Christmas Card for Gardener

 

Splitcoast Stampers has started their 2022 Christmas Card Challenge.  This is my fourth or fifth year participating.  The theme for January is wreaths.  This image is by Power Poppy.  I colored it with Copic markers.  The paper was from JoAnn's, purchased quite a while ago.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Hazelnut's - Anything Christmas Goes

Colour Crazy Challenge - Anything Coloring Goes 

Krafty Chicks - Christmas

ABC Christmas - A is for Anything Christmas

The Holly and the Ivy - Anything Christmas Goes

Christmas Wreath

 

This is my first Christmas card for 2022.  The new Christmas challenge at Splitcoast Stampers has started up again  I have committed to two cards per month.  It's quite a fun group if you are looking to get your cards done a little sooner this year.  January's theme is wreaths.

I chose an image from my collection of Power Poppy digis.  I have not used this one before.  I colored the image with Copic markers.  I surrounded it with a light brown pastel.  The difference between the green of the wreath and the white background seemed a little too stark. The brown eased the transition.  I used a crushed red paper that I absolutely love.  I bought it in several colors from Hobby Lobby about a year ago.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes

Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge - Must be Christmas

Classic Design Challenge  - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - Anything Goes

Colour Crazy Craft Challenge - Anything Coloring Goes

Firefly

Time for a new challenge at  Morgan's Art World Challenge Blog.  As always, it's Anything Goes.  I chose the image Firefly Grayscale.  The background flowers were added by Sherri who graciously shared them with me.  I colored the image with Polychromos and Luminance pencils.  I used some pastels to give a little color to the background. 

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

World Wide Open Design Team Challenge - Anything Goes

The Creative Crafters - Anything Goes

The Crafting Challenge - Anything Goes

Sweet Stampers - Anything Goes

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

Logan's First Christmas

 

This image looks so much like our newest little grandson, Logan.  

 

I had to include him on our Christmas card list.  This image is by Mo's Digital Pencil.  I had the female version already, but fortunately Mo still had the male version in her retiring images. I colored it with Copic markers.  I haven't been using my markers in a while. I'm having lots of difficulty staying in the lines.  I think it's a combo of bad eyesight and arthritis in my hands.  Oh well, getting old sucks!  I found this train paper in my stash.  I don't even remember buying it.  It fit the bill perfectly on this card.

 

Here is the inside of the card.

Teddy Bear Christmas

 Today starts the December  challenge at Morgan's Art World Challenge Blog.  As always, it's Anything Goes.  I chose this really cute and detailed, image,  Teddy Bear Christmas.  I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils.  The paper is from Stampin' Up.  I bought the flowers at Hobby Lobby.  I used Stickles on the snow, candles and fur on Santa Bear's suit.  It doesn't show up very well in the photography.  I love the old fashioned wall paper in the scene.  It reminds me of my grandma's house when I was growing up.

 I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Creative Moments - Anything Goes

Fab 'n Funky - Christmas

Paper Shelter - Celebrations

Simon Says Stamp - Christmas

World Wide Open Design Team - Anything Goes

The Creative Crafters - Anything Goes

The Crafting Challenge - Add a Christmas Sentiment

The Twelve Months of Christmas - Anything Christmas Goes

Sweet Stamper's Challenge - Christmas

Sheepski Design Challenge - Embellish It

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

 

 

 

 

 

Sleigh Ride

 

I used images from Jan's Digi Shop for this card.  I also, basically followed her tutorial.  I used pencils and pastels for the background.  I am kind of disappointed that the glitter I put on the trees didn't photograph well at all.  I plan on trying this one again soon. 

 Right now I'm working on a Stampin' Up card.  I've had four tries so far to line up the stamps correctly.  All were an epic fail.  I plan on trying two more times and then give up if I still cannot align the stamps.  I have even been using my Stampin' Up Stamparatus to no avail!  Seems I am in the land of declining skills.  Very frustrating!

I am entering this card in the following challenge:

Jan's Digi Stamp Challenge - Anything Goes

Angel with Duckling

 

Time for a new challenge at Morgan's Art World Challenge Blog.  I used this adorable image Fae Angel and Baby Duck.  I have used this image several times before.  It's one of my favorites.  I colored the image with Caran D'Ache and Luminance pencils. I believe the paper came from Hobby Lobby.  

I

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

613 Avenue Create - Anything Goes 

Li'l Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes

Stamping Sensations - Animals, Birds & Bugs

Critter Crazy Challenges - Anything Goes with a Critter

A Perfect Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

Crafty Animals - Must Contain Animal

The Creative Crafters - Anything Goes

A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Goes

Kraftin' Kimmie - Use Chipboard

Crafty Catz - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes

Jan's Digi Stamps - Anything Goes

Outlawz Festive Friday - Anything Goes

Outlawz Sunday Songs and Rhymes - Theme

Incy Wincy Designs - All Creatures Great and Small

Halloween Cards for the Grandkids

 

  This card was done with distressed inks and a Spellbinder's die set. I also used some Stampin' Up tree stamps.

