Bird stamps are from HA. Patterned paper is from the Lilykate collection by Basic Grey. Hello ladies! How was Christmas? :) I know you were all nice and crafty this year, so I’m sure none of you got coal ;) Me? Well, I didn’t wrote any “oficial” letter so I got nothing too amazing :p

Anyways, today’s card is my take on Tuesday’s Hero Arts Sketch challenge, wee! I’m sure you are by now sick of this little birds, but they are the only HA stamps I have, so bare with me :p I also used some Basic Grey paper and SU! stamps. Overall, I really like how it turned out :)

Tomorrow I’m off to Iquique for summer vacation. I don’t know yet if I’ll have any internet acess, so I probably will be missing for a month or so :( I am taking a box full of art supplies and 60 origami e-books so I hope to have plenty to share when I’m back.

So, take care and I hope to see you soon! :) (sorry for the quick post, but I’m trying to get everything ready. I have to pack 2 hedgehogs too, lol!).

Estivalia

Stamps: Decorative Birds set (Hero Arts), Always set (SU!), Todo lo mejor set (SU!). Inks: Cloud White Versamagic (Tsukineko), Dar Brown Colorbox Chalk Ink (Clearsnap). Papers: Lilykate patterned paper (Basic Grey), Naturals Ivory and Old Olive cardstock (SU!). Misc: Copic markers, felt corners (American Crafts), twill (SU!), decorative scissor.

I’d love to get a die cutting machine this year, but I’m not sure as for which one. First, I was really excited about the Slice by Making Memories, because it’s small, cute and the cards have a bunch of shapes/designs. But I wasn’t very happy with the limited materiales I could use it with (thin papers and cardstock) and I heard it doesn’t cut too well either.

Then, this week I found out there’s a chilean scrapbook store that carries Sizzix machines! The Big-Shot tempts me. I could use it with anything (chipboard, felt and stuff). But I don’t know how much it costs exactly (I wrote an e-mail to the store asking this same thing but haven’t heard from them), shipping, etc etc. And there’s the whole investment in dies thing. Seems they only carry Sizzix dies, so I’d have to order online.

In an ideal world I’d get a Quickutz Silhouette. The fact that I can cut designs I make myself is REALLY awesome. I mean, I have my history with Illustrator, but, hell, I’m probably gonna have to learn how to use it anyway. But these are way too much expensive and I don’t even want to think about shipping expenses.

So, there’s my dilemma. To spend or not to spend. Maybe maybe I’ll go with the Big Shot because is the only one I can buy in my country so shipping costs won’t be so harsh (and I can even ask my sister to buy it in February, when she goes to Santiago, and bring it back when she returns, lol).

Now, that’s not the only stuff. Here are some other things I’ve been dying to get:

• Complete set of 120 Polychromo Pencils (Faber-Castel). Did I mention I love these? They’re just wonderful: smooth, unbreakable tips, easy to blend, etc etc. They are also the most used pencils for Graphic Design, so they could probably qualify as “school supplies” ;)
• Set of COPIC Multiliners SP in Black. Same reason as above, though most people in GD use Rotring’s Rapidographs I don’t really like them, they feel “weird” for me. I have a set of basic Copic multiliners, so I’m used to them, plus these are refillable.
• Magnetic Precision Mat by Basic Grey. Although I got a small cutting mat in replacement for the one that broke, I still drool over this one.
• More COPIC Sketch markers. Seriously, can a girl have enough? (I have yet to find out!).

Of course this are the big-expensive-things-I-know-I’ll-probably-won’t-get. But dreaming is free, ain’t it? *wink wink*

So, What’s on your christmas -crafty or not- wishlist this year? :)

Estivalia.

ETA: The Big Shot at the local scrapbook store is $150, yikes!

Hey guys, how are you doing? I’m doing fine if we ignore the fact that I have failed 2 finals exams a headache right now. And Christmas is oficially upon us (exactly one week from today). We haven’t taken out decorations yet, truth be told, is hard to feel christmassy when it’s over 70° outside and we’re eating watermelons for desert.

