Christmas Kitty

Hello friends!  Maybe you remember the "Bewitched" Halloween kitty I shared in a previous post.  I had mentioned I felt it could be used for occasions other than Halloween.  Well, here it is for Christmas and looking just as cute as ever and still a little bewildered.  I do love those eyes!

With the help of another die set I altered the witch's hat to turn it into a Santa's hat.  The hat trim and pom pom were coated with a white dimensional product and fine glitter.  Very sparkly!  The sentiment gives him a place to sit.  The card base with Christmas lights edging was sent in a goodie envelope by my blogging friend, Sue, who makes amazing things on her Silhouette.  I lined the inside with designer paper which shows as a border when the card is closed.

Total Christmas cards in the box:  32

That's not a very good showing for October, but the month is not over yet and maybe I can come up with more.  Fingers crossed.

Happily, I have time to get this into the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge.  The inspiration board is full of Santas (not required), and my cat is wearing a Santa hat.

It was so nice of you to come visit today, and I hope to see you again real soon.  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  None except inside sentiment, not shown  Paper:  Neenah 110 lb white for die cuts, unknown for gifted card base, ancient Studio Calico Wonderland designer paper inside  Ink:  SU More Mustard to color cat  Coloring:  Ink blending with brush on cat, Copics for hat, eyes, and holly sprig  Other:  Spellbinders Bewitched (cat), Tinsel Time Sentiments, Art Anthology Blizzard Dimensional Crystal, powdered glitter

Halloween Fun '26

Hi friends!  I thought I should get the last of this year's Halloween crafty creations posted before the day comes and goes.  These are the final two panels in a four-panel accordion "book".  I might continue on with it later and make an infinity book of sorts, but that remains to be seen.

These panels are ink blended with mostly Distress Oxides, plus stamping, die cutting, a little of this, a little of that.

The dies on this panel are all older from my stash, but still plenty fun.  Googly eyes on the spider, stamped sprinkles, stenciled dots floating around.  When it's make believe you can do whatever you want.

The next panel features this cute kitty cat from Spellbinders Bewitched set.  With a few changes, such as leaving the hat off, you can use the cat for all-year cheer and I plan to do just that.

Pictured below is the expanded view as displayed on one of my stamp room tables.  It will serve as Halloween decor in one of the front rooms.  I have to love that it's easy to store.

I'll leave you with a wish for a wonderful day in whichever way you choose to spend it.  Thank you so much for spending part of today with me!

Woodland Bear and Polar Bear for Christmas

Hi my crafty friends!  I have two more for Christmas today because 'tis the season to pick up the pace.  I'm not sure how many names are on my list this year as I haven't counted, but it seems the number is dwindling.  I may have to come up with a different use for all my Christmas stamps and dies, and I certainly need to quit buying them.

However, this year I picked up the cute Hero Arts Peeking Winter Bear in a Spellbinders sale.  All the rest of my Christmas NBUS is from last year.  See what I mean?  Too much!

Along with the bear I've used the quite beautiful Simon Says Stamp Mountainside Leaves embossing folder for the first time.  The panel is Cougar Vanilla, brushed with SU Creamy Caramel.  It deserves to be front and center, but the nice thing about embossing folders is that it can be used over and over.

I could not get a photo that shows the sparkly parts adequately, but IRL the card almost appears to be in motion as you walk by it.  The star is glitter paper, the pom pom and the snowline on the ground are Diamond Stickles, and the tree decorations are Candy Cane Stickles -- so much prettier in hand.  The Candy Cane Stickles are a red and gold combo.  So blah in the photo (😞).

Next I made a polar bear with my Penny Black Crystal Frame and Memory Box Bauble Snowflakes.  I probably overuse the Crystal Frame, but it's so pretty!  The "Greetings" on both cards is a Cottage Cutz die.  Lots of glitter touches.  I added a heart to the bear and one to the snowflake.  This card is my favorite of the two.

Total Christmas cards in the box:  31

Sharing here:

Can You Handle the Pressure -- Anything goes using an embossing folder, with a twist of trees.  Sending my first card there.
Sisterhood of Crafters -- Frame it.  Sending my second card there.
NBUS Challenge #90 -- My never before used schtuffs are Hero Arts Peeking Winter Bear and Simon Says Stamp Mountainside Leaves embossing folder.

