WWC279 - Helen's Challenge: All About Occasions

I'm so glad this challenge is All About Occasions!  I'm ready to begin building up my Christmas card stash and what a perfect way to begin, with those adorable little House Mouse designs.

I began with a base of Heavy Whisper White cardstock and then added a lovely die-cut matte of Garden Green.  I stamped the adorable Ellen Jareckie House Mouse image onto a piece of Mixed Media paper and then proceeded to colour it using my fabulous Derwent Watercolour Pencils.  Because I decided those little Christmas lights should be lit, I added a light wash of colour around each bulb.  You can just see it on the paper and  beside the bulb, but this is the way the colour would naturally spread.  After colouring the image, I took the next smaller die and cut out the image with it so that it would fit perfectly inside that green matte.

I added a layer of the Shimmery Crystal Effects to the Christmas Lights and some silver to the end of the pencil.  You can see that more easily with the slight angle of this photo.

For the inside, I inked up only the one Christmas bulb and stamped it in the upper left corner.  Then, after watercolouring, I added some Shimmery Crystal Effects to the bulb as well.  The sentiment is from an old, retired set which I've kept simply for the assortment of sentiments. 

I love the way the card turned out 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, July 13th.

I've also added my card to the following challenges:

HMFMC #320 - Anything Goes with the option of stitching

Shopping Our Stash #424 - Hanukkah/Christmas in July

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #123 - Anything Goes

Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Anything Festive Goes

WWC244 - Helen's "All About Occasions" Challenge

Since our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge this week is "All About Occasions", I decided to use one of the adorable House-Mouse Designs stamp sets.  Of course it's all about Christmas this time.

I chose a base of Heavy Whisper White and then added a piece of retired Christmas DSP.  Then I cut a smaller piece of Soft Suede, just large enough to frame the stamped and coloured image of my adorable House-Mice.

The image is stamped on a piece of Mixed Media paper using Versafine Onyx black ink.  I intended to watercolour my images and so I needed my ink to be waterproof.  I used watercolour pencils and layered the pigment.  I love the results.  Each Mouse has its own colour and the shading turned out very well.  For my background I took my AquaPainter and used Balmy Blue ink.  It's soft but makes a nice background colour which doesn't "fight" with my other colours.

Of course I had to add a few additional touches.  Those berries, for example, just cried out for some shine and I gave it to them with the Shimmery Crystal Effects.  And the gold halo on our "holly angel" looks authentic with the addition of some Vegas Gold, doesn't it?

Finally, for the sentiment, I wanted something very small which wouldn't cut across my images.  I found just what I wanted in the retired Christmas Magic set.  I inked half the sentiment and stamped it in black.  Then I took the second half and stamped it on a scrap of Whisper White using black ink as well.  I used the retired tiny tag punch to cut it out and then attached it below the already stamped word on the card.  a tiny ribbon of baker's twine, and we're good to go.

It was really a labour of love working with this fun image.  I hope you enjoy the card as much as I enjoyed creating it.

I hope you'll check out the wonderful creations by the Watercooler Artists over at our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

I've entered my card into the following challenges:

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge - HMFMC #302 Anything Goes

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #58 - Anything Christmas Goes

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #105 - Anything Goes

Arty Divas Challenge #7 - Anything Goes

Crafty Creations Challenge #401 - Anything Goes

WWC229 - Helen's "All About Occasions" Challenge

It's my sister's birthday this coming weekend and so I can fulfil this challenge as well as get a fun card designed just for her.  Doe has gone through some really difficult times over the past four years, with a major operation each year.  I thought something lighthearted would be perfect under the circumstances.  She loves flowers so definitely, the Pressed Petals Specialty Designer paper is perfect for that.  And I'm adding a bit of whimsy with the sweet images from the New Wonders stamp set.

Aren't the images darling?  I fussy cut each out.  The lower one is positioned precisely to make it appear that a layer of paper is being peeled back to expose that gorgeous Designer Paper.  I used the Stitched Nested Labels dies to cut into the cardstock and am pleased that it worked out so well.  The little magical dots and stars are thanks to a retired set, the Fairy Celebration, and work perfectly here.  They're stamped using Rococo Rose ink as is the sentiment.

I used my Stampin' Blends to colour the little fairies.  As you can see from this close-up, I've even added some Rococo Rose to the nib of the pen to make it appear it was dipped in ink.  I'm so happy the Gingham Gala self-adhesive sequins carried over since they are the perfect embellishments for my card.

I tried to use the same colours that appear in the Designer Paper on the fairies.  I think it worked out quite well.  You can see how nicely the fussy cut image joins to the die-cut opening in this photo.  I know the sweet images and colours in this card will bring a smile to my sister's face.

I hope you'll check out the wonderful creations by the Watercooler Artists over at our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

I've entered my card into the following challenges:

Creative Moments Challenge #172 - Anything Goes

Crafting From the Heart Challenge #247 - Anything Goes

Just Us Girls Challenge #495 - Word Week (Smile)

Dragonfly Dreams Challenges - Things With Wings

Sisterhood of Crafters Challenge - Birthday Month (congratulations Debbie)

Paper Craft Crew Challenge (PPC343) - Designer's Choice