Wednesday 2 September 2009

Backtrack: Copic markers

Humour me for a little here, OK?

Wind the clock back a few weeks, to when I entered the first relaunched Basic Grey Challenge. Imagine a girl suddenly finding the goldmine of 100 blog sites filled with the prettiest, cutest, most beguiling stamped coloured images on the most gorgeous cards. Imagine someone addicted to colour and creating new things, but with no stamps, and no colours. Yup, I ordered myself some unmounted stamps from Whiff of Joy at a very reasonable price. Now for the colouring.

I admired, I trawled YouTube and gave myself a headache watching all those tutorials. I researched and nearly fainted at the prices. I dithered, I argued with myself. I decided not to. Too expensive - ridiculous. Did some more video-watching and arguing. Had another look at the two beautiful, charming cards that Georgina sent me. Sighed. I poured out my arguments to my long-suffering DH, and he said "do it". I said ???????? He said "you'll use them, get them." I argued some more, with him this time. Then I went out to Art Friend to see them and their price tag in the flesh.

They sat there, those boxes of 36 markers in their locked cabinet (told you they were valuable) and I swear I heard 36 little voices reminding me about my 10%-off member's card in my purse. I stopped dithering and promised them that they would be the last spending I did for a while. I carried them reverently home.

Then I spent a day being a child again with felt-tip pens and white card. Hehee I DID enjoy myself! When DH got home I couldn't wait to show him. He's such a patient guy - he showed more than enough interest and enthusiasm to satisfy my childish need for admiration. I had to drag myself reluctantly back into adulthood again to cook the tea.

But I think I brought part of my child's heart back with me. Every time I look at these cards, I grin spontaneously with pleasure. I'm SO GLAD I spent that money, and SO grateful to DH that he didn't begrudge it at all. I'm a very lucky person.

You're going to want to see what all that build-up was about now, aren't you? Oh...... OK then. If you really want to...





"Recipe": Whiff of Joy stamps: Lizzie from the Winter '08 collection and Willow with Flowers from the Spring '09 collection, Copic Ciao markers (swoon), scraps including SEI Moravia, DCWV and Basic Grey, dollar store ribbon, Prima flowers, gems, brads, ink and an unknown gift stamp from my stash and Stickles to add the essential girlie sparkle finish.

3 comments:

ikki said...

Hi Squirrel, Great work with the colouring - can see you fallen for the copics! Don't know if I should tell you how I embossed the name on my baby card in case you start looking at die cutting alphabets!?!??! But, go on... I will - I did them with the Harmony Cuttlebug Set. They come in very useful when making personalized name cards, wedding and anniversary cards. The set also includes numbers and a few basic shapes. If I purchased again, I would look at Olivia set - this one is more chucky yet also classic. Thanks for visiting and your lovely remarks. Eileen

Georgina said...

hehe I love helping to enable! :) You have done such a great job with the copics, youre a natural and they clearly love you as much as you love them, when you come back to england Im signing up for a course or two from you! :)

Denni said...

Gorgeus as always!