Well first of all I must share our good news...We FINALLY exchanged contracts on our house today. Woohoo, we are moving on 7th April, I can't believe we've actually resolved all of the little bits and pieces that were holding everything back! It's been going on for ages!!
I wanted to enter a challenge over at Dotties World. I've been buying things from Karen at Charmed Cards & Crafts probably for a couple of years now. (mostly Basic Grey papers!!) Her site is fab and her service is too! She's really lovely, she always sends a little token gift with my order, such as toppers for cards or some ribbon etc, and she goes out of her way to help. I don't know about you but it's that kind of thing that keeps me a loyal customer. Anyway, enough of me chatting, onto my card...! Can you tell I'm excited that we're moving?!
So, the details....I used cardboard pre-cut shapes, I don't normally buy them but I just couldn't resist when I saw these Amy Butler ones that match my pad. I used my Copics, gasp, horror! Yes, I'm using them :o) I've had to play around with them to get used to how they work and to be honest I didn't really have enough colours before to be able to use them properly. Also, I kept on getting blurring where the colour would run outside of the edges. I seem to have worked it out now that if I leave it to dry for a moment before trying to blend it seems to stop the problem.
The challenge was to use two downloads from Charmed Cards & Crafts on the card. Why is it that I choose to enter a challenge where I need to use not just one download, but two?!! I don't make it easy for myself, do I? I decided to use my Holly & Madison downloads. They are gorgeous designs. I also wanted to use my Amy Butler papers so chose a theme of lime, grey, blue and green. I thought that the card needed a bit more colour, hence the red accents that I used to colour the girls.
I split the card into two thirds lime and one third blue/grey DP and then added three tags at the bottom. The first wide one was pop dotted, the second circular one was just stuck on to the first, and the sentiment tag was pop dotted. The tag 'My Sister, My Friend' kind of sparked off the whole design. I thought I could go with the idea that Holly & Madison were sisters.
I printed the downloads and coloured them with Copics, colour details below. I adhered them to two rectangles and stuck them at angles. (They remind me of those little collector cards that people get framed!) Finally I added a few small die cuts from the set, and voila the Dotty Sisters were born! I was going to add pearls but it looked a bit too much. I'm still not sure if the card is too busy as it is.
Digi Downloads: Charmed Cards & Crafts, 'Holly & Madison'
Paper & Tags: Amy Butler Faded China
Pens: Copic B05, R00, E93, RV21, YG03, YG67, G21, B00, B23, Y11, R27, R59, E33, E35, E47, C-1, C-5, C-7, 100
I still need to sort out better skin colours with my Copics but that will come in time. This girl needs to set a craft budget. Do any of you do that? If so, how do you do it? Is it weekly, monthly? I am terrible though.. If I don't buy it you can guarantee it is discontinued or gone by the time I go back to get it. If I do buy it I find it cheaper somewhere else afterwards lol. What's a girl to do?!
Oh by the way, the chocolate cravings have subsided thank goodness. I kind of killed them with a big bar of chocolate on Mother's Day. Well, it has to be celebrated, doesn't it! ;o)
I hope you like my cards, I'd love some feedback, particularly on the Copic colouring in!
Have a good evening. I'm off to watch Holby City now! ♥
