Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Happy Birthday to Someone Very Special

Welcome to a blog hop that Suzi has put together for Lynette McAnsh’s birthday, which is today.

This blog roll is for you, Lynette.


Happy Birthday to a very special person that has come to be a very close friend. I am truly blessed.



I hope that you enjoy your day and everyone is treating you like you want. This card is coming snail mail, so you should see it very soon.

Hugs,
Aletha Jane

Sunday, January 25, 2015

A Valentine’s RSD Showcase


I am just a little late in posting my Valentine’s project for our first Rick St. Dennis MFA Showcase for 2015. We now have a quiet house (several hours earlier than I thought) with just hubby and me. He is taking down our outside Christmas décor and has brought up, from our basement, the tubs for me to begin with the inside décor. This afternoon is me time, so the décor can wait a little while longer. I’ve had the house is Christmas mode beginning mid-December. I think it can wait a little longer.

Once a month, Rick’s Elite Design Team (EDT) showcases some of Rick’s images. He picks a theme, we pick the image, and there are no duplications in the images that the EDT creates with. Rick’s theme for the January 2015 Showcase is “non-traditional Valentine’s colors, no reds, pinks, or purples.”

My showcase this month is a 4”x8” tag (I think it’s a #8 tag) with the lovely and quirky Valentine girl “Flirty Flora.” Flirty Flora can be found in Rick’s Zibbet or Etsy shop.  

The very first thing that I always do is color my image with Copics. I know this is dangerous, but an image will tell me what colors to use. If I am going to make a project, I hope and pray that I have designer papers to match. With my hoard (as my husband calls all of my art supplies) of paper and cardstock, I usually find something.

Copics and pens used:
Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20;
Hair: Y35, 38, YR04, 09;
Hearts, Shoes, Jewelry: YR01, 02, 04, 08;
Dress: B01, 02, 04, 05, 06, 18;
Cancan: C0, 2, 4;
White gel pen;
Gelly Roll Orange Glitter pen;
Zig Wink of Stella Brush Glitter Silver.




Steps for this fun art tag:
  • Covered tag with Fun Stampers Journey (FSJ) Journey Basics;
  • Added border with black Sharpie ultra-fine;
  • Stamped FSJ Ink Splat stamp with FSJ Black Licorice ink;
  • Added part of a rub on “My Life isn’t perfect but” at the top of tag;
  • Punched FSJ Huckleberry Fusion cardstock with SU heart punch;
  • Distressed doily with FSJ Huckleberry Fusion ink;
  • Die cut the blue heart with Spellbinder’s Classic Scalloped Hearts;
  • Arranged the above elements on the tag;
  • The sentiment was computer generated; each word was cut out, and then distressed the edges with FSJ Huckleberry Fusion ink;
  • Glued the sentiment with FSJ Journey Glaze (In fact, all elements were adhered with Journey Glaze.);
  • Outlined the edges of the blue hearts with a white gel pen;
  • The last elements added were the feathers and crystals.


There are a few events you might want to catch so you can play with Rick’s amazing images. Taking place right now is our “Progressive Challenge.” Click here for more information.

Every week on Rick’s blog there is a “Pick of the Week” contest. Rick’s EDT picks out fantastic projects created by other designers using Rick’s images. After those are chosen, you, the fans, get the final vote. This is a lot of fun and there are wonderful prizes too. If you have used an RSD image in a project, come show us in our Facebook group and your’s may be picked.

Our first 2015 RSD Facebook group Art Contest has already started. Check out the events section in the group. These contests run for two weeks. Random.org chooses the winner and the prize is one digital image from Rick’s Zibbet store.

One more thing…please take a jump over to our Sparkle and Glitter blog and Airless Chambers blog. Check out what the other EDT has created with our theme this month.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you again! If you have any questions, contact me.
Aletha Jane

Thursday, January 22, 2015

New Beginnings at Lacy Sunshine


Hi all! I have an an art card for you today created with Lillybug Dollie, a digital image from Heather’s  new collection “Stitched.” These images are some of the sweetest that I have seen in a while. They take me back to my younger days and my dolls and all the clothes that my grandmother and mother would make for them. I still have most of them too.

Lillybug Dollie was first colored with Copics. For the background I used PanPastels in Magenta and Magenta Extra Dark. PanPastels are wonderful to work with. You do need to use a fixative on your image when you are finished coloring.

Copics used:
Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20;
Onesies, Hair Bows, Shoes, and Eyes:
BV00, 11, 13, 17;
Wings and Tutu: V01, 05, 06, 09
Hair: RV63, 66, 69, 91

My finished card is very straight forward with the layering and the embellishments. Heather gave us, the Lacy Sunshine Creative Team, the theme of “new beginnings.” My new beginnings are represented with the die cut flowers. I added a ribbon and corner pearls for the last of the embellishments.


List of supplies and their links:
Designer Paper: Fun Stampers Journey New Day collection;
Cardstock: Fun Stampers Journey Whip Cream, Deep Lilac, Lavender Fusion;
Ink: Fun Stampers Journey Lavender Fusion;
Other: PanPastels in Magenta and Magenta Extra Dark.


