Reminder! New Copic Class - Hearts & Flowers by Nancy Sheads at The Queen's Ink

Just a reminder - I'm offering a new Copic coloring class this Tuesday, January 30th at The Queen's Ink. In this workshop, we'll make three cards featuring the beautiful images and sentiments in the Folk Heart stamp set fro Power Poppy. The images are colored using a very limited set of Copic markers. Details are below. All necessary techniques are taught in class.

Seats are limited, so sign up today!

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Tuesday, January 30, 2018, 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Register online or call the Queen's Ink at (301) 497-9449

BRING TO CLASS: The list below reflects the Copic markers that I will use in class. You can follow along using the same colors OR substitute colors based upon your personal Copic collection. Please bring all your markers to class and make sure your Copics are marked with Washi tape or some other means of identification. Markers are available for purchase at The Queen’s Ink. Students will receive a 10% discount on Copic markers. I will be available prior to class to help with selection.

PLEASE NOTE: You must bring your own markers to participate in class. If you need markers, please contact The Queen's Ink in advance of class. If you wait until class time, you may not be able to purchase the markers you need.

• YG06 - Yellowish Green
• YG09 - Lettuce Green
• Y02 - Canary Yellow
• E35 -  Chamois (you can substitute any medium brown)
• RV52 - Cotton Candy
• RV63 - Begonia
• RV66 - Raspberry
• BG10 - Cool Shadow
• BG11 - Moon White
• BG13 - Mint Greet
• BG15 - Aqua
• 0 - Colorless Blender

OTHER SUPPLIES: Please bring scissors (we'll be fussy cutting one image), foam adhesive squares (I used Scrapbook Adhesives 3D Thin Foam Squares), and a tape runner adhesive or double-sided tape. Nuvo Crystal Drops in English Mustard will be used for embellishment.

Fa La Llama from Neat and Tangled by Nancy Sheads for The Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling!

Today I'm back with a new Copic coloring project featuring the adorable Fa La Llama stamp set from Neat & Tangled. Danielle Walls, from Neat & Tangled will be bringing with her a Trunk Show of her stamp images to the Queen's Ink this Saturday. But more about that in a moment!

Presenting Fa La Llama!
Featuring the Fa La Llama stamp set from Neat & Tangled
Dies from Lawn Fawn

Paper from Authentique

Embellishments from Ranger, 28 Lilac Lane, and Zig.
All available from The Queen's Ink!

I knew as soon as I saw this stamp set that I had to color this image so I pulled out my Copic markers and got to work. The full list of Copic colors are listed below. After the coloring was complete, I embellished the sky to look like snow, adding dots with gel pens in white and silver as well as a little Kirarina Wink in White Pearl. I added Wink of Stella in Clear to the blanket and scarf for some shimmer. For additional sparkle, I added Ranger Stickles to the sky and the ground to give the snow some dimension. 

Products on my supply list below are all available from The Queen's Ink. 

JOIN US ON SATURDAY FOR
THE NEAT & TANGLED TRUNK SHOW!

On Saturday, The Queen's Ink will be hosting "The Coloring Challenge Road Trip" featuring Kathy Racoosin, a Maryland artist (and friend of the Queen) who hosts a wonderful technique filled blog “The Daily Marker”. Although seats for this event are sold out, you can still get in on the fun. Danielle Walls, from Neat & Tangled will be joining Kathy and bringing with her a Trunk Show of her stamp images that are great for coloring. They will be available for purchase on the day of the event. 

As a way of giving back to the community Kathy is donating her time and $30.00 of the registration fee will go to support Dan DiGennaro, Danielle’s dad who is suffering from CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). The Queen’s Ink will be donating 10% of our sales from that to support Dan and his journey toward wellness.

Stop by, check out the Trunk Show and join in on the fun!

SUPPLY LIST

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Frosty Winter Two by Authentique; Bazzill Basics in Smokey
Stamp: Fa La Llama by Neat & Tangled
Ink: Versamark Watermark Ink and Memento in Tuxedo Black, both by Tsukineko
Die: Small Stitched Rectangle Stackables by Lawn Fawn
Embellishments: Sakura Gelly Roll Pens in White and Silver (snow); Kirarina Wink in White Pearl (snow); Stampendous Detail White Embossing Powder (sentiment); Ranger Stickles in Crystal (snow); Zig Wink of Stella in Clear (blanket and scarf) Festival of Light Sequins from 28 Lilac Lane.
Copics: B37, B39, C9 (sky); W00, W0, W1 E30 (llama); E00, E97 (face); BG49, BG53, BG57, V01, V05, V06, V09 (scarf); V01, V05, V06, BG59, BG53 (blanket); BG49, BG53, BG57 (gift wrap); V01, V05, V06, V09 (ribbon); BG0000, BG000, BG10, B0000, B000, BV00 (snow)

Red Castle Stamps Project by Nancy Sheads for the Queen's Ink

Welcome back to the Queen's Inkling!

