More Christmas Critters

Hi all - I'm back with a couple more cards for Heather's challenge to have an animal on your Christmas card. I'm supposed to be making non-holiday cards today but I couldn't resist making a few more critter cards. On card 1, I used a darling kitty from a Sunny Studios set; on card 2, I used a sweet fox from Art Impressions I got for free at a stamp expo last year. Here are the cards:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts pool card; Neenah Solar White; Lawn Fawn "Let's Bokeh in the Snow" 6x6 pad

Dies - Simon Says Stamp Holiday Frames; Spellbinders Holiday Greetings (2 medium snowflakes, layered)

Stamps - Sunny Studio "Santa's Helpers"; My Daily Bread Snowflake Background

Other - Copic Markers; Glossy Accents; Lemon Stickles; Michael's Reflections gem; Hero Arts Unicorn White Ink; foam tape

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts grenadine card; Neenah Solar White; Michaels Yellow & Black; Paper Studio Old World Winter

Stamps - Hero Arts CL465 Tree-mendous; CL343 Holiday Sayings; Art Impressions Unmounted Freebie Fox CHA2015

Dies - Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Shapes (star); My Favorite Things Blueprints 20 (stitched rectangle) & Double Stitched Rectangles

Ink - Distress Inks Twisted Citron and Pine Needles; Other - Copic Markers; Memento Tuxedo Black ink; Liquid Applique; foam tape

Hope you're having a crafty day! See this week's challenge to Heather here. I'm off to make the card I need to mail today. Thanks for stopping!!

A Furry Christmas

Hi all - my friend Heather has challenged me to make an animal Christmas card this week! How fun is that?! I'm an animal lover and have had many pets over the years, mainly cats. So, I knew my card had to have a cat on it! I picked this darling furry trio image that Heather sent me - thanks, Heather! Here's my card:

Supplies: Stamps - Simon Says Stamp "Furry Christmas"; Hero Arts with Studio Calico 331232 "Spread Joy"

Dies - My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints 20 (stitched rectangle) & 28 (banner); Penny Black gothic gate 51-146; 

Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Shapes (largest stitched rectangle)

Paper - Authentique "Cozy"; kraft and blue cardstock from stash by unknown

Distress Stains - Tarnished Brass; Distress inks Frayed Burlap & Black Soot

Here's a view with the gate folded open:

I die cut the blue stitched rectangle and then die cut the gate into it. I masked off all but the gate and painted the gate with the brass stain. Once dry, I popped this piece with foam tape over the white stamped panel I had colored with Copics. The speech bubble was stamped separately (Heather sent me a few on a sheet) so I fussy cut it and popped it with foam tape by the pets. I adhered this all to the woodgrain panel I had die cut with the larger stitched rectangle and put it on a A2 top fold kraft card. Die cut and stamped the sentiment banner - done!

I'm adding this to Lori's Summer Link-up over on Merry Monday, the place to go for inspiration to get your Christmas card stash ready. Merry Monday will be back to challenge us in September, meanwhile I hope you're finding inspiration from Heather's and my challenges!

If you didn't see my challenge to Heather yesterday, find it here - it's emboss/resist and I had fun with it! I look forward to seeing what Heather creates! Thanks for stopping and I hope you're having a crafty week!!

Another Christmas in July Challenge - Emboss/Resist Technique

Time for another Christmas in July Challenge to my friend Heather (and anyone else playing along).

Challenge #4 - use the Emboss/Resist Technique on your Christmas card

A couple weeks ago, Heather made a delightful blue snowflake card with dry embossing. I was inspired to create a similar card using a stamp & the emboss/resist technique. I made a couple emboss/resist panels and put them on two different colors of card base. Here are the cards:

      

Supplies: Stamps - Urban Stamps "Snowflake Lace"; Hero Arts CL803 Family & Friends (sentiment)

Dies - Spellbinders Holiday Greetings (smallest snowflake); MFT Die-Namics Blueprints 20 (stitched rectangle & banner)

Paper - Anchor Paper purple card; Hero Arts Azure layering paper; Neenah Solar White card stock

Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Inks Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, & Wilted Violet; Perfect Medium

Embossing Powder - Detail White by Stampendous; Icy Stickles, Hero Arts Floral mixed accents (gem)

I found this gorgeous snowflake background on a recent visit to CF Stamps while traveling to visit my parents. After stamping the snowflakes with Perfect Medium and heat embossing it with the Detail White powder, I sponged it with the three Distress Inks. Then I die cut the panel with the stitched rectangle, adhered it to a blue mat and onto the card base. I love how changing the position of the die changed the look between the two cards! I die cut the banner, then stamped the sentiment on it using my mini-MISTI. I applied Stickles to one snowflake, plus a gem; to the other I added a sticker snowflake (Hobby Lobby) that already had a gem on it. Although purple is my favorite color, I rather like the aqua version better.

