You can't catch me. I am the Gingerbread Man!

 

 

Sweet adorable Gingerbread Man baking away at more gingerbread cookies! 

Reminds me of the story...Run! Run! As fast as you can't catch me.  I am the Gingerbread Man!

Colored with pencils and Copics.  Submitted to Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

 

 

Christmas Pets

 I was so excited to be invited as a guest designer this week over at 52 CCT.  Its a Theme challenge this week and the theme is Pets!

What to choose from?  I have dogs in many poses.  I have cats.  I have lambs.  I have so many to choose from!  I ended up with this stamp set "Santa Paws" from Art Impressions.  I have used many stamps in this set but today I am working with the group of singing dogs.

 I stamped the image first and masked it so I could do the sky which is Distress Oxides Prize Ribbon, Dusty Concord and Tumbled Glass.  Those colors are my go-to when I make a night sky.  The stars are splattered Dr Ph Martins Pen White Ink.  it comes with a dropper.  I just dipped a brush into it and splattered the ink. It works the best for me for stars.  Next I colored with my Prismacolor Premier colored pencils.  I love that sentiment that was stamped on vellum and clear embossed with Altenew Crystal Clear embossing powder.  I picked the sentiment up from Rubberstamps.com called Christmas Cheer.

I hope you join us over at the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.  Just click the link and it will take you over to the Theme Challenge-Pets.  We all would love to see what you make too!

https://52cct.blogspot.com/2023/07/july-theme-challenge.html

 

Highland Birthday

 When I saw this Highland Cow image at Kit and Clowder, I knew right away the birthday I was going to color it up for.  

The card I made is called a bridge card and the bridge part is the fence in front of the cow.  

I printed out the background on a full piece of light weight white cardstock and cut the pieces to fit and glue over each section. 

The bridge part was a fence image printed, flipped over as an opposite and printed again.  I fussy cut it  and glued the largest fence post to the right side and the left large fence post, leaving the center loose.  I pressed it flat to see where I needed to cut and match up the middle to attach at the perfect length. I was lucky that the both sides and the length I needed ended up being perfectly lined up where the two fence post met in the middle!

The Highland cow was large and I wanted it to be the focus of the card and the barn in the background.  The cow is glued to a crossbar to show distance between the fence and barn.

 The highland cow just looks like she is ready to go to a birthday party with her birthday hat of flowers on her head!

Verse Front:  It's never too late to be what you want to be....

Verse Back:  Unless you want to be younger, than your screwed =)

Definitely not your normal A2 card and it BARELY fits in the 6"x9"manila envelope.   The base was a 11"x 5 3/4" and the two sides were folded at 1 1/2" each. 

 

She got popped into the mail and on her way to wish a dear friend Happy Birthday!

Submitted to Challenge

Creative Creases #61 

Netta

Supplies

•     Kit and Clowder Highland Cow Image from Feb/Mar 2023 Bonus Class
•     Neenah Solar White Cardstock
•     Water Color Waves Farm Fences Clipart
•     Sentiment printed from Computer
•     Silhouette Cut Birthday
•    Altenew Green Heart Gens 
  

Vinnie

 A dear 4 legged family member of my niece's passed away suddenly the other day so I needed to make her a special card.  I wanted her to know our hearts went out to her.  Pets are an important part of our lives and not everyone recognizes the grief someone goes through when they lose a pet but our family does.  We are all animal lovers and we feel their pain.

 

 Every time someone I know losing their best 4 legged friend, I water color an image for them.   I used Arteza Metallic Water Color Paints and a water brush to color up the image...special for her. 

Inside:  ....so missed.

Color Wheel-Monochrome Green Butterflies

 I have been looking at the color wheel (see info at the end of this post).  There are 6 different combos on the color wheel that I want to try.  Today is the first combo and I am using the Monochrome Combo.  It fit well with the next challenge for Alphabet Challenge Blog.

The next alphabet is the letter "G" and at Alphabet Challenge Blog, they are calling for the color green so I submitted this card...