Nancy here today on behalf of The Queen to announce that all remaining sheets of rubber stamps from Red Castle Stamps are now exclusively available at The Queen's Ink. There are sixty individual collections and only 2 or 3 sheets left for many of them. They will be sold first-come, first-served. These stamps are deeply etched and create a clear, crisp impression. Subject matter ranging from antique images of cats, leaves, and vases to classic art, the Gibson Girls, canaries, alphabets, snowflakes, dominoes, textures, prayerful expressions, and more.

To inspire you, I've put together a simple, but elegant card featuring an image from Red Castle's Leaves Plate 4. I used the new Tim Holtz Stamping Platform to stamp the image on watercolor paper with Versamark ink. Since the stamps are unmounted, I set up the stamping plate as if I were using a clear stamp and adhered the stamp to the plate with a low-tack double-sided tape. 

I recently acquired a set of the Nuvo Aqua Flow pens and decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to try them out. I dabbed a little color along the vein lines of the leaf and blended it out with a damp watercolor brush. Once the ink dried, I fussy cut the leaf and mounted it to the card with foam tape for added dimension.

The design papers are from the Bountiful Collection by Authentique, available from the Queen's Ink. I selected a sentiment from Penny Black's Heartfelt stamp set and used Versafine ink in Vintage Sepia to coordinate with the autumn tones of the card.

Hope my project has inspired you! Be sure to stop by the Queen's Ink to check out the new products available in the store. And remember - these Red Castle Stamps are only available in limited quantities. Once they're gone, they're gone! So don't miss out on this unique opportunity to stock up on a high quality stamp.

Supplies

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110#; Watercolor Paper by Strathmore; Bountiful One and Bountiful Six by Authentique
Stamps: 42031 - Leaves Plate 4 by Red Castle Stamps, available exclusively at The Queen's Ink; Heartfelt by Penny Black
Dies: A2 Matting Basics A & B by Spellbinders
Embellishments: Gold Fine Detail Embossing Powder by Ranger
Inks: Versafine in Vintage Sepia by Tsukineko; Versamark by Tsukineko; Nuvo Aqua Flow Pens by Tonic Studios in Red Apple, Fresh Green, Lemon Zest, Spiced Ginger

A Little Penny Black Magic by Nancy Sheads for the Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling!

Nancy here today with another Copic holiday project featuring 

the Joy to the World, Believe, and Joyful Wishes stamp sets from Penny Black and

new holiday design papers from the Vintage Christmas Collection by Authentique,

all available at The Queen's Ink.

I love the adorable cats, mice, and hedgehogs featured in many of the Penny Black stamp sets. I hope you do too because I'm going to be featuring more of them in future blog posts. The images are perfect for someone just starting with Copic markers because they are quick and easy to color with a limited number of markers. I also like to mix and match different styles of paper and stamps. Initially, I thought that I wanted a background that was brighter, contemporary, and more graphic. However, the traditional pattern of Authentique's Vintage Christmas Four ended up being the perfect complement to this fun and quirky Penny Black critter, adding visual interest without competing with the central image. 

Students often ask me about the paper that I use for Copic coloring. I've experimented with various papers suggested for use with Copic markers, including papers by Hammermill, Neenah, Cougar, and Spectrum Noir. When selecting a paper, my testing criteria includes:

1. Does the paper have a smooth surface? A rough or textured paper may create a drag on the marker as you color, affecting blending of the ink.
2. How easily does it blend? Some papers work better than others for achieving a smooth ink blend.
3. Does the ink feather or over saturate the paper? 
4. How well does the paper interact with colorless blender? Important if you are using blender for special effects or color removal.
5. Is the paper acid-free? 

Papers recommended by some of my friends were not necessarily a good choice for me. I found that X-Press It Blending Card by Copic works best with my particular style of coloring so that is the paper that I use for personal projects as well as projects in the classroom.  If you'd like to give it a try, stop by the Queen's Ink where you'll find not only X-Press It, but a wide range of Copic markers and other supplies that the store has to offer.

Supplies

Paper: Neenah Solar White 110# (card base); X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Bazzill Basics in Devil Red; Vintage Christmas Four by Authentique 

Stamps: Joy to the World by Penny Black (image); Believe by Penny Black (front sentiment); Joyful Wishes by Penny Black (inside sentiment)

Inks: Memento in Tuxedo Black by Tsukineko; Versafine in Onyx Black by Tsukineko 

Dies: A2 Matting Basics A by Spellbinders; A2 Matting Basics B by Spellbinders 

Copics: E00, E02, C3, C5, RV10 (cat); R35, R46, R59, YG03, YG67 (gift); E30, E31 (shadow)

Vintage Holiday Card by Nancy Sheads for The Queen's Ink

Welcome back to The Queen's Inkling! 

