March Freebie at The East Wind

Today I am bringing you a card I made with the free March image for newsletter subscribers from The East Wind. It is called "Bloom with Spring Sunshine". It's a bit of a part 2 of February's freebie image.

I coloured the image with Copics. The DP is from Stampin' Up, the butterfly and circle die cuts are from By DieZyne. I don't think you can get those dies anymore, which is a shame because they are really nice, but I'm lucky I got them before they went out of circulation. 

Make sure you pop over to www.theeastwind.com to sign up for the newsletter if you aren't already, so you're not missing out on that free image every month. Look for the bright pink box on the right side.

Lady Rory

Today is another new release day by The East Wind, and the last for February. The new image is 'Aurora "Lady Rory"'. All of Unky's new releases this month were inspired by her South Korean roots. I used some vibrant colours for this card, but left the embellies to a minimum.

Aurora "Lady Rory"

I used an Asian inspired embossing folder from Cuttlebug for the mat on this card. I love the paper lanterns! I actually used it on the reverse side of the embossing. I think you can see the relief better (or maybe it's just my imagination). The floral die cut is from Stampin Up, as is the red and yellow paper (Regals colour collection). The very back mat is from the DCWV Asian mat stack that I have had FOREVER. I like to hide things like that in box, put them in my craft closet, and forget about them. Every once in a while I go on a treasure hunt to see what I can find that I've "lost". 

Now remember, TEW is offering all the new releases for this month in a bundle to save you money, BUT it's only available for the month of February and then you have to buy them piecemeal. So you only have a few more days before February is over! Start shopping! 😉

Nine Tailed Fox

Hello! I'm bringing you a new release from The East Wind called "Gumiho - Nine Tailed Fox".

I coloured the image with Copics. The paper and flower die cuts are all from Stampin' Up. I used E18-11 for the fox colours, and BG07-000 for her dress. The lace is from Maya Road.

There are only a couple more days left to enter our "Love and Romance" challenge on the blog. I KNOW you made a Valentine's Day card for your significant other. 😉 Check the challenge rules out HERE.

An Angel and Changes at TEW

Happy New Year to everyone! I'm trying to get back into the swing of things after Christmas break, but it's proving to be harder than I expected. Life is just crazy these days!

We are going through a few changes at The East Wind. There will be no more monthly challenges in the Facebook group, and no more twice monthly challenges on the blog. We will aim to have approximately one challenge per quarter on the blog and will run contests and games in the Facebook group. Unky's art is expanding into other areas and she is finding she has less time to dedicate to digis, but she doesn't want to quit creating them altogether (thank goodness), so releases will be just one a week now, with the new release day being Wednesday. She is also offering a package deal on the digis she releases each month, so you can get all four of them at a discounted rate. The package deal is available in the Etsy shop along with all the other digis.

Now on to this week's new release, "Angel with striking blue eyes":

I used the fantastic Detailed Floral thinlit dies from Stampin' Up to make this card. I keep forgetting I have them, and then I when I remember it's not at all the right thing for my project. Until today!!! Yay! I really love how it turned out. It's simple and pretty and perfect... just like the image. 😉

Please join us on Facebook and sign up for the newsletter on the blog to get your freebie on the first of the month. That is something that is NOT changing, and you don't want to miss your free image!!

New Challenge at The East Wind

This month's challenge is "I Can See Clearly Now". You need to add something sheer or transparent to your project to follow the rules, and use a TEW image, of course. 

My image is "Lovely Winter Couple" and I used white vellum layered over blue cardstock, which I dry embossed with a Softly Falling embossing folder from Sizzix that is available through Stampin' Up, and my snow flake embellishments are both crystal clear and translucent with a blue tint. I've layered them and used little silver star brads to hold them together. 

You can join us in The East Wind's Facebook group for a monthly contest, and on the BLOG for twice monthly challenges. The challenge on the blog that starts on the 1st of every month is the freebie challenge, and to get the freebie you need to be signed up for the newsletter, so make sure you look for the bright pink box on the blog's homepage to sign up for that!

Plant Love to Harvest Love

Today is a new release day at The East Wind, and today's image is "Plant Love to Harvest Love". A pretty relevant idea these days given the unrest in the States after a very divisive election. 

Plant Love to Harvest Love

I coloured the image with Copics. My laces are from Live & Love Crafts, which is now closed. The flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch. The sentiment stamp and the tag are from Stampin' Up.

