Josephine the Stylish Witch

Good morning everyone,

This is my princess witch. I wanted to try something different with her. Get away from drab colors, not that I often use dull colors but when I think of stereotypical Halloween witches they're always dark. So, I combined a witch hat and black kitty with a princess gown and wavy locks to get this little cutie. I think she even has that I'm bored look, I'm not sure if that's more of a witchy thing or a princess mannerism; but I love it either way.

Josephine Cuddlebug Cuties

This is Josephine. The conventionally pretty witch with class and stylish offbeat individuality.

Josephine Cuddlebug Cuties

Enjoy coloring and crafting with her but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing her.

And in case this is your first time here I have several other Halloween inspired images that are still available for free and I have blog candy here.

Have a wonderful weekend. 

 Hugs,

Anna

 

Birthday Boy

Good evening everyone,

Can you believe it's the weekend already?. My week feels like it has just flown by. 

My little cuddlebug will soon be having a birthday and I've spent the entire week preparing for the event. It's been so much fun, I think I'm even more excited than him.

My mother and I went shopping at Toys R Us for gifts. They had a huge sale, buy 2 and get the third for free. Well, we just had to take advantage of that. By the end of our trip we had filled 3 shopping carts and had 6 sales associates ask us if we wanted a store credit card. I really don't think I could handle a credit card for that store, lol.

After shopping I felt that I really should make something special for him too. Handmade presents are always my favorite gifts and even though he's still a little tike maybe someday he'll look at his collection of mama made items and think of me.

So, I sat down at my desk and for several days stared at a blank sheet of white paper and the wall in front of me. It's not often that I feel pressure when creating something, but the need to draw an extra special picture for the most important person in my life was a bit daunting. Eventually I decided to just start drawing. Anything was better than nothing. I knew I wanted it to be colorful so I just started adding presents, balloons, and bows everywhere. The more little bits I had to color the better.

Birthday Boy Cuddlebug Cuties

Birthday Boy Cuddlebug Cuties

Birthdays are special so this digi will always be free.

Enjoy coloring and crafting with him but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing him.

 Hugs,

Anna

 

 

 

Mirabel Gypsy Sweetheart

Good morning,

I have a new cuddlebug for everyone.

This my little sweetheart gypsy Mirabel. 

I really wanted a bright and colorful girl for Halloween. I love it when a costume is fun and vibrant.

Something different form the typical dark Halloween colors.

Mirabel Cuddlebug Cuties

Mirabel will be free through Sept 19, 2012.

Enjoy coloring and crafting with her but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing her.

 Hugs,

Anna

Metallic Markers

Good Evening Everyone,

Sorry my last post was kind of short and sweet. It wasn't my intention to just throw a digi at you and run. I got interrupted half way through the post and needed to run. 

I did want to share one more thing with you guys tonight. 

Promarkers Metallic Set

I have had these markers in an online wishlist for quite awhile. I love Promarkers and metallic could be really useful for adding a little extra dazzle to my images.

However one thing kept stopping me from purchasing these markers - they're water based. I've been disappointed with streaking when using water based markers in the past so I wasn't sure if I would just be wasting my money.

Several weeks pass and several times I get online and look at the markers. (as though something might change, lol) Then the unthinkable happens. My most frequented craft store starts carrying them and they have a huge display that looks very appealing. Now I want them even more. 

I go back and forth for a bit; wonder about the pros and cons, if the store would let me return opened markers if I hated them, and so on. Eventually, I just broke down and bought them. I figured I was spending more for gas driving to look at them repeatedly. In the long run it would be cheaper just to buy them.

So now that I've had a few days to experiment with them, I thought I would share just in case anyone else might be considering purchasing them too.

Here's a pic of the little slip inside the case:

Front

Back

Pros:

• Beautiful rich colors that have a little shine to them
• These would be great for coloring little bits metal and jewerly
• They write on black paper, if you're not a fan of gel pens, paint pens, or colored pencils these might be a suitable alternative

Cons:

• The color lay down is slightly harsh for large areas, so far I have not been able to get a successful blend with these. I'm not saying that it is impossible just maybe a bit difficult.
• They write on black paper. (I know what you're thinking: wait wasn't that a pro??)  Yes it was, but it's a con too. It will completely coverup the black lines on your images too, so you have to be very careful while coloring.

Colors on white paper

Colors on black paper

Overall I do like them. They won't be my most used markers, but I believe there will be times when they come in handy.

Thanks for stopping by and letting me share.

Hugs,

Anna

Pumpkin Spice

Hey everyone,

Hope you guys had a fantastic weekend.

I have a new cutie to cheer up any back to work blues.

My family has been calling this my pumpkin girl for the last couple of days and it kinda stuck, so...

This is Pumpkin Spice. 

