DB - Oh, Snap!

I'm over on the Doodlebugs WA blog today.  See you later, alligator!

DB - Bold Stripes

Come on over to the Doodlebugs WA blog to read more about this boldly sponged card.

BPD - Ornament Layer Experiment

I fiddled around with the layers on one of the Birch Press Design ornament layering die sets. Presto, chango!  Read more on the BPD blog.

DB - Modern Snowflake

Get funky with my snowflake over on the Doodlebugs WA blog today!

SOSS #200 - S for Snarky 200

I cannot believe it's the BIG 200 for the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers. Let's see. A new challenge every two weeks which makes for 400 weeks/52 weeks per year = over 7.5 years of snark.  Holy guacamole!  That is a LOT of snark (woo hoo!).  Help us keep this going by joining in the fun!

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

• Viva Las Vegas Plate 827
• Visible Image Snowman Jack
• Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflakes
• Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banner
• Stamperia Snowflake Stencil
• Distress Oxides

Merry Presents

For this card I used only the presents portion of Mama Elephant Slim Peeking Presents dies, using paper from Sunny Studio All Is Bright 6x6 Pad. 

I sponged the card base very lightly with Distress Oxide Spun Sugar then popped the presents on top.  I love the little tags and bows--so cute!  I then added the Lawn Fawn Tiny Gingerbread sentiment on a Lawn Fawn Simply Wavy Banner. Boom!

You can read more about the other card I made with many of these same products over on the Doodlebugs WA blog.

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

• Mama Elephant Slim Peeking Presents
• Sunny Studio All Is Bright 6x6 Pad
• Distress Oxide Spun Sugar
• Lawn Fawn Tiny Gingerbread
• Lawn Fawn Simply Wavy Banner

Folksy Hexagons

Can you believe I was going to toss this away before coloring up just because it got a bit smudgy? See the excess ink on some of the corners of hexagons?  Not what I initially wanted but love how it turned out a bit sketchy and handmade. 

I had wanted a completely clean inking for my project for the Doodlebugs WA blog.  I went another direction with that and you'll see it next week there. I must say this set has proven remarkedly versatile.

 PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

• Pinkfresh Studio Pop Out Hexagons
• Pinkfresh Studio Celebrating You
• Zigs: 020, 037, 040, 050, 052
• Distress Oxide Spray Mustard Seed and Chipped Sapphire
• Copic Opaque White

DB - Which Should I Open First?

Hmm, I wonder what's inside these presents.  You'll need to go to the Doodlebugs WA blog to find out!

HLS Christmas - Toys

It's time for a new Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes Christmas Challenge with the optional theme of Toys. 

Christmas is just around the corner--how did this happen?!--but if you've been playing along with us regularly you have a chunk of your holiday cards done. I bet you still have a few more to make so do come join the challenge.

For my card, I used the Mama Elephant Letter Board along the Mama Elephant Little Elf Agenda who are busy with last minute building, planning and nawty shenanigans.

I hope to see you playing along with us this month!

Mama Elephant Little Elf Agenda
Mama Elephant Letter Board
Doodlebug Design Night Before Christmas 6x6 Paper

Copics

Gina K Connect Glue

Posca 0.7mm Extra Fine Bullet White Paint Pen

BPD - Masculine Wreath

I have a masculine holiday card over on the Birch Press Design blog today. Patting myself on the back for making a masculine card when it's not even some man's birthday--lol.

Bee Merry Take 3

I thought I would create another little scene with the Clearly Besotted Merry Bees, this time using some of the new smoky Zig Real Brush Markers.  LOVE.  I started with the hive so nice shading there then you can see I pooped out by the time I got to the upper bee and branch.  Smokies used on the hive, reds and branch.

The stencil was sponged with Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina.

I'm entering this in Winter Wonderland Candy Canes and/or For a Child, Make My Monday #162 Cute Christmas, Simon Says Wednesday Anything Goes, and Addicted to Stamps and More #419 Any Occasion.

PRODUCTS USED

• Zig Real Brush Markers
• Clearly Besotted Bee Merry
• Clear Wink of Stella
• Whimsy Stamps Honeycomb Drips stencil
• Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina

DB - Dino Christmas

I did a bit of drawing on these dinosaur cards to Christmas them up.  You can read more on the Doodlebugs WA blog!

SOSS #199 - Y for Yuletide

Christmas is nigh and we’re here to help you celebrate at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers challenge #199 Y for Yuletide!

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

• Distress Oxide Picked Raspberry, Wilted Violet, Salvaged Patina, Prize Ribbon
• Nested circle die
• Birch Press Design Ornament Basics dies (hangers)
• Richard Garay Pine Needles embossing folder

BPD - Holiday Texture

I'm up on the Birch Press Design blog today. Hope to see you there!

Modern Christmas Rose

Another take on the Hero Arts Christmas Rose from the other day.  This time I used Zigs which was decidedly faster.

I prefer the pink version but both are pretty. Btw, I made this one into a MnT for some friends. I wonder what color palette they'll use and how they'll arrange their blossoms? Looking forward to seeing them.

I’m entering this in Happy Little Stampers November Watercolor Challenge, The Flower Challenge #62 Add Leaves.

