Merry Christmas - Be Joyful!!

 Matthew 2:10-11. When they [the wise men] saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him.

Merry Christmas sweet friends! I hope your day is filled with the joy and hope of Christ! 

Today I have an art journal page for you. I created a sunrise scene with water and mountains using Be Joyful by Prickley Pear Stamps for my main image and Birdcage Winter 2 (the little row of trees) to create a tree line. I colored the girl with Copics and the rest was created with Distress Oxides.

I have done a similar scene before I tried new things today...I haven't done water before you I just jumped in and it worked out I think. I also tried shadows and dark coloring assuming this girl's face was to the SON(sun) and we would see her back on darker colors. I also haven't done that much either so it was fun to try it out!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful, blessed day!!

Hugs,
Lyn

And the Stockings Were Hung...

For my project today, I am using a stocking and bow from the Stocking Two Stamp Set. After I colored it, I die cut it with the coordinating Stocking Die and then I sat and looked at it for a few days hoping for inspiration on what the card should look like. It eventually came to me and I created my card around my colored up image....Do you ever do that?

I created a pocket card. As I have strived to do all year, I reached for scraps. I used some of my red scraps to create bricks, then I built a "fireplace." I added glue in the cracks and sprinkled glitter to create "grout". Then I added wood like designer paper to the fold down flap to create a mantle. I added some paper I thought could pass as "wallpaper" "on the back then I sealed the two sides with thin score tape. Then I hung my stocking with a little brad act as my nail.

I created a coordinating note card that I can write a note on and maybe glue a gift card on. Then I can just slide it down in the pocket. The card is kind of simple but I really love the sweet little scene and I I can't wait to get this one in the mail - yes, you heard right. I haven't sent my cards yet. Please don't judge, I plan to do them by Wednesday haha!!

I hope you were inspired today and I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season.

Hugs,
Lyn

Christmas Postage Stamp

Today I have a simple, sweet card using the "extra" pieces from the Christmas Ornaments 2 set.

I wanted to make a Christmas postage stamp with a die from way back when so I created a little vignette to fit it. I die cut it and with the die on, I lightly brushed light blue ink over the scene so when I removed the die, there was a white frame - like a real postage stamp. I think it turned out so cute. I think I may look at other stamp sets to see if I can find something else that will fit into my postage stamp look. I used a stencil background and created my own colored card with Distress Ink

I hope you are inspired!

Hugs,
Lyn

PS – Prickley Pear is having a Cyber Monday Sale – No Coupon needed

Holly Jolly Christmas

 Today I have another project using the Holly Jolly Christmas set. This one though is completely different from the snowmen selfies....

For this one, I went with an easy, messy, watercolor look using a few green shades of Distress ink and Festive Berries red to fill in the berries...I embossed the sentiment with copper powder (that was what I had on my desk haha) onto vellum, and die cut it with a banner die. Super easy and pretty satisfying to make.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you like this one and are inspired to try different looks from your stamps - it stretches them further and you as well :)

Hugs,
Lyn

You are Loved! Simple Watercolor Technique

Today I am doing some simple stamping with "water color" and the Love and Prayers Set.

I used a technique from this blog HERE . Essentially, you add some water based inks (I used Distress Inks in Picked Raspberry, Milled Lavender, and Dusty Concord) to a kraft mat, spritz it, and the use that as an 'ink pad' to ink up your stamp. It gives you a loose, water color affect. And better yet, you do not have to be exact about this!

The word art stamp in this set is 3.5"x3.5" so I stamped it randomly on some Strathmore Bristol paper, to fully cover an A2 sized background. Then on a separate piece of Bristol, I "smooshed" some of the remaining ink and lined up one of the sentiment stamp to create a square border. I found a square stitched die slightly larger than my border and cut it out and mounted it and my background onto some navy cardstock. I added the heart into the middle and colored it with the darker ink from my kraft mat. I stacked it all and added it to a side folding card.

I think I will be playing around with this technique a few more times this month. It feels clean and simple but not but what what do you think?

Thanks for stopping by!! I hope you are inspired!

Hugs,
Lyn

Magical Birthday Unicorn

Today I have a sweet birthday card using Best Unicorn Buddies.

To create my card panel, I used some Distress Oxides and partially inked through a stencil I found deep in my stash (you know the collection of stencils I needed but haven't really used.) Do you do that too? I am working hard to correct that this year :)) I used Copic Markers to "rainbow" the unicorn mane and add some shading to the body. I added some shimmer and sparkles with a Spectrum Noir Sparkle pen and a few pearls for the flower centers (also in my stash.) I fussy cut the unicorn and adhered it onto the panel.

I used a pierced rectangle die to cut down the panel then I mounted it onto a slightly bigger purple card stock and mounted that onto a top folding white card base.

I hope you are inspired today! What do you have in your stash that you need to pull out and use? What are you waiting for sweet friend? Go get it and create something fun!

Hugs,
Lyn