Saturday Showcase: November 17, 2012

In case you are new to the blog, this is what the Saturday Showcase is all about.

There are so many wonderful artists out there creating astounding pieces of work.   Each week, I come across a lot of truly unique blogs featuring incredible freebies, remarkable card designs and great tips and techniques.  Consequently, I created a special Saturday post designed to showcase other artists' work (whether it be stamps, cards or otherwise), a blog post offering a great technique, or I might even just pick a whole blog to showcase.  The criteria I am using is that it has to move me in some way (it makes me laugh or cry; awes, inspires or astounds me; etc). I believe that it is extremely important to support other artists within our creative community and this is my way of doing so.

 My top picks for this week include:
 

CARD CHOICE...

SHOWCASE ITEM #1

This wonderful card was designed by

  Sandy

Her blog is called

Scribbles By Sandy

Reasons For Choosing:
 I came across this card on Sandy's blog a few weeks back and decided it rightfully deserved a place in the showcase.  It is from the post aptly entitled "Courage".  The tri-fold nature of this card is one of the features that makes it so notable.  I can't even wrap my head around how Sandy accomplished this unique creation.  It is just so involved.  I love the subtle contrast of colours and the unique use of the button embellishments.  Of course it goes without saying, that the quote she used is a stand out part of the design as well.  I love the shadow effect achieved around the silhouette and in behind the quote.  To view more of Sandy's innovative designs, please visit her blog (clicking on the blog name will take you straight to her blog).   

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FREE DIGITAL STAMP CHOICE...

SHOWCASE ITEM #2

This week I'm doing something a little different.  I came across an amazing tutorial that I absolutely wanted to direct your attention to.  When I first started reading the article I had no idea that the readers were going to actually get a copy of the drawing to practice on themselves.  Boy, was I thrilled when I got to the bottom and got to grab up this beautie for myself.  First off, before I go any farther...

 The wonderful tutorial and free stamp are offered by 

  Colleen Chapman

Her blog is called  
The Gallifrey Crafting Company

The tutorial is designed around a drawing called "A Shortcut to Mushrooms" by Guy Gondron, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's work.  Colleen describes in detail her process for colouring in the line drawing.  She starts out with the shadows and highlights and then moves on to the tree, grass and foliage.  Next she covers the mushrooms, the Hobbit himself and finally the area in behind the Hobbit.  She describes her process in some detail and also lists the Copic markers she used in each section.  She didn't want to make the post too long so she left out some of the steps BUT she is willing to answer any questions you might have on a particular area of the design.   Here are images of her first step and then one of the middle ones. I won't show you the finished product, you'll just have to visit her blog and see it for yourself and believe me, the trip there is worth it.  You can also grab the freebie of this awesome image on your visit.  Both the tutorial and the freebie are from the post entitled,"In a Hole in the Ground There Lived a Hobbit…".

Shadows and highlights sussed out.

Trees, grass and foliage get started.

Reasons for Choosing: 

This is a woman after my own heart.  With her television interests in Doctor Who, Serenity and the British version of Sherlock alone, I feel a connection to her.  Then, with her amazing work in design...well, what can I say?  I may just have a wee tiny crush on Colleen.  I’m sure my husband will understand. 

Not only does she do fantastic colour work but she also creates some beautiful cards.  Additionally, there are more tutorials to check out and even some to watch a video of.  While at her blog be sure to check through old posts as well.  The Gallifrey Crafting Company has been generous in their distribution of freebies and there are so many to choose from.  Just make sure you read the terms of use found in the side bar close to the bottom and thank her for any line drawings you copy by leaving her a comment.  If you are unfamiliar with Colleen's work, you are missing out.  Pay her a visit and see her talent for yourself (clicking on the blog name will take you straight to her blog).   

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Next, that  brings me to the...

  This is a special category highlighting a stamp for sale by another artist.  This week that honour goes to...

