Monster Daze and special Instagram Hop!

This post is a happy birthday message to Denise, owner of Whimsy Stamps!  A bunch of us on the Whimsy Team have created an Instagram hop to celebrate her birthday and to have an excuse to do a fabulous giveaway for some lucky participants.  Note: this is not a "blog" hop, it must be done on Instagram (my apologies for anybody who doesn't do IG!) But look at those potential prizes!! It may be worth giving it a go! Go to the first person listed (below) on the IG hop - they will have the rules of play written on their post so you'll know what to do! You have four days to get through it!

My card features one of the monsters from the new Monster Daze set.  I colored it with Copic markers and had fun making the design on his skin using the blender pen.  It shows up nicely when you start with a dark layer such as this - the blender pen moves the ink to the outer edges and creates those faded areas in the middle. Also fun to do - the smoke on the candle - as if it was just blown out.  

I created the base layer paper with Oxide inks to match the monster, and used water droplets to create that effect you see.  Rather fun too!  

I hope you join in on the Instagram hop and I hope you're one of the lucky winners! If you want to start at the beginning of the hop in IG, go here: @thelittlepinkcaboose - Amanda

 I'm listed on IG as @crissy_armstrong

Here is the complete list of IG accounts on the hop today: 

Amanda ~ @thelittlepinkcaboose 

Beth ~ @bethwitchingcards 

Claudia ~ @claudias.karteria 

Crissy ~ @crissy_armstrong 

Crystal ~ @crystalkomara

Dawn Gavlinski ~ @dawngdesigns 

Dawn Pauley ~ @dpauleydesigns 

Irina ~ @irinacreaties

Iris ~ @iriswiechmann

Jennifer ~ @createorgocrazy

Jennifer ~ @doveartstudios 

Jenny ~ @dixjenny

Larissa ~ @cardelicious_larissa 

Laura ~ @lady_laura_crafts 

Lisa ~ @lisaannmensing

Lisa ~ @palcards

Lucinda ~ @lulucker_aka_petallu 

Maaike ~ @cardsbymaaike 

Melinda ~ @thecraftyconfidant 

Michele ~ @chelemom71 

Sandra ~ addicted_to_creativity 

Trina ~ @phamtastic_design

Ute ~ @berucrafts

Wendy ~ @craftykiwimama

Zoe ~ @snail_mail_4_zoe 

The stamp set link is listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!  

Here is your closeup:

Monster Daze Clear Stamp Set

 

Fox Family again!

Happy Mother's Day!  I used this mom and pup from Fox Family to create a cute forest scene for this mom's day card.  I coloured the image with Copic markers, and created the rest of the scene using Distress Oxide inks, and the Winter Wonderland stencil.  I love this stencil and it is perfect for giving a hint of a forest scene in behind the main characters, whether your scene is winter or summer.  I use it year round. I used a mask to mask out the foxes before sponging on the inks with the stencil.  It makes doing a scene card so quick and simple!

 

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Fox Family Clear Stamps

Winter Wonderland - 6 x 9 Stencil

6 x 6 Paper Pack - Fabulous Florals

Thanks for visiting!

 

Ancient Days Club

Made this for a guy and I hope he laughs as much as I did while I created it!  It's just a hoot with the cake on a rotisserie.  Too funny!  The images and scene were colored and created using Copic markers.  

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Here is a close-up:

Ancient Days Club Clear Stamp Set:

Rustic Wood and Brick Papers - Digital Paper pack

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

 

Ancient Days Wash card 2

Another humorous take on this set - and by the way, the digital paper pack "Animal Prints" is the perfect pairing.  The coconut shell bra... BAHAHAHA!!!

Images coloured with Copic markers. 

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

 

Animal Prints Digital Paper Pack

Ancient Days Wash Clear Stamp Set

Ancient Days Wash

Another humorous offering from one of the Ancient Days sets, this one being from the Ancient Days Wash set!  I had a blast colouring up this little scene that I created with three of the stamps from the set - the mammoth, the skunk, and the sentiment.  I kept the scene simple by using only a grey shadow under them so your eyes would focus solely on the characters in the scene. 

I used a different technique to colour the fur on this mammoth that is a lot easier and faster than what I have done in the past.  I used to spend a lot more time colouring in very small, almost individual "hairs" using tiny, light strokes of the marker tip.  This is both time consuming and takes a very steady hand.  I wanted to show that you can get the same effect in making a critter look "furry" without going to the trouble of drawing individual hairs!  So in this example, you can see that instead of tiny lines, I coloured patches of colour, using a pattern of "M's" or "W's".  I started by colouring the entire mammoth with the lightest shade of brown, (E53 or 42 will work well). I filled in the entire image with this light colour.  I then picked a shade or two darker for the next layer and kept in mind where I wanted the highlights.  When I got close to the place I wanted a highlight, I drew the marker in an "M" shape (roughly) just under the edge of the highlight - you can see this especially on the top of the ear and on the top of the mammoth's head.  So I was careful not to colour with this second shade into that area, so that the highlight is "preserved".  There is no blending with this technique, but rather you "save" the area you want lighter by leaving it alone and not colouring into it.  

