Winter sky

Happy Halloween everyone! Hope your week is going well.  I've been working diligently on my card orders, and always looking for cards to make that are elegant, and easy to re-produce.

Today's cards are just that! I'm using Penny Black's 'Winter Sky' stamp, along with a die called Winter Snow script also from Penny Black.

For my first card I sponged the following Distress Oxide inks to make my background: Blueprint sketch, shaded lilac, tumbled glass, cracked pistachio, and evergreen bough.  Once the background was completed I stamped the winter sky using black versafine - I stamped it twice to fill the front of the card.

I then diluted some 'copic' opaque white ink and splattered the background.  I then spritzed the background using some micro pearl powder which was added to my mini spritzer. Added the Winter die cut along the bottom edge and stamped a sentiment from PB - Christmas Sentiments.  Added a little snowflake next to the sentiment. (only because I had a tiny black smudge and it bothered me, so covered it up!)

 

For my second card I used distress inks - ripe persimmon, broken china, tumbled glass & peeled paint.  I took the same steps as the first card except I sprayed it with Hero Arts Metallic Shimmer gold.

 

This is a close up view of the gold shimmer spray - so sparkley.

Hope you have a 'spooktacular' day! Thanks for stopping by.

Pauline

Forest Finds

 Hello! It's Friday tomorrow and the end of another week! This month is flying by so quickly don't you think? I'm back to share another Christmas image. I have had this digital image printed out for quite some time, and just finally got around to colouring it up.  This digital image is called 'Forest Finds' from Power Poppy.  When it was first released last winter I scooped it up right away.  I just love the way Marcella designed this.

Normally I used Primsacolour pencils to colour, but I wanted more vibrant colours than what prismas can offer.  So I pulled out my Copics and coloured this up.

I used an AliExpress die to cut it out, and then layered the image onto another piece of white c/s, otherwise the background paper shows through the holes around the edge and it distracts from the image.

Designer paper is by Bo Bunny - Altitude Collection. I finished off with some glittered enamel dots and Tim Holtz clear distress glitter. I also added a couple pieces of silver peel-offs where the striped paper meets the dark purple.

I am entering my card in Power Poppy's October Power & Spark: You say it's your birthday! The challenge is to use an image that represents the month you were born.  My birthday is in Dec, so I choose this 'winter' image for the challenge.


That's it for me, I've been working on more Christmas cards to share.   See you real soon.  Thanks for stopping by, I always appreciate your visits.

Pauline

Snowflake wishes

Hello there.  I'm back today to share another 'snowman/snowlady' card with you today. I finally finished my first card order, just need to put the liners inside and get these mailed off to the recipient.
Then need to start on my next orders.

Well the Autumn season is upon us, but some days it feels like Winter.  Our temperatures this past week and the coming couple of weeks between 45 - 50 (8-10C) as the high but early mornings are around freezing. Right now it is 34F or 1C and the winds are from the north which makes it feel even colder.  I love the fall with the cooler days and the change of colours, but not ready for these frigid temps! Brrrrrr..... LOL.

Okay lets get on with my card.  I'm using the snowman image from Purdy Stamps.  This is an oldie, but I bring them out every few years because they are just too darn cute not to use wouldn't you say?

I used prismacolour pencils and blended with gamsol.  I then sponged some clouds using MFT's cloud stencil and PTI aqua mist and a bit along bottom for a bit of colour in the snow.

For the papers I used MME - Sugar Plum.  To create the frame I used MFT stitched rectangle frames.
I decided to add some snowflakes under the top of the frame for some added detail - using Simon Says - snowflake border die.

To finish off I added some white flock on the pom-pom, TH distress glitter, and a little tag using Penny Black holiday snippets, then added a aqua silk bow.

I changed out my bird picture at the top.  This is an American Redstart - Female.  She was in our backyard for a few days and I was very persistent in capturing a photo of her.  It took I while but it happened!

I appreciate your visit today, I'll be back in a few days, see you then.

Pauline

Smells like Christmas

Hello friends!  Sorry I haven't posted in over a week, but I've been busy working on a card order, the one that is a repeat of last years cards that I already posted.  I finally just finished the last card last night for this order, but changed it up a bit so will post that one later.

But tonight I wanted to share a card that I made in between the card order that I am ecstatic about! I just love the way this one turned out.  As soon as this digital image was released from Sassy Cheryl's called "smells like christmas' I just had to have it. 

