Friday 16 September 2011

A DAY OF FIRSTS!

Finally, I decided to bite the bullet and just post!

I worried endlessly about having "everything" right before I made a post on this my first ever blog, when I realised that it was more important to actually post, so I did.

Some of my goals for this year were to be regularly coloring with my copics, creating cards with them and entering them in internet challenges, together with posting on my blog. So my firsts are coloring for challenges and posting here, and I'm so proud I've taken the first steps.

Here are my first two entries to card/coloring challenges.

It's 'PURPLE' week at Make it Colorful. I would have been happier if I'd used some of the Make It Crafty digi's I've bought but I'm still to get the new laser printer working (yes, I know, more things I need to do) so instead I've colored up two of my lovely La la land girls 'Formal Marci' and 'Ballerina Marci'. These are lovely stamps for beginners to color, lots of clean lines and not too many fiddly bits. I seem to be collecting La la's like others collect Magnolia stamps.
 

Make it Colorful Challenge - Purple (entry 1)
 Thanks to Zoe at Make It Crafty for the fabulous video tutorial on pleats, without which this dress wouldn't have looked nearly so good!  I am still having a little trouble with a highlight line on my hair but I know  it's a technique that just needs more practice. Note to self - don't practice facial contouring with dark skin colors, the result is obvious.

Make it Colorful Challenge - Purple (entry 2)
With Ballerina Marci all the reading and watching I'd done on flicking/feathering techniques became clear. I'm renouned for being heavy handed and rushing like a bull at a gate when attempting anything - well I was before I injured my neck/back - and learning the 'circle blending' method of coloring with copics encouraged me to be pretty hard on the tip of my markers, only now do I realise that what I thought was little strokes wasnt! My new V markers being untouched were SO much easier to use feathering than my poor old E markers! Looks like I owe myself a few replacement nibs, it will make my skin and hair contouring much easier.

It's now tomorrow but my sleep will be easy after making this first step. Now I just have to get these two uploaded into the MiC Challenge Gallery.  Tomorrow I will make the girls up into cards.

Ciao,

Melanie











16 comments:

  1. These are both wonderful Melanie!! I am especially loving those rosy cheeks!
    Hugs~
    Dana

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  2. Congratulations to you!!! Your coloring is beautiful, by the way.

    Just wanted to pop over and thank you for coming to visit my blog. Glad you are enjoying the freebies!

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  3. Hey Mel cant believe u have a blog...great way to keep in touch...love the cards very nice. Cathyxx

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  4. YAY! You are finally posting on your blog! I was replying on MIC to your kind comment, thinking it was a pity I could not reach you and I just happened to click on your name just to check, expecting to see the No Posts Title at the top of your blog, but NO!!! Welcome to Blogland Melanie! I am glad to see your purple images, they are so beautifully coloured! And the pleats look fantastic! I hope you have had a good night's sleep:-)! Hugs Delphine xx

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  5. This is lovely am I the first to leave a comment!!! welcome to blogland im following, ebnjoy love and huggles June xxx

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  6. Yay! I get to be the first to leave a comment too!! Congrats on your new blog Melanie and with such an awesome post too! Love your colouring on both of these girls. Here's to many more posts!! xxoo

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  7. Your cards are so super fun and adorable. And thanks for commenting on my project on the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog. The embellishments that I used on that project are from My Little Shoebox. :)

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  8. welcome to blog land, Melanie :-)
    love your coloring on both images, especially the pleats! can't wait to see the cuties made up into cards!
    thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving me such an encouraging and sweet comment :-)
    Sylvia xx

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  9. I love your cards. I wanted to follow your blog but the followers button was missing. Thanks so much for the sweet comment about FOr Fun. YES my team is AMAZING! I have some people I could not do without. Thanks for doing the hop, were you interested in GDT?
    HUGS!

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  10. Melanie: your card is beautiful[coloring too]. just became a follower--really like your blog. will be back often!

    Diane
    http://DianesDigitalDesigns.blogspot.com/

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  11. Stunning colouring dear.
    Great that you start your own blog, then we can enjoy your work.
    About my digi image "janiel's harvest"by Elisabeth Bell it's all coloured with Copics even the dress :)
    Renkata

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  12. Ohhh! How gorgeous!! Love your coloring! I think you do not need a tutorial from me on any coloring... But thank's for your sweet comment! :-D

    Have a fantastic weekend!
    Hugs
    Linda

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  13. Great job, Melanie! I can't wait to see more!

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  14. Hello Australian Melanie xxx
    Thanks so much for your visit.
    I love your la la colourings! The shading on formal Marci's face is fab.
    Welcome to blogland.
    I be back to see more of your gorgeous colourings :))
    Love, Mel. xxx

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  15. Hi Melanie, just became a follower, love your card great image and colours, love Carole S. :)XX

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  16. These are beautiful cards Melanie - your shading is perfect!!!!

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