House Mouse Challenge #11 & Cute Card Thursday Challenge #34

This week challenged us to use something natural on a card. After a while of hesitating and playing with variety of elements I decided to go with wood and used tooth pick to decorate my card. It was fun and using this very unusual embellishement made me think of all the other cool things I might give a try in the future.



Stamp: House Mouse - Feeling Rosy
Colors: Copic Sketch Markers
Pink - E000, RV11
Light brown - E51, E57
Dark Brown - E59
Green - G20, G99

Cute Card Thursday - Challenge 33

This weeks challenge The Stars at night could not be more perfect since I just got this beautiful starry paper and was so excited to use it. I had a great time completing the challenge and I'm so very happy with how my card turned out.



Stamp: Magnolia - Chilly Tilda
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Gray - N0,N2
Blue - N91, N93
Brown - E25, E55, E57, E59 (hair)
Patern Paper: Paper Pizzaz - Blue Stars

Joy of Giving

This stamps is just too cute. I knew I had to have it the first moment I saw it. It's wonderful image to work with and I can't wait to use it again.



Stamp: Sarah Kay - The Joy of Giving
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Green - G20, G99
Red - YR01, R46
Brown - E51, E55, E57
Skin - E00
Patter Paper: The paper company - Green diagonal Weave
Reminisce - Santa's Suit

Friday Sketchers #25 and Cute Card Thursday #33

Here is a card I created for two challenges. I followed wonderful sketch by Claudia Rosa at Friday Sketchers and also used beautiful starry paper I had in my stash for Cute Card Thursday challenge - The stars at night.



Stamp: House Mouse - Christmas Tale
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Yellow - E02, Y02
Blue - B21, B23
Gray - N0, N2
Patter Paper: Paper Pizazz - Blue Stars

House Mouse Challenge #10

This weeks challenge was to create anything but a card. I bought this cute little wood bags a while ago with intention to use them as little Christmas candy gifts.

I was just thinking I should start working on them soon. The chalenge came in perfect time.



I used acrylic paint called Chocolate made by making memories to color the outside of the boxes before attaching all the embellies.

Stamps: House Mouse - Close Knit Friendship
Sentiment - A Muse Artstamps
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Gray - N0, N2
Blue - B00, B02
Faces - E00, E02

Sarah Kay Challenge #16

This is exactly what I had in mind for my sister in law's birthday. I had all the supplies sitting by my desk for about a week as I procrastinated to start this project.

This challenge helped by giving me the final push I needed and I have to say I haven't had so much fun creating a gift for a very very long time.







Stamp: Sarah Kay
Colors: Copic sketch markers
Face - E00, E02
Hair - E09, 0
Browns - E51, E55
Pink - RV04, RV11, 0
Patter paper: s.e.i. - cherie
Rusty Pickle - Pirate Princess

Christmas Story

I realy enjoy working with House Mouse stamps. They are just too cute! This card was made of scraps that I had left from some other cards. I started with Just the green and red layers but it seemed like something was mising. Dots and small circles worked for me in past and so I cut out few to see if they would give the card the final touch I was looking for and I was very pleased with how it turned out.



Stamp: Stampabilities House Mouse - Christmas Tale
Colors: Tombow markers
Brown - 912
Green - 173
Yeloow - ZIG marker #MS6600
Pattern paper: Imaginisce - Snowy Jo

Simple Love

Here I wanted to create a card that is simple and can be completed fast yet is cute. I considered adding few brads to the corners but then decided to go with as simple as possible look.



Stamp: Rachelle Anne Miller
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Pinks: E00, E02
Gray: N0, N2, C3
Pattern paper: Sassafras - Buttercream Bliss

Friday Sketchers #24

I created this card for Friday Sketchers chellenge #24. I tried to make the card stand out by using non-traditional color and added yellow to this otherwise wintry theme card. Thank you for taking a peek.





Stamp: Magnolia - Rowdy Tilda
Colors: Copic sketch markers
Light brown - E55
dark Brown - E27
Blue - B21
Yellow - Y06
Face - E00
Patten paper: Bo Bunny - Believe Noel
Deja Views - Frosty December
Sassafrass - Buttercream Bliss

Chilly Tilda

I really liked the sketch I found on House Mouse challenge and decided to change it a bit and use it for this card also. I totally love the result.



