More Christmas cards...

Here are a couple more Christmas cards that I made over the weekend. This poor Greeting Farm deer was cut and colored months ago and tossed around in my scrap bag. His neck was a little bent so I supported it with the poinsettia button and he's good as new. Can you tell that the little snowflake is resting on his nose?

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, My Sentiments Exactly

Ink: Memento, Versafine

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink

Other: Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug folder,

Copic markers, buttons, ribbon, pop dots

It's pretty obvious that I love Pure Innocence digis and found more on Heather Ellis' second website. There are some images here that aren't in her Etsy store. This is the same image I used on an earlier card but I used softer colors and it's the first time I've placed the sentiment on the side. Does it look weird?

I think I'm pretty much caught up with my Christmas cards...don't ask me about my shopping!

Stamps: Pure Innocence digital, My Sentiments Exactly

Ink: Colorbox

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink

Other: Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug embossing folder,

Copic markers, pop dots

Hero Arts' Blog Hop countdown

In just four days, Hero Arts will be having if not the largest, then the most exciting blog hop in blogland history! Thirty artists and guests will be showcasing the newest images from the 2010 catalog and I am honored that I was asked to be a part of this exciting event!

And stamp stores worldwide will be hosting preview parties. Check here to see if there's a store near you so you can join in on the fun and get your hands on Hero Arts' newest releases.

Love digis?

Just sharing two cards made with Pure Innocence digital stamps that I bought from Heather Ellis' Etsy shop. You can find her stamps online, which cost three times as much, and then wait for them to arrive by snail mail. Or you can get these digis in 24 hours or less--sometimes as soon as you pay for them. Gotta love that!

Now a ton of stamp companies are going digital and besides being less expensive than an actual piece of rubber, you can play with the sizes and flip the images to face different directions with the click of a button!

All main images from digistampcharacters

Nestabilities dies

Copics for coloring

And I just have to share that I won some stamps in a drawing from Your Next Stamp, just by displaying their blinkie on my blog! They're having a blog hop right now, through December 14th with lots of fun and prizes. They have a new release of the cutest bugs and animals--perfect for little boy cards which I'm really excited about! Can't wait to choose my prizes! Thanks to Maylee for helping me with the blinkie code--I wouldn't have won without your help!

A Christmas Sprout and Sneaky Peeks!

A few months ago, The Greeting Farm held a contest to design a new "Sprout" character. There were a lot of amazing entries and some pretty talented people out there. The winner was Kim Yu and her design was turned into rubber. She named her Sprout "Sassy Suzi" and dressed her in a long fur trimmed coat and gave her a cool hairstyle!

I bought Suzi last week, during TGF's release and made this Christmas card for an older teen. Although it's hard to see, I lined up all the sentiments from a MSE stamp set and stamped them as the background and made my own patterned paper.

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, My Sentiments Exactly

Cardstock: Gina K, Stampin Up

Ink: Memento, Papertrey Ink

Other: Copics, Assorted Nestabilities dies, snowflake buttons,

Sizzix embossing folder, pop dots

And come and join Hero Arts all this week for sneaky peeks and reveals from their 2010 catalog! In the evening they'll reveal that morning's peek and be sure to wear a bib because you'll definitely be drooling! Contests and prizes galore! There's even a blinkie contest going on along with their weekly challenge. Are you excited yet? Then head on over and join the fun and excitement of their new catalog reveal! See you there!

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Big hugs and thanks to Vera Rhuhay for kindly helping me put the blinkie on my sidebar. You are a techy genius, Vera!

Peace, love, and cupcakes

Before I send the Sophie card to Jennifer, I thought I'd make a few more cards and mail them all out on Monday. I had these Taylored Expressions cuppies already colored and the card drive is a good incentive to turn them into cards.

I bought these stamps last year and they were my first introduction to cling stamps. When my friend Alice was chosen to be a part of Taylor's Sketch Crew, I found them and remembered how cute they were. I just realized that the tan cuppie looks more like a muffin.

Stamps: Taylored Expressions, Hero Arts

Cardstock: Gina K, Stamin Up

Patterned papers: Basic Grey, Papertrey Ink

Ink: Memento, Versafine, Papertrey Ink

Other: Nestabilities dies, Copic markers, ribbon, pop dots,

Hero Arts gemstones, Glossy Accents, ultrafine glitter

And look at this adorable mini card that Jenyfur from Caardvarks sent me along with a RAK that I won last month. I was more excited about her card than the Clean and Simple stamps which were the actual prize. It's a cute 3x4" digital hybrid card, and I noticed Hero Arts' digi penguin and snowflake images. So much texture and embellies on a tiny masterpiece. The stamps are pretty cool, but receiving a handmade card is priceless! Thank you, Jenyfur!

Card drive and yummy candy!

Jennifer McGuire is once again hosting a card drive for ailing children and their families. Cards for Kids is an ongoing one, and cards can be sent not only at Christmas, but year round.

Visit her blog for the details and even if you're super busy, it's such a "feel good" effort to send even one card to brighten a young child's holiday or any day. Even a (gasp!) Hallmark card would be heartfelt and appreciated.

Our younger daughter was a cancer patient when she was 10 months old and I can empathize with families who spend the holidays in or out of the hospital with an ill child. Siblings are sometimes forgotten and a card would surely brighten up their day as well.

Thanks to some enabling from Alice, I've discovered Mo's digital images that are so easy to print and color. This Sophie card will be on its way to Jennifer this weekend.

