Anything Goes at Cute Card Thursday + Whimsy Stamps November Release

Hello friends and welcome to November!! It’s hard to believe that we are closing in on the end of another year! Time has went by so fast especially since I’ve started back up on my new blog here! 🙂 So glad you are here with me! Thank you for that!

Today starts a brand new challenge over at Cute Card Thursday! For this week, it’s an easy “Anything Goes” challenge! And since our sponsor this week is Whimsy Stamps, I thought this would also be a great time to introduce to you an image from the brand new Digital Release that has just came out TODAY!! Check it out:

Vicki-WSSealinWater-Nov1

This cute seal critter is presenting his underwater gift for the Holidays! This new digital image from Whimsy Stamps is called Seal in Water by Crissy Armstrong. I had fun coloring him up with my Copic markers. I decided to use the markers in a “pointilism” fashion to give him a spotted seal look. (I’ve also added some light dots with a white gel pen.) Copics used: for seal – Blender 0, W7, W5, W3, W1, R00 for hat/bow – R39, R37, R35, R32 for package – BG99, BG96, BG93 for trimming/bubbles – C3, C1, C0, BG000

For the background I used a stencil to blend some blue colors to make them appear as if he’s underwater as he has bubbles around him. I cut him out with a stitched oval die and cut out a piece of gold foil cardstock with a larger stitched oval for matting behind the image.

If you take a look at those fun festive papers on my card, this is also part of the new Whimsy Stamps November Digital release as well! The papers are from the Christmas Traditions Collection. I’m sure I’ll be using more from this collection on an upcoming card soon! I have took the corner chomper and rounded the two bottom corners and then took a gold ink pad to rub along the edges with it. You can also see that I’ve used one of the Whimsy Stamps Penguin Christmas Sentiments 1 digital set and cut a banner with it to place on the bottom of my card. I’ve die cut a border in red cardstock going across the middle and added some white silk ribbon with a bow. I mounted the oval image panel on the card front with foam tape and then cut off the edge. I mounted everything over an A2 sized red top folding card base.

I’ve finished off my card with some Christmas sequins filled with Tinsel Stickles and I’ve also covered the bubbles with some Nuvo White Blizzard Crystal Drops.

Here’s a closer look at the coloring details of my spotted Holiday seal along with the sequins, glitter and bubbles! Gotta love that popped out belly!! 🙂

Be sure to check out not only the new Whimsy Stamps release on the Inspirations Blog, but please be sure to check out the Cute Card Thursday challenge to see the inspiration from the rest of the design team and play along this week! We love to see what you’ve created!

Thanks for stopping in! Please stay tuned in for more posts today!

Challenges:

Winter Wonderland – Color It!
Crafting From the Heart (226) – Anything Goes
Make My Monday – Stencil Stories (Used a wave stencil for behind the seal)

It Sparkles at Cute Card Thursday!

Hello friends! Yes, that quick and we are ready for a new challenge over at Cute Card Thursday! This is a really fun one too! This week we’d love to see your “Sparkles” on your creations! We look forward to seeing what you come up with for it!

Here’s the creation I made:

Vicki-CCT553-KC-Sparkles

I have used one of our sponsor’s image this week called Reindeer and Snowman from Kinda Cute Stamps. Now how cute is that reindeer making a snow reindeer?! I just had to give them both a red nose! 🙂

I printed out the image on white blending card and cut it out with a wonky stitched rectangle die, and then cut out some snowflakes with silver sparkle paper along with layering the image panel over some as well. I took a sentiment from a new My Favorite Things stamp set and silver heat embossed it over the top of the image panel. I’ve also dotted the center of the snowflakes along with making some additional dots with some silver Stickles.

Vicki-CCT553-KC-Sparkles1

Here’s a closer view of the image. You can see where I’ve taken a glue pen and covered the snow-reindeer with loose glitter. I’ve also taken a Spectrum Noir Glitter Brush Pen and covered the noses as well as the snow on the ground. I used a glitter pen to color the charm on the reindeer’s collar.

