Janna Prosvirina Daydreaming Digi - Kit and Clowder March 2020 Pencil Class

 Be brave enough to be bad at something new. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

I took a giant leap recently and landed in the monthly Kit and Clowder pencil classes.  I seriously want to learn this new coloring skill that has always been super challenging for me.  I've done a couple of Alyce's pencil classes in the past, here and here, and have found them surprisingly satisfying, if only because they stretch my artistic capabilities.   However, my frustration persists as I struggle though the process of laying down the color and trying to blend it out. It's nothing like the seamless Copic coloring I've grown to know and love. 

I adore this gorgeous fairy by Janna Prosvirina and was excited to color all the wonderful detail that only pencils can achieve. It took me what seemed like forever and the result certainly wasn't anything like what Alyce was doing on her instruction video.  But, to my amazement,  I still had fun following along and I'm determined to practice with my pencils until the blending becomes more natural.  I'm proud of myself for sticking it out and my result isn't awful.

Now I'll stop whining and explain how my card was created.  The round die that frames her is from Spellbinders.  I cut the base layer from water color dp and the second ornate frame layer out of gold foil cardstock. I used lavender decorative gems for accents.  I added mini die cut blooms to the green foliage at the bottom and a gold foil die cut "hello" sentiment to the corner. The details were added with a white gel pen. 

I hope I have inspired you to stick with a skill that takes extra time and effort to learn, even if you are tempted to quit.  Mastering new techniques not only adds to our artistic prowess, but it teaches us patience and confidence.  

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit. 

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Playing along with:

Paper Dragonfly Creative Challenge #19

Classic Design Challenge #7

Morgan's ArtWord Challenge #7

The Fairy and The Unicorn Challenge #7

Digi Choosday Challenge Wk 26

Crafting Happiness Challenge #144

Worldwide Crafters and Colorists Challenge #6

A Perfect Time to Craft Challenge #7

613 Avenue Create July Challenge

Ally's Angels Challenge #71

Kit and Clowder Pencil Class - Every Day is a Gift

Don't be a cotton-headed ninny muggin.
Buddy the Elf

Hey there from Nannyland,

I guess I'm what the paper crafting community calls a "Copic Colorist." Cards with intricate die cuts are also some of my faves, but I usually end up adding Copic touches for detail.  So now I have decided to step out of my little Copic bubble and add pencil coloring to my artistic repertoire.   And guess what!  I absolutely love it.  It takes much more time and patience, but I remember learning to color with Copics also used up a bunch of my brain cells in the beginning.  

I was excited to pull the November 2017 pencil class out of my Kit and Clowder library and give this beautiful Christmas image a go. Alyce Keegan is the Copics and pencils instructor at Kit and Clowder and she has taught me so much over the years...mostly to have confidence and just follow my coloring bliss.  I found the blending on this darling girl easier than some of the images I've colored in the past, so I'm very excited to continue my pencil odyssey.

I sized the lacy background frame in Cricut Design Studio and created the tag with the cutting and writing feature.  The snowy background is digital paper I printed on my inkjet printer.  I lined my panels with a gold leafing pen and added details to my image with a white gel pen...two of my cardmaking staples. I used a little Glossy Accents on my pears to add some shine and make them stand out.  I added sparkly pink gems and a glitter enamel heart for my finishing touches.  

I love how she turned out and I'm proud of myself for being patient and sticking to it, even though my skills have a long way to go. It's kinda thrilling to rev up my artistic juices and embark on a new creative journey.  I hope I have encouraged you to do the same.   

 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.  

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Playing along with:

The Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Christmas or Winter

The Paper Funday Challenge #48

Shopping Our Stash #485

TTCRD - December 6

Arty Divas November Challenge

Classic Design Challenge #12

Die Cut Divas - Polka Doodles Month

LeAnn's World Challenge #57

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #12

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #190 - Inspired by a Song

It's a Beautiful Day in the Tropics - Kit and Clowder April 2020 Copic Marker Class

Be brave enough to be bad at something new. 

