Peacock

     I'm sharing a card this morning which was the result of my daughter challenging me to CASE a photo she found on the internet.  It was this picture of a beautiful peacock.

     Now, what you need to know is that I love peacocks but coloring them is something that intimidates me.  I don't think she knows that or she probably wouldn't have challenged me to CASE that one.  But we can't disappoint our children, so...

     I searched my files for a peacock image but the only two I had were pre-colored and I felt that wouldn't fit what she wanted to see from me.  I haven't collected many peacock images just because coloring them intimidates me.  However, I did find an embroidery pattern which I scanned and reduced to make it feel a bit like a digi image.  I've never tried coloring embroidery patterns before although I've embroidered my share of them with embroidery floss.  :-D  Here's what it looks like after I scanned it.

     And here's what I did with it.

     I colored with ProMarkers, adding super fine glitter to the head and neck and using gold paint pen on the lattice work.   I also used gold paint on the edges of the image after die cutting it with a rectangle die from Tonic Studios.  I'm thinking that I might like to try coloring this one again but using my polychromos pencils.  I'm sure it will give a very different look to that magnificent bird.

     I knew I wanted to bring out the main colors in the peacock so I used another Tonic Studios rectangle die to cut scraps of turquoise and green CS.  I put those together on an angle, then layered on the image.  I chose a purple CS scrap to make the card front and added a scrap of lace to it before adding the image.

     I added the sentiment but did not embellish the card because I didn't want anything to distract from the peacock.

     Challenges:
Cards in Envy
Crafter's Castle
Crafty Friends
Creates and Makes
Hiding in My Craft Room
Incy Wincy
Jo's Scrap Shack
Pile It On
Send a Smile 4 Kids
Stamping Sensations

     I rather like my first attempt at coloring a peacock and I'm proud enough of it to share it on my blog.  I did send a photo of it to my daughter as soon as it was finished (rather than making her wait until she came over or we had coffee together) and she pronounced it "Beautiful!"  lol

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Strut Your Stuff -- A Birthday Card

      Good morning and welcome to February!  My gosh, 1/12th of 2014 is already gone.  But the good news is that the first of a new month means a new release of digi sets at Doodle Pantry.  Laurie always does wonderful sets but I am just so excited by the releases this month.  It was a really tough decision as to which one to use first.

     Let me introduce my card by telling you two things; I love peacock images and they intimidate me because I never know where to start on the coloring.  I'm always afraid I'll get the blues and greens in the wrong spots and there just no way to really capture the magical quality of the feathers.  But, this peacock comes fully pre-colored as well as in black and white outline form and that ended my intimidation.  :-D

I chose to use the sketch from Sunday Sketch & Stamp

and the colors are perfect for Sketchy Colors, blue, green and white.

  

     The dp is also from Doodle Pantry and comes with the "Pretty Peacock" set, along with several sentiments, one of which I used (see below.)  Inside I added a Happy Birthday sentiment but didn't photograph it.  The bow is one of those I make by the dozens, however, this time it was white and I needed it to be that particular green so I colored it with a marker.  I always have white ribbon and bows on hand in case I need to color them to match dp or the colors of an image.  And that's your tip for the week.  :-D

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations -- A/G or Animals
Creative Creations -- Less is More
Digi Makeover -- Shades of blue
Dream It Up -- CAS
Eureka Stamps -- Anything goes
Going Grey w/ Scrap Creations -- Favorite embellie (the bows I make)
Nutcrafters -- CAS
Outlawz Greetings -- Anything goes

     Be sure to check out the Doodle Pantry challenge this month.  It runs through the 24th of February and if you use a Doodle Pantry digi (not just a sentiment), you'll get a free set just for playing.  If you win the draw, you can get another set of your choice.  And, finally, there's a free set with any purchase.  Below, I've added pictures of the challenge Freebie and the Free with Purchase sets.  Check out the entire new release collection -- more than worth your time!  :-D  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie

 I used this set

 Challenge Freebie for using DP image

  Free with purchase