Happy New Year

Happy 2010!!  Here's to a new decade, {hopefully} a new job and a new perspective!  No, I have not even been called for any of the jobs that I've applied for, but since I wasn't all that excited about them, I'm really not too bummed about it.  Now that the holidays are over and my job finding program is half over, I'll need to really start looking harder...I just didn't want to before now - know what I mean?  I'm a procrastinator by nature.  I've tried numerous times to change, but it just seems that I do my best work under the pressure of a deadline {usually}.
I do have a couple of exciting things happening this month!  I'm Ms. January for Bombshell stamps.  You can view my challenge here.  The prize picture should be updated in the next day or two - you know how things go!  Also, the Sketch Girl blog has taken a long break but we'll be up and going with the tenth sketch on January 15th.  Annie and Julie have some fun changes for the new year.  We should have prizes and guest designers and all that good stuff, so please play along!
Here's a card I made for my niece that turned {gasp!} 16 this past month.  I used Mojo Monday sketch 117 as my inspiration.  Because of the way the fairy is pointed, my mind needed to switch the sketch around a bit. 

This sassy little fairy is from The Greeting Farm.  She's a digi image that I colored with my Lyra's & OMS.  Her wings were so challenging for me!  Initially, I went with a soft yellow...that didn't turn out so well!  I erased the yellow, but it didn't totally go away.  Argh.  So I ended up coloring her wings with a couple of purple Copics.  I didn't try to shade or blend b/c of the background yellow color.  I added some *veining* with a darker purple and a Sakura Clearstar gel pen. 

The sentiment is stamped in my new favorite ink - Versamagic Onyx Black - and embossed with Filigree Clear embossing powder to give it an extra punch on the busy background.  Thank you for that tip, Donna! A little white satin bow tied off with a sumptuous Plum Pudding button finishes this card off.  I did finish the inside too.  It's not very exciting to get a card without some cash!  I actually taught my nieces to look for the cash/check first when opening the card many years ago...I can't say my SIL was very happy with me at the time!  LOL  A simple scrap band holds the cash in, so she couldn't shake it loose {insert evil laugh!!}.   

I'll leave you today with another little close up of the coloring - I love the way her dress turned out! - and a supplies list.  Hope you are all well and feeling crafty!!  Toodles ~ lyss

SUPPLIES ~
STAMPS: The Greeting Farm Autumn Fairy digi; PTI Giga Guidelines & Guidelines II
INK: HP Printer Ink; Versamagic Onyx Black; SU Elegant Eggplant, Lavendar Lace & Taken with Teal
PAPER: PTI SS White; SU Elegant Eggplant & Taken with Teal
OTHER: Lyra color pencils, OMS & blending stumps; Copics, Sakura Clearstar gel pen; PTI white satin ribbon & Plum Pudding vintage button; Spellbinders Classic Circle and Peony Nestabilities