Warm and Cozy...

Hello, hello!

I'm squeezing in one more Christmas card using cuties from the Home for the Holidays collection at Purple Onion Designs before the 25th hits. This time I've inked up the adorable O'Hares family and paired them with a bunch of older scene builder stamps like the Fireplace and Fireplace Decor sets to create their annual holiday portrait. The whole family is dressed in their finest, so happy to have each other during this special time of year. Here's wishing all of you the comfort and joy of loved ones gathered near.  :) 

XOXO

Supply list:
cardstock- My Favorite Things and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Purple Onion Designs (The O'Hares, Fireplace and Rug, Fireplace Decor, Winter and Holiday Wood Signs, Door Decor #1 Fall/Winter and Essential Holiday Greetings set)
ink- Memento rich cocoa
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
Sorry, I didn't keep a list

Sending Holiday Cheer...

 Hello friends!

I'm over on the Hello Bluebird blog today sharing a Christmas card that I designed around the Sending Holiday Cheer words die. These large sentiments are so great for quick cards that still have a lot of impact. For the supporting cast of cute characters I went back to the older Snowball Fight set that is full of cats and dogs all decked out for cold weather and used their coordinating dies to pop them in front of the words. Because the footprint of the Sending Holiday Cheer word die is basically square shaped I decided to use the Nesting Square Dies to cut the card front to match. Color was added to the card front using the Tim Holtz Distress inks; Speckled Egg, Tumbled Glass and Broken China. The large sentiment was cut twice, once out of plain card stock and once out of glitter card stock then glued together for some added dimension. Dr PH Martin's bleed proof white was dotted on for some falling snow. I colored the three little peeking kittens using Copic markers and added them to the top of the sentiment using foam adhesive. I like to think that they have sent the holiday treats, from the Littles Holiday Extras set, down below to the pup who appears to have had one too many gingerbread cookies.  :)

Toodles!

Supply list:
cardstock- My Favorite Things and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Hello Bluebird (Snowball Fight set and Littles Holiday Extras set)
ink- Memento rich cocoa, Tim Holtz Distress Speckled Egg, Tumbled Glass and Broken China
Hello Bluebird Nesting Square dies
Hello Bluebird Snowball Fight coordinating dies
Dr PH Martin's bleed proof white
Copic markers:
cat 1- E50, E81, E40, R20, E04, YR21, YR12, YR14/E40, E42, E43, BG11, BG53, BG57
cat 2- W00, E40, E42, E43, 0, E70, E71, E74, E79, R20, E04/R35, E37, R59
cat 3- T2, T3, T4, T6, T7, R20, E04/ YG00, YG03, YG25, YG17, E41, E43, YG67
dog- YR31, YR23, YR24, E35, R20, E04, E49/E40, E42, E43, R35, R37, R59
bird- E40, E42, E21, E23, E27, W3, YR23/ E40, E42, E43, BG11, BG53, BG57
gingerbread/candy canes/present- E33, E25, R29/C2, R27/ YG00, YG03, YG17, R24, R27
shadows- BG70, BG72, BG53

Spread the joy around you...

Good morning!

Last month I shared a card using one of the lovely Girl stamps from Felicity Jane and afterwards I reached out about a buy/sell group, looking for some of the older Girl stamps to add to my collection. I totally lucked out and was able to cross a bunch off my list including this fabulous Holly Girl! There was no way I could wait 'til next Christmas to get her on a card so as soon as I had some free time I inked Holly up and paired her with the Winter Days background from Penny Black. I also used the new Double Stitched mini slimline die that I just got from MFT. What can I say... I'm kinda loving these little gals on the mini slimlines, LOL!

Ok, gotta get moving, I hope your week is off to a great start!

Supply list:
cardstock- My Favorite Things and Copic X-Press It
stamps- Felicity Jane (Holly Girl), Penny Black (Winter Days) and Altenew (Winter Wishes sentiment)
ink- Memento tuxedo black and london fog, Papertrey Ink pure poppy
My Favorite Things  double stitched mini slimline die
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00, R20, R35
hair- E33, E57, E47
clothes- T0, T2, T4, T5, E40, E81, BV31, BG11, BG23, BG09, R35, R37, R59, BG78, C0, C3
sky/snow- B0000, B000, B41, B32, B34, C00, C2
ice- B0000, BG70, C2
rocks/bridge- W2, W3, W3, W4, W5, W7
trees- E81, E84, E87, BG72, BG75, BG78
houses- Y02, E44, E47, E13, E15, E17, E74
wreath- Y02, YR23, YR24, E27, YG01, YG17, G07, BG99, R35, R59, BG23, BG09

Joy...

Hey there!

Yesterday's Shiny Brite digi collection was the final release of 2021 at Sweet November Stamps and I ended up coloring Merry Margaret again for my Live video on the Adventures in Coloring with Amy Facebook page. We brought her to life with pretty pinky reds and dusty blues to go with her vintage look. My R89 was sticky and acting up but luckily the high shine I was going for kinda forgives the harsh lines a bit. Still, I will be busy cleaning some markers today for sure, LOL! Once again I used the Pine Tree and Pine Branches scene builder set as well as the ornament hook from Folk Art Santa 1 to complete the simple background behind Margaret as well as some simple airbrushing. The end result is another sweet Christmas card with retro appeal!  :)

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! 

Supply list:
cardstock- Bazzill and Copic X-Press It
digital stamps- Sweet November (Merry Margaret, Pine Tree and Pine Boughs scene builder set and Folk Art Santa 1)
joy die cut
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Copic markers:
Sorry, I didn't keep a list but you can see the colors used here

 

A Shiny Brite release at Sweet November...

 

Hello again!

