Hi, crafty friends. I know you’re probably not thinking about Christmas since we’re still 10 months away, but I love creating holiday cards all year and have a cute one to share today, featuring the Christmas Squishies digi stamp set from Streamside Studios. You know I can’t resist penguins, and these are adorable.
I colored up the penguins with my Copics and fussy cut them right up against the black lines. These are very simple shapes and easy to fussy cut. I put the penguins aside while I worked on the rest of my card. Onto a card base I created from Blue Breeze cardstock from My Favorite Things, I stamped tiny snowflakes from North Star Design using Spring Rain ink from Papertrey Ink for a subtle tone on tone look. This is super subtle, my ink pad needed reinking, but I went with it and didn’t reink until after the project was complete, I didn’t want to stop half way.
I used the Stitched Snowflake Backdrops die from Lawn Fawn to create an impressed snowflake pattern on a piece of Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I added a few extra layers of cardstock behind it and adhered it to the card base. Using the Postage Collage Die and coloring stencil from Waffle Flower, I created postage stamps for my penguins to sit on. I stamped the snowflakes on these as well, and ink blended a little in from the edges to define them a tiny bit. It’s still subtle, I hadn’t reinked my ink pad at this point. I added dimension behind each of the postage stamps, adhered them to the card and mounted the penguins on top. I used the Hjerte 3 die set from Papirdesign to die cut my sentiment from Berry Sorbet cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I die cut four and stacked them together for a dimensional look, before adding a heart from the Christmas in Your Heart embellishment mix from Streamside Studios as a finishing touch.
Simple coloring for simple images.
I colored the penguin on the heart with Copics. You know me, I can’t resist a penguin stamp. I fussy cut around him, leaving a white trim around the edge and put him to the side while I worked on the rest of the card. I used the Crystal Distortion embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp to create some interest and texture to my card base, which I created from Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I cut strips of Buttercup cardstock from Concord & 9th and added them towards the bottom of my card.
I die cut a frame from the Classic Rectangle Frames die set from My Favorite Things several times from white cardstock (I think I have six or seven layers) and stacked them to create my shaker well, adding one of the centers back in to create a smooth back for my shaker well. I added a mix of the 
This yellow and wonderful aqua combo makes me think of summer. I wish it would get here already, but it’s currently snowing. Again. Sigh.
I colored the image with my Copics and stamped love you from the Mini Messages stamp set from Mama Elephant using Berry Sorbet ink from Papertrey Ink, before using the panel die in the Blueprints 27 die set from My Favorite Things to cut it out and give it a nice scalloped edge with a faux stitch line on the inside.
Onto a top fold white card base, I adhered a piece of blue patterned paper from the Watercolor Brights 6×6″ paper pad from My Favorite Things. I added a few layers of cardstock behind my large panel for a little bit of lift and adhered it to the card front, before finishing off simply with a few pearls from the Glossy Porcelain Mix from Little Things from Lucy’s Cards. Oh, and I also used a black glaze pen from Sakura to add a black dot to each of the eyes. This makes the eyes pop, and it adds shine and a little bit of dimension in real life, which you can’t really tell from the photo.
Very simple coloring for this one.
I did a lot of coloring the day I colored these monkeys. As you can probably tell by their fur, my markers needed to be reinked at this point. I could have chosen a different brown combo. I could have taken the time to refill my markers, but I had colored so much the day I colored this that I just wanted to keep coloring. I probably should have stopped and taken the time to refill or chosen a different combo that didn’t need reinking. This is a good reminder to reink your markers. You can be an amazing colorist, but if you don’t take care of your markers, your coloring will look uneven. I went with it anyway. The 5 year old getting this card is not going to notice that my coloring’s not perfect, and it doesn’t always have to be. I’m trying to let go of my perfectionist tendencies, and this was a good exercise. I will refill these markers before I use them again, though, don’t you worry.
The card itself is very simple. I stamped a sentiment from the A06 stamp set from Norsk Stempelblad AS below the image, using Cornflower ink from My Favorite Things. I then used the second largest die in the Watercolor Rectangle STAX die set from My Favorite Things to turn it into a panel with a fun edge, before I added dimension behind it and adhered it to a top fold card base I created from Cornflower cardstock from My Favorite Things. I finished off the card with some enamel dots from Papirdesign.
Simple color palette. And I really do need to refill those browns. Even E23 was giving me trouble.
I colored the image with Copics, fussy cut leaving a white border and created a very simple card for her to sit on. I pulled out a piece of patterned paper from the Coffee in the Arbour 6×6″ paper stack from Maja Design and cut it down to fill about 2/3 of the front of an A2 card.
I stamped a sentiment from the Coffee and Chocolate stamp set from hÄnglar & Wings onto the bottom of the pattern using Dark Chocolate ink from Papertrey Ink. I added a few layers of cardstock behind the patterned paper for a bit of dimension, and did the same with the little girl, making sure to add a couple of extra layers behind her legs so they wouldn’t sag. I adhered her so she’s sitting right on the edge of the patterned paper and finished off the card with a couple of enamel dots from My Mind’s Eye. The yellow one is from the “Oxford Lane” pack, the peach from the “Sky’s the Limit” pack.
I used a very summery palette for this one. I really want summer, and we’re currently in “Ice, Ice, Baby” mode. I long for the days when I can walk outside without having to worry about an unpleasant meeting with the ice.
