Spectrum Noir - Christmas in July Blog Hop

A few members of the Spectrum Noir team have gotten together to celebrate Christmas in July!  We have an inspiration-filled blog hop today, along with a few great prizes!  If you have arrived here from Leann Chivers blog, you are in the right place.  If not, pop over to the Spectrum Noir blog, so you don't miss a thing!

Here is my project (I know two - hope you don't mind but I couldn't pick)

I used Sent with Love from the all new Mulberry Woods stamp line from Crafter's Companion... The entire line is absolutely adorable!  I can't decide which is my favorite...scroll down on my blog to see more of this fantastic new release of Mulberry Woods!  LOVE them.

The step out picture I show placement of my ink colors without blending.  Basically the light is in the middle, and dark colors are closer to the edge and in shaded areas.

Tip: I like to start with the background, so that after my bright colors are added in, I won't accidently drag a bit of the other colors into my background, as I color around the finished image.

Sky - BT1

Envelope:

• Step 1: Color the bottom of envelope with FS2.  Then blend top edge of color with the blender pen to fade the edge of the color.
• Step 2: Color the Back layer of the envelope (above the lower flap edge). then blend with Blender pen.
• Step 3: Color the background inside the envelope behind the doggie and flowers. This is where it is important to color the background first as that bright red will bleed easily into your background if done after the flowers are colored.

Doggie

• Step 1:  Color entire doggie with TN2
• Step 2:  Add a bit of TN4 around the edges - Blend/bleed  the edges together with TN2.
• Step 3: Add a tiny bit of TN6 to the very edge (very think line)... blend/bleed the colors together with TN4 by barely touching the darker ink already on the paper.
• Step 4: Add a teeny tiny bit of EB5 to the ears and right side of face then blend with TN6
• Note that in the second doggie I used exactly the same colors, just a bit more of the darker color. and EB5 for the nose instead of TN6.

Flowers are done with Reds - CR5, DR2, DR6 or  lavenders - HB1, HB2, HB3

Leaves are done with CG2, CG4, and a tiny bit of DR3

Snow and hat fur was shaded with IG1

We hope you've been checking out the Spectrum Noir blog - it is full of great tutorials, techniques, and other projects from our design team.  If you haven't been over there, go take a look!  Before we get to the rest of the hop today, let's have a little fun.  How about a prize?  Spectrum Noir is going to award one lucky winner two sets of six markers, a pack of Crafter's Companion Ultra Smooth Premium White card stock (perfect for coloring!), and an adorable stamped called All Wrapped Up, from the new Mulberry Wood line.

Entering to win is easy.  Leave a comment on the Spectrum Noir Blog Hop Post telling us your favorite Spectrum Noir color combination you saw while hopping with us this week (please comment no later then Friday, July 27 at 6:00 PM GMT).  A random winner will be drawn using random.org and posted on our blog at 9:00 AM GMT, Saturday, July 28, 2012, so be sure to check back with us to see if you have won!  The lucky winner will have one week to claim their prize or a second winner will be chosen. 

Now, hop on over to the next amazing blog and check out what Linda Hill has to share!  In case you get lost along the way, here is the entire hop order:

Spectrum Noir Official Blog

Leann Chivers

Jennie Lin Black

Linda Hill

Taylor Usry

Kristine Reynolds

Suzanne Foard

Angelique Nederpel

Lis Murphy

Cyndi Bundy

Louise Welsh

Danielle Johnson

Wendy Foster

Thank you for joining us today as we celebrate Christmas in July!  Have fun hopping around to see all of the inspiration from our team, and good luck winning the prize pack!