My Six Billion Dollar Idea

Welcome to the Daily Marker 30 Day Coloring Challenge blog hop!

Super excited to be a part of this incredible lineup of amazing designers for Kathy's awesome challenge.

I just started doing this challenge last year, and I love how amazing just spending five minutes a day coloring something makes you so happy! So a big thanks to my friend Kathy for spreading coloring joy throughout the world with this fun challenge. Be sure and use the hashtag #thedailymarker30day when you play along Instagram - Kathy comments on all of them - she's amazing. Just color something - it doesn't have to be finished, and the medium doesn't matter - I love that about this challenge - makes me feel more creative the fewer rules I have.

Before I show you my samples, I wanted to share this fabulous idea with you, that could save crafters billions of dollars.

I was briefly employed in the stock trading software industry. (Feel free to picture me holding my nose - I'm not a fan of trading, but that's a story for another day. Let's just say I know a lot more about it than I care to know, and have changed my investments accordingly.)

Anyway, I was preparing for my mini-retreat in Salt Lake the other day, and was sad to see that so many of my Canadian friends are unable to come because of the wretched state of the Canadian dollar right now.

But in the midst of my sadness, I thought AHA!! This is a FABULOUS opportunity to launch my new craft-supply based travel agency.

What this agency will do is study currencies around the world, and organize shopping junkets to far-off lands where the travelers' dollars are strong in comparison to the destinations. We will shoot off, BUY ALL THE THINGS, and come home.

I think it's brilliant. Canada - prepare for planeloads full of crazed creatives carrying huge, empty bags to arrive and wipe out your art and craft stores! I'm such a genius!!


Okay - back to coloring.

I am taking the UBER incredible Online Card Classes Watercolor for Cardmakers - Intermediate Techniques class right now, and I have never, ever, taken a better class - it's incredible. Dawn and the other instructors have packed SO much information into their videos - I've watched many of them several times to really let it all soak in.

One of my favorite lessons was a technique for dealing with the edges of shapes. I loved this so much I did it a few times, experimenting with paper and two different brands of watercolor - the first is QOR, and the second is Winsor & Newton in Alizarin Crimson, Aureolin, and French Ultramarine. (Both brands are tube watercolors). I didn't see an appreciable difference between the two.

There is SO much information in this class about paper, it's mind boggling. I decided to do my exercises on Fabriano Acquarello 100% cotton cold press 140 pound paper, and man is this a dreamy watercolor paper. 

I stamped leaves from Stampin' Up's Vintage Leaves in Memento Pear Tart Ink, and then went to town with the watercolor. After I dried it, I lightly spritzed the back of the paper and flattened it with the surprisingly useful bacon press I never use for bacon. Then I stamped the sentiment from Concord & 9th's By Your Side in Versafine several times using my Mini MISTI so that it was nice and black on the textured paper, and attached that to a white card base.

I liked the intensity of these colors.

I did a softer version with the Winsor Newton, with more pinks just to push myself out of my color comfort zone. The greeting is from the same Concord & 9th set - By Your Side. 

And SURPRISE - when I went to photograph this second card, I made the oh-so-common discovery that I glued it on my card base upside down. Sigh. I will take it apart and fix it. 

Don't worry - I'm a better crafty travel agent than I am a cardmaker :).

If you're interested in this watercolor class, there will be a coupon code at the end of the hop - so be sure and stop by each blog to get that as well as an amazing giveaway from Kathy.

Jennifer McGuire

Kristina Werner

Simon Says Stamp

Shari Carroll

Laura Bassen

Nichol Spohr Magouirk

>>ME << You are here :)

Debby Hughes

Lawn Fawn

WPLUS9

Kelly Latevola

Kathy Racoosin

Thanks for stopping by - if you are new to Kathy's challenge, here is a little more info.

THE GOAL IS:  To color something daily even if it's a few minutes but, certainly not required. 

 It’s  been proven that coloring can lower your blood pressure so it’s worth carving out a little time for yourself each day. You will find that Kathy encourages you along the way to stretch your creativity a little bit more and to feel successful with your coloring.

CAN YOU PARTICIPATE in the 30 DAY CHALLENGE?  Yes! 

That would be awesome if you want to participate & feel free to jump in at any time during February! Everyone is welcome! If you miss a few days don’t feel like you have to catch up. The challenge is meant to be fun and with no stress. 

WHAT'S NEW THIS TIME?   

Kathy will have a weekly feature that she will be sharing on her blog that showcases some of your work every Sunday.

Hope you can find some time to play along - it's really fun, and a hashtag search for this challenge on Instagram will fill your phone with absolutely beautiful things. 

Loveyameanitbye.