I'm eager to see Heather's beautiful creation and I can't wait to see what she's cooked up for me this week!!

One more one-layer Christmas card and a sympathy card

Back with another version of my challenge card to Heather earlier this week. She did any amazing job with the challenge - see her card and tag here!!

Yesterday I went to an all day workshop with our Region of Sweet Adelines International - so inspiring with an amazing guest clinician, Tori Postma! I came home and relaxed a bit with another Hallmark movie but still had some energy from the exciting day. I spotted the stamp set I used on Monday's challenge and I couldn't resist trying another one-layer. This time it was a true one-layer as all the inking was with inks that don't bleed through the paper. Here's my card:

Supplies: Stamps - Hero Arts CL796 Peace Poinsettias; CG222 Music Background

Paper - Neenah Solar White; Other - Bronze Distress Stain; Mustard Seed Stickles

Inks - Distress Inks - Candied Apple, Spun Sugar, Fired Brick, Twisted Citron, Black Soot; Memento Tuxedo Black

I decided to use the solid poinsettia image with Distress Inks and then stamped the outline over top - so easy with MISTI! Then I sponged Distress Inks around the flower, masked it, and stamped the background. I used bronze Distress Stain mixed with a bit of water for some splatters - quite a nice shimmer, even if some of the splatters got a bit splotchy. Some Stickles for the flower center and some shading around the card edge - done! The colors really are this vibrant and I ended up loving how it turned out.

So - another Christmas card added to the stash! Be sure to stop back tomorrow for the next challenge to Heather - I made a couple of versions of the inspiration card. I can't wait to see what she has in store for me!

I learned some sad news - a former coworker passed away on Friday. I retired from work almost four months ago but Colleen was still working for another year. I was shocked and saddened to learn that she won't be enjoying the fruits of all her years of hard work with a blissful retirement. I made this card for her family:

Supplies: Stamps - Penny Black Pastoral; Hero Arts CL574 Say it All; Dies - Xcuts 3D Butterfly; MFT Blueprints 20

Inks - Distress Inks - Seedless Preserves, Frayed Burlap

Paper: Hero Arts Aubergine; Neenah Solar White; DCWV glitter paper

I hope the card brings some comfort. Thanks to Heather for sending the yummy butterfly die I used and thanks for stopping!!

Merry Elephant

Happy Friday - I'm back with another card for Heather's challenge to me this week. Challenge is to use a non-Christmas stamp for your Christmas card. As I was flipping through my stamps sets on Monday, I considered using the elephant in the sweet Avery Elle "Ellie" set but moved on to make a chair card (see it here). Every time I passed my crafty space this week, I was drawn to that elephant image. Here's what I created with it today:

Supplies: Stamps: Hero Arts G5805 Shari's Tree No. 3; CL802 Christmas Crystals (sentiment);

Stampers Anonymous Tim Holtz Collection CMS237 Crazy Things (present & Santa hat); Avery Elle ST-15-09 Ellie

Paper - Neenah Solar White; Hero Arts Azure; Authentique Cozy 6x6

Copic Markers; Fired Brick Distress Ink

Dies: My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints 20 & Double-Stitched Rectangles; 

Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Shapes (star & large rectangle)

I started by stamping the Santa hat, masked it and then stamped the elephant, masked him and then stamped the present. Colored the final image with Copic markers and fussy cut it. Popped it with foam tape on the layered rectangles. I stamped the tree on the pale blue rectangle and colored with Copics. Unfortunately the Authentique paper wasn't Copic friendly so there was a bit of bleeding but I was fine with it.

While I was at it, I made a few more chair cards. I used Authentique Cozy papers on these and the sentiment is from Hero Arts/Studio Calico clear set 331232 Spread Joy. Otherwise the supplies were as shown on my other chair card.

I like these versions but still like the original the best. I challenged Heather to make a one-layer card. See my sample card here. Can't wait to see what she creates!