Thanks for dropping in! See you soon!

Challenges:

Jingle Belles – Animals (Christmas Flock)
Christmas with the Cuties – Wrap Up Warm
City Crafter – Silver Bells (lots of silver)
Crafty Creations – Anything Goes
Fab ‘n’ Funky – Christmas
Watercooler Wednesdays (WWC193) – Holidays

Gingerbread Christmas Tag

Hello friends! It seems like it’s been a while since my last post! I have been feeling a little under the weather for a few days and I’m trying to get myself back on track…so hopefully I’m getting there! Thank you to all who’ve left comments and a big welcome to my new followers! So happy to have you here and hope you enjoy the postings!

I have a cute Christmas tag to share with you today using an oldie but a goodie Whimsy Stamps digital image:

Vicki-Oct24-Gingerbreadman Tag

This sweet little Gingerbread Man was so much fun to color and “bling up” a bit with some accents! I have him colored up with Copic markers in the following:

Body: E39, E37, E35, E15, E13 (Cheeks 0blender, R20 and frosting BG000 in certain areas.)
Candy Cane and circle candy: R39, R37, R35, R32, C3, C1, C0
Nose and arm accents: G16, G09
Outer Edge of image: BG10, BG000

I used a manila tag and got out a zig zag image from an older Whimsy Stamps clear set called Basic Backgrounds & Borders (retired) and stamped it on the tag with Rusty Hinge Oxide Ink. I also used that color along with Tea Stain and Vintage Photo Oxide inks to sponge around the edges of the tag. I used a water spritzer to add some drops and then blotted it with a towel to get the watermark look.

The gingerbread man panel was cut to fit the tag and I used some Tumbled Glass Oxide ink to stamp a few snowflakes around the gingerbread man from the Whimsy Stamps Snow Flurry stamp set and then sponged around the edges of this panel with the same brown oxide inks listed above. I also stamped a sentiment at the bottom of the tag from the Whimsy Stamps Penguins Winter Adventure stamp set with Archival Jet Black ink. I then added a strip of black washi tape from Tim Holtz Ideaology Christmas collection and then added some “faux snow” flakes at the bottom of the gingerbread man panel with some liquid glue.

For the ribbon, I used some seam binding ribbon and sprayed it with distress ink sprays in the same brown colors as inks that I’ve used, crinkled up and let it dry. I added that to the top of the tag along with some tinsel ribbon. I thought it went well with the snow!

A closer view of the gingerbread man and you can see the added extra details that I’ve added to him. For the candy cane and circle candy on his head, I covered them with a Spectrum Noir Glitter Brush Pen. I’ve added some Nuvo White Blizzard Glitter Drops to the green dots and then some Nuvo Clear Crystal Drops to the frosting lines. (You can see how it shines in the photo!)

Thank so much for stopping in today! Hope you’ve enjoyed my tag and I’ll be seeing you very soon!! 🙂

Challenges:

The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge – Anything Christmas Goes
QKR Stampede – Anything Goes #318
Sweet Stampin’ – Chevrons or Stripes
Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes
Little Red Wagon – distressing (Distress Oxide inks)

Top O Morning Snowman Wishes

Hello friends! Well, it’s certainly not morning, but maybe it is where you’re from or it’s morning when you see this post! 🙂

I have a really fun Whimsy Stamps digital image to share with you today appropriately named to coincide with my post title:

Vicki-Oct16

This really sweet, faced snowman is called Top O the Morning Snowman which is a digital image created by Crissy Armstrong for Whimsy Stamps. I thought it was so cute with the little birdie joining him and his little heart buttons! I had fun coloring him up!

I’ve colored him with Copics and cut it out using the Hand Stitched Nested Rectangles die and matted some black cardstock behind that panel. I’ve also used the October Digital papers release called Christmas Red, Gold and Green and attached it to the front of an A2 sized white card base. I then took the wavy die from the Pierced Border Trio dies and cut a piece of glitter cardstock to add at the bottom of the decorated digital paper panel.

