Sunday 11 November 2012

Christmas Caroling

My big worktop is completely covered with all the bits and bobs needed to create my Christmas cards. With barely an inch of space left, I am forced to glue my cards together over on the smaller left hand side of my room.
So with the printer to my left, my cricut ahead of me and my computer to the right, I am creating cards on about a 30 inch wide by 18 inch deep space...and I am surprised that I have managed to keep that uncluttered!!!

Somehow, no matter what, I always find something after I am done that I decide would have looked perfect on my card. I'm sure I am not the only one...so my solution is to spread out everything that I can in the hopes that I will not miss that perfect finishing touch...teehee.

So here is the first Xmas card of what I hope will be a sea of many. I stickled the fur trim on the penguin's hats and ended up having to stickle the penguin bodies as well. I do not know how to shade properly...actually, in all honesty, I do not know how to shade at all!!!

I coloured the black on the penguins and the nib marks from my copic pens seemed to show no matter what I did. I didn't have a script tip, just a fine pointy tip so maybe it was because of that. Using the blending pen seemed to change the colour to grey...I have decided that I hate colouring things black, so I stickled all over the blackffeathers as well!!! Well, that took care of that!

This card will be hand delivered so I used one of the thick corrugated kraft card bases. I wasn't worrying about keeping the thickness down for the mail, so I added a wee bit of decoupaged ivy in the bottom right hand corner to balance the diecuts on all the other corners.

Here is a close up of the snowflakes. The largest one is from a pack of 30 or so, from the dollar store. I layered it with a Martha Stewart punched kraft snowflake. The little red one is from another pack of 100 or more, from the dollar store as well. It is a  shimmery, fabric flake that looks almost pinky/ivory translucent on the front side...so I turned it over and colored the back of it with the copic pen I coloured the Santa hats with. I think I need to add another coat of pen ink as now I notice that it doesn't quite match! Yikes!


Here is a shot of the wee piece of decoupaged ivy.
This one makes just under 20 finished...and what seems like a zillion more to go!  I'm getting into the Christmas spirit with a little Michael Buble to help me along...now as long as I manage to avoid the Christmas spirits, I should be able to finish 3 or 4 more tonight!!!

Recipe:
Card base and envelope -  Michaels,  Recollections,  Kraft corrugated (from my stash)
Designer paper - Michaels, MME Christmas
Cardstock - kraft and red from my stash
Copic paper - from my stash
Ribbon - red velvet scalloped ribbon from my stash
Nestabilities - Deckle edge large
Memory Box Die - Snowflake corner
Snowflakes - Dollar Store, large white flake
                   - Martha Stewart Punch, kraft medium size flake
                   - Dollar store, small flake (coloured red with copic pen)
 Stamp - Caroling Penguins  Penny Black
I am entering my card into the following challenges:
1. Pixies Crafty Workshop http://pixiescraftyworkshop.blogspot.ca/ Use snippets. The kraft and red cardstock are snippets and also the Memory Box Dies are from my diecut snippet photo albums.
2. Come And Get It challenge  http://comeandgetitchallenges.blogspot.ca/  -  Swirls and flourishes. My Memory Box snowflake flourishes
3. Joanna Sheen Challenges   http://joannasheenchallenge.blogspot.ca/  Cold and Frosty
4. The Ribbon Girl   http://ribbongirls.blogspot.ca/   Add Sparkle. My penguins Santa hats are stickled on the white fur trim and the penguins black feathers are stickled as well. The large white snoeflake is heavily sparkley.
5. 2 Sisters Challenge   http://2sisterschallengeblog.blogspot.ca/  Use your favourite Xmas image.  These penguins are my fave image for the Xmas season.
6. Hiding in my Craftroom  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/ http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2012/11/himcr-71-super-scraps-saturday.html     Super Scraps Saturday. I used my stash for the red and kraft cardstock. I also used diecut stash, the Snowflake corners The snowflakes have been in my  Xmas stash for about 3 years now.
7. Sweet Stamping Challenge   http://sweetstampinchallengeblog.blogspot.ca/ Anything goes, must include stamp The singing penguins are a stamp.
8. Christmas Stamping All Year Long  http://christmasstampin.blogspot.ca/   Anything goes
9. PaperPlay Challenges   http://paperplaychallenges.blogspot.ca/   Snowflakes
10.  ABC Christmas Challenge http://abcchristmaschallenge.blogspot.ca/  V is for vibrant colours
11.  Penny Black Saturday Challenge http://pennybfriendssaturdaychallenge.blogspot.ca/ Cute Christmas
12. Whimsey Stamps http://whimsyinspires.blogspot.ca/ Traditional Christmas colours

42 comments:

Sandi McLean said...

Oh that trio of penguins is some sweet! Hey are you organized - 11 challenges to enter your work in! I am so pathetic with xmas cards..I send a lot of fall and Halloween cards knowing I won't do xmas :) Hugs,

Glenda Atkins said...

I love penguin images and these three are just too delightful! Love the background papers and the corner snowflake die cuts. Fabulous card!
hugs
Glenda

Jules said...

Tee hee!! I hope you managed to reach your goal of another 3 or 4 lovely makes.

You sound just like me.

You organise yourself for getting going and then still end up working in a small space LOL!!

Love your card. It is nice to be able to go to town a little more on the cards that don't need posting.

