The 12 Kits of Christmas: April

Welcome to another 12 Kits Blog Party! If you have been visiting on the last night of each month you are aware of the purpose of our little group. Each month one member puts together kits for everyone and sends them out at the beginning of the month. The theme is always Christmas or other winter holidays and our goal is to have a cache of cards ready when the holidays roll around. 

Our hostess this month is Marybeth and below is a photo of the kit she sent. Thank you, Marybeth! Everything was wonderful and I enjoyed all the wonderful goodies so much! The picture below was contributed by Kara. She always takes wonderful pictures and happily shares with anyone who wishes to post it. The day the kit arrives is always exciting! Everyone loves opening their envelope of goodies. And we have no idea what will be in it until it comes! This month, I was super excited to see the jingle bells cut with a very cool Memory Box die! She sent them in three colors! But as I was doing my cards, I didn't find just the right place for them so I have them safely tucked away--something special to play with later. Maybe I will use them when I CASE someone else's card that I see today! 

Photo by Kara

That's another fun thing about getting all these kits. There are always leftovers!!! I used this Grand Madison Window from the January kit that Renee put together! I have the smaller version but still don't have this large one. It is a favorite so must order one soon! Marybeth used the Country Landscape die and some plaid paper to make this sweet addition! I used just a piece of it. That particular house made me think of a stable that could be used for a Christmas scene. The big gold star also came in the kit. I love the patterned paper and used it for two of my cards.  

This was a perfect sentiment for the inside of the card. 

And here is that same paper again. It makes a great background for the tree. It is black and I ran it through it my Cuttlebug with a embossing folder to add a little texture. The pearls and rhinestones were included as was the die cut sentiment which fit perfectly at the bottom.

My last card shows the little angels all bundled up and ready to be out in the snow! I considered leaving them uncolored. I see so many wonderful examples of images just stamped but I usually end with the colors. It's like naked buttons! I just can't bare to leave them without some type of thread! The Frostyville Border worked great! Marybeth included a die cut Holly Vine but I hated to cut it up so used these PTI dies for the sentiment strip. They coordinate with the holly on the lantern.

Well, I won't keep you! You will want to be on your way to visit all the wonderful blogs. I am always amazed how each of us comes up with totally different designs---even though we all have the same supplies!

Enjoy the hop! So happy you were able to join us!!

Sharron

Below is the list of participants:

Marybeth

Renee
Cathy
Suzanne
Joyce
Amy
Christina
Kim
Kara
Jessica
Jeanne
Sharron--you're here!

Supplies (those included in the kit are shown in red)

Card 1 

Stamps: Sentiment on front (PTI Christmas Sentiments); Inside Sentiment (Stampendous) 

Cardstock: PTI Soft Stone and Pure Poppy; Bazzill Blue Textured 

Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye

Dies: Star of Wonder, Country Landscape (Memory Box), Grand Madison Window (Poppystamps); Half and Half (PTI); Labels Eleven (Spellbinders)

Card 2

Stamps: Sentiment (PTI)

Cardstock: Rustic White, True Black, Vintage Cream (PTI)

Patterned Paper: My Mind's Eye

Dies: Star of Wonder (Memory Box; In the Meadow (PTI); Banner Ribbons (Spellbinders)

Additional: Pearls, Rhinestones (Hobby Lobby); Starry Night Embossing Folder (Sizzix)

Card 3

Stamps: Little Angels (Stampendous); Sentiment, Merry Little Christmas (PTI)

Cardstock: Rustic White, Pure Poppy, Enchanted Evening, Vintage Cream (PTI)

Dies: Frostyville Border (Memory Box); Double-ended Banners, Holly Leaves and Berries (both PTI)

Additional: Copics

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #94

After an extremely hectic week and a half I am finally getting to do some fun things, just for me! This week's WM sketch is again from Karin Akesdotter--isn't it great! I hated missing last week's challenge but unfortunately there was no way I could squeeze it in. I went to buy a birthday present for one of the grandchildren and stopped by Hobby Lobby. I definitely didn't need this stamp set but used a coupon and bought a Penny Black set called Mimi in Paris. I was thinking of using it with the French Country stamps that I love so much. As I was driving home, I was thinking about how wonderful it would be if Claire did a set similar to the Halloween sets with Cicily and Gracie using a French theme. Wouldn't that be fabulous!!

Anyway, here is my card. I couldn't resist the pink poodle! And the perfect background set that comes in French Country was a must. I paper pieced her hat, cut out the poodle and colored the rest with Copics.

I have tried to regularly check blogs but haven't written all the comments that I would have liked. Hopefully things will run more smoothly for a while now. And it's almost time for the 12 Kits of Christmas monthly post so be sure to come back on May 1.

Have a great weekend!

SMILES,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: French Country, Compact Sentiments (WMS); Mimi in Paris (Penny Black)

Cardstock: Fine Linen, Vintage Cream, Raspberry Fizz, Sweet Blush (PTI)

Dies: Labels One, Spellbinders

Additional: Argyle Embossing Folder (Sizzix); Black Ribbon (May Arts); Copics; Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento)

Waltzingmouse April Blog Party

It's time! Another WM Blog Party is about to begin! The theme this month is New Beginnings--weddings, babies, Spring--there are all sorts of possibilities. I decided on a baby card so I could use one of the images from L'il Buddies. Gosh, I love that set!!

