Another post already?

Yup! :) This one is a bit special since I made it specifically for the challenge over at Mo's Challenge blog. The challenge was to make a Christmas card for someone special using traditional colors. I hope these can be considered traditional!
Now, I have to say, I'm not warming up to digital stamps the way I thought I would. Why? Well, mostly because I have a ton of trouble printing them! It's definitely something to do with operator error (not Mo's files - those are awesome!) but I can't manage to get one printed that looks good in under an hour. Yes, an hour! It's going to take some serious work to figure out what the problem is - in the meantime I've added this fairy stamp (and a couple of others) to my wish list now that they're being made by Stampavie. Hope I've been good enough for Santa!
I fell in love with this fairy just as soon as I saw her. I could think of all kinds of ways to use her - Christmas theme just happened to come first. There are a *lot* of things going on here - let me take you step by step.
First I printed the image (about 15 times, but you knew that). Then I colored her with a combination of Lyra Rembrandt Polycolor pencils and Prismacolor pencils. Honestly I'm not all that fond of Prismas but the Lyras don't have as many shades and I needed some 'flesh' colors. My understanding is that Prisma pencils are wax based and Lyras are oil based - the Lyra pencils blend like a dream! Everything on that panel was colored with Lyra pencils and blended with either OMS or the Splender pencil except the flesh colors. Even the sky!
Once the fairy was colored I used my Xyron to adhere it to a piece of white card stock (I told you the printer was giving me fits!). Using nesties and my cuttlebug I cut & embossed the panel. By then I felt comfortable adding glue and glitter to her wings, stickles to the star and some Radiant Pearls to her dress and belt. I set it aside to dry and started working on the green piece.
The green piece started out as a plain piece of white card stock which I colored with Pine Needles Distress Ink. The tree (Stamp Oasis, I think) was stamped several times with the same ink. Using Matte Mod Podge I glued a piece of mulberry like paper (with those silver & gold flecks in it) to the top of the green. Once dry I used the ScorIt to score the edges and a paper piercer to pierce around that. Finally (although you can't see it in the picture) I ran it through my cuttlebug with the snowflake Impressability from Spellbinders.
Layers of muted gold card stock were added, then everything was mounted on a 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 base card cut from decorative white/pearl card stock. That, of course, was also edged with Pine Needles. :) As the very last step I added the metal star clip and a Swarovski crystal to the top.
I wish you could all see this in person! It's very textured with lots of sparkle. And I *LOVE* my Christmas fairy!
Thanks for dropping by!

Christmas cards part 3!

Still going strong on the whole Christmas card thing! I can hardly believe it! Like I've said before, usually I'm still making them *after* Christmas, but this year things are different! Somehow it always seems like 'cheating' if I make more than one of the same Christmas card - something I go to great lengths to avoid (including making a list of recipients in columns so that I know who will have a chance to see other cards I've made) (isn't that ridiculous?). Anyway, this year I don't think I'll have to worry about it at all. Am I crazy or what? :D
This first card is another inspiration from Kristina Werner's video series. I just loved the little ornaments she tied on with string! It's fairly simple, not a bit of stamping! I cut small circles from designer paper and edged them with a silver krylon pen. The letters are stickers (Making Memories I believe) and have a shimmery look to them in person. Not quite glitter they have more texture. I used Kristina's idea for tying them on with a strand of silver embroidery thread (two strands from a 6 strand piece). I did pop two of the circles up on pop dots - the J and the Y. A strip of the same designer paper across the top with some white and silver ribbon for edging completed the look. Oh, and if the blue base looks dirty or fuzzy - it's not. It has silvery/mica inclusions. Looks really pulled together IRL! :)
This next one is a little dark. The stamp on the main panel is from Katzelkraft (love them!). What you can't really tell from the picture is how that main panel was made. First I cut down a piece of white cs to a little bigger than the stamp. I used Broken China & Faded Jeans DI to color it. After it was dry I used Matte Mod Podge to adhere this really thin mulberry type paper (which has silver & gold metallic flakes in it) over the top. After that was dry I stamped with black (Staz On) but my pad was too dry so I stamped again with Memento. Because of the mulberry fibers it bled a little. After that was dry I went over the swirls and the trees with a clear glitter pen - unfortunately you can't really see that in the picture! I trimmed the image out, dabbed some glue around the edges and dipped them in glitter.
The next panel was a designer paper that I trimmed down and colored the edges with more Faded Jeans DI. Then I used Charcoal chalk ink and the grungy edges from Stempelglede to give it more interest. Of course the edges of this panel also had to be dipped in glitter! Some silver wired Christmas ribbon and a shimmery black base were all it took to finish it.
This next one looks far better in person. You can't really see the shimmer or texture in the picture - nor can you really see the lines of silver (around the letters, the sentiment panel and some of the background strips) that give it that 'WOW' look in person. *sigh*
This was a technique called Herringbone from the latest Technique Junkies newsletter. Basically strips of paper laid at angles, it took LOTS more time that I thought it would. The sentiment panel is popped up to allow the trim room to hang. I used the same letter stickers for the actual sentiment, but they faded into the background so I outlined them with a dark silver glitter pen. I sewed a border (using that same embroidery thread) around the panel for a little more texture. All in all I really like how this came out, but it's not something you want to make if you're in a hurry!

In other business, my friend Etha sent me an award a while back. Thanks Etha! It came with a list of questions that I'm supposed to answer with one word... let's see how I do!

The Rules are: Pass this award on to five people, post on their blog to let them know you have left this award for them. And then answer a list of questions in one word!

1. Where is your mobile?…purse
2. Your hair?…obstinate
3. Your Mother?…gone
4. Your Father?… immaterial (if you asked about my dad - then healing)
5. Your favorite food?…carnitas
6. Your Dream last night?…surreal
7. Your Fav Drink?…Amante! (a brand of coffee)
8. Your Dream?…security
9. What room are you in?…living
10. Your Hobby?… stamping
11. Fear?…abandonment
12. Where do you want to be in 5 years?…here
13. Where were you last night?… out
14. Something that you aren’t?…fashionable
15. Muffins…chocolate
16. Wish List Item?…pencils
17. Where did you grow up?…Colorado
18. Last thing you did?…answer
19. What are you wearing?…jammies
20. Your TV?…off
21. Pets?…yup
22. Friends?…precious
23. Mood?…apprehensive
24. Life?…busy
25. Missing someone?…yes
26. Vehicle?…Xterra
27. Something you’re not wearing?…makeup
28. Fav store?…Borders
29. Fav Colour?…green
30. When was last time you laughed?…yesterday
31. Last time you cried?…worthwhile
32. Best Friend?…smart!
33. One place that I go to over n over? Target
34. Facebook?…nope
35. Fav place to eat? restaurant

Since most people I know have already answered these questions, I won't pass it on to any certain persons (I know, I'm a booger). However, if YOU want to answer them - feel free to snag the award/questions and fill them out! *IF* you would also be so kind as to leave me a link to come see your answers!
Thanks for dropping by!