Christmas card with Copics and Nestabilities

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Hello all - and Happy Halloween!

As I'm getting my little guy ready to be a Ninja for Halloween, I'm starting (slowly but surely) my Christmas cards!  I have my ideas in my  head, but haven't actually started mass production yet.  I know, I know.  It's time to get moving - after all, I do make 50 per year. 

This card might just get me inspired to start my work finally!

I really love a Christmas card that is all about Christmas, but I don't particularly love the old fashioned colours of deep red and pine green.  So when I saw this colour scheme by My Mind's Eye (12 Days of Christmas) it was love at first sight (or stamp)!  And anything that incorporates my beloved teal & turquoise colours is a bonus!

I spent at least a couple of hours colouring this scene, and really enjoyed it.  I had lots of fun adding layers to the different sections and trying to really get some contrast in the colour shading.  I always start with choosing my image, then the paper, and then I match my copics to my paper.  These colours just make me happy!

I didn't use any unusual colour pairings here.  I stuck with natural blending partners.  But if you're like me, and always looking for colour inspiration (or if you have this particular paper and want some guidance) here are my colours:

BG18, BG15, BG13, BG11, BG10
YG17, YG13, YG11
R29, R27, R24, R22
E35, E33, E31
YR20
BG07, BG05, BG02
E29, E27 E25
YR24, YR23, YR21

I have used my beloved Nestabilities by Spellbinders to accent the focal image.  I'm not sure I ever make a card that doesn't use at least one die!  I've punched out the Nativity scene with an oval, and then I used my new lattice die to punch out the accent paper.

For once, I've even decorated the interior of my card!  This almost never happens, but there was the most perfect paper in the My Mind's Eye 6x6.  And I used it to add the sentiment as well.

Happy stamping!

Sarah

xx

snowmen and Kimmie day

Hello all!

First of all, I just have to say what an AWESOME day at Kraftin' Kimmie Day! If you didn't have the chance to attend this second annual event, be sure and check it out next year! I'll include a few photos here. I sat with craftin' buddy and SGD co-worker Cheri - and we had a BLAST. We even managed the most yummy buffet brunch (omg - who doesn't love brunch?). But now I am POOPED out! Phew, time for a hot bath and BED....

While I was there - we made 4 make and takes - and they were GORGEOUS! Finally I managed to get my shadow technique Copic lesson with Melanie Holtz - I've been wanting to do this for over two years - what a treat!

And I managed to finish my design team High Hopes creation for this week (be sure and check out our challenge on Tuesday - what a fantastic way to win some beautiful stamps of your choice). If you haven't seen the new High Hopes release - you have to see them. They are honestly my favourite ever. And some of my favourite Christmas stamps. Sheila JUST got them in (I was snooping on the weekend - shhh - don't tell her!) so make sure you drop in or online and grab them before they're GONE!

So here is my High Hopes creation.

I LOVE this new Christmas paper in non-traditional bright colours. It's My Mind's Eye 12 Days of Christmas. It has some of my favourite colours in it, and those who know me well know how I will take any opportunity to use my BG's! I've also used some brand new Spellbinders I picked up today - can you ever have too many of these?? And the gorgeous gems are brand new as well from Prima. So many beautiful new things in the store - it's a good job I work here to pay for my habit! Good grief!

Tuesday's challenge at High Hopes will be "ribbon, lace, or twine" so I've used some twine from the Twinery that we got at Kimmie Day today (thanks Kim!)

Copics: G16, G14, G12; R29, R27, R24, R22; YR24, YR21; Y00; E41, E40; C4, C2; YR18.

Paper: Copic XPress It, My Mind's Eye 12 Day's of Christmas, Bazzill

Adhesive: Sticky thumb.

Gems: Prima

Dies: Spellbinders

Happy Stamping!

Sarah



easy Christmas cards

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I hope you all had as wonderful a holiday as I did! My husband is the most wonderful chef and cooked us a gourmet dinner. And my parents were here from Quebec to spoil the one and only grandchild. We had a great time. But it passes so fast....

