WOYWW #406

Happy Desk Peeking Day!

If you'd like to play along with us the hook-up starts here at our hostess Miss Julia's blog.

hmmm, so last weekend I had the bright idea that I was going to "stamp" all those new oxides and add them to my ink swatches book. so, I spent considerable time looking for said ink book... I found two very fat old binders with stamped images, and one with bazzill cardstock swatches / color names... but, no ink. I know I am not crazy that I really DID make one proof of said book hides in my SCS gallery. but, I have no idea where I stashed it. so, I started over. (that is what is in those little envelopes new swatches, I've bought a lot of new inks over the last few years it seems mostly pigments because, I have almost all distress colors and a lot of old SU dye colors etc etc. so, This is a curiosity factor thing. re-inked a few of those pads a long the way. I am not done yet. That one lone Nick Bantock pad, I do not have a reinker for and I do not think they sell those anymore (ranger) so, it may get tossed, its nearly bone dry. I think some weeding will take place eventually. I have not touched any of the cube or catseye sized pads either yet. also off to the left are things I played with when I did make a card and over to the right are a couple of more well used water pens that I am going to haul to work and some things I have colored and not done anything with yet in the scraps bin. I also cleaned out that display of markers and pencils that hide on this table ( I took all the duplicates to work) which is how I know I need some aqua brushes & came home with a couple of things colored this week so far.
oh yes, the year of colors distress and all the oxide pads got labeled last weekend too. (YAY me) funny true story, I love the label maker but, I hardly ever drag it out and use it. and if you read all that YAY for you & Thanks! for stopping by :)

Ready for Spring

 

 I don't know about you but, I am totally ready for spring to start here. This is day 3 of some dryness and sunshine and we are totally enjoying it. So, even some windows are open again. Scribbled some pencils on this Darkroom door image at work today. ( prisma and polychromos) (no blending or pigment melting) #thedailymarker30day  Nope, I have not colored each day but, I am happy that I have colored a few things this last week. the sentiment's from the Altenew birthday greetings set, the banner Mama Elephant tags a lot die was cut from some Neenah (white) and has some oxide peeled paint smooshed onto it. the base of this card is Papertrey Ink's spring moss ( which is a very close match for the peeled paint oxide ink in real life) I think the photo editing software changes the colors just a little bit and its hard for me to judge that anymore. ( at home my monitor is quite a bit brighter than my work one) I think in real life it is not quite so yellow-ish.

This finished out at 5X7. the bottom of the image panel was cut a second time with a poppystamps tailored stitches die. The red stardream shimmer panel was cut with a stitched rect. die from Simon Says Stamp. Here's hoping you are having weather that makes you happy too, thanks for stopping by.

{at least}

It's Friday. and the sun is shinning. and this could be the warmest day we have had yet this year.
but, its is always time for coffee...

 This Monster Morning image from Whipper Snapper designs was stamped with some Versafine on Neenah and colored with Polychromos pencils. This panel was die cut with an Simon Says Stamp stitched rectangle die & the sentiment was from a free gift set I received from Simon Says Stamp last fall sometime ( it does not have a set name on its packaging sorry) (and I am thinking it was never offered "for sale" ) The Hello diecut is from Concord & 9th say hello set.

The ombre background is printed paper (unknown mfg) from the scrap bin and the base is Bazzill. this one finished out at 6" square in real life.

Oxide Inks (and the other desk)

 So I mentioned last week that I had gotten impatient waiting for my "instock" oxide pads to ship when I came across them on the shelf in a not so local store these three colors followed me home... and so, I did the first round of messing with them. the ones towards the left were done smooshing the colors from the pad to a craft sheet and blotting/smooshing with water. I did try the add water when it was being dried between layers of color but, I don't really "see" the oxide effect. ( its possible that some colors make it more visible than others, kinda like how when you are melting some prisma pigments they change from purple to pink kwim?) anyways. the one with the Club Scrap (woven strands line) stencil was done with the foam circle blenders and I did smoosh some hard lines onto the piece and it did blend easier than anything I have ever tried to blend ink and pad wise so that did impress me. I also love the smooth chalky finish that piece dried as.

 a closer look at those back grounds, done on one lumpy textured scrap, some thin neenah solar white (80#) and a couple pieces of thin 80# neenah cream ( the postage die cut and stenciled piece)

 The textured piece became a Featured Stamper CASE on sunday because, I seen this neat card in Lyn's gallery and loved it. so the laundry list of stamps on this card is as follows.Altenew Birthday Greetings, Avery Elle so happy, Inky Antics Birthday lotto, Honeybee Smile, Hero Arts many everyday messages, My Favorite Things big birthday, mint owl studio snarky birthday, Mama Elephant Labeled messages, lawn fawn scripty sayings, Simon Says Stamp its no secret, Technique Tuesday randome acts of cardness ( I did use my Misti for this )

 On monday the CAS challenge was to do something "green, Irish or Lucky" so, what the heck right? ( I did mention that I had made this background in advance ) this one is not all three colors just the two greens.

