Our Craft Lounge Sneak Peek Day 1

It’s time for a little winter release from Our Craft Lounge!   They are releasing 11 great new sets – there’s a little bit of sumpin’ sumpin’ for everyone! 

Today I’m going to show you a gorgeous set illustrated by Marianne Walker (you know – I like Markers – Marianne).  You might even actually recognize the image!!  The stamp set is called Shower of Blossoms.  What I LOVE about this set (besides the beautiful illustrations) is the SIZE of the images!!!  Size DOES matter sometimes, ya know!?! 

I honestly don’t get to stamp or color very often so I was really excited to take my time and use lots of techniques with this image!  First I started with paper piecing the umbrella – I used a purple grunge-style paper and then I added shading with a few shades of purple Copic markers, once I did that, I finished coloring the image.  Don’t let the detail of the image frighten you from wanting to color it – Marianne gives some great pointers on this image – take it piece by piece – or section by section and really it isn’t too hard at all.  I was actually quite happy with the way mine turned out!!  After I colored each section (the flowers, the bushes, the trees, the rocks, the bunnies) I created a mask of the image.  I first covered up the bottom and airbrushed the sky, then I covered the top and airbrushed the ground.  I LOVE the soft look of this – and it made the sky and ground coloring go super fast!!  I added some shading around the rocks. Then I popped the two front bunnies up and used the shadow the popped up part created as my shadow for the bunnies – I have NO idea if this was the correct placement but it worked for me! 

Looking at it now, I sort of wish I had popped the very first bunny up a second time – I might go back and do that!   I kept the layout simple.  Often after spending plenty of time on the main image, my creativity sort of fizzles out… so I like to say that I want the focus to be on the image ; )  Ooh!  And I added a wee-little bit of Sugar Sparkly Fluff on the little bunny tail!  It’s a gorgeous image, right? 

Okay – so here’s the GOOD STUFF!!!

Leave a comment (with some kind of contact info) on today’s post, tomorrow’s and Friday’s, and your name will be submitted in my prize drawing for Friday’s blog hop!! 

Be sure to check out all of the other great peeks – and comment there too!!! 

Amber Hillman
Broni Holcombe
Deb Felts
Denise Marzec
Heather McNally
Jeanne Streiff
Kendra Wietstock
Lori McAree
Melyssa Connolly
Michelle Fowler
Pam Hooten
Stephanie Serrano
Tammie Edgerton