Merry Monday Snow Day

Some of my favorite images for Christmas cards are snowmen.  I wasn't going to get this guy, but I broke down at the last minute and ordered him.  When I saw the Merry Monday challenge for today, I knew this was the image I wanted to use.

And this week's Merry Monday challenge is....

I want to work on some techniques this year.  One of them is sponging.  Another is sponging and masking. I can do it, but I don't feel like I have the control I'd like to have.  Hopefully practice will make perfect.  Or at least better.

This is the first time I "splattered" water on the sponging and I love the effect!

First step was to stamp the snowman in VersaMark and heat emboss with clear embossing powder.  After masking an area with sticky notes, I sponged around the snowman with Soft Sky, Marina Mist and Not Quite Navy.  I splattered the sponged area with water and blotted dry with a paper towel.  

I had to stamp the arms, buttons and face with StazOn ink since it was so shiny.  The nose, hat and scarf were paper pieced. (I added a brim to the hat by cutting a strip from the DSP and drawing lines with my marker.

A little bit of Dazzling Details added some "iciness" to the scene.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Snow Day, Handy Christmas Greetings (Amy R)

Ink:  VersaMark, Jet Black StazOn, Marina Mist, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Night of Navy

Paper:  Heavy White (Pip)

Other:  Dazzling Details

Edited to Add:  I don't know how I could have forgotten.....

Pixie's Snippet Playground since I used some snippets for his hat, nose, scarf and snowbank. Sorry I missed the Monday morning fun!

Just us Girls is asking for Paperpiecing and I think this snowman's hat and scarf qualify.

Cute Card Thursday, a new to me challenge is asking for "Cold and Frosty"

Shopping Our Stash is asking us to use Something New. This stamp is new.  From my old stash are inks, Dazzling Details and cardstock.

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is "Ice Inspiration".  I have icy edges on the snowman and snowbanks.

Now it's your turn. Check out the fantastic designs that the team has come up with and share a snowman with us at Merry Monday.  The winner will be our next Guest Designer.

Thanks for the visit.

Enjoy!

Merry Monday Open Poinsettia

Merry Monday has moved and now has it's own blog.  Big thanks to Lesley, of Always Playing with Paper, for sharing her space for so long.

Lesley's done a fabulous job of designing this new blog.  I'm so excited!!!!

Here's this week's challenge....

Pixie's Snippets Playground definitely gets a visit since Mr. Random Generator chose my number a few weeks ago.  Thanks so much Di.   You can see that I am enjoying the booty! That die was perfect for using some snippets!

Addicted to CAS first challenge of 2014 is hosted by my friend Loll.  And how fun to have new dies to play with!

Christmas Cards All Year Round is doing says ANYTHING GOES SO LONG AS IT'S CHRISTMAS.

Jingle Belles is asking for SOMETHING OLD...SOMETHING NEW. The ribbon and sentiment stamp are old. The embossing folder and dies are new. 

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge is also looking for SOMETHING NEW.  I'm using some new stash.

Now it's your turn.  Make a Christmas card with ribbon or twine on it and join the fun at Merry Monday.  You'll be glad to have all your Christmas cards done when it's time to send them out!  The Design team has lots of wonderful inspiration for you, so pop on over and check out the fun.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Small Script (retired)

Ink:  Handsome Hunter (retired)

Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red, Handsome Hunter

Other:  Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Poinsettia Dies, Marianne Design, Real Red Satin Ribbon

I'm so glad you stopped by.

Enjoy!

Winter Bird Notecards

Last week I shared a calendar that I made for DD's birthday.  I used the Calendar Birds from Nicecrane Designs.  I also got a sheet of Christmas Birds.  I made them into some note cards that are perfect for thank you notes or for any Winter occasion.

The images are already colored so it's really quick and easy to put together a set of cards.

I used snippets for matting and embossed a couple of different backgrounds. So I'm off to Pixie's Snippets Playground

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps: None

Ink: None

Paper:  Whisper White, Snippets of Basic Black and Dark Green

Other:  Square Lattice EF, Kars Snowflake EF (retired Cuttlebug)

I hope you aren't buried under all the snow that's been falling in some parts of the country and are able to stay warm.  These cold days, I'm so thankful for a warm house and hot food! 

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Featuring Cary with Tissue

The Featured Stamper at SCS this week is Cary (Miss Minx).  I really enjoyed browsing her gallery and chose this card to CASE.  This is what I came up with.

The Ways to Use It challenge, also at SCS, was to use left over gift wrap on a project.  Our trash had gone out so it was slim pickins around here for leftover paper.  Then I had lunch with a friend and she brought a lovely Christmas gift wrapped in this green and white striped tissue.  And I got a Playground prize from Di that was wrapped in this gorgeous pink tissue. That got the wheels rolling in my brain.  When I saw Cary's layout, I had an Eureka moment! 

The hardest part was to get the partial embossing on the card front.  For the partial embossing,  I was using some plastic templates (no name left on the package) that I had bought at Michaels a while back.  I think it took 4 tries and then I messed the only good one up by stamping the sentiment crooked. When I adhered a punched sentiment over that, it was crooked too!  #*#%@*

After 3 more tries, I got the embossing right and used a Sizzlit to cut out the flowers (the set has 3 graduated sizes of flowers and leaves).

This time I got the sentiment right.

Phew!

Pixie's Snippet Playground (that started this journey with the pretty pink tissue) will hopefully let me in with the snippets of tissue paper.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Gifts of Kindness

Paper: Whisper White, snippets of tissue paper

Ink:  Tuxedo Black (Memento)

Other:  Perfect Polka  Dots EF, Plastic Embossing template (??), Birds and Blooms Sizzlit (retired), Basic Pearl

I hope the New Year is off to a good start for you.  The boys are back in school and I was able to get all my errands done.  Now to find some mojo in the craft room!

Thanks for stopping by.

Enjoy!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year

This is the calendar I made for DD's birthday.  The images are from Nicecrane Designs.

Each month has a different bird print. It made a super quick and easy calendar.

Ignacio was so kind and gifted me with 2 selections from her designs.  I used the Winter Birds for some note cards.  I'll share some of those with you when I get the photos edited.
It's so hard to believe that we're starting another year already. The time goes by so fast! Thanks for sharing some of your time with me in visits and sharing your own inspiration. I look forward to your creative company in 2014.

Enjoy!