Anyway, as the title sayd, today’s card is based on one of the sketch challenges going on right now on the Hero Arts blog. I decided to go for a very non-traditional card since this was will be so late (so it’s more like a “hey merry christmas -and I’m sorry for being such a slacker“)

Anyway, the stamped birds were colored with Copic markers and Polychromo colored pencils which I love because they’re so easy to blend and feel nice, and they work so well with Copics.

The flower was originally white but I painted it with a marker. It ended a little darker than the paper, but oh well, close enough :)

I plan trying all the sketches for the challenge (it’s a new sketch everyday), so I’ll be around a little more. Take care and thanks for visiting!

Estivalia.

Stamps: “Decorative Birds” (Hero Arts), “Mixed Messages” (PTI). Ink: Burnt Umber Palette. Papers: Naturals Ivory cardstock (Stampin Up), Romani paper (Basic Grey), vellum, white cardstock. Misc: Scallop circle punch, paper flower, button, COPIC markers, Polychromo colored pencils (Faber-Castel), medium corner rounder (EK Success).

Today marks the beginning of a new category on my blog, “Art Journal”. Yes, I decided to start one, mainly for two reasons:

• As I already mentioned, to see how much I can improve my drawing skills.
• To leave a testimony of the big changes going on in my life. I wonder how it’ll be to read this journal in 20 years.

So, yes. I’m totally decided to do this :) What else can I say? My journal is a Canson XL Mixmedia spiralbound sketchbook in size A4 (this one).

Please click on the image (that will take to my Flickr) and then go to “All Sizes” for a even bigger picture of this, where you can see the details and stuff :)

I’ll post more details and the meaning of the picture on the finished version, this is just a sneak peak *wink*

Thanks and take care :)

Estivalia.

Hi everyone! Sorry I’ve been a little MIA -yet again- :p I did made a lot of cards the last weekend, but I was so drained this week I just didn’t feel like taking pictures and editing and stuff (it’s quite time consuming because I’m somewhat of a perfectionist)

My post will be quick because in half hour a new episode of “Heroes” starts, yipiee! (yes, on this side of the world we get new seasons a little bit later). So, anyway, enjoy!

Oh, and PJ tagged me to tell you 7 random facts about myself. Even though I’ve made this tag before I don’t think there should be a limit for randomness ;)

• Irony is my life. When I have a zillion ideas for cards and such, I don’t have time to make them. Not that I have the time I just feel so exhausted to think of anything.
• This week I’m starting an art journal, to improve my drawing/painting skills. Prepare yourself for the awful!
• I haven’t read “Twilight” yet, and I feel like somekind of “social paria” because everyone is talking about it :(
• Ok, I confess I’m a cardmaker… not a cardsender.
• For a year I’ve been meaning to buy a pro account at Flickr, but I always find something else I just have to get before.
• Today starts the telethon. I’ll be preparing the kleenex and myself for a lot of tears :(
• I was considering making my own Moleskine journal since they are SO expensive in my country (smallest ones are around $22 and the big ones $30 or something).

So, that’s it! For what I know today was Black Friday in the U.S, did anyone of you went on a shopping spree? is it total madness, like I’ve heard? (or did you preferred online shopping? :p). We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here in my country, so I am clueless about it. Anyway, enjoy the long weekend! :D

Estivalia.

Today is a big day for me :)

As most of you know I’m a law student at the University of Antofagasta. And some of you also know that I really don’t like that career, it was what my parents wanted to be and, being 17 and without a piece of self-confidence to go against them (because we had major fights and conflicts on my senior year), I decided to go with their wishes.

I’ve been regreting that decision ever since. I never liked law, I couldn’t find myself working on that for the rest of my life. I talked to my father repeatedly about it, almost begging, but he never listened, believing that it was because I was inmature and that, eventually, I’d thank him. The frustration grew while my grades went downhill (I am redoing most part of 3rd year when I should be in 4th).