Stamps: Mo's Digital Pencil, My Sentiments Exactly

Cardstock: Gorgeous red by Gina K (thank you, Judy!)

Ink: Versafine Onyx Black

Other: Nestabilities oval dies, Sizzix embossing dots,

Copics for coloring, corner rounder, buttons, twine, pop dots

And the very talented Jenn Biederman is generously giving away her prizes that she won for a Hero Arts challenge together with a card and an ATC that she created. Her cards alone are the true prizes and I can attest to this because I own a "JB original"! Visit her blog and prepare to be dazzled by her cards, projects and layouts. Thanks, Jenn!

Paula is hapai!

I was so excited when I found out that our Flickr friend Paula is hapai (hah-pie')--the Hawaiian word for "pregnant". This will be her second baby and I thought what better time to use the new Mom image from The Greeting Farm. I sent this card along with some stamped images and I'm sharing it since she just received it.

I altered the image slightly by trimming off the pants that the mom was wearing and drew in and colored some legs. I also cut apart the Hero Arts sentiment so that it fit the space. I'm becoming a little more comfortable with altering designs and may soon start to switch heads and bodies.

Take good care, Paula! Have fun colouring!

Stamps: The Greeting Farm, Hero Arts

Cardstock: Stampin Up

Ink: Memento, Memories

Other: Copic markers for coloring, Copic 0.3 multiliner pen, Basic Grey buttons,

Nestabilities Label One, Inkssentials white pigment pen

Gobble, gobble!

We'll be leaving for the airport in a few hours, to celebrate Turkey Day (Ham Day) on Kauai and I'd like to wish you all an early Happy Thanksgiving. I'm so thankful for all the friendships I've made, and appreciate your visits to and comments on my blog.

Here's a pic of some Pumpkin Mochi which has become a Thanksgiving tradition over pumpkin pie in our family. For those unfamiliar with mochi (mo'-chee), it's slightly chewy and once you get used to it, you'll appreciate the taste and texture even more.

And here is the recipe, for any adventurous cooks out there:

Dry ingredients:

1 16 oz. box + 1/4 cup rice flour

2 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Wet ingredients:

4 large eggs

2 blocks butter, melted

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 29 oz. can pumpkin puree

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13" pan and set aside. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add the remaining wet ingredients. Combine the two mixtures, and mix well. Batter will be thick. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 1 hour. Let cool and cut into 1x2" pieces. It's easiest to cut mochi with a plastic knife. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Each piece has a zillion calories so enjoy in moderation.

Bon appétit! And Happy Thanksgiving!

Lucy's challenge & a cased card

Our super sweet friend Lucy is hosting her very first color challenge on her blog using her favorite colors: kraft, light pink, and aqua. Even with our Thanksgiving holiday, this week isn't as hectic for me--no Hero Arts challenge--and I'm glad that I was able to play in between the pre holiday baking. The challenge is open to anyone, anywhere and the deadline is December 1st. Head over to Lucy's blog for all the details and join the fun!

Stamps : Hero Arts, Hero Arts digi, Basic Grey sentiment

Cardstock: Stampin Up

Ink: Papertrey Ink, Versafine

Other: Copic markers for coloring, Nestabilities, Stampin Up Sizzlits,

Hero Arts gemstones, pop dots

This snowman card is a 99.9% lift from a girl named Teri, who happens to live in Hawaii. She does awesome projects and cards and I saw this snowman card on her blog and fell in love with it.

My original plan was to use another image, but I had the same Rachelle Anne Miller snowman and, with Teri's permission, I decided to use the same image as she did. And the Nestabilities pendant die arrived with perfect timing. I did use a different embossing folder and I substituted with the blossom die, but it's a definite lift.

Thank you, Teri! Please visit her blog for lots of creative ideas and inspiration.

Stamps: Stampavie, Savvy Stamps

Cardstock: Papertrey Ink

Ink: Memento, Copic markers for coloring

Other: Nestabilities dies, Cuttlebug, Hero Arts gems, Glossy Accents, ultrafine glitter, pop dots

Hello, Gamsol!

Since I've become a fan of Copics, my Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol have been stashed away. I was struggling with trying to color Uru and Bird, a Whiff of Joy stamp, with Copics. I didn't have the right greens, and some areas are super detailed. I ruined a couple of images because R39 bled through the lines, and it's really hard to "push" red with the colorless blender.

I picked up a Prisma and started coloring, using the Gamsol to blend and before I knew it, the image was colored! I'd forgotten how much I like using Gamsol and probably have more shades of Prismas than Copics.

There's a tutorial here on the WoJ site, that combines using Copics together with your Prismas and Gamsol. You lay a flat base of color with Copics first, and then use the Prismas and blend with Gamsol for shadowing. You can't do it in reverse order, or the Prismas will ruin your Copics.

Now the Prismas and Gamsol have earned a spot on my desk. I'll be reaching for them more often for detailed images...or until my Oozak order arrives.

Edited to note: I tried using Gamsol on digital images and there was some smearing. Do a test run on some small images before tackling a larger one.

Supplies:

Stamps: Whiff of Joy, Stampin Up (sentiment)

Ink: Memento, Ranger

Cardstock: Stampin Up

Patterned paper: Daisy D's

Other: Prismacolor pencils, Gamsol, Nestabilities

Ribbon, twine and button (from Annie--thank you!)