My First "Certified" Creation

Oh... the pressure! YOU GUYS! You are all so sweet. I'm totally going to share what I learned, but remember I'm still playing with these and trying to apply what I've learned. I've been using them SO wrong. Well, not wrong, but totally NOT to their potential. First jaw dropping moment for me was when Marianne took a marker and literally smashed it on the paper. I gasped... out loud. I've been treating them SO gently like the tips were delicate or fragile. My Stampin'Up! markers are so frayed and I've always been gentle with them.... it's a bit disappointing, because I love SU! So, I invested in a small handful of these markers. I've been oh so careful with them, and then Marianne grabs one and says, "look what you can do"...... she was showing us a technique, but all I could do was gasp about her pounding on the end of that marker. Like seriously, my stomach was upset. She made me "smoosh" one before she would certify me.... it was REALLY hard to do. LOL. I'm practicing my smooshing Marianne! (I know that will make her proud... and I want to make her proud). So, first tid bit, don't be afraid to push and smoosh. The tips are QUALITY and will not fray. But, do not pull out the brush side to refill your markers... do the other side. Only pull out the brush tip when you are replacing them....which you do NOT have to do often... even if you smoosh.

Second thing... I was not saturating enough. Start with your light color and go one or two colors up (they are numbered), then you blend the two together with the lighter color. So, do your light, then your darker shades, then go back and blend with your light. You can blend and blend and blend. You keep saturating until they blend. You want to turn your card stock over and see it all bled through to the back... if you don't see that, you are not blending enough. See this image? I totally colored on it ALL DAY. I had polka dots on the flower... I started with it all pink... I kept changing my mind and adding and blending. THERE IS NO PILING.... after ALL DAY of adding colors and blending. Picking up my jaw again.

Next jaw dropping thing for me. The blender pens. TOTALLY opposite of what we do with Stampin'Up! blender pens. Instead of blending, you are taking the color away... or more like pushing it. If you make a mistake and go outside the lines..... use the other end... I think it was called the chisel end (you can use either, but I like the chisel end for this) and "push" it back in. Let it dry and keep doing that process until the ink is pushed back into the line! How cool is that? *Close my mouth... jaw is hanging open again. That blender pen refill... or "The Magic Juice" as Mounds, Leann and I call it, is amazing. YOU NEED IT. Buy it by the gallon.... kidding... I don't think they sell it by the gallon. Maybe I should check? We learned SO many cool things with it. But, for now, I'm going to let this information soak in... get it? Soak in..... SNORT. Seriously... get out your markers, start with the light color, add your shades and blend again with the light. If that is darker than you want, get out your blender pen and take some color out.

For those of you that don't have any Copics (I'm really sorry... I wish I could give you all some).... I highly recommend getting them in groups of shades just a few numbers apart. I started with the eP eSsentials because the shades are very close to the Stampin'Up In Colors, but I've found that I reach for them a lot and will continue to build on those colors. I've since added a few pink shades (go figure) and some blue. Needless to say, I've placed another order and I am counting down the days until they arrive.

Okay.... I'm going to continue sharing everyday some tips and bits I've learned, otherwise, this post could be pages long. For those of you who are debating about these markers... they are a lifetime investment. If you are going to use markers, they will totally pay off and be HALF of what you will spend on others in the long run. Hey... I'm not working for Copic, but I swear I would if they'd stock me up with markers baby. I need a bumper sticker.... "will work for Copics", or "Where is Marianne?". I could totally be her stalker.

Okay... the stuff I used:

Stamps: Lazy Days (Penny Black), Tiny Talk (Stampin'Up!)
Paper: Intense Orange Prism, Neenah White, Chocolate Chip, Imaginisce, A Shore Thing.
Ink: Brilliance Graphite Black, Copics
Other: Round Punches 3/4 inch + 1 inch, Ticket Corner Punch, Spica Glitter Pen, Dimensionals, Gingham Ribbon, Robin's Nest Island Blossom Dew Drops, Scor-pal.

Busy day... I'm going to post again tomorrow, but I'm afraid it will probably be later in the day. Thanks everyone.... I love reading all your comments and recipes. Practice same color blending... that is your assignment. :)