Flowergirl

Flowergirl

by Rick St. Dennis

This lovely young lady with roses in her hair and on her pretty gown is a delight to colour. Not too complicated but fresh clean lines with a few folds to hone your colouring techniques. This is one of Rick's new family of young ladies, you could be one of the first to colour her.
Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers and spectrum noir pencils.. The background is from mcs, the frame and flowers, script and pink background is made in Craft Artist 2.

Cindy

Cindy

by Rick St. Dennis

Still in Storyland... Here is Cinderella, with her lovely ballgown and glass slipper trying to make her curfew before all *&%* breaks loose! Her coach is about to morph back into a pumpkin, the horses will be back as little mice leggin' it before the Palace cats get 'em, and her beautiful dress will look like a Poundland reject.

Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers, the rest added and changed in Craft Artist 2.

Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty

by Rick St. Dennis

Another of Rick's beautiful young ladies (and I don't just mean his Elite Design Team) Here is Sleeping Beauty with a lovely gown and long curly hair, dreaming whilst little fairies watch over her. Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers then inserted into Craft Artist 2 for the removal of the white background..

Zephyr McBroom with Kit and Clowder

Zephyr McBroom

by Rick St. Dennis

A new little witch for the upcoming witchy season! An absolute delight to colour, I think she is going to be very popular with her stripy tights and new pumpkin handbag.. Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers and spectrum noir pencils. Imported into Craft Artist 2 to trim the background, brighten up the image and to add embellishments and background/script. Loving this frame from a free Halloween kit available on Daisy Trail.

 With Kit and Clowder

Now we have  Rick St Dennis and Kit and Clowder teaming up this week for a special promotion.
A give-away and colouring challenge that will take place over on Kit and Clowder's Facebook group and on the Rick St. Dennis Digi Fans & Friends group.
So, as you might imagine, Facebook is the place to be this week.
What do you have to do to get in on the action?
Well, firstly, you have to be a member of the Kit and Clowder group to be able to get this image for free - for a limited period only - Monday to be precise. That's 3 days. Then she will be available to buy in the shops. (links will be available when she makes an appearance there)
All that is being asked is that you submit your (watermarked) coloured version into the challenge folder that will be set up in Kit and Clowder. Don't forget to share over at the Rick St Dennis group as well.
There will be a discount code announced to go spending in the store. You're already a winner just by finding this.
Then, as an added bonus, there will be a selection made for the bigger prizes - Mr Random will pick one winner to win a choice of THREE digis, Rick himself will pick another winner - again with a prize of THREE digis  - then on top of this there will be three random picked to win 1 digi.
Remember - we will be picking based on originality and creativity and not skill level - never feel like you aren't good enough to play along!
Want to win some more???
Comment on what image(s) you would get using the discount code and a random winner from the comments will be picked to get a further TWO digis! 
WOW - did you get all that? - so many chances to win!!

Rapunzel

Rapunzel

by Rick St. Dennis

Rick has a new collection at his Zibbet site! So many beautiful characters, pretty young ladies with gorgeous clothes to settle down before Halloween kicks off! Here is Rick's Rapunzel, with lovely, extra long, curly hair and a very special gown with a belt adorned with jewels.

Wisteria Sprite

Wisteria Sprite

by Aurora Wings

This beautiful little Sprite reminds me so much of Poppy. If something makes her sad she puts her hands up to her face and we try to make her laugh before the next 'sad' stage which is curling up face down on the sofa. I love colouring these delicate little images with my promarkers and I find that  neenah paper works brilliantly..
For the rest of my project I chose a paper from mcs and imported both the Sprite and the background paper into Craft Artist 2. I will be completing a tutorial hopefully tomorrow.

