Merry Monday 273

Hi There!

I recently reorg  organized my stamps in their bins.  I am still very happy with the bins, and zip bags I have used for the last 3 years.  Last spring I purchased plastic dividers meant for comic book storage.  My zip bags are about 9 inches long, and the dividers are 10.5 so they pop up nicely. I keep my stamps in bins- (Florals, Holiday, Sentiments, Backgrounds, Critters, and Other.) I finally put those dividers in each bin to separate each stamp set by manufacturer. 

As I did this I ran across two of my favorite Christmas stamps and thought they'd work well for this challenge.  Merry Monday's prompt for challenge 273 was to use red and turquoise.  This is such a fabulous combination I was happy to play along.

I heat embossed the images and used Arteza brush pens for the coloring. They are strikingly similar to the zigs, and I got a great deal on amazon - 48 for $24.00 in a flash sale.  They have a thicker/sturdier brush tip but other than that for me they are just about the same as the zigs.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

A New Challenge

Hey There!

I am back from my visit to my Dad's; and I am so excited to play in a brand new challenge brought to blog-land by the witty and engaging Darnell of djkardkreations.   If you have never visited her blog please head over, it will bring a smile to your day.

The new challenge blog is called Twofer Card Challenge.  The challenge premise involves two cards as the name implies...but here is the twist ... both cards must used the same main image based on the challenge prompt.  The cards need to be for two different occasions.   How's that for making us all stretch our stamp inventories? I personally think this is a brilliant challenge and I was so hoping to play from California...but I didn't have anything with me that satisfied the prompt.

Now that I am home, I have 1 single set to use to play.  So on to the challenge!

 

Here are my two cards, as per the rules they must appear together in one photograph.

I have one set of feather dies. For the encouragement card, I made it square-- die cut several of the feathers and glued them to the card front.  I created the sentiment on my computer (see this post for instructions) and added a few black dots.  My second card - a manly birthday card - has gray leaves on a woodgrain embossed card base. Very simple and clean.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

More Penguins

Hi there,

I made these before I took off for California and meant to include them with my Penguin Day post, but I did not get it done, so here are a few more Penguin cards now that I am back in my crafty space in Maryland.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bizzare and Unique Days

Hello!

My favorite cards are the just because or unexpected cards.  They are wonderful to receive and so many of my non-card making friends back in California have let me know that the unexpected envelope in the mailbox is a definite mood lifter.

I know when I get a card from my crafty friends unexpectedly it brings a smile to my face and adds a lil something to the day.

I have lots of thinking of you sentiment stamps as well as just because...but I was thinking I needed some inspiration.  I kinda stumbled on to this site of Bizzare and Unique Days, and I think there is inspiration there for some cards...and a silly unexpected reason to mail them out.  I plan on picking out one day each month making several cards for that day and sending them out. 

For me this month, its Penguin Awareness Day - I have several penguin stamps and what better way to use them?

So, thanks for stopping by; as always your visit is appreciated.

Trying out a background

Hello

I am trying to get used to drawing in some backgrounds for copic colored stamps.  I am not an artist, and I am tremendously envious of those who can put images to paper by drawing. I cannot.

Last year I watched this video by Sandy Allnock and it is the reason I fell in love with those MFT Polar Pals.  This is my case attempt of a similar card.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Another bear

Greetings...

Another bear card for you today.

This one is for hubs, he returned to Maryland a week before I did...this should be waiting for him when he arrives. 


TIP:
The sentiment is computer generated in word. Make a table, fill it with black and choose white as your font color and type away.  I recommend adding more rows  and columns than you need so you can choose how far the black extends in all directions. After printing on paper, I glue it to card stock before cutting my final shape.

Thanks for stopping.

Those Polar Pals

Hi There!

I dug out my MFT Polar Pals stamp set...I just love these bears! They remind me of the coca-cola bears and never fail to make me smile.

Front

Interior

I had hoped that embossing folder was a bit reminiscent of an igloo. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Coloring on Gray

Hi there,

I wanted to try some coloring on a colored cardstock other than black, so I chose some gray (or is it grey? gray makes more sense to me so I am choosing the a!)

The flower is from Altenew, the sentiment from Simon's.

Quilted Thanks

Hello!


This Amaryllis never made it to the front of a Christmas card, but I think it makes a stunning Christmas thank you.   After coloring the image (Penny Black) I cut it out to fit on top of  a die cut piece of red vellum.

I mounted it on a quilt cut card base and added the sentiment from Simon Says Stamp.

I think my friend will enjoy the card as much as I am enjoying her gift.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cups

Hi there!

I picked up my copics again, it had been a while since I colored.   This stamps set is from CTMH, called Tea-riffic.  I have a tea loving friend and she'll appreciate it.

Through the holidays I saw so many red and blue combinations and I fell in love with it. I figured that this card would make a good try for those colors.  There was no saucer on the stamp image...but I think it needed something to even it out,s o I drew it in ---after all that coloring of the cups fortunately it worked out.

Thanks for stopping by!