Floral Fantasies with Kathy Racoosin!

Hi Bloggers! Happy Saturday to you! I'm always tickled to have special guest artist (and pal) Kathy Racoosin as a guest on our blog! She is not only a phenomenal artist and color-er EXTRAORDINAIRE,  but a sweetheart who is a lot of fun!

Without further ado, Here are 2 beauties that will surely have you grabbing for Copics or your favorite markers! Kathy gives a few pointers on how she made these great cards below:

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I love Hero Arts inks not just because the colors are beautiful and crisp but, they last forever. My inks have lasted years without re-inking. 

• Stamp the Penny Black background with "Green Hills" and stamp again with "Memento Tuxedo Black" so you can color with alcohol markers. 

• Start out with your darkest color in this case BG49. 

• Take a light color to color on top of the dark color to blend and soften the darker color. 

• Now you want to add a bit more of the darker color again on the base of the stems and leaves. 

• I wanted to make this bloom look more like some pods for a darker contrast on my card. Use any light and dark browns. I also used a brown to color the stems on the flowers. 

• Color the flowers with any pink. I selected R83. 

• Feather in a darker pink and use "0" (colorless blender) to blend the colors on the petals. (There are many ways to blend and this is one of them. I don't always use this technique) 

• Add some white gel pen dots to the open part of the blooms on the flowers. Cut around the black and use some pop dots on some of the blooms to layer on your card. Stamp on the vellum with Ranger Jet Black Ink. Be sure to let the ink dry. Score the vellum wrapping the vellum around the back of the card. Tape onto the back. 

The second card was colored the same way. I love to leave in some of the "Chain Links" after die cutting. Carefully lift off of your cutting plates and let some fall out. tape the rest on the back.
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Thanks for reading today and thanks so much to Kathy for these fabulous inspirations!

Blog Candy Alert! Join our following and comment on this post for a chance to win a special blog candy!

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Gift Card Holder

Hi all! Kristina here. :)

Today I created a gift card holder using some Bazzill cardstock, the Mimi's Playground stamp set from Penny Black, and watercolored with Tim Holtz Distress Markers. I also used the new Envelope Sentiments stamp set on the inside of the gift card holder.

Be sure to watch the video below to see what colors I used on the image. :)

Watch video below | Watch at YouTube

InLinkz.com

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Penny Black Halloween by Kathy Racoosin!

Happy Halloween, bloggers! We're thrilled to have Copic color-er extraordinaire, Kathy Racoosin as a guest today! If you aren't already, be sure to check out her blog, The Daily Marker, for oodles of inspiration! Today, she's whipped up a special Halloween exclusive treat just for us!  Below, Kathy tells us in her own words some of her creative process when creating this beauty!

This air vent die from SSS is so versatile and perfect for my foreground. To add quick color and texture stamp directly on top of the paper with the ink pad. 

I wanted a darker color under the air vent die. Stamp with Vintage Photo directly onto the paper strip again.

I love the deep embossing when I use the Spellbinders embossing folders. Did you know that they are reversible? This brick "folder" is perfect for so many backgrounds. It's super easy to color with any neutral alcohol markers. I used some warm and cool greys, a few beiges and a yellowish color. Don't worry about blending because you will add some distress ink with Pumice Stone to add highlights to the wall. 


Add some distress ink with Vintage Photo to all of the layers on the edges with the distressing tool .

Cut out the image and add some distress ink to Penny Black's witch to make her more witch like. 

I also added some white pen detail alongside the red trip on her dress and sleeves. 

The sentiment was from SRM stickers. I love how you can cut the words to fit your needs. The sentiment bubbles from SSS are the perfect size for me.

 

...And here is the finished product!!

 Make your own spooky masterpiece:
 


 Happy Halloween! Enjoy the holiday! :)

Steph

Congrats Blog Candy Winner: Andrea! From the blog: Simon Says: Just Add Pearl! Please email me at Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com with your address and the name of the blog you won from to claim your prize!


Blog Candy Alert! How would you like to win an exclusive SSS goodie pack? Join our following and comment on this post with your Halloween costume this year (if you dressed up!!) for a chance to win! Good luck!

P.S. Kathy has some candy on her blog too! Be sure to pop over and say "Hi" for a chance to win! :) 

 

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Celebrating STAMPtember™ with Penny Black

We are really excited to feature Penny Black for Day 21 of STAMPtember™!  !  (by the way...HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mom! -she doesn't miss a single blog post ;)

Two Penny Black Designers have joined us in stamping special creations exclusively for YOU!  Please welcome Jill Foster and Elizabeth Allan. 

Always looking for new and fresh inspiration, Jill turns stamped images into true works of art. As her "Inspired By" blog followers know, Jill has a beautiful style and an unparalleled love of paper crafting. She loves to share the work of fellow stampers, drawing inspiration from their amazing creativity.  She designs for Penny Black as well as Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft, and loves to share her passion for paper, color, and stamping through video and photo tutorials.