I then added the snowman panel over top and then stamped the sentiment below the snowman with the Holiday Mini Sentiments stamp set. I then added the twine bow and button as well as a few snowflake sequins and filled the centers with some Nuvo Crystal Drops to finish it off.

Here’s a closer view of the coloring:

I have used all Copic markers to color this image in the following colors:

Hat and Snowman body/snow: C8, C5, C3, C1, C00
Hat Band, buttons, bird hat/scarf: R37, R35, R32
Holly: YG67, YG63, YG61, (hollies colored with pink glitter gel pen and covered with Nuvo Crystal Drops
Snowman Scarf: G24, G21, G20 + green glitter gel pen for lines and ends
Snowman nose and cheeks: R20, R00, R000, YR18, YR15, Y11
Bird: B34, B32, R00, E000, Y21, Y11

I’ve also used a white gel pen for the cheeks on both the snowman and bird as well at the eyes on the snowman and to randomly add some dots for falling snow effect. I also went around the outside of the image with a B000 marker for a bit of sky behind him.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! Hope you’ve enjoyed my card! See you soon!

Challenges:

CRAFT – Christmas
QKR Stampede – Anything Goes #317
Allsorts – Christmas
The Merry Christmas Challenge – Anything Christmas Goes
The Creative Crafters – Anything Goes

The Feeling of Happy Mail

Hello friends! Back with you again today to share another Whimsy Stamps digital “pretty”! If you missed my Guest Design post for the Retro Rubber Challenge Blog, please click on the link or scroll down below this post. – thank you

You all know the feeling you get when you receive “happy mail” from the mailbox, and I think this cute image on my card today really sums up that feeling:

Vicki-WS-Pretty Girl Happy Mail- Oct 9

I have used the brand-new October digital stamp from Whimsy Stamps called “Pretty Girl Happy Mail” on my card today. Oh those curly locks are adorable!

I have colored her in with my Copic markers in the following:

Coat/hat (darker tone) – R85, R83, R81 and for trimming – E11, E00, E000 (also coat fasteners)
Coat/hat (fur) – W5, W3, W1 and highlighted with white gel pen flicks.
Hair – E47, E43, E42 (eyebrows too)
Skin – E21, E11, E00, E000, R20, R00 (eyes BG49)
Mail – B00, B000 (unsure of tiny bit of color on postage stamp or coat fastener centers and string)

I then took a retired Whimsy Stamps clear set called “Handmade From Me” which had a couple of tiny solid hearts in it, and I took some pink colored ink to stamp a few hearts around the girl. She really loves all her mail after all! 🙂

I cut her out with a stitched circle die and then mounted her over a piece of silver foil cardstock cut with a scallop stitched circle die. I have used the same stamp set that I’ve mentioned above to heat emboss the sentiment with silver EP and cut it out with a banner die cut. This is the same-colored cardstock I’ve used for the A2 sized top folding card base too.

The snowflake paper is from my stash and some I’ve been hoarding because I love it so much, but the snowflakes on it are silver metallic and have the texture on it as if it was heat embossed. I placed this panel over my card base, attached the banner and then added the circle image panel over top of that including some craft foam to raise it up slightly over the design.

I was thinking that this image would work for either Christmas, winter or Valentine’s Day. Yes, I know, I said the V word already!! Oops!

Here’s a closer view of the coloring that I’ve done on her as well as the heat embossing. Had so much fun coloring her up. I think she especially looks wonderful on such a simple style design!

Thanks so much for stopping in and sharing your thoughts with me! I appreciate that so much! See you soon!

Challenges:

Creative Fingers – Anything Goes
QKR Stampede – Anything Goes #316
Crafty Friends – Use more than 1 die (I’ve used 3)
Stamp & Fun = Creativity – Die cuts
Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes

Guest Design for the Retro Rubber Challenge

Hello friends! I’m super excited to have been asked to be a guest designer for one of the challenges over at the Retro Rubber Challenge blog! Yay! I really enjoy playing along in their challenges when I feel the need to break out some of my older stamps that have either been unused or neglected for a while. If you have some stamps that are at least one year or older…or older yet as many of mine can be, then this is a great challenge to play along with! Be sure to pop on over there and see what it’s all about, check out the inspiration from the design team and play along!