I resized the image along with the sentiment then coloured it using prismacolour pencils and blended with gamsol.  I then sponged some clouds using MFT cloud stencil.  I also sponged a bit of light blue along the ground just for a bit of shading/colour.  I was going to just add glitter for snow, but went through some of my dies and came across this fence from Penny Black.  I cut it out 3 times all from kraft cardstock, glued together and then sponged some distress gathered twigs.  I then took my white  gel pen and put some white highlights along the fence to resemble snow.  I added some glitter along the fence and ground area.

 I thought I was done but then decided I needed something up in the right corner.  Pulled out a couple of branch dies, decided on this one from Penny Black and cut it from some white glitter paper. 

I am just in love with this card, I don't even want to part with it! LOL.

Background paper is from StudioLight - Winter Feelings.

Okay, I'm off to work on another card.  See you back here soon.  Enjoy your day!

Pauline

Winter Cabin

Hello there!  What a busy week it has been, with the long Thanksgiving weekend that just passed, and after being off for a weeks vacation, then back to work on Tuesday I was totally exhausted by the time I got home from work on Tuesday! As they say, you need to go to work to get rest, because when your at home it's never ending.  On the bathroom reno side of things, slowly getting there.  So hopefully I have some spare time to get some more of my christmas cards done.

I'm also back teaching classes at our local stamp store The Paper Pickle.  I have a class tomorrow night, so I was busy cutting and preparing the papers for class tonight.  We will be making 2 cards which I have already previously posted - this (the orange one) and this one. I thought I best do a post as I knew I would have a chance to do it tomorrow night.

When I was in London (Ontario) a few weeks back I saw a card sample in the stamp store that I figured I could mass produce.  So bought the dies, came home and whipped a couple of these up.  I changed it up a bit because I don't like to copy someone elses' cards 100%.

I ended up making 2 cards, but I think there is so many more variations you could do with these dies. and they were fairly quick to make.

 

Both cards are using  Cottage Cutz die - Winter Cabin border, and the rounded square pierced die is from Nellie Snellen - Straight dotted square.

I started with a 4 6/8 square white card stock and cut the straight dotted square from that.  I then cut another piece of white measuring 4 7/8.  I sponged lightly some distress tumbled glass on the 4 7/8 piece and then used my MFT cloud stencil and added a bit more tumbled glass to make the clouds.

I then cut the winter cabin out and added TH distress glitter to the trees, ground and roof of the house. I glued this to the back of the opening, then adhered the front to the back.  This was then mounted onto a 5.5 x 5.5 white card base.

The bell die is from Amy Design - Christmas Bell Corner, and I cut this from some brushed gold ( I bought this from Micheals last winter), then adhered it to the corner. I added some gold glitter peel-offs to the bell dongles for a bit of sparkle.

For the 2nd card I used Impression Obsession fir branch and cut this from shiny silver c/s.  I cut one and then snipped off the longer branch to make it wider rather than longer.  I had some thin silver twine on my desk, so added a tiny bow to hold the ends together. I also added a peel-off sentiment and the bottom.

So there you have it, 2 quick and easy cards to mass produce. I'm still so far off from what I need, but need to work on my Christmas card orders first!

Thanks for stopping by, and have a fabulous week!

Pauline

Bountiful Bouquet

I can't believe it is the weekend already.  We have been on vacation this week, so rather than go away somewhere we decided to stay home and tackle some much need work around the house. We decided to tackle the bathroom, we put a new floor down, fresh paint job, new fixtures etc. It's a lot of work and we are still not done yet, getting there though.  I haven't had  time to stamp, but I did manage to save this one that I coloured a couple of weeks ago when Marcella introduced this beautiful digi image called Bountiful Bouquet. What a gorgeous fall arrangement Marcella has created!

 

I coloured this image using Caran D'ache pencils.  I then cut the mage out using MFT scallop die.  I was going to add some shading in and around the flowers but decided to just ground the pot with some shading along the bottom.

Paper is by Authentique - Thankful.  I added some burgundy ribbon and to make the bow settle into the card I took some great advice from a dear friend Leslie, who suggests to punch a hole in the top layer, this way the knot from the bow will inset a bit which makes it for easier mailing. 

I added some Art Institute bronze glitter to the centers of the daisies.  Using a white gel pen I added some white dots to the persimmons for some added interest.  I left off a sentiment so it can be used for various occasions.

Well it's bed time for me, it's been a long day.  It's almost 10, and lots to do tomorrow.  I'm behind in commenting on the blogs I follow.  I haven't forgotten you, I will get there eventually, just haven't had the time this week.

Enjoy your weekend, and Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian followers!

Hugs,

Pauline