Too Much To Chew

I feel like it's been forever since I've worked with my Copics, but I took time out to do Outlines Posy Collage as a sample for a beginner's class I'll be teach at Clare's Keepsakes Cove in Bethany Beach next month. I think that it might be a bit much for a Copic beginner. My challenge was keeping it to four colors -- but I did it! I will encourage
my students take this on as a challenge before the next class. Each person who brings it in will have their name entered into a prize drawing.
     I'm going to be doing something a bit different -- my Copic Classes at Clare's will be part of a finished 8"x8" scrapbook page. I used four markers to create this project: V12 Pale Lilac; V15 Mallow; V18 Amethyst; and 100 Black. I also used Vival Pearl Pen C7 Lilac to create the pearl bling effect on the flower centers. I used three basic techniques in colorizing this collage -- Basic Blending, Feathering and Tip-to-Tip Blending. Now, back to work. I have to decide what to do in class . . .

CKC Valley Forge and Charoloote

I’m totally excited about teaching at CKC Valley Forge and CKC Charlotte this summer. My class is Picture Perfect Convention Pages. It’s a technique-driven workshop that uses a pocket-filled layout with inventive ways to use 15 4”x6” pictures or more. The best part is that all you’ll need to do is add the photos when you get home. People who take my classes will have a choice between an inchies or collage punch-around-the-age project as well as an accordion mini-book, tags, folders masking, stamping and more. All these are wrapped into two compact 12”x12” pages! I hope to see you at the convention. Be sure to visit my website (www.scrappigators.com) for more information.

Copic Classes Scheduled

Once in a while you come across a product that you know you will use for the rest of your life. For me, that product is Copic.

So now it's official. I have Copic classes scheduled for Tuesday, July 19 from 10 AM to 12 PM at Michaels in Rehoboth Beach and on Friday, August 5 from 6 PM to 8 PM at Michaels in Dover, Delaware. I'm hoping the classes go well because I have thoughts in place for the first seven techniques-driven workshops:

SESSION 1: We will learn three blending techniques: Common, feathered, and tip-to-tip. This is a display board that I've developed for the first session.

SESSION 2: We will continue our lesson with some whimsical pieces which introduces pallet blending, revisits common blending and color lifting.

SESSION 3: We will focus on skin tones.

SESSION 4: Working with grays

SESSON 5: Shading, shadowing and light sources.

SESSION 6: Scenery and stills

SESSION 7: Airbrushing

I will introduce five new marker colors with each sesson. We will be working with stamped images which can be used on cards, scrapbooking pages and wall art. The continuation of the programs at Michaels in Rehoboth and Dover (Delaware) strictly depends on enrollment. I hope to also make these classes available at several conventions.

The classes cost $25 plus supplies. If  you take all seven classes, you will have incorporated 45 of the 60 colors that Michaels carries into your personal inventory. Sign ups are at the stores.

I have even more plans for the Copic markers for those who want to go above and beyond the Michaels inventory. I will share these a bit later.

Copic Floral Card Class

 I'll be teaching my first Copic class at Michaels in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on Tuesday, July 19 at 10 AM. In the first class, we'll do some common blending, feathered blending and maybe even some tip-to-tip as well. We'll be doing three cards and focusing on floral techniques. Our focus will be on the blending techniques, so your copic supplies and white Recollections paper cardstock are the most important. I will also be providing instruction sheets to actually finish your cards at home if we don't have enough time. I'll be posting more on this a bit later. If you're in the Rehoboth Beach area and want to take this class, sign ups should be opening the week of July 4th.