Hey there from Nannyland,

Visions of the exquisite beauty of lush tropical seascapes are still swirling in my head after our recent trip to Hawaii  When I found this gorgeous image in the April 2020 Kit and Clowder marker class, I couldn't wait to learn some new techniques.  I'm happy I had Alyce's video instructions to follow because I wouldn't have known what colors to use or how to blend them.  I always enjoy shading the unique colors and textures of flowers so the variety here gave me plenty of opportunity for practice.   I love how Alyce painted a darker butterfly among the pastel blooms.  A lighter one wouldn't have shown up like this unique shaded one. 

 

I've been finding a lot of opportunities to incorporate my Heartfelt Creations flowers in my cards  lately.  I recently posted a  blog here showing how I got carried away and  made about a million of them.  A die cut Spellbinders frame borders my image and the panel is adhered to a lime green card base.  After adding my flowers, I had limited space for a sentiment so I used a small Tim Holtz rub-on for a subtle message.  

Kit and Clowder April 2020 class, Spellbinders frame die, Copic markers,
Healtfelt  Creations handmade flowers, green enamel dots, Tim Hotlz rub-on

I enjoyed taking a break from coloring my usual "lovely lady" images and now I am ready for a new exciting challenge.  For the next couple of months I have the honor to be a Guest Designer for one of my favorite artists, Conie Fong. Her digital images are exquisite and I can't wait to use them to design some beautiful cards.  Please come back and check them out. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.  

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Playing along with:

Time Out Challenge #214

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #552

613 Avenue Create #202205

CD Sunday Plus Challenge #85

Colour Crazy Challenge #21

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #99

Daisy Chain Challenge #63

QKR Stampede Challenge #444

Girl and Constellation - Kit and Clowder May 2021 Markers Class

Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.   Maya Angelou

Girl and Constellation digi from Etsy, Tattered Lace frame dies, celebrate die, Copic markers.
Xpressit paper, assorted gems, white gel pen, white Prismacolor pencil, alcohol and Q-tip

Hey there from Nannyland,

This magical image called Girl and Constellation was the May 2021 markers coloring class from Kit and Clowder.  I typically watch  Alyce's expert coloring video all the way through first, and then color the image without guidance.  I find that following along with the video, with starts and stops, interferes with my mojo and my results usually look pretty contrived.  Going with the flow gives me the opportunity to experiment a little and add some of my own touches.

I always enjoy turning my Kit and Clowder artwork into cards so I can share the results of my efforts with people who will appreciate them.  Adding die cut frames, sentiments and bling makes everything feel polished and complete. 

Add ripped denim and  bokah skies to my coloring repertoire, thanks to Alyce's super fun instructions.  I'm excited to pluck another art class from my accumulated stash and see what new handy skills I can soak up next time. 

Thanks for visiting Nannyland.

I'll just be here blissfully creating until your next visit.  

Nancy (aka Pink Panoply)

Playing along with:

Seize the Birthday #222

Classic Design Challenge #9

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #91

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #9

Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #413

Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #323

Path of Positivity Challenge #93

Through the Purple Haze Challenge #184

You Are So Special - Kit and Clowder Pretty Posies Class

 Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. 
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Power Poppy Dancing Dafodils digi stamp, Copic Markers, gold metallic card stock,
white gel pen, Tattered Lace frame dies, card stand die, 

Hey there,

Three years of Kit and Clowder classes are tucked away in binders on my shelf, waiting for me to take the time to follow along with Alyce's expert video instructions. It's a treat to open them and discover my next coloring challenge.  Trouble is, I love coloring images of feminine women so I have lots of practice coloring skin, hair and clothing but not so much anything else. I have challenged myself to take on varied floral images to gain more confidence when they show up as part of my coloring.  

Flowers come in such an array of  gorgeous forms and colors, they are a joy to shade and shape with Copics. I colored the lovely blooms in this Kit and Clowder January 2020 class for a spring card for my friend.   Alyce shows us how to add texture and depth which is useful on any type of floral image. I usually make a card of my finished artwork so I can pass it on to someone I love.  Since my shaped card base doesn't  stand flat for display,  I created a die cut stand in white. I printed the sentiment using the writing feature in Cricut Design Space.

Flowers are such a delight to color and very forgiving with all their uniqueness.  After all, nothing in nature is perfect but  most of it is absolutely stunning. I think I'll set out for a walk and fill my eyes with all the hues and textures of my magnificent southwest landscape.  It's a happy sunshiny spring day out there. 

Thanks for visiting,

Go forth and observe the beauties of nature and then create something fabulous in their image.

