Doodling to Get a Finished Look

I have had Anna Griffin's Nifty Nested Layers in the stash for some time, and this week I was inspired to get them out by a challenge on the Friends Who Love Anna Griffin Facebook group.  At first, I struggled with how to use this blue and cream with my stash of blue and cream.   So, I got on Pinterest and searched the color combo.  I found an oriental rug with the light blue, and cream and pops of dark navy.  So, I had my color inspiration, but I needed to tie everything together.  

I got out a Copic marker and a Cricut fine tip marker and began to doodle with them to finish the page.  I made straight lines around the edge of the doily to get the look of embroidery.  I then used the Copic marker around the edge of a cream flower.  I added some pearl embellishments, Anna Griffin butterflies and a bird, and a title cut with the Cricut.

Some other tips I used to make this page more polished:  I cut the inside of the back ground paper out and carefully centered the motif inside the Nifty Nested layer doily.  I also matted the photo in blue and gold to draw the eye to it.  To keep the title from getting lost, I use metallic blue and cream.

I am Not a Stamper

I have been paper crafting for 20 years and over those years, I have amassed a stash that includes just about every type of paper crafting supply and tool out there.  For many years, I also collected stamps and stamping supplies, but in the last several years I have finally realized I am not a stamper.  So, this week when I saw the Simon Says Stamp blog video on Heat Embossing with Copic Coloring I was tempted again to pull out stamps and give it a try.  
But wait, I am not a stamper and my stamp collection had nothing like the beautiful floral image in Yana's video.  So that got me thinking...what if I could make that image with Anna Griffin images and my Cricut?  So, this is my take on this technique, using my Cricut, Cricut pens, Anna Griffin supplies and Cricut cartridges. 

Here is how to get the same results below. 

Directions
Use the Cricut file shared on the Cricut Community board, or create your own using the Cricut  Phrases Cartridge inverted rectangle and the floral spray from Anna's Lace Cards and Embellishments Cartridge.  Chose the drawn image.  Attach any drawn images to the cut shape and draw and cut the image using the Cricut.  For this first step, use the Cricut Lavender marker.  You are just getting an outline for coloring.  DO NOT UNLOAD YOU MAT!  Carefully, remove the drawn and cut image from the mat without removing the negative shape from the mat (see photo above).  

Using the Anna Griffin Violet Chamelon Marker and the Copic Violet Marker, color in the drawn image.  Now carefully add it back to the mat being sure that your drawn image matches the image on the screen (see photo above).  SWAP THE LAVENDAR MARKER FOP THE CRICUT GEL TIP GLITTER PEN and hit the Cricut button on your machine, so that the image is redrawn on top of the coloring.  WATCH THE MACHINE AND HIT PAUSE AS SOON AS THE IMAGE FINISHES REDRAWING AND BEFORE IT TRIES TO RECUT THE MOTIF!  Now eject the mat and cancel the cut.  Below you can see the gold on top of the colored image.  Photos just don't do this technique justice!  And I cannot believe how well the patterned paper in my stash matched with the Cricut image!

Cut your title.  I ungrouped this font and then welded it and at some point it lost it's name, but I realized later that Anna has a Cricut font I wish I had used instead, called Anna's Fancy Lettering!  Cut the corners using a die.  I used Heartfelt Creations Fleur Border Die set, because I don't have any Anna corner dies, but her's will work well!  Glue the title at an angle to fill the white space in the inverted rectangle.  I used Anna Griffin Glitter stickers for this project, but you can cut your own with Anna's Cricut cartridges instead.  

Supplies
Anna Griffin Patterned paper (12 x 12 paper)
Anna Griffin Perfect Pallette Chameleon Violet Marker
Anna Griffin Lace Cards and Embellishments Cricut Cartridge
Anna Griffin Glitter Stickers 
Copic Violet V09
Heartfelt Creations Fleur Borders and Pocket Dies (corners)
Cricut Ultra Fine Point Lavender Pen 
Cricut Gel Tip 0.8 Glitter Pen
Cricut Phrase Cartridge Inverted Rectangle (Purple and White center motif)
Cream or White Card Stock
Dark Purple Card Stock
Light Purple Card Stock
Font unknown