I was at the store browsing through Halloween costumes when I found the most adorable children's pumpkin suit. It was an entire body suit but I kept going back to it and thinking that it would make a really fun skirt. Perfect for those days that your feeling festive.

Pumpkin Spice Cuddlebug Cuties

Pumpkin Spice Cuddlebug Cuties

Pumpkin Spice will be free through Sept 14, 2012.

Enjoy coloring and crafting with her but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing her.

 Hugs,

Anna

The Reality Of It All

Last week I was reading a post by one of my favorite bloggers. She was having a particularly rough day and was questioning why she blogged. The collection of posts on her blog are about her life, her family, her artwork, and her beliefs. At times people disagree with her decision to post family photos and discuss her christian beliefs.

I read through her entire post feeling tears coming on. It truly bothered me that people feel they can harass others just because they have the security of hiding behind a computer screen. It's just bad behavior.

I found this woman's blog one day when I was particularly bummed out and going through a tough time. Her blog was the first that I had ever seen or read. Until that point I didn't even understand what a blog was. The words that she published were very touching and made me feel better. So reading that  she sometimes wondered why she blogged because she felt that there wasn't enough enjoyment to replace the negativity that she received, made me feel badly for her. I have met so many wonderful people blogging and I would hate to feel that I needed to give up something that I enjoyed.

I have never met this blogger; can't imagine that I ever would for any reason, never talked to her, or sent her an email, I do not know her and I do not know what makes her blog, but I do know one thing about what she writes. It's that her words have the power to help people. She has an amazing ability to help and encourage complete strangers. And this day I decided that maybe someone needed to tell her that, maybe she didn't know. I wrote her a very long email telling her how grateful I was, how she had wrote words that I needed to hear, and how in the end she had made me feel better. I let her know that she had helped me.

The next morning she returned my email. She told me of how my email made her cry because she really needed someone to tell her that. She was a complete sweetheart and thanked me repeatedly.
I spent the rest of the day thinking, wow sometimes it really does feel that when we have something to be joyful about, forces outside of our control come to try and steal our joy. It's a shame really.

I really didn't understand where this poor woman was coming from. I had never had anyone be mean to me over blogging...
That is until today. This morning I received my first piece of harassing email or hate mail; I'm not really sure what to call it.

This person contacted me through my store and was pushing for a response from me, so please see below:

I draw and craft as a hobby. It is something that I enjoy doing. I am sorry if somehow I have offended  you by sharing my art. The truth is I have no idea who you are, so that was not my intention. I can draw in many different styles: fantasy, manga, etc... but I enjoy big eyed cutesy art the most. This is why I tend to draw big eyed art. It is a style that is defined by the slightly over sized adorable eyes. This is how I draw and it is how thousands of people world wide draw also. I'm sorry if it offends you that people other than yourself draw this way. I am not familiar with your art so I am not inspired by it nor you, sorry. I truly do not understand the pictures that you attached. Our lines do not match up, our pupils are different shapes, and our light flashes are in different places. The noses, mouths, and chins are also different. Your face shapes are pointed and mine are round. They are different, I see no reason for you to feel threatened by my work. I know that you complained about several of my other images too, but you did not send me any pictures about those so I really do not know what your concern is. You indicated that you had an issue with my hair styles. My hair is long and I have experimented with many different styles my entire life. This is where I get my inspiration for hairstyles. When I find one I like I put it in my art. Let me assure you that my work is my own.

I enjoy drawing and sharing. I give most of my illustrations out for free, and all anybody has to do is ask if they want one. This is something I do for me, not as a job to make money. I am not trying to steal your style or your customers. 

You stated in your email that you would be hiring a lawyer if I did not obey you wishes. That is your choice, I have no issues hiring an attorney myself. I have saved all my work from the beginning rough sketch ideas all the way to the completed product. It is quite easy so see how many times I erased each image until I got it just the way that I wanted it. I would not waste my time tracing your work, I enjoy creating it myself. 

• I will not be removing illustrations  
• I will not be closing my store
• I will not discontinue posting  
• I will continue to share my love of drawing with others

I stand by my work and I'm not going to let you or any other stranger take something I enjoy doing away. I do not appreciate you sending me threatening emails. I feel that artists should be supportive of one another, not stretching to find ways for others not to be able to express themselves in their love of art too. It is unfortunate that this is the way you choose for us to meet, it truly saddens me. I wish you all the success in the world in your creative endeavors.

Hope everyone out there is having a wonderful day.

Hugs,

Anna 

 
 

Alice Digital Stamps

Hey guys,

I have a new digi for everyone today.

She was a bit on the stubborn side. I changed my mind at least a dozen times while sketching her. I erased so much I almost put a hole in my paper.

At first she was a vampire with slicked back hair holding a goblet.