The sequins are sea-green so I think that is why it picked up a blue shimmer but they are actually green so I used a flash on the card to show it.

The 2 small butterflies are painted with LuminArte Green Tea Twinkling H2O's and has such a pretty green shimmer to it.

 

The top butterfly has 3 layers.  The second layer is vellum colored with Copic G24 green.  The top layer is vellum colored with the same LuminArte Green Tea Twinkling H2O's.

Behind the Memory Box Butterfly Spectacle die cut of butterflies and opening is a piece a green cardstock I had for years.  It has flowers and butterflies all over it.  It was perfect for the window area of the die cut when I popped it up with pop dots.

I am submitted this to G for green at Alphabet Challenge

 https://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/g-is-for-green.html

 

 Now, about that Color Wheel...

 I have had an EK Success Rainbow Color Wheel for YEARS and never really used it. 

 I decided to do a bit of research and find out..how do you really use it?  I am never really sure when I pick my colors.  What really goes well together?  Apparently, using a color wheel, will help me to quickly pick out colors and options depending on what is my end goal!  The color wheel has a middle that spins around and you can move the arrows around to choose your colors. It will also have arrows to help with the different combinations.  Depending if you are going for a single color or up to 4. 

• Monochrome Combos is a variation of a color that you like and the shades would be clustered together on the color wheel.  For example: dark blue, slightly lighter blue, and light blue.  This is a great choice if you want your card to be identified with a particular color.
  
• Complementary Combos would be colors that are directly across from one another on the color wheel.  This wheel has a black arrow. This would work if you want a high contrast like yellow and purple or teal and red .  You can also mix up the shades like a teal with pink (shade of red). 
  
• Analogous Combos are colors that sit directly side by side on the color wheel like violet, blue and teal.  All three of the colors sit next to each other on the color wheel.  You can use 2, 3,or 4 if you want.  
• Split Complement Combos would be one color on the wheel but do not use the color directly across. Instead you would use the color to the left and the color to the right of the complementary color.  So if you chose yellow, directly across is purple but use the two colors to the right and left of the purple which would be blue-purple (to the right of purple and red-purple (which is to the left of purple).  This color wheel shows an orange triangle with two even sides and one short side.
  
• Triad Color Combos is a variant of the Split Complementary colors.  This one uses colors that are found equally spaced on the color wheel.  You pick a main color and the other two would be accent colors.  Remember you can use any of the shades of a colors to tone down any of the colors if you don't want to use a bright bold color.  An example of Triad color would be purple, green and orange or red, yellow and blue. It shows on the color wheel as a red triangle with three even sides.
  
• Another variation is Tetrad Combos.  Same as Triad but uses four colors and shows on my color wheel as green rectangle for a Rectangular Tetrad or a purple square for a Square Tetrad.   

Christmas Envelope Box Card

 I made a box card that looks like an envelope in light blue and used two colors of red for the flowers.  One was a metallic deep red and the other was sparkling brighter red.  I used a bit of white as well so I have that as part of the base to break up the blue a bit and the red flowers.  The center of the flowers have light blue gem.

 

 

The flowers are placed on two crossbars inside the box.  The crossbar toward the back is higher than the one in front so the flowers can be seen.

 

The front of the box had a triangle cut out so I used it on the back of the box card to give it more of envelope feel like the front.  I have plenty of room to stamp a sentiment and or write a note to the recipient once I figure out who it will go to.

 

 

 

 I love how it folds flat very nicely for mailing.

 

Thank you for stopping by! 

 

Netta

 
Supplies

    Spellbinder October 2022 Die of the Month
    Neenah Solar White Cardstock
    Light Blue Cardstock
    Red Metallic Cardstock
    Red Sparkling Cardstock

    Light Blue Gem

    
   

Stenciling Flowers for a Friend

This Altenew stencil is probably one of my top go-to stencils that I use.  I am addicted to flowers. 

 Flowers Dies, Flower Stencils, Flower Stamps.  I have plenty!

