Playing in Puddles

I don't know how I ever survived Rochester, honestly. It was so rarely sunny there, and now I completely lose my furry mind if there's one cloudy day every quarter here. If a cloud even goes across the sun for a MINUTE, I freak out. It's funny how you get acclimated to things.

It has been a greyer than normal "winter" here, and as I've suffered through these uncharacteristically sunless days, my cards have gotten brighter and brighter.

Made me wonder if some of my favorite painters painted their surroundings, or painted what they wanted them to look like. I've certainly never seen as much color in the world as Van Gogh or Monet showed us. What pretty places.

I'm taking part in the month-long hop featuring the Mirror Image stamp from So Suzy today, and so I thought I'd paint the sky that's in my head.

What's funny is that even though I hate rain (and really all forms of water outside of ice cubes), I absolutely ADORE making puddle reflections on my cards with mirror image stamping. (Here are some earlier mirror image stamp creations with a puddle and a pond with Lovely as a Tree) It's just fun. Especially when I can make them super colorful. And I know everyone loves the Beautiful You stamp set, but let's face it - I love it the MOST. Don't even pretend you love it as much as I do. DO NOT SASS ME.

So while I was falling asleep the other night, I came up with this design - at first, I wanted there to be multiple puddles behind her, but there wasn't enough detail to pick up her reflection well, so I settled on this design instead. I colored her in with a fine paintbrush and the pen white ink listed below.

LINKS TO ALL SUPPLIES USED

InLinkz.com

I love how bright it is - wouldn't you want to be standing in front of that wall of light and color? Just makes my eyes happy.

This is surprisingly easy to do. So of course, I made you a little video. As a BONUS, during the video - I did NOT edit out the part where Maddie brings me a mouse, and makes her super weird little "I brought you a mouse" noise. It's hysterical. She's still mad at me for not throwing it for her during my voiceover. It's sitting there on my floor right now - a small, furry, blue and white ball of feline injustice pointed right at my face. She loves to play fetch. Sorry Maddie! So enjoy her cameo in a tutorial! 

This video is now part of my Master Class on Shadows & Reflections.

You know what will make YOUR eyes happy? Happy as Maddie with a mouse? The list of prizes you can win in the Mirror Image Event this month. True fact - Suzy's mom is the one who makes the Bunkie Bags! They are adorable!

• 3 - MISTI's in your choice of Original or Mini
• 4 - $25 Gift Certificates to The Ton
• 4 - $25 Gift Certificates to So Suzy Stamps
• 1 - Memory MISTI Tote (sss)
• 2 - Regular MISTI Covers (sss)
• 2 - Mini MISTI Covers (sss)
• 2 - Bunkie Bags (sss)

All you have to do to be entered is comment on each of the blog posts in the event throughout the month. Suzy has a full list at her blog.

Leaving you with a few random things. Making a Food Wishes recipe this weekend for blue cheese dressing that involves freezing and then grating the blue cheese. I'll let you know how that goes. And yes, blue - I'm not French, and in fact, blue cheese came BEFORE the pretentious "bleu" cheese, which appears to be a counterfeit word that has made its way onto labels everywhere. Fascinating rundown on that story here. Do not mess with me and my BLUE THINGS.

Now that my friend Michelle has hers, I can now reveal the cutest thing I've seen in a while - the Hello Kitty Taco change purse!

If that's NOT the cutest thing you've seen all week you might already be in heaven. Better ask around.

Go make some pretty puddles!

Loveyameanitbye.