Copics used:

Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04

Hair: E49, E57, E55, Y21

Dress: R81, R83, R85, R89

You can join us in The East Wind's Facebook group for a monthly contest, and on the BLOG for twice monthly challenges. The current challenge in the Facebook group is "Come Over To the Dark Side". The challenge on the blog that starts on the 1st of every month is the freebie challenge, and to get the freebie you need to be signed up for the newsletter, so make sure you look for the bright pink box on the blog's homepage to sign up for that!

xxM

Kitty Trand

It's time for a new release from The East Wind!! This one is a real cutie, and I coloured it up in record time so I could get it done before we headed out on a road trip! And I should be packing right now actually, so this post is going to be short and sweet! Here is "Kitty Trand" for your crafting pleasure.

Kitty Trand

I went with a dark shabby chic theme (if there is such a thing) with this card. I think my daughter will really like it as a fun "just because" card. I'll run down the recipe real fast and get back to my packing before my husband comes home and gets mad because I'm not ready to hit the road. lol!!!

Filigree corners - LaLa Land Drafts die

Flowers - Wild Orchid Crafts

Heart frame chipboard - Make It Crafty

DP - DCWV

Coloured with Copics:

Hair - R59, R56, RV34, RV32

Skin - E000, E00, E21, E11, E04

C and W's for the greys, plus some glitter gel pen for her shirt sleeves which actually look like they have sequins on them if you see them in person. The effect actually came out really well!

Make sure you head over to The East Wind's Facebook group and join in on our current dark themed challenge. There are also twice monthly challenges on the blog and the freebie is about to go out on the first, so make sure you are signed up for the newsletter!! Look for the bright pink box on the homepage. 

Merry Creepmas!

It's that time again! Time for a new challenge at The East Wind's Facebook group. The theme this month is "Come Over To The Dark Side" (use a dark themed image). I used "Creepmas Girl" to make a creepy little Christmas card. 

Creepmas Girl Mon Amour

I coloured the image with Copics. The paper is from Stampin' Up, as is the ornament die, holly embossing folder, and sentiment stamp. (Copics used: Cool greys, R20s, G20s, RV90's and Cs for her skin)

Please stop by the Facebook group and join in on the challenge this month. First place prize is 3 TEW digis of your choice; second place is a 25% off coupon to the TEW Etsy store. As always, make sure you are signed up for the newsletter on the BLOG. A free image is sent out on the first of every month!! You don't want to miss that! 

Thorns and Roses

Today brings a new release from The East Wind called "Thorns and Roses". In conjunction with this new release is a special Halloween blog hop at the "Markers! Papers! Digis!" Facebook group, involving the other awesome sponsors of that group along with TEW. (See the pinned post at the top of the page after you join the group.) This image is only $1 right now, so make sure you go grab her! Here is my take on the new release:

Thorns and Roses

I coloured the image with Copics, but also used Prismacolor pencils on her hair. That curly hair really gave me a hard time! I was frustrated with how to colour it, and ended up adding ringlet shapes with a black cherry coloured pencil.

Please stop by The East Wind's Facebook page and join in on the monthly challenge. This month's theme is "Leaf Me Alone" and goes until the 17th, so there are a few more days to pop a project in the challenge folder. Just see the pinned post at the top of the group page. Also, make sure you are signed up for the newsletter on the blog so you get your free image on the first of every month. October is flying by and November 1 will be here before you know it!

Left of Center 150th Challenge Celebration

Left of Center Creative Challenges is celebrating their 150th Challenge on October 1, which is also National Card Making Day. The East Wind is sponsoring this challenge and The East Wind DT was asked if any of us would be interested in making a card for this celebratory and dark themed challenge. I put my hand up and decided to do something with Lucy Loo 'Devil'. I decided to go monochrome with this, which is something I haven't done before. Technically, her hair and wings are a bit purple, so it's not really monochrome, but the colours I used in her skin I wanted to tie in with the rest of her as well. I think you have to look at it twice to see that it's not a black and white picture. I debated taking the picture again with a different background, but I thought the skulls suited it, so I kept it as is.

I coloured the image with Copics. I used the C's and V90's for everything. I also washed some BG70 over her skin in the highlights, though in the picture it's hard to see the greenish tint. I had this concrete brick wall paper by Ella & Viv that went perfectly with the image. I inked some black stars over the paper, heat embossed some pewter embossing powder over chipboard stars, and there you go. I kept it pretty stark and dark. 

Check out the new challenge at LOC and drop by The East Wind if you do something with a TEW image and let us see what you did! 