Thanks for stopping!

Heather's Challenge 3 - Use a non-Christmas image

Hello everyone! My friend Heather threw a curve ball today in our little summer of Christmas challenges! She challenged me to use a non-Christmas image as the focal point to a Christmas card. Hmmmm - what to do?....

We often do Scrambles (timed challenges) on the Hero Arts Flickr Group. I've learned to grab what's near and go with it. Today I had a stack of non-Christmas stuff still sitting around from Kathy's 30-day Coloring Challenge and I found a fun retired Hero Arts set I thought would be perfect. The set features chairs and other living room furniture and the biggest chair reminded me of a Santa chair! Can you tell I've been watching too many Christmas movies on the Hallmark Channel this month?! Here's my card:

Supplies: All Stamps by Hero Arts - CL480 Wish You Were Here (chair); CL368 Create Your Own Snowman (Santa hat); CL906 Color Layering Dimensional Bird (sentiment)

Inks - Memento Tuxedo Black; Tim Holtz Distress Inks (Black Soot, Fired Brick)

Paper - Hero Arts Punch Layering Paper; Authentique Festive 6x6 paper pad

Other: Copic Markers

Dies: My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints20 & Double Stitched Rectangles

Thanks for the super fun challenge, Heather! See my challenge to her from earlier today (sorry for two posts in one day!!). Have a crafty week!!

Christmas in July Challenge 3 - One layer card

Wow - it's time for Christmas Challenge #3 to my friend Heather already! We are adding to our Christmas card stash this summer by challenging each other to make various themed Christmas cards.

Challenge 3 - Create a one layer Christmas card

Here's my card:

Supplies: Stamps (all Hero Arts) - CG222 Music Background; CL796 Peace Poinsettias; DC113 Let it Snow Stamp&Cut. Retired from Hero Arts' shop but all available at Simon Says Stamp and probably other sites. 

Other - Copics; Stickles; Distress Inks; Distress Paints; Memento Tuxedo Black Ink

Process:
Cut a 4.25x5.5 white panel.
Stamp the poinsettia with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink.
Mask the flower and stamp the leaves (same ink). Using the MISTI made it so easy!!
Mask the flower and leaves, then stamp the musical background with Twisted Citron Distress Ink.
Once dry, sponge the background with Old Paper Distress Ink.
Add splatters of Picket Fence Distress Paint (I blotted any large splatters into blotches).
Remove mask & dry panel thoroughly (I left mine overnight).
Stamp the sentiment with Black Soot Distress Ink.
Color the flower and leaves with Copic markers of choice.
Ink the panel edges with Black Soot Distress Ink.
Add Stickles to flower berries.
Adhere panel to an A2 top folding card base; I didn't stamp directly onto a card base since I knew I'd need to cover up the Copic bleed through - is that cheating for a one-layer? So be it!

Merry Monday had a one-layer challenge earlier this year and I hated my card! I'm hoping I redeemed myself with this one and am adding it to Lori's summer link up. The Merry Makers will be back with new challenges in September.

Hope Heather (and anyone else who wants to play) enjoys this challenge. Happy crafting and thanks for visiting!

A More Elaborate Christmas CAS

Hi all - I'm back with another card for Heather's challenge to me this week to make a CAS Christmas card. I went to visit my parents this week and, on the way, stopped at CF Stamps. They carry tons of dies and I always find something there! This time, I picked up a couple of dies and a cling stamp (you're sure to see this stamp on an upcoming challenge to Heather...). I started playing with one of the dies - Penny Black's Dancing Leaves. The "berries" on it matched so well with the PB Whirl Wreath I used earlier this week, I decided to make a wreath card using both dies. Here's the card:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White; Reflections (Michaels) green, Anchor Paper vellum, the Paper Studio glitter paper. Other: Reflections clear gems
Dies - Penny Black Whirl Wreath & Dancing Leaves
Stamps - Hero Arts CL474 Special Wishes (wreath) CL644 Bring on the Merry (sentiment)
Ink - Time Holtz Distress Ink: Fired Brick & Pine Needles

I cut two Whirl Wreaths and glued them together rotating the second one so they weren't lined up. The bottom one was card stock sponged with a bit of Pine Needles Distress ink. The second one was cut from green vellum. I cut the Dancing Leaves twice from a darker green card and snipped them apart to fit it into the Whirl Wreath. While I was digging though my stamps for a JOY stamp to put in the wreath's center, I found a 2010 Hero Arts Christmas wreath stamp (retired) that I thought would be perfect under the die cut wreath. Here's a photo of the original version with the more elaborate one alongside:

Still a lot of white space so I think it qualifies as clean and simple? Anyway, let me know which card you like better. Obviously the original was easier and perfect for mass production, but the second was fun to layer.

