CAS[E] this Sketch #251

I hope you still need a Christmas card, or two ... Donna Mikasa has gifted us with a gorgeous Sketch for #251 ...

I sent Tom to the post office with a full box of cards last week ... there were a few new friends to add to my Christmas card list this year.   I was so happy to use Donna's Sketch as my model for the last one of the season!

My very first try with this Altenew Bells and Bows set!!  sigh... I'm in love.

 

Of course one has to put a few pretty little things in that darling little bag!  Here's a tiny peek...

We had our first snow!  It's truly beginning to LOOK a bit more like Christmas!

Can't wait to see what you have wrapped up for CTS ... they are each a gift in our eyes!

=]  Michele

Inspired by All the Little Things #76

Inspired by All the Little Things #76 lends itself to the perfect party - in paper!

I had a little leftover confetti laying around from a future post ...

2018 looks like it has the potential for lots of celebrating - hope you'll be blessed with everything your hearts desire, and celebrating, too!

=]  Michele

2017 Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

I was so happy to stop by Starbucks yesterday to see their 2017 pastry bags ... why?  Because it makes the cutest card!  and the 2017 Winter Coffee Lovers Bloghop is just the place for it!

Cue the Whitney...

A good schmear of glue stick on a lightweight cardstock, stick the front of the bag on, and run it through your machine in an embossing folder ... trim after it dries.  Adhere to a 5x7" kraft card base and, Bob's your Uncle! 

I added a die-cut 'you' and one of the many darling cups from Altenew's Coffee Love, a little steamy heart from E.H. Home & Hearth, just to complete the 'song.'  I even chose to leave the little pinked edge... it's all matchy-matchy with the glassine envelope I created.

Thanks, amy T., for a little after-Christmas-card play time!

=]  Michele

To Cat:  sorry [not sorry] about the ear worm xo

 

Want to see my first bag card?  You can see it here!

Time Out challenge #98

Time Out has a fabulous photo for their "Home Sweet Home" challenge #98 ...

I couldn't resist it ... twice!

You'll have to forgive me for my seriously silly sense of humor this time.  I'm not usually political, nor am I against hunting to put food on the table, but this guy?  He just wanted to be heard...

" . . . and your rifles empty!  Merry Moose-mas!"

Now, just to let you know that I was truly inspired by the photo and not having a rant ...

As I've already posted my Christmas cards, these are just going into cold storage for next year - score!

=]  Michele

Supplies: 
card 1:  The Cat's Pajamas deer; Avery Elle sentiment, and stockings,  Copic colored; a gorgeous wood-grain paper from a friend.
card 2:  Ellen Hutson stag die; and various snowflakes... and real wood paper from the same fantastic friend xoxo



CAS[E] this Sketch #250

Can you believe we are at Week 250?  Another fabulous Sketch comes to us from Leigh Penner this week ... I think you are going to love it as much as we do.

CTS #250 screams for a little water coloring, right?   And florals?  yes, please.  I've decided to use Leigh's Sketch to do a little experimental painting with Distress Oxide inks.  However, in place of florals, my 'subject' is a simple, gorgeous pine bough stamp set ... here it is three ways:

Attempt A:  stamped in Versafine gray/clear embossed, using a less-watered-down version of Distress Oxides, and an attempt at a loose water colored background, stamping into the very wet ghost-stamping, onto a wet paper, using  a smaller pine bough from the set:

my in-house critic thought the top ghost stamping looked like a creepy hand -

decided he was right...

 

Attempt B:  black/clear embossed stamping, with a more spattered background:

 



Finally, the card you came by for:  more CAS, clear embossed stamping... which gives more of a Princess Pine style needle. Because it's Christmas, a little gold wash on the cones, and a very subtle background wash:

Which do you prefer?  I'm pretty sure we'll love any subject, or floral you choose for your card!

Now, let's go see Leigh's card, shall we?  I'm sure my entire team will have treats in store... at CAS[E] this Sketch!

=]  Michele

I'll be sharing this CAS card with Loll and Bonnie at CAS Watercolor December Challenge: Anything Goes!

Seconds, and firsts!

You may know that I goofed up when I forgot to include one of the necessary colors from The Color Throwdown #471's list... black!

Here is my second attempt ... it was no trouble at all  =]

Have I mentioned that Tom bought me a Minc foiling machine for my birthday?  Here is another little somethin' I foiled - in a GOOD way!

I'll be sending this one over to The Classroom for Ellen Hutson's 12 Days of Christmas with a Feminine Twist! 

For Day 2, Julia and Keeway both made beautiful tags using Silver and Gold, each adding a bit of pastel color - I've chosen to stay clean, and white!  It continues to be difficult to photograph ... but the lettering is foiled in gold, and the stars, and one wee heart, are silver die cuts.

Hope you've had a wonderful weekend - it's been nice crafting on Sunday! 

=]  Michele

Color Throwdown #471

You may know that I've been enjoying Instagram posting lately... I'm enjoying meeting new 'friends' around the world even more!

As often happens, I find someone using products that aren't available in the States - hate when that happens - so if I love a card, I'll try to use what I have in my own stash to create it.... that's how this card happened.

For Color Throwdown #471, and @fraubluetenstempel aka Andrea Moritz who taunts me with all of her Alexandra Renke products:

A little note:  my stitching represents the 'black' as I could not bear to add another thing!

Please do visit Andrea's blog ... you won't be sorry, and you'll be truly amazed!

=]  Michele