Sending HAPPY little thoughts from soon to be wintery Alaska! Snow or “termination dust” has already hit the mountain tops nearby. This makes for fun inspiration to GET CRACKING ON CHRISTMAS!
My card features an adorable Kris Lauren image by Colorado Craft Company! It is the cutest wintery penguin with matching die available and a sentiment Happy Feet. An all occasion Savvy Sentiment is heat embossed on a vellum band with snowflake detail from Colorado Craft Company’s Nordic Snowflakes and Chillin with my Gnome’s. A Lawn Fawn Snow Flurries background stencil is the background for my little wintery scene.
Happy Feet
Watch Jenn Shurkus LIVE on YouTube Thursday, September 15 at 8p ET where she will be sharing how she made her card! Catching Jenn LIVE is always entertaining and her cards are always colorful and so creative!
Be sure to tag Jenn @jennshurkus and hashtag #getcrackingonchristmas when sharing your holiday cards to join in the fun! It’s wonderful to come into the Christmas/Holiday season with several different cards and designs ready.
More fun, WHIMSICAL designs from the illustrations of Anita Jeram brought to us by Colorado Craft Company! Four NEW matching STAMP and DIE sets all with Christmas and Winter Holiday designs! Such adorable images that are perfect for cards, tags or even cute table decor!
STOCKINGS MINI
Santa Bunny with a bedful of snuggling bunnies nearby made up this first card.
Santa Bunny
Love how Santa Bunny is holding his finger up as in “Shhh…” as he tiptoes past the snuggling bunnies. The one very “awake” bunny matches the sentiment “But I can’t sleep. I’m too excited for Christmas!” Also included in the set are other perfect sentiments like Have a Holly Jolly Christmas! You’re on the NICE LIST, Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus! and “Shhh…”
Using the Sizzix 3D Texture Fades embossing folder “Brickwork” creates a house likeness and a rectangle die and frame makes my window. Sleeping bunnies inside were “masked” off so that wallpaper could be created using 3C’s “Stripes and Dots” stamp set. Sakura Jelly Roll pen in gold highlights the stripe on the wall paper giving it a little bling. Copic markers enhanced with colored pencils colored in my images and a snowy path from Lawn Fawn Pixie Dust Sparkle paper finishes the card. Sentiments are white embossed on brown card stock.
GIVEAWAY: COLORADO CRAFT COMPANY is always SO generous in their giveaways! I will be giving away one Hanging Stockings Mini Stamp set! My giveaway ends on November 23rd at Midnight Mountain Time. I will announce the Winner on my blog and on the 3C’s Blog on the 25th of November. Qualify by following Colorado Craft Company @coloradocraftcompany for INSTAGRAM and by following my INSTAGRAM account @donnahitz
Check out the Colorado Craft Company BLOG HOP here for more great inspiration!
This next card couldn’t be more perfect for THIS year! Encouraged by ALL to shop early this little bunny is right on track and now is “Hiding” his present in the hollow of this tree. The sentiment, “…I Just Hope I Remember Where I Hid It All!” is VERY close to the truth! Haha!
Hiding Presents
A clean and simple design using Sizzix Tim Holtz Alterations Birch Trees embossing folder makes up my background. Images colored with Copic Markers and die cut with the matching die. Colored pencil enhances my marker coloring and both little images are popped up on dimensional adhesive. Card stock base is Lawn Fawn “Paper Bag” card stock but, any Kraft card stock that is close to your tree color will look nice. I dearly love the wise old mouse image with his walking stick!
Thanks for stopping by! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
It’s the most WONDERFUL time of the month! Thankful to Jenn Shurkus for helping us ALL get started on our Christmas, Holiday cards BEFORE the season begins by making a few cards each month so by December we have some cards ready to go! She will be doing a LIVE tonight www.youtube.com/jennshurkus showing how she made her card. Tune in 8:00 pm EST!
Catherine Pooler is my GET CRACKING feature this month with two cards using her NICE LIST stamp and die set.
Nice List
Going rogue (you know these Alaskan’s) and choosing some Non-Traditional colors for my cards! Paired up these adorable stamps with Catherine Pooler’s absolutely “FUN” papers in the “Holiday Whimsy” pattern.
I’ve always enjoyed appliqué and making things with fabric but, paper is FASTER! So, I had fun appliquéing with paper and basically stamped and fussy cut the elf slippers, socks and hats out of that gorgeous paper collection.
