Elephant and mouse before/after

Okay, so here's a lesson in why you should NOT use cheap cardstock when coloring with Copic markers! :)  I took some before/after pictures of this card I made for my mom's birthday last month.  In the first photo, I used some flimsy cardstock that I should have known would soak up the ink, but I went ahead and used it anyway.  After the ink spread, (duh!) I tried to cover it up with my colorless blender.  When that didn't work, I tried to use a white colored pencil, but you can see the bleeding, especially where the balloon is.  Since my mom deserves the best, I knew I had to color the image over again.  This time, I think I used cardstock by Stampin' Up!, which has a very smooth feel to it.  Much better for stamping and coloring.  I also nixed the aqua stars which ended up looking messy.  I like the elephant's shadow better on the first card, but overall, the second card looks MUCH cleaner and more professional.  


The images are all Hero Arts, mixed and matched to create my little birthday parade, and the patterned papers are by SEI.  I used some yummy aqua buttons by Denami Design, and I believe the ribbon is from Target's dollar spot.  I've gotten some more markers since Christmas (best boyfriend ever!) and I'm getting better at coloring since I have more dark/light options.  This Copic marker thing is really addictive- not only do I want to collect all of the 334 colors, but I want to color everything with them! :)


   Today I'm going to spend time finishing up my Christmas thank you cards, and work on getting some New Year's cards out.  I have a small stash of New Years papers/embellishments that I never seem to use because I'm always burnt out from making Christmas cards, so  this year, I want to clear out my stash and make some cards for my close friends.   


My cousin's daughter is going to be marching in the Rose Bowl Parade today, so I'm hoping to see her on tv, even if it's only for a split second!  I hope you all have a happy and safe New Year's Eve!


-Suzanne :O )