Peaceful Deer

This week I made a set of three holiday cards featuring the stamp set, Peaceful Deer.  It does have a nice peaceful feeling about it.  Lol.  For my first card, I used Tranquil Tide for the cardstock and added a cut out shape from Seasonal Labels dies.  I used the paper from the summer Sale-a-Bration and a piece of the cork paper for the focal point.  Then I added some cut out trees, one from sparkly paper and the other set from printed vellum that I painted onto using the Stamping Blends.  

I added an extra tree and the little deer to the bottom edge of the card.  The idea for this card is from Laura Seki.

For my next "deer" card, I stamped the trees onto Gray Granite cardstock for the background layer.  Then I added another layer of vellum on which I heat embossed some snowflakes.  I added the cut out trees and a couple of "peaceful" deer.  The card has a nice serene look to it.  This idea came from Stacy Marsh.  

For my third card, I stamped and colored in the two deer using watercolor pencils and a dab of water.  I added the spots for the fawn using craft paint on the end of the stylus.  I copied this idea from Madeleine Mrotzek.  

I embossed the white background layer using the Timeworn embossing folding and added a couple of cut out snowflakes.  The tag is from Tailor Made Tags set.  And finally the swirl is an old cut out from Swirly Birds.

I love the gentle look of this card.  And one of the saying that goes with this set is, "Wishing you a wonderful year and friendships dear."  It's a great one for the inside of any deer card!  

I love how all three of the cards came out.  You could use these cards not just for Christmas, but for winter and all occasion cards.  I hope to use this set again, especially when I'm making cards for my "dear" friends.  :)

 

I'm Fond of Autumn

Here is upstate NY we had a very hot summer with 25 days over 90 degrees, which is very unusual for us.  (Last year we had 4.)  But on the first day of fall, the weather changed dramastically and since then we have had very cool weather.  The leaves on one of my trees have already fallen and it definitely feels like autumn now.  

So this week I took out a new fall set called Fond of Autumn.  And I have to say that I loved it!  It has some nice fall images of leaves and acorns, but it also has a lot more to offer.  

I started with this Cajun Craze fall card with a side "door opening."   I used a sheet of the pumpkin paper from Gilded Autumn designer papers that we offered last year in the fall.  The image is colored in with Stamping Blends using the Crumb Cake for the leaves and cut out with the die cuts.  I love the soft colors for this card.  I added a vanilla circle for the Thank You saying.  I got the idea for this from Melissa Faust.  

Next up is a card using Pear Pizazz for the background.  I used the die cut from Hues of Happiness and tucked a sheet of designer paper behind the cut out for a subtle look.  The tag is from Designer Tags cut outs and looks great as the background behind the leaf cut out.  I colored in the leaves using watercolor pencils and added a slight water wash to them to blend in the colors.  My idea came from Debbie Henderson.

For this card, I used the birch folder to emboss some trees onto the circular cut out for the background.  I think the cut out is one from a wreath, but I'm not sure which one.  I embossed the Old Olive background piece with the Timber folder and put it onto a card base and envelope from the Sale-a-Bration Cards and Envelopes.  I wanted to keep the color scheme green and crumb cake.  This idea is from Mikaela Titheridge.  

Even though all three cards have a fall look, this stamp set can be used into Christmas and throughout the year.  It also has berries that can be used as holly berries and flowers that can be used all year.  I enjoyed using it.  

 

Dragonfly Watercolor

When I first saw the dragonflies stamp set and framelits in the Occasions catalog, I didn't think that I needed them (Ha ha).  But after seeing so many pretty cards and projects, I decided to get them.

Last week I took out the framelits and made this interesting card.  I started with watercolor paper and colored streaks with the watercolor pencils.  Then I added some water with a paint brush and made the background look like watercolor.  Then I added the dragonfly cut-out.

I have to say that it's not my normal "style," but I just love how it turned out.  It was sort of like eating Lay's potato chips, I couldn't make just one!  Here are some more color options.  I found this idea from pattystamps.com.

This card isn't your style?  Try taking out the watercolor pencils and giving it a try anyway.  It was a lot of fun to make.  What color scheme can you come up with?  What other framelits or shapes would look good on this kind of background?