Have you stopped by our Lacy Sunshine Facebook group? If not, come join us for daily inspiration and some fun. We also have a Lacy Sunshine bi-weekly blog challenge too.  You don’t want to miss that for your chance to win these amazing Lacy Sunshine images.

Thanks for stopping by! If you have any questions, please contact me.
Aletha Jane

Friday, January 16, 2015

Aurora Wings Showcase Today

Welcome to the beginning of the weekend. I hope that everyone has some amazing plans for the next two days. I hope to get out a little. Our Oklahoma temperature is going to be around 60˚ all weekend. I will take that any day. 


I am thrilled to be a part of Aurora Wings again. I had to resign my position this summer due to health reasons. I contacted Mitzi about coming back on board, and I asked just at the right time. A position opened on her Aurora Wings Showcase blog. I am now officially part of the Aurora Wings Showcase Designers! Mitzi has a very talented group of designers and I am going to be eager working along side these designers.

Today at Aurora Wings we are showcasing one of Mitzi’s beautiful digital images, Winter Lullaby. I was thrilled that Mitzi wanted her showcase designers to color and create art with Winter Lullaby. After my coloring was completed I knew that I wanted the Winter Lullaby ACEO added to my ATC collection.


Copic colors used:
Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20;
Hair: E40, 42, 43, 44, 47, 49, Primsma pencil Dark Umber
Owl: W1, 2, 3, 4, 7, and
E40, 42, 43, 47;
Flowers: BV20, 23, 25, 29, and
G82, W7;
Background: E40, 42, 43, 44.


The process of making this art card is pretty straight forward, but I do want to point out the Ivy die cuts. I have just purchased this beautiful die and after the cutting and arranging, I knew that this is one that I will use many times in the near future. The leaves come in four sizes and you can cut as many as you want. Before placing the leaves on the vine I distressed their edges with brown ink and softly pounced the brown ink within the body of the leaves.


Supplies used and their links:
Cardstock: Fun Stampers Journey Cocoa Powder and Beach Ball;
Designer Paper: 1st Edition Paper New Leaf Collection;
Ink: Copics and Fun Stampers Journey Cocoa Powder;
Dies: Spellbinder’s A2 Matting Basics B & Die D-Lites Ivy.

Aurora Wings has a monthly challenge happening and the theme is “All that Glitters.” It closes Saturday, January 17, so you need to get busy. Aurora Wings has a Facebook group and there is another challenge happening there. That theme is “Gemstones.” I hope we see you visiting any of our fun groups.

Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, please contact me. 
Aletha Jane

Thursday, January 1, 2015

RSD's 1st Progressive Challenge for 2015


Happy New Year everyone! What better way to start the New Year than with a brand new progressive challenge at the Rick St. Dennis (RSD) Sparkle and Glitter blog. RSD’s progressive challenges take place within a two month span. The first part is “anything goes” WITH an RSD image from Rick’s Etsy or Zibbet shop. We have started the first part today. For the second part, which will happen in February, the ones who participated in the first part will receive a new RSD image that was created exclusively for use in the second part. Don’t worry if you did not participate in Part 1. You can enter in the second part by purchasing Rick’s image from his Etsy or Zibbet shops. If you are overseas and have to deal with the VAT tax, please shop in Rick’s Zibbet shop. Your images will arrive to you in a personal email.

The fun images that I chose to color are ladies from Rick’s “Hat” series. I must admit that these are some of my favorite images for coloring. They are perfect for cards, journals, or mixed-media. What makes them so special to me are their facial expressions. I look at that face and I see the colors that I want to work with to accentuate those expressions.

For my first one I would like to introduce you to “Billie.” You can find Billie Hat Lady in Rick’s Zibbet shop or his Etsy shop.

Copics used:
Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20;
Hair: Y21, YR24, E37;
Hat and Eyes: B21, 23, 24, 26, 29;
Feathers and Eye shadow: BG10, 57, 63, 68;
Lips: R27, 29, 89;
Hat Pompom: C1, 2, 3, 4, BG10, 53;
Fur Collar: W00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, B21;
Earring: BG53, 57, 78;
Hat Broche: BG10, 53, 57, 78, and
B10, 23, 24, 26, 29;
Background: W00, 0, 1, 2;
Accent Pens: Spica Sky Blue, Gelly Roll Clear Star.


My next one has attitude and she screamed dark sage and burgundy. I would like to introduce you to “Sadie.” Sadie can also be found in Rick’s Zibbet or Etsy shops.

Copics used:
Skin: E000, 00, 04, 11, 21, R20;
Hair: B41, C5, 7, 9, 100;
Collar and Bow: BG90, 93, 96, 99;
Hat, Lips, and Buttons: R37, 39, RV99;
Fur: E11, 13, 17, blender;
Background: W00, 0, 1, 2;
(For a little more depth in the folds and
shading I use a Prismacolor Black Pencil.)


Thanks for stopping by. I hope you join us in our 1st part of RSD’s Progressive Challenge. (It’s also our first blog for 2015!) When you do enter, please visit our Rick St. Dennis Facebook group and post your piece of art.

Wishing everyone a healthy, prosperous, creative, and amazing 2015!
Aletha Jane

I'm Moving!

I am moving my blog to my website at AJ's Design Artz . I hope you stop by!