A Christmas Mouse with Holly

     Digi Doodle Studios has a sketch challenge over on Facebook this month and I pulled this adorable little mouse with his holly sprig out of my collection of DDS images and now I can add one more Christmas card to my stash.

     I love using creatures that are wearing Santa caps for Christmas cards rather than actual Santa images but that's probably because I don't have very many images of Santa or Father Christmas but lots of animal images.

     Here's my card and the sketch.

     

Colored with ProMarkers and Copics
Stickles added to the "O" in the Noel, the snowflake on his hat, and the ornament in his hand
Image and frame cut with Memory Box pinpoint dies
Strip of dp from scraps - stitched die from Unbranded dies
Snowflakes with glitter added (glitter is my fav embellie for Christmas cards!)
Gems from STAMPendous

     Challenges:
ABC Christmas
As You Like It
C.R.A.F.T.
Digi Doodle Studios
Outlawz Festive Fri.
Scrappy Land
Take It, Make It
Winter Wonderland
Work It Weds.

     Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tennis Star

     I love Fridays!  It means I get to share another fun card with a silly and delightful QKR Stampede image.  Our newest challenge starts today and will run for a week.  I've used "Playing Tennis."

     I colored the tennis star with ProMarkers and used water colors on the background.  I cut the image with a die from Spellbinders. 

     I found two scraps of paper in the basket, neither of them big enough to make the frame, so I cut each one (again, Spellbinders) and then layered them together on a diagonal to frame the image.  I printed the sentiment, hand cut it, and inked the edges before adding it to the card.  I used tiny gems from Stampendous for a bit of sparkle.

     Oh, you want to know what the sentiment means?    You haven't figured it out?   It was on a personalized license plate the first time I saw it.  Give up?  OK, how about "Tennis, anyone?"  lol

     Challenges:
Aud Sentiments
CARDZ TV
Cutie Pie
Hiding in My Craft Room
Lemon Shortbread
Pammie's Inky Pinkies
Southern Girls
Stamping Sensations
TTCRD
Words to Craft By

     I hope you're going to come and play in our challenge this week.  Happy Crafting.  NanaConnie

Tall and Skinny Bouquet

     Hmmm, tall and skinny -- I think that's what I wish I was!   In any case, this is my first ever Tall and Skinny card.  I've avoided making them because I never can find tall and skinny envelopes for them and don't want to try to make one.  However, I found some suitable envelopes in a box of old greeting cards and they are still good enough to use.

Colors in the image are from Crazy 4 Challenges.

     I dug out a stamp set by Stampendous and used different pieces of it to stamp this Bouquet in a Jar which I thought would be great for celebrating Mother's Day.  This time, I colored it with watercolors and used chalk markers (after it dried well) to give some shading for more depth.

     Since the watercolor paper I used for the image had some texture to it, I embossed the colored CS layers with my Linen folder.  Very hard to see it in the photo but it adds almost the same texture throughout all the layers.

     This is a tri-fold card and I added polka dot dp to the right side fold.  The CS I used for the card base is white which makes it white inside where one can write a message.

     Challenges:
Artistic Inspirations
Cards in Envy
Chalk n Stock
Crafting from the Heart
Craft Your Passion
Dragonfly Journeys
Just Us Girls
Let's Color Saturday
Lil Patch of Crafty Friends
Little Claire's
MFP Stamps
Outlawz Greetings
Penny Black and More
Stamping Sensations

     Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie  

Courageous Cat

     Today's card is one of those "I never knew I would make this" projects.  It all started when I was killing time, waiting for a friend to finish up an appointment.  There was a local craft store right next door so I went in just to window shop!  As I walked by a rack of clear stamp sets , I heard this set cry out to me, a pathetic little mewling sound like something that might come from a sad and abandoned kitten.

     The set not only had stamps and sentiments, it had matching dies.  I rarely use rubber stamps these days, but definitely prefer red rubber to clear polymer when I do use them, and haven't purchased any kind of rubber stamp in who-knows-how-long.  But this one jumped on me and forced me to buy it, even though it had clear polymer stamps and wasn't on sale -- jumped on ME, the "I-only-buy-at-sales-or-with-a-discount-coupon-lady."

     Once home, it was necessary to immediately make this card.  If you don't believe me on the "necessity" part, just ask the kitten!  You know I'm a sucker for a cute feline face.  Cats are my favorite because they are the one totally irresistible animal when they want attention.  :-D

     Sketch is from The Outlawz, turned sideways.

     The kitten image is colored with my ProMarkers, then die cut with the dies from the set.  (Stampendous)   There are three separate pieces to the kitten and I adhered it with Pop Dots on the head and bow for a little dimension.

     The mouse is from Rick St. Dennis, also colored with ProMarkers, then hand cut (whew, what a chore that was!)   The kitten's expression just called for something to be in that corner so I hunted up that perfect little mouse.

     The sentiment is hand stamped with three tiny sentiment stamps from Stampotique (which have been in my collection forever), then die cut with an oval die from Spellbinders.  I added gems for a bit of bling and a white, satin-ribbon bow.

     I thought this would make a perfect card of encouragement for a child.

     Challenges:
A Beautiful Mess
As You Like It
Aud Sentiments
Brown Sugar
Crafting by Designs
Crafty Girls Creations
Creative Fingers
Cre8tive Hands Friends
I {heart} ProMarkers
Julia Spiri
Morgan's Artworld
Outlawz Twisted Thurs
Stampotique

     Enjoy your weekend and do something just for yourself; recharge those batteries so that you have something to pass on to someone else when they are in need of a charge up.  Happy Stamping.  NanaConnie