You're So Extra

Between Falliday Fest and OnStage, there was such a brief period of time for me to do any crafting, that I was dying to just sit down and color something after I got home, and I had my eye on one of the host sets from the catalog that we'd been able to preorder - Cozy Cottage. It was crying out for my Polychromos, so I took my lunch hour yesterday and just gave in.

All week I kept asking people why they were so extra, so I thought this card would be the perfect tribute to all my extra friends here on my blog.

Cozy Cottage Host Set - Avail Jan 3rd [ SUP ] Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad... [ SUP ] Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils and... [ BLIC | SSS | AMZUS ] Artist's Choice 110lb White Card Stock [ GNK ] Smoky Slate 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock by... [ SUP ] Whisper White Cardstock - Thick [ SUP ] MISTI Stamping Tool [ MSW | SSS | ELH | SBC ] Rotatrim Professional Series Cutter -... [ BLIC | AMZUS ] Ipoint Orbit Pencil Sharpener, Turquoise [ AMZUS | AMZUS ] Absorber - Synthetic Cleaning Cloth [ AMZUS ] Multipurpose Liquid Glue by Stampin' Up! [ SUP ]

I wanted to soften the lines of the stamp image a bit, so I decided on no-line coloring.

I started by stamping the image in Smoky Slate onto some Artist's Choice cardstock from Gina K. I got to test this cardstock at a retreat last month and I fell hard for it. It has just enough tooth for colored pencils - which is really something she's an expert at, and I'm a tiny grasshopper at. So I was excited to find out that I loved the way my pencils worked on this paper. It's also a good alcohol marker paper. I haven't tried that myself yet, but if there's one person you can trust on the subject of paper, it's most definitely Gina.

Then I just selected some colors I thought would be harmonious - warm greys for the stone, and warm reds and browns for what looks like a thatch roof on the cottage. The only cool colors I chose are in the sky and on the mountains.

FYI for color geeks like me - the Prussian Blue in this set, which I used on the mountains, is SPOT ON and very vivid and beautiful. I actually had to tone it down with cool greys, because it's a very saturated color.

The colors I used (which you can buy in open stock at Blick) are as follows: Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Earth Green, Earth Green Yellowish, Chromium Green Opaque, Prussian Blue, Sky Blue, Brown Ochre, Terra Cotta, Burnt Siena, Burnt Umber, Warm Grey II, Warm Grey IV, Warm Grey VI, Cold Grey II, Cold Grey IV.

The other thing Gina got me addicted to at retreat was her pencil sharpener. I have hated all pencil sharpeners before this one and I am now in love. What's cool about it is that it has an auto-stop, so it's won't over-sharpen, but it gives you that tiny fine point you need for the rock shadows, the birds and the grass above. Life is too short for dull pencils. I'm so mad I didn't know there was a turquoise one!

So then I matted the image with Smoky Slate and put it on a Whisper White card base and called it a lunch hour. Not a bad way to do lunch!

A few things to note before you go!

• Sign up to receive an Occasions catalog here.
• Sign up for my RAK database to receive random gifts here. 
• See all my online classes (Occasions classes coming soon) here. 
• Sign up for my November Arkon giveaway here. You get extra entries for every order in my store, every purchase of an online class. You can always get 20% off at Arkon with my coupon code below.
• Online Extravaganza is coming! From November 20-26, select products on sale for up to 40% off! On November 20th, there's an exclusive sale for select stamp sets for 20% off. Shop here, and if you use host code Y3YE2BS9 during November, you will be entered to win Occasions catalog product! 

LoveyameanityouareEXTRAbye.