Sweet November Stamps has one final digital release of 2021 before we take the next couple weeks off to celebrate the holidays and we are ending the year with some sparkle and shine! The new Shiny Brite digital collection features three retro lady ornaments and each one also comes with her own Shiny Brite glass bulb. There is Luminous Lucille, Merry Margaret and Dazzling Doris and not only do you get the ornament version when purchased, you also get a version without the hanger so you can color them into regular scenes as well. :)

My first card features Luminous Lucille in her long gown and bonnet and I've paired her and her ornament with some of the branches from the Pine Tree and Pine Branches scene builder set as well as the ornament hook from Folk Art Santa 1.I colored her in a very traditional red and white color scheme, making sure to leave some white streaks here and there for extra high shine contrast.

My second card finds Merry Margaret dangling among the pine branches right next to her Shiny Brite. I colored her in a frosty teal gown, complete with those high shine white highlights and used matching pretty pastels on her ornament. The holly embroidery pattern on her hem was done using a silver gel pen.

And finally there is Dazzling Doris looking stylish in her sleek pencil skirt, puffy coat and pillbox hat. She is hanging quite proudly on those branches, just waiting for Santa to come and admire how beautifully she sparkles and shines. :)

Now be sure to check out the Friends of Sweet November Stamps group on Facebook for even more Shiny Brite loveliness from Caitlin and our fabulous guest designer Cline Passio! I will also be coloring Live today at 11am PST on my Adventures in Coloring with Amy Facebook page so I hope to see you there.  :)

You can also find us on Instagram @sweetnovemberstamps and don't forget to use the #sweetnovemberstamps any time you share a card or project using SN images so we can see all of your beautiful makes!

 

 

Believing is seeing...

Hello friends!

This is my last Scenic Saturday post of 2021 and with Christmas only a week away I found myself searching through my Stamping Bella collection for a cute Santa to ink up. When I came across this Santa is Stuck image I knew I had found a winner but he needed a friend so I grabbed the fun Rudolph with a Present on Top and got down to stamping. With Santa trying hard to get down that chimney I could immediately picture the rooftop scene to color him and his reindeer pal into. I started by deciding how high the peak of the roof would be then colored in the area above that line in super dark blues for the sky. For some added interest in that dark expanse I grabbed the BV29 and sketched in silhouettes of a couple pine trees and the bare limbs of a larger tree. This really helped make it look like they are in a neighborhood during this little adventure. Below the roof line I used a handful of lighter blues to color in the snow, adding plenty of texture and shadow around the base of the chimney and the fallen reindeer because it is a night scene and realistically the snow wouldn't look super white at that time. From there all that was left to do was color in the chimney, Santa and the reindeer, which made for a pretty quick scene really. Let's just hope that our poor reindeer can get back up on his hooves and help Santa out of the tight spot he currently finds himself in.  ;)  

Toodles!

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Catherine Pooler
stamps- Stamping Bella (Santa is Stuck and Rudolph with a Present on Top)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Wink of Stella clear glitter pen
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Pear Blossom Press silver pen
Copic markers:
sky/trees- B45, B37, B39, BV29
snow- B60, B41, B45, BG90, 0
skin- E000, E00, E11, E04, R00
beard- C0, C2, C3
suit- W00, E40, E81, R24, R27, R89, E55, E44, E47, YG23, YG17, YG67, BG99
chimney- E42, E15, E17, E18 
reindeer- E81, E84, E50, E42, E43, R000, R30, E23, E25, E44, W5, W7, W9, W10, 110
present- C1, C3, Y02, YR23, E47, R24, R27, R89
ornaments- YG00, YG01, YG03, YG63, B02, B05, B26, Y02, YR23, E47, C1, C3

Be of good cheer...

 

TGIF!

So I had three little girls on my Christmas card mailing list this year and I wanted to do something special for them. I came up with the idea to make three scene cards that, when lined up together, create one long continuous scene. The Store Fronts digi set from The Greeting Farm where perfect for the bustling holiday shopping scene that I wanted to do and I dressed them up using items from both the Porch Christmas and Christmas Day digi sets. For the main characters I went back to some long time favorites... the Wild Sprouts. To make them all dressed appropriately for the cold winter weather I had some fun mixing and matching their clothing and even added in some scarves from the Dress Up Winter digi set. Their gift bags are part of the Cheeky Shop digi set and they really bring the whole Christmas shopping theme to the cards. On the first card I have Dressy Joyce who has had quite the make-over. I replaced her closed eyes with Camille's open eyes and gave her Camille's body too with an added scarf.  

 

On the second card WS Camille, who I can't find in the shop as a digi anymore, is hanging out just as she is. The only additions are the gift bags in her hands.

 

And on the third card Dressy Odette got Camille's coat and a winter scarf as well as a couple of gift bags to complete her Christmas transformation. All together these lovelies are totally enjoying their Christmas shopping spree, LOL! It was a lot of fun revisiting these old favorites and updating them with the newer digi sets. I gotta say, I'm not-so-secretly hoping we see a Wild Sprout come back at The Farm in 2022... who's with me?

Have a great weekend everyone!

Supply list:
cardstock- Papertrey Ink and Copic X-Press It
digital stamps- The Greeting Farm (Store Fronts set, Porch Christmas set, Cheeky Shop set, Christmas Day set, Dressy Joyce, Dressy Odette, WS Camille and Dress Up Winter set)
stamps- Hello Bluebird (Christmas Messages)
ink- Memento tuxedo black
My Favorite Things A2 stitched rectangle stax set 1
Sharpie extra fine white pen
Hello Bluebird speech bubble dies
Wink of Stella clear glitter pen
Copic markers:
Sorry, I didn't keep a list