Went a Little Wild

Yesterday I went a little wild in the craft room. I had this little image from Cuddly Buddly (out of the UK) already colored up. I had put Stickles on his cap and on the star and wasn't really happy with the results. He is an adorable little St. Nick, and I felt, after the Stickles had dried, that I should have kept him a little more simple and primative. So, with that being said, I decided to go all the way with the glitzing him up.

I cut the red background using a die by QuicKutz. The square was too small to place the little image in the middle, so I turned the die cut so the scallops could be seen at the top, bottom and sides. I then ran a piece of Christmas ribbon through the two corner loops and secured the ribbon to the back. I added a matching bow and then "went wild." The poinsettia flower is by Wild Orchid Crafts. I added Stickles to the poinsettia (taking a brush and spreading it over the entire area). I then added the red glitter leaves behind the flower. They came from a bunch that I purchased from Michael's Crafts. 

The results are a bit glitzy for the jolly old man, but I had lots of fun experimenting with this little card. 

Muses Still Stuffed

I think my Muses are still stuffed from yesterday's celebration and feasting. They are working a bit sluggish today. Finished this little card using an image that I had already colored (in fact, have several). I really wanted the image panel to be oval, but the image is too large for my Spellbinder dies (should have decreased the size before I printed and colored -- one of these days I'll figure that out -- grin). Anyway. . .

The image is a freebie (always love those, right??) from Cuddly Buddly. It is by Karen Middleton. The sentiment is also a freebie from Cuddly Buddly.  I colored the image using my Copic Markers (G99/94, YR24/23/Y15, R46/59). The card base is white layered over with a patterned paper of subtle holly leaves. I placed a band of deep red cut using a Martha Stewart punch and used solid green for matting of the image and the sentiment. The image matting (scallop) is cut with one of my Spellbinder dies. The poinsettia flower at the top is by K&Co. Quick, easy, nice -- 

Tis the Season for Giving

I have found another wonderful crafter who is giving away a package of wonderful blog candy. You really need to hop over to her blog and check it out. Who wouldn't love to get some new paper, inks and images -- not to mention those lovely little roses? Our generous crafter is called Kate, and she is celebrating 600 followers (I was happy to get a dozen - grin). Her URL is http://downrightcrafty.blogspot.com/p/good-evening-to-you-all-in-land-of-blog.html and I know that you will enjoy a visit to her blog. Good luck!

Spellbinders+stamps=Happy Christmas

Would you like to treat yourself to a super nice Christmas present? Then run right over to Tracy's Stamping Corner at http://tracysstampingcorner.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-candy-anybody.html and sign up for a chance to win this wonder blog candy. You will also enjoy Tracy's blog, so check it out while you are there. 

Another Tilda

The little Tilda (from Magnolia) was another image that I already had colored up waiting to go onto a card. I mentioned to my friend, Bonnie, that I was having problems finding sketches that would work with the images that I have, so she sent me the link to Magnolia Down Under challenge site (http://magnoliadownunderchallenges.blogspot.com/) where she had seen the above sketch.

Well, the sketch looks quite nice, eh? The sample card at the site was even lovelier, so I had to give it a try. Ummm, that's where I made my mistake (LOL)! My elements just didn't seem to want to go together in as nice a manner as the lovely sample or the lovely sketch. No problem, right? I can just adapt -- which is truly what I ended up doing and in the end my card pleases me. It really is prettier when seen for real -- up close and personal, as they say. The two strips in the background are a gold foil-ish card with the holly leaves printed on top. Adds just the right amount of bling without looking garish.

The middle strip is a Martha Steward punch with ribbon woven between the spaces. The background paper (blue) and the paper the little Tilda cut out is atop were printed off from a computer cd called "Snow Much Fun" by Margaret Sherry. Tilda was colored with my Copic markers and Stickles glitter were added (as with yesterday's image - see previous post). The ribbon is a new spool I bought from Michael's Crafts this past weekend, and the little Poinsettia flower a top the bow is from Wild Orchid Crafts in the U.K.

I have entered this card in the challenge at: http://magnoliadownunderchallenges.blogspot.com/

WOW, Two Posts in One Day

Seems it is feast or famine with my posts lately, eh? However, I am trying to stay busier in the hope of getting better prepared for the holidays. This coming week I will, of course, be getting ready for the US Thanksgiving holiday. It will not be as large an event for us this year as only my one daughter and her three kiddos will be here, but we will be thankful for our blessings.