Mexicana from The East Wind

It's new release Tuesday from The East Wind!! Today's image is the line art from a watercolour that Unky did a couple of weeks ago. When I saw her painting, I was hoping we would get line art from it, and we did!!!! Here is my version of 'Mexicana'.

MEXICANA

I coloured the image with Copics. The paper is digital paper from Michele R Designs called Designer Grunge. I used the Flourish Thinlit Dies from Stampin' Up also, with flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts.

Copics used: 
Skin: E000, E00, E21, E11, E04

Dress: G29, G17, G05, G03

Hair: E40's 

Flowers: R's 59, 29, 27, 24, 22 and B's 16, 02, 12

Please stop by The East Wind's Facebook page and join us for our monthly challenge (a new one starts tomorrow!) and check out the blog for TWICE monthly challenges at www.theeastwind.com. You can also follow me on social media by clicking on those little buttons to your right. xx

New Challenge at The East Wind

It's the 21st and time for another challenge in The East Wind's Facebook group. The theme this month is "R U Kidding Me?" You need to make a card with a TEW image that is child themed or for a child. I used "Dancing with Polar Bear" for my DT inspiration, which was the freebie image from January. I managed to get a jumpstart on my Christmas card making with this one, and let's hope I keep going. Last year I totally failed in that department.

I coloured the image with Copics, and used some Shabby White Frantage to create a snow effect around them. All of my DP is from Stampin' Up. It's from last season and it's not available anymore, but I will have some new Christmas cards to post in the near future using this season's Christmas paper. It's so pretty, I hate to cut it! My sentiment is also from Stampin' Up, as is the ink I used (Garden Green).

In addition to our challenge on Facebook, there are also twice monthly challenges on the BLOG. The newsletter you should be signed up for has a freebie for you on the 1st of every month (like the awesome image I used), so go to the blog and look for the bright pink box to sign up for that if you aren't already. And why aren't you??? Who doesn't want free images?! 

Barmaid

It's new release day at The East Wind!! Today's image is titled "Barmaid". I feel like she has a story going on, and Unky is so great at drawing images that make you wonder what they're thinking or going through. This image makes me think she's tired and about had it with work, but she's got a goal in mind that's pushing her through her day. Thus the sentiment, "Dreams don't work unless you do."

I coloured the image with Copics. I used paper scraps from my stash, and the border stamp is from Rubbernecker Stamps. Easy peasy! 

Make sure you stop by the Facebook TEW group in a couple days for the new challenge posting. The challenge runs from July 21 to August 17, and it's going to be HOT!! (just a little hint about the theme there *wink*) There are also twice monthly challenges on the BLOG. Please drop in and join us for some colouring fun and the opportunity to win some free images!

Introvert at The East Wind

Today is new release Tuesday at The East Wind, so here is my take on the new image 'Introvert'. I can totally relate.

Introvert

I coloured the image with copics. The red papers are from the DCWV Rock mat stack. The herringbone paper is some I had in my stash, and I'm not sure anymore what brand it is. I took it easy on the embellishments (as in none lol!) and let the image be the focus.

Come join us in the Facebook group for contests, both project and colouring, and on the BLOG for twice monthly challenges. We are starting a new contest TODAY in the Facebook group (see my post HERE for details).

Make Mine Girly Girl

Hello out there!! It's time for a new challenge in The East Wind's Facebook group. The theme this month is "Make Mine Girly Girl". I used 'Aurora Maple' for my card and cropped the image. 

I coloured the image with Copics. All of my flowers are from Wild Orchid Crafts. The DP is from DCWV mat Citrus Stack. The butterfly punch is from Martha Stewart.

If this image looks familiar to you, and you know Kit and Clowder, then you will see this image in the Skin and Hair class. I coloured it along with Alyce in the "Close up facial features and eyes" video. It is such an amazing class; I really encourage you to buy this image from TEW and then go enroll in the class. You won't be sorry. ;-)

This contest runs from June 21 - July 17. The first place winner wins three images of their choice from the Etsy store, and the second place winner receives a 25% off coupon to the store. Stop by and join us!!

There are also twice monthly challenges on the blog, so drop by there too and see what's going on and sign up for the newsletter. A freebie goes out on the 1st of every month!

Wisteria

It's new release day at The East Wind, and today's is "Wisteria". It's an image that took me a while to do because I was trying to add quite a bit of detail to it. I printed it out at 5"x7" so I had enough space to colour the flowers the way I wanted to.

'Wisteria'

After it was done, I realized that printing it that big left me with not very many options of finishing it. It's the size of a big card already, so I just matted it on black and decided to leave it as is for now.