Hope you had a lovely weekend.

Love Jules xx

debby4000 said...

Love the Penquin trio, what a fabulous card too.
luv
debby

brenda said...

The three happy penguins make such a gorgeous Christmas card and you have embellished it beautifully with those delicate dies.

B x

Alyx said...

Aaaawww...these three carol singers wouldn't get a bucket of cold water over their head if they came to my house...unlike most of them! Lol.

Lovely card.

Thanks for joining us over at the Joanna Sheen Challenge. Good luck.
xx

Jo said...

Love those penguins! Your workspace sounds just like mine.....I get everything out too then usually go to the first thing I thought of....? Fingers crossed all my Christmas cards are done now! Did you manage to avoid the Christmas spirit lol? Hope you're feeling well!
Hugs Jo x

Margareta Carlsson said...

Such a cute Christmas card! :)

Redanne said...

The penguins are so, so cute and I think the colouring looks lovely. The corners you have used are just gorgeous, as is the snowflake and holly embellie too. Beautiful job! Crafty hugs, Anne x

Di said...

Absolutely fabulous Maureen - I love all the little extras and that stamp is adorable :) Keep going on the production line - and I always work myself into a corner too, when I have about a foot square of working space I know it's time for a good tidy up! Hugs, Di xx

Jennifer Grace said...

Your card looks great, I love the swirls in the corners. I always love penguins too, they're so funny! x

Mary Pat Siehl said...

oh i love those little guys! just adorable

Madeline said...

Your card is adorable!

Tammy said...

Adorable! This is an awesome card! :)

McCrafty's Cards said...

This is gorgeous I love the penguins the papers the corner die and the snowflake,
Kevin xx

Julia Aston said...

Love the cute penguins and decorative corners!

Lisa Echerd said...

So cute and I love all the details. This is a very special card.

Steph said...

Adorable card! Love the embellishments.

Barbara said...

What a great card. Anyone would be happy to get it, I'm sure.
That's a lot of challenges in one project! Way to go.

Danielle said...

I love it! And just the right amount of sparkle. I can't believe you have already done 20 Christmas cards! I haven't even thought about mine yet. I better get with it.

Sassy Raggedy said...

These 3 are adorable. Your card is wonderful. Great job Mo....joann sassy raggedy

Fleursbydesign said...

Cute card, love the snowflakes

downrightcrafty said...

this is one of the very first stamps I purchased as a crafter :) you shame me as I have not gotten it out for quite some time and as you clearly show it is a great image and love how you have presented it with all those gorgeous dies
Hugs Kate xx

Pia S said...

What a sweet Christmas card, such a cute image! I like your combination of DPs and design, and such lovely die cut elements too. Beautiful!

Sunshine HoneyBee said...

Like the whimsy Penguin card. I host a challenge at Speedy TV Mark's Finest Papers Simple Salutations in which the challenge that is going on now is Winter Bird. Membership in MFP is free. Please ck it out, join, enter & let them know I sent you.
Melissa
"Sunshine HoneyBee"
MFP SS Hostess

Anonymous said...

total cuteness!

laura said...

Very cute card. Love the penguins and the windy/snow die cut in the corner.

Sue said...

This is gorgeous. I love the sparkly penguins and the beautiful detailing.

Thank you for taking part in the Joanna Sheen Challenge

Sue

Shelby said...

What a sweet and fun first Christmas card. The penguins look fantastic and just love the die cuts you've used.

Shelby

Judy McKay said...

Lovely Christmas card. I like the design and the use of swirls and flourishes. Thank you for joining us at Come and Get It this week.

Tracy said...

Your card is so cute. I love those little penguins :)
When colouring black Copics to get the shading, use mostly greys then add a bit of black where you want the darkest to be :)

Anonymous said...

What a sweet image, very pretty card. thanks so much for joining in the Paper Play 'Snowflakes' Challenge
Hugs Julie P

Lynn said...

Your penguin card is so cute, and your post really made me chuckle. Lynn x

Sarn said...

Awww . . . lovely. I have this stamp and now you've made me want to make a card with it. Your card is GORGEOUS - pretty embellishments. xxx

Helen said...

Awww...sweet card!
Thanks for playing at the ABC Christmas Challenge & Penny Black Saturday Challenge!
Helen x

Carissa said...

Adorable card. Thanks for playing at ABC Christmas.
Carissa

Mervi said...

Hi,
cute image and fabulous C'mas card!!
Thank you so much for sharing this at Christmas Stampin' All Year Long Challenge, good luck;-))m

Beverly said...

So sweet! I hate coloring with black, but love black on my cards...go figure. Thnx for joining in at come and get it.

Bev

Bernie said...

What a fabulous card Maureen! Love all the details and adorable image.
Hugs
Bernie

MagsB said...

Oh how cute are those penguins!!! I hate colouring in black, too, it always turns out streaky. You've done a great job with the black feathers!

love Mags B x

Debbie (Little Gingham Bear) said...

Gorgeous die cuts + cute penguins make a perfect card in my humble opinion - love their faces - thanks for sharing with us at Whimsy Stamps
Hugs
Debbie D x

Laurie HIMCR said...

Super cute Christmas card! Great use of some scraps! Thanks for joining us this week at HIMCR!

Hiding in My Craft Room
~Laurie