Sharon, Bloom Collection from Prima

I saw this cling stamp from Prima, Bloom Collection called Sharon, and I just HAD to have her. I think she is so pretty and I love all the butterflies. I'm sure she will make her way to a journal page at some point, but I had to share her here as I had so much fun playing with shading on her face and then using the acetate blending technique for some of the butterflies with my Copic markers.

Copics for Face

Copics for Hair and Pink Butterfly

Copics for Butterflies

Snowman Love

The Outlawz, Twisted Thursday Challenge, Anything Goes.

For all of you who have ever loved a snowman:

I followed the directions for an adapted trifold shutter card from Sandy Allnock. This one gives a bit more room for writing a note on the back. Here is a link to her clear tutorial.

Image: Catch Me from Stitchy Bear

Copic Colors Used

Shared with:
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge
My Creative Moments Challenge

Winter Bird on Post from Anne's Digital Art

This simple image of a bird who missed his ride south comes from Anne's Digital Art. Twisted Thursday at the Outlawz optional twist was "The first day of winter" which is December 21st. I remember that when winter hit early, we would sometimes find these poor birds half frozen in the snow and we used to bring them indoors and put them in potato bags (remember the old paper ones with the cage like squares on the front?) with some bird food until it warmed in a day or two. I'm sure they scurried out of town pronto after that!

The background paper is watercolor paper with inks. I die cut the image and used embossed snow. Then, a bit of lace and some snowflakes to complete the card.

Copic Colors Used

Thanks for stopping by. I always appreciate your comments.



Also shared with:
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge
The Diva's That Cut Paper
My Creative Moments
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge

Fun in the Snow Center Step Card

At The Outlawz, Twisted Thursday's twist is "Fun in the Snow". I used this cute little image from Anne's Digital Art, and made a center step card. I added some chunky white embossing for snow, some glittery paper, paper flowers coated with glossy accents and center buttons, a couple of snowflakes and stars for embellishment.

Fun in the Snow

Side View

Copic Colors

Are you like me with way too many cards and nothing to do with them?  I search the Internet for  different groups that send these cards to  our servicemen and women serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan so that they can use them to write home to their families. I selected "From Our Hearts", and sent off my first package this week.

If you are overflowing with cards you have made, please check out this, or any other group, and make some good use of your beautiful creations. Be sure to read all the information so that you donate just what they are needing. Think of how happy you can make someone with this simple gift. I am so grateful for the men and women who leave their homes behind so that I can be safe in mine.

Entered:
The Paper Nest Dolls Challenge
The Diva's That Cut
Party Time Tuesdays
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge
My Creative Moments

Stockings Are Hung

This week, over at Twisted Thursday at The Outlawz, the "anything goes" twist is Christmas Magic! this fun stamp, Stockings are Hung, is from Anne's Digital Art. I did a bit of fussy cutting around her head and popped up the whole layer. Come join us in the fun!

Copic Colors Used

Entered:
Party Time Tuesday
Creative Fingers Challenge

Tangled Wednesday by Simply Betty Stamps

I am really fascinated by all the different types of folded cards that are out there for me to learn about. I found this one, a folded screen card, through Split Coast Stampers. Click here for a great tutorial!
It wasn't hard, it just took a lot of time since it was like doing 5 cards! This stamp is called Tangled Wednesday and is a gift from Simply Betty Stamps. You have to join in on the fun at the Freebie Progressive Challenge over at The Outlaws to get her.

Folded

Standing Partly Open

Inside Opened Up

Copic Colors Used

The top was cut with a Martha Stewart edger and I used a Sizzix Label set die to make the bottom so it would be a stand up screen. I also used Elizabeth Craft Designs Sprig with Berries die, Simon Says Stamp die of Deco Tree, Sentiment and candles from Marianne Designs. I added a few red and green sparkle dots, red buttons, and a few sparkly flowers to complete this card.

Entered:
Sugar Pea Designs
Party Time Tuesdays
The Diva's that Cut

Finishing Touch by House Mouse

This is my last post as a guest designer on House Mouse& Friends. I had so much fun and I appreciate the opportunity to be part of a fabulous design team for even a short time.

