Two-thirds Way Thru 30-Day-Coloring Challenge

See my first ten days of colored projects during this 30-Day Coloring Challenge.

See my 2nd ten days of coloring projects.

Day 21:

Kathy's Stockings

 I was over at Stephanie Ackerman's blog last night,

catching up on all her latest news,

when I ran across a post with her directions

on how she watercolors using watercolor pencils and an aqua-brush, 

so knew that was the direction I was going next,

to color in a house,

a gingerbread house,  to be exact, by Stampin' Up.

The colored pencil practice was a good prelude to coloring in with watercolor pencils,

however, when it came time to actually get the Strathmore

watercolor paper wet, I had a hard time getting some of the pencil pigment

to dissolve and smooth out like a marker.

I was using a "light" hand, as per Stephanie's instructions,

 but had to re-color over the dried sections.

The sky finally puddled after the second coat,

but the clouds and the house still wouldn't,

so then I had to look at the pencils.

I keep all my watercolor and colored pencils (various brands of both)

 separated in school boxes, so. . .

when I tried to find them on the Fantasia Pencil company website,

there were no photos of individual pencils to compare them to, so I decided

they must be coloring pencils, not watercolor ones. =0(

So to finish off the scene, I added stickles to the roof and gumdrops

and glossy accents to the little gingerbread man's heart.

~~~~~

Day 22.

Kathy's Post

Tonight my son was in a car accident with a motorcycle

that totaled his car; he's at the hospital getting checked out as I type this.

When I tried to call my husband to let him know

about the accident, his boss answered my hubby's phone and said he had

fainted and medics and an ambulance was on the way.

So tonight I elected not to color, but take care of my guys.

I hope you understand.

~~~~~

Day 23:

Kathy's Lawn Fawn Christmas Card 

I decided to do another watercolor card, but in a different technique

with the watercolor pencils.

I got inspiration from this Art Impressions tri-fold card video.

I love the look of watercolor and

followed the directions from the video of measuring and marking the card,

however, I didn't have the Art Impression stamps to make it with, so used what I had.

I think if I make this card again, I would move the car down so it is not hiding the house

and move the evergreen tree up and to the left side of where the car is..

I felt a little out of my element as it involved moving the pigment

from a "palette" to the paper

with the waterbrush; I have more control with the above watercolor technique of scribbling

the watercolor pencil pigment directly on the paper and wetting it with the waterbrush to puddle it.

~~~~~

Day 24:

Kathy colored a kitty.

Well, I played with placement today after I visited Michaels.

I was looking for Tim Holtz's Distress Micro Glaze fixative, but they didn't carry it.

You wouldn't believe the amount of coloring books they were carrying. WOW!

Right in time for Christmas shopping!

I thought I had a tree stamp, but all I could find were evergreens, so

I ended up buying a little 8 piece Inkadinkado tree set, but am still not satisfied

with the placement on the left side of the card.

The perspective isn't quite right yet, but I'm tickled with the shadows,

esp. the one of the car.

~~~~~

Day 25:

Kathy's Grey Roses

This crazy bird ATC is dedicated to Judy Cantrell,

who not only sent me stamp-off's of Tim Holtz's Crazy birds,

but also suggested how to color them in with watercolor crayons.

Did you know the term "jayhawking" is said to have been invented

by Patrick Devlin, an Irishman, who had emigrated to the Kansas territories 

during the Border War between Kansas and Missouri?

I couldn't resist adding the green polka-dot tie and bowler hat to the bird

along with the google-eyes.

He even has a little shamrock (confetti) next to him.

