Back to School Card

I decided on signing up for a card swap, mainly as an inspirational, motivational opportunity. The only problem was coming up with a design when you don't have all the elements you need.
The theme for this card was Back-to-School and I did not have much to work with. I started with a regular white card base pre-made 4.25 by 5.5 which I bought at Michaels. That was the easy part.
I am a big fan of BoBunny paper. There are a few new paper pads that are on my list to buy for my Halloween cards this year. I had the Surprise paper pad 6X6 in my stash. It is so cute and the ABC was perfect for what I wanted.

Next I used a stamp from C.C. Designs called Bauregard's Pencil. He is such a cute character and I have never had an opportunity to use him before. Bauregard is colored in Copic Markers and I really happy how well he turned out. I still need to work on the skin technique a little more but I think the hair is coming out very well. I love Copic Markers. His shorts and shirt is done in colors to match the paper.

I used the Stampin' Up Label Bracket punch for the sentiment which is from the Gina Designs stamp set called Country Roads.
I am very happy with how well the card turned out considering I had no Back-to-School stamps or sentiments to use for this theme. Sorry I didn't take pictures at each step but I will work on that for the future.

Copic Certified

     Since discovering Copics last year I have been looking for anything and everything I could find to develop my skills. YouTube is an excellent source of information but I have always preferred the hands-on classroom instruction, especially for getting ideas and one-on-one feedback on how I was doing.
     Imagine my delight when I discovered Copic Marker held certifications. The cost was a consideration, but what really help me decide to take the classes was that with the certifications I could teach others on how to use Copics. How awesome is that!
     After what seem like an eternity of patiently waiting, I signed up to attend the Standard and Intermediate Certifications with Sherrie Siemens as our instructor. The classes were held this past weekend in Tempe, AZ. Yes, it was a 3 hour drive (left my house at 5am) but it was worth the wait and the nail biting that I did to get through Phoenix morning traffic.
     The Standard Certification was held on the 1st. I was early as usual and sat up front so I would not miss anything. As the time grew closer, others started to arrive. Each was excited as I. The room was filled to capacity with other people who had a passion for coloring. The whole day was a lot of fun. (photos of work to be posted later). I would recommend this class to anyone interested in learning more about Copics. Needless to say, I was very impressed with the details and the materials.
     The Intermediate Certification was held the next day. The class was smaller group in attendance but there was no less enthusiasm for all involved. My only complaint would have been not being able to color all night with my new friends. HMMMmm maybe that would be an idea that they might consider in the future....a pajama party with the goal of having fun and coloring all night.
I will be posting some of the projects we worked on but none of the class material since it is copyrighted.

Decisions, Decisions

Welcome

I have been sitting on the sidelines for some time now, looking from the outside in. I have visited and enjoyed many blogs for awhile now. Often looking for inspiration and ideas. I went to a couple of classes this past weekend and realized that I was behind the power curve. Many of my classmates were bloggers using their blogs to connect and be creative.
Time to take charge and move forward in my creative outlet. My hope is to share ideas, demonstrate, and just be creative. Show some of the things I love and enjoy doing. I hope you enjoy this as much as I will. Lets take the plunge together.