Smile....

   Yesterday ending up being a gorgeous afternoon, the shine was shining and I spent a few hours outside planting flowers....a true joy.  Today....well, more of the cloudy weather again, but considering how dangerous and scary some of the storms have been in the South and Midwest, I am very grateful that it's only cloudy.  I will take a cloudy rainy day anytime over a stormy day!  My heart is with all those who are battling the storm and I hope everyone is safe and well!

     I have been working on a variety of fun new challenge cards today and my main theme is all about happy and fun cards, the kind that make you SMILE!   I am starting with a fun card I created to two new challenges using a cute new Lenny digi from StampFairy.   I started by coloring my image with Ranger Distress Inks a new method of coloring that I am slowly learning from the classes I take from Angie Hunt.  I have not had a lot of time until now to get back to class, so I'm very much a beginner.  I can however tell you that the classes are fantastic and many of the students are now coloring gorgeous images all with Ranger Distress Inks.  I am excited to be back in class and today was a nice way to practice.   I still have a LOT more to learn, but I am looking forward to pushing myself to make sure I spend some time every week on this wonderful coloring medium.    If you hare interested, you can find all the details on Angie's Classes, over at the  Color Me Creative Classroom - here!

    For this card, I totally started wrong and should have printed out my image on Watercolor Paper, but since I had it done, I colored it on Cryogen, which is my favorite for Copics.  Typically, when using any water based products you'll get a much better result with Watercolor paper!  It's the same for those who color with Prismacolor Pencils!

   My 'Smile' card is being submitted to each of the fun challenges -

• StampFairy Challenges - Challenge #20  - Recipe Challenge
• The Outlawz Challenge Group - POM Challenge - Anything Goes
• Scrapbook Sisters - Challenge #33 - Distress (I used Inks)

   My next two cards were both created with the same image and I did it purposely to show just how differently us an use one image with a variety of colors and designs to make two very different cards.  In both cases I used a new digi I picked up with DigiStamp Boutique, and this cutie is Lucy, who you can find in the store Here!  

    My first card was colored and inspired by this week's challenge over at The Pink Elephant and our challenge this week is a Color Challenge using these colors -

    This card was also designed and created to submit to all of these challenges -

• The Pink Elephant - Challenge # 98 - Color Combo (see above)
• Color Me Creative Classroom - Copic Challenge - Pastel Inspiration
• Stampavie & More - Challenge # 139  - Use Pearls
• DigiStamp Boutique - Customer Competition - April 2011
• The Paper Variety - Challenge #31  - Let's See Your Polka Dots
• iCopic Lover Challenge - Challenge #27 - Use Pastels and Copics
• Moxie Fab World - Trigger Tuesday - A Polka Dotted Hullablue

   And here is another sweet card, also featuring the adorable Lucy from DSB.  This card was colored for today's new Copic Coloring Challenge over at SSC, along with the other challenges outlined below.    Our challenge this week at SSC, is to color a project, leaving some 'White".  On my card I chose to make her little dress white and then also colored it in with Stickles in Star Dust, for the extra sparkle!

   This cards is being submitted to each of these fun challenges, and like the others, everyone is welcome to play along:

• DigiStamp Boutique - April Customer Competition
• SSC - Copic Coloring Challenge - Coloring White with Copics
• By the Cute & Girly - April Challenge - Cute & Girly

   And I think that will be it for today!  I am going to great ready to put dinner in the oven and will try and get to bed early.  I want to get up early and watch as much of the 'Royal Wedding' as I can LIVE.  Just in case I oversleep, I have already set up my DVR to record the Wedding.  I think it will be a joy to see and I wish William and Kate a lifetime of happiness!

   Have a wonderful night and as always -- Happy Crafting!!