Festive Robins

Hi there 🙂 It’s time for another Christmas card! I know I’m still going to be in a rush come holiday season, but every little card made early makes the rush not so frantic! I used a sweet image from Ike’s Art, whose store closed after the creator, Sue, sadly passed away 🙁 I colored the robins with my Copics, then masked it off, so I could sponge some clouds in the background with my Distress Inks. I then added a touch of sparkle to the snow on the leaves and branches, and added a stamped and embossed sentiment.

I kept the layout of the card fairly simple, using 2 coordinating printed papers, and some dark brown matting. To match the gold of the embossing, I cut some thin strips of gold paper and placed them at an angle on opposite corners of the image, then die cut a bow from the same paper to add to one of the strips. A quick finishing touch was some gold ball embellishments.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Let’s Craft and Create – #199 AG or Use Paper Strips Instead of Ribbon

Most Magical Time of the Year – #12 Anything Halloween or Christmas

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge – #691 Christmas/Humorous Christmas

A Place to Start – September ATG with optional All That Glitters

Christmas Craft Creations – September – Metallics

Curious Kitty

Hi there 🙂 I was going through my digital stamp files, and came across this cutie, from Time for Tea. I see their Etsy store is closed down, but she has a new site here. Even before coloring this kitty with my Copics, I knew exactly the paper I was going to use on this card!! Everything worked with using my favorite color combo as the scheme, too! After framing the image with a red die cut, I started experimenting with layouts until I settled on this one. I layered the ladybug print paper over some plain white cardstock, and added a fence die cut at the seam. I then die cut the sentiment, layering the first word, and using off cuts of another alphabet die for the “wishes”. I attached a small piece of the red paper I’d been using to the back side of one of the corners on the ladybug print paper, then curled it over before matting everything in black. I went into my stash and found some cute ladybug embellishments that were the perfect finishing touch for this card.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #2337 ATG

Dream Valley Challenges – #301 Make It Digital

Digi Choosday Craft Challenge – Week 37 ATG

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – #214 ATG

Crafty Catz – ATG optional Dies

Just Ducky

Hi there 🙂 I’ve had this cute paper for eons, and when I saw this image from Mo’s Digital Pencil, everything fell into place, and I knew it was time to use it! I colored up Duck Duck with my Copics, then added some highlights with my white Posca pen.

I printed up the sentiment on my computer, and highlighted the lettering with some yellow, then matted it, and the image and background with orange card stock. I die cut some “bubbles”, inlaying the white outlines with some shimmery aqua, and adding highlights with Posca. After assembling the card, a tiny touch was still needed, and I found some sparkly dots that matched the bubbles, which made the perfect finishing touch for this sweet card!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

613 Ave. Create – September, Purely ATG

Jan’s Digistamps Challenge – September ATG

Corrosive Challenge Blog – #9 September ATG

Rabisco Challenge – #49 September ATG

Classic Design Challenge – #9 September ATG

Dragon Surprise

Hi there 🙂 Time for another Christmas card to go in to my stash 🙂 I adore images from Lee Holland Art, and this cute, festive dragon is no exception. I couldn’t find him in the shop, so I’m thinking this image may have been a freebie from somewhere. I colored the image up with my Copics, and added a few touches with white and silver Posca pens.

After cutting the image out with a rounded rectangle die, I layered it up with some coordinating papers (that I chose beforehand, so I could ensure the image went well with them). I die cut some pine sprigs, a little bow, and the sentiment to add to the card. I just love the traditional color scheme of this card!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Most Magical Time of the Year – #12 Anything Halloween or Christmas goes

Crafty Catz – Anything Goes, optional with Dies

Creative Knockouts – #502 ATG

Die Cut Divas – September ATG

Crafts Galore Encore – #115 ATG

Swinging Gnomes

Hi there 🙂 Time for another Christmas creation. Even though I’ve been making a concerted effort to get Christmas cards done lately, I am still so far behind, and will likely be scrambling as the holidays approach!! Lol…seems to be the same story every year. I colored up these adorable gnomes from Star Jam Lines, but when I went to add a link, I see the Etsy Store is closed, and the Facebook group hasn’t been active for quite some time 🙁 I had the paper picked out before coloring, so colored these guys up in pink and gold tones to match the paper. I added some “sparkle” with white Posca for a bit of fun.

After matting things up with a shimmery gold, I die cut the ornaments from the same gold paper, then inlaid the actual ornaments with some shiny pink off cuts. A simple banner with a sentiment finishes this fun, non traditional card off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Allsorts Challenge – Week 745 ATG or Use Die Cuts

Passion for Markers – Week 706 Christmas In September

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #2335 ATG

Creations In Pink – #61 ATG in Mainly Pink

Die Cut Divas – September ATG

Rosey Shaker

Hi there 🙂 I was so excited to see that Alex Syberia now has an inspiration challenge, that I had to join in the fun with a shaker card! I colored up one of the images from the Dog Rose set with my Copics, then cut it out.