Nancy here with a new Copic coloring project featuring the
Cozy Cupfuls Clear Stamp Set by Power Poppy and
new holiday design papers from the Vintage Christmas Collection by Authentique, available at
 The Queen's Ink

I love this beautiful, elegant image by Power Poppy so I pulled out my markers and some X-Press Blending Card (also by Copic) and got to work. I'll admit that I looked at that tree and my initial urge was to color those sprigs individually. Crazy, right? So I decided that the better course of action was to dab different shades of green (YG01, YG03, G21, G24, G28) following the lines of branches and the shape of the tree to achieve some depth and variation. 

I used my current favorite red combo (R35, R46, R59) to get a lush Christmas red for the ornaments and used the same combo (adding R32 as a highlight) for the ribbon. If you forget to leave a highlight on the ornaments, you can always add it afterward with a white gel pen.

The sentiment on the front of my card is included with the Power Poppy stamp set (and look at that lovely script!), but for the inside, I decided to add one of the sentiments from the Penny Black Festive Cheer stamp set to capture the feeling I wanted for the completed card.

Here at The Queen's Ink, design papers by Authentique are a particular favorite and you'll find the store stocked with several of the new holiday collections. I used two of the designs from the Vintage Christmas Collection because I thought that the colors and the vintage feel would be the perfect complement for this image. 

Supply list is shown below. Want to see this card in person? Be sure to stop by The Queen's Ink and take a look! 

Supplies

Paper: X-Press It Blending Card by Copic; Vintage Christmas Three and Vintage Christmas Seven by Authentique
Stamps: Cozy Cupfuls by Power Poppy; Festive Cheer by Penny Black
Inks: Memento in Tuxedo Black by Tsukineko (image); Versafine in Onyx Black by Tsukineko (sentiment)
Dies: A2 Matting Basics A by Spellbinders; A2 Matting Basics B by Spellbinders
Copics: R35, R46, R59 (ornaments); R32, R35, R46, R59 (ribbon); YG01, YG03, G21, G24, G28 (tree); G21, G24, R30, R32, E41, E42, E43, C1 (teacup); BV20 (shadow)

Let Me Introduce Myself

The Queen's Ink is pleased to announce that we will be offering a series of Copic and card making classes as part of our regular monthly class offerings. We are delighted and excited to welcome Nancy Sheads (Copic Colorist extraordinaire, so sayeth the Queen!) to our teaching staff.  Nancy is a patient and easy going spirit, a wonderful teacher, very creative, and with a great eye for color. She has generously made many of the card sample we have on display in the shop. Check out our current class offerings on line and sign-up for one of her great classes. Nancy will also be contributing to our Blog regularly with Copic techniques and great card ideas. Read on and get to know more about the newest member of the Queen's Court!

Artist Nancy Sheads

Did you know that the Queen's Ink is once again offering classes in Copic coloring? Yes, it's true and since I'll be leading you on your Copic journey, let me step in here and introduce myself.

Example from Colors of Autumn Copic Class

Some of you may know me from my creative pursuits as a member of the Power Poppy Instant Gardener and the Passionate Paper Creations Design Teams. I can also be found in my corner of the Internet at Rowhouse Greetings and on Instagram.

I've been a crafter for many years - my grandmother taught me to crochet when I was five years old - and over the years I learned a variety of crafts including knitting, sewing, quilting, and needlepoint. A few years ago, I became interested in card making and fell into Copic coloring. Since that time, I've had the opportunity to study with some of the best instructors – Rhea Weigand, Jennifer Dove, Cindy Lawrence, and Debbie Olson – who have always gone out of their way to help me improve my craft.

My teaching philosophy is simple - I want you to feel confident when you color and have fun with your markers. In class, I'll walk you through the techniques you'll need in order to complete the class projects. My goal is for you to be able to incorporate the techniques and skills you learn in class in order to develop a style that is uniquely your own.

When I first started coloring, I only had a few Copic markers in my collection, primarily a variety of reds, greens, and yellows so that I could make that season's holiday cards. Over time as I started coloring other images – flowers, people, landscapes – I added to my Copic collection with the colors that I needed for the types of images that I wanted to work on.

I realize that building a collection of Copic markers can be a significant investment and where possible, I try to limit the number of markers used in class. For each class, I list the markers that I'll be using for demonstration purposes, but you should feel free to bring all of your Copic markers to class and substitute as necessary so that you can still participate. If you want to expand your collection, The Queen's Ink is fully stocked with Copic products and students receive a discount on Copic markers.

Check out the class schedule for the latest offerings and call the shop to register. My classes are full of fun, laughter, and good times! You won't want to miss out!

I'll also be blogging here at the Queen's Inkling with new projects that will hopefully give you some crafty inspiration. Upcoming projects include holiday cards featuring stamps by Power Poppy and Penny Black as well as some of the new holiday design papers by Authentique.