I made this card to send to a friend....which we...in the craft world,,,,call it a RAK.

​noun. DEFINITIONS1. 1. random act of kindness: something you do for somebody in order to help them or to cheer them up.

or.........just because! (I added that definition lol)

 

I think it is just so pretty.  

The words were printed on vellum with my computer.  I have learned in the past, heat emboss the printed words or it will never dry or will smudge.  You can't tell but I have a hint of sparkle in the embossing powder that was not done on purpose.  Years ago,  I emptied my black embossing powder into a smaller container that happen to contain a small amount of glitter embossing powder.  The two mixed and voila!  Ever so lightly...sparkling black. 

I used the stencil and softly stenciled in one corner on the inside of the card, using less and less ink to fade out.

I will be popping this into the mail for her tomorrow!

 

 

Submitted to Challenge

https://happylittlestampers.blogspot.com/2023/06/hls-june-stencil-challenge.html

Supplies

    Altenew Layered Dahlia Stencil
     Distress Oxide:Mowed Lawn, Twisted Citron, Faded Jeans, Tumbled Glass, Mermaid Lagoon
     Blended Brushes
    Neenah Solar White Cardstock
    Dark Blue Cardstock
    Vellum
    Computer Print
    Black Embossing Powder
    The Paper Studio

52CCT Distress Ink Blending Snowy Christmas Sunset

 I love this forest and deer stamp and have used it quite a bit. I have had it for years. I love that it can be used for any time of year as it has nothing to do with winter ...unless you add snow!  It would be a perfect masculine card as well.  

 I had an image in mind, on what my card should look like but it took me 3 tries!  My first time I didn't like the colors. It looked like mud as I blended.  Second time I realized I should have stamped the image last as the distress ink made it look like more muted grayish instead of a nice black as I blended.  Three times is the charm they say!

After I was happy with the ink blending for the land, water and sky, I used the sun and ray stencil with the same Squeezed Lemonade and blended it so it went up into the sky.  

After I did the rays I lightly went back over with the pink and blue in the sky again to blend the rays in a little.  On the actual card, the rays are more faint than in the photograph.  I made sure to stamp the image 4 times.  Two times first and then I moved the image over to the left edge to fill in the rest of the land and trees. I stamped 2 more times for the edge.  I wanted that dark crisp black.  Next, came the snow falling and that was white paint splatted with an old toothbrush I keep in my art supplies.  A little trick I learned from back in the day when I learned how to oil paint.  I believe I was around 11 or 12 at the time.  I also used THE BEST EVER white gel pen to make snow...Arteza White Gel Pen.  I have used this type a lot over the years and this brand never fails me!

Can you believe half the year is not even here yet and I almost have all my Christmas cards done!  This is the very first time I am not scrambling in November.  

Where are you at?  Have you even started yet? 

*smile*

 

 Submitted To Challenge

 

 

Supplies

• Fun Stampers Journey Stay Wild Stamp
  
•  Distress Oxide: Faded Jeans, Squeezed Lemonda, Pumice Stone,Stormy Sky, Picked Raspberry
  
•  Blended Brushes
  
• Neenah Solar White Cardstock
• Navy Cardstock
• Christmas Words Company Unknown
• Precise V5 Rolly Penn Extra Fine
• Tempera Primary White Paint for snow 
• American Crafts Pack of 3 Where to Next Stencil for sun rays
• Arteza White Gel Pen
  

Happy Birthday Bicycle Friend

Good morning and happy Saturday friends.  Thank you for stopping by.

I wanted to show you what I colored for a friend who loves to ride. 

 Her birthday is also on 4th of July so I have made her a card just about bikes, the look of 4th of July or combined the two holidays. She has a fancy bike but I thought she would get a kick out of this bike with the basket in the front.  

I put just a hint of sparkling glitter on the flowers. 

 I used one of the Kit and Clowder classes to help me to color and it was a huge help, especially when it came to the basket, tires and the metal shine of the bike.  

