Tuesday Morning Sketches #737 - Annual Anything Goes Challenge

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by!  We made it to the end of the year and to our Annual Anything Goes challenge.  We only do this once a year and it's a chance to show off your other crafty talents. You can make a card, sure!  But you can share a handmade ornament or a handmade quilt.  

My project features some fantastic dies from Tonic Studios.  The monthly Craft Kit from October, called Jingle Bells, Beveled Star and Decorative Christmas Bauble.  I decided this would dress up my front window...  And I was dumb and didn't take close up pictures of each of my decorations before hanging them up.  I'm being honest when I say I started on these a month ago and just got them finished last night!  It's been crazy around here.

So this is right and left view of my window.  Looks a little weird, I know, but gives you an idea what I've done.  I made 4 large baubles, 2 beveled stars and 6 little baubles.

Stepping back, here's my window in during the day.  Charlie is his favorite spot.  I think he likes the ornaments, too.

Here's the hard part, sharing how cool this looks when it's lit up!  Really hard to appreciate how pretty this looks.  

Here's the outside view.  I think I should have turned off the inside light off and it would show better.  I'm also getting the reflection of my neighbor's blue Christmas lights.

But there you have it - my Anything Goes Christmas decorations!

Color My Heart Color Dare #580

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #580 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

Pastels!?   Are you kidding me?  This is the time for Christmas colors!  Yes, pastels and they can be Christmas-y or Wintry!

Let's call this Wintry!  Look at this!!  So let me tell you how I started off this card.  I pulled out my card stock and was having a serious discussion with myself.  What the heck am I gonna do.  Pastels?  Really?  These are for Spring and Easter.  Uhh... hello!  It's December.  But I press on.  After all, this is a CHALLENGE.  So stop whining Melissa and challenge yourself.  I pulled out a pack of card stock (the light purple you see) and found that I had cut a card base using a die I've had for years and years that cuts this scallop edged card.  It's from Papertrey Ink.  So here's my tip my toe in the water moment.  I pull it out - determined to use it.  I'm telling you, it was like a creative leak sprung.  I had recently purchased the candy canes die set from Honey Bee and wanted to play with that a bit.  So I pulled out Marshmallow Hugs die set from Tonic Studios.

Firstly, I die cut the pine and used some white embellishment mousse that I thinned out a bit with water and used a rough brush to tap on "snow."  I set that aside to dry.  Note to self, use a craft mat to dry stuff on, sticking to your desk won't happen if you do.  I cut out the cup using the same lilac color as the card base.  I embossed a white panel using a Spellbinders embossing folder.  Made some candy canes using pink and purple.  Added a couple marshmallows and this card is ready for a winter greeting.

I hope you love it as much as I do.  This has to be one of my favorite cards for all year!  See you over at Color My Heart Color Dare!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #736

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by!  The last of 2023 is posted on Tuesday Morning Sketches.  Can you believe it?  The last one!  2023 has flown by with lots of inspiration, great sketches and friends.

My card... well, let me tell you, this one was done last minute.  I have been waiting impatiently for my package to arrive from Simon Says Stamp containing this adorable Walter die by Tim Holtz.  I couldn't resist....

Oh my goodness these penguins are too cute!!  And with all the layers, you don't need to ink them to get depth and dimension.  These are great for using up some scraps.  The tree and is the Festive Tags Dies & Stamps set from Tonic Studios.  The background and hills are dies from Kat Scrappiness that I loaded with a couple of different embossing pastes.  I got a little carried away.  What I thought were accents individually, put together looks like a raging blizzard!  LOL  But I love it anyway.

Debbie commented on my card last week about having the patience to put these die pieces together.  I suppose it does take some patience, but honestly, I love the process. As Barney would say, it's therapetic.  (Please tell me you know what I'm referencing.)

Anyway, come join us at the TMS blog and leave the team some love.

Color My Heart Color Dare #578

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  Color My Heart Color Dare #578 is up and ready for your fun and creativity!

Use at least 3 of these 4 colors.  The only one I didn't use was linen.  I really love all these colors but when it came to making my card, I really struggled with what to do.  But never fear!  Tonic Studios was here!  Duh da da da!!!

Hi, I'm Melissa and I am a Tonic-holic.  This company really knows how to have a sale.  Recently they put some of their older kits on sale.  I do know how to say no.  I've had to learn, so I shop with reckless discernment.  LOL  I found 2 kits that I absolutely loved and they were on sale for $19.99!  You can't say no, not when they are so great.  I have been wanting a really good window die set and ta-da, here it is....

For the base (Mink) I used a brick stencil and some gray ink to lightly add a brick wall.  Then I cut out the window.  Using black card I cut out the detail of the window.  Before I adhered it I did use another die from Tonic Studios Sew Crafty collection to make the lacy curtain.  The cat is from a Spellbinders set.  I made the window box by cutting a strip of card (Charcoal) and stamped a woodgrain pattern on it.  In the window die set there is this little die which isn't a die, it debosses the word "home" - well I treated it like letterpress and inked it up and pressed it onto the window box.  Then added some leaves.  The leaves and curtain are in the Toffee color.  I wanted to add a bicycle but I couldn't get my Silhouette to connect with my computer so I just moved on.

I do hope you'll join us for a fun challenge!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #735

 Hello!  Thank you for stopping by.  The latest and second to last sketch of 2023 is up on Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's easy.  But, it's really up to you on how easy you want to make it.  Or make it look!

My card features Winter Birdhouse dies from Spellbinders, the pine bough is from Honey Bee Stamps, Holy Stars stencil from Simon Says Stamp and glitter paste from Tonic Studios.  This was easy, but it's very striking, if I say so myself.  What do you think....

I absolutely love how this card turned out.  I left it without a sentiment because I haven't decided if I want to send as a Christmas card or a Winter card.  All the dies are from Spellbinders except the boughs.  Those I had die cut from the Layered Candy Canes die set from Honey Bee Stamps and then I didn't end up using them on the card I was working on.  They were just laying on my table and I am so glad they were!  I used a piece of blue card stock - it might be Brocade Blue from SU! and then I took some ink from Nuvo and darkened the edges.  I feel this really allowed to the biggest star to look like it is the brightest shining star.  Like I said, I love how this turned out - and I used my mixed media stuff on a card.  Glacier Paste and embellishment mousse to make splatters and snow.  

I hope this inspires you to create something to join our challenge!  We'll see you over at TMS.