Here’s the card that I’ve created for the challenge but be sure to check out the full details along with lots more photos below!

Vicki-rrcb97-GDT

For my card, I went with the bottom row of “animals, window and circles“:

Vicki-rrcb97guestDT

I have pulled out some stamps from my “penguin stash” as I like to call it! LOL! I have lots and lots of them and most of them are years and years old. I’m actually not really sure how old this stamp set that I’ve used on my card today is, but it’s from Darcie’s Stamps and they haven’t been in the store for quite a while now I think.

For my card, I’ve taken a circle die and cut out my colored images. I had to mask the hat so that it looked like the penguin was wearing it as well as mask that giggling penguin along with the hat so that I could stamp the mug so that it looked like the penguin was in front of the mug. I also white heat embossed the sentiment and cut it out with a banner die at the top. The sentiment also came with the stamp set. I cut out a scallop circle and then cut the center out with the same size circle as the penguins to create the frame around the penguin scene. I’ve used some older SU! papers from my stash to go along with my theme and then lastly added some red baker’s twine at the top along with some white enamel dots as well as a cute little wrapped up peppermint candy accent.

I have cut the center of the heart on the mug with my craft knife and now we are going to zoom in on the mug….

Vicki-rrcb97-GDT-windowcloseup

Here you can see the glittery heart window with the penguin on the other side! I have made a window by cutting out the heart on the mug and then on the other side, I’ve used some packing tape with the sticky side exposed through the window so that I could add some glitter to it.

Vicki-rrbc97-GDT-insidecard

And then of course when you open the card, you can see this cute little penguin trying to balance himself on these glittery rolling peppermint candies! LOL! This is why the penguin on the front was giggling. I think they had too much sugar!

I colored in a penguin from the set, fussy cut him out and then layered him over this line of peppermint circles that I found from an older card kit I had in my stash. It’s from a piece of patterned paper that I cut out. I added some shimmer over them with a glitter brush pen. At the top you can see the cut-out heart I made.

Vicki-rrbc97-GDT-inside

This is just a closer view of the penguin on the inside. There is plenty of room above him to write a message. Wasn’t sure if I wanted to leave this blank or put a Christmas sentiment on the inside yet.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my card for today!

Challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday – Get Ready for Christmas
4 Crafty Chicks – (4CC423) Something Old is Something New (old stamps and paper)
Crafting with An Attitude – Anything Goes
Happy Little Stampers Christmas – Anything Goes with Optional Twist: ribbon
Crazy 4 Challenges (C4C455) – Make any card in honor of WCMD
Crafting By Designs – Anything Goes

Anything Goes For Cute Card Thursday!

Hello friends! It’s Thursday and time for a new challenge over at Cute Card Thursday!

This week is an easy “Anything Goes” challenge! So please share with us what you are working on this week weather it be a card, a scrapbook page, journal page or altered item, etc. We look forward to seeing what you’re doing!

I’ve decided to use another newly released image from Whimsy Stamps (our sponsor this week) on my design today:

Vicki-CCT550-WS-Oct 4

Isn’t this cat just too stinkin’ CUTE?! I’ve used the newly released October digital stamp Scruffy Cat by Crissy Armstrong for Whimsy Stamps on my card today.

*Edited to Add Copic marker colors I’ve used! *

For hat: R59 for darkest shadows blended out with R29, R27 and R24. I’ve used a white Prismacolor pencil for some highlighting. I did use some B000 for shadows on the hat trimmings, but the loose glitter I glued on covers it up in the photo.

For cat: I used W5, W3, W1 and W0 and started with the darkest color along edges and flicked in with the other colors. R20 blended out with R00 for his ears and cheeks.

Collar: G07 and G05. I used a glitter gel pen for the tag.