I have a plastic paint palette somewhere, but couldn't lay my hand on it,

so grabbed a plastic package bubble to use instead. The crayon scribbled easily and dissolved quite readily into paint and it didn't require the effort to get it transferred to the

image as the watercolor pencil scribbles did from the paper. 

~~~~~

Day 26:

Kathy's Cute Little Watercolored Houses

Wise Old Owl

This coloring challenge is a two-fer; I'm getting

 shopping bags of supplies that I moved out to my craft barn

put away before I get down to business coloring, so

yesterday I found two palettes of watercolor paint;

one was a generic kids brand and the other was an Pearlescent

USArtQuest Stargazers palette that I had purchased at a thrift store

for $3.00 which had never been used.

I took that water brush in hand and painted up this wise old owl --

first layer was the generic brown - squirt one drop from water brush into paint,

mixed it a little and lightly painted it on and heat set it with my heat gun,

then went back over it with a darker brush on the shadow areas.

The bow-tie, cap, & pencil were all colored in the Stargazer paint.

It's more opaque than the generic watercolor paint. Then I went back over the bow tie

with lime green gel pen polka-dots and google eyes and he was done!

~~~~~ 

Day 27 & Day 28:

Kathy's Spots

Me bad.

I totally blew off the coloring challenge yesterday.

Got involved in genealogy and didn't want to leave it, so

tonight I made two atc's.

I wanted to stamp the Celtic Cross in black, but could not find the stamp,

so had to rely on a stamp-off cut out of a "Ka-Ka" card.

You don't have a "Ka-Ka" card stash, do you?

I do. I keep unfinished and ugly cards in a shoebox.

Never know what you can dig out or find a use for from time to time.

I water colored both of these atc's with a paint box and water pen.

~~~~~

Day 29:

Kathy's Poinsetta Card

I'm tired tonight.

We're almost done with this 30-day Coloring Challenge.

I had a list of things to get completed and

have some things almost accomplished like the cleaning of my craft barn. Woo hoo!

I've  also learned that I like coloring with coloring pencils

and watercoloring with a water pen!

So here's my atc for today!

~~~~~

Day 30:

I made an atc-size envie  from a Asian treat bag I've hung onto like forever as a template 

and had to wait for the seams and the shamrock die cut on it to dry.

I was trying a new glitter glue which I got at a dollar store that I don't think I'll get again.

Had trouble getting it to come out and when it did, it came out in a big glop,

ACK!, so had a mess to clean up.

Here's the envie and the template.

The front of the envelope is 2.5" x 3.5." Score along dotted lines then fold and glue. .

I appreciate my friends and your lurkers out there

for coming back to read my blog every day

and commenting. 

Also, kudos goes to Kathy Racoosin for hosting this 30-Day Coloring Challenge.

Thank you.



30-Day Coloring Challenge Continues

See my first ten days of colored projects during this 30-Day Coloring Challenge.

Day 11:

Kathy's Post 

My friend, Peggy, brought a few of her Mary Engelbreit rubber stamps

 and made some stamp-offs for me after our

ATC club meeting today. I colored a few to meet my

coloring challenge for today.

~~~~~

Day 12:

Kathy's Birdies

When I got home last night, I realized I had no idea what colors

to use on these stamp-offs. I recognize Mary Engelbreit's art

for as much as her color combinations as well as what she illustrates.

So I pulled out several of the books she has illustrated from my personal library

(I have approximately 65 of her books)

and found the illustration above, however, for the one below,

I had to wing it.

~~~~~

Day 13:

Kathy's Sparkly Pegusus Birthday Card

I went out to the craft barn and dug in my "Ka-Ka" stash and

found some stamp-offs I forgot I had, so I got to work coloring them tonight.

They almost look like a flower garden. . .

But here is an up close photo so you can see how I colored Mary Engelbreit's flowers in.

The tip of my pointy finger is quite numb tonight! LOL!

 I practiced using light pressure vs. harder pressure on the coloring.

You can see that in the blue and pink flowers and the leaves.

I also blended colors -- leaves and flower centers.

And used a white pencil to smooth out the red pencil pigment.

It really worked like a blender pencil.