I find coloring so relaxing.

This will get popped into the mail for my friend today to make sure she receives it in time.

Enjoy your crafting day.

Supplies

• Kit and Clowder Vintage Bicycle
  
•  Prismacolored Pencils
•  Nuvo Glitter
• Neenah Solar White Cardstock

52 CCT June Theme- Candy Canes

Today is the first day of summer and I have Christmas on my mind.  Elizabeth, at 52CCT has chosen Candy Canes as the theme this month.  I had not pulled out pencils for some time so I decided to color up an image that was full of candy canes.  With a fine tip marker, it was easy to get all the green and red sprinkles all over the candies.

With flash you can see the sparkles on all the Candy Canes.  It's not Christmas or Birthdays without some glitter on the card somewhere.

 

The sentiment was printed from my computer and I thought it fit in with the theme of candy canes!

Front:  Have you been good this year?

Inside: If the answer is Yes...then you've earned your stripes this Christmas!

Submitted to Challenge

https://52cct.blogspot.com/2023/06/june-theme-challenge.html

Supplies

• Digital Morning Premium Cake Digital Image
•  Prismacolored Pencils PC1031, PC943, PC946,PC937,PC926,PC924,PC929,PC1014,PC912,PC1034, PC1093,PC1059
  
•  LePen green and red pens for sprinkles
  
• Arteza Gel Pen whie
  
•  Scrapbook.com Hello Bloom Die
• White and Red Cardstock
• Fiskars Stitch Punch
  
• Nuvo Glitter Drop
  

Flying in Just to say Hello

Tomorrow we can all say "Well....Hello Summer!".

Flowers and Butterflies are perfect for saying hello to summer and to a good friend. 

 

Submitted to Challenge

https://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2023/06/f-is-for-flying-anything.html

  Supplies

• Brutus Monroe Flowering Vine Mixed Media Stencil
•  Gina K Blue Raspberry and Blue Denium Ink
•  Ranger Glossy Accents
•  Memory Box Morning Garden Butterflies
•  Scrapbook.com Hello Bloom Die
•  Scrapbook.com Sweet Expressions stamp (inside)
•  Blended Brushes

 

Gatefold Popup Christmas Package

 I have a hate-love with the Karen Burniston Parcel Pop-up card!

I find it confusing building it but I love the look of the card when done though!

It's just fun when you open it and see a package.  Pull the bottom down that has the red arrow and up pops the surprise!

Submitted to challenge

 https://christmaskickstartchallenge.blogspot.com/2023/06/christmas-kickstart-challenge-75_01845190438.html
 

Graduation Shaker Easel Money Card

My 1st grandson is graduating this week. My first!  When did that happen?  

When did he grow up?  *sigh*

I wanted to make him a special card in his school colors of Navy and White.  When I saw Jennifer McGuire's money card, I knew that was it. I wanted a bit more fancier so I went a step further and made it an easel shaker money card.  It took me a moment to figure how to make it work but I got it!

 

 

I love how you can see the money through the window.  The money pulls out through a slit in the back.  Even with the money removed, it is still a great card to display.  The graduation cap is the stopper for it to lean against.

 

 

 

 

I made an A2 card and even though I will hand it to him, it does lay flat in an envelope for mailing. 

 

 

 

 

Submitted to Challenges

 

 

****Update****

 

 

52CCT Sketch Challenge- Stack of Christmas Birds

 I saw this stamp and loved it.  Had to have it, however it was difficult for me to color with copic markers.  I think next time I will try pencils. 

 

 All in all, I think it was perfect for this sketch!

Submitted to Challenge

https://52cct.blogspot.com/2023/06/june-sketch-challenge.html

****Update****

 

  Supplies:

White Cardstock

                    Stack of Winter Birds Company Unknown

                    Copic Markers

                    Twine from Stash

                    Happy Holiday Sticker

                    DCWC  The Green Stack Recycled Paper Pack

                    Nuvo Glitter Drop

                    Artez White Gel Pen