Wonderful Wednesday!

Good Day card crafters!

I hope this post finds you well, happy and creating.  I want to share my latest card, made a few weeks ago. I made it for my oldest son Ethan who recently turned 19 years old.  Goodness, where does the time go?  It seems like only yesterday he was learning to walk, then in the blink of an eye, he's a college student.  Enjoy every moment with your children because time flies! :)

Don't forget to join up for candy over at Crafty Friends.  I'm sponsoring their candy giveaway and you can sign up until June 30th.

I added color to my illustration with Copics instead of Prismas.  I think it worked out well.  Have a perfect week everyone.

Hugs and happy crafting! -Kim

 

Inside

 

OPC Anchor is available for purchase in the studio

 

Card Recipe

Digital Illustration:  Oak Pond Creations Anchor

Papers: Stash and Recollections Card stock

Embellishments/Tools:  EK Punch, Martha Stuart Punch, Copics, Recollections Brad

Have a Colorful Saturday!

Good morning paper craft world!  I hope this day finds you creating something amazing.  I've been few and far between in my posts.  This will probably be the standard for the summer but I want you to know I'm still card crafting and sketching.  New digis will arrive soon.  I want to share a color project using one of my digis but first you should know that I am sponsoring a new Card Challenge called Crafty Friends Challenge Blog. 

Crafty Friends is starting off their challenge with a candy giveaway.  Oak Pond is sponsoring this month long entry and will give the winner their choice of free digis from my Etsy Studio.  Make sure to check it out.

I've been spending a lot of time away from my husband and two sons traveling to another state.  My dad is in the hospital recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor (and doing awesome BTW) When dad naps, sometimes I work on color application of my illustrations.  Having an image ready to go makes creating a card super fast.  Here is OPC's Peek-a-Boo Dragonflies

in progress...

...and finished...

My Copics are 600 miles away in the Studio, I used Prismas to color my image.  I can pack up my Prismas in 5 minutes and if I lose one, I won't need to mortgage my home to replace it...  ;)

I hope you enjoyed seeing my color post.  If you want to purchase Peek-a-Boo Dragonflies, you can follow the link:

Peek-a-boo Dragonflies

Keep crafty and don't forget to check out the Crafty Friends Challenge!  Hugs and happy crafting. -Kim

OPC sponsors Robyn's Fetish Challenge

Happy Tuesday! 

I hope everyone is having a great week.  This week Oak Pond Creations is sponsoring

Robyn's Fetish Challenge Blog

 The theme is "Four Legged Friends."

Stop on over and check out the wonderful inspiration cards created by the design team and don't forget to leave them some lovely comments. 

Grab your Copics, Prismas, Pro-markers, your papers and get crafty this week!

You might be the winner of this challenge and be able to choose some digital illustrations from Oak Pond Creations Studio.  Maybe you'll choose:

Digital Stamp Dachshund

or

Digital Stamp Snail

All images come to you in black and white only.

I have colored the above images with Prisma Pencils for inspiration.

 

I hope you have a happy, creative week and I hope to see you over at Robyn's Fetish for the challenge!  Hugs and happy crafting! -Kim

 

 

Oak Pond Sponsors Forever Friends!

Magnificent Monday to everyone!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend and are ready for the week to begin.  Oak Pond Creations is sponsoring

Forever Friends Fortnightly Challenge

The theme for the challenge is Pastel Colors.  Grab those pale papers and join the fun.  FF Design team was kind enough to invite me to create a card for inspiration.  Here it is:

Card Recipe:

Digital Stamp Oak Pond Creations Flowers

Papers:  Recollections Card Stock, Southworth Linen for image

Tools/Embellishments:  Prismas Pencils, Fiskars Sentiments Stamp, Fiskars Punch, Sizzix Swirls, Spellbinders Petite Scalloped Circles Large, Darice Embossing Folder, Cuttlebug Embossing Folders

 

I still haven't heard from some of the Oak Pond Creations Birthday Bash Challenge Winners!  Everyone who participated has a surprise.  If you participated in the Bash please read the following notice:

OPC Birthday Bash Winners

Have a super week.  Hugs and happy crafting! -Kim

Fantastic Friday! The Winner is...

What a fantastic Friday and the day you've all waited for.

