Christmas Card Challenge

I have been playing catch up in the Waltzingmouse Christmas Card Challenge. On the tenth day of each month WMS design team member Lynn Mercurio posts a new challenge and encourages folks in the WMS forum to play along. I have made a few cards now to add to my stash. I should be feeling pretty smug come December!

January was all about recycling: old cards, wrapping paper, etc. I made two different cards incorporating commercial card fronts:

For the one above, I stamped and watercoloured the poinsettias and cut them out, then outlined them in chunky gold glitter.

For this tall card, I repurposed part of a commercial card front and added banners above and below with some white dimensional glossy dots for accents.

February was "Quick Pick" where we were supposed to look around our work desk and find some elements that could be made into a card. I had some left over bird die cuts and some punched out tags, so I pulled together a long (think business envelope) card:

In March Lynn challenged us to create three or more cards using the colour scheme of kraft, red and white or cream. I like this colour scheme so enjoyed this one.

I used the Cuttlebug Flourished Frame embossing folder on red cardstock, then highlighted the lines of the embossing with a white gel pen. I stamped the background "wallpaper" using a couple of border stamps in white Versamagic ink, so they have a chalky effect. Swarovski crystals added some needed - but subtle - bling.

I have two more months to catch up on. April's theme is snow (flocking or glitter) and May's theme is trees. I've already got ideas for both and that is usually the hard part - so I think I can do it!

WMSC48

Here is my card for the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #48:

I used the Waltzingmouse Sewing Box Hugs set and the faux stitching from the Off Beat Backgrounds set. I just received the latter and am so glad I finally got it. I like its free form and the fact I don't have to thread my sewing machine!

Press'n Seal

Mother's Day is next weekend in Canada. I'm popping this card in the mail to my Mum. It was fiddly - lots of cutting out and paper piecing to create the flowers. I used the October Afternoon Thrift Shop pad of paper so everything coordinated. And along the way I discovered something. 

See the layout of the card above?  When I first layered all the bits and bobs, nothing had been glued down. I got it all arranged the way I wanted it and then realized the plain white background was really boring. But I was very happy with the arrangement of the label, flowers and leaves and didn't relish re-doing the layout after I created the background. Then inspiration struck.

Glad Press'n Seal is normally in a kitchen drawer. It clings really well to odd shapes and rims of bowls. It's like Saran Wrap but stickier. I peeled off a whack of it and laid it on top of the layout and pressed all over firmly. Then I peeled the wrap off and my layout came with it. I created my background, and then I adhered all the elements one by one, peeling them off the Press'n Seal as I needed them. They released easily, leaving no marks. I think this is a method I will use again, especially for cards with lots of layers.

The bird and flower stamps are from the Waltzingmouse Sewing Box - Hugs stamp set, and the sentiment is from the Spring Baskets set. Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels One dies were used to create the frames.

Hope you can use this tip! And I am entering this item in Craft Critique's May Carnival. Go check out the other Mother's Day projects over there at: Mother's Day Carnival.

Just a little Easter something...

Here's a photo of a very simple little sentiment that I affixed to these mini potted plants for my co-workers. I used Waltzingmouse Stamps for the outline and sentiment, and Spellbinders Nestabilities dies to cut out the cardstock. A little glitter gel pen around the edge and I was done!

Happy Easter!

I made this card using a free template provided by Quietfire Designs here. I created the texture using a new (to me) Cuttlebug folder from the set called Once Upon A Princess. I embossed a rose coloured sheet of cardstock and sanded the rose buds lightly. Then I pounced Versamark ink pad over all and embossed with fine white embossing powder. I think I should have swiped in order to get just the raised flowers, but it still looks good. The Cuttlebug D'vine Swirls embossing folder and a Stampin' Up! scalloped punch furnished the tail. A velvet riboon with some SU! hodgepodge hardware for bling finished it off.

Suzanne at Quietfire Designs wants to see what you can do with this bunny, but today is the deadline. Hope you can join the fun!

Oh, and along with the card, here is what I put together for my daughter for Easter (inspired by an Internet cartoon):

WMS Sketch Challenge #42

It has been a good weekend. I have spent my time reading crafting books from the library and working on cards. Love it! I was supposed to be filing taxes, but I guess there is always tomorrow. How can you blame me?

Finally have had a chance to play in the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge. This is a weekly challenge but I don't seem to get around to it as often as I'd like.

Here's the sketch:

I used the opportunity to create one more birthday card. One can never have too many in one's stash! Our weather has been dreary and cold, so I think I was trying to urge spring along with this one.

I Cuttlebug embossed the top and lower portions of the designer paper using two different folders. I recently acquired the new Spellbinders banner dies and found a Waltzingmouse sentiment to fit. These stamps are polymer so I was able to curve the words to follow the banner.  The butterfly was stamped on acetate twice and cut out. I used double sided tape to apply three colours of glitter to the back of the images, and left the wings loose on the topmost butterfly. I created a narrow border around the panel with the same tape and applied lilac glitter and burnished it into the tape; a nice subtle border with a bit of pizzazz.

Thanks for visiting! Hope your weekend was just as fun as mine!

Quietfire Mojo

The Mojo Monday 185 upload window is closing and after fussing about with this week's sketch, I am determined to get my entry in!  The sketch overwhelmed me, there were so many elements, but I think I managed to cover everything, though I did flip the layout.

Here's the sketch:

Quietfire Design has lovely calligraphic quotes and this one looks great embossed in copper. It perfectly matched the metallic cardstock I used to die cut the Spellbinders Fleur De Lis Accents. The lady is an Oxford Impressions image stamped in Archival Ink; the wee tea cup is from Waltzingmouse Stamps. Three blue Swarovski crystals were heat set in place to finish things off.

Quietfire Style Blog is having a blog post showcase. Suzanne is looking for new design team members, too, so if you are so inclined, post a link to your blog; she just might call you!