Stamp: Magnolia - Chilly Tilda
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Gray - N0,N2
Blue - B91, B93, 0
hair - E57
Face E00, E02
Patterned paper: My Mind's Eye - Ice crystals

House Mouse Challenge #9

I fell in love with the sketch the moment I saw it. I knew immediately which stamp I wanted to use and I started to think of all the cute papers I could combine on the card. I had lots of fun creating this one.






Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Mouse faces - E00, E95
Mouse Bodies - E55, Y00, N1
Inside the box - No, Y00
Lights - Y06
Cord - G02, N1
Pattern paper: Sonburn Designs - Beguiled #16524

Rowdy Tilda

Stitching seems to be the big thing now... and it is for a good reason. It gives a project special touch of completeness. I always wanted to try incorporating few stitches onto a card. I do not have sewing machine so I had to go with handstitches. I used Technique Tuesday stamps as an outline, poked the holes for the stitches, and then spent over 2 hours finishing the stitched parts. I really like the result.



Stamps: Magnolia - Rowdy Tilda
Technique Tuesday - Frayed Ends (Outline for stithes)
Colors: Copic Sketch Markers
Blue - B91, B93 and Colorless blender #0
Light Brown - E55
Dark Brown - E27
Patten papers: Blue - Sandyllion Designs - One of a Kind RMKSCB46
Brown - My Mind's Eye - Falling Frost - SGC113

Ornamental Frame Technique

I used my corner punch to create an ornamental frame on one of my Christmas cards. I had several friends asking how I did it so I decided to post this tuitorial. I appologize for quality of the pictures. My camera does poorly in low light. I will retake the pics during the weekend in daylight but for the following ones will have to do.

What you will need is EZ Success Corner Punch called Wrought Iron and a piece of paper.



Lets start with a rectangle. Detach the corner clip and punch your first shape. I made edge of the paper even with edge of the punch.



Now you have to punch the same shape next to it and repeat as many times as you need to achieve your desired lenght. Make sure the edged touch each other. I flipped the punch and punched the rest of the shapes up side down which let me see where exactly I am placing the next one.



The little tricky part is when you need to make a corner. Remember you started with paper edge even with the punch edge and to have your frame evenly punched you have to do the same on the other side.

To achieve that I took a pencil and when punching my last shape on the bottom I made a short line along the punch edge. That showed me where to trim the paper.

Once you have the paper trimmed, start punching the vertical side. Again make sure the two corner punches touch. Continue in the same matter all around your paper. As soon as you make your last punch, you will be able to pop the middle out and you will be left with a nice ornamental frame.



You can also make beautiful circles using the exactly same technique. The difference is that when making a rectangle frame you can decide the lenght and width of your frame as you go. If you want a longer one you simply punch one more shape before trimming the end of the paper. The circles seem little trickier in that respect. You have to cut it first and of course once it is done, you can't expand or shring it.

You might fing a better technique or some of you just might have it in their eye but this is what i did to make my circle even.

I punched my first shape. Then I placed ruler so that it came through the middle of the punched shape and marked the opposite side. This was a nice guideline for punching my second shape.



You will need to do the same for the two following shapes, placing them also in the middle of the existing ones.



You're nearly done. All you need to do is to punch the remining shapes in between the ones you already have a pop the middle out. You will then have an elegant frame to use on your cards or layouts.

Ho Ho Ho

I personally prefer blue and white combination with perhaps a hint od brown for my Christmas cards but several of our relatives and friends are more traditional so I always try to make few cards using the classical reds and greens.

Pattern papers:
Polka Dot green - Imaginisce - Snowy Jo
Red (embellies) - Teresa Collins - Christmas Circle
Stamp: Heidi Grace
Flowers: Petaloo



For the second card I made, I wanted design that is simple and easy to make, yet somewhat different and interesting.

Patter paper:
Red edged paper - Cosmo Cricket - Hello Sunshine
Circle (for embellishement) - Teresa Collins - Christmas Circle
Green Snowflakes - Imaginisce - Snowy Jo

Sarah Kay Challenge #14

Here is my take on a wonderful sketch I found on Sarah Kay blog.

