Aurora Wings new release

No, I didn't actually fall off the face of the earth.

I have been tending to my new ailment; carpal tunnel syndrome.

Kind of an artist's worst nightmare, not to mention a frequent crafter's

worst worst nightmare as well. 

I love my new job where I work with small hand tools and 

use my very own high powered microscope. The down side is that my

awesome new job has caused a possibly preexisting condition to rear it's

fugly head and leave me in pain and frustration.

BUT, I put my big girl panties on and keep on truckin'.

Coloring and creating just takes me even longer than usual and has forced me to

work on my very poor time management skills. 

I honestly just wanted to cry (and I did) when I got diagnosed, but life goes on.

And I know so many have so much worse to deal with, so no whining here.

Onward and upward.

Mitzi has come out with some incredible new images, and I just couldn't resist 

giving the adorable little Lupine Sprite a new paint job.

Such a sweetie!

I went with my usual vibrant color scheme, and even added some polka dots

to her little face for more interest. I usually don't deviate from Mitzi's original

images, but felt like being a rebel this time out.

I added some Rock Candy distress glitter to her petals, but am not loving

how it came out. Stickles may have been a better choice for this application,

but still overall pretty pleased with myself on this card.

I always need "Thinking of You" cards for friends and family, so this

one is perfect for my stash of cards. 

Be sure to take advantage of the generous offer Mitzi has for this release.

Check out the newbies and all the other fabulous images at the

Aurora Wings Digi Shop.
And if you're looking for some inspiration, check out the incredible
inspiration samples the Aurora Wings DTs have created here.

Thanks for stopping by today!! 

Finally! A mushroom I can love!

As far as eating mushrooms go, I am not a fan.

Maybe it's the texture, maybe it's the flavor. 

Either way, I can do without them.

Unless...

It's a Mushroom Flower Sprite from Aurora Wings!! 

Mitzi has done it again and created an adorable new sprite image.

The very second I saw her, I knew she was destined to adorn my 

Mother's Day cards this year. 

But then I thought, what about foregoing the standard card

and creating a little gift instead?

My family has enough of my handmade cards to last them forever, 

but maybe a small mixed media canvas would be a nice change of pace. 

I began with a 4"x 5" small canvas, painted it using DecoArt chalk paint in 

the Timeless shade, and then used the Tim Holtz Gothic stencil to add some

Finnabair Texture Paste in Platinum Crackle.

I colored this Mushroom Flower Sprite with my Grandma in mind,

using RV Copics. I added some Stickles for sparkle and interest.

I used a Spellbinders oval and Elegant oval to ground my image.

Also decked out in some Stickles magic. Sprites need their sparkle.

Grandma loves flowers, so I broke out my stash of paper

flowers, and even popped a tiny mushroom in for fun.

I added a lovely pearl stick pin and some pearl and gold

dew drops for a bit of fancy decadence. Nothing is too good

for this special lady. I just know she's going to love it.  

I didn't want to start a fight over special gifts, so I made another

canvas for my Mother in Law. This one is a little different in that 

I used a 4" x 4" canvas, but stayed with the same basic background and

textures as the first one. 

I used BG and YG Copics for this color scheme.

I like to mix things up a bit with non-traditional colors.

And so far I have yet to color one of these Aurora Wings Sprites    

using flesh tones on the skin. Just one of my quirks when

it comes to little magical  creatures.

I used a different embellishment for height,

but still popped a sweet little mushy in there to keep everyone happy.  

This adorable little mushy is available today in the 

Aurora Wings shops.

To see more inspiring Mushroom Sprite projects be sure to stop by the  

Aurora Wings Showcase blog.

Thanks for dropping by today.