   This cute digi stamp was created by 

 Sara Dawn

Her images are showcased on two different blogs:

Avadares Challenge Blog

 Avadares Books

 Her Etsy store is located HERE

 This stamp is available for sale HERE

 Reasons For Choosing: 
I have been visiting the Avadares Challenge Blog for several months now.  Teresa Arsenault runs a monthly challenge and also offers a monthly freebie of an Avadares image.  While making my way around the blog one day I came to realize that the image designer was a lady named Sara Dawn.  This of course led me to her website where I first set eyes on 'Crumbs'.  For those of you who have been following me, you know that I recently lost one of my furbabies.  When I saw this image it brought back wonderful and annoying memories of our beloved Bella.  Over the last 2 years we have had problems with mice getting in during spring and fall seasons.  Bella was quite the mouser but she usually played with them for awhile first, giving us the opportunity to 'catch and release'.  On one such occassion I got up from the couch to find her in our stairway heading back down.  She had the poor little thing by the tail and I swear it took that moment when I showed up to fling it's head up backwards and stare me in the eyes pleading for its little life.  Another time we caught her walking around and all you could see was a tail hanging out of her mouth.  The mouse was still alive inside her mouth!  Mind you, Bella also had a terrible tendancy to catch them and try to bring them up on our bed--and let them go while they were still alive.  So, when I laid my eyes on Crumbs, I laughed, cried and said a little prayer of thanks, thinking that this fall, those antics will not be repeating themselves. If you would like to visit Sara Dawn's store and see more of her cute images, please follow the Etsy link above.  I'd also recommend that you check out her blog too as she showcases new images here.  Additionally, make sure you pay a visit to the Avadares Challenge blog too.  Pick up the latest freebie for November and maybe even enter Teresa's challenge while there.

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Normally, this would be the end of the showcase.  Today however, I am doing things a little differently. I am adding a special segment to this week’s showcase called...

Jessica

Floppy Latte's Digital Designs

I’ve come to see just how supportive and caring the card making and digital stamp community really is and so today I’m calling on you for a little help to support one of our peers who is currently going through a difficult time.  Jessica is the owner of Floppy Latte Digital Designs.  If any of you are familiar with her blog, you will know that she is recently dealing with not only the difficulties of a move and getting resettled, but also with the death of her son Eddie’s father who died without leaving a will behind or any information in relationship to life insurance and other financial documentation as they related to Eddie’s inheritance.  As a result, on top of  having to deal with this man’s passing, she is left with having to take care of everything involved with finalizing his estate as it pertains to her son.   Furthermore, Jessica must apply for  ‘Fiduciary Guardianship’ to administer any proceeds left from the life insurance policy because Eddie is a minor and his father didn’t specify anything in the policy. What a headache it is all going to be for her and what is worse is that it is going to cost $3000 in legal fees to get this going.

 

In order to raise money to help with these costs, Jessica is having an "Eddie's Sale" for the remainder of November and up until the 15th of December in her store.  She is hoping to raise $500 this week alone and so is putting the entire store at 50% off.  As of Thursday, $175.25 had been raised.  If you can find it within your heart and pocketbook to buy a digital stamp from her store, then I ask that you go and check it out.  Here is just a sample of the designs she has to offer:

Jessica has been offering freebies every Monday for close to two years now.  If you have been participating in 'Manic Monday' but have yet to purchase anything, it is currently the perfect opportunity to do so.  Now, I understand that many of you don’t have a lot of money to spend on the extras in life, but even if you were to spend just $1, it will make a difference.  Some days I have close to 500 page visits.  If every one of these people were to donate just $1, Jessica would exceed her $500 goal this week and would be well on her way to collecting the $3000 she needs.  So, if you have a little extra money to spend, please consider doing so at Floppy Latte Designs (link above).  As a thank you to anyone who supports this endeavour,  I will create a special freebie.  When making your purchase, include in the notes that you found out about the situation from the Decosse’s Dynamite Doodles Blog and want to do your part to help out.  I will then get a list of these people from Jessica.  You will also need to leave a comment on this post stating that you have helped out by purchasing something in her store.  Once I have cross-referenced her list with mine, I will then email you a copy of the special freebie I design for this event.  Be sure that there is an email address attached to your Blogger profile or I won’t be able to send it to you.  Alternately, you could just leave your email address in the comment section or send me an email if you are uncomfortable with making your address public.  Any and all help you are able to provide is greatly appreciated.

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 Well, that is it for this week's edition of the Saturday Showcase.  Thanks to all these wonderful artists for agreeing to allow me to showcase their work on my blog.  I'm sure I'll be coming back to them time and again.  Though you never know, I may be contacting YOU next to showcase something incredible you've created.

 

Until next time,

Notes:  

*The hands used in creating the 'helping out one of our own' banner are from Antique Images.

 *Thanks to Nikki from Limited Runs Stamps for creating my Saturday Showcase badge.