WWC332 - Tristan's Challenge: All Things Feminine

Another year, another challenge.  Let's all hope for a happy, healthy 2022.  I think, after the ups and downs of the last two years, we all deserve a break, don't you?

For this challenge I chose to combine some old designer paper featuring a realistic photographic scene with a beautifully animated cow image from an Art Impressions set I just got called Dairy Christmas.  If you're a fan of AI, you'll know how much fun their wonderful images can be.

This is an oversized card, measuring 5" x 6 1/2".  I simply had to keep as much of the background as possible because it's gorgeous and, of course, the image of the leaping cow is not exactly small.  But they work together, don't they?  I just love the exuberance of her body position and the joyous look on her face.  I coloured her using my Derwent watercolours and added some silver to the bells around her waist.  I also added some silver shimmer to the snowflakes which are far more visible in person than in the photo.   For a bit of realism, I also added the shaded-in hoof-prints behind her with my watercolours.

My base for the card is the heavyweight Whisper White and then I've used a matte of Pacific Point under the lovely background designer paper.   After stamping the image, I carefully fussy-cut her so that she'd appear to be jumping out of the background.  I think it works, especially with that sentiment I found, don't you agree?

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, January 17th, 2022.

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

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Something New

Crafting Happiness Challenges January #119 - Always Anything Goes

Dare 2 B Artzy January Challenge - Winter Fun

WWC327 - Dawn's Challenge: All Things Feminine

So Hallowe'en is coming up and it's time for a Feminine card.  Well, feminine isn't always what you think it might be.

That looks remarkably like a Hallowe'en card, doesn't it?  The key here is the bit of Shakespearean witches' chant.  Sounds a lot like making a brew, right?  Well, my daughter, who adores Shakespeare and requires a daily strong cup of brew, also loves Hallowe'en.  This is the perfect card for her.

I've taken bits and pieces of different Stampin' Up! sets for this card as well as a die-cut moon which has wandered away from its set and featured them all on this awesome Studio Light "Wonderful Autumn" patterned paper.  It all fits together wonderfully, doesn't it?

Of course I wanted something special for inside as well.  After hunting through all my coffee-themed stamp sets (and I do have quite a number), I realized I would have to create my own.  Photoshop to the rescue.  And so the inside pulls it all together.  I am so stoked!  How many days is it until Hallowe'en again?

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

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

Classic Design Challenge Blog Challenge #10 October

Let's Craft and Create Challenge #176 - Anything Goes + Things With Wings

WWC323 - Cathy's Challenge: All Things Feminine

 I'm really excited about this card!  It "grew like Topsy".  I had a plan which, bit by bit, I discarded as the card evolved and became what it had decided to be.  Does that ever happen to you?

My mail arrived with a new stamp by Ellen Jareckie.  You know how much I absolutely love her House-Mouse images.  Well, this one was just released this year and spoke to the plant-lover in me.  I immediately stamped the image twice, once on Coloured Pencil paper and once on Mixed Media paper.  I wasn't entirely certain which way I would go.  You see, I have a new set of General's Pastel Chalk Pencils and was anxious to try that media for a change.  My "insurance", in case I absolutely hated the look, was the image on the Mixed Media paper, for which I would use my watercolours.

Well, the pastel chalk pencils worked out beautifully and I was all set to use the image for the front of my card.  Somehow, despite my plans, I prepared my Base of Heavy Whisper White for a gatefold.  Fine, I hadn't made a gatefold in a while and so was willing to see where this would lead.  It led to my using several dies which I hadn't yet used as well as some silver foil paper which I hadn't thought to use for quite a long time.  I also found and used some retired designer paper and used that.

When the gate opens, the grid and leaves come up and reveal the little mouse, happily napping in its scented "bed".  

Opening the other side of the gate reveals the full scene.  Doesn't the colour of the chalk pastel pencils simply "pop"?  I love it and will likely use this medium quite often.

The close up of the inside shows the subtle blending possible with the pencils.  It's a completely different look from the watercolours.  This "something new" is definitely a happy surprise.

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, September 6th, 2021.

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

House Mouse & Friends Challenge #347 - Anything Goes or option Water Play

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #153 - Anything Goes

Unicorn Challenge #68 - Anything Goes

WWC319 - Helen's Challenge: All Things Feminine

It's wonderful when one can use some fabulous Designer Paper, a brand new intricate die set and a terrific new stamp set on a card.  

