the window shopping I've done on Etsy.com lately. ;)

Supplies

Stamps: The Greeting Farm 'Sweet Message' and 'Hope and Grace'

Inks: StazOn 'Jet Black', Creamy Caramel, Close To Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean, Old Olive, More Mustard, Morning Marigold, Not Quite Navy

Papers: Strathmore Bristol Vellum, Bazzil Basics, PP - Bo Bunny's Double Dot Collection and Basic Grey 'Urban Prairie Collection'

Access: SEI Ribbon, Foof Fa La Button, Prima Flower, Adhesive Rhinestone, Rangers Glossy Accents, Machine Stitching, Sponges, Dimensionals