 First I want to thank everyone who joined in on the Birthday Bash.  I'm so grateful for all of my blog followers and crafty friends who have been with me this past year.  I'm looking forward to another great year of seeing your creations and being inspired by your talent.

The winner chosen at random for Oak Pond Creations First Birthday Bash Challenge is....

 

#2 Dee

Using OPC's Louie's Boots

CONGRATULATIONS!

Dee, please contact me via e-mail with your mailing address and I will ship your fabulous prize package out to you ASAP and give you the code for your $5.00 OPC Etsy Studio Coupon.

 

Wait, wait....don't go yet!  The remaining fabulous participants are winner too.  You lovely, crafty, artists will get a free digital stamp of your choice from my Etsy Studio.

Your cards were AMAZING!  I thoroughly enjoyed each and every entry.  You are so very talented.  Visit Oak Pond Creations Studio, pick out your stamp and e-mail me with your choice.  I will send it right out to you.  Congratulations everyone :)

Thank you all so much for joining the party!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Hugs and Happy Crafting! -Kim

Wonderful Wednesday!

 

It's a wonderful Wednesday.  I took this photo a few years ago a Brookgreen Gardens here, in South Carolina, USA.  This was a very determined butterfly with a vice grip on it's dinner.  It must have been one tasty flower!  (Hmmm...Good name for a new illustration?) I don't know about you but I've been suffering from a huge 'bout of Spring Fever.  I just love this time of year.

I want to thank everyone who made a card and joined the fun at Oak Pond's Creations First Birthday Bash Challenge.  You are one talented group of individuals.  There is one grand prize candy winner who will be chosen at random and announced on Friday, May 3rd

but everyone who entered gets a surprise from OPC 

so please check back on Friday!

Until then, you can see the fabulous entries at www.oakpondcreations.blogspot.com

Hugs and happy crafting! -Kim

OPC's Birthday Bash Challenge!

THIS IS A STICKY POST FOR MORE RECENT NEWS SCROLL TO THE NEXT ENTRY.
But don't forget to join the challenge first :)
******************************
**Welcome to the party crafty bloggers!**
******************************

You're at the right place.  Things look a little different since your last visit because Oak Pond Creations Studio is having a birthday and I've been sprucing up the place.  This month the Studio celebrates it's one year anniversary and we're celebrating by hosting a birthday bash challenge.  The challenge will last the entire month of April and one lucky winner will get some really cool products. 

The rules to enter are listed below but first, let's take a look at what's in OPC's Candy Jar.

*12 X12 Recollections scrapbook/photo album

*Darice Embossing Folder (Plaid)

*Darice Embossing Border (Lace)

*3 rolls of American Craft premium ribbon

*3 varieties of Recollections Dimensional Stickers

*6 varieties of Jolee's Dimensional Stickers

*Compliments Glitter Rub-ons

*Martha Stewart fall leaf stickers

*Kaiser Scrapbook Clear Stamps (Memory Boxes)

*Fiskars "Zing" sticker accents

*Making Memories Design Shop Embellishments (Great Escape)

*Making Memories Bravissimo Rosettes

*Soft Spoken fall embellishments

*K&Company Adhesive chipboard

*K&Company Grand Adhesions (Woodland Animals)

*Studio Decor Shadowbox Embellishment Kit

*Nicole Designer Paper 8 sheets (Twilight Florals)

*Nicole Designer Paper 8 sheets (Bold Blossoms)

*Nicole Designer Paper 8 sheets (Flourish)

* $5.00 coupon for use at Oak Pond Creations Etsy studio

 

I don't know about you, but I think this should keep someone inspired for a little bit.

 

The Challenge Rules

*Your paper creation must contain an Oak Pond Creations image.

*Post your card on your blog.

*Your post must contain a link back to OPC's Birthday Bash Challenge.

*Enter the direct link to your Birthday Bash Challenge entry using the Inlinkz tool below.

That's it, easy peasy right?  So get your craft on and make something fun!
You may combine with other challenges.

You can enter April 1st through April 30th 2013 and
One lucky winner will be announced on Friday, May 3rd.
Good Luck!
Hugs and happy crafting!
-Kim


 

Sketchbook News: OPC Sponsors Sunshine Mail!

Magnificent Monday!