 The postage stamp die is from Tim Holtz and the lumpy sentiment sticker is something I "found" when I had to clean out my closet a couple of weekends ago because, I had hauled all my coloring mediums I had down stairs back up the stairs... so, It looked very neeked with just the background and the sentiment and I kept intending to add some kind of Black die cut for a sihlouette but, then I seen this sparkle pale blue scrap in the little tray on the table and thought maybe. ( its still not my favorite card ever but, I will mail it out like this.)

 Oh, before I did the poppy diecut on that card above, the new pencil sharpener was delivered to work this morning so, I did sharpen a handful of pencils (prisma ones) on the #1 setting and I did get sharper tips than I normally do with the metal one I have been using for years ( seen above hiding behind the water mister bottle) and I did open all the other new colors, my friend at work ended up buying my duplicate pads from me when they arrived on monday and I do like the shades I have seen so far. ( I just smooshed the corners on a paper to look at them I have not "made" anything with any of them yet) but, I do like them and I think as time permits they will be the "thing" I am into for the next little while. I was actually really pleased with the smooshing through the stencil part the best and I have collected a lot of stencils the last few years that I just don't play with much. ( my patience level for drying times on smooshing texture through the holes tends to make me do something that will dry faster)

A closer look this is a pencil sharpener that Dina mentioned recently and it does come in different colors. ( I think I will get a second one some time for my "travel" art bag. ) (oh, and the price has gone up since I bought one so if you are not in a hurry toss it on your watch page a while maybe it will go back down?)

WOYWW #405 {merged}

Happy Desk peeking day! You can find all the where to link up and play along details here at our hostess Julia's blog.

So, it finally happened I made a spot to sit down and color up here. I feel like I have not colored in so long I have forgotten how. so of course I did more behind the monster I started with below. Funny true story as I sit here and type this this morning there are 8 Ott lights in this room (3 are not in this angled shot below) but, yes the over head light was on when this was shot too so, maybe now it is more understandable when I call it the "cave" ( at some point when these windows up here are replaced with good ones I may move the desk over under the window near where I stage card shots.) 

 

 An angled view of "my corner" of the FROG ( finished room over garage) that I share with hubs the center of the room is a loveseat, another sofa table, coffee table and tv and the other corner (kitty corner to this one is his desk)

 So, to sit here the chair is in the walkway but, most of the time when I have time to color. I am the only person home and Grace can fit through behind the chair to get to her bed or anywhere else she decides to nap.

I seen this whippersnapper image during one of the coffee lovers blog hops ( its been months ago now) so, I really don't have a plan for it but, I did color a second one behind it with more shades of purple/blue. I also have not really touched these polychromos pencils either so, one thing I found it seemed to me the leads were firmer than my prisma pencils. or maybe it was just the whole really fine tips on them. I did order a new pencil sharpener last week that is maybe coming in today to try to get finer tips on my prisma pencils. I'll flash it later. I did play with some of the Oxide inks too and will do a second post behind this one with that so far findings. ( the bottom line is I do like them) :) There is only one color in the whole range at the moment that I may not play with much ( walnut) but, the other colors are all just beautiful. ( and that's probably just a mental wishing for Spring thing too, its not a bad color I am just over winter already) the other side of the desk, oxide inks first round & the new sharpener are in this post here. Thanks for stopping by!

WOYWW #404

So, as it happens... I did cave and order all the colors of the oxide inks... ( they still have not shipped) I happened across some in a store this afternoon and 3 of the colors I think I will use the most followed me home... Yes, I am rolling my eyes.
I did make a card on sunday while hubs was trimming his peach trees and that and what was used for it is all still needing put away. (better shots of the card are in the post ahead of this one)

I have a headache so, I am thinking I will attempt to do something "cool" with the new inkpads maybe tomorrow... maybe the next day.

If your curious why the mess is on display you can find all the who/what/why info here at our hostess Julia's blog.

It's probably going to be tomorrow before I start poking around and making the rounds. on another note the dining room table was delivered on monday. ( it's solid wood and very heavy) and its too cold here to open the windows. today is the first day this week it has not snowed again. and it smells funny. ( must be factory maybe stain fumes?) so, I think that is where the headache is coming from. hopefully that goes away soon.