Nancy 

Playing along with: 

Creative Knockouts#397

Crafty Gals Corner #218

The Sisterhood of Crafters Mellow Yellow

The Paper Funday Challenge #28

Digi Choosday Cjhallenge Wk 15

Ike'sworld Challenge #143

Shopping our Stash Challenge #443

Use Your Stuff Spring/Easter

Avenue 613 Create Challenge #4

Crafty Calendar April Challenge - Spring or Easter

You Are Something Magic - Conie Fong Princess Kiara

Let your dreams be your wings. 

Conie Fong Kiara Princess digi, Copic markers, Cricut frame, Cricut sentiment,
gold glitter card stock, Xpressit blending paper, pink iredescent gems, gold Stickles 

 Hey there,

You know that magical  place where exquisitely beautiful princesses fall in love with dashingly handsome princes and they ride away together on a magnificent white steed to an enchanted castle in the clouds? I think it's at the corner of Hallmarkland and Craftyville.  I'm so happy to visit there regularly when I sink into my craft room chair and survey my hoard filled kingdom.  I love to escape my real world challenges to a mystical burg where fairies, princesses, unicorns and well dressed animals  communicate affectionately with each other and live together in harmonious bliss. Even the witches in my world are lovely and kind. My super power is a very inventive and vivid  imagination.  What's yours?

I recently found the time to color THIS gorgeous Conie Fong Princess Kiara image from a Kit and Clowder class.  Dress folds and transparent fabric are often a bit challenging for me, but I always love  practicing my shading skills on something pretty like this princess frock with gradient shades of blue and pink.  Flowers are also a neglected skill that I enjoy revisiting.  I fussy cut my image to include the castle in the distance and mounted it  in sections with mounting tape on a glittery gold Cricut-cut frame embellished with pink iridescent gems.  I embellished the flower centers with gold Stickles and created the sentiment tag in Cricut Design Space.

My card recipient is my beautiful daughter who turns 41 this month.  She's Disneyland-obsessed so I know she'll appreciate this nod to Cinderella. She'll always be the little cutie who sat and watched Disney movies with me for hours back when the world seemed a little more mellow.  Young souls never grow too old for magic. 

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and BELIEVE.

Nancy

Playing along with:

Aud Sentiments Challenge #272

Classic Design Challenge April # 4

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #86

   Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #4

Crafty Sentiments Designs April

Avenue 613 Create Challenge #4

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge #C155

Stamping Sensations April - Fantasy and Magical

The Fairy and the Unicorn April Challenge

Creative Fingers Challenge #205

 

Fairy of Spring in Prismacolors - Molly Harrison Digi

My heroes are the ones who survived doing it wrong, 

who made mistakes, but recovered from them. Bono

Molly Harrison digi, Prismacolor pencils, gold leafing pen, Spellbinders frames,
beaded swirls, assoirted flowers, yellow glitter card stock

Hey there,

I was thrilled when Santa brought me the whole gigantic set of 150 Primacolors and I couldn't wait try them on one of my girlie digis.  Although I am obviously obsessed with my Copics,  I was excited to try a new medium and learn some untried skills. Kit and Clowder classes are the way to go for me, because I can watch a step-by-step video and learn visually.  I chose  THIS gorgeously detailed Molly Harrison image for my first attempt because, well, she's so pretty. 

Pencils are literally a whole new ball of wax for me.  They take much more time and patience than Copics but I love all the amazing detail I can achieve.  I was in the "zone" for hours trying to smooth out the tooth in my paper after lightly applying endless layers of color.  I didn't think I needed to brush the flakes off my work periodically, and I was sorry I didn't heed Alyce's warning.  Who would think pencils could get messy and out of control!  But, in the end, I'm happy with the results of my first venture and I'm ready to give it another go.  

It's exhilarating adding  a new tool to my artistic arsenal and I feel energized now to push my boundaries.  I'm determined to practice with my pencils until they become second nature to me...however long that takes! 😊

Thanks for visiting,

Go forth and expand your horizons with a new skill.

