Kitty squad squared

 

Look out!  It's the kitty squad!

New release Kitty Squad by Kira Nichols features a foursome of silly kitties that can get themselves into plenty of mischief.

Also new are Daniel Torrente's calendar squares.  These squares make perfect windows for the squad to peep out of.

Square widows were centered and stamped.  An X-acto knife and cutting mat were used to cut window openings. Kitties were stamped, cut and then colored with Copic markers with white Gelly Roll pen accent.  Kitties have contrasting papers behind them to cover background of each window.  Card is lined to obscure the paper inserts.

I used Copics to create a faux splatter watercolor effect around the squares.
Hope it makes you smile.

Spring is sure to follow

Welcome March.
It's a gorgeous day here in Arizona. We've had a rather mild winter, and after a well-needed downpour yesterday the sun is shining and the air is crisp. 

While friends and family are still experiencing storms and snow, nature's promise, spring is sure to follow.

Spring is not here yet, but "April" is patiently waiting for you  my Etsy digi stamp shop.  She comes to you un-colored along with some accent flowers and the text;

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow."       

April can be resized for your paper craft needs. She's perfect for birthday, get well, thinking of you cards, and invites.  Print, color, and cut for art journals or tag art. 

Check out April and her growing group of friends. April and other images are available for instant download. You can find April and my other quirky images at: www.etsy.com/shop/VeraLaneStudio
 

A way with washi

I love using scraps of scrapbook paper. You know, those little 1/2 inch slices that fall on the side of your paper cutter?  So while I've seen washi tape, I didn't think it was something I'd add to my crowded studio of supplies.  Use what you have, right?

However, the Stampotique designer's Challenge inspired me to pick some up to see if it was something I couldn't live without. 

The nature of the adhesive backed tape brought be back to my early days of graphic design.  Before computers.  Anyone with me?  We had an adhesive film product by Letraset.  It was used to create halftones -- there were also fonts  that cut with an X-acto blade and placed, but the sheets of semi clear adhesive film is what I'm referring to.  After the film was placed over an image, I would use a sharp X-acto knife to cut the film inside the contour of the desired shape. The transparent nature allowed the edge of the shape to show though, so one could see where to cut. 

In this doodle art I used the washi tape in that very way.  The inside of some of the petals are accented with washi tape.  I pulled out some "vintage" Stampotique ribbon border 2 and 3 to create my stems.  I used and old book and children's crayons and watercolors to create my circles -- then took a Pitt pen and doodled.  I added more washi to the border of the card.

Unfortunately I finished the card after a long day and a couple of glasses of wine, hence, my quote got a little crowded.  The quote, "I must have flowers, always, always, always" is from Claude Monet. 

Love the quote.  I'm still wishy about washi.

Everything you imagine is real

This is certainly one of my favorite artist quotes by Pablo Picasso.

Stampotique's Jill Penney seemed to be a perfect fit to sit on top of the Mushroom Forest with Caterpillar and Rabbit in the foreground. Of course I had to bend her little legs. 

With all the color inks and pigments I own I always seem to reach for black.  Maybe it's the (retired) elementary art teacher in me that is always drawn to black on white paper -- it's that "pop" I would train the kids to say in kindergarten on. When they got to second grade they had to use the term "contrast" -- but "pop" we all liked so much better.

Color balance, and texture variety, and always text (inspired by Paul Klee). So many years working with kids I realized I work the way I teach.

And a little humor doesn't hurt.

My card is simple, but I go for the pop.  Hope you enjoy it.

New York state of mind

It's a stunning sunny morning here in Arizona.  Before I get to my projects for today I thought I would create a simple little card to wish New Yorkers a beautiful peaceful day.
Again I blend old an new images.  Buildings from my Stampotique mini city cube are cut and repeated on a background of linear watercolor washes to emphasize all is bright and beautiful.  Taxi! and Beep Beep is a new two-sided stamp from the recent release.

I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.
 

Count your rainbows

I received my shipment of Stampotique Wizard of Oz characters this week. After stumbling across the quote, "Count your rainbows, not your thunderstorms,” I respond to this week’s designer's challenge no. SD91 Sketch featuring the Dorothy image.
 

The colors from the background papers were motivation to pull additional scraps that directed the color palette of the piece.  Dorothy is colored with Copics and a little glitter for her ruby shoes.

Note: The background painted paper is made with tempera in my children’s workshops.  We set up trays of diverse colors at each station and apply watered down tempera to make solid sheets.  After the sheets are colored, children will move about to different stations where there are a variety of gadgets to print with.  Repeat patterns added. When the papers are dry they are flattened and cut in quarters.  I use these papers for a wide variety of projects.

La Petit Boulanger

"La Petit Boulanger" has arrived in my Etsy shop!  She's been on the drawing table for some time, but I have finally managed to make a sample.  She's really pretty cute in a funky sort of way.

The little cake slice plant is a fun image in itself.  I've have made birthday gift tags with that little image alone and it works quite nicely! 

The background is a watercolor wet on wet technique, when dried it was then embossed.  The text image and other decorative elements will arrive in my shop soon.

Thanks for looking!