I'd love to enter these canvases in the following challenges:

Little Miss Muffet challenges - Anything Goes 

Southern Girls Challenge - 133 Texture

Inspiration Destination - Anything Goes 

Mod Squad challenge - Mother's Day

The Paper Shelter - #246 Pearls

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge  - Anything Goes

Altered Eclectics - Anything Goes mixed media

Crafting in a Beautiful Mess - Anything Goes 

Creative Artiste Challenge - Anything Goes -using flowers

Jo's Scrap Shack - Mother's Day

Slow Loris Rescue Fundraiser

One of the things I love the most about Mitzi from Aurora Wings

is her compassion for animals. She has previously raised money for the

protection of the adorable Numbats, offering an exclusive digital image as an incentive

for donations. 

Since she had such a great response to the Numbat fundraiser,

she has turned her efforts towards the plight of the equally adorable and endangered, 

Slow Loris.

As with the Numbat fundraiser, Mitzi is offering another exclusive digital image

incentive for any donations. With a $10 donation you will receive TWO exclusive

images of these wonderful little creatures. How can you not want to support such

a worthy cause? All proceeds go directly to the Slow Loris Rescue.

And did I forget to mention that this fundraiser also marks the second anniversary

of the Aurora Wings challenge blog? That's right, it's been two years since

we all began this journey with Mitzi and I couldn't be more proud to be a part

of the Aurora Wings family.     

I have created a sample card using the Slow Loris Sprite image, available exclusively

with any donation dollar amount. This image, and the $10 donation image will not be

sold as digis, but can only be obtained by a donation to this worthy cause.

I chose to go with the auburn version of this sweetie

coupled with my favorite blue green contrasting hues.

I took a chance and added Glossy Accents to his eyes to give them

that buggy look of the Loris. I did forget that Glossy Accents usually

leach out some of the Copic color when applied, but I think those eyes

still convey a look of depth and sweetness.    

Super adorable, right?

Be sure to stop by the AW showcase blog and get all of the details

and links to take advantage of the generous gifts for your donations.

Plus, there are lots of inspiration pieces created just for this special event.

   

Check out this Carnivorous Cutie

It is so cool to see the seed of an idea come to fruition.

From time to time, Mitzi will ask her DTs and fans for ideas

of images they'd like to see. It doesn't mean she'll be able to draw all

of them, but she does manage to create quite a few with wonderful success.

Her newest sprite image is a 

Venus Flytrap Sprite!!

Isn't she just murderously lovely? Well, she does eat flies after all.

I'm still waiting patiently for my idea of a Black Widow Sprite, 

but I digress... 

I decided to do a day-glo version of this little sprite.

I love neon pink and green. Can't help it. Must be

residual from surviving the 80's.

I colored her up with Copics, my usual go-to coloring medium.

I've tried other mediums like colored pencils and distress inks, but

I never can achieve the level of color saturation that has come to be my

style of coloring. No pastels or watercolor subtly from this chick. 

  

Since the coloring of the sprite was pretty overwhelming, I decided to 

ground everything with browns and even distressed the dp flags to keep

them subtle, not so neon.

Thanks for stopping by today.

I hope you'll drop by the AW showcase blog to see 

all the various DT versions of this carnivorous cutie.  

The Venus Flytrap Sprite image is available in the shop here.

Christmas Sprites Coloring Book Showcase

It seems like I have barely begun making Halloween projects, 

and here it is almost Thanksgiving!!

And even more shocking, it's time to begin Christmas shopping...

Kill me now...

I think I'll ease into the holiday with a sweet little warm up in the

shape of an adorable Christmas Sprite.

Why stop there? I have three of the cutest, and newest Christmas Sprites

to share with you today. They are part of a new Aurora Wings mini coloring book.
These three images (along with three others)  will not be sold individually as digis.

They are only available in the new Christmas Sprite Mini Coloring Book  

featuring 12 Sprites in all, which is currently available for pre-order at the 
Aurora Wings store envy shop.     

Yes, I know she's kind of sickeningly sweet (in a good way), 

but I was going for a non-traditional color scheme. 

And I think we can all agree,

this is a very nontraditional color scheme.