For this card I used the Spellbinder's Glimmer System to do the spider webs and a die set to do the car.  The main car is a die set and many different holiday dies are available to add to the car.  Of course, I had to get most of them.

I didn't think of making Halloween cards early enough.  Next year I'll be sure to get Logan in there.  Here he is in his first costume.  What a cutie. 

Here's Lucas and Ethan with Mom and Dad on their way to Trunk or Treat.

 

These are two of the three glimmer cards I did today.  The other was black and did not photograph well.  I am having such difficult times working with the glimmer dies.  It is so frustrating.  My husband helped with th black card because I was just so frustrated.  He did a pretty good job.  I have so many problems with directional things.  It is getting worse as I age.  Both of these cards were made using Spellbinder's Glimmer System and dies.  Images are colored with pencil.

German Shepherd / Alsatian

 

 

 

This is one of my favorite images.  It is by Morgan Fitzsimons.  It is not available in her store right now, but may be soon, Creative Art Design Studio..  I colored the image with Luminance and Polychromos pencils.  I used a 3D Stampin' Up embossing folder for the background, called Old World Paper.  The paper was rather heavy and the folder had very deep crevices so I spritzed the paper before embossing it.  After I applied the paper to the card one corner started to un-stick.  I used glue to fix it.  After drying the glue spots were showing through the paper in that one area, and me being me and hating  to redo anything, I came up with a solution.  I dripped baby oil in spots around the edge of the card and rubbed it in well with a cloth.  I like the repair of my accident.  I will do that again to help age the look of my paper.  I remember seeing this image labeled Alsatian.  I assumed it was a German Shepherd.  I looked it up and it turns out that Alsatian is what it is called in France.  I learned something.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

 

 Crafty Chefs/Facebook - Embossing/Coloring

Creative Fingers - Anything Goes 

Int'l Art & Soul - Furry Friends

Stamping Sensations - Animals, Birds& Bugs

Critter Crazy Challenge - Anything with a Critter Goes

World Wide Open Design Team - Anything Goes

Creative Crafter's Challenge - Anything Goes

 

Glimmer Cards

 

About a year ago I purchased a Spellbinder's Glimmer System.  I must have purchased this card set at the same time.  I really don't remember.  Anyways, I finally decided to make the cards.  I like the way the glimmer cards look, but boy, what a royal pain to make them. On the last two cards, every single leaf and flower needs to be glimmered and cut at a separate time because there is only two leaf sizes and three flower sizes so the dies need to be used repeatedly, then cut out with one die for each shape.  It took me two days just to glimmer and cut the flowers and leaves.  Geez!!!  This system would definitely not be useful for bulk Christmas cards.  The gold backgrounds were also done with the Glimmer System.

Sunflowers

 

This is an image by Power Poppy.  I colored it with Copic markers.  Unfortunately, I put it on the card upside down with strong adhesive, so it's staying like that!  It reminds me of sewing class in high school.  I made a dress with lions on it.  Unfortunately, I cut it out upside down on the fabric so when I finished the dress all the lions were upside down.  You would think I would have learned from that, apparently not.

I am entering this card in the following challenge:

The Outlawz Sunday Songs & Rhymes.

Little Patch of Crafty Friends - Anything Goes 

A Bit More Time to Craft - Anything Goes

Wistful Elf

 

This is my first Creative Team entry for Morgan's Art World Challenge Blog.  I was previously on her design team, Fitztown, about six or seven years ago.  I figured I have always liked her images and the commitment is one card per month.  I can handle that.  The main reason I decided to do a team again is because it is artwork I love, very lifelike.  I have many animal digis already which are my favorite and I can't wait to use them again.  For those of you that have known me for a while I'm sure you know that coloring animals is my passion.  This image is Elf 22.  It is available at  Creative Art Design Studio.  I colored this image with Copic markers.  The paper is by Paper Stack.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Crafty Creations - Anything Goes

Creative Moments - Anything Goes

 Addicted to Stamps - Die and/or Stencil

Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes

Digi Choosday - Anything Goes

Creative Fingers Challenge - Anything Goes

Polkadoodles - Anything Goes

World Wide Open Design Team - Anything Goes

Classic Design Challenge - Anything Goes

Crafts Galore Encore - Anything Goes

The Crafter's Cafe - Anything Goes

Love to Craft - Anything Goes

QKR Stampede - Anything Goes