This adorable stamp is called “Finishing Touch” and it reminds me of decorating gingerbread men with my boys when they were little.

Thanks for stopping by and even more thanks if you leave a comment. Wishing all of you a wonderful holiday season and at least one gingerbread man!

Copic Colors Used

Entered:

Crafty Catz

Winter Sparkles at Christmas and a Triple Layer Card

Hummm, what to do. This week, as part of the Design Team for Twisted Thursday at The Outlawz, our twist was "Winter Sparkles at Christmas". But, since our group is "anything goes", we don't have to do a card. I know most of you who visit are expecting a card, and since I also have an art journal blog, well, I feel odd posting an art journal page here. But, here it is:

I used a blue acrylic background, the snowman is a napkin added with gel medium, the village is a stamp. I embossed snow and snowflakes and pulled out gel pens to brighten santa and to add Christmas cheer to the village.

If you were looking for a card today, here is my first attempt at triple stamping and I really like the layered look. I sprayed Shimmering Mist for the background color, colored with Copics, matted each layer on black and popped each with foam tape. The triple layer was matted on white glitter cardstock and added to a black card. The Merry Christmas is embossed Pirate's Gold. A couple of gems top it all off.

Copics used.

Waste Not

The photo on the right shows how I cut out a fancy piece of the glitter paper since it wasn't going to show. Now I have a pretty piece of that paper to use elsewhere.








Entered:
Party Time Tuesdays

Christmas Tag in Red,, Green, and Gold

The twist for this week's challenge over at the Outlawz Twisted Thursday, is "Your Favorite Color at Christmas Time!" Being a traditionalist and a Santa believer, I'm for Red/Green/Gold! I thought, since this in an "anything goes" challenge, I should do some Christmas tags. I had fun making the dimensional ornaments for this one.

I did some other tags for fun too:

Entered:
Eclectic Ellapu
Creative Fingers Challenge 
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Easel Christmas Card

Loving this stamp from Anne designs called Christmas Ball. What I love is that I worked with my Copics to make it appear that the balls are clear glass and the balls beneath can be seen through. This was not part of the original design so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself at the moment HAHA!

Added a bit of Wink of Stella, white gel pen for highlights, Festive Berries Distress Ink edging, a festive red bow and a couple of round baubles finish this easel card.

Easel Card

Copic Colors Used

 Entered:
Creative Fingers Challenge
Party Time Tuesdays
Crafty Catz 
Through the Craft Room Door
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge

Pinecone Tree House Mouse

I have been avoiding wood stamps lately because of the spacing issue in my studio. Humm, nobody else has this problem, do they? But, I couldn't resist this one called Pinecone Tree with my much loved House Mouse from Stampendous. I colored him with my Copics, added some Wink of Stella, a bit of red gel pen, and embossed some Chunky White for snow. I matted him with sparkly paper in red, then white on the green cardstock. (This doesn't seem to show in the photo though.) Then I added a few red dots, and finished with a simple bow. I kept it quite simple to show off my mouse :)

I had some of the red run. I'm not sure when but I think it was when I was using a clear embossing pen to scribble the snow. It was impossible to get rid of so that's why the berries in front became dots and poor mousie looks like he burned his hand. The gel pen? Let's pretend that he just got stained from playing with too many berries LOL! I still love him :)

Copic Colors Used

Entered:
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas
The Cutie Pie Challenge
Gruffies & Guests
Use Your Stuff
Party Time Tuesdays

House Mouse Says Merry Christmas

This week, as a guest designer for House Mouse & Friends, I decided to do something a little different. "Add a Little Sparkle" is the twist for challenge #183. I made a Christmas tree using my watercolors and then added Stickles glitter glue, Wink of Stella, , and glittered stars for some sparkle. The mouse was edged with Festive Berries Distress Ink and the cutout in green was cut with my Little B Scallops die. The Mouse and Sentiment are raised.

