Let it Snow

Twelve Tags of Christmas Wrap-Up

announcing winner, top tags and honourable mentions - click HERE!

Hi everyone.  Today I'm playing along with the latest Merry Monday Challenge (#267 - green, blue, white/silver/vellum ), run by my friend Colleen.  So happy that I had time to join in.  I LOVE this colour combo!

I used the green, blue and white colour combo for my snowman card.  I received this adorable snowman die-cut (actually several of them) from a sweet friend.  And it's the first time using a new die from a set of Christmas word dies that I received from another sweet friend.  Card makers are very generous!  I guess you could say that I had "a little help from my friends" to make this card! :)  I know I'm going to be humming that song all day long! :)

Stamped and heat embossed the background in clear on white card stock.  Sponged a light ray in lime green across the card and then blended turquoise over the rest of the snowflakes and blended into the lime green a bit too.  Ripped a piece of thick white card stock for my snowbank, glued the snowman in place, popping up to add dimension.  I sponged an extra piece of white card stock with lime green and used it to die-cut my sentiment.  Fun and easy card to make.  In fact, I made two! :)

Check out the challenge at Merry Monday.  There's just over two days before it closes.  Come play along!

Stamps:  Snowflake Background (Hero Arts)
Paper:  White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.)
Ink:  Versamark:  Distress Inks:  Twisted Citron, Peacock Feathers (Tim Holtz)
Accessories & Tools:  Clear embossing powder, heat tool, snowman die (gift from friend), Christmas word dies (Little B), sponges

Challenges:
Merry Monday #267 - green, blue, white/silver/vellum

Twelve Tags of Christmas Wrap-Up

Hi everyone.  I'm excited to announce the winner, top tags, and honourable mentions for the Twelve Tags of Christmas 2017.  I'm so pleased that there were 120 entries this year.  THANK YOU for sharing your beautiful works-of-art!

Meet the Judge ---

Jeremy with Vi

About Judge Jeremy:  He has a degree in Visual Arts and a Master of Arts Education.  He teaches art classes at a Richmond high school.

Here's a few words from Jeremy about this year's tag event.

"It was a joy to review the tag designs this year -- I was blown away by the caliber of skills and abundance of creativity.

With such a wide variety of techniques and styles, selecting the top tags was an especially challenging task this year.  I carefully considered the parameters of the challenge (mixed media) and the building blocks of design (creativity, craftsmanship, composition, and colour) when choosing the winner, top tags, and honourable mentions."

Winning Tag

Robyn

Congratulations Robyn!!

Jeremy:  "My pick for the winning design goes to Robyn.  This tag shows a unique point of view and a willingness to take risks.  The combination of the asymmetrical tag shape and the offset focal image is one of a kind.  As well, the royal purple and yellow-gold colour combination and exquisite watercolouring highlight Robyn's advanced design sensibility.  What a stunning creation!"

Make sure to grab your Winner's badge.

Top Tags

(in order of entry#)

Nancy #8

Marcia #85

Cathy #120

Congratulations Nancy, Marcia, and Cathy!!

Jeremy: "Congratulations to these three participants for their top designs.  I am always captivated by tags such as these that offer new design perspectives."

Make sure to grab your Top Tags Badge.

Honourable Mentions

An InLinkz Link-up

Make sure to grab your Honourable Mention Badge.

Random Winner

(picked by random number generator)

is

Jenny

23

Send to phone
Generate  random numbers between  and 

* * * * *

Thanks to everyone that played along or left messages of support.

I hope you enjoyed the fourth addition of the 

Twelve Tags of Christmas!
See you again next year!

CASEing Susan

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing a card that I CASEd (copy and share everything) from my dear friend, Susan (Cardmaker's Garret).

It's also Susan's birthday!  I sent her the card above a week ago, but she hasn't received it yet.  Hopefully today!! Happy Birthday, Susan!!

Click on the link below to check out her gorgeous card that I CASEd.  And please leave her some happy birthday wishes!! :)

Susan's card

I started by die-cutting my partial circle die from regular card stock.  Don't do all the colouring and adding gel paste before die-cutting --- it will stick to your cutting plate.  Ask me how I know!! :)

This is my second time making this card front! :)  I placed my stencil over top, masking and sponging the different colours.  The stencil needs to be washed and dried for the next step.  Placed the stencil back over the image, lining up and taping to secure.  Then spread a layer of heavy gel medium over top (I used matte gel so it doesn't really show in the photo).

The gel adds dimension to the image, helps to intensify the colours, and has the side benefit of protecting the image if further work is being done on the card (example, adding a watercolour wash background).  Bonus!  

I popped up the die-cut with foam for more dimension and then added a black sentiment banner with white heat embossing.  Love this technique.  Have not used heavy gel (clear) for this before.  Usually use it to add colour when wanting to stencil with coloured gel.  You can mix with ink, paint, mica powders, etc. to create a beautiful coloured gel.  Another great way to use this product!

Stamps:  Many Everyday Message (Hero Arts)
Paper:  Neenah White card stock (110 lb.); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:  Distress Inks:  Broken China, Salty Ocean, Spiced Marmalade, Fired Brick, Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Peeled Paint, Forest Moss (Tim Holtz); Versamark
Accessories & Tools:  Flower stencil (cut with my Silhouette Cameo), sponges, Heavy matte gel (Golden), palette knife, white embossing powder, heat tool

November Rudolph Days

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for the last challenge of the year at Rudolph Days.  I've had lots of fun playing along this year and it's helped build my Christmas cards throughout the year.  Thanks to Maureen (Scraps of Life for Scrappymo!) for all her hard work running this challenge.

If you want to play along, the challenge is open from Nov. 25 - 30 and it's an "Anything Goes Christmas" challenge.

I bought this die a few months ago and have gotten a lot of use from it this year for my Christmas cards.  Makes for an easy card by just adding a white die-cut over a colourful background.  For today's rainbow background I sponged DOX inks onto white Neenah card stock.  The inks blend so beautifully.  I splattered with diluted white acrylic paint for the falling snow.  The panel was then cut down to size to match the die-cut.  A silver stamped sentiment finishes the card.

Thanks for coming by for a visit!

Stamps:  Festive Snippets (Penny Black)
Paper:  White (Neenah 110 lb. card stock)
Ink:  Distress Oxides:  Salty Ocean, Picked Raspberry, Ripe Persimmon, Mustard Seed, Peacock Feathers; Silver Delicata (Tsukineko)
Accessories & Tools:  Sponges, Deer & Trees die (AliExpress), white acrylic paint, paint brush for splattering

Challenges:
November Rudolph Days