I dare you to Doodle!

I have a simple tutorial to share with you today.

Doodles.

I get a lot of questions about doodles, as my cards usually have some kind of extra little pen marks! Doodles are easy - the secret is to not worry about being perfectly straight. Doodles are meant to be loose and fun! You can doodle around images or incorporate your doodles in with your image. It can change the appearance of your stamp image, doodles around layers... it's endless.... as much or as little as you want. So the card I am sharing is very simple in style and uses simple doodles. The pictures below show step by step how I dressed up my image and layers using fine tip pens. You can click on the pictures to enlarge the images. For this card I chose to work with Flourishes set "Chairs for You".

The first image I stamped was the little puppy dog. I used Memento Ink and I stamped on Neenah Peppercorn 80#. I created a mask with Eclipse tape, layering that over my original puppy, I wanted him in the front to appear sitting on the chair.


After covering the puppy with his mask, I then stamped the chair. Since Flourishes stamps are clear, it makes for easy stamping and positioning of images when you are masking since you can see through the stamp.

I removed the mask and used Copics to color in the puppy and the chair arms.

My image is still snug in my Spellbinder's Nestie, I tacked it down with a little piece of tape when I cut it out, to prevent it from shifting. Then I used a fine tip Red Pen to create an inner frame, just by tracing along the Nestie's inner edge.

My image is still snug in my nestie. I used Copic Y17 to airbrush around the edges.

You could also achieve a similar look by sponging some ink, it will clean right off your Nestie when you are done by using a cloth and a tiny bit of your stamp cleaner.

After removing the image from the Nestie, it leaves a nice clean border. Which of course you can choose to leave a nice, clean and crisp edge, or you can fancy it up!

Did you notice I added no color to the chair in the above pictures? I wanted some stripes on my chair, so here's where the doodles start........ I just drew some stripes in! My stripes are not even or straight. They do not need to be. Note - on the arms of the chair, I did curve my stripes to bend with the shape.

I used a Copic to color in every other stripe. Then, I decided I wanted MORE stripes and added some tiny little cross lines in between each yellow stripe. Are you thinking this looks tedious? I promise it is not... just let go of the feeling that it has to be straight and even. Enlarge the pic... you can see my marks are quick and easy! When nothing is straight -- then nothing looks "off"!

Now to the edge of my Nesite.... using the inner frame I drew earlier, I am going to create a polka dot frame to mimic the DP I am going to use on my card. Again.... I am drawing random and loose circles, running off the outer edges and corners, but mainting the clean frame line towards the image.

I want my polka dots yellow and the background red. Since the dots will be a lighter color than the background, why bother coloring in all the little circles... No thanks! I just shortcut and run the chisel tip of the marker down each side, filling in all the dots with one stroke.

You can see the DP (by Graphic 45) here... I am just creating the reverse of that pattern.

Now I used the brush tip of a Copic to fill in the background of my frame.

Some stitch doodles around the outer edge of the card to wrap it up.

I added some layers and a little silk bow to complete the card. You can see each step was easy, no fuss, no straight lines, an no trying to make everything perfect and matching when I doodle. I changed the look of the image, I created a frame and added some stitch doodles on the layers.

Now... it's your turn!

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Thanks for letting me share my Doodles with you!

I hope you picked up a tip from the pictures or my instructions!

Jenny Gropp
visit my little corner in Blogville: One Krafty Kat

Sneak Peek Day 3 - Chairs To YOU!

Welcome to Day 3 of the Flourishes Sneak Peek! This last stamp set being released in January is one that is so fun and versatile, you are going to want to sit down for this one! Grab a cup of coffee while you are at it!

Introducing....
This set has such an amazing story behind it! A few months back I was offering up some blog candy over on my blog, and I asked those that stopped by to offer up some suggestions for a stamp set they would love to see! Well, one lady, Jessica Russell offered up a brilliant idea! She wanted to see a set of chairs with fun sayings like - "You're going to want to sit down for this," and "Chairs To YOU!" I immediately picked up the phone and had a chat with the ladies at Flourishes. Months later, Jan Marie called and said, "We have the chairs set in production!" It was amazing to watch this idea "flourish" and become a reality!

Want to meet Jessica??? Well, here she is!

When I told her that her set would soon be in her inky hands, she told a story of why chairs have such a special place in her heart.....

"I love it when I happen upon an especially comfortable chair! I had a tiny rocking chair at my Grandma's house when I was small. She's 94 now, and has kept it all these years. Now, my son will get to rock in it when he gets a bit older. I love rocking my little guy at night before I put him in bed. I have a beautiful, antique upholstered rocker that is also from my Grandma. It creaks, but the rhythm of the creak I think helps soothe him! ! Thanks so much for running with the idea!"

Isn't that a sweet thought? And.... here's the fabulous card she made with her one of a kind set illustrated by our talented new artist Lauren Pope!
I love the embossed background, the ulpholstered look of the chair and all the fun embellishments Jessica added! Very posh!

Want to cozy up in your favorite chair for a little blog hop? Be sure to visit our entire team to see what fabulous inpiration they crafted with this set!

Julie Koerber
Christine Okken
Cindy Lawrence
Faith Hofrichter
Latisha Yoast
Laura Fredrickson
Dee Jackson
Nancy Kirk
Jan Marie Caruso
Kimberly Crawford
Betty Wright

Cindy Haffner
Becca Feeken

Silke Ledlow

Don't forget to leave a comment to win this set! We'll randomly select one person to win. The candy will move quickly - we'll announce the winner for the Chairs To You set tomorrow.

Want to know the winner of the Home Tweet Home set??? Well, it's Holly!

Holly said...
I think from the sneak peak I'm going to love this set!! I love the birds but I am fussy, I don't like mine too cutesy per say, this looks perfect can't wait til it's released.

Holly, just email us at flourishesllc@cox.net and we'll get your set shipped right out!

Have you checked out our Celebrating Home challenge? (Details on that challenge can be found HERE) Take part in this challenge and you can win all three of our new sets this month. Time is running out though! You only have until 5 pm Eastern! The winner will be announced at our release party Friday night from 7pm - 9 pm Eastern time over at the Flourishes Forum on Splitcoast. That's where we'll reveal all the new sets and give you an opportunity for more prizes!

That's it my friends! Thanks for stopping by! See you at tonight's release party!!!

~Julie