So enough of my prattling. This little card uses a darling Magnolia image of little Tilda as an angel (well, I presume she is an angel and not a fairy -- rather mixed parts as she does have a halo, but then she also has a wand -- to my mind that is mixing elements from two different things) -- at any rate, she is going to earn angel status with me and help celebrate the Christmas season. I colored her in with my Copic markers and added two different stickle glitters (diamond for the halo and wand and Diamond Dust for the wings). The diamond stickle has a little gold in it whereas the diamond dust is more white/silver-ish. I covered white card with a patterned paper, added a open cut doily and a border. I was pleasently surprised to find just the right color ribbon in my stash, The holly pieces at the top and the Poinsettia piece at the bottom are K&Co chipboard. I don't have a sentiment on the front (although that may change -- or not -- before I send the card out), but has an appropriate Christmas verse inside.

So that's it for this evening. I promise no more posties until at least tomorrow (smile).

I entered this little card in the challenge at:

http://christmasblogchallenge.blogspot.com/2011/11/awwwwwwwwwwwwww-what-cutie.html

                                         

Chistmas is Coming

I seem to be falling quite behind in getting any Christmas cards ready for this year, so yesterday I vowed to stay in my craft room until I accomplished a bit. I've had a number of images colored up, but then the energy level fell short of actually using them and putting them on a card that could be sent away. These four little cards were the fruits of my efforts yesterday.

The first one is rather simple. I colored up Santa using my Copic markers. I covered the "fur" areas using Diamond Dust stickles glitter, added a strip of Christmas paper and a round sentiment. Voila, a little Christmas cheer to send off.

The second one adds a little more in the decor department. I covered white card with Christmas paper, added a smaller layer of green paper, a strip of red that I trimmed out on one side using a snowflake border punch (Martha Stewart), a strip of Christmas ribbon, a couple of circles cut with one of my Spellbinder dies, the little elf image that I had colored up, and some 3-D holly stickers by K&Co. Festive little card, right?

The third card is a darling image by Mo Manning. Again, I colored it with my Copic markers, used the Diamond Dust stickle glitter for the fur areas and cut it out with one of my Spellbinder dies. I inked the edges around the die cut so that it would stand out more on the background paper. A punched border and a wee bit of ribbon, and I have another card to mail out.

The last one was super simple and quick. The little gingerbread guy is a punch out image that I've had for eons. I don't even remember where I got it or which company made it, but I found it in my Christmas stash so decided to use him. I simply layered some decorative paper onto red card and put that on top of green card. It looked a bit plain to me, so I added the red corner punches and a little ribbon. This is my least favorite as the green was not really dark enough (in my opinion) once I got everything together. However, it will go out just the same.

Now I just need a to spend a few more days in the craft room being as productive and maybe, just maybe, I'll be ready for the holidays this year -- novel idea, eh?

I did enter the little elf (North Pole) card in the challenge at: http://herecometheboysblogchallenge.blogspot.com/

Sugar Nellie Blog Hop and Candy

Isn't this lovely candy? Wouldn't it be a wonderful holiday gift to some lucky person (maybe me - GRIN). You can have a chance, too. Simply go to http://pinkpuds.blogspot.com/ and enter your name with Mr. Linkey. LUV those new Country Cousin images from Sugar Nellie. I think you will, too. Good luck!!

Little Santas

These simple little Santa cards were quick and easy to make. I've managed to get four of them done (yes, I'm only sharing two) in very little time. The card base is 4.5 x 6" so will fit a standard size envelop. Using a variety of papers from my scrap bags, each of the four that I've made have a different look. The little Santa is from Dustin Pike (it was a freebie a while back). I printed off twice as many Santas as I was going to use. I colored one using my Copic Markers (R29, R27 and R24 for the red and C9, C7 and C5 for the "black." Sorry, I can't remember which green I used on his mittens.). I then fussy cut one entire image. I cut only the mustaché from the second image and pop-dotted it on top of the base mustaché for a little dimension. I added some Diamond Dust Stickles to the white "fur" area. The sentiment is a rubber stamp that I've had for ages (it actually has three ho's, but I only inked two of them so they would fit on the tag size I wanted to use). A little ribbon and some scalloped circles, and there you have it -- a cute little card to share during the holidays.