That's it for today.  There's always something crafty in the works so I hope to be back soon.  In the meantime I'll be stopping by to see what artful goodness you're up to.  I know it's going to be amazing!  Have a lovely day!

Halloween Play -- Art Journal Pages and a Card

Hello and welcome!

So... I've been thinking about art journaling for quite a while.  I watched a few videos... then more... and more.  I came to realize how it can be anything you want, any style, any techniques, any supplies you want to lay down on paper.  Make your own mixed media background, make a designer paper background, use stamps, dies, ephemera, lace, ribbon, doodads, whatever.  Make it simple or complex.  Just be you.

I have some new-to-me ghosties -- Simon Hurley's Boo Crew for Spellbinders --  loved them last year, picked up on sale this year.  They live in a scary looking world, but they're dapper and friendly guys.  A little goofy.  I love them!

Since I'm new to the art journaling concept and don't currently have a journal I thought I would test the waters by improvising with an accordion fold.  It's only four pages with a front and back cover.  Each page is 4" x 6", and the art is done on 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" hot press watercolor sheets.

As for the backgrounds on these two pages, I followed Vicki Papaioannou's advice to just start doing something -- anything -- and keep doing it until you realize you actually like it.  My words, not hers, but that's the general idea.

I knew I was going with a Halloween theme so I did my best with torn paper and ivory acrylic paint which I dried with a heat tool and was pleased with how the paint crackled in a few spots.  I stenciled random areas with a Fibers stencil in gray ink.  Rather creepy looking fibers, don't you think?  Stamped some Halloween-y images, then stenciled the stars in Lime Green stencil butter.  Finished the background by sponging black around the edges.  Glued the backgrounds in place and then added the dimensional elements.

That's it in a nutshell but, honestly, it really didn't take long and I have to say it was more fun than I've had with this craft in a long time.  It felt like freedom.

After the journal pages were done it was quick work to create a card using many of the same supplies.  The ghosts and Jack-o-lantern bucket and the die cut sentiment on the card are part of the Boo Crew set.  The Rustic Fence is by Cottage Cutz.

I'll be sharing in two challenges:

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge, September.  Anything goes Halloween with mood board for inspiration.
NBUS Challenge #90.  My never before used schtuff is the Spellbinders Boo Crew and Cottage Cutz Rustic Fence.

 

Well, that was fun!  I hope to see you again real soon.  Thanks for your visit today!

Double D Challenge: Pretty in Pink

Hello and welcome!

We're doing PINK this time around for the Double D Challenge.  Have a look at our inspiration board:

I was inspired to pull out my Spellbinders Truckin' through the Seasons die and make a Valentine.  It can't hurt to think ahead!

Everything here is Spellbinders except the sentiment.  I filled that truck so full of hearts and flowers you can barely see the cab.  There's Diamond Glaze on the tail lights, the flower centers, and the dotty accents.  The cute embossed background is Spellbinders Spring Burst 3D folder, out of the NBUS basket for the first time.

The months are going by so fast, aren't they?  Pretty soon it will be spring again, sheesh!  

I think you'll enjoy all the pretty in pink goodness the team has to share at Double D.  Come along and play with us!

Have a beautiful day!

Dies:  Spellbinders Truckin' through the Seasons, Whimsical Blooms, Classic Hearts, Scalloped Hearts, Big Scalloped Ovals, Classic Ovals  Other:  Spellbinders Spring Burst 3D embossing folder, Stickles Stardust glitter, JudiKins Diamond Glaze, 1/4" & 1/8" hole punches

Christmas in September -- Six Cards

Hello on a Saturday!

It's been a whirlwind of a week and whatever crafty time I had available was spent making the six Christmas cards I'm sharing today.  It all started with Jo's Christmas Kickstart Challenge #114 -- Reindeer Games.  That sounded like fun to me!

I chose my previously enjoyed Cottage Cutz Santa w/Reindeer Buddy.  You can use Santa and the reindeer together or separately.  I cut the whole works four times and proceeded firstly with the two joyfully cavorting reindeer pals.  This is the card I'm sending to Christmas Kickstart.

Card base embossed with TH Sizzix Lumber 3D EF, Hero Arts Wood Frame (spare part)

Each of the reindeer cards also feature Tim's Holtz Sizzix Big Tidings and various spare parts.  I was determined to use as many spare parts as possible, therefore all three designs are different.  I believe this next card is my favorite.