You can find more of Jill’s work on her blog .  And you’ll want to check out her PB&J (Penny Black & Jill) tutorial videos by visiting the Penny Black YouTube Channel
 
NOTE FROM JILL:
I’m so honored to be sharing a card today featuring some of my favorite new Penny Black stamps.  I love the variety of images Penny Black offers; from elegant, to cute, to characters!  My newest addiction (besides stamping which is a given; right? ☺) is Pinterest.  Today’s card draws inspiration from my fall Pinterest Board), specifically this image.




DIRECTIONS:

To create this card, begin first with the tag.  Stamp and mask Penny Black’s 30-138 Foliage Fancy using Tsukineko Versafine Onyx Black Ink.  Color the leaves with Faber-Castell Art Grip Color Pencils.  Apply a light layer of Mod Podge over the entire tag.  When the Mod Podge is dry, color the background with Stamper’s Big Brush Pens, blending with your fingertip as you go.  HINT: The layer of Mod Podge makes it super easy to blend the Stamper’s Big Brush Pens.  Next, lightly paint Gesso over the background (not the leaves), patting with a papertowel for extra texture and to remove some of the paint.  Add touches of white to the leaves using a white Stamper’s Big Brush Pen.

Stamp Penny Black 1999L Letter Background onto the tag using Tsukineko VersaFine Toffee Ink.  Before the ink dries, rub the letter background stamping off of the leaves with your fingertip.  Apply heat to ensure the stamping is dry and then add a touch of Gathered Twigs Distress Ink around the tag.  Ink the card base with Distress Ink (Festive Berries, Dried Marigold, and Fired Brick, and Gathered Twigs) and stamp Penny Black 40-169 Diamond Pattern with Gathered Twigs Distress Ink onto the bottom portion of the card.  Finally, add piercing around the top of the card base and adhere the tag on top, mounted with dimensional adhesive.  Stamp sentiment was with VersaFine Onyx Black ink onto Spellbinders die (Twisted Metal Tags and Accents) inked with Antique Linen Distress Ink.  Finally, adhere a twine bow with Glossy Accents.  

SUPPLY LIST:

InLinkz.com

Please say hello to Elizabeth Allan!

I love to create!  My mother and grandmother were always repurposing garage sale finds or thrift shop treasures which instilled a passion for creativity at an early age.  Over the years that passion has evolved into exploring the endless possibilities that rubber stamping and crafting has to offer.  I always hope that my work will inspire others to find the artist within themselves.

Blog:  Elizabeth Allan’s Art Studio

Short Bio:
I grew up in northern Michigan and after graduating from college with a degree in business I married my soul mate, Scott.  While working full time, I began teaching rubber stamping and paper crafting classes.  During that time I realized how much I enjoyed creating something from my heart and sharing that passion with others.  In 2006 I was honored by an invitation from Penny Black to join their design team.  Since then I have been blessed with many opportunities to travel, teach and, I hope, inspire others to find the artist within themselves.

Project Instructions:

• Trace your favorite box pattern on Madison designer paper, cut and assemble.
• Apply Teal Zeal Memento ink to the edges of the boxes with a jumbo sponge dauber.  
• Decorate the lids with scalloped edging created from borders punched from white cardstock.
• Stamp Joyful Birds on white cardstock with Onyx Black VersaFine and heat emboss with clear powder.  Color the images with Copics and then fussy cut the designs.  
• Adhere the trimmed images to the boxes with dimensional foam.
• Stamp the sentiments from Winter Magic in Crimson Red VersaFine (or ladybug Memento) on small banners cut from white cardstock and edged with Teal Zeal Memento ink.  Attach with dimensional foam.
• Accent the top of each box with an eyelet and crystal gem.

Finished Size: 1 ¼ x 2 ¾

Supplies:

InLinkz.com

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

Penny Black has very generously donated 2 prize packs filled with stamps and paper (valued at over $50 each!)  Comment below and share with all of us your favorite time of year to create.  In order to win, we ask that you also sign up for the Penny Black Club here. 

As a club member you will be entitled to the following benefits:

• First peek at our New Releases
• Blogging Events
• E-mail newsletter
• New Card and Scrapbooking Ideas
• Card Ideas with step by step instructions
  
  It's totally easy and so worth it! 
  
  MORE GREAT NEWS!  Be sure to visit the Penny Black Blog today! They have a special coupon code for any Penny Black order you place at Simon!
  
  Thank you to Jill, Elizabeth and the folks at Penny Black for supporting STAMPtember™! 
  
  
  
  
  Heidi and the Simon Family
  
  

 

Congrats!! Winner of the Compendium of Curiosities 2, Challenge 21 is Michelle Nun! Please email Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com to claim your prize!

Congrats to the winner of the blog candy from: STAMPtember™ with Nichol Magouirk: Thelma! Please email Steph@SimonSaysStamp.com to claim your prize!

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