I'm excited to tell you that Oak Pond Creations is sponsoring The Sunshine Mail Challenge Blog

Sunshine mail is a dedicated organization that provides greeting cards for sick children.  They are hosting a card drive challenge and are offering an excellent prize package.  Just click on their logo to be transported to the challenge were you can read the rules and join in.  Their design team has created some super cute cards for inspiration.  If you decide to make a card for this drive and use an image from the Oak Pond Studio, make sure to link up your card here as well

OPC Birthday Bash Challenge

for a chance to win the Oak Pond Birthday Bash Candy.  Come join in on the fun.

 

Just in case your feeling like Evan's Yeti, and it's NOT a magnificent Monday...

I'm thinking of you and sending happy thoughts your way!

Have a terrific week.  Hugs and happy crafting! -Kim

April Showers Bring May Flowers!

It's a very rainy but always fantastic Friday at Oak Pond.  I'm late getting my post out as Blogger decided to be a bugger this morning.  Back on-line so here we go!
Thunderstorms have moved into our area for the next few hours.  We have some pretty spectacular storms here in Myrtle Beach during spring-time and the plant life appreciates it.  Today we're going to take a tour of the gardens at Oak Pond after I remind you about the Birthday Bash Challenge.  You can enter for a chance to win a paper crafting prize pack.  The challenge ends April 30th.

OPC's BIRTHDAY BASH CHALLENGE

I hope you join in on the fun!

 

Welcome to the Garden!  Enjoy today's tour starting with

OPC's Sunflowers.  I tried to grow these one year and to be honest, they didn't do very well but we did get enough blooms to inspire a photo and a sketch.

 

 

Next are OPC's Stargazer lilies.  One of my favorite blooms, the butterflies go crazy over these bold beauties.

 

Then we have OPC's Hibiscus Flowers. 

 

 

and our final flower is OPC's water lily.

 

Many more plants and flowers are waiting to bloom in the shop so check back often.  I hope you have a wonderful Friday!  Hugs and happy crafting. -Kim

 

 

 

 

Sketchbook News: Wonderful Wednesday!

Good morning friends!  The weekend is getting closer and I'm certainly ready for another 2 days of sketching and crafting.  I have two more illustrations in the sketchbook that I'm finishing up and should be in the shop soon.  We have a few wonderful entries in the Birthday Bash Challenge.  Don't forget to link up and join the fun.  You have until April 30th to enter.

OPC's BIRTHDAY BASH CHALLENGE

 Spring is the time of year when bugs, birds and bees invade Oak Pond.  We must have some of the most delectable flowers, luscious leaves and munchable grass this side of town because we get swarmed with wildlife and insects.  Today I want to take you on a tour to meet some of our spring-time occupants.

Before we begin, I will tell you that as a wife and mother, bugs are gross.  I do not allow bugs in my home and I'm terrified of spiders.  But oddly enough, as a photographer, I can't keep my self from spending a lot of time observing and photographing them, from FAR away of course, using a zoom lens.  Insects have become very cool and all of them are beautiful in their own way.  Get the bug jars and butterfly nets and follow me.
 

This is a Black and Yellow Argiope spider.  They can grow up to 4 inches.  They are an artsy arachnid.  They design a lovely web with a perfect "zipper" pattern in the  middle.  They spend the entire day perched in the center of their web and if you touch the web lightly, the spider moves it's legs to cause the entire web to bounce like a trampoline.

OPC's Not so Spooky Spider was inspired by these gals.

 

 

Our next occupant is a bit strange but don't worry, we haven't been invaded by aliens...

 Praying Mantis are one of my favorite insects.  They are able to pivot and turn their head which is fascinating to me.    When approached they will look right at you and make eye contact.  It's really cool.  These gorgeous green insects keep our garden pests at a minimum.  Some species can look rather scary when threatened or if you meet them on a bad day.  OPC's Menacing Mantis was inspired by this guy.

 

 

Our final visitor of the day must have had a long night...

We have oodles of tree frogs at Oak Pond.  Very small in size but a very loud voice.  They come in a variety of colors from this shade of earth tone to bright green.  I just happened to find this one napping on the fronds of our Sago Palm.  Of course this little critter inspired OPC's frog collection.

Chin Up Frog

 

Flower Pot Frog

 

I hope you've enjoyed your springtime tour at Oak Pond.  All of these images can be found hopping around the Etsy Studio.  Just click on any of the images above to visit.  Have a perfect day.  Hugs and happy crafting!

-Kim