Here is my tutorial for using Craft Artist 2 working with frames. It is not an official tutorial but it works for me and I think I have explained each and every stage. I do refer to my other tutorials just to save space and I'm sure if you've had Craft Artist 2 for a while you will know better ways of doing things but this works for me (and perhaps newbies)

So, for framing an image (The easy way)

Select which image and background you want to work with and make a note of the names and folders. I am always forgetting where I keep my images....
Open Craft Artist 2 and click on 'Blank Project'. This will take you to 'Page Setup'. I generally choose A5 Portrait or A5 Landscape. Click on one and you will see an orange border around your choice. Click on OK.
Then you have the choice of either 'My Digikits' or 'Browse My Items'. I find it easier to 'Browse My Items'. Here you start making your selection of papers and embellishments, frames etc. You can keep clicking and selecting and then click on 'Done' You will notice that your selections have been placed under the correct headings on the left hand side.
Now click on 'Photos' (On the left) and you will see a blank box. Look down and you will see 'Autoflow    Add...' Click on 'Add' and find your image. Click on 'Open' and your image will appear in the 'Photos' box. Repeat for the background. So now you will have them both in the 'Photos' box.
Click on 'Frames' and make your choice, click and drag your chosen frame onto your workspace. Go back to the 'Photos' and click on your chosen background image. Click and drag your background to the frame on your workspace. The program will fit the background into the frame however delicate or lacy the frame is the background will only show through the frame aperture.  The frame and the background have no become a joined item. If you want a different part of the background to show click on the frame and you will have an option to 'Select Cropped Items' Click on the small left hand box and it will highlight the background within the frame. You can now resize the background as you wish. Now open 'Embellishments' and click and drag the filled frame into the Embellishments' box. When you have the frame safely in the 'Embellishments' box you can remove it from your workspace by Right Click/Cut.
Now I will work with the main image.
Open the 'Photos' and click and drag the image onto your workspace. Remove the white background as per previous tutorials Rub out any unwanted lines around the image by using the 'Eraser' on the top tool bar, ending by clicking on the 'Select Tool' tab. Click on the image to highlight it and click on 'Photo Lab' and make the image warm/intense etc. Accept the changes. Open the 'Embellishments' Click on your nearly completed image and drag it into 'Embellishments'.
In the 'Embellishments' you will find your framed background. Click and drag the framed background onto the workspace and resize as you wish. Click and drag your image onto your workspace, resize and move onto the frame resizing and adding shadows if you wish. Then embellish and add a final backdrop to your project.
Before you show your completed project please add a watermark. Simply click on 'Text Tool' Write your name, resize it, change the font and change the colour of the text to white. Place the watermark on top of your coloured image and export as per tutorial. 

Mieena

Mieena Vampyr

by Rick St. Dennis

I am really loving this new collection of spooky characters by Rick. Young Mieena here is so different from the older Vampyrs... she is pretty with her lovely long curly hair, she is looking great for 150 years old, and ok so she likes her ribs very rare but she has a heart of gold (If her heart was still beating...I'm sure it would be a kind one).

Mieena is printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers. Embellishments and papers added in Craft Artist 2   

Djin for Smeared and Smudged Group Hop

Djin

By Rick St. Dennis

A wish is a wish... you can't say ooops... I wish I hadn't wished that... that makes two wishes. Also you can't say my wish is that I can have two (or more) wishes, that also will not work! Also, your wish stands... you asked, I delivered. That's it, no complaints accepted, my job here is done.

Rick's amazing Djin has been printed onto Crafters Companion Neenah paper. I find this works so well with my promarkers, I haven't found any paper easier to work with so until I do I will just buy neenah in bulk... it's also on my Christmas list so hopefully I will get a years worth again this Christmas.I coloured the image with promarkers and spectrum noir crayons. I am still having a go with blending so I hope to be showing my efforts soon. I inserted the coloured image into Craft Artist 2 for the grungy background and script and to make the colours more intense.

This project has been made for the Smeared and Smudged September members hop.. I do hope you have a moment to visit the rest of the hop... you probably won't see anything cute and pretty... more the dark side of crafting with lots of fun!

 Leslierahye  

Sue the Nanny (you're here)

Black Dragon 

Elephangaroo 

Fiona 

Shoni

Nanette

 

Buttons and Bows plus Craft Artist 2 tutorial number 6

Buttons and Bows

by Rick St. Dennis

I just wanted to try out some ideas today. I love this image and this is part of a very large collection of images, borders and corners all on one sheet and I must say... I have used every single image on this sheet for several different projects. I printed this lovely lady onto neenah and coloured her with promarkers.