So, why I am telling you this? Because after 4 years of struggles, and lots of therapy…

I’m FINALLY a Graphic Design student! (which I’ve been wishing to be since… uh… 2002 or so :)

The change has been discussed for a few months and I really couldn’t imagine it’d be a reality. But it is. I took a special admission test for a local university and I’m in. Today I have to pay and enrollment fee and it’d be official.

I’m ecstatic :)

(Btw, I have a card to post but I’ll be later, since I’m on my way to my new university :)

As some of you know, I’ve been in bed for most part of the week because of a faringitis. I felt a little better so I went to classes (didn’t go that well, I had a major cough attack in the middle of the class).

Anyway, I have a small illustration ATC to show you today :)  I made this mainly because I wanted to try my new Niji waterbrush! Seriously, it’s the first time I use one of that thingies. I thought it’d be hard to get used to, but I think I got the hang of it.

It’s a lonely corn poppy painted with Winsor & Newton watercolors and Karat-Aquarel watercolor pencils (Staedtler).

Now, why do I crave some poppy seed ice-cream, hmm?

Happy sunday everyone! (and to my friends in Mexico, have a great Día de los Muertos :).

For today I have this small collage to share with you. My base is a chipboard rectangle that measures 1″x3″. Oddly enough, it came with rounded cornes and all… in a cereal box! I have like 10 of this small canvases, I think they came with a toy or something, but I don’t really remember.

I covered the chipboard with a scrap of a patterned paper I had lying around on the desk and inked it a bit to “age” it. Then I printed the geisha, cut it around, added a bit of japanese ephemera and more ink from the “Chocolate & Blueberies” Colorbox Fluid Chalk nested inkpad (hmm.. that name made me hungry, lol!).

I wasn’t very happy with the edges of the whole thing, so I sanded them with the Basic Grey File Precision set. It really makes a difference!

Finally, I punched a hole on the top right corner with my Crop-a-Dile and tied a fiber. Easy-peasy, a very quick project :)

Estivalia.

Happy Halloween! :) What are you doing today? I’m just watching scary movies with my sister :) We don’t really celebrate Halloween over here. I mean, it’s almost 10pm and we haven’t had ANY trick or treaters, none, zero.

Anyway, today’s card was inspired by a sketch on Pagemaps… again! (I think I’m getting a little bit addicted to those ;)

It all started with the patterned paper, and a River Rock card base and some text pages in finnish. The ribbon is something my mom had. It was so nice to get out the Little Lady set (which I used because I don’t have any butterfly stamps :p).

On the text page I stamped a branch with pink and colored the stems with an olive colored pencil. For the ladybug I clear-embossed the wings in another patterned paper and cut them out to glue them with dimensional tape to a punched circle (matted with an scalloped circle).

The final touch was a rub-on sentiment in white. And ta-da, my card is made :) I really like this style (I think this one is very similar to another card I posted).

Estivalia.

Stamps: “Little Lady” set (Papertrey Ink). Inks: Pink Pastel and Dark Brown fluid chalk ink and Olive pigment ink (Clearsnap). Papers: River Rock and Old Olive cardstock (Stampin’ Up), Grove paper pack (Memory Box), text page. Misc: pink satin ribbon, scalloped circle punch (SU!), Love & Happiness rub-ons (SU!).

Still nothing crafty, sorry! :(

In the meantime I’d like to leave you with an episode that a friend recommended of my favourite animated series ever, Futurama. It’s the 7th episode on season four, called “Jurassic Bark” (you’ll get why :p)

Saddest. Thing. Ever.

There, I said it. Now that you are warned, you’re free to click (I can’t embed then here :( )

[ Jurassic Bark Part 1 ] [ Jurassic Bark Part 2 ] [ Jurassic Bark Part 3 ]

Estivalia.