Monthly Archives: January 2011

Do all things with love

Posted on January 11, 2011 | 12 comments

Has the icy cold weather got you down in your neck of the woods? By 4 o’clock this afternoon they had already canceled school for tomorrow, and we’re out of cocoa. I’m gonna have to flip a coin with hubby to see who heads to the grocery. This is Day 3. Do you think they will even have any cocoa left?

Here’s a little Unity number I worked up while watching a movie the other night. I went into mass production mode and made 3 of these. It was going to be 4 until I smeared the sentiment on one of them. I used to stamp in sets of 3 or 4 all of the time – never less than 2. It just seemed the easiest thing to do. The teal green label and the sentiment are both from the November & December Kit-of-the-Month kits. The patterned paper is from the Echo Park line, Life is Good collection. I get mine at Emma’s Paperie.

I think I’m gonna make a cup of decaf, plug another movie in and go stamp some more. I’m kind of liking this crafty business.

12 Comments

Posted in Unity Stamp Company

New COPIC Product – Post 4 and Winners!

Posted on January 10, 2011 | 11 comments

Even though I haven’t been making too many things lately, I have plenty of cute stamps that need to see some action. I immediately fell in love with this one from MFT. It’s called Heartfelt from the talented artist Claire Keay. (It must be temporarily out of stock because I cannot find it in the store.) My daughters have a hat just like the one she’s wearing … and it makes me smile every time one of them has it on.

The heart this cutie holding and the heart die cuts are cut from Snow Day paper from the Crate. I get mine at Emma’s Paperie. The Hearts a Plenty dies are from MFT Stamps. The mitten is a Spellbinders Mitten Die. She’s colored with Copics, of course. Sketch colors W1, R20, R22, R35, Y32, Y35, BG000, BG01, BG07, E33 and E35.

This is my youngest at her Christmas dance recital a few weeks ago. How can you not smile when you see that hat? LOL…

I know what most of you are coming by for today is the last of our COPIC product announcements. I think you’ll all agree, this one is so very exciting!

12 New Sketch Colors
Have you needed more pinks? Been wishing for a purple that isn’t pinkish? Wanted a brown that could be green or brown depending on what you match it with? The new 12 colors have been carefully picked and have been through months of color testing. Now Copic is pleased to announce 12 new colors of Sketch markers. Just when you thought 334 were not enough, now Copic is up to 346 fabulous colors. These begin shipping March 1st.

V20 Wisteria
V25 Pale Blackberry
RV55 Hollyhock
RV63 Begonia
RV66 Raspberry
YR30 Macadamia nut
YG61 Pale Moss
BG53 Ice Mint
BG70 Ocean Mist
E23 Hazelnut
E81 Ivory
E87 Fig

Congratulations to the winners from my Friday post. Email me lori(at)splitcoaststampers(dot)com with your snail mail! 🙂

Kathi R – I’m glad you salvaged your white vest. If it hadn’t worked, you could have airbrushed and made a tie-dye vest.

Throwing in my hat for a chance to win the new swatch book, especially since I will *NEED* the new sketch colors!

Carolyn Gargus – Bravo for getting the ink out!! Thanks for the chance to win a swatch book!

Sandra P – There are never enough colors! Keep em coming.

So, I just got the text alert that school is dismissing early for ‘impending snow’. Guess I better make sure I have plenty of chili-fixin stuff for dinner tonight. Have a great day!

11 Comments

Posted in Copics, My Favorite Things

Let Us Not Become Weary

Posted on January 9, 2011 | 18 comments

‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. ~ Galatians 6:9

I had the opportunity to get crafty yesterday. Something that hasn’t happened in the weeks leading up to Christmas (or since). It was so nice. I did a little inspiration browsing and found my good friend Charmaines‘s awesome Viva La Verve sketch for this week. Charmaine and I used to sketch together every Friday for a long time, and I’ve missed working with her. 🙂 I thought I’d give this one a little whirl.

I used my Verve set, Many Blessings and some beautiful KI Memories, Heirloom paper to make my card. The card base and main image panel is kraft cardstock. After I stamped my flowers on kraft with Rich Cocoa Memento ink, I cut them with Taylored Expressions’ Take Note Die 3.  Then I colored my blooms with Copic. Most kraft cardstocks are so soft, and they will bleed and feather very easily. I have two tidbits of advice: 1) lighter than you think you need colors and 2) soft hand.

I can’t remember the last time I finished off the inside of a card to show you, but this time around I used my  Galatians 6:9 Plain Jane from Verve. These cards will be perfect to send a little love and encouragement. I’ve got a few people in mind this week. I actually made 3 of these cards. I’ll be sending at least two of them out in Monday’s mail. Yeah me!

Don’t forget that the Copic team is in the middle of announcing the many new products coming out this year at CHA. Unlike past years, the new 2011 Copic catalog is a showcase of artists and inspiration, as well as a place where you can find all your favorite Copic supplies. See gorgeous creations from a variety of artists, from paper crafting to pop-culture. The illustrations are GORGEOUS! Some are so lifelike, you’d swear they were photos.

