myasperations 12-1-24

    I wanted to make another beachy Christmas card with the digi set from Beccy’s Place digi named “Sandy Christmas” to have on hand as we know several “snowbirds” who might enjoy it! The card went together pretty quickly with an upcycled calendar page, and flowers fussy-cut from patterned paper I’ve had in my stash since 2005 (I can remember packing it before a major cross-country move.)

     I knew I wanted to use an upcycled calendar scene for the background but wouldn’t be able to fussy-cut around all the delicate pieces near the snowman (his name is Nigel) so I traced a circle around him, and sketched the ocean background waves with pencil. I used watercolor paints to carefully extend the ocean waves into the circle. It’s not perfect, but it’ll work.

     I received the pretty watercolor beach scene on the inside of the card after I signed up several months ago to receive free downloads of original patterned paper (including this beach scene), related sentiments, and ephemera from artist Sande Woodson. You can sign up to receive her weekly freebies (HERE) and find some of Sande’s freebies on her FB page (Sande's Poema Card Making Community)

  

Suplies: 

·   Front scene is upcycled from an old calendar page.

·   Inside Beach scene is from Sande's Poema Freebies (June 2024-Week 2 Vintage Tropical) 

·   Digi and sentiments are from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (Sandy Christmas)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Sookwang double sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into: 

CRAFT Challenge  #742 Christmas

Outlawz Challenge- Festive Friday (Christmas) 

Outlawz Challenge- Nov 2024 Linky  

Crafty Catz Challenge- Anything Goes #683 AG  (Optional twist- Blue Christmas) 

       Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place (sponsor), I’m entering just for fun!  

Beccy’s Place Challenge- Dec

     Since I’m a Contributor for Beccy’s Place, I’m entering just for fun!  

      The fun card features a handful of digis from three sources, backgrounds made with digis and sentiments from The Paper Shelter, Beccy’s Place, and Polkadoodles; an upcycled calendar page; an old card; torn paper strips to create “sand” below the pirates’ boots; and flowers fussy-cut from patterned paper I’ve had in my stash since 2005 (I can remember packing it before a major cross country move.) It was especially fun to create the treasure inside of the card with assorted stickers, rhinestones, stickles and liquid pearls.

                                      

                                           

Supplies: 

·   Pirate and Treasure Chest Digi’s- from The Paper Shelter digi set (Treasure Hunt)

·   Pirate Hat Digi- from a Beccy’s Place Digi Set (There’s A Hat For That)

·   Map and Parrot Digi’s- Free clipart from vecteezy.com HERE

·   Shading and highlights added to pre-colored digis using Spectrum Noir Classique Markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Backgrounds on front and inside of card- upcycled and old wedding card and calendar

·   Sentiments “Shiver Me Timbers… Birthday” and “You’re My Treasure” from Polkadoodles digi set (Pirate Dude)

·   Silver and Gold crown stickers- Hobby Lobby

·   Sookwang double sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   Cardstock, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

The Paper Shelter- #620 Add a Sentiment     

Penny’s Paper Crafty Challenge #585 Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Anything Goes  

Paper Funday- #71 Anything Goes     

      My final post features an image from a Dover Publications coloring book named Creative Haven Christmas Inspirations. I signed up for the Dover Publications weekly newsletter several years ago and have appreciated that it regularly emails links to a half dozen coloring and activity books, each offering 4-5 pages available for a short time as free downloads. This is one of those free pages. I used watercolors to paint and shade the cookies, giving them a soft and crumbly feeling. I then used Sakura Glaze gel pens to color the frosting. When dry, it gave the frosting the hard shiny look of Royal Icing. (Note- I’m glad I always test markers and gel pens on scrap paper before I put them onto my cards!) That is how I learned that the white Glaze gel pen is a bit translucent. So, I first added white “piping” to the gingerbread cookies with my Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen to put down a base of white, then the Glaze pen added the desired shine!)

     I’m entering this card into several challenges including Cupcake Inspirations: Color Challenge (my cookies include red, yellow, and toffee brown), and Path Of Positivity Challenge: Friends/Family (during the holidays, I’ve always relished home-made cookies made by family and friends, a gift of them meant love, and spending time with family/friends during the holidays provided some of my favorite memories. So this is the provided quote that resonates with me.  “Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with family and friends.” — Thomas S. Monson)

                                               

               

Supplies: 

·   Christmas Cookies with Sentiment- from a Dover Publications Coloring Book (Creative Haven Christmas Inspirations)

·   Colored with Watercolor paints, Sakura Glaze gel pens, and Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Inside Sentiment- “A Happy Christmas to You”-The Paper Shelter Digi Set (Vintage Xmas Designs)

·   Small Gingerbread cookies embellishing inside sentiment- Fussy-cut from Hobby Lobby patterned paper

·   Gold photo corners available from several web sources (WXJ13 Photo Mounting Corners)

·   Sookwang double-sided tape- Available from several sources on the web.

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Cupcake Inspirations- #607 Color Challenge- Red, Yellow and Toffee  

Path Of Positivity Challenge- Challenge #125 (Friends/Family)  

Allsorts Challenge- Week 809

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #675-676 

Park Hopping-My Happy Place (Dec)    Cookies: Epcot’s Holiday Stroll (Disneyworld FL),    

ABC Christmas Challenge- 'W is for Watercolouring'