I wasn't actually trying for a Cotton Candy Sprite,

but this Wreath Sprite can obviously double for one

with the right colors. I used Copic RVs and some Rs

to achieve the cherry pink and baby pink coloring.

I gave the entire wreath and the stripes on her bow

a healthy dusting of  Rock Candy Distress Dry Glitter.

I also edged her furry bits with white flocking, and the stars

are covered with Diamond Stickles.  

This baby is sparkly!!

I chopped up a snowflake border and added it to the corners

to bring in the glittery gold a bit more. I had to try and break

up all that pink.  

Very fun to color this cutie!

Next up is the Amaryllis Sprite.

I am quite happy with how well this card came together.

I lucked out big time with the perfectly matching paper.

I rarely color my projects after choosing a paper. I admit it does

make for easier crafting when you choose your papers first,

but my brain is not naturally wired that way. 

.

This little bit of gorgeousness was a dream to color!

I like to google images before I start coloring flowers in particular.

I like to choose a color scheme that is not unrealistic, but more on the

non-traditional side. I immediately think of a scarlet red when I think

of Amaryllis, not a variegated red violet.    

Seemed a fitting sentiment. 

Not an obvious Christmas card, since I hid the only snowflake behind

the Sprite's head. I have a bunch of birthday's coming up, so this

will also make a perfect birthday card. 

Lastly, I have the cutest Stocking Sprite to share with you.

Super cute, right?

I went with another non-traditional color palette of

purples, yellow greens and blue greens.

I had fun coloring and decorating this stocking.

I used Liquid Applique for the snowballs and the fuzzy

parts of the snowman's hat. FYI, don't be impatient while waiting for your

Liquid Applique to run down to the tip, and decided it might be a good

idea to use your heat gun to speed up the painfully slow process.

It is not a good idea. The plastic of the pen is super thin and will,

and does melt very quickly. 

Okay, that's it for today's special sneak peek of the soon to arrive

Christmas Sprite mini coloring book.

If you just can't wait to start coloring up Sprites, there is a wonderful 

sale going on at the Aurora Wings Etsy shop.

Be sure to stop by the Aurora Wings Showcase blog to see all
of the incredibly gorgeous sample projects the DTs have made for this
coloring book release. And also to get more info on pre-ordering your
very own Christmas Sprite Mini Coloring Book.

A Horned Beetle Sprite, you say?!

Yes. Yes, I do say.

This is the newest addition to the Aurora Wings Sprite family.

Say hello to Horned Beetle Sprite.

Isn't he a spunky little dude?

I colored him with Copics and tried to keep him colored closely

to an actual Japanese Horned Beetle. I love the ones that are a deep 

mahogany color with bright red highlights. I tried to accomplish this

effect using E29 and R39, 46, and 35.

While looking up reference photos I noticed that quite a few of

these beetles have this gorgeous orange-yellow furry underside.

That explains my golden hued color choices for his face, body,

 and pantaloons. I just love how he looks ready to rumble.

Thanks for dropping by today.

Be sure to stop by the Aurora Wings Showcase blog to gaze

upon all the amazing samples for this image, and the other newbie. 

Both of which are available today in the Aurora Wings etsy shop.

May I also recommend joining the AW facebook group so you don't miss out 

on any new releases or coupon codes. Mitzi is super generous with her

coupon codes.

I'd love to enter this little guy in the following challenges:

Come and Get It Challenge - For the Boys 

Simply Papercraft - Anything Goes

Crafty Girls Creations - Anything Goes 

Southern Girls Challenge - Cute, whimsical, or fun 

Wanna see the cutest thing ever?

The Aurora Wings Showcase blog is spotlighting the newest 

Aurora Wings Sprites today.

I am honored to be showcasing this little guy. 

He's a Bat Flower Sprite.

Adorable, right?

As usual, I have gone the relatively CAS route, letting

 this cutie take center stage. I slightly chalked up some 

EK Success bat punches to add a bit more interest. 