The yellow background, black Waffle Flower Dreamy Frame, and smallest white stars are all spare parts.

All the reindeer appear a little bug-eyed due to my heavy hand when applying white acrylic paint for the eye glint.  Oops.  Do they look like they've been drinking?

I managed to use a little more designer paper on the next card.

Poppystamps Wispy Pine Needle Corner and Spellbinders Blossom Nestabilities are both spare parts.

I finished up with three identical Santa cards.  Each Santa has a snowflake on his beard, strategically placed to cover a smudge.  Hmmm, maybe these are my favorites.  Santa is just such a fun and happy guy!

Penny Black Crystal Frame, Memory Box Pretty Presents,
Impression Obsession Ho Ho Ho and Small Snowflake Set

Total Christmas cards in the box:  29

Along with my cavorting reindeer I'm sending thanks to Jo and her elf, Loll, at Christmas Kickstart for prompting me to get a few more cards in the box.  Thank you, too, for visiting.  Have a happy weekend!

One More Daisy Card

Hi again!  Pardon me while I slip in a card I made way back in early August.  This was my third use of Spellbinders Fresh Picked Daisies and I think maybe my favorite.  I pulled a watercolor background from my stash and coordinated that with a Stampin' Up Marigold Morning card base, and Marigold Morning ink on the sentiment.  The daisies and leaves are Copic colored.

It's interesting how the leaves in this die set are very pretty and graceful, and the daisy flowers rather fun and funky.

I think I can put the daisies away for a while.

I'll leave you with the recipe, below, and a wish for a daisy kind of day!  Thank you!

Stamps:  Inside only  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb hot press watercolor, Stampin' Up Marigold Morning  Ink:  Marigold Morning, other forgotten for watercolor background  Coloring:  Copics for image, watercolor smooshing for background  Dies:  Spellbinders Fresh Picked Daisies, Creative Expressions Happy Birthday sentiment  Other:  Stampin' Up Subtle embossing folder for card base

Double D Challenge: Vases and/or Pitchers

Hello again, friends!  It's Double D time, and Diane has the prettiest board to inspire you.  Today the challenge is Vases and/or Pitchers.

I love everything on the board and I could make one or more of each.  However, I went with the watering can because I've only used my Spellbinders Sprinkle & Grow die set once and I didn't care for the card despite how cute the die set is.  That's on me.  Today I'm much happier!

I brought in a few extras from the toybox -- a pretty frame, some fun designer paper, a bit of grass, and a cute sentiment.  The scalloped corners of the panel within the frame were done with a punch I've had since my early days of paper crafting.  I love how it works with the frame as though it was meant to be.  The sentiment was cut from the designer paper.  The glossy dots were punched from it, too -- 1/4" & 1/8" hole punches -- then glossy glaze applied.

Sometimes everything comes together in harmony.  I wish that was always the case.

We would love for you to come play with us at Double D.  The team has some pretty vases and/or pitchers, and I just know you have some, too.

Thank you for taking the time to visit with me today!

Stamps:  None  Paper:  Fabriano Artistico Extra White 140 lb watercolor, Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, Stampin' Up Going Gray, Polkadoodles Peeling Paint designer paper  Ink:  Stampin' Up Gable Green and Almost Amethyst for blended background  Coloring:  Tombow markers for watering can, Copics for flower arrangement, ink blending with brushes for background  Dies:  Spellbinders Sprinkle & Grow, Simon Says Stamp Teardrop Pinpoint Frames, Creative Expressions Mini Hello & Hi, Impression Obsession Grass Border

Whimsical Houses for Three Occasions

Greetings friends!  I haven't had this much fun playing house in a long time!

In June I bought the entire Whimsical Village Collection by Vicki Papaioannou for Spellbinders.  They went straight to my use-next basket and here we are at the end of August and I'm just now getting around to them.  I LOVE them!  For each card I brought in a little something extra from the toy box.  See under each picture for noteworthy mentions.

***  FALL  ***

Spellbinders Whimsical Houses, Village Companions (clouds & dog), Whimsical Wishes sentiment
Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes, Cottage Cutz Fall Barrel (sunflowers)

***  HALLOWEEN  ***

SB Whimsical Village, PS Stitched Landscape & Stitched Cloudline
Cheery Lynn (long since out of business) Happy Halloween
Ghost sequins
(The Happy Halloween and the cloudy background were both spare parts --hooray for spare parts!