These Elf feet are definitely Holly Jolly!
I love these cheerful more “Retro” style cards. Quite different from my “normal” style but, so fun to change things up!
Holly Jolly Christmas
Wishing you a Holly Jolly Christmas in June and unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere hoping you have sunny days and ice cream!
Get Cracking and join in the fun by using the hashtag #GETCRACKINGONCHRISTMAS and upload to Instagram or onto Jenn’s blog at Shurkus.com
P.S. Next month there may be presents. A Giveaway! SUBSCRIBE, FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM!
Shopping my links below do allow a little compensation (at NO cost to you) and do help offset my blog costs. I ALWAYS appreciate your comments and follows!
Let’s Get Cracking on Christmas! Thanks to Jenn Shurkus for this fun blog hop that helps get us Cracking on getting our cards and projects ready for Christmas all year long. Play along and be sure to use the hash tag #Getcrackingonchristmas when posting to Instagram. Jenn does a LIVE each month to showcase how she made her card and that will be on Facebook at 8pm EST.
This month I chose this beautiful image from Colorado Craft Company from their Big and Bold collection called Nordic Ornament. Its such a warm, cozy image that takes me back to my Scandinavian heritage.
Colorado Craft Company – Nordic Ornament #BB362
This set includes the main focal image, (7) sentiments, and (2) ornament topper images. In my card I chose to use the ornament image as the background after white embossing on white card stock and then ink blending. Super fast technique for a clean and simple card.
To add a bit of sparkle I used my Quickie Glue Pen and my T square ruler to add lines of glue that I sprinkled glitter on. I skipped over the embossed areas, making lines of glue between them.
For a finishing touch I white embossed a portion of the main image on Peacock blue paper which I then fussy cut and placed as an accent on my sentiment. This card finished up at 5.5″ square. And, because I had to keep messing with it, I added some cute little snowflake sequins from Little Things by Lucy.
Shopping links are added below for your shopping convenience. I receive a small compensation when you shop from them which help offset blog costs and allows for a coffee splurge! Stay WARM and GET CRACKING!
It’s time for GET CRACKING ON CHRISTMAS with projects featured from COLORADO CRAFT COMPANY! Such distinct images and designs from the Big and Bold, “Holly & Berries” and Whimsy World, “Let it Snow.”
Holly & Berries in Barnwood
Each month Jenn Shurkus sponsors the “Get Cracking on Christmas,” series that helps us prepare Christmas and Holiday designs ahead of the busy season. Jenn even has a giveaway when you follow along, link your project and comment on her blog post or tag her on instagram using the hashtag #Getcrackingonchristmas .
What is Christmas without Holly! I fell hard into my watercolors when I inked up the BIG and BOLD, Holly & Berries stamp! This gorgeous image is sure to be an easy focal point for your Holiday card, dinner placard or in a frame like I used here.
Watercoloring the Holly image was so relaxing. Using Ranger, Archival Ink to ink my image on Moulin du Roy watercolor paper, I watercolored my image using Daniel Smith watercolors. Stamping several images of the berry part of the stamp, I watercolored, fussy cut them out and layered with one of the many sentiments in the set. Highlighting the berries with some Tim Holtz, Rock Candy, dry glitter. At this point, this is ART! So I framed it!
Using the Whimsy World, “Let it Snow” set I created two wintery, Christmas cards.
Who doesn’t love a snow globe scene! The sweetest little evergreen trees pair perfectly with the deer and the snow stamps. The set includes several sentiments, Merry and Bright used here and others. Merry Everything! sentiment is from the Holly & Berries set.
And, because I just loved this “Let it Snow” set another card using an eraser.
Let it Snow!
I wanted big snowflakes, so I used an eraser on the tip of a pencil to make my random flakes with Hero Unicorn white pigment ink. Then, while I was getting artsy, I used my Tim Holtz Distress Glaze in Vintage Photo to make my snow globe base all shiny, glossy. A random piece of sparkle paper made my snowdrift. I love the font on the “let it snow” sentiment! A piece of twine finishes off the card.
A big THANK YOU to COLORADO CRAFT COMPANY for being so generous and sending along these two beautiful Holiday sets!
The 5 x7 barn wood frame was purchased off etsy for this particular project. There are several different ones to choose from available on Etsy.
Other items linked below are for your shopping convenience and I do receive a small compensation when you make purchases from my links (at NO extra cost to you).
