May Rudolph Days Winner

May saw 48 entries to the Rudolph Days Challenge. That makes me happy!
Once again, I used Random Org to pick our winner...

Here is a photo of the number chosen by Random Org, #20 Carol L

Carol, could you please email me at maureenkane@telus.net and let me know if you would like the stamp or the die. Give me your mailing address and I will get your prize sent off to you.

Starry Nights

If has been quite some time since I posted any photos of my front porch.

Here is a shot of the hessian bag of annuals that sits beside my front door. I thought you might enjoy the new petunia I  bought at my local garden shop. It is called Starry Night and I just love it. It is a beautiful purple with various sized white polka dots. Of course they are now sold out, so I can not buy more, but sure wish I could!

The wee nest is an actual birds nest I found in a shrub last winter. I was pruning and there it was...so pretty with intricately woven grasses and bits of dried greenery.

Right away I knew I wanted to use it in my planter and I had just the right accessory for it.  The wee egg says GROW...perfect for Spring and Summer inspiration!

The funny wooden thing in the background is my hand shovel...often needed for working in the front garden.

Christmas Card Club - Mistletoe and Wine

Todays theme at Christmas Card Club is Mistletoe and Wine, chosen by our lovely Rita at RMG Creations.  After you read this post you will see that I made a Mistletoe and Whine card!

This card was a bit of a disaster in the making.
There are actually two finished images. Yes, two, on the same card.

I stamped this NBUS Penny Black Mistletoe image and coloured it with Prisma Pencil Crayons. I stamped a NBUS Hero Arts sentiment (CL722) direct to card and breathed a sigh of relief that I managed to stamp it straight!

I was then very silly and forgot to blend with the Gamsol. Instead, I chalked the background to look like sky.  I then started to blend the pencil crayoned leaves, and when I got to the very last leaf, I managed to drip two large drops of gamsol right over the top leaves of the image.

Weill, let me tell you, gamsol on chalk dries with the droplet showing as the chalk has changed composition once wet.

I then cut a second image and sentiment,  coloured it with the pencil crayons again, painted liquid pearls on the berries and then chalked the edges.Whew! No Spills.

I then flipped the image over to place the two sided Sook Wang tape on the back...AND THEN...
flipped it back over to see a new splodge of gamsol just beside the "yours". Oh No! There must have been a small droplet of gamsol on my desk.

I then tried to ink the edges with black momento ink, hoping to minimize the look of the splodge. But in doing so, I managed to over ink and I am now not so much liking this card.

I don't know why I didn't wash all the chalk with the gamsol and thereby hide the splodge. I was too afraid that the gamsol would pick up and bleed the black ink of the sentiment and muddy the area all around it., but I think I should have taken the risk.

So, instead, here is my card...with a definite shabbied up look!  I am sure you have notice the lack of wine on this card. The inside of my card has two teensy wine glasses in the right bottom corner, well under the sentiment. Sadly, my camera ran out of charge so you will have to trust me on that, Rita.
I will update this post with that photo, once my camera is charged.

Recipe
Card Base - prefolded Silver glimmer card and matching envelope, from my stash
DP - DCWV - Premium Glitter Basics Stack ( NBUS) new
Stamps - Penny Black Festive Florals Mistletoe image (NBUS)
Sentiment Stamp - Hero Arts CL722 (NBUS) new
Bling - Ivory Liquid pearls , From my stash