Thanks for stopping and hope you're having a crafty weekend! If you stop back on Monday, I'll have another Christmas challenge for Heather.

Heather's Christmas Challenge 2 - create a CAS card

Heather's challenge to me this week - create a CAS Christmas card. Hmmm, the clean & simple style isn't one I use very often but I thought right away of a fun wreath die. Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White; Hero Arts grass layering paper; the Paper Studio glitter paper   

Die - Penny Black Whirl Wreath (bow cut twice and layered with foam tape); Gems - Michael's Reflection

Thanks to Heather for the fun challenge and I can't wait to see what she (or anyone else who wants to play) creates with the challenge I issued this week. Another Christmas card made - yay!

Have a crafty week and thanks for stopping by!!

Christmas in July Challenge 2 - Dry embossing and Snowflakes

Hi all - back with the second challenge to my friend Heather Maria so we keep working on our Christmas cards this summer. Merry Monday is off (**see note at end) for July and August so we came up with this way to continue creating a weekly Christmas card. I'm calling the July challenges "Christmas in July".

Challenge 2 - use dry embossing and snowflakes on a Christmas card. 

I made the following card as inspiration:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White; Basic Grey Juniper Berry; My Mind's Eye Mistletoe Magic; Anchor Paper Berrylicious card stock; scrap of teal behind the letters from my stash by ??
 Dies - Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Frames (frame and banner) & Holiday Frames (Polaroid); Snowflake by ?? (the die was loose in my box with no packaging
Embossing folder - Xcuts Herringbone Pattern

I embossed a piece of red paper using a herringbone folder Heather gave me when we got together in June. Thanks again, Heather - love it!! It embosses a 6x6 sheet but I decided to die cut it into stitched banners. I thought a banner worked well with the Polaroid.

I look forward to seeing Heather's take on my challenge and what she dreamed up for me to create this week. Anyone else want to play along? Just pop your link in the comments; I'd love to see your creations!

Wishing you a crafty day!! I'll be back later in the week with a card for Heather's challenge.

** NOTE: Lori from Merry Monday has posted a link-up for July/August if you want to upload new cards made using past challenges so you can keep the production going. I will definitely play along there too!!

The Daily Marker 30 Day Coloring Challenge Blog Hop

Happy Monday everyone! Welcome to the amazing Kathy Racoosin's TheDailyMarker 30 Day Coloring Challenge Blog Hop!! Kathy loves to color and currently is hosting her FIFTH!! 30 Day Coloring Challenge. She challenges us to color something every single day, even for just 5 minutes and no matter what medium you use. Today Kathy has assembled this Blog Hop with some very talented ladies to jump start your creativity. You probably arrived here from the sweet and creative Barb Engler's blog.

I'm so excited to participate - who doesn't love to color?! Kathy and I share the experience, along with a bunch of other amazing women, of having been a Hero Hostess for the Hero Arts Flickr Group. We enjoy getting together via blog hops and today's a special treat for me! You will recognize several Hero Arts artists, past and present, in the line-up too. Here's my card:

Supplies: Hero Arts stamps - Flowers & bugs March 2016 My Monthly Hero; sentiment DC156 Millie Cutouts by Lia

Paper - Hero Arts 2 shades of pool layering paper; Neenah  Solar White; Michael's Reflections black

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; Other - Copic Markers

Die - Stitched rectangle from Simon Says Stamp Bundle of Stitched Shapes

Kathy inspires me with her beautiful coloring & shading! Mine is nowhere near her level but Kathy makes the point to just keep trying and enjoy the process. I used my new mini-MISTI to compose/stamp the white panel. I needed to repeat a few of the leaf images so I removed the flowers and moved the leaves around before re-stamping. The panel started at 4.25x5.5" but I trimmed it down to fit over the 4x5.25" stitched rectangle mat. All these images from the March 2016 My Monthly Hero kit were super fun to color!!