(Why would a vampire need to hold a goblet? I don't know but it looked cute, lol)

I liked everything but her hair. I really enjoy drawing hair but this one just didn't have enough pizazz for me. So I fluffed and softened it a bit. That however, made me question the glass. It was very ornate and almost to goth for my style. So I tried a few different goblets and even a potion bottle. 

Once I decided on the perfect drinking glass, I couldn't make up my mind if I still wanted her to be a vampire. She made a stunning vamp, but she also looked beautiful without fangs. I could see myself using her for just about any other holiday too.

So since I am having such an indecisive week, 

I just decided to do both.

Romantic and Pretty 

as well as 

Stunning Vampire

And in the future, I think I might go ahead and redraw the potion one too. Make it all heart shaped and cutesie with a little tag hanging down that says Love Potion.  Wouldn't that be cute for Valentines Day.

Sweet Alice Digital Stamp

Sweet Alice

Sweet Alice Cuddlebug Cuties

And for Halloween here's

Vampire Alice

Vampire Alice Cuddlebug Cuties

Both takes on Alice will be free through Sept 9, 2012.

Enjoy coloring and crafting with her but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing her.

Here's a list of the colors I used. It's a mix of copic, promarkers, and prismacolor. So to make it a little eaiser :

C = copic

PM = promarker

P = prisma

• Skin: (C) EOOO, E51, E50, E21, R01
• Lips: (PM) Sunkissed Pink, (C) ROO, RO1
• Hair: (P) Cocoa Bean, Mocha Dark, Driftwood, (C) E40
• Dress: (C) R22, R32, R21, R20, R00
• Glass (C) Y26, YR31, Y32, YR30

Have a great weekend everyone

Hugs,

Anna

Don't forget to check out my candy here 

all you have to do is be a follower and add your name to the link

Trick or Treat Kitty

Good morning everyone,

Sept. 6 will be Cuddlebug Cuties 2 month blogiversary. I am truly in awe with the amazing people that I've met in the last eight weeks. You are all so very wonderful. Every page click, every comment, and every email are all so very much appreciated. 

I just want to say Thank You from the bottom of my heart to all my amazing followers.

Ok, now that I've had my mushy moment (wink) lets get to the fun stuff

New Stamp Time!!!

Today I have a new Halloween digi, I almost had two but my second one was just being down right stubborn. I'll have that one for you guys by this weekend.

For today, how does a kitty costumed cutie sound?

Kitty Mac Cuddlebug Cuties

This is a recreation of Mac. Every time I looked at her I just thought she would make the cutest cat. I couldn't wait for Halloween to come around so that I could recreate her.

Isn't this paper adorable? I found it at the bottom of my paper stack. It's from K&Companies Halloween collection from last year.

Kitty Mac Cuddlebug Cuties

Kitty Mac will be free through Sept 8, 2012.

Enjoy coloring and crafting with her but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing her.

*******

In case you haven't seen it yet, I have new blog candy here.

and

Use coupon code: SPOOKY to recieve 15% off your purchase from my store.

Good through September 9, 2012.

Hugs,

Anna

Boo!!

Patience is a virtue.

It is one that I was not born with. 

Maybe it's a learned behavior, 

but I haven't really leaned it yet either, 

lol

When I first decided to make a Halloween collection, I figured I'd draw several digis and put them up in my store. Then I would would make a few more and post them on my blog as freebies over the weeks that followed. 

However....

It's not really that much fun spending days creating something and then tucking it into a folder to save for later.

So now I've decided to break my collection up a bit and put them up as I make them.  Today I have a free digi on my blog and a new one in my store.

This one's called Boo. She's just sitting in the shadows telling spooking stories for the enjoyment of her friends.

Boo Cuddlebug Cuties

 I added a little bit of shadow and turned the flashlight on in this one.

Boo Cuddlebug Cuties

This is a Smashbook page I'm working on. So much paper cutting, but I love how it looks.

Boo Cuddlebug Cuties

 Boo!!

Boo Cuddlebug Cuties

Boo will be free through Sept 5, 2012.

Enjoy coloring and crafting with her but please give me, Anna Stillwell at Cuddlebug Cuties, credit for drawing her.

I have also added Raven to my store.

 I really wanted a cute reaper for Halloween.

Raven Close-up

 I am so happy with how my scythe turned out. When I showed it to my dad the first thing he said was, "Awesome, I like the weapon. Guess all that time playing World of Warcraft paid off."

All I could do was laugh. I never would have dreamed that either of my parents would tell me something good came from me playing a video game. I don't think I could hold a candle to the W.O.W. graphic designers but it made for a good laugh.

******

Encase you haven't seen it yet, I have new blog candy here.

Use coupon code: SPOOKY to recieve 15% off your purchase from my store.

Good through September 9, 2012.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone,

Hugs,

Anna