COPIC SUPPLIES

 0 – Colorless Blender

 B21 – Baby Blue

 YG 03 – Yellow Green

 YR 00 – Powder Pink

 YR 07 – Cadmium Orange

 YG 67 – Moss (Optional)

CARDMAKING SUPPLIES

 Recollections White 8 ½” x 11” cardstock

 Recollections Soda Pop 8 ½” X 11” cardstock paper pack

 Recollections Glitter Shapes

 Recollections Glitter Tape, Silver

 Recollections Foam Adhesive Circles

 Celebrate It Sheer Creations Blue-and-Green Ribbon (387344)

 1/8”-wide Gold Metallic Ribbon

 Ranger's Glossy Accent
TOOLS

I have these tools and will make them available during our workshop.

  Inkadinkado 60-377 Floral Expessions Acrylic Stamp Set

 Acrylic Stamp Clear Blocks

 Martha Stewart Border Punch (I used Punch Around the Page Deco Shells)

 Circle Punch, 3”

 Circle Punch, 1 ¼”

 Paper Trimmer

 Sizzix Texture Boutique

 Sizzix Dotted Swiss Embossing Envelope

 Tuxedo Black Memento Stamp Pad

 Potter’s Clay Memento Stamp Pad (Part of Dew Drop Collection

 Inksenntials Blending Tool

 Decorative Scissors or Decorative Rotary Trimmer Blade

 Crop-A-Dile or small hole punch

My first Copic Demos

I am totally excited about Michaels carrying Copic markers and about my opportunity to demo next Tuesday in Rehoboth and next Wednesday in Dover. I was playing with this last night using Michael's store brand paper (Recollections). I think it does a rather nice job of blending, don't you?

My demo in Dover is on Tuesday afternoon around 2:15 and on Wednesday morning at 11:30 in Rehoboth Beach. I've been really pumped about this since I was Copic Certified 16 days ago.

Did I say 16 days? I sure did. My class was on June 7th. How is that for God's timeing?

I was on the Copic waiting list for two years. The Phillie class normally fills up pretty quickly, so as soon as I received their class notice, I went to the website, filled out the application, submitted my samples (using the Digital Delight by Louby Lou tutorial photos) and hit "send." Store owners and teachers are the top targets for the list. Imagine my surprise when I awoke the next morning to discover an acceptance email! My "teaching" venues were Michaels, CKC Conventions, and online tutorials. I didn't think Michaels would be that well received because they didn't carry Copic markers. That shows you what I know, now doesn't it?

So, here I am still in practice mode getting ready to do my first two demos . . . if all goes well, I'll be able to start teaching some classes at Michaels as early as next month. How awesome would that be?

One Little Change!

One little change can alter your entire schedule. At least, that was my yesterday's tale! I decided to make a navigational change in my scrappigators website only to discover that I had to redesign thing! Yep, I did. It's almost done (lots of pages say "coming soon") but the buttons are in place, new page categories, etc. It's taken me a few  years to see where I want to be in this wonderful world that we call "scrapbooking" -- and now I know. It's teaching! I am still a Close to My Heart consultant (dianecook.myctmh.com) but I also carry other product lines. I'm incredibly excited about getting Copic certified (June 7) and adding teaching venues throughout the region. Of course, Scrappigators is now growing far beyond the Close To My Heart footprint because I'm also playing with Zutter, Crafters Companion, SparkleNSprinkle, ScrapRack and more. I'm also getting ready to launch a new design program as well, so we have lots of totally awesome things coming. Oh! And I can't forget the EK Success Spotted Canary program either. All in all, I'm seeing a path carrying me to new and wonderful places. Oh! Yes! And CKC -- I'm teaching at six conventions this year! Be sure to visit my website (http://www.scrappigators.com/) especially after Monday to see what's up and what's new.

Sweetheart Workshop on the Go

Finding time to complete all my scrapbooking is proving to be a challenge,  but I did manage to get my February Workshop on the Go finished. It was especially important because it showcases the addition of our newest family member -- Morgan Grace Cook who was born on Friday, January 28th. I love this kit and its versatility, especially since our now have a practically perfect grandbaby girl to scrap. I'm interested in getting some Scrapbooking Clubs going, both locally and online. Leave a comment so we can get you started right now.