Now if only these flowers had dies to go with them, I'd be a super happy camper.

~~~~~

Day 14:

Kathy's Card Makeover

What color(s) make you happy?

Somebody sent me an email today about colors and

it reminded me of an old post I had forgotten about.

I joined this coloring challenge,
not to make cards as some are doing, but to practice coloring.

Later, I can put the elements to good use in projects.

The sun above is part of the leftovers from my August ATC making.
But I did color a card front I found in my stash yesterday.

This is an old Stampin' Up set of rubber stamped images.

I added a few details with my colored pencils like the clouds and the tree bark.

And then I went back to bits of this and that.

The above snowmen are from an old Stampin' Up set, too, I think.

The flowers above were intended as a bit of a background and

I also colored in a cute corner or two.

Wanna watch Mary Engelbreit color in a drawing? Click here.

~~~~~

Day 15:

Kathy's Cards, Video & Blog Hop

I think both these images are from a friend's Penny Black rubber stamps. . .

I've been looking very carefully at how ME shades her figures. . .

Part of the challenge for myself this month

 is becoming confident in the use of color.

~~~~~

Day 16:

Kathy's Day 16

Learned a fellow 30-Day Coloring Challenge

friend's mother passed away Sunday.

So here's a card in memory of her mother!

Shepherd stamp is by Highlander Celtic Stamps,

 the sentiment is by Inkadinkado,

the sheep is a stamp-off from a friend. 

~~~~~

Day 17:

Kathy's Day 17

Colorblock Technique

Make three circles by tracing around something round with a pencil, pen or marker,

anywhere on the page.

Save these three circles for stamping two images and a sentiment &/or for stickers.

Then, using a straight-edge ruler,

draw lines in the rest of the space to make "blocks."

You may stamp in the blocks and color in.

~~~~~

Day 18:

Kathy's Greeting Farm

Sorry folks, I was really tired,

been working on a couple of genealogical articles for one of my other blogs,

so I elected to go to bed

instead of staying up and coloring.

~~~~~

Day 19:

Kathy's Guesting on Power Poppy -- It's a Cool Christmas Card!

One of my nieces sent me some black and white doodled coloring pages,

one of which I colored tonight.

The artist is: Deborah Muller.

Did you know that blue, green, and lavender are calming colors?

And pink is an appetite suppressant?

Supposedly, if you want to lose weight, paint your kitchen walls a bright pink!

~~~~~

 Day 20:

Kathy's Tie-Dyed Posies

I was going to use my watercolor pencils tonight,

but first I have to find my aqua (water) brush.

I'm still trying to organize my craft barn.

So. . . tonight, it's still coloring pencils on one of those coloring sheets

niece shared with me.

After I got done coloring, it seemed like it still needed something and

I remembered that Mary Engelbreit uses black so effectively to pop colors,

so I used a fine-tip sharpie marker to reink the lines

and a light grey pencil to add some shadows.

I believe adding both helped.

I am Thankful & Blessed For God is with me!  

~~~~~

See my last ten days of projects during this 30-Day Coloring Challenge.





Jesse Tree: 24 Tags of Christmas

Introduction = This is my launch into Tim Holtz' vintage/grunge technique and idea of "21 tags of Christmas," however, I will be using the symbolic images for a Jesse Tree along with scriptures from a new Advent devotional book called Anticipate written by Paul Shenemen and published by Beacon Hill Press. I believe I have many of the rubber stamps required for the tags, but a few I will probably have to use digital stamps to replace the ones I do not have from a resource mentioned in the book -- Advent Experience. As I do not have access to a computer on a daily basis, unless I visit the library every evening, I will post each tag below on the same day until all have been made, so please be patient with me. Thanks!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 1: 
"A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him -- the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord--and he will delight in the fear of the LORD." (Isaiah 11:1-3)



Tim Holtz' Techniques: Wrinkle Free Distress, Distressed Edges and Hammered Grunge Board
Stamps: Laura Ashley Woodville Leaves Background Stamp, River City Rubber Works 3 Inch Ruler Stamp, Dress It Up Autumn Treasures (Tree)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 2:
"Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, my soul. He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--he remains faithful forever. (Psalm 146:1,6) 



