Black and White

Hello and how did your weekend go?  Hubby and grandsons, Tyler and Travis went to the Smithsonian today! The boys sound tired and no wonder for last night they monkey around until 3 am.  I tried to tell them "your going to be sorry tomorrow" and I think today they KWIM!  They are 12 and soon to be 9. Tyler, the eldest cracked me up when they first came! I said "wow, you sure grew" his response was "I am starting to grow a mustache!"  I looked at his face "I don't think so yet"...he practically pulled me into the bathroom to show me in the mirror! It was so dang cute as he pulls the skin out from his face and says "now look"  and ah hah, if you look super close and imagine, you will see it!  I dearly love all the grands and they keep my life jolly!  Tomorrow we leave for Williamsburg!! YEAH, WaHOO and this will be my last card for two weeks!! I am taking my Copic's and images to color but, that's all! Bush Gardens here we come!

Tip of the day: 

   Coloring with REDS. So many have said that when they color with reds it bleeds out of the lines or their paper becomes tacky and streaky. There are several things that might be happening here and these are some tip you can try.

• Your paper:  Try a different paper. Gina K is a very hard smooth paper and the ink does not absorb into the paper and will lay on top. So when you are trying to blend you keep going over and over it and eventually the ink has no where to go and as it dries becomes tacky and streaky or bleeds out. You can use a  more absorbent paper such as One Sheet Wonder or Cryogen. However, remember it will not blend the same. Each paper blends differently. If you can't change the paper then change your technique.

• Letting the paper dry between coats. Let it dry a little...not completely or you will have to add more ink to get it wet again to blend. The paper can only hold so much ink at one time so if you allow it to dry it will accept the color without bleeding. 

• Don't use as much ink. If you color making little circles, try feather blending. This is how I color with all my colors.  The way paper is made today you do not need to soak it to blend it. I was using more ink by coloring in small circle and you need to.

• Avoid the color up to the edge. If your reds are bleeding, don't color up to the edge. I start with my darkest colors first. With darker colors R27-R29 or R35- R39 or the dark blues, I do not color to the edge. I will finish blending my medium and light colors and then look to see if the ink spread to the edges. If it has not, I apply a very light touch tip to paper and fill in what was not colored. Using a very light touch you should not have to re-blend.

Leaving on vacation tomorrow I wanted to make a card with less fuss. I love the ways this card turned out! I made a 4.25 by 5.5 card using white card stock as my base.  I laid down my second paper which is the black with white dots. White card stock and cut out corners with Cuttlebug die. Cut blocks at 1.5 x 2.25 inches. I printed out a digital butterfly in 3 different sizes and layered them. I love this technique for butterflies! Added black and white Prima flowers to the corners! Black and white leaves with Martha Stewart leaf punch. Don't you just love it the look! Sometimes less is more!

Challenge Flutter Fly Wednesdays and this week is open. Danni started this site and it is growing by leaps and bounds! I love it and if you like using angels, fairies or butterflies this is where you want to be!!

 Operation White House four squares. If you want to know what to do with your cards you have in the box...send them to Operation White House and they will be shipped to our troops who are deployed to use to send back home. Or thank you card for them to keeping us free!!

DP: Craft Secrets. Love their paper pads

I will have my laptop and will be able to blog! Thank you for stopping by!! Be safe!