Nancy

Playing along with:

A Bit More Time to Craft Challenge #1

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #83

Classic Design Challenge #1

Die Cut Divas January Challenge

Morgan's ArtWorld Challenge #1

Addiected To Stamps and More Challenge #396

ttcrd Challenge - January 5

Make My Monday Challenge #139

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge - Pears and/or Gems

A Place To Start Challenge #1

Janna Prosvirina "Fireworks" - Kit and Clowder December Class

We are each gifted in a unique and important way.  It is our privilege and our 

adventure to discover our own special light.     Evelyn Mary Dunbar

Janna Prosvirina digi, Copic markers, corner dies, gold leafing pen, pearl gems,
tiny flower die, white, lavender, blue, green and yellow colored pencils., white gel pen

Hey there,

What fun it was to switch gears from my frantic holiday schedule to take on this challenging and rewarding Kit and Clowder Copic Coloring Class.  The image for our December class is by Janna Prosvirina, one of my favorite digi artists, so I couldn't wait to gather my markers and follow along with Alyce's video instruction.  As always, there were many hits and misses with my coloring,  but I've learned that practice is the only way to improve and there are many enticing  opportunities to experiment along the way.  The thing I like the most about Alyce's classes is that she pushes us to try new techniques.  Some things that look impossible to me at first come together surprisingly simple if I have patience and do them step by step.  

Fantasy images always fascinate and beguile me because they offer such a delightful escape from reality.  I'm forever grateful that God gave us the gifts of art, literature, drama and music to allow us to visit tranquil, exquisite places where our worries can evaporate and our spirits can soar.      

Thanks for visiting,

Go forth and take some time to enjoy your favorite escape. 

Nancy 

Playing along with:

Creative Moments Challenge #205

Morgan's Artworld Challenge #12

The Creative Crafters Challenge #35

613 Avenue Create December Challenge

Classic Design Challenge #12

Colour Crazy Challenge Wk 50

Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #82

Follow Your Star - Moonlight Fairy by Janna Prosvirina

Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. 

Hey fellow creatives,

Follow your star...on whatever mystical adventure it takes you.  I'm following an exciting, brilliant new star that is leading me from my beautiful, beloved home of 30 years  in California to a lovely shiny new home in Utah, the state where I was born and lived for 23 years.  I'm beyond excited but also utterly exhausted. Packing up 30 years of family memories, especially my "adored-by-me" and "admired-by-all" craft room full of tons of irreplaceable treasures, is proving to be epic. Good thing I have lots of peanut M & M's and diet Coke for energy!

I colored this gorgeous image before I started packing away my craft supplies, not realizing that it would symbolize the start of my fabulous new journey.  My March 2020 Kit and Clowder class guided my coloring of THIS magical Moonlight Fairy image by Janna Fairy art.   She is fussy cut  and mounted  to a swirly frame that I cut with magenta foil card stock in Cricut Design Space.  I used the Cricut writing feature for my sentiment, then edged it and my other panels with a silver leafing pen.  

I'm happy I had some time to relax with my blog today while I still have access to my computer. 

Now, I'm off to drown in a sea of boxes.  Hope your day is fabulous.

Thanks for visiting,

Go forth and follow your most brilliant star.

Nancy

 Playing along with:

The Fairy and the Unicorn July Challenge

Colour Crazy Challenge Week 29

Creative Fingers Challenge #90

Time Out Challenge #166

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #209

A Gem of a Challenge Week 15

Crafter's Castle Challenge #31

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge #30

                        

Come Away With Me - A Masculine Valentine Adventure

Come forth into the light of things. Let nature be  your teacher. 

William Wordsworth

Copic markers, Cricut Design Studio frames and sentiments, white gel pen, 

gold metallic card stock, Kit and Clowder Lighthouse Stamp from online class

Hey there,

Several years ago, I enjoyed taking one of my favorite card classes called "Masculine Cards" where we made several cards with a masculine theme in just one class.  I returned home feeling satisfied and maybe a little cagey,  with a fistful of manly cards to give to my husband throughout the year for all his important occasions.  That class is long gone (though I'm still good friends with the teacher) and I'm finding my skills at masculine card-making have not improved over the years.  It's not because I lack a gene for using neutrals and metal.  I think it's because I just don't try. 

I had the best time breaking away from my girlie card rut to create an actual legit well-thoughtout valentine card for my husband that actually required me to challenge myself in a new direction with my coloring.  I found an amazing Kit and Clowder on line class in my video files and decided to give ocean waves and aged concrete a go.  It turned out to be super fun and I think, with a little practice, I will have some valuable techniques in my coloring "tool box." 