Tim Holtz' Technique: Scribble Stain Distress
Stamps: thread spool "stamp," Rubber Stampede "Let's Save the World #A1756 F" Stamp, Recollections Alphabet #171816 stamps
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 3:
"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night." (Psalm 1:1-2) 



Tim Holtz Technique: Dauber Resist (I really, really like this technique!)
Stamps: Autumn Leaves Swirls #AL2587; Hero Arts Sentiment, Posh Duet Apple

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 4: 
"Listen to my words, LORD, consider my lament. Hear my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice, in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."
(Psalm 5:1-3) 

 


Tim Holtz' Technique: Wrinkle Free Distress Background
Stamps: Waves = Stampabilities Swirly Border, Dr1012; Ship = PSX G-3004; Anchor = PSX B-1095
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 5:  
"I see you with all my heart: do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees."
(Psalm 119:10-12)




Tim Holtz' Technique: sponged background with stamped & embossed stars, similar to his Inking Grunge technique except homemade tag is

constructed from heavy cardstock

Stamps: Star = PSX A-262; Sun = Hero Arts Serene Sun F253
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 6:  
"I love you, LORD, my strength.
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold."  (Psalm 18:1-2)



Stamps: Ram's Head = digital stamp (I didn't want the ink to run, so traced the head over a light box on another sheet of cardstock with a permanent fine line sharpie marker.)
Harlequin = Hero Arts Single Harlequin D3415
Music Notes = Posh
Sentiment = Michaels Wishful Thinking
Sheep = Stampabilities Lambie Pie D1154
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 7:  
"LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:5-8)



Tim Holtz Techniques: Masking (I made my own mask using a piece of clear flat packaging and a square punch) and finger glitter glue.
Stamps: Autumn Leaves Swirls AL2587

My niece married this last weekend and her colors were lavender and silver, so the colors on this tag and next is in commemoration of this event!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 8:  
"Now this I know: The LORD gives victory to his anointed. He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." (Psalm 20:6-7)



Tim Holtz Technique: Inked Background and Layered Stamp Images
Stamps: Background Script = Stampin' Up; Filigree = All Night Media/Anna Griffin 580D06; Filigree = Autumn Leaves Swirls AL2587, Sack = Anita's; Sentiment = Inkadinkado 8386-J;
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day 9:

Postscript: I did not get to finish this series as my craft barn did not have a large heater
at the time and it became t0o cold to work out there.

Paper Grocery Sack Gingerbread House

The Dollar Store Craft Lunch Sack gingerbread house reminded me of the gingerbread house that our son made for us in second grade. I had to go dig it out and take a picture of it for you. He was so sweet and now he's working at Micheal's as a stockboy!

Crochet: Framed Christmas Cards

My grandmother showed me a little craft she used to make with nice Christmas cards. Back in her day, growing up on a farm out on the prairie and later as a farmer’s wife, many of the nice home décor pictures we have now were just not available, so she was creative with what she had.

~~ <> @ <> ~~

You will need these supplies:
New or used Christmas cards
Tagboard (a thin cardboard from cereal, gift, or tissue boxes, a tablet of paper, or a new shirt)
Scissors
Ruler
Pencil
Double-face tape
Hole punch, 3/16” in size.
Size G crochet hook
Yarn
3/8” inch to ½” inch wide ribbon
large-eyed yarn needle

In order to make the frame, begin by selecting the card you want. I picked out a couple for samples, made of sturdy cardstock. If you have one made of flimsy paper, you will have to make it sturdier by inserting a piece of tagboard. Trace around the card on the tagboard and cut out. Trim the tagboard so that it’s just slightly smaller than the card by a hair (just inside the pencil marks, so it doesn’t show in front), then insert inside the card. You may double-face tape the tagboard to the inside center of card so it doesn’t shift when you punch the holes around the outside.