I coloured it completely with Copics, using techniques from a couple different Create & Learn classes at Kit & Clowder. I added the detail on the wood fence, as well as her hanging chair. I left the colour of the concrete under her chair uneven because I felt it looked a little more realistic than a smooth even finish.

Come join us in our Facebook group for contests and prizes going on twice a month. There are also twice monthly challenges on the blog HERE. We have two active contests in the Facebook group. One is colouring only of the newsletter freebie, the other is a themed complete project contest called "Crop It". Come join us!!

New Contest at The East Wind!

Today is the start of a new challenge at The East Wind's Facebook group. The theme this month is "Crop It". Take any TEW image and crop it for your project. I picked "Aurora 'Daisy Kiss'" for my image. I cropped close in on her face and made her look like a Polaroid picture.

I coloured her with Copics, using R56 and R21 for her hair. My embellishments (flowers and lace) are from Live & Love Crafts and Wild Orchid Crafts. My DP is from Maja Design and it is called "Coffee in the Arbour". It is such pretty paper, I was afraid to cut it up. lol!!
I also used: a doily; cheesecloth; and my Stampin' Up Bloomin' Love stamps AND Sizzix dies. You can buy the stamps and dies in a bundle or separately, which I love!!

Come by the Faebook group and join us for this challenge. It's a lot of fun, but it does need to be a completed project, not just a colouring. We will have another colouring contest on June 1 in the Facebook group that does not require a project to participate for the colourists out there who aren't really crafters.

Follow me on Facebook and all those other social media channels by pushing the little buttons to your right. ;-)

New Release Friday

Today's new release doesn't have a name YET. Unky has decided to leave it to the fans. So there is not just a new release today but also a naming contest in the Facebook group with a chance to win this new image for free. I went CAS with this card and used the no lines version to colour. I coloured the image with Copics and Prismacolor pencils. I used pencils to add the shading to her skin because my E04 is just such a pain these days. After using the usual Copics for skin (E000, E00, E21, E11, R20) I used Chestnut, Peach, and Light Peach to add some extra shading and depth to her skin. I used the E10's for her hair, and B90's for her shirt. 

Please make sure you are part of The East Wind's Facebook group. We're going to start having two contests every month starting in June. On June 1st we are going to have a colouring contest with the newsletter freebie, so make sure you are signed up for that (look for the bright pink box!). It will be a colouring only contest, no finished project required. There are a lot of people out there who JUST colour and don't necessarily make cards and such, so Unky and I thought to have a regular contest that didn't have that requirement would encourage more people to join in on the contests and give more people a chance to win some free digis. There are also twice monthly challenges on the blog, as always, so four ways to win free images starting in June.

What's In That Drink?

It's New Release day at The East Wind!! Today's new image is 'What's In That Drink?' If it were my drink, it would be a gin martini, but her's looks like it has a little something extra in it (besides the olive). 

I coloured the image with Copics, using some Prismacolor pencils to do some extra shading on her skin. I used a Spellbinders Nestabilities set called Majestic Labels for the die cuts. The DP is from K&Company. I sprayed the cheesecloth with Lindy's Stamp Gang Midnight Rendezvous to make it black. The ribbon is from Michaels, the silver filigree square is from Wild Orchid Crafts, and the black roses are from I Am Roses.

We're busy busy over at The East Wind this month. Unky is looking for some new talent on her three design teams (Blog, Facebook, and Instagram), so there is a DT CALL open right now until May 10!! So if you love TEW, you should head over there and follow the link to the application (click HERE for the post and link to the application).

Take a look at the twice monthly challenges happening on the BLOG, and our monthly challenge in the Facebook GROUP. There are so many chances to win some free digis and join us in some colouring fun!!

Butterfly Knot

Today I have a new release from The East Wind called 'Butterfly Knot'. 

I coloured this with Copics, using R20's and BG 90's for her dress, and W's for her hair. The paper is from Michele R Designs, and I just love her digital papers! This one is Butterfly Garden. The sentiment is a Finnabair stamp from Prima. The wood butterfly is from Michaels. 

Make sure you check out our Facebook group for contests, including one that is going on right now called "Rainbows". We also do joint events with Kit and Clowder, so you don't want to miss those. They are always a lot of fun, and there is always a chance to win some free images!

There are also twice monthly challenges on The East Wind's blog HERE!!! And a freebie comes to you on the first of every month if you're signed up for the newsletter, so go get on that!