This Pressed Petals Specialty Designer Series paper was so fabulous that I decided not to have a sentiment on the front of my card.  I love the way the photographed flowers actually appear to be on top of the paper rather than just being a design.  I feel as if I could reach out and pick them up.  This part of the card was simple to make.  I used a base of the Heavy Whisper White, added a matte of Crumb Cake and then adhered the piece of patterned paper.

And then we get to the inside of the card.  I was excited to use Karen Burniston's Photo Collage dies for the first time.  First I adhered some patterned paper  to each side of the inside.  Then I used the die on a piece of heavyweight Mixed Media paper.  In Karen's video, she suggested using a very heavy paper since the pieces of this photo collage move each time the card is opened or closed.  Once I  assembled the die cuts and adhered them to the centre of the card, I was ready to add some fun sentiments from Penny Black's "Choose Happy" stamp set.  I also added some fussy-cut butterflies since they complimented the floral paper so nicely.

You can just tell from this photo of my hand and the card, how they mechanism pulls the pieces inside the card as you close it and then has them "explode" out as you open the card.  I love the effect and hope the recipient gets just as much of a kick out of it as I did.  Don't you just love it?

 Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, July 12th, 2021.

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

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #149 - Anything Goes

AAA Birthday Card Challenges #26 - Flowers

Dream Valley Challenges #251 - All Occasions

WWC315 - Marsha's Challenge: All Things Feminine

 It's been a month since I used one of my House Mouse stamps and I swear I'm suffering from withdrawal.  So, of course, I had to use one today.   This card was such fun to make, deciding on a sentiment and having everything fit into a slimline card.

Just because I knew I wanted to use a House Mouse image, I checked out the HM&FMC to see what their option was for the current challenge.   And the option was for a slimline card.  That took a lot of pressure off.  For you crafters out there, you know how sometimes it takes a while to get going, thinking about all the styles of cards one can create.  Knowing I was going to make a slimline card and having already picked out my image, I felt like a huge weight was lifted and was able to get right down to creating instead of  thinking and overthinking, turning the whole thing into an ordeal.

I used a base of Whisper White and was able to use a fun set of slimline dies which I just acquired.  The set let me cut out the lovely scalloped Melon Mambo layer, the stitched white layer, and the skinny piece onto which I stamped my image and the sentiment.  Way to get the ball rolling!   

After stamping Amanda mouse, I used my Spun Sugar and Faded Jeans Oxide Inks to make the sky.  Then I watercoloured her cute image using my Derwent watercolour pencils and Aqua Painter.  To ground her, I added some grass and watercoloured the area in a variety of earthy colours.  When everything had dried, I assembled the card and felt that something was missing.

So I grabbed my Shimmery Crystal Effects and added three "dew drops" to the flower petals.  Finally it looked right and finished.  I love the way it 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  17th, 2021.

 

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

HM&FM Challenge #339 - Anything Goes or an option of Slimline Card

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #145 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Feminine

WWC311 - Kath's Challenge: All Things Feminine

I'm enjoying the early Spring we're experiencing at the moment.  Yes, I know as far north as I live, actual Spring weather normally comes sometime in April if we're lucky.  Most likely there will be another snow storm, more cold weather, and just the memories of this warm spell to sustain me.  But for now, it's lovely and so I had to find an image which reflected my mood.  This House-Mouse image by Ellen Jareckie comes close.

I used a base of Heavy Whisper White followed by a matte of Balmy Blue cardstock.  My image is stamped on a piece of Watercolour paper using the VersaFine "Morning Mist".  I love the lighter grey because it leaves the watercoloured images showing off without much in the way of intrusive lines.

I used my Derwent InkTense Watercolour pencils for the images and then used my AquaPainter and Balmy Blue stamp pad to watercolour the background.  I love the results, don't you?   If you look closely, you'll see a bit of sparkle on the butterfly's wings as well as in the centre of the wide open flower.  For that I used the Nuvo Aqua Shimmer.  I love that stuff!

Have fun checking out our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and I hope you'll link your creation before the deadline on Monday, March 22nd, 2021.

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

 Lemon Shortbread Challenge #141 - Anything Goes

HMFMC #335 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge - Use Something Green (used green watercolour pencils)