I also added a sentiment using some rubber stamps. 

This little guy, and a lovely new Rose Sprite are debuting today,

and are available in the Aurora Wings etsy shop.

Be sure to stop by the AW Showcase blog to see all of the 

beautiful showcase samples. You don't want to miss such creativity and talent.    

Sweet Sundae Sprite

My name is Gloria, and I have a Sprite addiction.

Well, specifically, Aurora Wings Sprites. Can you blame me?

Each one is cuter than the next. After over 50 (60+?) Sprites,

Mitzi still manages to create new, and adorable versions for

our coloring, and crafting pleasure. She's pretty cool like that.

Today marks the release of the newest addition to the Sprite family,

the Ice Cream Sundae Sprite.  

How freaking adorable is this?

Pretty freaking adorable, if I do say so myself.

I have never colored ice cream or syrups before, so this gave

me quite a challenge. It took me hours to finally get it colored.

Most of that time was spent stressing over color choices, and 

figuring out how to color whipped cream.

As you can see, I caved and covered my whipped cream dollops with

Rock Candy Distress dry glitter. Apparently you can only use

that colorless blender so much to remove inks before you end

up with mud.

What better way to celebrate than with ice cream, right?

Such a fun, and super sweet image to work with.

Be sure to drop by the Aurora Wings Showcase blog

to check out all of the stunning and diverse DT samples

of this new image. 

Ladybug, ladybugg...

It's no secret that I am a sucker for Mitzi's Aurora Wings Sprites.

And when she releases a new Sprite I always first in line

(among many) to color it up and make a Sprite project.

Today she is releasing a ...

Ladybugg Sprite!! 

Couldn't you just die from cuteness overload?

Per my usual way, I colored this one up

differently than the normal ladybug you would find out in the real world.

C'mon! You know me better than that!

I kept the embellishments pretty simple, with some 

Vintage Photo Distress Stickles, and some gold half pearls. 

I figured that paper was busy enough.

                                                                      

I popped the card in some Begonias in my backyard for the

photo shoot. I was hoping the fading daylight would give

me a good photo this late in the evening. 

Be sure to stop by the Aurora Wings showcase blog to see all of the

wonderfully different versions of this adorable, new image.

I'd like to enter this cutie in the following challenges:

The Sisters of Craft - Anything Goes

Moo-Mania - In the Garden

Petal Lu challenge blog - Anything Goes 

Sugar and Betty's Challenge blog- Anything Goes

Little Kitsune, Anko

In retrospect, I guess I have always kind of had

a thing for foxes. I have a few different fox stamps, 

a paper mache fox I picked up at WallyWorld a while back,

a fox ornament for Xmas, and my leedle dog is named, Foxxi.

(Check out Miss Monster@ shopify. She is an incredible artist!) 

I really like the Japanese Kitsune with nine tails.

I like the version of a white fox with red details.

So, when Mitzi at Aurora Wings shared her newest image,

I was in lurve! 

She doesn't have nine tails, but I'll overlook that

trivial fact for this Little Kitsune, Anko.

I colored her with Copics and decided to go with a geisha

inspired make-up. I really love the the bold red eye makeup

against the white powdered face. I had to go with the red geisha lip, too.

Very dramatic. Love it!   

In keeping with my 'less is more' mantra (when using AW images),

I have kept this one pretty CAS only using two dps, some gold Stickles, and 

three red pearls to symbolize The Three Jewels: the Buddha (the enlightened one),

the Dhamma (the teachings), and the Sangha (the community of followers).

I really love the linen texture of this DCWV Far East paper pad.

It's always my 'go to' paper pad when doing anything remotely Asian themed.

I think I'm going to pop this little gem into a shadowbox frame

for a friend's birthday coming up. Or maybe she'll just reside in my

craft room for inspiration.

Thanks for stopping by today. Be sure to stop by the AW Showcase blog

to see all the different variations on this fabulous new image available today

at the Aurora Wings Etsy shop, here.