Craft Artist tutorial
The coloured image was then imported into Craft Artist 2 and the white background was removed. I clicked onto Photolab and chose Sepia (It changed the image colours to sepia on the small screen)  then I clicked on OK. A box appeared which read Would you like to commit filters in the trial zone? I clicked on Yes and it brought me back to the workspace, this time with a lovely sepia image. I added a plain brown material behind the image.

Potions and Lotions

 Hexology

by Rick St. Dennis

I think this is a wonderful addition to the creepy images... what could be more fitting than a crushed skull and bottles of potions and lotions! Oh, and those eyeballs of course. In fact really all that was needed was a nice hot, strong cup of tea to balance on the potion books. Garibaldi anyone? 

Again neenah paper and promarkers. Papers and backgrounds built in CA2.

Creative Blog Hop

The amazing Monique nominated me (eek) she knows most of my secrets and still answers my posts even my 'thing' hasn't frightened her off. I 'met' Mo when I joined the Rick St. Dennis Elite Design Team. Is this a dream team or what? The images we get to work with are so amazing and Mo is there to make things clearer and has an amazing amount of patience.

The questions I have to answer

 1. What am I working on?
I am taking part in the Smeared and Smudged 31 days of Halloween hop. Yes, that's a different, new spooky project for every day through October. So... it's the beginning of September and I have completed 10 I think I am on track. I am also completing my Design Team Obligations. Who am I trying to kid? They are not really obligations if I have a blast completing them.
I feel so unbelievably lucky to be working with so many talented crafters on Rick St. Dennis's Elite Design Team with access to his wonderful artwork. I am also getting used to Craft Artist 2 I just cannot get my head round their help videos so I am spending ages sussing things out for myself and writing up step by step tutorials for beginners here on my blog and on the Craft Artist beginners facebook site.

2. How does my work differ from others of my genre?
Ummm.. tricky this... perhaps it differs in as much as I like to create a story around an image, especially if the image has so much going on/different dimensions... sometimes Rick's images have a hidden rat or mouse or snake and I see more everytime I colour an image. I sometimes have to haul myself back into the present and not wander off into the distance with a goblin or executioner... I told you I had a 'thing' 


3. Why do you write/create what you do?

Once upon a time I was quite happy cross stitching. I loved the really large intricate pieces found in the Stoney Creek magazine. I saw a couple of cross stitch magazines in the local store and at the back were some requests for penpals. So I wrote a letter to a lovely lady in America and she replied... with a letter in the most beautiful envelope I had ever seen! A lovely stamped image with flowers and everything, all embossed and coloured... I was an Avon lady at the time and one of my customers had a few stamps she no longer wanted and well.......
To begin with I loved the mandala stamps. Stamped and embossed and glittered to within an inch of their lives. Everything pretty pretty. All the cuddly images and new tiny pots of glitter and little flowers all went into my shopping basket. I made lanterns and treasure boxes

 and thought I was happy and contented. A friend told me about a tv program called Create and Craft (With Alan and Barry eek!) I watched it with the sound turned down as I couldn't get my head around 'ikkle poodinnn's' one Christmas and knew I had to look elsewhere.... I found my way to the Cuddly Buddly site and bought some images and from there I visited a few blogs where I found Rick's details on a sidebar. I was directed to his store and WOW!!!

4 How does my creation process work?
Generally I am working on several images at once. Sometimes I can picture where they should be standing or thinking and all that would be around them and colours... but this only works if I stick to all scary or all pretty at a time. Last Creepmas I got in an awful muddle with elves and presents and traps and bauble tripwires.

Now I would like to nominate

 

Do you really, really want to complain? plus Craft Artist tut 4

Head Chef

by Rick St. Dennis

Well would you? This horrific image by Rick really has come in handy with Halloween and various hops coming up. I know I have coloured him a few times now. Printed onto neenah, coloured with promarkers then inserted into Craft Artist.
I opened Craft artist and chose the Steampunk Inventor kit for the background and the font. I inserted the Head Chef and removed the whiteness of his trousers, I chose the checked material to go behind the image showing through as trousers. I used the cutout studio to remove the extra whiteness around the image and between his arms and his body and added a shadow.

