Whale of a Tale!

It was demanded suggested, that I put this image up on my blog for you lovely folks to view! This was coloured at SGD's Midnight crop this past Friday. I'm going to get into the habit of going perhaps once a month or so, just so I can sit, colour and play! It was a good night, spent time with some lovely ladies and coloured a few stamps. I may or may not have mom make them into cards... :P (I can colour, but when it comes to making cards I am lost!), we'll see!

High Hopes Stamp

Colours Used (in order):

Whale: B37, B34, B91, B41, B000
Water: BG72, BG09, BG53, B000

White is inkssentials' White Gel Pen, and while the scanned image doesn't show it, there is also a Sakura Glaze Pen used in the water, and a bit on the whale!

Personally, I like the little dog I coloured! :P

Coming soon to SGD!

This adorable little pup is from a stamp line that will soon be stocked in store! I had the pleasure of playing with two of the stamps already owned by Andrea... and I just love this little guy!

Colours Used (in order):
E19, E15, E11, E50, E000

As always, click for a bigger image!

Intermediate Cards (Looking back)

Here's a look back at two of our previous Intermediate Card classes. These two cards were coloured by my mom and I; I coloured the boy and his dog, and my mom coloured the lovely fairy! (As always, click for a larger image!)

Stamping Bella: Patsy Pixie

Colours Used (in order from darkest to lightest):
E11, E00, E000
E08, YR18, YR16, YR14
YG03, Y000
R85, R83, R81
G07, G14, G20

Penny Black: Nose to Nose

Colours Used (in order from darkest to lightest):
E11, E00, E000
YR21, YR20
C-7, W-7, W-5, W-3, W-1
G99, G85, G82, G20


I'm going to start cracking down on myself (as I always forget about my poor blog), so hopefully I'll be posting more often. And a new scanner on my end means more images of me just tinkering and playing around! And of course, the class cards will be getting posted as well! :)

Hoppity Hop Across the Blogs

Since my mom's blog is not exactly up and running, nor really linked anywhere, I'm uploading her 'Me' Page here!

Mom hates having her picture taken, so I coloured a 'Little Cheri' (as we call that Greeting Farm stamp. Seriously, mom used to be the little punk girl back in the day! ) in place of an actual picture. I don't think it's as cute as the real deal, but c'est la vie!

Click for bigger images as always.

Sayings:
-Girl Geeks Rule!
-Potatoes are a food group
-Most of my best friends have 4 legs

-It's never too cold for a slush

-Sometimes a hard candy shell hides a squishy interior

-I *heart* crows

-Everything's better with Glitter

And now, why don't you hop hop over to Kim's blog? She's got amazing work posted that is just drool worthy, so make sure you have something to clean that up before going to look!

Stampin' Riley Blog

Edit: Comments should be fixed. Sorry about that, everyone! :(

Life Changes

So this post won't have any pretty cards or little tips about colouring... it'll be a bit more serious. Skip this now to see two new posts beneath this if you want.

We're all human, behind these cards and layouts, we're all people with feelings that pour our hearts into our work. We share it and love the praise, but we share it for the sake of sharing, not for any fame. Behind these pretty things, and numerous posts, we're all people...

And as people, we are fragile. I've had a bit of a rough month, which is why this blog has been so slow to update. Again, skip this now if you just want to see the previous class cards.

It started on January 27th, almost a full two weeks after my 21st birthday. I lost a little someone who was very dear to me...



Shortly before my 20th birthday, I decided that I needed more then my little Chameleon Carl to keep me company in my apartment. At the time, I was in Oakville with two less then favourable room mates, and was very, very lonely. One night, mom was on Kijiji and she came across a poster who was selling rabbits. The moment I saw that little black, lop eared bunny, I knew right away that was my Melvin. The first glance at him and I knew his name, and I knew he was mine.

And so Melvin hopped into my life, and gave me the best year a little bunny ever could. I loved him and all the silly things he did. How he would hop up onto my bed when he wanted an ear rub, how he would jump onto the couch and sandwich himself in between his people when he wanted to snuggle, and how he would lounge on the dog bed with his best buddy; a 90 pound black lab.

I only had him a year, but it was the best year that little bunny could have ever given me. I spoilt him rotten, but he was my baby, and I had to! How could I resist?

I miss him every day, I truly do. I never fully realized how much he meant to me until I lost him... I never knew how empty a house could feel without a little 4 pound rabbit in it. Which led me to Winston.

Never can I ever replace Melvin, and I didn't want to. But I also could not stand just how lonely I was without my Melvinator.



Little Winston was next to come into my life. I didn't even last three days without a bunny... by the 30th I was bringing home my second baby boy, and his brother happened to tag along, but that's my mom's story to tell, because Tobi is very much her baby.

