Yay me! Yay me! Yaaaaaaay Me!
I am not quite certain when "it" began and by "it," I mean my love of Copics. I have always had a love of crafts and have been a scrapbooker for many years. A few years back I became interested in stamping and card making and I even thought about becoming a Stampin' Up Demonstrator but I never pursued it.
My grandmother, who is now 82 years old, is an avid card sender.
She sends cards!
To every one!
For every occasion!
This has become her identifying trademark. There is just something exciting about opening the mailbox and finding a colored envelope addressed to you. What's even more special is to open the card that was handpicked just for you and to read the beautifully scripted words that have stickers sporadically placed, even substituting letters. I have tried to follow in her footsteps. I am not as faithful as she is.
I, like my grandmother, love to send cards to the people I care about and let them know they are being thought of. Birthday, graduation, new baby, holiday, sympathy, or just because. It doesn't matter the event. What matters is acknowledging the event. And there is no better way than by sending a card. And for me, not just any card. I like to create/design my own cards. And this is where the Copics come into play.
I was watching YouTube videos on cards one day and all of a sudden... out of nowhere... I am watching with amazement at someone using some crazy looking markers. Switching back and forth between 2 or 3 colors. I hear her talking about blending and flicking and shading. I watched as she turned a cute black and white stamped image into a vibrant piece of artwork. Then I realized these weren't just any markers. They were COPIC markers. And I had to have them! So off I went shopping!
I am very fortunate to have a partner that spoils me relentlessly. She has made sure that I am equipped with many, many Copics, paper, Copic refills, stamps, and ink. I have colored more as an adult in the past year than I probably did my entire childhood.
So here I sit, about a year later, and I am still in love with my Copics. I feel like Brick, from the ABC sitcom "The Middle." When someone mentions Copics, I drop my head with my chin to my chest, quietly form the words on my lips and gently say in a sloooooooow drawn out voice, "Coooooopicssss."
I love my Copics! I love to Copic! I have been wanting to take the Copic Certification class for about 6 months but I was too nervous. I kept checking back on the website and finally a class had opened up in Charlotte, NC- about 3 hours from me. My heart raced! I filled out the application form! I was excited! And then I got nervous and decided not to apply. I watched as the days drew near thinking it would fill up. And then, the day before the class on Wednesday, 4-27-11, my work schedule opened up and the class still showed availability. I emailed Nancy at 4:45pm and within an hour, she emailed me back and said to go!
So Josee' packed me up, made a hotel reservation, and we were on the road. To Charlotte! For a "Cooooooopic" class! Oh eM Geeeee!
Colleen Schaan was the instructor. She was absolutely fabulous! I could have sat for days on end and listened to her talk about Copics, how to lay color and blend, and how to use them to achieve certain effects. Did I mention she was fabulous? She was encouraging and inspirational and made we want to "color!" The class was filled mostly with newbie Copic enthusiasts, like myself. I was able to meet several really nice ladies and I hope that we can keep in contact with each other.
Yay me! Yay me! Yaaaaaaay Me!
I am a Copic certified designer!