Once I had the image stamped and colored, I inked the edges with "Weathered Wood" Distress Ink and did the same for the mat, the horizontal strip, and the actual card. The pattern paper already had little orange in it so I added hint of it to the yellow polka dot paper. I was nearly ready to assemble the pieces when I found a piece of the blue lace paper and it was such a perfect match for the card I could not resist using it.

I really like the seaside feel of the card.

Stamp: Sarak Kay - Picnics of Daisies
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Skin - E51, E02
Light Blue - B01, B02
Dark Blue - B14
Yellow - Y02
Brown - E35
Patter Paper: Sassafraslass

Beary Merry Christmas

When I first saw this cute bear stamp I immediately fell in love with it and had to have it. That was about 3 years ago and I have to admit I rarely used it during that time. Finally I found a design that really work for it.

It's a very simle design - pretty much just layering, yet very pleasing to look at. To add a bit more of interestingness I used handheld circle punch and carved edges of the two middle layers and I also spread little bit of stickles over the stars.

Stamp: PSX E-1971
Colors: Copic Sketch Markers
Light Blue - BG000
Dark Blue - B01
Yellow - Y02
Brown - E51
Pattern Paper: Basic Gray

House Mouse Christmas

Just like I do every Friday I went to a stamp store to see what's new and I couldn't help myself and walked out with this super cute House Mouse stamp. One just must love those little faces.

Stamps: House Mouse - Holiday Glow
Heidi grace - Joy
Colors: Lighter Green - Copic Sketch marker G24
Darker Green - Tombow marker 245
Brown - Tombow marker 912
Yellow - Zig marker MS-6600
Border: Fiskars Border punch - Sunburst

Best Friend card

I wanted more practise with coloring Tilda image so I created this quick and easy card. I used round corner punch to give the squares smoother look.

Stamps: Magnolia - Tilda
Heidi Grace - branch
Colors: Blue - Tombow marker 452
Yellow - Zig market MS-6600
Title: Nothing fancy. I bought this letter set from a dollar store. The size was great for this card.

Happy Birthday

I was really excited to get my very first Tilda stamp and off I went to see what I can do with her. The very first card I created was a birthday card for a friend of mine. I had a bit hard time coloring her face. Not having any other medium of suitable colors, I used chalks by Pebbles. with set of new copic markers I purchased recently it will be way easier.

Stamps: Magnolia - Tilda
Great Impressions - branch
Colors: Blue - Tombow marker 452
Yellow: Zig MS-6600 Pure yellow
Border: Fiskars border punch - Threading Water
Title: Quickutz Revolution - font Lemonade

Holiday Hugs

I've bought the Holiday Hugs stamp last year just because I really liked it but never really got to use it so it was kind of like having a brand new stamp to play with this year. I stamped the image, colored it with my Copic Sketch Markers, then cut with Fiskars Shape Cutter.

The Squares were stamped with a snowflake image using VersaMark watermark ink pad.

Stamp: Great Impressions G273
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Blue - B00
Gray - C03, C05
Brown - E51, E35
Pattern paper: My Mind's Eye

Christmas Gifts

I started my Christmas cards early this year and I'm so happy I won't have to deal with the last minute rush like I did last year when I procrascinated and made most of my cards in the middle of December.

This one was made for Cute Card Thursday - Challenge #30
http://http://cutecardthursday.blogspot.com/

Stamp: Penny Black - 3919K Coming your way
Border: Fiskars Lace border punch
Colors: Copic Sketch markers
Skin color - E02
Gray - C03, C05
Yellow - Y06
Orange - YR04
Green - G000, G82
Purple - BV01
Tombow marker
Red - 845

Rainy Days

The fall arrived to Washington state. The air is crisp, foliage is turning beautiful colors, the wind is gusting through the streets, the rain drops are tapping on our roof.... perfect weather to lock yourself in and make some cards.

I recently got some cute stamps from Alota and I absolutely love this one. I want to use it for "Welcome little one card" for my sister once her baby girl is born but for tight now I created this simple one.

As I said the stamp is from Alota. I used Copic sketch markers (C03 and C05) for the gray, Copic sketch marker (E27) for the brown and Tombow marker (845) for the red.

The lovely border was punched with Fiskars Lace border punch.

The finished card is 5x5 inches.