We here at Ellen Hutson LLC would like to wish you all a safe, fun and memorable Fourth of July!!! We hope today will allow you the opportunity to bask in the sun with family and friends, and watch some pretty fireworks as we once again celebrate the freedom we enjoy.
As promised on Facebook I am sharing the "how I colored the thank you note" post today :) It is with great excitement that I receive in each new order of Lockhart stamps. This release did not disappoint! There are multiple images that are SO fun to color and ones to giggle at too. As I've shared on FB - I sadly fit into the "chunky dunkin'" category rather than the "skinny dippin'" one - snort! (Please note that more chunky dunkin' are on their way - how about using this sentiment with a donut or two, perhaps a few cookies and some crudites?!? LOL)
Peonies are one of my absolute favorite flowers. Each spring I wait for their beautiful blooms to unfold and then I hope and pray that it doesn't rain here in Seattle so that they last. They smell SO good!!!
My typical way of coloring Lockhart images is to select light colors to "designate" the image parts. Karen hand draws all of her images, over and over, and over again, until she gets them just right. She then colors them (thank goodness - as I need to see how she colored them, before I can ever attempt these beauties on my own.) It is this hand drawing though that makes her images so whimsical and attractive to me!
Sorry about that little meandering - LOL! Next I select my darker colors and add these in the areas I want to add dimension and shadowing.
I then select my lightest color yet again along with the darker colors. I scribble some of the darker color marker on my non-stick craft mat and using my light color I complete the coloring of my image.
As you can see in the image above I also add depth using Prismacolor pencils. I love how the Copic markers sink the color into the paper. The tooth on the Neenah cardstock then enables me to lightly add color to only the top layer, leaving the Copic color in the "crevices." This adds so much dimension and texture to the completed image.
As you can see I have a tendency to use quite a number of colors on each image. I find that it has a more natural appearance when I use so many colors. I love to fiddle as I color and just enjoy the process as I work.
Finding just the right ribbon for this project was challenging me. I wanted it to be a little rougher than the beautiful silk we carry - the faux linen to my rescue :-D I am absolutely digging coloring my own ribbon - I don't know if it is the blue or green finger tips or just the magic of watching it change before my eyes. As you can tell we carry a LOT of white products in our store and it is so fun to "test" them to see if I can alter them. I was shocked when this faux linen (being it is Polyster) turned color when Tattered Angels Mist was applied. I did add just a hint of Copic spray after it had dried to make it a little more "limey" in appearance.
To complete the look I set the peonies on my doily lace table cloth and added a flower button and leaf pins for foliage. These colors make me smile and feel like perhaps summer will finally come and bestow itself on us here in the Pacific Northwest!
Once again we wish you a fabulous fourth - we have much to celebrate!
stamps: Lockhart Peonies
ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics and Prismacolor Pencils (see photo above)
paper: Memory Box Raspberry Notecard, Cosmo Cricket DeLovely Petite Paper Pad, Doily
accessories: White Faux Linen Ribbon, Leaf Pins, Basic Grey Button (can't remember collection-sorry), Rock Candy Distress Stickles