I have used the Whimsy Stamps Notched Rectangles die set to cut him out with and mount him over a piece of red card stock. I’ve also used a strip of red card stock cut with the same die and white heat embossed the sentiment from the Whimsy Stamps Holiday Mini Sentiments clear stamp set and attached under the kitty.

Before attaching the kitty panel, I’ve used some of the Whimsy Stamps Christmas Cool Mix digital papers and added a white organza ribbon around it. I also sponged around the edges with some white ink using a sponge dauber and then I attached that to the front of a red top folding card base. Lastly, I’ve attached the kitty panel along with the ribbon bow underneath and finished the card with snowflake sequins and silver glitter in the centers.

Here’s a closer look at my coloring as well as the glittery details on the kitty collar tag and the loose fine glitter on the hat trimmings.

Please be sure to check out the challenge blog to see the details of the challenge and catch the inspiration from the rest of the design team!

Hope you’ve enjoyed my card today and look forward to seeing what you come up with! Thanks so much for stopping in!

Challenges:

QKR Stampede – Anything Goes #315
The Paper Players (PP412) – Tic-Tac-Toe: Green, any embossing, sequins/glitter
Crafty Animals – Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers – Lace or Ribbon

It’s New Release Time at Whimsy Stamps!

Hello friends! Can you believe that October has gotten here so fast?! I thank you SO MUCH to everyone that has shared about my give away and I really have been enjoying your comments about the way you share smiles through your creations. It is such an inspiration and joy to hear about this.

For my card today, I am sharing a sweet and fun festive image from the new release:

Vicki-PenguinElvesWorkshop-Oct2

Yes, I cannot get enough of the penguins that Crissy Armstrong makes up for Whimsy Stamps! This image is called Penguin Elves at the Workshop and I think they’re having lots of fun for Christmas! They’re colored up with Copic markers and then I’ve taken a white gel pen for highlights as well as a silver and gold gel pen for detailing. I took some fine loose glitter and attached with liquid glue on parts of the penguins’ hats and then a glitter brush pen on the bow the penguin is holding. I have used the Pierced Border Trio dies to cut the panel on the top and bottom of the image. I then took an ink blending tool to add some distress ink around the panel.

For the sentiment banner, I printed out the new released Penguin Christmas Sentiments 1 and cut out a banner and then went over it with a Copic marker so that it matched up with my design. For the front panel of my card, I also took the newly released digital papers called Christmas Red, Gold and Green and printed them out and trimmed it to size my A2 white card base. I also took my ink blending tool to distress more coloring on the edges to match my image panel. I then took that and mounted it over the papers and then glued some gold thin ribbon on the top and bottom of the image panel and added a bow along with some festive sequins filled with Stickles tinsel glitter glue.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my card today using the new digital release from Whimsy Stamps this month. Be sure to check back for other creations I make from the new release this month too!! Thanks so much for stopping by!

challenges:

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge – Anything Goes with Christmas
Christmas Card Throwdown – Technique: Coloring
Crafting By Designs – Get Ready for Christmas
Aud Sentiments – Use a 2 word sentiment
Winter Wonderland – Anything Goes + Christmas
Crafting From the Heart – Anything Goes
Make My Monday – Animals

Traditional Mermaid Christmas

Hello friends! Although it still feels a bit like summer outside where I’m from with the temps in upper 80s and 90s all week long, I enjoy creating Christmas and snow-themed cards any time of the year! Besides, I know that once Fall hits, it will soon be time for Christmas to come along right behind it! I have used this adorable September release from Whimsy Stamps once again to inspire you with a more traditional Christmas themed colors and design this time:

Vicki-ChristmasMermaid-Sept18

I have used this gorgeous Christmas Mermaid digital stamp by Crissy Armstrong for my card today. She is an amazing image for the coloring enthusiasts for sure!

My last card with this image showed her in more soft pastel tones. (You can see that post by CLICKING HERE if you don’t remember it.) This time I went for a more traditional Christmas color theme. I found some really cool green with white splatter pattern paper to use, so I worked around that by coloring the mermaid outfit in reds with gold trimmings. I took inspiration from the gold ribbon, bells and buckle and added in more elements with some gold on my card as well.