I'll admit.  This card took me some serious sustained concentration with my tongue in the right place.  And there were times when I knew things would never come together.  But in the end, I like the results and I'm so happy to present a meaningful message created from my heart to my favorite valentine in the world. 

Thanks for visiting.

Go forth and challenge yourself in a new exciting direction.

Nancy

Playing along with:

 A Place to Start February Challenge - Masculine

Colouring in Scrapland February Challenge

Dream Valley Challenge 219

Just Us Girls Challenge 524

Brown Sugar Challenge 298

Creative Fingers Challenge 180

QKR Stampede Challenge 

CCC Digi Creations Challenge 111

Love to Craft Challenge 43

Pattie's Creations Challenge 167

Luna Whispering Digi in Copics - Ching Chou Kuik

There is more to life than increasing its speed.

Mahatma Gandhi

Hey friends,

I originally colored this lovely Ching Chou Kuik greyscale digi image for one of my beloved  Kit and Clowder online classes, but even with Alyce Keegan's expert guidance, I couldn't seem to get Luna's rainbow hair right.  I thought this image was so gorgeous, I couldn't give up so easily.  The lengthy saga of my second attempt to tackle this image borders on the heroic.  I decided to forgo the original rainbow hair and go for these "understated" aqua tresses so I could  practice my tiny hair stokes with my copics.    I won't relate all the gruesome details but my color palette kept getting darker with each "fix" and the pre-shaded background on this digi turned into a muddy mish mash.  The butterfly looked way too sad and heavy to fly.

Sometimes my tenaciousness can be a gift, especially when all hope is lost. I couldn't bare to waste all the time I had spent coloring Luna, and I realized if I fussy cut her, I could add a brighter, prettier dp background behind her.  I also cut out the butterfly, colored it with lighter colors to match  my background and popped it up over my original sad one.

I wish I had taken a picture of my original struggle to document how much happier this card is than my  "Luna Stuck in the Mud" version.  The color scheme is a lot prettier and brighter and I like the white details in the background.  I love using designer papers for backgrounds because all the hard work is done, the variety is endless and I can always find something I like to fancy up my artwork. I added some details with gold and white gel pens and some gold leafing around the main panel.  Yippee...another epic save.

Thanks for visiting.
Go forth and rescue a card.
Nancy

Playing along with:
        Craft Rocket Challenge #62
        Crafting with an Attitude Challenge #54
        Addicted to Stamps and More Challenge #352
        Crafting by Designs August Challenge
        Crafty Hazelnuts August Challenge
        Crafty Creations Challenge #395
        Creative Moments Challenge #173
        Little Red Wagon Challenge #508

Coloriscious Hummingbird in Copics- Kit and Clowder May Class

Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you.

John De Paola

Copics, white gel pen, gold leafing pen, corner dies, Power Poppy Hummingbird digi, 

I chose to color the lined version of this beautiful Power Poppy digi in Alyce Keegan's copic coloring class this month, even though she suggested we go for the no-line image.  I've experienced some problems with no-line coloring in the past, and I think I'm just afraid to take off my training wheels.  Alyce goes through the coloring step-by-step in her classes and once I got started, I was sorry I didn't go for no lines. It was actually less forgiving shading with the black lines but I kept with it and in the end I liked how it turned out.  I'll be braver coloring sans lines next time because I got some good practice shading this one.

I decided to make a card for one of my friends who would appreciate the gorgeous hummingbird and  flowers on this image.  I wanted my image to take center stage, but I also wanted it to have some texture and depth.  In the middle of the night, I got the idea to raise the focal images with mounting tape.  I had to fussy cut very carefully but  I really like the result.  (It shows up much better in person.)  I lined the front panel with a gold leafing pen  and tucked  a couple of gold fancy corners underneath the raised main panel.  I really love the colors Alyce picked for this image.  Bright and vibrant and just my style!

Thanks for visiting,
Go forth and create something fabulous.
Nancy
        Crafts Galore Encore Challenge #64
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        CCC Digi Creations Challenge #104
        Alphabet Challenge - F is for Flowers
        Creative Fingers Challenge # 65
        Crafting With An Attitude - Challenge #52
        Time Out Challenges - Nature
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        Rainbow Card Challenge #6