More MFT!

I hope your holidays are all that you'd hoped for!  Mine are going wonderfully with the chance to spend time with family and friends, and, of course, my DH, Dave who also has a little extra time off this time of year.

I am completely besotted with these polar bears from My Favorite Things!  What could be cuter than a polar bear in a cozy sweater!  These are so fun to color!  For his sweater I used a technique I found online-don't remember where!  I colored the sweater with my copic markers, then take a loopy washcloth (aka-cheap!) and dip a little corner into copic blending solution, then dap it on the colored image.  The blender removes some of the color (where the loops touch) and gives it a fuzzy look.  Cool!!

The tree is from a penguin  set from Darcies' Heart and Home stamps, the set is 

Just Chillin'.  Very cute set as well!

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember the JUGS challenge is up until Thursday, Jan. 1 at 9 ET and has a gorgeous pink and grey photo for inspiration.

My card is also for the Christmas Card Challenge that I've linked to.

Have a great day!!

Cheryl

Gift Card Boxes

Hello!! In case you missed it (and I did!!) the Just Us Girls team has a color challenge for you this week! You have until Thursday, Dec. 25 at 9 ET to post your card.  So maybe, just maybe you have time for a little crafting today! I don't, but I'm not going to let a little thing like cooking and cleaning to stop me for getting together with my crafty supplies!

 Dave and I needed several gift card boxes this year. I was forced to buy a few from a big box store, but had to make some for a few special people.  I used the My Favortie Things paper bag die (can't say enough about how much I LOVE this die!!)  I cut my box from Pool Party

Then I used my mini foam tool to apply color to the edges (before putting the box together).  I used Coastal Cabana, then distress Peacock Feathers, then Not  Quite Navy to darken the edges.  My snow hill is cut from the Simon Says stamp snow hills.  The tree is from SU!s Loads of Love (you know, the truck set!)  The snowmen are from the Adorable Paper Smooches set called Cool Dudes.  I bought it just for this snowman, but the sentiments are nice, too!  Also before assembling the box I punch two small holes in each side and tied in some coordinating twine. Finally, I just wrapped some of the glittery grass around the card and stuffed it in.  Oops!  the snow is applied through the falling snow stencil (Simon Says Stamp) with Liquitex Modeling Paste.  The flakes just pop, don't they!?

I guess that about sums up this project! I made half dozen of these and they look adorable displayed on our tree!  I'll be back soon with an MFT polar bear card!  Maybe even tomorrow morning!
Please check out the JUGS blog for our color challenge and loads of inspiration, won't you!?
Until then, Happy Christmas Eve!
Cheryl

Just Us Girls #271 TREND week!

And the TREND is MiXED MEDiA!  I'm not the best at conceptualizing Mixed Media, but I gave it a shot with this tag!  Please check out the inspiration from our fabulous design team HERE!  

 I started with a basic manilla tag and stenciled it with Distress ink in Evergreen Bough with my Memory Box snowflake border stencil.  Then I used the mini foam applicator (Tim Holtz) tooo put tea dye on the edges. Next I stamped some (retired) SU! snowflakes in white pigment ink and embossed them with white detail embossing powder.  After that I added glue and glitter to the snowflakes.

 I have been coloring several of these polar bears up from MFT's Cool Day set (love them!!)  This one has a berry pink sweater with a bit of sparkle.

 I cut 5 (yep 5!) of the  Joy die (SU!) from bright pink cardstock.  Then added one more on top that is cut from a platinum glitter paper, also from SU.  It's nice and thick.  There's a bit of Liquid applique under the polar bear.  finally there's ribbon, brown twine and baker's tine tied to the top.

And here's my bear in close up.  I made his sweater look textured by added a little copic colorless blender to a wash cloth and dabbing the loopy part onto the sweater.  Then watch while color disappears and leaves a fuzzy look!  So fun!!
This tag makes me so happy! I hope you like it, too.  Wishes for a great day and weekend!
Please join us in the challenge this week and add your card/project to the blog by Thursday, Dec. 18 at 9 pm!
Cheryl

Speaking of Sparkle!

Hey there!! A Monday post-that's just not like me!  Well, this was actually a card I made yesterday for the Featured Stamper on Splitcoast Stampers.  I was inspired by a card to use these SU dies that had never touched paper!  And now they have!

 I also want to mention, remind that the Just Us Girls word challenge this week is SPARKLE!! I added lots to my card and the DT at JUGS wants to see your sparkle! Details are on our BLOG.

 I'm sure this card took me more steps than were necessary, but I had a vision of what I wanted and I enjoyed every minute-even the tries that had to be thrown out!  The scene with the trees is the white card base. I die cut a scrap to make a pattern for where to place the snow hills and trees. I cut the smaller SU die out of white card stock.  The I cut the larger one out of pool party card stock.  Of course, I had to make sure that they lined up.  I sponged the white one with coastal cabana and then used a copic marker on the 'embossed' edge to darken it.  I used a Memory Box snowflake border stencil on the pool party layer and used a sponge and stencil brush to apply coastal cabana ink in order to make the snowflakes show up.  Some of those tiny holes were hard to get color into!  The two top layers were put together with foam tape pieces and then the whole thing was adhered to the card front with double sided tape.

My sparkle is Prisma glitter and Stardust Stickles.  Oh yes, I also stamped a tiny snowflake image around the trees and snow in pool party.
The polar bear cutie is from My Favorite Things Cold Day set.  I looooove these guys!  More to come with them.
Well, I gotta finish supper and try to get some crafty time in this evening!
thanks so much for visiting!!
Cheryl

Challenge #270 The word is.....

SPARKLE!!  Isn't that a great word for this time of year?!  Super challenge!  So, come on and get out your stickles, your glitter, whatever ya got and go crazy! Here's my card!

 I started with a bright pink card base.  It's Papertrey ink cardstock, but I can't seem to remember the color!  It is stamped in SU's flannel background in Purely Pomegranate.  I made an attempt to then spatter it with white. that didn't make large enought spatters so I used an old SU set with random 'dots'. I stamped them in pigment ink-white.  Still not completely satisfied I then used a falling snow stencil and Cosmic Shimmer Sparkle texture paste.  So that's why you see so many dots on my flannet bg!

 Trees from a new SU set make the background for my snowman. That circle is then sponged in pool party, coastal cabana and not quite navy. Then lots of sparkle was added with Stardust Stickles.  The snowman is from Darcie's  (search snowmen on DarciesHeartAndHome.com) .

 He's colored in copic markers and then MORE Stardust Stickles were added to his scarf, hat and cup.

One more close up!
Now, if you haven't already, go on over to JUST US GIRLS and check out all the DT inspiration!  We sure hope you'll join in this week!  You have until Thursday, Dec. 11 at 9 pm. to do so!
Thanks for coming by and have a great day!
Cheryl