Peace On Earth - Using Polychromos Colored Pencils for Christmas Tags

I've made an effort to create quite a few Christmas tags this year.  Not sure they will all be used, but I do intend to attempt to sell a few at a local store.  We'll see how that works out for me.  I just love my Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamp and die set, so I pulled it out to create these tags using the angel and the nativity images.  The tags were die cut using a Studio Katia tag die and Distress Oxide ink blended with Barn Door.  This creates the lovely fade from a purple maroon color to the deeper red version.  I love how the base turned out.

The images were colored using my Polychromos colored pencils.  Easy to use and a great effect.  I couldn't capture the sparkle I added to the angel wings - I think it had to do with the contrast of that dark background, but it is sparkly in person!

I tried a red-dressed Mary to see how it looked with the maroon background - not so great.  My husband even commented - that looks wrong.  Well, I colored it so I made the tag.  That one might not make it out the door though.

All in all, a very fun day of coloring - I think this might count for one of the 30 Day Coloring Challenge with Kathy Racoosin.  Hooray!

O Holy Night - Early Christmas Card Featuring Paper Smooches

I can't believe that Stamptember is almost over.  Whew!  What a month and what a great job my bestie, Brandy, did to get the majority of the Stamptember posts done this month.  All told, we posted 27 cards featuring 22 of the 28 manufacturers featured by Simon Says Stamp.
That's 78% of the manufacturers represented on our blog this month.  I'm not sure whether to be proud of that or slightly ashamed that our stashes are that deep!  I'm going to settle on proud because I think some of our work is fantastic.

For this last card I'm sharing with you one of my all time favorite Christmas card images using Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamp and die.  The image is so simple, but yet speaks volumes to me.  The humble, downturned gaze of Joseph, the grin on Mary who must have been slightly bemused at her situation while pleased to look on her son and a delighted baby Jesus - happily content with his Earthly parents.  I kept the background simple to highlight the image raised with foam tape.    This card will go in the stash and be sent out in a few short weeks (!) in celebration of Christmas.  I think I have a few more cards to make.  Yay for the Stamptember inspiration to fuel my creative mojo.

I'm going to link this up to the Simon Says Stamp link party for Paper Smooches.  I'm also linking this up with the Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge Let's Get Ready for Christmas.  Check it out.

Peace on Earth - More Stained Glass Cards

I had so much fun making the nativity stained glass cards, I decided to also stamp and color these with the dove in the window.  So adorable and just as fun to make.

These cards were made in the same way - the MFT Abstract Background stamp was stamped over the masked dove.  I used a black Sharpie to create a black frame around the stamped image to simulate the window effect.  After I colored with my Zig Real Brush markers, trimming the excess away and mounting on the white card base which had been stamped with the sentiment.

Getting pretty close to getting all the cards I need to send out.  Time is running short, so I'm happy to make this progress. Hoping your holiday crafting is well on it's way!

Silent Night, Holy Night - A Card Set

I picked up the Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamp and die at a craft show last year on a whim.  It was cute and there was a good discount.  I didn't think that I would come to love the set as much as I do.  I made these cards, these cards and these cards previously with this stamp and die set.

Those are lovely cards, but these stained-glass looking cards are simply my favorite.  The design is simple - the MFT Abstract Background stamp was stamped over the masked nativity "heart".  I used a black Sharpie to create a black frame around the stamped image to simulate the window effect.  After I colored with my Zig Real Brush markers, I trimmed the excess away and mounted on the white card base which had been stamped with the sentiment.

The coloring was relaxing and satisfying.  The entire set was some of the most enjoyable cards I've made in a long time.

Glory to God - A Christmas Card Set

I'm back with another set of Christmas cards using my Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamp and die set.  I also used Taylored Expressions Little Bits Dove die set.  I'm uncertain which I like better - I'm thinking the die cut dove from Taylored Expressions.

I still have a few more Christmas cards to make.  I usually make 50 of the same kind, but this year I decided to do quite a few of these different designs.  I certainly have enough supplies!

Peace on Earth - A Christmas Card Set

I've been playing around with some Christmas cards to get ahead of the game.  These cards were created using my Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamp and die set.  That little angel is so perfectly adorable to me and the simplicity of this card charms me.  I stamped onto Bristol cardstock and colored the image with my Zig Clean Color Brush markers.  There's some glimmer pen on those wings, but the photos don't come across the best.

The yellow stars are stamped with the yellow ink and embossed with a clear crystal embossing powder so they sparkle in the light as well.

On the inside, a brown Archival ink stamped sentiment using my SSS For to Us stamp set.  The sentiment on the outside and the Merry Christmas on the inside is stamped with Peacock Feathers Distress oxide ink.  This is the perfect match with my MISTI so that a crisp image could be made.

I'm ever so pleased with how these cards turned out.  I've some more ideas for this stamp set and so I'll be working on those in the coming weeks.  We're  93 days from Christmas at this point.  I need to get on it!

Merry Christmas in July - City Crafter Challenge

One of the project I worked on during my hiatus was some Christmas cards.  I decided to join the fun over at the City Crafter Challenge.  This card was made with my Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamps and dies.  I used some MFT Extreme Black ink for the sentiment.  The ink on the kraft cardstock card gave an interesting look - almost like wood burning look.  I'm super pleased with how these cards turn out.

On the inside, a bold sentiment with that interesting finish like it has been burned into the kraft card.  I really like the mint, kraft and red accent look.  These cards will go into the stash for later this year.

I'm going to link up with the fun over at the City Crafter Challenge blog where they are celebrating Christmas in July.