Mermaid header, classes, etc.

I have a few things I want to cover today before the weekend. Monday I'll get back to posting more of the tutorials that you've come to expect. I was surprised that this wasn't auto posted, and then I noticed that I had it set for PM, not AM. Can you tell it's Friday?

New Blog Header
You may have noticed that I changed my header. I was kind of getting tired of the other one. After almost 3 months of blogging I felt it was time for a change. In a few weeks I'll get tired of this one, but for now you get a mermaid that I drew yesterday.

This was drawn with a 0.05 Gray Multiliner onto color laser copier paper and colored with BG10, BG13, BG18, BG72, BG75, G02, G21, YR00, YR65, Y11, C1, C3, C5, C7, E02, E04, V01, V04.

I made the watercolor/drip look to the background by soaking a small felt sponge in our blender solution and dabbed it on after the base colors had dried. This picture is rather large, so this is a good technique for making the streaks look less prominent. For this picture I did the background first because I knew that the dabbing technique would make a mess of any details I had colored on the mermaid's body. In real life, this is a much lighter picture. The turquoise doesn't match the green of my blog, but I didn't want to make the water too green, so I'll live with it.




Copic Prize drawing
At midnight tonite I will use the random number generator and come up with a winner for our Brochure drawing. Here is a photo of a happy person wearing this shirt at Anime Expo 2007 while watching our guest Japanese Artists.

Don't you want one of these cool shirts? You'll get other stuff too, but the shirt you can only win from us. Just leave a comment about our new brochure on the post last Thursday to get into the drawing. We really appreciate your comments- they help us help you better, so any complaints, anything you'd like to see more of, or just a good positive comment are all helpful.

Upcoming Copic Classes and demos
Art & Papercrafting
On Saturday Aug 30th I will be doing free demos at both Collage art store locations in Portland, OR. Come drop in and say hi! You can get more details by clicking on the events button on the sidebar.

Manga & Anime
If you want a chance to play with Copic products they will be at Anime Evolution this weekend in the Creation Station room. Labor Day weekend you can try coloring with our products at Kumoricon's fan art room.

Copic Certification- for teachers, store owners, or designers in papercrafting
I am accepting applications now for both Charleston SC, on October 1st. or Kansas City on the 9th or 10th. If you don't have an application yet, just e-mail me and I'll be happy to get one out to you.

SplitcoastStampers Gathering
The evening of Oct. 9th we will be having a FREE SCS gathering in the same hotel I'm doing certifications. You can get more details here. Just RSVP to SCS so we can get a headcount. I'll be there to answer questions and we'll have a card swap and you can donate cards to Service Members. It will be a blast!

Donate to a good Cause
I recently gained a new friend - the Pen Addict- and through his site I found a cause that we at Copic really relate to. How many of you have a desk full of perfectly good ballpoint pens that you never use? Now's your chance to donate those to people who can really use them.

Pens For Kids
African schoolchildren are desperate for pens to use in their schooling. You can help. Send your pens to the ambassadors at Pens For Kids. As you're getting your last-minute school supplies, think of how much an inexpensive package of ballpoint pens would help needy villagers gain an education. Money is also appreciated, since postage can be spendy. For more details visit their website.

Blog Award
My last point today, I promise. I hope that I've covered all the little things that pile up, since this is getting to be a long post. Remember to vote, and have a great weekend!
I got this award twice, from two wonderful stampers, so a big Thank you to Gina and Stamp Vamp who nominated me for this award. Now I get to pass on the favor to other blogs that I frequent.

The rules…
1. The winner can put the logo on their blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

So, to sum up a list of a few interesting blogs and bloggers (not all papercrafters), here goes:
1. Sharon Harnist, for excellent cards, clean explanations, and for putting up with my e-mails.
2. Lori Craig, because she's wonderful at helping me organize the KC get together.
3. Nina, Destempelolifant. from the Netherlands. I translate this one occasionally, but I like her look even if I can't read it.
4. The Pen Addict A new friend of mine. He likes pens, I like markers.
5. Patter, Triple the Scraps, she stamps and educates on childbirth- way to go!
6. Engrave, an Oregonian who does amazing engravings with lasers
7. Ria, she's another one from the Netherlands, follows my blog, and has a wonderful, whimsical coloring style.