To assemble the shaker, I used a plain white and a dark green cardstock. After layering the pieces so everything was matted and framed, and adding the shaker bits, I glued the rose image to the bottom part of the window. I had to play around a bit with some of my dies, so I could add a sentiment to the upper half of the card to balance things out – but found one that worked, and cut it out twice so it had a shadow effect.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Alex Syberia Inspiration Challenge – August – Create a Shaker

Creative Knockouts – #501 ATG

Passion for Markers – Week 703 Let’s Celebrate

Crafter’s Cafe – #300 Colours of the Garden

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – #212 ATG

Fairy Fantasy

Hi there 🙂 I don’t usually make cards that are really fussy, but this one seemed to take a life of it’s own!! I colored up a beautiful fairy from the (now closed) Make It Crafty store with my Prismacolor pencils. After cutting it out with a pretty shaped die, I sprinkled some white and sparkly gold embossing powders over it, to give it a real fantastical look (the sparkles are so pretty, even though they don’t show up well in the photos!).

I then took 2 pieces of paper, dry embossed them, and slightly distressed the edges. I lightly brushed over the embossing with some clear ink, and sprinkled some more of the gold sparkle powder over that. I layered these pieces over a white card base, and added some pretty lace and a bit of gold ribbon to the top piece. I stamped a sentiment, cut it out with a die, then sprinkled a bit of the same gold powder on that, then popped it on the card. I went through my flower stash, and assembled some coordinating flower bunches, adding some pieces of the gold ribbon, and a few die cut leaves. Some gold adhesive embellishments finish this card off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Penny’s Papercrafty Challenge – #553 ATG

Coloring With Pencils – August ATG

Creative Inspirations – August – Fairies

Can You Handle the Pressure – August ATG with a twist (not used) of stripes

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – #211 ATG

Gargoyle Greetings

Hi there 🙂 Recently, my kid’s partner celebrated his birthday. His favorite color is green, so I decided to make that the main color of his card. I found this cute Little Gargoyle image over at Whimsy Stamps, and thought it would bring a smile to his face. I colored it up with my Copic markers in stone like colors, then fussy cut him out – can you tell I love fussy cutting?? I do it on about 90% of my creations, lol.

For the background, I used a stencil to make a stone wall type of pattern, then die cut the sentiment border. I inlaid the bottom part of the sentiment with the off cuts of a sparkle die cut. After I put this together, I made a frame, that I popped on to the base with some foam to give a bit of dimension. I then lined up the image to perch atop the sentiment. I die cut a swag to add to the corner, and used some of the same greens that I’d used for the sentiment to add some color. A few grey enamel dots finish this all off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Jan’s Digital Stamp Challenge – August ATG

Simon Monday Challenge – Use Your Favorite Technique – Fussy Cutting 🙂

Polkadoodles Craft Challenge – Week 32 ATG

Crazy is Our Fame: Stencils are Our Game – August ATG with stencils (didn’t use optional butterfly theme)

Mirtillamente Challenge – #23 ATG

Mr. and Mrs. Owl

Hi there 🙂 There’s been so many weddings popping up this year, that I needed another card for my stash. I love owls, and when I saw this set over at AMB Illustrations (and the price it was!!!), I just had to pop it in my cart! I colored up the wedding owls with my Copics, then fussy cut them out. I added some silver sparkle to her tiara, a bit of Wink of Stella to the veil, and some Flower soft to the bouquet and boutonniere.

I took a mint green card base, and cut a scalloped heart aperture in the front, then used a silver pen to trace around the edge. The owls got popped on at the base of the heart. I die cut a white frame to bring everything into focus. I’ve had these wedding stickers for forever, and used one of them to bring a bit more silver in. A scattering of white and silver pearls, and a white lining for the inside of the card finish everything off.

I’d like to enter this in the following:

Dream Valley Challenges – #299 Add Gems and/or Pearls

Digi Choosday Challenge – Week 31 ATG

Allsorts Challenge – Week 741/2 All Creatures Great and Small

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends – #211 ATG

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #2332 ATG

Wild Roses

Hi there 🙂 When I saw this image from QKR Stampede (no link available, as the company has been sold), it brought back so many summer memories. I can remember walking down the back roads by our farm, and seeing all these wild rose bushes. I’d always be sure to carefully pick a bunch for my mom, hoping that I beat my dad to it!! I colored this image with my Copics, then cut it out with a pretty die. I messed around with a few ideas before deciding to go the way I did. The leaves in the embossing folder really reminded me of the rose leaves. A piece of pink ribbon, a die cut sentiment, and some matting were all that was needed to bring this card together. I was so impressed that the ribbon and the paper for the die cut and matting not only perfectly matched up with the pink in the image, but with each other as well!!

I’d like to enter this in the following:

A Place to Start – August ATG with Optional Leaves and/or Trees

Pammie’s Inky Pinkies – #2331 ATG

Passion for Markers – Week 702 Dies and/or Punches

Penny’s Paper Crafty Challenge – #552 ATG

Through the Purple Haze – #207 August Tic Tac Toe – I did the girly, stamp, dry embossing centre line, as well as the ribbon, stamp, floral diagonal line.