On the Lookout for Santa

Hello friends!  Just one sweet Anita Jeram card today, aptly named On the Lookout.  I have a very similar picture of my son when he was little, so this one tugs at my heart strings.

I watercolored with my trusty Tombows, matted with red, and then glued to an embossed grocer's kraft card base.  The gold glittery stars were cut from two different Tim Holtz Sizzix sets.  There is also glitter applied to the white stocking trim.

Short and sweet!  The days are full of life stuff and I'm off and running again.  Take care of you and have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Colorado Craft Company On the Lookout  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico 140 lb hot press watercolor, red CS, grocer's kraft CS, shimmer white for sentiment circle, gold glitter for stars  Ink:  Ranger Archival Watering Can, Memento Tuxedo Black for sentiment  Coloring:  Watercolor with Tombow markers  Other:  Stickles Stardust glitter, Memory Box Pinecone and Berries embossing folder, ancient Spellbinders small circle die, stars from two different TH Sizzix sets

Sunday Moment

Aside from the many activities involved in running a household and managing life in general...  there's mornings in my craft room (they're always with me):

Afternoon in the woods:

Weekend at the bay:

And a spectacular winter sunset view from my front yard:

Just wrapping up the week, keeping in mind the things that bring joy.

I hope you find some joy today.

💓

Just Us Girls Word Week -- Winter

Hello again!  It's Word Week at Just Us Girls, with the prompt word being "winter".  If it doesn't feel wintry where you are yet, you know it's right around the corner.  Brrrr!

The character I used for this challenge has been in my die stash (with her reindeer and fox companions) for a good long while and it's been seven years since I've used the set.  It was about time, don't you think?

In order to make her all the more wintry I paired her with Penny Black's Crystal Frames die set which includes the frame and background pieces and the sentiment.  The pink snowflakes are an oldie Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set.  I inked the sentiment with a brush, and Copic colored whatever other small parts needed it.  All very simple and fun!

Do pop over to Just us Girls to see the awesome team samples, and then we'd love to have you play along with your own wintry creation.  It'll be fun!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Stamps:  Only inside sentiment  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 90 & 110 lb, Stampin' Up Pool Party sandable cardstock, scrap designer paper  Ink:  SU Rose Red  Coloring:  Copics and ink blending with brush  Dies:  Lisa Horton Creative Expressions Stitched Christmas Characters, Penny Black Crystal Frames, Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set

Pure Sunshine

Hello there!  I'm glad you could drop in.  As I write this I'm about to put my feet up for a while before dinner, but first wanted to get this post scheduled -- two cards for four challenges.  Honestly, I really wanted to color something and you know how I love my Penny Black stamps.  This Pure Sunshine stamp is large and in charge, but it has a somewhat playful nature and that's what I love about it.

I put it in my MISTI along with two A2 watercolor cardstock panels side by side, then stamped right over top of the joint, half on one panel, half on the other.  I watercolored each with my oldie Stampin' Up Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Earth Elements.

I also lightly stenciled the background of each, brushed on just a little bit of ink for barely there shading, and stamped with a retired SU splatter stamp -- Itty Bitty Backgrounds.  I'm sending the first card to The Flower Challenge where they're asking to see the word "thanks".  I wasn't sure how literal I needed to be, but I played it safe and chose a sentiment with the actual word.

The next card is going to the other three challenges which I've listed below.  I had each of them specifically in mind as I made my design choices.

 

The Flower Challenge #108 -- Thanks

Penny Black Saturday Challenge -- Anything Goes or Optional Music
Triple B -- Birds, Blooms, and/or Butterflies

Stencil Fun Challenge -- Anything Goes or Use Gold

 

  

Can we agree that Triple B always has the most gorgeous inspiration boards?

Well, this was fun!  Supplies are listed below.  I generally list everything, even if it's no longer on the market because I'm sure we all have a mish mash of supplies in our collections.

Off to the couch for a bit!  I'm sure I'll be joined by something soft and lovable, either white or red... you know what I'm talking about.  Take care and have a beautiful day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Pure Sunshine, retired Power Poppy and Impression Obsession sentiments, retired Stampin' Up Itty Bitty Backgrounds splatter stamp  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Cougar Natural card base  Ink:  Ranger Archival Watering Can for outline, SU Chocolate Chip for sentiment, Close to Cocoa for splatter stamp, Ranger Adirondack Sandal (old stash) for stenciling  Coloring:  SU Earth Elements Watercolor Wonder Crayons (retired)  Other:  5" Stencil from a large set found on Amazon

Taking a Moment

Pausing mid-play in the back yard to appreciate my favorite fall colors... of the furry variety.

