Saturday 5 December 2015

Joy to the World

Hello All,

I'm here to share these two cards with Purple Onion Designs. I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to make two cards that are exactly the same. But since holiday cards are often needed more than one, I've found it easiest to use the same design but alter it a little bit. The inspiration for these two cards comes from the sky. I've had in mind this vision hat I would like to have Aurora Borealis on the sky for some Christmas cards of mine. This year we've had many beautiful moments here when the sky has just bloomed, but it turned out to be quite difficult to mimic the boldness and the softness that those beautiful blooms of the sky have. This is the best one so far. 

Stamps used: Flora, Toadstool Cluster and Handwritten Holiday



Stamps used: Fawn and Merry and Bright.
I started by stamping the images on my card panel and drew the snowbanks with copic friendly marker. Then I cut a mask for both main images and covered the stamped image. For the latter card, I also cut a mask for the moon. Then I used my ink blending tool to ink up my sky with Distress Inks. I used two shades of Distress Inks: Tumbled Glass and Stormy sky. The halos around the aurora borealis and the moon were created by leaving Tumbled Glass to show; that is for all the darkers areas seen, I laid second layer of Stormy Sky on to firstly laid Tumbled Glass. Do I make any sense here? I made Flora-card first and after I had made it I realised that in real life if there is snow on the ground and clear sky during the night, the moon light is reflected from the snow. So on the Fawn- card I left a bit of white to show near the snowbanks to make it more real. 

Next I coloured the images with copic markers, I'll list the all the colours in the supplylist below. In the Flora-card I really didn't think the direction of the light source but in the Fawn-card I practiced back-lit shading. I added more highlight with white jelly roll pen and used that to add the stars to the sky as well. Not really sure if the shadows or highlights are in correct places, but it was quite hard learning experience for me to really think where to put the shadows and highlights. 

In the Flora-card I created the Aurora Borealis with Faber-Casstell Polychromo pencils with many different shades of green and yellow. The sentiments were then stamped with black pigment ink.

Just a last reminder, Purple Onion is having a sale - all stamps 25% off until tomorrow.

I saw that Addicted to CAS has the Code Word: JOY. I think the latter one might express the feeling of Joy, just love that cute critter by Stacey Yacula!! She is so joyful, isn't she? Here's the graphic:



Supplies:
Stamps: FloraToadstool Cluster, Handwritten Holiday Fawn and Merry and Bright by Purple Onion Designs.
Inks: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black, Tubled Glass and Stormy Sky Distress Inks.
Card Stock: Canson Bristol 190mgs Smooth Card Stock
White Jelly Roll pen
Copic Multiliner 0.1

Copic Markers: Flora and Fawn: E40 - E42 - E43 - E44, YR23, Scarfs: B91 - B93 - B95 - B97, Stump: E42 - E43 - E44: Toadstool and berries: R56 - R59 - E43 - E44, Shadows: 0 - N0 - N1 - N3 - Y13, Leaves: YG95 - YG97.

Thank you for stopping by today! And thank you for all lovely comments left for two earlier posts, I'll come to visit you soon! 

Hugs,
Marika

31 comments:

  1. Wowser! You totally rocked the colouring in both - your aurora borealis is amazing! I would so love to see it one day. It's a very rare occurrence over in the UK and mostly only up in the north of Scotland. Love how you distress inked the background. Xx

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  2. I've never seen aurora borealis in person. I suspect this is pretty spot on to what it looks like. You are an amazing artist, that is for sure. I adore the joy that jumps off the cards in both the adorable critters. Stunning work, Marika!

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  3. great coloring and pretty aurora

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  4. What adorable and sweet cards! Love the Aurora Borealis!

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  5. I saw aurora borealis once many years ago. You have captured it and made a charming card. Actually, both cards are charming...sweet even.

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  6. super cute cards! thanks for joining us at ATCAS!

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  7. Oh my eyes...these are both so full of peace and joy, it makes me tear up. Love Stacy's critters and these are two of my favoriites. Your coloring makes them magical. The effort your put into to both was totally worth it.

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  8. Two really sweet images and wonderful inking and blending and love the way you have done the aurora borealis, so clever! x

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  9. Oh Marika, your Aurora Borealis is stunning!!! I'm just staring at it, just gorgeous!!
    Both cards are amazing, those little Stacy Yacula critters are a JOY to color, you can't help but feel JOYFUL just by looking at them, you gave them life with your incredible coloring.
    I placed a Purple Onion order a few days ago and I can't wait till it gets here.
    Thank you so much for sharing.
    Hugs,
    Maria Rodriguez.

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  10. Wow Marika, these cards are just stunning!!!

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  11. Beautiful! Both cards are so sweet!

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  12. So gorgeous. You inspired me to place an order.. hehe ♥♥♥ Love seeing your cards.

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  13. Your aurora borealis is wow fantastic and so beautiful. Love all of Stacey's images and thank you to you I think I have just about all of them now lol You r such a great inspiration Marika and your cards adorable ly perfect:)

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  14. Missing your videos. No pressure but look forward to them when you have time. Hugs

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  15. Oh my goodness Marika these are BOTH just adorable! I love your work and yes, it made sense! LOL I had to pin these to try for myself as I love little scenes made using distress inked backgrounds. They are so much fun to do.

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  16. This just takes my breath away, Marika! I've seen a gorgeous showing just once in my life! My kids and I woke up all the neighbors, we all bundled up and went outside to watch it - extraordinary!! Just like your cards ... thank you so very much for sharing both with us each day ... xx
    =]

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  17. Absolutely stunning, i knew as soon n as I saw your card what it was - not that I have seen it in person, but this is a wonderful replication :-)

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  18. Those Purple Onion stamps are just the CUTEST!!! Your cards are amazing, you are definitely one of my top favorite card designers :)

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  19. Simply too cute for words. Gorgeous colouring and perfect festive scenes
    thanks for sharing at ATCAS. Sarah x

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  20. Oh, these are fantastic! I love the northern lights!

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  21. Your aurora borealis is so beautiful and realistic! Your creations always blown me away! Both of your creations are stunning!

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  22. Two more fabulous cards, Marika.

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  23. You are so clever, your art work always stuns me with its beauty. Wonderful cards, both of them.

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  24. I LOVE these cards. Your skies are AMAZING!!! The first one wth the Aurora Borealis caught my eye immediately and I knew what it was without even reading your explanation. I don't know how you do it but you top yourself each and every time!!

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  25. Beautiful cards, you have reminded me that I really need to blend my own backgrounds more, I will probably need a little more practice to get them this amazing though!

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  26. Oh my... I love these two cards. So cute, so well colored, so beautiful!

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  27. Such beautiful, cute cards! Loved them both and you really did a stunning job with the Aurora Borealis sky. I would love to see that in real life some day. How lucky you are, to have seen it. :)

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  28. Dear Marika, both cards are particularly stunning and I especially love the Northern Lights on the first one ;o) I have seen it over at Addicted to CAS and just had to come by to take a look at your awesome card! I have signed up to be your newest follower and am looking forward to your future cards ;o) Have a very merry christmas! Happy crafting, Maike

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  29. This is so good and thank you Marika for shering how you did it. I love how you use different media - Copi - Distress - and Color pencils Thank you I loved the Aurora Borealis

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