Merry Christmas Bird Houses!

Hello! It has been so dreary recently, in my neck of the woods.  This morning we have a tiny covering of snow outside, but the streets were clear.  I was worried it would be too dark to photograph my card, but I think it turned out okay. 

I’ve noticed that some of you are crafting and posting, at a usual rate. While I have really slowed down. I find that I actually craft more right around Christmas, than the beginning of the month.  We will see if that pans out this year, as well.  

I made a card this morning with a charming stamp that takes up the whole card front.  This makes Christmas cards easier, as I just needed to add some matting to finish off the card.

I colored the image, Merry Christmas Bird Houses, with alcohol markers, and then I added the details and shading with colored pencils. I find that this helps speed up the coloring process.

As always, you can save 10% off this stamp, and your whole stamp order at I Brake for Stamps using my code SAVE10HEIDI.

Thank you for visiting and have a crafty day!

Glittery Snow Card

Snowmen are one of those stamps where you can have a bunch, but they all seem to have their own personality.  I just adore this one, called Snowman with Lantern. 

I made my background with Bo Bunny glitter paste and a stencil.  It looks lovely on any color of cardstock, but it looks especially nice on black.  I colored and fussy cut out the snowman, and placed him over a couple die-cut snow hills. I added a little flocking to the snowman’s hat. 

The sentiment is from Christmas Tree Collage quarter sheet. This card is still flat for easy mailing.  

These stamps are available at the I Brake for Stamps store, where you can use my coupon code SAVE10HEIDI to get 10% off your entire order.  

Thanks for visiting!  Happy Stamping!

Stenciled Sympathy

Thanks for your visit today.  I made two of these sympathy cards, as I had a need for them.  

I simply stenciled over the left side of my card panel and then stamped the silhouette over top.  I then coordinated the inside of the card by just using a lighter touch over my stencil, and stamping my favorite Sympathy sentiment.  

These stamps can be purchased in the I Brake for Stamps store. The foxglove image is part of a new stamp set in the store, available as Unmounted rubber (with an attractive price), or it is also available separately.
Use my coupon code SAVE10HEIDI to save 10% off your entire order.

Supplies: Mostly Florals unmounted stamp sheet, Foxglove Silhouette stamp, Memories Comfort You sentiment, Quarter Sheet Dahlia (outside sentiment), Recollections stencil, Distress ink in Broken China and Mowed Lawn, Versafine Onyx Black ink. 

Thanks for visiting today!  I hope my readers in the USA have a Blessed Thanksgiving tomorrow!

Happy Trails Card - Wrap Around Card

I don’t know where the week went, but here we are at Friday!  I hope everyone had a good week. I am happy to report that my dental issues are finally resolved as of yesterday!  Just in time for Turkey?

I have a card to share today that I made a while back but didn’t get to sharing yet.  This was inspired by a wrap card made by Karen Dunbrook.  You should follow her, if you don’t already.  Every card she makes is beautiful!

Basically, you just create a wrap for your card that goes onto the back. I like how it is something different, and finishing the back makes it feel more complete.

I created my wrap by first sponging two Distress Oxide brown inks as an ombré. I then stamped the woodgrain over top.  The camper was partly colored and partly paper-pieced.  I added clear Nuvo Drops to the windows, but unfortunately, that cracked as it dried, so I guess my camper is a little run-down.  

If you create a wrap card, I would highly suggest using your lightest weight cardstock for the wrap part so that your card can still open and close easily.  It would be easy enough to use lightweight patterned paper too.  

Supplies: Close to My Heart Happy Trails stamp set, Hero Arts Woodgrain background stamp, Distress Oxide ink Vintage Photo and Antique Linen, Memento and Versafine black inks, other items from my stash.

Thanks for visiting! Will you have time for stamping this weekend, or are you too busy preparing for the holiday?  

Christmas One-Sheet Wonder: Part 3

Hello!  I am sharing the last 4 cards in the 12x12 One Sheet Wonder I have worked on.  

The template is here, and here are the links for Part 1 and Part 2.

You might notice that the template calls for 11 cards, and I came up with 12.  I didn’t like two of the layouts for the plaid paper I chose, so I went ahead and did my own thing.  

Also, as soon as I made one card using kraft paper, I wished I could go back and make all the cards with kraft paper. It wasn’t my first instinct, but it really works so well!  

Supplies:  Stamps: Elle’s Studio Cheers, Close to My Heart ‘Tis The Season, Stampers Anonymous Holiday Magic, Gina K Designs Christmas Magic stamp and die set; Inks: Versafine Onyx Black, Hero Arts Royal Red and Forever Green; Papers: Recollections Christmas Plaid 12x12, others from my stash; Dies: Gina Marie Wonky Stitch Ovals, EK Success Snowflake punch; Darice Embossing folder.

Do you have a favorite card? I think mine is the last one, although I was proud of using a hashtag sentiment in the first card. I had never used that stamp before and thought it would be good for some young adults.

I would like to enter Cute Card Thursday’s Festive challenge, WordArtWednesday’s Anything Goes Challenge, and Your Next Stamp’s Mad for Plaid challenge.

Christmas One-Sheet Wonder: Part 2

Hello and I hope everyone had a good weekend.  Yesterday was supposed to be “Take a Hike” day so we did take a short hike in the afternoon, even though it was pretty cold!

Here is the second installment of cards for my Christmas One-Sheet Wonder.  If you need a refresher, the  template I used is HERE.  And here are links to the other cards: Part 1.  I will have Part 3 up tomorrow!

I really like the ski chalet image!

The paper I used is foiled and is always a bit tricky to photograph, but I love using it on holiday cards.  I didn’t even use all the images in the stamp set yet, so I look forward to making more cards with this set.

Supplies: I Brake for Stamps Small Christmas Sheet  (This is a NEW set offered a very attractive price right now as an unmounted sheet),  Christmas Tree quarter sheet set, Hero Arts Red Royal ink, Gina K Christmas Pine ink, Versafine Black ink, Avery Elle Wonky Stitched Rectangles dies, Gina Marie Wonky Stitched Oval dies, Recollections Christmas Plaid 12x12 paper, other items from my stash.
(Receive 10% off you stamp order at I Brake for Stamps using my code SAVE10HEIDI)

Thank you for visiting today!!!  I hope your week is off to a good start!

Christmas Plaid - Handmade Holiday Card

Hello!  A quick share of a card I made this morning from my Recollections Christmas Plaid paper pad. I had been itching to use this pretty blue plaid.  And look how perfectly it went with this offset square from the sketch! 

Supplies: Close to My Heart Tis The Season stamp set, Versfine Black ink, Hero Arts Red Royal shadow ink, Gina Marie square dies, Recollections Christmas Plaid 12x12 patterned paper pad, American Crafts twine.  

I would love to enter Mojo Monday’s Sketch challenge, and You Next Stamp’s Mad for Plaid challenge.