Tomorrow night I have the pleasure of teaching a private class for a lovely group of ladies who have requested "easy Christmas cards". So I put together an assortment here that I hope they will enjoy.

This first stamp is from a new Inkadinkadoo series that Sheila just brought in - and they just make me smile! I couldn't resist them. And they are a nice small size for colouring a "quickie" card.

This second stamp is from the same Inkadinkadoo series - and I also just laugh looking at it! I think it's super cute and a perfect card for friends. I've used my scallop circles Spellbinders Nestabilities to cut them out.

Next I went to the fabulous Tim Holtz - and picked up his new Christmas series of stamps to create the next two cards. I just love the simplicity of this - and the "old style" of it. I've added stickles to the snowflake if you can't see it in the photo. I used a Sizzix embossing folder to emboss the gold card. And I stamped part of the large Tim Holtz image to get the word "joy". I used Versafine ink to get a more crisp image.

For this fourth card, I've embossed a shiny red card with a Sizzix embossing folder, and I've used the tree stamp from the Tim Holtz set.

Happy stamping!

Sarah

xx





October MFT Guest Designer Contest

I am thrilled to create this project as my entry to the My Favorite Things October Guest Designer Contest!  This month's challenge is to "create a perfect package".  I have often created special giftwrapping, especially for wedding gifts, so this was a fun one for me!

I had no problem using all MFT designs in my project as I'm a huge fan.  I adore the dies and the coordinating clear stamps.  As a designer and instructor at Scrappin' Great Deals - I use MFT products in my classes all the time.  In fact, my intermediate Copics class later this month will be featuring two MFT Pure Innocence Stamps.

As a guest designer, I would be continue to be the embassador for MFT that I have already become through incorporation of the fabulous dies and stamps in unique and creative ways!  I share my work through teaching and designing.  I blog for SGD as well as my own personal blog, to which I am proud to have many followers. 

I am truly passionate about this wonderful hobby as it's allowed me to meet so many wonderful women who share my enthusiasm for crafting.  I am having a fantastic time teaching workshops now and am so proud when people recognize my work.  It's such an honour to be able to share this with other people.

Thanks so much to My Favorite Things for this wonderful opportunity to submit my work!

Happy Stamping!
Sarah
xx

High Hopes Challenge: #119 - Party Favor and HIGH HOPES OCTOBER SALE

Hello all!

Well fall is DEFINITELY in the air here in London, ON. Fall jackets are out of storage and shorts are put away officially. Ahhh, so sad. BUT - that means Halloween is nearly here! I always said I would never be one of "those" mothers for my child. You know the type - who make the beautiful "Martha Stewart" type cupcakes for every class event. And the ones who send home the gorgeous hand-made gifts. Well, unfortunately for me, my competitive nature has started to get the better of me! And I fear I am becoming one of "those" mothers.

I've also created this little treat box for High Hopes Challenge #119 - Party Favor.  Be sure and go over there and check it out!   What a fun challenge to join - and a great chance to win some awesome, awesome High Hopes stamps of your choice (did you see the STUNNING snowmen just released?  GORGEOUS!)!

Also - be sure to check out the October special to save 20% off!!  Who doesn't love a sale!!  This fantastic deal runs October 1 through 7 - so be sure to check it out!

Here is our Halloween treat basket we're making for Sam's classmates this year! I love an opportunity to make any kind of box or basket. It's a nice change from cards and always looks so cute. This one I found on splitcoast and is called "Maria's treatbox". Very nice and quick to make. Thanks Maria! I think I'll be using this one again.

I've used High Hopes angel bear pumpkin (seriously - how cute? all my favourite things in one - bear, angel AND pumpkin!). I've stamped him on Copic XPress It and coloured in Copics. And I've finally used this gorgeous paper I bought last month: The Apothecary Emporium Collection 6X6 Paper Pad by Echo Park.

After making a few of these, I must admit - I think it's time to upgrade to a Scor-Pal finally!!

Happy Halloween (almost)!
and Happy Stamping!
Sarah
xx