text: Copic Markers Have Arrived! | I'd Rather Be Crafting
  Copic 72pc A Papercrafter Set of Markers
  Last week I had blogged about my recent haul (purchase, really) of a 72pc Set of Copic Markers that were 50% off from Two Peas In A Bucket's sale. This was stock that they were looking to move and was being "phased out" as it were. Which means that I finally bought the markers that I've wanted for ages!
  This meant the the markers that were previously 500$ or more was now 250$ - within my budget and price range for the first time in 10 years! Maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but I've really wanted professional grade markers since about 2001 when I took my first art class.
  My Copic markers have finally arrived and I couldn't be happier. This week I have been buzzing around happy knowing that at home I have markers waiting for me to try and experiment with - professional refillable markers!
  Sweat Pea Stamps Rose Fairy
  My first tests were done with a Sweet Pea Stamp's Rose Fairy - so cute. I'm not happy with the way this turned out - possibly because of the SHOCKINGLY bright pink and yellow combinations on top of manila paper, but it was just a test of my blending skills and for blending hot pink - I think I did ok. I did end up abandoning it and moved on to white paper for my next test, as I think the manila was a bit too strongly tinted for the effects I was attempting to achieve.
  It's been ages since I've used professional grade markers and will take some time getting used to blending colours and working quickly to blend "wet" marker ink. In some areas, I started out with the smaller tip only to realise that I have to cover a much larger area, and forgot about the chisel nib altogether and found myself switching frequently.
  I'm not new to dual tip markers - I have a set of 72 Prismacolors - the way they react with stamping ink isn't ideal and because of it they just haven't been used. I instead switched to Twinkling H2O's because of their ease of use and didn't have to use Stazon Ink to make sure the stamped image didn't blur when colouring.
  Coloured some Hero Arts Houses
  My second test was to make images for my head start on Christmas cards using Hero Arts images. Since I now live in the Southern Hemisphere, the wintery months are during the middle of the year. And as the weather starts to hit its peak of coldness it's really hard for me to NOT get in the Christmas mood. This year I'm using the cold weather to my Northern Hemisphere-aligned brain and putting on Christmas music and getting a very early head start on Christmas cards.
  This year I've used Pinterest to help me amass an easy to view list of Christmas card ideas. Working from my pinterest board and few sketches that I have in mind I should be able to churn out a first run of Christmas cards.
  This card is one of my favorites from my pinterest board! So cute. I love the stitching detail, twine, the kraft colour, and of course the snowflake that has the red dotted background! I love it all.
  My goal is to make a few of these, and a few of the "hanging" Christmas card ornamental varieties for family and friends. Any left over that doesn't have a home will get (as per usual) sold at work to coworkers looking for handmade varieties of work. They really are my patrons!
  I can't wait to get started with this marker set and see what I can churn out, getting a head start on my holidays - all in one! It's like my very own private Christmas in June.