Be sure to leave comments on all the posts as you hop along! Hero Arts will be giving out two $25 shopping sprees, selecting randomly from comments left on all the stops in this Blog Hop - deadline for commenting is July 18th midnight EST. Kathy will announce the winners on the 19th.

Thanks to Kathy for inviting me to play along and special thanks to Hero Arts - we wouldn't be here together without this amazing company!!

Next up on the Hop, my dear friend and fabulous card-maker, Heather Doran. And speaking of Heather, tomorrow we will post our next Christmas card challenge (#2 of the series for July/August). Stop and check out both our blogs if you need to work on your Christmas cards!

Here's the entire blog list so you don't miss a thing:

Jennifer McGuire
Shari Carroll
Lisa Spangler
Virginia Lu
Lin Brandyberry
Kathy Wade
Arlene McClung
Barb Engler
Linda Wetterlin <<-- you are here
Heather Doran
Cheiron Brandon
Sarah Moerman
Emily Leiphart
Kathy Racoosin

Coloring is addictive! Once I got started, I had a hard time stopping & made 3 more cards.


All Stamps Hero Arts: Card 1 - CL964 Marianne's Flowers; CL574 Say it All
Card 2 - CL304 A Million Thanks; Card 3 - CL449 Delicate Blossoms & CL304 A Million Thanks
Dies - Sizzix pierced circle; My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints 20; Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangle from a Bundle of Stitched Shapes; Copic markers

Thanks for stopping and have a day full of color!!

Christmas Quilt Card

Hi all - Just got home this afternoon from a trip to visit my parents and my aunt & uncle. I headed right to my crafty space to take up Heather's challenge to make a Christmas quilt card. I'm sure she figured I'd go for my Taylored Expressions quilt die - instead I picked a My Favorite Things Die-Namics die set which has some quilt elements. Having cut several to have parts to piece it, I can make more of this type of card - just didn't have time to get 'er done today. Here's my card:

Supplies: Stamp: Hero Arts DC170 Merry Stamp&Cut

Dies: My Favorite Things Die-Namics Blueprints 20 & 21; Merry die from Sunny Studios "Santa's Helpers" set

Paper: Neenah Solar White; Hero Arts pool card stock (darkest shade); DCWV glitter paper; 

Penny Black "Holiday Trimmings"; scrap of red for the quilt outline.

Ink: Tim Holtz Distress Ink - Fired Brick; Other: foam tape for dimension

Thanks to Heather for the fun challenge and I hope everyone's enjoying the holiday week!! And remember my challenge to Heather this week - I'd love to see your Christmas tree card if you decide to play along!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Happy 4th & Christmas in July challenge

Happy 4th of July to all celebrating in the USA! I'm sure to be watching the fireworks tonight after a fun day with my family!! Hope you're having a great Monday whatever you're doing!

No Merry Monday today or the rest of this month and next. The Merry Makers have taken the summer off to relax and enjoy family. Wishing them all the best and I thank them for all the inspiration the rest of the year! But what's to be done about continuing the momentum of getting my Christmas card stash ready for December?? My friend Heather Maria has played occasionally in the Merry Monday challenges but her schedule had been too busy lately. She was ready to jump back in, only to discover the hiatus - she offered to throw challenges out to me every week, in lieu of Merry Monday. How great is that?!! I thought it would be fair to throw a challenge back to her! I'm calling the July ones "Christmas in July".

So here's my first challenge to Heather - make a Christmas card with a tree on it. Any tree will do but my sample card today features an artsy Christmas tree. I stamped the tree with a designer woodblock stamp created by Shari Carroll back in 2013 when she was still with Hero Arts - just love this one! And if you happen to need a challenge to keep your Christmas card momentum going, feel free to play along and share your link in a comment. No prizes, nothing formal like a linkup - just a little fun each week.

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Celadon folded card; Lawn Fawn's "Peace Joy Love" 6x6 pad

Stamp - Hero Arts woodblock G5805 Shari's Tree No.3 

Dies - My Favorite Things Double Stitched Rectangles

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black; Other - Copic Markers; Glossy Accents; 

Distress Stickles (Mustard Seed); Foam tape under the tree for dimension

Can't wait to see what Heather (and anyone else who feels like playing along) creates!! And I'll be looking for her challenge to me so I'll have a second Christmas card done by the end of the week - yay!

Thanks for stopping by and if you need more Christmas inspiration, check out Merry Monday. While there are no current challenges there, you can get loads of ideas from the past ones.