I then grabbed a third marker that was another step darker than the previous one, and repeated the process, leaving some areas showing that had the second marker (see again the top of the head, right above the eyes, and you can see how I left that second marker un-touched.  I did grab a fourth and possibly a fifth marker, getting successively darker each time, but basically using the same technique with little "M" shaped areas left.  An exception to this was on the trunk where I did get a little bit "hair-y-er", lol, and made little flicks for hair like I used to.  I think it worked out well enough to use both methods, and I would do it again.  This technique is just SO much easier than trying to fill in the whole picture with tiny little strokes for individual hairs!  So I highly recommend giving it a try. 

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Ancient Days Wash Clear Stamp Set

Digital Paper - Snowdrops

 

Ancient Days Club

This set is such a hoot! I gave this to a family member and they got a chuckle too! I coloured it with Copics and layered it with textured card stock.  Just a simple, clean look. 

Here is your close-up:

The product link is listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Ancient Days Club Clear Stamp Set

Thank you for visiting!

 

Fox Family - Father's Day

This image really captures the heart and soul of my husband when our kids were young - this is one of his favourite things to do - out at night with us, by a campfire, roasting marshmallows!  Fox Family, my new clear stamp set, helps celebrate mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and new babies, all in one set.  Some of the images could even be used for friends as well, as a couple of the foxes are single images. 

I opted for a simpler way of rendering the look of fur - instead of drawing all the individual tufts of hair, you can see I made more generalized strokes to give more of an impression of fur.  It is actually easier to do, once you get the hang of it!  I started with a light layer (the lightest yellow-red you can see in the close-up) and made sure to leave some of that showing for the highlights.  Then you just have to make these "Z" or "M" shapes with the medium and darker tones, leaving the highlights untouched, and don't blend too much, so that you can see where one colour begins and another one ends, in that "Z" pattern.  It takes a bit of practice, but it is SO much easier (and faster) than trying to draw in every hair!!

I masked the whole picture with a circle so I could use Oxide inks to create the medium/dark blue, adding drops of water on it for some cool bokeh effects.

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

6 x 6 Paper Pack - Blissful Blues

Fox Family Clear Stamp Set

 

Ororable Skunks (3rd card!)

This card went to someone going through a difficult time and they loved it! I used one of the skunks from the "Odorable Skunks" set.  I coloured the image with Copics and die cut it out with the Pierced And Stitched Die set from Whimsy Stamps.  The blossom-like paper was just the perfect comlement (I thought) to the image. It is from the Tropical Flowers 6 x 6 paper pack at Whimsy. 

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Odorable Skunks Clear Stamp set:

Pierced and Stitched Circle Die set:

6 x 6 Paper Pack - Tropical Flowers:

 

Fox Family

Another new set  of mine was released at Whimsy Stamps this month, Fox Family! Here's a sampling using the two side view foxes and putting them together.  I coloured it with Copic markers and used a cute framing technique using the Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles die at Whimsy. Finished it off with a sentiment from the Crittercorns stamp set. 

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Fox Family Clear Stamp set:

Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles Die set:

Crittercorns Clear Stamp set:

 

Odorable Skunks (2nd card!)

I'm so happy with how this 2nd skunk card (see previous post for the 1st card) turned out!  I used Oxide inks to make the matching paper backgrounds, and Copic markers to colour the image and grass behind it. With a few dies and some white guaze to soften the look, it's all set to go to a dear someone. 

All the product links are listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Odorable Skunks Clear Stamp set:

Pierced And Stitched Die set:

Happy Large Word Die

Birthday Word and Shadow Die

Odorable Skunks!

Omg if I'm allowed to be in love with my own image sets, then this one is it!  It's got to be my new all time fav... And it was uber fun to make a little forest scene for these two skunks from the new "Odorable Skunks" set with a spring theme - and pink apple blossoms on the trees!  The black and white nature of the animals make them super easy to colour, and to put in virtually any scene with any colour palette!

I kept the colour scheme very simple with really only two colours - pinks and greens - the rest are shades of grey.  I think that is what makes it really stand out.  I used Copics for the colouring.  And I inked up the background pink layer, behind the main image panel, using Distress Oxide Inks - Spun Sugar, Kitsch Flamingo and Picked Raspberries. 

The set link is listed below - and If you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy too.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Clear Stamp Set - Odorable Skunks 

Gnome Think Spring

Hi folks! Here is a spring birthday card I made for a loved one of mine.  I coloured the little gnome from Gnome Think Spring with a mix of Copic markers and Prismacolour pencils.   I just love the sheet of daisies from the Farmhouse Paper Pack!  The die cut I used for the main image panel was Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles which is actually on a clearance sale as of this post (Feb 21, 2023) so get it while you can! It's really handy to have and it adds a cute little detail with the zig zag stitching.  

All the product links are listed below - and if you make a purchase at Whimsy Stamps by following one of my links,  I get compensated, even if it isn't a product from my line -  And of course I get compensated for every purchase you make from my line of images at Whimsy.  Thank you so much for your kind support - because it means I get to continue drawing for Whimsy and having fun with all of you!

Gnome Think Spring Clear Stamp Set

Zig Zag Stitched Rectangles Die Set

6 x 6 Paper Pack - Farmhouse