 Craft Artist tutorial to remove white background

This really is just about hand coloured images either stamped or digital. You will need to upload the images into a folder either by scanning and saving or by photographing and uploading or however you normally do it. This folder can be on your desktop for ease of use. (Make a note of the name you have given the image you wish to use... I know....a bit patronising but I have set up everything and forgotten the image name) Anyway, you now have your image ready so it's on to  Craft Artist.
Open Craft Artist, choose Blank Project, chose the size you want for your project, I will choose A5 landscape. It then takes you to the Browse Digi Kits page. I will work on the Water Garden kit. Usually I choose all the papers and embellishments before I start on a project but this time I will work on the image first. So, for this example please click on Done. This will open a blank workspace and now I am going to pick an image to work with.Click on Insert. Now just place your pointer over Photo, move your pointer slightly to the right and click on From File. Choose your image and click Open. Now your pointer will change to a plus sign and a 'grey cube' if you click on your work space your chosen image will appear with the option to re-size. Click on your image and just centralize the image a bit on your workspace. Just above your workspace you will see Cutout Studio with a tiny scalpel, move your pointer onto Cutout Studio and you will see it says Remove Picture Background (Use the Cutout Studio to remove the background from a picture).
So, click on Cutout studio and you will see the progress bar... Analizing image, processing edge information, optomising edges. Your image will appear large on screen. At the top of the workplace you will see that you have a choice of brush size. I always choose the smallest so I can get into all the nooks and crannies. Click on your chosen size of brush. Your pointer will change into a small red circle. Place the red circle onto your image where there are gaps e.g. between fingers or between an elbow and body. Left click and drag the circle ever so slightly... you will see a dotted line appearing around the gap. Move the red circle around the outside of the image, clicking and dragging until the complete image is surrounded by dots/dashes. Click on the small green O.K. If you're not happy with the results just click on the undo/redo.
Now click anywhere on your workspace and your cutout image will appear (Do not click on the image at this stage). If there are any bits left that you wish to remove then click on the small eraser icon at the top of your workspace. Click on Eraser and drag over the unwanted bits. I often have to remove my colour/shading practise areas. You may also find blue lines around your image... just use the eraser tool to remove them. When you have finished with the eraser tool click on Select Tool
Now, just for fun click on Add Item from Digikits which you will see to the left of your workspace (If it isn't there look bottom left and you should see the word Add... click on it) Choose Browse my items tab. Click on Backgrounds (On left hand side) choose any one and the background chosen will enlarge momentarily and have a green circled tick. Click on Done. Now, on the left hand side of your workspace click on your chosen background and drag it to your workspace. Da Daaaa! Your background will appear behind your fussy-cut image. You can now click on your image, resize and move it about. If you want to add other embellishments one idea is to click on the heading Embellishments (on the left of your workspace) so it opens. Left click on your image and drag it over to the embellishments section. Make sure you can see your fussy-cut image in that section then you can right click on the image on your workspace  and choose cut. You can now go back to choosing embellishments and frames and all sorts from the Add Items from Digi kits button and they will all be brought together in seperate sections on the left of your workspace. Don't forget you can scroll down through your kits mix and match as you wish. When you want to see how your image looks then just click on the image in Embellishments  and drag it into place.

Mrs Pete in Blackpool and Poppy harvesting

Mrs Pete in Blackpool

by Rick St. Dennis

So here we have the lady herself.  She has made a scrapbook page of her last visit to Blackpool where she had an unfortunate mishap with a feathered fiend! Mrs Pete is always beautifully turned out for strolling down the prom, perhaps that dashing Colonel may also be enjoying the sea breeze!

Mrs Pete has been printed onto neenah and coloured with promarkers. I opened Craft Artist and used one of their layouts as a starting place. I then added a few more embellishments and the journaling.

And Grandad is STILL in the garden in his slippers

 Here is Poppy pulling up carrots

 Poppy still sorting out those carrots

Poppy wandering off with the carrots

Now the lettuce 

I don't like lettuce

More fun in the garden, this time with little Poppy.  It really is special having fun away from the television and when the family came round for tea it was an ideal time to get out into the garden and make some memories. Poppy loves carrots so goodness knows what went through her mind when she found them sticking out of our garden.