I have several hole punches – Fiskars hand punches, a 9 pc. set of eyelet punches from Harbor & Freight that one whacks with a hammer, a sheet metal hand punch I also purchased at Harbor & Freight, and a long arm Crop-a-Dile punch. Any will work as long as a size G crochet hook will pass through the hole easily. Punch holes around the outside edge of the card about ¼ “ from the edge and from each other. You can make tick marks on the back side of your card if you like with a pencil, but I punch the holes at each corner, then in the middles, spacing them fairly evenly, and so on.

Both cards I made for samples begin the same.

Row 1: Slip your crochet hook into the top middle hole from the front of the card and pull a loop of yarn through the hole. Chain 1 (ch 1) over the top of the card, catching the yarn with the hook and pulling it through your first loop. Insert hook back into the same hole, yarn over (yo), pull through. You should have two loops on your hook. Yarn over top of card and pull loop through both of the loops on your hook, making a single crochet (sc). Single crochet along the rest the holes loosely until you reach the corner. If you make your stitches too tight, the card will buckle. At the corner you will make 2 single crochets in the same hole with 2 chains between them to make the corner (sc, ch 2, sc). Continue crocheting around the edge of the card until you reach the top middle again. End first row by inserting hook into the first single crochet you made, yarn over, and pull through loop on hook, making a slip stitch (sl st). Chain 3.

CARD 1:

On Card 1, I used Lily’s Original Sugar ‘n Cream cotton yarn in Soft Ecru.

Row 2: For this frame there are two double crochet stitches (dc) in each first row single crochet stitch except at the corner where there are 4 double crochets with 2 chains between each set to make the corner. The chain 3 is the first double crochet (dc) in the beginning sc. To make a double crochet, yarn over (yo) with the hook, catching the thread, then dip down into the first sc, yo, pull yarn loop through single crochet. Yo again and pull loop through two loops on hook. Yo and pull caught loop through the last two loops on hook. You have a complete dc. Dc twice in each sc until you reach the corner. At the corner, make 2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc. Complete row until you end back at middle top. Close row by making a sl st in top st of beg ch 3, ch 10, sl st back in same st. Ch 1, pull long (about 2”), cut off, leaving a tail to weave through the back of the stitches with a large-eyed yarn needle. Trim.

To finish: cut 1 yard of ribbon and weave through punched holes, beginning at top middle, leaving a six inch tail of ribbon. Space ribbon evenly as possible. Tie a bow with tails when done and fish-tail trim ends. Flatten frame and hang by chain loop.

CARD 2:

Card 2’s frame was made with Bernat’s Satin Sport Acrylic 2.4 oz/70 g yarn in the seashore color.

Row 2: In this row, you will make the shell stitch of 6 double crochet (dc) with 2 chains between each set of 3 dc in each row 1 sc. The chain three that you made at the end of the first row counts as the first double crochet in the shell. To make a double crochet, yarn over (yo) with the hook, catching the thread, then dip down into the first sc, yo, pull yarn loop through single crochet. Yo again and pull loop through two loops on hook. Yo and pull caught loop through the last two loops on hook. You have a complete dc. Make one more dc, then chain (ch) 2, then make 3 more dc’s in same stitch. Skip (sk) one sc and make another shell in the next sc. Repeat until you return to the top of the card. Complete row by sl st into beginning (beg) ch 3 and sl st to the top of the shell where the ch 2 are. Ch 10, sl st back in same st. Ch 1, pull long (about 2”), cut off, leaving a tail to weave through the back of the stitches with a large-eyed yarn needle. Trim.

To finish: cut 1 yard of ribbon and weave through punched holes, beginning at top middle, leaving a six inch tail of ribbon. Space ribbon evenly as possible. Tie a bow with tails when done and fish-tail trim ends. Flatten frame and hang by chain loop.