Thank you for stopping by and remember Jenn will be offering a prize each month for those who either use the #getcrackingonchristmas or leave a comment on Jen’s blog http://shurkus.com post with a link to their card. Shopping my affiliated links does compensate me (at NO cost to you) which helps to offset blog costs.
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” Victor Hugo
Very few people get to hold a polar bear on their lap. From the photo that hangs in my vet’s office some have thought it was a trophy photo. Not my vet! A member of maybe seven Polar bear teams in the world, my vet works with Alaska’s Fish and Game to monitor our Polar bears. Nothing can be so fascinating as to see the excitement in Dr Wilson’s eyes as he talks about his Polar bear adventures. Today’s card was a little thank you for all the love and care he gives to our Silky Terriers and to us.
A small tribute to a great guy who has gone over and above to help me feel comfortable as my “heart” dog under goes surgery to retrieve an unidentified swallowed object, perform an emergency C-section, delivering 5 healthy puppies or just calm my nerves, giving an accurate assessment of one of mine, who has just swallowed a 2″ bully stick.
He loves animals, life and his clients because, I’m pretty sure we are his patients, too!
I thoroughly enjoyed putting this card together! Starting out with a snow stencil and translucent paste, I applied Lawn Fawn’s glitter for the sparkly background on dark navy card stock. Lawn Fawn’s Prism paper was perfect for my mountain of snow. Fussy cutting didn’t take too long with this super simple and whimsical Polar Bear with Scarf by Savvy Stamps. Impression Obsession “Star of Wonder” for my sentiment and a wooden star embellishment for the finish.
Hoping you are stopping in the midst of busy to ponder that “Star of wonder” that guides us to that perfect light!
Using Distress Oxide inks for backgrounds is one of my current favorites! It’s versatile with a simple spritz of water, or glimmer sprays, or using it with embossing powders. I have to force myself not to overuse it! It was the “go-to” for the Christmas/Holiday card today. The Mama Elephant images are just so cute and the perfect size for tags or card elements, etc.
Kind of thought of friends of mine and raising cane came to mind! Ha!
All the cute little images in this Yappy Woofmas set are perfect for gift tags or cards and you still have time! Ellen Hutson llc ships super fast. Tomorrow Ellen Hutson llc has a release and it’s sure to be a “Gooder!”
Lots of Hoopla and Merry Making at our last class of 2018 last Thursday! We met at our favorite off site location 12-100 Coffee & Communitas at 12100 Old Seward Highway, in Anchorage. There were 3 card designs and 6 tag designs using products from Lawn Fawn, Impression Obsession, Essentials by Ellen, Waffle Flower and Hero Arts. Some kits are still available for the some of the tags and cards above.
Our shop will be open this next week in case you want to stop in for some essentials!
We had no earthquake damage to the studio other than a cabinet opening and my Canon SLR camera flying onto the floor and it survived!
I’m still amazed at how our little shop has come together this year. It’s truly been such a blessing to me reconnecting with friends and teaching classes again.
Falls last gasps in Alaska have blown the leaves right off the trees! School has begun and so have our card classes! September’s class was filled with familiar faces and friends making fall and wintery cards, kind of getting us into the “mood.”
Exciting things happening this year with more classes starting soon at a new location (to be announced) and things in process to expand our business, hopefully making products available during class times and in between. Updates on that soon!
Sharing a few more wintery cards today, that will be featured in our October card class to be held October 27 – from 1-3:30. October’s class is SOLD OUT but, follow our space here for news on our next classes!
Using Lawn Fawn Snowflake dies on this gorgeous 3-D Textured Impressions embossing folder by Sizzix and blending Distress Oxide ink for the background, makes this Holiday card come together quickly! I just love the fonts in Simply Winter Sentiments also by Lawn Fawn! I made this one with a little band around the background but, thinking it would be just as pretty without it, too!
Another card with my favorite bit of whimsy to it is this using images from Mama Elephant
So many cute penguins to choose from in this Cool Penguins set! Love a clean and simple card!
It has been busy around the studio but, my favorite kind of busy! My sister calls me the “FACILITATOR OF FUN.” That could be a euphemism for Trouble but, in a good way! I’ll leave you with a few unbelievably late blooming flowers from my porch and some shopping links to “facilitate some fun!” Shopping my links do compensate me, at no cost to you, and help offset my blog costs, etc.,