I was almost too scared to try this, but after coloring the image, I took some white Shimmerz paint and a paint brush to add some white splattering effect over top of her to give the appearance of snow and to also coordinate with the pattern paper in the background. I didn’t get too carried away, but just enough and then I cut her out with the Whimsy Stamps Hand Stitched Nested Rectangles die set and took my ink foam blending tool and went around the edges with some Pine Needles distress ink. I then took some gold cord and wrapped it around the two corners and then added a double bow with some red jingle bells on one end. I also glued some cheese cloth on each corner before I added some foam tape behind her to mount her on the card design.

For the card design, the base is a red top folding 5.5″ square design with the green splattered pattern paper over it. I took some chunky glitter and glued it around the edges and then perhaps you remember this “oldie but a goodie” border die from Whimsy Stamps along the edge of the image panel? I cut it out with mirror gold card stock and then wrapped some gold silk ribbon over it and attached to the card. I placed the foam taped image panel over top and then added the finishing touches over the image:

Here’s a closer look at the image where you can see all of the glitter and shimmer on her. Before I splattered it, I covered her outfit with a clear glitter brush pen and went over her gold buckle and the jingle bells with a gold metallic gel pen. I went over the tiny holly berries with a red metallic gel pen. I then took some liquid glue and added some clear glitter to her hat and outfit trimmings along with the tiny creature’s hats.

After she was splattered, I added some gold sequins and then some gold Stickles in the centers of each one.

Those tiny creature faces just make me giggle every time! 🙂

I know she has tons of shimmer and sparkle, but she is a mermaid after all, and I do love adding a little bit of this and that as much as I can! Do you like lots of bling?

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, I truly appreciate your time! I’ll see you again very soon!

Challenges:

The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge – Anything Goes + Christmas
Crafty Creations – Anything Goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge – Anything Goes + Christmas
Winter Wonderland – Use Ribbon and/or Twine
Little Red Wagon – Bling It On!
CRAFT – Christmas
Crafty Gals Corner – 3+ Layers

Dies and Punches for Cute Card Thursday

*I wanted to take a moment to say to those (and those with loved ones) along the eastern coast threatened by Hurricane Florence that we’re thinking of you and wishing you safety and strength.*

Hello friends! We are quickly rolling through another month here as we are getting into Fall and I know the “C” word will be here before we know it!! LOL! I’m trying to sneak in little creations here and there so I’m not overwhelmed. Sometimes challenges can help with that like our new challenge this week at Cute Card Thursday! Our new challenge this week is “Dies and/or Punches” which is something that I use ALL the time on my projects, how about you?

Vicki-CCT547-ADU-diesandpunches

This week we are sponsored by “All Dressed Up Stamps” and I have used this adorable image called “Little Skater” on my card. I’ve colored her up with my Copic markers and then I’ve cut her out with a stitched circle die. I then used a very old Stampin’ Up! Snowflake stamp from my stash and stamped some snowflakes in the background with blue ink and then sponged around the edges of the circle with the same color.

I also heat embossed the sentiment (From My Favorite Things) with silver EP over a piece of pink cardstock and then cut it out with a banner strip die. I then sponged around this banner with some white ink. (This pink cardstock is the same color as my card base.

I had a piece of this pretty snowflake woodgrain paper in my stash a long time, pulled it out for the background. I’ve also die cut the stitched scallop circle behind the circle image panel with some silver glitter paper and attached it to the background. I’ve also die cut some additional snowflakes in white cardstock and placed those on my layout and covered the centers of them with some silver Stickles. I used a strip of foam tape to pop up the heat embossed sentiment right underneath the image and then lastly, I’ve added some clear crystal accents to the sides of the sentiment banner as well as on each corner of the background paper.

Here’s a closer view of the image. I have colored her skate blades with a silver gel pen and then I took a clear gel pen and went over the bow in her hair and her scarf as well as the tiny snowflakes around her. I’ve used a white gel pen for her cheeks and highlights on her leggings.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Challenges: