WWC334 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

I'm so happy this is an All About Occasions challenge!  Perfect for the Valentine's Day card I've created using one of the adorable House Mouse images created by Ellen Jareckie in 2019.  I decided to stamp the image and then cut it out with one of my heart dies.  Don't they look adorable?

This is an oversized card, measuring 6 1/2" by 5".  The size allowed me to frame the heart with a matte of Melon Mambo and then mount it on the lovely printed vellum background.  The matte of Mossy Meadow cardstock compliments the grasses in the image as well as helps the white printed leaves to show up nicely on the vellum.

Because I wanted the card to be really special, I dipped the edge of the watercoloured heart into silver embossing powder and heat embossed the perimeter.  I did the same thing with the printed vellum.  In real life that silver simply shines and looks  wonderful, especially against the Melon Mambo and the Mossy Meadow.  The sentiment is simple:  we just fit.  I love it and hope you do, too.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 14th, 2022.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Retro Rubber Challenge 175 - Love Love Love!

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #358  - Anything Goes  

Crafting Happiness Challenges #120 - Anything Goes

Dream Valley Challenge #262 - Love

WWC333 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

Yay!  I received the "Rising Star Badge" from "A Place to Start Challenges" for this card. 

We've had a real dump of snow lately and so this wonderful stamp of Penny Black's seemed like the perfect one to use for my card.  I love the way the coloured sky leaves patterns of colour on the snowy landscape and so tried to copy that "magic" here.

For my base I chose Very Vanilla.  There are hints of a vanilla/yellow in the card and so I felt a white base would be too stark in contrast.  My matte is Gorgeous Grape and it reflects the  purples on the snow and in the background perfectly, doesn't it?

You can't really see it well in the photos, but I've added white enamel accents to the branches of the tree and along some of the drifts.  I've also use some Wink of Stella on the snow and sky to give it a bit of sparkle.  It's quite lovely in person. 

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, January 31st, 2022.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

A Place to Start Challenge #012022 - Anything Goes  

Make My Monday #166 - Winter Wherever You Are

Penny Black Saturday Challenge - Anything Goes

WWC330 - Heidi's Challenge: All About Occasions

Photographing glitter is a royal pain!  My eyes pick up all the  glittery areas and the nuances of colour but neither my camera(s) nor phone can manage the same.  Clearly we have a way to go in attempting to match the human eye.

Why am I so hung up on glitter, you ask.  Well this card is actually all about glitter.  After all, the sentiment says the snow is sparkling like a million suns and my attempt here is to show exactly that. 

With the bright sunshine today and angled slightly, the card does show some of the sparkle.  I decided to have the bird appear to be standing on a snowball using the puffy white snow pen and then covering it with a combination of Shimmery Crystal Effects and a dab of Dazzling Details.  After stamping the sled, sentiment and bird with the StudioLight images, I turned to the Stampin' Up! images for the branches and bunny (stamped, coloured and fussy-cut before adhering it with foam Dimensionals).  The rest is freehand watercolour for my sunrise, snowy fields and shadows.

I plopped the card into one of my plants where the sun hit it directly, hoping to get more of the shine.

But I think there is more shine without the direct rays hitting the card, don't you?  This is an oversized card with a finished size of 6 1/4 inches by 5 inches.  I wanted the additional room to show off the pretty snowflake patterned paper.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, December 13th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #159 - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Winter Wonderland

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Sparkle Mode

Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge (CHNC) - Anything Christmas

WWC328 - Tristan's Challenge: All About Occasions

This is such a lovely stamp set called Wonderful Autumn by StudioLight.  I love the background paper, as well, also created by StudioLight.  It's easy to be inspired when everything works so well together.

For some reason the colours are not photographing true.  I find that singularly annoying.  But after spending altogether too much time in Photoshop, I threw in the towel and gave up any chance of actually showing the true colours of the card which stands to the right of me at the moment, heckling the colours on my screen.  I feel I have to apologize to the card for misrepresentation.              

The sentiment appealed to me especially at this time since we are having to let go of our sweet and loving Khali Kho.  Quite honestly, it doesn't feel beautiful at all having to do that, but Chronic Kidney Disease is stealing her away at a young 13 years.  She has been a cat in a million, so completely gregarious and enthusiastic about life.

So our journey began when I found her, nearly dead from starvation with a bleeding gash in her neck. A few years later she suddenly suffered tooth resorption and had to have all but two teeth extracted. Through it all, she's stayed happy and outgoing, loving every person she's met. As if that wasn't enough, now she's dying with failing kidneys.  The world isn't going to be the same without her.

UPDATE:  This morning sweet Khali crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

April 4th, 2008 - November 3rd, 2021

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, November 15th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shhortbread Challenge #157 - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Challenge - Anything Goes

Dare 2 B Artzy October Challenge - Fall

WWC326 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

It's October and Fall colours are everywhere!  We're also coming up to celebrating Thanksgiving here in Canada.  What an excellent time to create a Thankful card!

Everything in this card is retired Stampin' Up! product.   Well, except for the watercolour inks.  Those are all from my set of Derwent Watercolour pencils.  Instead of regular cardstock, I created the card itself using a fun Fall Designer paper.  Both sides are absolutely perfect, aren't they?

This is a special fold which opens in the centre and shows off both sides of that wonderful patterned paper.  On the left front, I attached a stitched oval stamped with a combination of images from the Country Home and Pretty Kitty stamp sets.  On the right front, I attached a banner with the sentiment.  When closed, the shapes overlap and "lock" the card in place.

Once opened, the card stands beautifully, displaying the sweet sentiment from the Painted Harvest stamp set.  I think it works perfectly.  I don't give out Thanksgiving cards but a card to thank someone will definitely come in handy and be used.  Don't you just love the finished card?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, October 18th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

International Art & Soul Challenge:  #118 Furry Friends

Stamping Sensations: October - Animals, Birds & Bugs

WWC324 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

 Sometimes you just look at an image and know you have to get it.  I'm sure it's happened to others than just myself.  Well, this odd looking little pooch, having what looks like one too many cups of coffee, appealed to my sense of whimsy.  

After stamping the images on a piece of watercolour paper, I proceeded to choose the colours and then looked for my Aqua Painter.  I could not find it to save my life.  I suspect that my tortie, Khali Kho decided it made a very satisfactory noise when being winged across the floor and wound up leaving it under something when she got bored.  I'll find it someday but not this day.  I own seven Aqua Painters in all but this was my favourite.  I had to "limp along" using another one to finish the card.  *sigh*

I used a matte of Cajun Craze cardstock and a base of the Heavy Whisper White.  To give the card a bit of birthday sparkle, I added some copper sequins and, of course, added a touch of silver ink to the collar around the pup's neck.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, September 20th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #154 - Anything Goes

Simon Monday Challenge Blog - Simon Says Stamp It

WWC322 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

I love so many of the images brought out by Penny Black, don't you?  I just got this sweet little acrylic stamp set called ...so tweet.  It could be used  for many different occasions, but I decided to use the sweet image for a thank-you card.

I used the Heavy Whisper White for my base and a piece of Mixed Media paper for my stamping.  I kept it simple, stamping the image with Versafine Onyx Black, adding a couple of blooms from an old set, and then stamping my sentiment using the Versafine Onyx Black as well.  For a change I didn't use my watercolour pencils but, instead, used my Daler-Rowney Aquafine watercolour paints.   I love the softer finish this gave to my images, don't you?

Instead of using a matte which was just slightly larger than the  Mixed Media paper, I chose to cut an eight-sided matte which allowed just portions of the colour to peek out.  It was fun and I like it for this particular card.  It's fun to try something new at times, isn't it?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, August 23rd, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #152 - Anything Goes

Unicorn Challenge #68 - Anything Goes

WWC320 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

As you know, I love whimsical stamps.  I also love stamps with little animals, especially mice.  How cute is this new stamp I've gotten from Penny Black with three little mice floating along in tiny little walnut shells?

I decided to make a birthday card.  After all, you should be able to do your own thing on your birthday, right?   With a base of bright Pineapple Punch, I needed a nice bright blue as a matte and this one, in a pretty lacy die-cut, is perfect in Balmy Blue.  

I stamped the images using VersaFine Clair Morning Mist.  I love the softer edge it gives, don't you?  Then I used my Aqua Painter and a variety of stamp pads to watercolour my images.  Since the walnut shells are a pretty Soft Suede, I also used the colour for the sentiments.  It's always about balance, isn't it?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, July 26th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #150 - Anything Goes

Penny Black Saturday Challenge PBSC July - Anything Goes

WWC318 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

It's Father's Day on Sunday!  Of course I made a Father's Day card.  

This continues to be one of my favourite stamp sets for Father's Day.  Titled "A Good Man", the images are perfect and loving.  You can get fancy and mix it up with different background and/or fancy patterned papers, but I love the  clean and simple look for these images.  This one, especially, needs nothing more than the coloured image and these sentiments. If it's a lovely sunny day for Father's Day, the lucky man in your life will probably relax and "catch some rays" after a picnic feast.

I used my Derwent Watercolour pencils for this card, along with my Aqua Painter.  The colours are nice and vivid, making it seem like a sunny day.  

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, June 28th, 2021.

I've also entered my card at the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #148 - Anything Goes

Try it on Tuesday: For the Man in Your Life

The Male Room Challenge #151 - Dads  & Grandads

WWC316 - Cathy's Challenge: All About Occasions

 I am madly in love with the wonderful images which Anita Jeram has created for the Colorado Craft Company.  The set which I am using for Cathy's challenge is called Birthday Wishes and, although I didn't use them for my one-layer card, also has dies.  I'm sure I'll be using the images along with the dies sooner than later.

I used a base of the Heavy Whisper White and then stamped my images on regular Whisper White cardstock.  While I like the regular Whisper White, it isn't the best for watercolouring.  I found it really soaked up the colour and, for a very anxious half hour, I though that it would never dry to a smooth finish.  It is, however, a very bright white, and I think the colours show up brilliantly, don't you?

As I said, I kept this to a single layer on my base.  I didn't use a matte to keep the scene dominant, rather than have competition with a bright surrounding colour.  I like the results.  The sentiment, rabbit holding the balloon and hamster jumping up from the tree stump are all by Anita Jeram.  The tree stump, however, is from the Craft Consortium's Little Fawn and Friends series of stamps.  I think it works together with the other stamps quite perfectly, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, May 31st, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

AAA Birthday: Game #25 - Happy Birthday  (Happy 2nd Birthday)

Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog - Four legged friends

NBUS Challenge #26 - Never Before Used Shtuff

PCC427 - Theme Challenge (#SimpleStamping)

WWC314 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

 My cat made me do it!  Seriously, I was trying to decide for which occasion I would create a card for our challenge and spied a piece of paper on the floor.  It looked  remarkably like something I had cut out and had put aside to use for a card "someday".  We all do that, don't we?  Well, putting it aside is one thing.  Finding it on the floor is a totally unacceptable thing.  I knew immediately who the culprit was, of course. My sweet, butter wouldn't melt in her mouth Khali had made another trip across my crafting table and, being the clumsiest (and cutest) feline I've ever met, had inadvertently pushed the cut-out onto the floor.    

And that led to the creation of this Birthday card.

I love the "Happy Birthday" die but absolutely hate putting glue onto the die-cut.  By the time you finish going from one end to the other, across all the lines and intricate details, the portion where you began has dried.  But a few months ago I happened to have purchased a roll of Diecut and Bond.   This is thin paper, double sided with adhesive.  You put it onto a piece of cardstock, use your die to cut whatever design you happen to want for a card, and voila.  The backing peels off and it sticks by itself.  While I'm sure this doesn't come as a surprise to a lot of you, it was like magic for me and I will be using my more intricate dies a whole lot more from now on.        

Oh, and that heat embossing on the red?  It just looked so plain when I laid all the pieces out so I grabbed a relatively neutral background stamp (Crackle Paint) and heat embossed the pattern onto the red using my clear embossing powder.   It gives  it just enough interest without taking any real attention away from the sentiment and cute little squirrel, doesn't it? 

You can see the  heat embossing better from this angle.  And, of course, the  squirrel is clearly raised up from the stitched heart with Dimensionals.  I love the way the card turned out, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, May 3rd, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges: 

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #144 - Anything Goes

Crafty Sentiments Designs: Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge:  Bright, Cheerful colours

Dragonfly Dreams April Challenge:  Feature a Creature

WWC312 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

I was thrilled to discover that my card was chosen as one of the Top Three winners for the challenge.

We're having an early Spring this year.  Naturally those stamps which I have that suggest Spring and Robins and blossoms jump out at me and beg to be used.  This adorable House-Mouse scene by Ellen Jareckie is perfect for the way I'm feeling.

I used a base of the Heavy Whisper White cardstock and then added a Pear Pizzaz matte with a shorter and wider striped matte underneath.  I love that the  colours reflect the colours which I've used in watercolouring the scene, don't you?  Most of the colours are from my Derwent watercolour pencils but the bare wood fence as well as the background sky are from my Stampin' Up! stamp pads.  The Gray Granite was perfect for the look of the weathered wood and, of course, the Balmy Blue was perfect for the sky.

I simply love the look on this little mouse's face as he looks up at the offered worms and grubs and points to his friends, suggesting they are hungry rather than himself.  On the stamp it appears as if the Robin has a fly or other winged insect in its beak but I thought grubs and worms would be more effective.  First of all, they are slimier looking and second of all, they are easier to identify in the picture.  It wasn't difficult to take one of my permanent journaling pens and create the changes I wanted.  As usual I finished up by adding a touch of the Nuvo Aqua shimmer.  I think it's perfect on the buds and flowers, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, April 5th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

House-Mouse Challenge (HM&FMC #336) -Anything Goes with an Option of Bugs

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Whatever the weather

Lemon Shortbread #142 - Always Anything Goes

Inkspirational Challenge #235 - Fur/Feathers

WWC310 - Marsha's Challenge: All About Occasions

This is the first of our bi-weekly challenges for our awesome Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.  I have to admit that it feels good to have decided to make the change from weekly challenges.  It was a matter of facing a total "burn-out" or making the change.  I think we've made the right decision.

I'm back to using an "old friend" this week.  I fell in love with the wonderful Foxes Clear stamps by C.C. Designs a while back and couldn't resist using another image this week.   

I kept this card very simple.  My base is the Heavy Whisper White and then I've just added the die-cut image and a simple sentiment.  For my image, I turned to my Derwent Watercolour Pencils and Aqua-Painter.  I added a wash of colour for the sky and then grounded everything with a wash of  brown and green, mixed.  

 But of course I had to add just a little bit extra.  After my watercolours had dried, I added some Shimmery Crystal Effects to the sweet fox's eye and then gave the butterfly a bit of dazzle with a wash of Nuvo Aqua-Shimmer.  I think it works beautifully, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, March 8th, 2021.

I'm also entering my card in the following challenges:

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #140 - Anything Goes

Try It On Tuesday - Oh So Cute!

AAA Cards: Fame #184 - Sketch and optional twist Watercolour

WWC306 - Michelle's Challenge: All About Occasions

I used another new House-Mouse image for Michelle's challenge this week.  It's a card I could give to a friend or someone could give to their mother.  It's just about the little things and I couldn't resist.

My base is the Heavy Whisper White.  I used a narrow matte of Pacific Point (one of my favourite blues) and then adhered the image panel.  I stamped the image on Mixed Media paper using my new Tsukineko VersaFine Clair Morning Mist ink.  I love the less intense lines around the images and think it looks a lot more natural than black ink.  For the colouring I turned to my Derwent Watercolour pencils and AquaPainter.  I love the results, don't you?

I used a brownish green to ground them and show the shadows.  The sentiment was the hardest part of the card this time.  I knew what I wanted to say but wasn't certain I actually had a stamp which said anything that was close to what I had in mind.  This was from the Stampin' Up! set, Wonderful Moments.  I think it works perfectly.

I took this close-up to show the shimmery light around the candle flame.  It's understated but shows a pretty, soft glow.  Perfect for this adorable scene.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, February 1st, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges: 

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #332 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog - Let's be on Time (and when Mama says it's bedtime, it's time)

Crafty Creations Challenge: January #417 - Anything Goes

WWC304 - Kath's Challenge: All About Occasions

Even though it's only January, I had to use this adorable House-Mouse image for my card this week.  Isn't it just the perfect Valentine?

This image is aptly named "Love Treat".  Don't those adorable mice look like they're deep into a sugar high?  Where a candy heart like this might be one of many we might consume in one sitting, I think it's going to last  Mudpie and Amanda at least a week. 

I used a base of the heavy Whisper White.  Then I added a much smaller rounded corner matte of a sparkly pink glitter paper.  On top of that I glued the watercoloured image.   Of course I used my Derwent Watercolour pencils for this job.  They offer such pretty, bright, clear colours.  Besides, I  love watercolouring.

This time I used a much lighter ink than normal to stamp my image.  The Versafine Toffee is closer to the colour I imagine the hair would be on these mice.  As a result, the image wound up looking much more like a no-line watercolour.  I love the results, don't you?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, January 18th, 2021.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges: 

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #331 - Anything Goes or New Beginnings (and what is a better new beginning than Love)  

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #137 - Always Anything Goes

WWC299 - Heidi's Challenge: All About Occasions

 I am so very excited!  A few weeks back, for Challenge WWC294, my card was the winner of Sue's hostess prize over at the House-Mouse and Friends Challenge.  That's exciting in itself, but the prize was a gorgeous House-Mouse rubber stamp of a Hallowe'en scene.   I have a lot of House-Mouse stamps, but this stamp would be my very first for Hallowe'en.  So please forgive the sudden upset in seasons, but I have decided to use that wonderful stamp for this challenge.  It is the challenge I'm hosting, after all.

 Aren't the little characters in this scene absolutely adorable?  I love the various costumes and all the wonderful detail which Ellen Jareckie has added to her creation.  She's a terrific artist and brings these images to life.  I'm just excited that I can work with them and try to do justice to her magic.

I began with a base of Heavy Whisper White.  With all the colours I've used, I had to think about what I would use for the matte and, in the end, decided on two colours which are in the scene and which also suggest Hallowe'en to me:  Gorgeous Grape and Pear Pizzazz.  For the colouring of this very detailed image, I used a combination of Stampin' Blends and my Koh-i-Noor and Derwent wax-based pencils.  The pencils are fun to use along with the Gamsol to blend and "melt" the wax.  I love the finished product and the nice, bright colours which resulted, don't you?

I'm so grateful that Sue Drees picked my card and sent me this wonderful stamp.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, November 30th.

I've also entered my card in the following challenges:

HMFMC #329 - Anything Goes

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #133 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge 79 - Anything Goes

Two Old Bats Halloween Challenge - November Anything Halloween