Winston was the most snugly rabbit I have ever met. Before I even brought him home he was snuggling with me. He loved to be held and he loved to be with me. As soon as I picked him up, I knew he was mine. He was not Melvin, but I didn't want him to be, but he was still my baby.

I had him for such a short time, but I loved him before we even left the breeder's home. He snuggled, he flopped on the vent, and he hated the broom! He would grunt and try to attack it whenever I swept... I don't know why, but he didn't like it at all! Silly bunny. He should have known that cleaning is important!

But once more, I lost another one. I didn't even have him three weeks. Two weeks and five days, and I lost my second baby boy. I don't know if he had a heart attack, or if my younger dog got too excited and hurt him. There wasn't a mark on him, but we look and see him on his back... within minutes he was gone. Just like that.

Within a month, I lost two bunnies... my two baby boys. Needless to say, I am still very upset, and am crying as I type this. But I want this here. I want to remind us all to love the things that we have, hold them close and tell them every day that you love them. We can share as many cards with people, as many layouts as we want... but behind it all, no matter how 'good' or 'bad' we're all people. Our lives can change so quickly, so cherish it, and what you have. As George Carlin said: "Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things". We're all people, and we can all hurt and laugh. Sometimes, I think we all need to remember that, so we can put silly things aside and just enjoy each other's company. You never know how much a simple, kind thing can cheer someone up.

RIP Melvin. November 11th, 2009 - January 27th, 2011. RIP Winston. November 22nd, 2010 - February 18th, 2011. I love you bun buns.

Previously in the Intermediate Class

February's Intermediate class was very different from our other ones. We mixed things up a bit and had mom not only make these pretty cards, but colour them as well! She never colours enough, but from now on, she's colouring for the intermediate. We're still tag teaming it though, so classes will still be with 'Cheri and Aimee'.

After the Rain
Colours used:

BG10, 11, 13, 18
YR23, 21, 20
E35, 11, 00, 000
BG000
R20
And Crystal Effects on the puddle (remember, use this AFTER all your copic work!)

You are my Sunshine
Colours used:

B02, 00, 000
YR23, 20
Y21, 08, 02
YG93, 03
E50, E11, 00, 000
R20

Tip this time? Check the back of your designer paper! Sometimes finding the perfect match for that wonderfully perfect piece is just on the other side.

Previously in the Advanced Class

Very long time with no update. Life as been rather hectic for me, so sadly, blog updates were pushed back a bit, but expect more soon! We're pumping out cards earlier, and posting em' just as fast!

These two cards were created by my mom and I for February's Advanced Copic Class. Cards were coloured by me and designed by mom. She doesn't make cards often, but I think they're pretty. :)

Stamp by Penny Black
Copic Colours used:

R20, E11, E00, E000
R85, R81
E35, E33, E50
YG63, G21, YG11
Y21, Y11
YG03, R11


Stamp by Penny Black
Copic Colours used:

R20, E11, E00, E000
R85, R81
E35, E33, E50
Y21, Y11
BG78, BG72, BG000
YG99, YG93, YG00

As you noticed, many of the colours between the two cards are repeated. When doing a stamp set, this helps to cut back on needed colours, makes a busy stamp look less overpowering (since there aren't 20 different colours leaping off the page at you), and helps your two (or more) cards look more unified. However, don't be afraid to play and experiment. With Copics, there is no right and wrong.

I'm Bringing Home My Baby Dinosaur

(As always, click for a larger image)

Hey everyone! Long time no update! For that I apologize, but we all know how the holidays are. Busy, busy, busy!

But the wait for an update is over! Hooray! This card is for Cheri and Aimee's (That's me!) Copic Expert Class that is scheduled for January 23rd. It's easy to make a cute girl card, but boy cards always seem to be so much harder. Well, thanks to Greeting Farm and this adorable stamp (Part of the Happy Day Stamp Set which can be purchased, as always, from SGD), a cute boy card is easy! And how many young boys don't like dinosaurs?

So, if you would like to make this card (and the highly demanded reteaching of the Christmas Swing that can be found in one of my earlier post), and are well practised and confident with Copic Markers, come to Cheri and Aimee's Expert Copic class! Hope to see you there.

Colours used:
Skin: E02, E11, E5, E00
Eyes: G14
Hair: E57, E33, E31
T-Shirt: YG67, YG63, YG03
Pants: W-7, W-5, W-3, E11
Undershirt: W-5, W-3
Shoes: E57, W-5, W-3, E31
T-Rex: YG95, YG93, E31
Brontosaurus: G82, BG34, G02, BG11
Triceratops: YR16, Y38, Y08
Outline: YG11

And for this card tip:
If you have busy, colourful paper, it's okay to jazz up the stamp a bit to draw attention away from bright and busy designer paper! Focus on Skin and Hair, since with real people, it's what our eyes see first, and in a stamp like this, you want attention on the boy, and then what's around him. Not the other way around! :)