I started with an A2 top fold white card base. I stamped and white heat embossed two stamps repeatedly across the background, before ink blending on top with Distress Oxide inks. From bottom to top, I used Peacock Feathers, Cracked Pistachio, Twisted Citron and Fossilized Amber. I die cut klem four times from True Black cardstock from Papertrey Ink and stamped and heat embossed coordinating sentiments. I figured they’d be too tall if I cut them down to regular sentiment strips, so I fussy cut around them. So far, so good, right? Yeah, that’s when I hopped on the struggle bus. I figured the sentiment on its own was a bit meh against the background, and it wasn’t exactly revolutionary. Also, the first part of the sentiment was floating on its own, which I also didn’t like too much.
I used a leaf die to cut some leaves from vellum (Heavyweight Translucent Vellum from My Favorite Things), hoping that would work. It helped, but the first part of the sentiment was still floating. I needed an anchor point. I tried adding some thread on the side. Better already. I decided to cut a half circle notch from the bottom and top of the card for the thread to be looped around. Two strands each of three colors that matched the card. I was quite happy with that and decided to add the die cut word, and also adhered the stamped pieces of the sentiment on top of the die cut. Instant anchor points, and the first part of the sentiment was no longer floating on its own. I finished off with diamonds that framed the sentiment, and felt like it all ended up as a cohesive design in the end, even if it took me a while to get there.
I colored the butterflies (and the three hearts that are part of the image) with Copics and fussy cut them, leaving a thin white trim around the edge. Onto a top fold card base I created from Stamper’s Select White cardstock from Papertrey Ink, I ink blended the center of the card, using the Watercolor Rectangle stencil from My Favorite Things and various inks (Distress Ink Picked Raspberry, Distress Ink Worn Lipstick, Altenew Pink Pearl, Distress Ink Scattered Straw). I went with pink on the edge and yellow in the center to mimic the colors in the hearts.
I die cut the word klem (hug) four times from white cardstock and once from Gold Shine cardstock from My Favorite Things, and stacked them for a layered look. I added foam tape to the back of my butterflies, adhered them top center on the card and put the stacked klem below them. I also added a sub sentiment from Norsk Stempelblad AS that I white heat embossed on a piece of Berry Sorbet cardstock from Papertrey Ink. I put a few layers of cardstock behind it for dimension and added it to the card, partly on top of the die cut, before embellishing with the colored hearts to finish.
Bright and happy color palette for this one.
I colored the cow with Copics, before fussing cutting it, leaving a white trim around the edge. Onto a top fold fold card base, I ink blended blue inks from Altenew (Winter Lake, Icy Water and Polar Bear) through the Geometric Landscape stencil, also from Altenew, before stamping a Happy Birthday background stamp from My Favorite Things on top, using the darker two of the inks I used for the blending. I also used the stencil in the top right corner and used what was left on my ink blender brush for a soft look.
I added Light & Fluffy modeling paste from The Crafters Workshop through the Tiny Clouds stencil from My Favorite Things. I wanted dimension to my clouds and put down a very thick layer of the paste. While that dried I worked on the rest of the card. I die cut four polaroid framed using the Precious Polaroids die set from My Favorite Things and stacked them for dimension. Onto Grapefruit cardstock from Concord & 9th, I stamped and white heat embossed three sentiments from the Bitty Birthday Wishes stamp set from My Favorite Things and cut them all down to strips, adding a few extra layers of cardstock behind each for dimension. I adhered the polaroid frame to my card base at an angle, glued the cow on top, added my sentiment strips and finished off with sequins and gems from the 
Super simple and very neutral color palette for this one.
I colored my image with (a lot of) Copics, before using the second largest die in the Watercolor Rectangle STAX die set from My Favorite Things to cut it out. Onto a top fold white card base, I adhered a piece of patterned paper from the Rainbow Love paper pad from My Favorite Things. I added some dimension behind my colored panel and adhered it in the center of the card.
Using a die from Kort & Godt, I die cut three layers of the word HURRA; twice from white cardstock, and once from silver glitter cardstock from Kort & Godt. I stacked the three and adhered my layered die cut near the top of the card. I added a sentiment sticker strip, which I also popped up, before finishing off the card with sequins from the Seaglass mix from Simon Says Stamp.
I used way more colors than normal for this card, and probably a few more than I technically needed. I probably could have skipped a couple of colors on the orange balloon, as well as on the teal balloon.
I colored the image with Copics, then used a die from the Blueprints 27 die set from My Favorite Things to give the panel a nice border around the edge. I added a few layers of cardstock scraps behind the panel for strength and dimension. I created a top fold card base from Lavender Moon cardstock from Papertrey Ink and ink blended from the bottom using Autumn Rose ink, also from Papertrey Ink. This gave my card base a nice ombre effect.
I used the Big Happy Holidays die from Mama Elephant to die cut four layers from Lavender Moon cardstock. I used the same ink blending trick for the top layer that I used for the card base, ink blending it before I die cut and stacked all four together for a nice, dimensional sentiment. To finish off the card I added a few die cut snowflakes. I used the Snowflake Confetti Fancy die from Hero Arts and CR1335 from Marianne Design to create my snowflakes, and my card was complete.
I always go overboard when I color snow, even though there was very little of it this time.
Papirmølla 