***  CHRISTMAS  ***

SB Whimsical Houses, Whimsical Wishes, Whimsical Skies 3D embossing folder + white ink
Memory Box Slender Pine Trees, Poppystamps Stitched Landscapes

Total Christmas cards in the box:  23

I had way too much fun playing with this collection and getting three more cards done for the upcoming busy cardmaking season.  I meant for the first card to be for Thanksgiving, but as soon as I glued down the sunflowers I realized they would not be in bloom in late November.  Oh, well, a fall card is good, too!

Challenges:

NBUS Challenge #89.  Everything from the Whimsical Village Collection is never before used schtuff.
Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge.  Anything goes or be inspired by the mood board.
Peace on Earth Challenge #118.  Anything goes or be inspired by the mood board.

 

Thank you!  Happy crafting!  

Nest Building Bird

Hi again, friends!  Nesting season has passed here in the northern hemisphere, but it's always anything goes in my craft room.  I still have some bird dies not yet used so I set about rectifying the situation.  This one is a PTI die, Feathered Friends 14.  I recently moved it from my not-yet-used-dies basket to my use-next all purpose basket (stamps, dies, embossing folders) and it wasn't long before it became a card.

For the life of me I couldn't figure out what kind of bird this is supposed to be (any ideas?) so I spent way too much time searching for something likely.  I finally settled on a Crested Bunting which lives in China.  Even still, I took some liberties -- the white spots, for instance.  It's nest building in a thicket courtesy of Memory Box Bird's Nest and Poppystamps Thicket Frame.  The parts are all ink blended with brushes.

Every now and then I like to send a card "just because" and I especially like to make them!

I'll be sending my feathered friend along to the following two challenges:

Triple B Challenge -- Always birds, butterflies, or blooms.
NBUS Challenge #89 -- My never before used schtuff is the PTI Feathered Friends 14.

Thanks for your visit!  I love when you stop by.  Have a good weekend!

Stamps:  Stampin' Up retired Itty Bitty Backgrounds (sprinkles)  Paper:  Neenah Classic Crest Super Smooth Solar White 110 lb, Cougar Natural, SU Close to Cocoa  Ink:  SU Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Old Olive, Ranger Distress Soot Black  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes, Copic for eye, white acrylic paint for eye glint and spots  Dies:  PTI Feathered Friends 14, Memory Box Bird's Nest, Poppystamps Thicket Frame, Creative Expressions Stacked Just Because  Other:  Scotch brand foam mounting tape to pop up bird body

Magnolia Wreath

Hello there!  I was on my way to making something else entirely when a magnolia wreath happened instead.  I can't tell you what a common occurrence that is in my craft room.  I believe I was looking for foliage in my spare parts at the time.  Ah, well, no regrets.

This will be for a local friend's September birthday, and she won't care one whit that the flowers are entirely out of season.

I used all the spare leaves left over from past cutting of my Memory Box Curved Magnolia Branch.  I just added ink and arranged on a die cut circle.  Behind the flowers I have bits of The Greetery Pine Bough in white, and a super oldie Spellbinders Floral Flourishes which was also in my spare parts already embossed in gold.

For the front and inside sentiments I happily broke out a brand new Simon Says Stamp set -- Daisy Frame.  The set with dies is worth it for the sentiments alone, but I can't wait to color the pretty flowers that come with it, too!  Oh, if only I had more time in my craft room!

I'll play along in the the AAA Birthday Challenge #88 where their theme this month is "flowers".

I'm also just in time to play with the girls at Just Us Girls Challenge #835 -- Die Week.

 

Thanks everyone!  I'm glad we could visit today!

Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Daisy Frame sentiment  Paper:  Hammermill Premium 100 lb white, pale pink Bazzill  Ink:  Stampin' Up Old Olive, Close to Cocoa, Barely Banana, Pretty in Pink, Versamark for sentiment  Coloring:  Ink blending with brushes  Dies:  Memory Box Curved Magnolia Branch, The Greetery Pine Bough, Spellbinders Floral Flourishes  Other:  Ranger Princess Gold embossing powder, foam tape to pop up one flower