Handmade Paper from Used Christmas Wrap

Note: I originally took a papermaking (pouring method) class at our local Conservation Department (free to Missouri residents). Check out Arnold Grummer’s website for more tips and ideas.

Supplies:

Used Christmas wrapping paper or other paper such as junk mailing paper or scraps of cardstock

Your hands or a paper shredder

Optional Inclusions: glitter, a pinch of tiny seeds [purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea); the Gray-headed Coneflower (ratibida pinnata); the Plains coreopsis (coreopsis tinctoria) and the Black-eyed Susan (rudbeckia hirta L.) for example], mica pigment powders, dried flower petals or leaves, snippets of embroidery floss, crayon shavings, etc.

Blender

3 cups of water per blender pitcher

dishtub or container to save water in

Kitchen Sponge/cotton sack toweling/felt couch sheets

Paper mold = Window-screen stapled to a wooden frame

Iron

Die-cutter/Embossing Folders

Directions:

1. To make the paper molding frames, saw a piece of 1 ½” x ½” wide wooden board into 8 (7 ½”) lengths. Nail 4 pieces into 1 rectangular frame using a hammer and 2 nails on each join, then cut out a piece of wire window screening to size and staple it to the bottom of one mold with a staple gun. (see photo). Then make another one with the remaining 4 pieces. Mark the one without the screen as the top as this piece will be removed later when your paper pulp is completely poured. 

2. Prepare frames for paper making by fastening the molding frames together with two large rubberbands at each end with the screen in-between.

3. Tear used paper in small bits (about the size of the end of your thumb from the first bend to tip) or run it through a paper shredder. If the Christmas paper has metallic pieces on it, you might have to shred the paper a little finer. Throw pieces into a cereal bowl or paper cup until you have about ½ ounce of paper (weigh bowl or cup first). Tip: 1 ½ or 2 copy-weight sized sheets of scrap paper + several tiny scraps of colored cardstock = 1 sheet of colored cardstock for this size of mold.

4. Place paper into blender pitcher without compressing and pour warm water over the paper until paper is covered (approximately three cups of water). Replace lid and blend on highest setting for 30 to 60 seconds until paper becomes pulpy looking. If you have off-white or grey paper pulp and want colored paper, throw in a few scraps of colored paper or cardstock (I save my cardstock bits in sandwich-sized zip bags by color.) Keep adding and blending until you get the color you want. Remember that your paper might dry lighter, so keep adding colored paper until it’s a slightly deeper shade than you want.

5. If you wish to at this time, add your inclusions to your pulp before you pour it out. Stir with a spoon to mix thoroughly.

6. Set the mold down into your dishtub and pour the blender water/pulp mixture through the screen into it, dumping the pulp as evenly as you can on the screen. I start pouring at the corners around the edges to the middle in a circular motion. Sponge bottom of screen dry and sponge top of paper until flat. Remove rubber bands from mold, lift off top frame and set it aside.

7. Supposedly, one is able to turn over the frame and peel the paper off the screen onto the couching sheet. I messed up the paper several times trying to do this and had to start over (glad I saved the water in the dishpan instead of letting it go down the sink). I found it helpful to use a kitchen spatula to lift up one end of my new paper to slowly peel it from the screen. At this point you may let the paper dry naturally on the couching sheet or carefully iron it. Be sure the iron is on the coolest setting and don’t leave it in one place too long as it may burn the paper. Do not iron seeds.

8. If the paper buckles as it dries, lightly spritz with a bit of water to relax the fibers on both sides, then press under a few heavy books or in a homemade book press.

9. To decorate: Try spritzing dried paper with inks and cut paper into shapes with a die-cutter to use as Christmas ornaments or gift tags. Punch a hole in one end and thread a strand of ribbon, gold cording or embroidery floss to paper as a hanger or tie. Or use embossed handmade paper on cards!



Postcript: I have a tip for making a new seal for your thrift store blender pitcher here.