Stocking Hung at the Fireplace

It's time for a mid-month reminder for the CAS Christmas challenge:

I went with a very old stamp that I've had almost since I first started stamping.

I coloured the stamped image with coloured pencils and then fussy cut it.

I created the idea of a fireplace by using some slightly dried up embossing paste through a brick stencil.  And for the mantelpiece I took a scrap of kraft cs and went over it with ink and woodgrain stencil.  I tore the ends off to give it the same partial look as the bricks.

I added a brad to the mantelpiece as something to "hang" the stocking from and put dimensionals under the stocking.  I die cut the panel with a stitched rectangle to match the stitching on the stocking and embellished with two red gemstones, one clear one, and Wink of Stella on the snowflake.

Here's a close-up:

You have until May 24 to link up your cards featuring our theme of "stocking".  For inspiration, check out the reminder cards made by our Design Team and this month's fabulous Guest Designer, Helen (Helen's Craft Haven).

Supplies:

Stamps - Heather's Stamping Haven stocking, Paper Smooches sentiment

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper - white and kraft cs

Size - A2

Accessories - TH wood grain and brick stencils, Dreamweaver embossing paste, coloured pencils, Lil Inker stitched rectangle die

A Child and a Dog

Mid-month already and time to remind you to join in with the May CAS Watercolour Challenge!

I've gone with another Christmas / winter themed card.

I love this image.  I've lived with dogs my whole life and look back so fondly on those childhood dogs who were our constant companions and went out with us whenever we were out playing with our friends.  Life was a lot freer then and my friends, our dogs, and I would be off alone all day in the woods, in the ravine, or, in winter, at a deserted sand quarry where we tobogganed for hours on end - no adults in sight!

I stamped the image and watercoloured it with my Gansai Tambi paints.  I mixed some black with the iridescent white paint for the ground.  And then mixed the palest blue with a lot of the iridescent white to do a very light wash over the top area of the panel.

Then I added more blue to the iridescent white and painted it onto a scrap of watercolour paper.  When dry, I die cut to small snowflakes and the sentiment from it.

I popped the panel up on fun foam on a blue/grey card base.  In real life, it's much closer in colour to the snowflakes than it appears in the photo.

Here's a close-up of the focal panel to try to show you a bit of the shimmer in the background and snowflakes:

Looking forward to seeing your cards that would be suitable to give to a child.  Check out the other cards by the Design Team and our Guest Designer, Bobby (bits & pieces) over at CAS Watercolour.  You have until May 24th to link up.

Supplies:

Stamps - ? child and dog stamp

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, blue/grey cs

Size - 6.25x4.75"

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolour paints, Tattered Lace sentiment die, Cheery Lynn small snowflakes die, fun foam

Holly with a Bird

Sparkles Christmas Challenge for May is "Let's See Some Holly".

I love holly and I love birds on Christmas cards so a stamp that combines both always attracts me.  I've had this Magenta stamp for many years and make sure I use it every year.

I stamped and heat embossed both image and sentiment on watercolour paper and then watercoloured the image.  Trimmed the panel and added it to a red card base.  A great flat card that is perfect for mailing.

Love getting my Christmas cards done throughout the year!

Supplies:

Stamps - Magenta bird and holly, Impression Obsession sentiment

Ink - Versafine Onyx Black

Paper - red cs, watercolour paper

Size - A2

Accessories - watercolour paints, clear embossing powder

Tobogganing with a Friend

Paper Players is asking us to celebrate  "Friends" in their latest challenge.

I went with two little mice friends, tobogganing together - something my best friend and I used to do together every winter when I was a child living in eastern Canada.  We'd go to an old deserted sand quarry with our dogs and a toboggan - no adults with us as it was a time when kids just got to go off and play on their own.

I'd never inked up these cute little mice tobogganing on leaves - don't know why as it's such a sweet image!

Stamped, watercoloured, added Stickles to the snow, placed it on a kraft cardbase on which I scored some lines - pretty quick and easy to make.

Another for my Christmas card stash!  How's your's coming along?

Supplies:

Stamps - Penny Black mice, Great Impressions sentiment

Ink - Archival Jet Black

Paper - watercolour paper, kraft cs

Size - A2

Accessories - Gansai Tambi watercolourpaints, Crystal Stickles, ScorBuddy