This week's card from scraps

Hello friends! There was a mid-week public holiday this week and I spent it catching up on tv shows and die-cutting my paper scraps. :)

Yes, I'm still ploughing through my folder of paper scraps. 

I was pretty happy to have found this cute little elephant in my scrap pile. And I just had to add a friend for the elephant... the infamous Basic Grey bird (only 2 more left in the stash!). *LOL*

The card base was scored and coloured with the Wink of Stella pen for a subtle shimmer.

Playing along with Sunday Stamps. 

Happy weekend friends!:)

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Current obsession: the Holbein Artist Colored Pencil

So my latest art supply obsession is the Holbein Artist Colored Pencil...*winks*

I splurged on a set of 24 on a recent trip to Japan and wished I had sprung for the 150 set because I LOVE them so much (they are pricey outside Japan *insert sad face*). They are the perfect in-between compared to the Prismacolor pencils (which are soft and very fragile) and the Faber Castell Polychromos (which are harder because they are oil-based). The colours are nicely pigmented, blend easily and are lightfast. They are sold in sets of 12, 24, 36, 50, 100 and 150 and also available individually. I got mine from Sekaido in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Here is the first eye I drew with the Holbein Artist Colored Pencil.

Here is a quick 5 minute sketch I did with them.

Coloured pencil application takes time and a lot of layers (like 10 -15 to create a "painted" finish) but it's a less messy art supply to carry around when you are travelling. Here is the in-progress shot of the eye in the first picture which I started while waiting for my flight at the airport. 

It's weird that I'm obsessed with coloured pencils now as an adult. I wasn't when I was a child. I was busy making clothes for my Barbie. *LOL*

What about you? What is your current art supply obsession?

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My gallery of residual-misted cards

It's no secret that I had to waste mists when I use them for projects so I always have some precut watercolour card bases handy to soak up those residual mists. Over the years, whenever I needed to make a quick card, I would run through my stack of residual misted cards and just pick one to "texturize" and make pretty. Here is my gallery of residual-misted cards....

What do you do if you are too lazy to find a temporary home for your scraps?

1. Try adding a banner to your card to evoke a happy feeling....:)

1 mask, 2 mists, 3 looks

2. Challenge yourself to use 1 mask, 2 mists and create 3 looks for a card set. *winks*

How do you organize your cards?

3. Treat the residual misted card like patterned paper and just add more!

A mixed media card with Maya Road embellishments

4. Pull a colour from your background to highlight through a focal embellishment.

Love always...a quick card

5. Add a diecut and some embellished chipboard letters.

The case for the "no sentiment" card

6.  Pile on the embellishments!

The five minute CAS card

7. Keep it simple with a stick sentiment and sequins.

The 5-minute Christmas card

8. Make it Christmassy. :)

This week's five minute card

9. Give it a bloom and a leaf.

Sail away on a carefree day

10. Pull out fun stuff from your scrap pile.

Hello beautiful

11. Doll it up with some pretty stuff.

A latte love card

12. Make it cute!

Going for monochromatic

13. Cover up parts you don't like with texture paste and a stencil.

I love the look of peekaboo lace

14. The peekaboo effect is always pretty.

My modus operandi for making cards

15. Bling on a card is always a good idea.

A card for Lynnda Hosni

16. Go with a pastel colour palette.

The quick party card

17. Add cute critters.

The real reason why I favour clean and simple cards

18. Have a little fun with your sentiment.

Do you have stacks of cards ready for all occasions?

19. Diecut your sentiment.

Happy birthday Sparkle Creations

20. Have a play with stamps and paper piecing.


There you have it....20 fun ideas for using residual mists on your cards. [They are all linked to their original posts if you want to see closeups.]

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The queue for chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are popular in the Yam household....check out the queue (nephews + niece) for them! *LOL*

Yes, they are drinking their milk while waiting in the queue for their chocolate chip cookies. :)

And yes,  we have some messy chocolate chip eaters! *winks*

I'm pretty happy with the amount of paper scraps I used up on this layout - the usual mish mash of patterns and colours....

..... which I tried to pull together in a cohesive manner with the addition of round elements.

Playing along with Stuck?! Sketches.

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Decorated kraft envelopes for Maya Road

So I LOVE these Maya Road kraft envelopes and hoard a spare set just in case they don't produce them anymore. *winks*

If you haven't noticed, I have an obsession with the Maya Road flat-back pearl trim. You can buy them by yardage but I have whole reels of them...you know,just one reel for each design. *LOL* Seriously though, they add serious "glamour" to everything you put them on, right?

A little remnant lace, some metal corners and pearl trim and your kraft envelope is all prettied up....perfect to slip in those little notes for that special someone. :)

Happy week ahead friends! 

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A fascination with the eye: pages from my art journal

It's no secret that I have a fascination with the human eye. The human eye is capable of conveying a gamut of emotions with subtle variations. You can see the twinkle in someone's eye when they are happy or the sadness when they are experiencing sorrow.

This particular eye was drawn and coloured with coloured pencils. The colours were pulled from the messy misted background.

Transparent layers of colours can create a less stylized eye like this one which was painted with watercolours. Does it not look like a sad eye? Especially since I forgot to give her lower lashes and her mascara has smudged a little? *LOL*


Happy weekend friends!

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A card to go with a happy treat

This week's quick card from the paper scrap stash is a card to go with a happy treat. :)

Yes, the Basic Grey bird makes another appearance [Only 10 or so more birds to go! *LOL*].

The sentiment was cut out from a journaling card and the tag was distressed for a little textural interest. A few gold diecut hearts and some enamel stickers and my card was done. :)

Playing along with Fusion Card Challenge. I went with the sketch.

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