💗

Outside my kitchen patio door is the promise of a beautiful day.

Sometimes I just have to take a moment.

Wishing you a beautiful and joy-filled day.

Another Batch of Christmas Cards

Hello dear crafty friends!  So here I am again, still trying to get through all my not-yet-used Christmas crafting goodies.  I tend to always have too much Cottage Cutz because they're so extremely marked down in the sales.  I'll keep whittling away at them, but some may have to wait till next year.

Today I focused on Cottage Cutz deer and bear, with a whole lot of other well-loved extras from my stash to help in the making.  The first card design is thanks to the (past) Freshly Made Sketch #707 which I loved for using designer paper.  Thank you, FMS!

Cottage Cutz Elegant Deer w/Wreath, Memory Box Peace Cheshire Script
Memory Box Stitched Circle Layers,  Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes
Die-namites Slender Trees

Reindeer Postage next.  I thought I would make an effort to finish off an old Echo Park paper pad.  I'm not quite there yet.

Cottage Cutz Reindeer Postage
Mix of retired dies and Power Poppy sentiment

The Folk Art Bear in the next card is not a Christmas die, but as a polar bear I think he works.  I put a poinsettia on his bottom and added a fitting sentiment.

Cottage Cutz Folk Art Bear, Penny Black Crystal Frames, Frantic Stamper Believe
Poppystamps Small Blooming Poinsettia
Poppystamps Believe in Magic sentiment

Finally, a Santa bear peeking over a snow bank in a stenciled birch tree forest.

Cottage Cutz Peeking Santa Bear, Die-namics Stitched Rectangle Frames
Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes, Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set
Lawn Cuts Fancy Wavy Banners & Winter Wavy Sayings
Lawn Clippings (Lawn Fawn) Birch Tree Stencil

Challenges:

Love Those Pretty Papers -- Optional Forest Critters.  My first card is specific for this challenge.
NBUS Challenge #80-- Each of the Cottage Cutz dies on these cards is never before used schtuff.

 

Thank you so much for visiting during this busy season.  Happy everything!

Guest Designing with Just Us Girls

Hi all!  It's an honor and great fun to be guest designing with the team at Just us Girls this month!  Today marks their 800th challenge and that's something to celebrate, so let's get to it!

Some of the team members are offering prizes along the way, so you'll want to be sure and visit all the  blogs and leave them some love to be eligible.

I couldn't help myself... I set aside all the fall and Christmas supplies so I could color up this little Penny Black guy who knows how to have a good time.  Could I possibly be missing summer already? 

I stamped him right over top of my stenciled circle (sun?) and then colored with Copics.  The grass is an oldie from my stash, as is the flower border and polka dot paper.  In fact the dog is an oldie, too, but newish to me as I continue to collect some favorite older Penny Black sets.

I punched dots for the flower centers and to scatter along the image panel.  Keeping it simple, but fun!

Come and play with us at Just Us Girls!  The team has lots of fabulous celebratory samples to inspire you.

Take care and have a joy filled day!

Stamps:  Penny Black Good Times dog and To You sentiment, Posh Impressions Wild Grass  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White, Bazzill kraft, Echo Park designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Barely Banana  Coloring:  Copics  Other:  Lil' Inker Silly Stitched Die Set, Poppystamps Floral Dotted Border, 1/8" & 1/4" hole punches, JudiKins Diamond Glaze

Double D Challenge: Fall Wreath

Hi friends!  Do you love a fall wreath?  I sure do, and that's our challenge beginning today at Double D!

Have a look at the beautiful inspiration board and a prize for a random winner:

The team has the difficult job of choosing creative winners.  You'll find more information on the Double D Challenge blog.

For today's card I cut a Tim Holtz Sizzix Funky Wreaths and decorated it with parts from the Cottage Cutz Fall Centerpiece.  I pulled a made-ahead embossed card base from my drawer o' card bases, added a strip of designer paper from The Vast Hoard, and an ancient Whipper Snapper sentiment.  Good to go!

All the coloring is ink blending with brushes, and I added Cinnamon Stickles to the flower centers.

I'm keeping it brief today as I'm running along to the next project.  Busy, busy!

I hope you'll find time to play along with us at Double D.  The team has some beauties to share with you, and I would love to see a gallery filled with fall wreaths!

Take care, and have a happy day!