It's really hard to tell but the silver bits are all coated in Clear Wink of Stella. 

I’m entering this in Daring Cardmakers Silver, Aqua and a Dash.

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

• Hero Arts Christmas Rose
• MFT Handwritten Holiday
• Card 1 Zigs: 010, 027, 040, 047, 050, 052, 
• Card 2 Zigs: 032, 050, 092, 093
• Clear Wink of Stella
• Versafine Onyx Black

DB - Bold Poinsettia

I'm over on the Doodlebugs WA blog today.  Hope to see you there!

I'm entering this in CAS on Friday #218 Leaves, Inspired by IB196C Christmas Splendor.

ATCAS #211 - Colourful

It's time for another Addicted to CAS Challenge #211 Colourful, which also marks our 9th birthday!  Woo hoo! I hope you'll help us celebrate by joining in the fun!

• MFT Pile On the Hugs
• Copics

Bee Merry Take 2

I may be a little obsessed with bees right now, especially if they're related to the holidays. Bee merry indeed!

I’m entering this in Simon Says Wednesday Make Your Own Background, Just Add Ink #581 Just Add Legs, HLS November Anything Goes with Dies.

PRODUCTS USED

• Clearly Besotted Bee Merry
• Zig Real Brush Markers
• Copics: BG23, R35, Y38
• Waffle Flower Holiday Lights
• PTI Honeycomb Cover Plate
• Distress Oxide Wild Honey & Mustard Seed
• Dylusions Black Marble Shimmer Spray
• Clear Wink of Stella
• Glossy Accents

Bee Merry

Bee merry indeed!  These Clearly Besotted bees are so flippin' cute!

I'm entering this in CAS Christmas November 2021 Christmas Critters.

PRODUCTS USED

• Zigs
• Clearly Besotted Bee Merry
• Clear Wink of Stella
• Whimsy Stamps Honeycomb Drips stencil
• Distress Oxide Salvaged Patina

Painted Christmas Rose

I was going through my stash recently and rekindled my interest in acrylic gouache (essentially a thick acrylic which allows it to be more opaque). Because of the paint's opacity, it makes it perfect for coloring on dark colors.  Talk about drama!

Notes:

• I use white with the basic colors to create my shades. The non-whitened color is the shadow then I worked my way out from there with increasing white.
• The paint is thick and will thicken further over time.  You can add a tiny bit of water but beware of adding too much as it will affect the opacity.
• I like the texture so don't worry too much about viscosity. I can always go back and add another layer if necessary.

I'm entering this in Allsorts #650 Christmas.

PRODUCTS USED AND/OR RECOMMENDED

• Hero Arts Christmas Rose SBC | HA
• Holbein Acrylic Gouache
• Posca PCF-350 White Pen

Winter Washi

I was playing with the gorgeous Memory Box Watercolor Forest Greenery Washi which is wide enough to fit an A2 card. Remember how I had an idea from when I did the sled cards recently? This is the result and I love it.

I brushed a light coat of gesso onto the washi card front then stamped the various images and sentiments using Stazon and Ranger Archival inks. I am particularly pleased with how the Lavinia Magnus image turned out. It's stamped with a combo of the Stazon in Jet Black as the first stamp then stamped again using Stazon Blazing Red. Swoon!

I'm entering this one in We Love Stamping November Christmas and Try It on Tuesday Make It Magical.

• Memory Box Watercolor Forest Greenery Washi
• Lavinia Magnus
• Penny Black Snowflake Season
• Impression Obsession Joy to the World
• Mama Elephant Mini Merry Messages
• Stazon Timber Brown (main sentiment), Jet Black and Blazing Red (deer)
• Ranger Archival Watering Can and Potting Soil
• Liquitex Gesso
• Posca White PCF-350 (snow)

I did another gesso card using a washi card front that got wrinkled during application. Waste not!

This one is simpler in terms of collage stamping as I wanted the sentiment and fairies to pop.

I'm entering this one in Daring Cardmakers Jolly Holly-Days.

• Memory Box Watercolor Forest Greenery Washi
• Lavinia Raven
• Lavinia Three Dancing Fairies
• Lavinia Berry Wreath
• Hero Arts Merry Christmas Messages
• Ranger Archival Jet Black and Leaf Green
• Liquitex Gesso
• Posca White PCF-350 (snow)

For this one, I experimented with hot foil which worked a treat.  I was expecting a literal hot mess but it turned out beautifully, far better than expected for sure.  The gold strips on the sides are washi.

• Memory Box Watercolor Forest Greenery Washi
• Spellbinders Elegant Holiday Glimmer Sentiments
• Gold Washi

This one is another experiment, this time using leaf and berry dies to cut out the washi card front. I then adhered the pieces onto pale gray and added a bold sponged sentiment on top for a modern take.

• Memory Box Watercolor Forest Greenery Washi
• Concord & 9th Joy
• Tattered Lace Big Fern
• Sizzix Winter Woodland
• Sizzix Tim Holtz Mini Holiday Greens
• Distress Oxide Worn Lipstick and Festive Berries
• Bazzill Fig Swirl Cardstock
• Clear Wink of Stella