Back to School Blog Hop!!!!

The Stamping Boutique is have a "Back to School" blog hop and I'd love for you to see the beautiful projects my amazing team has worked so hard on. Start with Aletha. and hop along from there. This is my first look as well, so I'm super excited. So. let's get started!

Today's image...

I just finished these kiddos and wanted to get them posted before starting dinner. The baby sister has a look to her that reminds me of my niece, Madyson, when she was born. I can't explain it and I didn't do it on purpose. It just evolved. This is going to be one of my favorites, I think. I can't wait for my sister to see this. Have a wonderful evening, my friends. :D

A Delicious Challenge!

. How about a challenge? Make a card/project using the new "Bunny Birthday" image and post atPaperCraftPlanet and 2 more places (your blog, SCS etc...) then send me an e-mail so I know you've entered. traceydawnn@msn.com. I'll draw a name in one week on Thursday August 5 at at PCP. What should the prize be?? how about the winner's choice of 5 images from the store??? sound fun? ok, let's do it then!
-remember, you can get the image free by becoming a member at the Paper Craft Planet group. Have fun!

Don't forget about our Monthly Contest!

There's still plenty of time to get all those adorable projects using The Stamping Boutique images uploaded in our monthly contest, more info can be found here. Don't miss your chance at winning some FREE images!

More From Our Fabulous Guest Designer Collette.....

"Hi, my name is Collette and I'm married to a wonderfully supportive husband, and am mother to an even more wonderful 15 year old daughter (sorry, Scott, lol). I've been stamping and scrapbooking for about 10 years now and absolutely love the creative outlet. I've always been interested in art, and love the finished product I can come up with at the end of the day. I began with Stampin' Up (which I still thoroughly enjoy), and actually was a consultant for Creative Memories, but had to sign off because I just can't limit myself to one company. I still love many of their products, but couldn't NOT use all the other stuff out there.

I've just begun coloring with Copics these past few months and am now obsessed - well over 150 and still don't have ... well, a few, lol. I love the images that The Stamping Boutique has to offer - and can't wait for 'the next new one' to come out. They're absolutely perfect for coloring with Copics, prisma colored pencils and gamsol - and even watercolor techniques. I'm so glad that I won this guest designer spot for The Stamping Boutique. Thank you so much for the opportunity to share."

Check out my blog here!

Fun For Challenges Sponsor

This week we are sponsoring the Fun For Challenges site, it's a color challenge to use bright summer colors. Check out what fun cards the TSB gals have come up with this week and make sure to enter for your chance at FREE images from the Boutique!

Copic Tutorial- Coloring Water by Ashley Scheffler

Intro- Part 1 of coloring Sunny Baby With A Hat by Ashley Scheffler

Hello Everyone. This time I am doing something a little different. I won't have the image completely colored at the end, but instead next tutorial will be continuing with her since there are a lot of fun techniques you can do to the image! Today's technique is going to be about coloring water or ocean.

Lets get started!


STEP 1
Here is the image we will be coloring today. Perfect time to be coloring a beach image!! You will want to pick your color combos (blues or blue-greens). I use a lot of combos but I seem to always use this one for an ocean image where it is normally darker at the end of what your eye sees and lighter in the front where you first see the water. I will be using B97, B95, B93, and B12. A lot of times I will throw in BG10 as well. I will also be using a white gel pen for highlighting.

STEP 2
Take your darkest color (B97) and shade in the farthest away point and a few of the waves on the bottom where the light would not hit.

STEP 3
Now take your medium color (B95) and go over the darkest color and bring it down more into the front of the ocean.

STEP 4
Take your next lightest color (B93) and continue going over the last two colors and keep bringing it down closer to the beach.

STEP 5
This is where I used B12 and colored in the rest of the water area and went right back over the entire water area to help blend the colors together. I had to do this several times to get the look I wanted.

STEP 6
Of course when you bring your lightest color over your darkest, it will fade it. Repeat steps 1-5 over until you get your desired blending look and how dark you want your darkest color to be and what the contrast will look like.

STEP 7
This is optional but I really like the way it makes the water look and breaks up all the blues. Copic sells opaque paint but I just use my Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen. Just be sure to let it sit and dry for a minute so it does not smear and ruin your coloring you just did! The white resembles the foam that the waves usually make as they roll and hit the beach.

I hope you found this technique helpful. Next time I will be showing you how to color the sand area on this same image!! Please leave a comment if this helped you and what other techniques you would love to learn with Copics!