I paper pieced the bunny then lightly colored his face and inside his ears with a Copic. The tail is cut from felt. That is such an easy image to paper piece and I really like the look! The embossing is an argyle pattern to give a quilted appearance. I also use PTI's Half and Half dies a lot. They are great to use with focal points. The sentiment at the top is stamped on a negative piece from the Heart Border die. This card went together so quickly. I knew about the party but then got so busy over the weekend and yesterday that I forgot to do my card until this morning! 

Be sure to visit all the other blogs. There is always lots of wonderful inspiration so you won't want to miss out.

Glad to see you at the Party---ENJOY!

Have a great day,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: L'il Buddies, Frame It (WMS)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White (PTI); Blue-unknown color (Stampin' Up)

Patterned Paper: My Little Shoebox

Dies: Half and Half, Heart Border, Limitless Layers 1 3/4" (all PTI)

Additional: Argyle Embossing Folder (Sizzix); Felt and Button (PTI); Ecru Embroidery Thread; Copics, Tuxedo Black and London Fog Ink (Memento)  

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #92

This week's WM sketch was contributed by one of the super talented Mischief Makers, Karin  Akesdotter.  I wanted to try something other than banners and finally decided on butterflies. After seeing Kara's, KandrDesigns, beautiful card using leaves, I came up with this design using the WM sketch. I cut a piece of Spring Moss cardstock with my newest to arrive die, Mat Stack 5. First I inked up and stamped just partial images from WM Chicken Wire (love this!) and PTI Text Style. Then I added the leaves, using two colors of Memento Ink--Bamboo Leaves and Pear Tart. For these, I used the Generational Stamping technique from last week's PTI MIM challenge by Ashley Cannon Newell. Maybe I should have added more leaves, especially at the top! The line across the top was a stamp from It's A Celebration. After looking for small butterflies with patterns, I used one from Butterfly Dreams and one from Antique Engravings. Hubby asked about the 'upside down' one but it's just flying down!! They are colored with Copics. The background layer is embossed with Leafy Branch folder by Cuttlebug. To keep with the more rustic look I used copper eyelets (one of my seldom used supplies) and some Rustic Twine. The sentiment is from Frame It by WM.

This reminds me of designs I see a lot on patterned papers and I plan on using it again!

Be sure to take some time to see the other WM entries. There's always lots of inspiration!

Thanks for coming by,
Sharron

Supplies
Stamps: Chicken Wire, Frame It (WMS); Text Style 1, Turning a New Leaf, Butterfly Dreams, It's a Celebration (PTI); Antique Engravings (Hero Arts)
Cardstock: Spring Moss, Simply Chartreuse, Rustic Cream, Rustic White (PTI)
Dies: Mat Stack 5, Double-ended Banners (PTI)
Additional: Leafy Branch Embossing Folder (Cuttlebug), Copper Eyelets (American Crafts), Rustic Twine (PTI), Copics; Memento Ink (Bamboo Leaves, Pear Tart, Rich Cocoa); Amuse Ink (Slate); Ranger Distress Ink (Antique Linen)

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #91

This week's WM Sketch may look like it would be easy but definitely not for me!! I have thrown away more paper in the last couple of days than I ever do. I'm not sure why I struggled so much but I guess single layers just aren't my thing. It's great though to have challenges like these and force trying new things but wow--that doesn't mean it will be easy! 

Nevertheless, in the end I have two cards for the challenge! I wasn't sure what things could be used and still qualify as one layer but I liked what I came up with so here are my entries!

Card #1 uses stamping, coloring with Prismacolor pencils and a bit of trim. The stamp set for both cards is WM French Country! I haven't used pencils in ages but since Copic markers would bleed through it was an excuse to get out my pencils and Gamsol and it was fun to play with them again!

Supplies

Stamps: French Country (WMS)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White (PTI)

Additional: Prismacolor Pencils, Twine from The Twinery, Button (PTI)

Inks: Papaya and Blueberry (Amuse)

Card #2 was stamped, also colored with Prismacolor pencils, then embossed. I found when I was making the tag that the little medallion I used on the background fit perfectly at the top of the tag--even the holes lined up. I used two tags--a plain one and one with a cut out heart. I colored an area on the plain tag and then glued them together. This was actually one of the cards that got messed up (there were several!). I was trying to figure out how to emboss the front and leave an area plain but obviously that didn't work! This one I salvaged and it is now my favorite!

Supplies

Stamps: French Country (WMS); Tiny Tags (PTI)

Cardstock: Stamper's Select White (PTI); Pink (Stash)

Additional: Prismacolor Pencils; Gingham Ribbon (LSS); Twine (The Twinery); Diamonds and Dots Embossing Folder (Quikutz); Tiny Tags Die (PTI)

Ink: Bamboo Leaves (Memento)

So glad you came to visit! LOVE your comments! And if you have any tips on one layer successes, please leave those too!!!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Sharron