Also entered:
Diva's That Cut
Gruffies & Guests 
Crafty Catz

Give Thanks with Me Please from Stitchy Bear

"Give Thanks" is the optional twist for this week's Outlawz Twisted Thursday challenge. This silhouette, from our sponsor Stitchy Bear, is called Me Please. I just love the simplicity of it and wanted to keep the card simple as well.  I added a tiny dimensional butterfly in full color, black enamel dots inside of white buttons, and some die cut papers in black and white for a gentle bit of interest. (The background paper is actually gray but I couldn't adjust the color to reflect that in the photo.)

Also entered in:
Party Time Tuesdays
Diva's That Cut
Creative Fingers Challenge

Thanks for stopping by. I enjoy reading your comments!

Bird and Bauble with a Button

This week, over at The Outlawz Twisted Thursday, the optional twist is to add a button. I colored this festive stamp from Stitchcy Bear with Copics and gel pens, then added some Wink of Stella to the ornaments and clear gel to the ribbons. I added a small button inside of a larger button, a gold ribbon and finally, a tiny red bow. Click the link above for The Outlawz and add your own card for a chance to win a monthly prize. If you add the twist, you can enter TWO cards!

STITCHY BEAR DIGI

Copics Gel Pens Used

Entered in
Party Time Tuesdays
Through the Craft Room Door 
Incy Wincy Designs Challenge

House Mouse Reindeer Games

For November and December, I am a guest designer over at House-Mouse & Friends. This week, the Challenge is "Brrr, it's COLD outside"! I think this will be a great addition to my growing Christmas card collection! There is a blog hop going on as well, so do drop over and join the fun.

Reindeer Games

I am sorry that I must not have taken a photo of the colors I used for this one. I can tell you that the snow is Chunky White Embossing Enamel from Stampendous. I added a few stamped white snowflakes along the top, some snowflake embellishments as well as a die cut of leaves with some red dots in two sizes.

Also entered in: Die Cut Divas - Christmas Card

Thanks for stopping by. I love to read your thoughts, so please leave a comment.

Outlawz Twisted Thursday Challenge With a Ppinkydolls Image

I am honored to have been invited to be part of the Design Team over at The Outlawz' Twisted Thursday group. I love that this group is always "anything goes" with a twist. That means I can do cards, tags, art journal pages, etc. I can play with Zentangle, paints, markers and anything else I can come up with. What more could anyone ask?

So, here is my first entry for this where the twist (that you don't even HAVE to use) is an easel card. Please pop over and look at all the different challenges that The Outlawz offer. You will find one or more that will make you very happy. They also have LOTS of great prizes. Check out our Facebook page too, The Outlawz Challenge Fan Group.

This digi stamp comes from Ppinkydolls.l. I just love all their images!

Copic Colors Used

A CAS Happy Halloween

Last card for the Outlawz party. This one is for the Sunday CAS, Clean and Simple, where we needed to include a pumpkin.

Copic Colors Used

Stampotique Prom Queen - Think Happy

One last post for today. The challenge, for Paper A La Mode, from Saturday's Outlawz group, is Anything Goes. I like that. Anything!! Well, here is my anything. Not pretty I suppose, but it sure makes me smile!

Prom Queen stamp from Stampotique

Copic Colors Used

 Also entered in Creative Fingers Challenge










It's not too late to join the Outlawz Party! Lots of great prizes too!

Claudia Loves Christmas - Me TOO!

For the Friday Coloring Challenge over at The Outlawz (who are still having a party, do go check it out!) we were to "make a scene." I really like this little Claudia Loves Christmas stamp from Little Miss Muffett, so I put her in a bit of a festive woodland environment. The card base, from the dollar bin at Michael's, already had the pennants cut out. I added some green paper behind. I used my air brush and copics to add the blue dots and the yellow top. I added some fun die cuts and snowflake embellishments too.

Copic Colors Used

Also entered this one in:
Little Miss Muffet Challenges - If you go down to the woods- bear image

Merry Christmas Snowman

Two posts in one day for The Outlawz party week. Another Thursday with a Twist. This is a Stampendous stamp.

Copic Colors Used