Periwinkle Blossoms with Concord & 9th

 Hello!  I felt like colouring something really special this week, so I pulled out an older set from Concord & 9th called Blended Petals.  I chose not to use the stencil, and instead pulled out my Copics and some coloured pencils to bring it to life.  

I chose to go monochrome, even adding in blues to the greenery.  Then I created tone on tone texture and colour in the embossing folder, dies, and accents, including a little strip of glittery periwinkle paper.  

Love how it turned out!  I’m eagerly anticipating flowers this Summer...maybe not periwinkle coloured...but beautiful regardless!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Periwinkle Blossoms with Concord & 9th

Merry Snowman with RAM Stamps

 

I don’t know about you, but it feels to me that November zoomed by and here we are at the beginning of December, with today being the first Sunday of Advent.  My little corner of the world is filled with snow, and I’m delighting in the cozy.  Today’s card uses the cutest image from RAM Stamps called Christmas Merry.  Isn’t that little snowman darling?  

The image is coloured in one of my favourite Christmas combos using coloured pencils, with some white gel pen accent.  I had some fun creating the background with embossing some swirling snow, a misty spritz of colour and some ink blending to really make it feel like a blizzard.  

To accent I’ve added sparkling glitter paper strips, die cut snowflakes and irridescent sequins that really make it sparkle.  Hoping that your season is Merry!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Merry Snowman with RAM Stamps

Grateful for Friends Like You with RAM

 

Hello!  Today I’m bringing you one more autumn/gratitude card with these absolute sweeties from RAM Stamps called Autumn Friends.  The sweetness of this illustration had me pulling out my coloured pencils again and bringing a fun fall colour combo to life in the design.  

A stitched die is the perfect border for the design and I added it to a backdrop of die cut leaves from a Concord & 9th die.  Such a great way to tie in all of those colours together. 

I also added in a vellum pennant with some texture which I ink blended some rosy ink onto.  And, ribbon seemed to be the right touch - even though I so rarely use it these days.  

The cutest image for a blustery day!  Full of gratitude and sweetness.  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Grateful for Friends Like You with RAM

Holy Night Nativity with RAM Stamps

Happy Wednesday evening!  Have you explored the wonderful world of RAM Stamps recently?  Rachelle has a treasure trove of gorgeous designs with such sweet whimsy!  At the end I have a special coupon for you at RAM Stamps, so don’t miss it!  

I could not resist this beautiful image Nativity Scene Creator to work with for Christmas.  She’s captured Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus so tenderly, and you can design the scene any way you like, including puffy sheep and wisemen, (which I didn’t include).  

I wanted to spend more time on this image using coloured pencils on kraft paper, so I took my time wiht the layers of colour.  I kept any other detailing very simple so the image takes centre stage.  

I did add a textured stripe die background for the slimline card base, and some white gel pen stars in the distance.  "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"  (2 Corinthians 9:15).

As a way of saying thank you for being a faithful reader - I’m extending my 10% off coupon to RAM Stamps - use CHRISTINEOKKEN at checkout! 

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Holy Night Nativity with RAM Stamps

Sweater Weather Doggie with TCP

 

Oh it’s sweater weather, and I love it!  Welcome to the October release at The Cat’s Pajamas!   You’ll find all sorts of Autumn and Winter goodies this month.  Today I picked up the new Gnome for the Holidays.  It’s the cutest set full of Christmas gnomies, but the little weiner dog caught my eye and I knew he’d be perfect for a slimline design, and I knew he could pull of Autumn in his snazzy sweater!

He’s coloured up with Copics, with fine line sweater details done with coloured pencil.  Between his rubber boots, and toque, he’s a true Canadian ready for the season.  The sentiment is from a retired TCP polymer set, and I’ve added in the little leaves from a retired TCP Cut Ups die.  

The background dies give you all that sweater texture and the striping that coordinates with the image.  He’s sure a cutie!  

 

Here’s a peek at the set where you can see the cutie gnomes!   Thanks for dropping by!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Sweater Weather Doggie with TCP

The Perfect Sunflower with Power Poppy

I do love the beauty of Sunflowers, and there are so many beautiful illustrations of them in stamping, but I don’t think there is any better one that this design from Marcy’s skilled hand at Power Poppy.  It’s called simply called Sunflower Power.  I haven’t coloured it in so long, and it was just the right season to pull it out.  

I started colouring the design with Copics, and finished up the detail work with Coloured Pencils.  This way you get the saturated colour start, with the fin lines of a sunflower petal and leaves.  After colouring I trimmed it carefully and placed it on some rich rust cardstock using an MFT framed die.  The background is created with a gorgeous pierced plate that I’m so taken with from The Greetery called Pierced Plaid Pierce Plate.  I’ve added deeper ink around the edges for more texture.  

I added in ink splashed die cut leaves from The Greetery using their Big Branches: Ruscus Die.  The sentiment is stamped with the polymer version of this sunflower stamp set, and I’ve splattered some gold paint over the design to make it shine.  

The perfect Sunflower, am I right?  :)   

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

The Perfect Sunflower with Power Poppy

Cozy Sweater and Red Rose Drama with Crafty Meraki

Well Hi!  I’ve got a fun surprise today as I am guesting with Crafty Meraki’s August Release called the Bountiful Release!  I have two cards to show you today, one with lots of texture and one with lots of drama!  

First up is this pretty clean white design showcasing the new dies called Strip Suite Chevron Chic.  Its a fantastic set of dies that come in three chevron patterns for borders - or as I’ve used it on this design, a whole card front.  To me it has the look of a cableknit sweater.  

After adding the chevrons to the cardbase, I also cut out a little bit of foiliage with the Olive Leaf Meraki Para-Dies, in deep green cardstock, and then the sentiment with the Meraki Moments Hello Para-Dies, in sparkly white glitter paper.  It’s simplicity is so striking.

To accent and keep it simple - I added one tiny red “chevron” piece, that I think reads like a sparkly red heart!  

Next up some bold colouring drama! 

This pretty flower spray uses the gorgeous previously released Birthday Bouquet Stamp Set , I stamped the image on Copic XPress It Blending paper, and only used a portion of it, colouring it with Copics and coloured pencil.  

The card base is treated with some deep mushroom ink blending to deepen the surface, then I added the brand new Zig Zag Zoom Die cut strips  to the card base in varying widths.  It makes a great backdrop to the flowers!

The card is finished with an embossed sentiment from the stamp set, and a few enamel hearts which make it perfect for a Birthday - or a Wedding!  

If you pop on over to my Instagram page you’ll see lots more inspiration on the Hop for Crafty Meraki today!  And YOU COULD WIN a gift certificate to the Crafty Meraki store!   

Thanks for joining me today!

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Cozy Sweater and Red Rose Drama with Crafty Meraki

Billowing Peonies with Copic and Pencil from Altenew

 

Hello Again!  I’m popping in today with another beautiful set of Billowing Peony cards from Altenew which I coloured with a combination of Copics and coloured pencil.  As I mentioned the other day, this image is just huge, so I could create two slimline sized designs with one image.  

Here is a quick snap I took of the flowers after colouring, you can see its over 8 inches by 7 inches on my grid.  I cut it diagonally so that a part of both flowers was in both halves.  

For this first card I stencilled the background with the Halftone Stencil from Altenew, and then added some splatters of white acrylic paint and an interior die cut frame.  The image is popped up so it really has a sense of dimension.  

The lovely sentiment is stamped in white, and a few enamel dots accent.  

For the second card I ink blended a background with Wilted Violet and Seedless Preserves Distress Oxide ink and then used Waffle Flower’s Sweet Plaid Texture Die.  

Simple details finish off this design with enamel dots and a sentiment from the Altenew set.  

Makes for a beautifully dramatic set of floral cards!  My favourite!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Billowing Peonies with Copic and Pencil from Altenew

Cuppa Columbine with Power Poppy

 Hi There!  Today I have another beautiful floral, this time from Power Poppy, and it’s a digi called: Cup of Columbine.  Talk about a beauty!  Just the way the pretty columbine petals are arranged in a tea cup is so whimsical and charming, and wonderfully illustrated by Marcy. 

I printed the image on XPress It Blending Cardstock, and coloured with Copics, finishing with some coloured pencils for some blending and details.  

I trimmed it out with a Pink Fresh die Rounded and Braided Rectangle.   The base of the card is ink blended with Distress Oxide inks to coordinate with the colouring of the columbine.  A few clear dot gems accent the design and nod to the seeds flying away. 

The foiled sentiment “Sending Birthday Wishes” is foiled using a Spellbinders sentiment for a little pop of silver, and I’ve added a bit of white gel pen to accent the tea cup and colour the polka dots on the cup.  

She’s a cutie!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Cuppa Columbine with Power Poppy

Oh Buoy! With TCP

Ahoy Matey!  I can never resist a cute bunny design from The Cat’s Pajamas!  And pirate bunnies?!! What a treat! This cute new digi image from TCP is called Bunnies at Sea.  I printed and coloured the scene with Copics and coloured pencils with some wonderful saturated colour, which makes it so full of celebration!

To keep with the sea-faring theme, I make the card into a circular design, creating a circular buoy on the outside frame.  Easily done by using two circular dies together cut in the teal and then in white.  Then the white is trimmed into sections of the buoy.  Then I wrapped some baker’s twine around the frame, securing it on the back.   Then the buoy frame is popped up from the circular card base with foam tape.   

The sentiment is from another retired TCP set, but fits so perfectly for this design I couldn’t resist it!  

Here’s a peek at this cute set...

Thanks for joining me today! 

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Oh Buoy! With TCP

You’re Zesty!

Hello!  I’ve got a cutie for today!  When I saw the inspiration prompt from Color Throwdown, I couldn’t get the citrus idea out of my head!  So, I pulled out my new products from Concord & 9th Citrus Bundle to create this cutie!  

I started with the background using the Turnaround Stamp with the color challenge selections, and layered some vellum overtop to soften the effect of the background.  

 

Next I stamped the sentiment in the three colours in an ombre style, softening the transitions with coloured pencil.  This color combo packs a great punch!  Then I made use of the smaller fruit dies in the set to create little oranges, lemons and grapefruit to accent the sentiment.  A bit of white gel pen gives some definition to the rind of the fruit, and the tiny segments of the fruit.  

Accents are just simple enamel dots on the fruit blossoms and a bit of twine to tie it all together.  So adorable!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

You’re Zesty!

Blossoms for Mother’s Day with Waffle Flower

 

Hello!  I just had a card sale for local friends and realized I didn’t have a lot of Mother's Day or Father’s Day cards, so I decided to add a few to the stash and started with these beautiful die cute blooms from Waffle Flower called  Painted Flowers Layering Die.  These have a really expressive beauty to them with lots of texture and layers.  I added some ink blending details on each petal, and then after I had glued/or put foam dots between the layers, I also added in some details with coloured pencil.  

I layered them on cardstock that I had ink blended with Evergreen Bough Distress Ink, splattered with water, with a little die cut circle as the “wreath” anchor.  I cut an extra blossom with the dies and chose to make a coordinating tag to go with the card.  It’s always nice when you can add something extra like that for gift packaging. 

It has a really fresh look with the pretty colour combination.  The sentiments are actually really old wood ones I had in my stash from Stampin’ Up!  I thought their simple fonts were a lovely touch for the designs.    Thanks for joining me today!  

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Blossoms for Mother’s Day with Waffle Flower

Foiling with Crafty Meraki Two Ways

Hi there!  It’s Tuesday and that means another week of guest posting for Crafty Meraki and this week our theme is foiling!  So, I’ve brought you TWO very different designs with foiling, a floral and a masculine style design.  

First up this gorgeous array of flowers from Crafty Meraki’s very beautiful Elegance Hot Foil Plate and coordinating Stencil.  It’s a large sized flower and makes a great statement on a card.  I foiled the image twice in gold, once on white cardstock and then a second time on the new Rainbow Canopy Paper Pack.    

After trimming the flowers out fussy cutting style, and stencilling in purples shades with ink, I carefully added in a few of the patterned paper leaves into the design paper by paper piecing.  Those little pops of colour and pattern are a fun touch.  I used some die cut octagons in the background in purple cardstock and pattern paper to die the colours and pattern papers together.  

The pretty sentiment is also foiled on purple cardstock from Crafty Meraki’s Handmade Love Hot Foil Plate and coordinating die.  These are fun scripty fonts to play with.  

Next up is a more masculine style (or maybe better said a more neutral design).

I’m playing with my favourite colour, green!  For this design I started with Crafty Meraki’s Evergreen Elegance EAP.  This is a type of patterned paper with images that are already coloured, it makes for quick card making, embellishing or an entire design as I created today!  I picked a few sheets of coloured leaves that I liked, trimmed them out (though they do have coordinating dies) and combined that with some Olive Leaf Meraki Para-Dies, cut on vellum.   Then, because this is a foiling focussed card, I foiled both the sentiment from Meraki Moments Hugs Hot Foil Plate and die Combo in green faceted foil.  

To add foiled Olive Leaf die cuts in the arrangement, I foiled a rectangle using a solid foiling plate, and then die cut the foiled olive branches out of that piece of foiled paper.  When I found an arrangment I liked, I spread some Press n Seal overtop to hold everything together while I created the background.  

The background rectangle is run through the Crafty Meraki Parisienne Mini Slimline Para-Dies for that beautiful impressed pattern, and then I spritzed that layer with water and sprinkled some Lindy’s Magical powders (Pondorosa Pines Olive) onto the layer, spritzed again and all this beautiful pigmented green starts to play!  

Then I assembled the card with lots of foam dots to create a good amount of dimension.  All that green is so wonderful!  A few enamelled dots complete the accents.

Share:facebook - twitter - pinterest

Foiling with Crafty Meraki Two Ways