WWC301 - Dawn's Challenge: All About Occasions

With Christmas a bit over two weeks away (eek!), I had to make a Christmas card.  Of course it features the adorable House-Mouse images.  Even with all the other gorgeous stamps I own, this year I'm drawn to the sweet and funny ones.  The ones with a bit of animated magic.  The ones which make me smile.

The image by Ellen Jareckie is called "Squirrel Singers".  I love the combination of realism and fantasy.  As always, I checked to see what colours would be best for a squirrel and the pine tree.  The mice have their own, individual colours, set by Ellen.  I love that each one is a little bit different, not just in size, but also in colour.  This time I turned to my Derwent watercolour pencils since I have a large selection and was able to get all the colours for this scene.  I love how the Aqua Painter brings the colours to life after I've pencilled them in.

I was happy to find this lovely Christmas coloured tartan paper in my stash.  It sets off the colours in my little scene perfectly, doesn't it?                                                                                  

 I've taken this photo at a slight angle so that the candle flames caught more light.  After everything was dry, I covered the flames with some Shimmery Crystal Effects.  Once that had dried, I added a second layer.  It gives the flames substance and a 3-D effect.  I love it!

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

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

HM&FMC #330 - Anything Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge Blog - Favorite Technique (watercolouring)

Crafty Animals Challenge #45 - Must Have Animals

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #134 - 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

WWC265 - Marsha's Challenge: Anything Goes With a Feminine Twist

Are you ready for another fabulous House Mouse creation?  This week's challenge has to have a Feminine Twist and what could be more feminine than a huge cupcake with sparkly pink icing?  Just don't shriek when you see that two adorable little mice have been enjoying it, too.

I used a Heavy Whisper White cardstock for my base and then added two mattes, the first using Pineapple Punch cardstock and the second using Melon Mambo.  I stamped the adorable Ellen Jareckie House-Mouse images using black Memento ink directly onto a piece of Mixed Media paper.  I love that paper because I can do any kind of colouring without worrying about my paper pilling, buckling or otherwise betraying me.  The Memento ink is wonderful when I use my wax based crayons and Gamsol for colouring the images since it doesn't lift and mix with my colours.

Once I finished colouring everything and using my paper stub and Gamsol to smooth the colour out, I added some shimmer to the delicious-looking pink icing.  My Nuvo Glitter Gloss pen worked beautifully for that purpose.  I also wanted the candles to have a bit more dimension as well as more of a waxy look and so I carefully covered them using my Shimmery Crystal Effects.  Once dry, they were perfect.

 

Once assembled with a simple "happy birthday" sentiment added, I decided that a bit more "bling" was needed.  I found some Melon Mambo sequins and added a tiny silver pearl in the centre of each.  I think I've made it feminine enough, don't you?

I hope you'll enjoy my card as much as I enjoyed making it.  Have fun with our Watercooler Wednesday Challenge.

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

Lemon Shortbread Challenge #116 - Anything Goes

House-Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge #313 - Anything Goes (and the option of sparkle)

Crafty Creations #408 -  Anything Goes

Simon Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says Happy Birthday