The new catalog will be available in the booth at CHA, and will also be available for download soon from the Copic website. You’ll be able to find this new catalog in your local stores at the beginning of February!

We’re still working on a giveaway for new 2011 Swatchbooks. To win a free 2011 Copic Color Swatchbook, leave a comment on Friday’s post. Tomorrow we each draw a winner, so be sure that you’ve left a comment on each Copic Designer’s blog. We’ll also have a very fun announcement, so I’ll see you tomorrow.

Happy Sunday!

  • Stamps: Many Blessings and Galatians 6:9 – Verve Stamps
  • Cardstock: Heirloom – KI Memories and kraft cardstock
  • Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento – Tsukineko
  • Accs: Copic Markers (YR15, Y35, B01, B11, G40, R22, R24), ribbon – Making Memories, Fiskars border punch, sewing machine, button and silk thread

18 Comments

Posted in Copics, Verve Stamps

More New Copic Product

Posted on January 8, 2011 | 8 comments
Here’s the second sneak peek of new products you can find in the Copic Booth at Winter CHA. Don’t forget to leave a comment on yesterday’s post to be entered for a special prize drawing.

Shadows & Shading: A beginner’s guide to lighting placement
book by Marianne Walker

Many of you who read the Copic blogs have been wanting more information about how to correctly place your shadows when coloring. Marianne’s blog has lots of suggestions, but you have to dig through posts and print things out. Now, Marianne has taken the fundamentals of coloring with shadows and put them in this simple to use reference book. This book is for beginners, and applies to anyone who colors, from papercrafters to artists. You do not need to know how to draw to add shadows like a professional artist! This guide easily steps you through how to correctly add shadows and make your coloring look more dimensional. The wire-bound book comes with 4 clear printed guides to help you add shadows properly on your own work, without all the frustration and guess-work. This book will be available in March, though you can get a sneak peek at CHA. If you want to attend a hands-on workshop that teaches these same concepts as they relate only to papercrafting, then register for the Intermediate Certification nearest you!

Remember the swatch book blog candy is being offered on yesterday’s post. 🙂 Good luck!

8 Comments

Posted in Copics

Fixing a Mess of Copic-Proportions & New Copic Product Info

Posted on January 7, 2011 | 250 comments
Having some editing issues today, but the info is all here. 🙂 Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by. I’m sure you are looking for pretty inspiration, and I just wanted to share that sometimes that quest for something pretty leads to some pretty tough issues…. like BG15 Various Ink Refill on the front of my favorite white vest. We won’t discuss how it happened. Made me so sad.
Luckily, a student in one of my Copic Certifications had tipped me off to Grandma’s Secret Spot remover. You can find it at Amazon or your local Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I got mine at Hobby Lobby. It was a in a little bin on the fabric cutting table – handy, I guess because they sell so much of it. The small bottle was something like $3 and change.
Here’s my vest after using this secret spot stuff. Forgive the photo lighting, the point is that the BG15 totally gone. Favorite white vest totally saved.  I just followed the label instructions. I did have to repeat the process about 3 times, but it was very easy and very worth the $3 investment.
In other Copic news, the Winter Craft & Hobby Association (CHA) trade show is coming up and so we want to give you a sneak peek at what new things you can find in the Copic booth this year. Check back for more new products from Copic all weekend long!
New Ciao 36 Colors
Copic Ciao markers, the perfect beginner marker, now has 180 colors available, up from 144. The new colors are taken from some of the most popular Sketch colors, and are very helpful for filling in gaps in your Ciao collection. Available individually or in the new Ciao 36 E set. These markers are now in-stock and shipping, so look for them from your favorite Copic retailer.
Colors include: E25, E40, E41, E59, C0, C2, W0, W2, BG13, BG72, B18, B28, B99, E000, E15, E18, YR000, YR15, Y000, Y35, YG09, YG17, G29, G82, BG000, BV000, BV25, V01, V05, RV14, RV69, R000, R14, R81.
What better way to get excited about new products, than with a giveaway? Leave a comment on this post, then Monday, January 10th, winners will be randomly selected. Winners will be mailed a NEW 2011 Copic Color Swatchbook to keep track of their Copic collections.   Three winners will be chosen from EACH of our designer’s blogs, so after you check this blog, go visit the blogs of all the other designers. All comments are welcome, though the contest is only open to the US & Canada.
You’ll see a new name on the list of designers, Bianca Mandity, an altered artist and instructor from Indiana. Bianca is joining the Copic Instructor team to help with training Fine Art stores and Art Schools, so give her a big welcome, and look for more Altered Art and Ffine-art events popping up on the Copic Calendar.
Lori Craig – here 🙂
Be sure to check each blog, leave a comment, and come back on Monday to see if you’ve won a prize.

250 Comments

Posted in Copics