Friends Across the Miles

     It's so good to be back posting with The Crafter's Cafe again after taking a leave while I was doing all that moving.  Having gotten the craft room into a manageable state (which is not to say it's organized or even completely unpacked), I'm excited to be fulfilling my DT obligations again.

     This challenge our theme is "Friends" and our wonderful sponsor is QKR Stampede.  I love QKR digis and I found this image in my own collection, although QKR provided images to the team.  I wanted to do something that would celebrate all those friends and loved ones who are so many miles away but are still counted among those dear to us.

I chose to use the sketch at CAS on Sunday.

     I really love coloring QKR digis and watching them come to life.  I used my favorite ProMarkers, and then added Metallic Silver EP from WOW! to the mailbox and the larger gift.   I used a glitter gel pen to make the snowflakes and shadow the snow on which the snowman is standing.

     I used a VersaMark pen on the bits I wanted to emboss, then sprinkled on the EP and used my heat gun. That's one of my favorite ways to heat emboss digital images.  I always color the image first, then use an Embossing Buddy to powder the image before applying the EP.  That way,  I don't get unwanted spots of EP on the digi.  Here's a tip for you:  When you want to heat emboss really small areas of a digital image, use a very small 'spotter' type paint brush, stroke it across your embossing ink pad (or dip it into your refill bottle if you have one) and then 'paint' the area you want to emboss.  The embossing ink sticks to the paper and you can emboss smaller areas than the VersaMark pen tip would allow.  The biggest problem with VersaMark pens, I think, is the relatively large size of the nibs.

     The bow is one of those I sew and I used ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon to make it.  Paper came from DCWV, their "Winter Magic" stack from a couple of years ago.  I used a strip of washi tape and mounted the sentiment on it.  The rhinestone bling was in my stash.  (It's amazing what you can find when you have to pack and then unpack due to a move!!)   After all I've done on this card (or should I say "haven't done" -- meaning I left off most of the embellishments I wanted to use), I certainly hope it has a CAS feel to it.  I know the open space isn't 'white' space but there was so much white in the image piece, it just needed a patterned background to showcase it.  At least the bow & rhinestones are the only embellishments and it will definitely fit in to a standard envelope.

     Challenges:
2 Sisters -- Christmas with no red or green
A&T Emerald Faeries -- Ribbon/lace & bling
A Little Bit Crafty -- Sparkle and shine
Card and Scrap -- Christmas cards
Catered Crop -- Washi tape
Challenges 4 Everybody -- Anything goes
Christmas Card Challenge -- Dimension
Christmas Cards All Year Round -- Winter wonderland
Corrosive Challenges -- TicTacToe: bling/ image/ layers
Crafting Cafe -- Winter blues
Die Cut Divas -- Holidays and celebrations
Flat Friends -- Christmas cards
Great Impressions -- Holiday card or tag
Hobbycutz -- Song inspired (Blue Christmas)
One Crazy Stamper -- Christmas
Outlawz PAM -- Snowmen
Really Reasonable  Ribbon -- Christmas + ribbon
Tok Bobok -- Christmas
Whoopsi Daisy -- Monochromatic
WOW Embossing Powders -- Christmas/Winter

     Goodness, I haven't done a single card for that many challenges in many months!  But this week/month seems to have so many challenges with Christmas or winter themes, how could I resist?  :-D  I hope we're going to see you playing in our challenge at The Crafter's Cafe.  Remember, it doesn't have to be Christmas -- just anything that fits our "Friends" theme.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie