The images are stamped in Memento ink on Shimmery CS and colored with Copics. My new favorite RIBBON is wrapped around, isn't that color and satiny finish scrumptious ?! (Edited to add: I just learned it's actually organdy) It's just ONE of 12 beautiful ribbons you'll get in Gina K's Pure Luxury Ribbon Assortment, available for purchase this Thursday, wait til you see the rest!!! I added one of her adhesive rhinestones to the "o"in Holidays and on the new fancy corner punch (another new(ish) must have!!) at the top. The edge I did with the threading water punch, stopping short of going off the edges so that the outer strip is still attached, I thought this cut out looked kinda cool and different (the holes are covered by my white layer). It probably looks like this strip would be too fragile and tear, but because of the length and width of the card, and the layering, it's actually quite sturdy (but don't go pulling on it!;) I love finding ways I can make my punches work a little differently for me every once in awhile! I also added just a bit of the Cuttlebug Leafy Branch embossing to the bottom corner to echo the little branch the dove is holding. To get just part of it like this, I tried going over it with a rolling pin like I'd read about, and I'll be darned if that didn't work just swell!
You can see more samples of these set from Gina K, Jessica, Emily, Carolyn, Lee (In the Spotlight!!), and Kurtis! But before you do...
You can see more samples of these set from Gina K, Jessica, Emily, Carolyn, Lee (In the Spotlight!!), and Kurtis! But before you do...
Bundle up and get ready for the cold with me and the next set! I adore the little figures in Gina K's new "Warm & Cozy Christmas"! (reminds me of the holiday favorite "A Christmas Story" with Ralphie's little brother so layered he can't put his arms down, hee! Being this covered up also allows the image to be gender neutral, a big plus!) We never get to dress like this in Texas, even on the chilliest day, so creating a little card like this allows me to enjoy a real winter's day vicariously (minus the cold!)
For the holidays I enjoy making a lot of simple cards, love just classic red and white, it's so crisp and festive (and conveniently fast, when during the holidays, time is a luxury!) Here I cut out my Copic colored focal point with a Classic Circle Nestabilities (circles are perfect for Christmas and these images, make me think of ornaments(and snowballs!)) and mounted with dimensionals on my white base. This GORGEOUS red ribbon is ALSO from the new Gina K Pure Luxury assortment! The sheer middle and solid edges were perfect with the stripey scarf I made, allowing my white on the base to peep through. The polka dots (falling snow!) on the left are created with one of the new CB embossing border strips, isn't that fun?
Here in closeup you can see the Stardust Stickles I added around the boots, sled and bits of the tree for crunchy, shimmery snow, plus a little Crystal Lacquer on the candy cane. (I love this card and I love this set!!) Here are more projects by Gina K, Joanne, Jessica, Emily and Lee!Stay tuned for sneak peeks of two more sets tomorrow, can't wait! (sorry, I can't stop saying that!) Now if you're in a typing mood, please tell me your first (or favorite) memory of snow or, if you have none LOL*, guess what my next set will be!! Release party is almost here, are you ready to (jingle bell) rock??!!
* because you've never seen snow, or because you've seen so MUCH snow you'd never put it together with the words "favorite memory"!
Ohhh so elegant Mel!!!! I knew I should have ordered that corner punch!! LOL And that scarf is just toooo cute!!! I'm soooo excited!!! :)
ReplyDeleteSlow ddown o creating new stamps until i earn more money to buy. gesh all I can do right now is drool. lol
ReplyDeleteOh Mel, these are both simply stunning! I love that dove and the dangling ornaments against the crisp white with the luxurious deep red satin bow! ...LOL on your comment about A Christmas Story...that is exactly what I thought the instant I saw this adorable little guy! "I can't put my arms down, whaahhhh!" hehehe! Your coloring is so superb, Mel--a true inspiration. And I will be awaiting more wonderful sneak peeks from you and the rest of this AWESome Gina K. DT! Looks like Christmas is coming early for us with 6 new sets,eeek! Cannot wait. hugs, buddy! :)
ReplyDeleteI forgot to tell you my fave snow memory....the year we didn't get any! HA! :) Now, you next set...hmmmm...that's a tuffy--perhaps all the holiday decorations/wardrome elements for all of our beloved hippy-hoppy-furry-fuzzy critters so they can decorate for the holidays too?!?! Or something with snow, duh! :) Oooh, the suspence is torture--and I love it!
ReplyDeleteThose cards are just beautiful! I have a new favorite snow memory, now that I have a child! We got her bundled up in a red snow suit last winter and took her outside after it had snowed and covered the ground. My dh made a snowball and gave it to her! She was 1 1/2 at that time and the little darling promptly tried to eat the snowball! Good thing I had the camera with me!
ReplyDeleteI love what it says under your blog post! That's so cool that you were able to personalize it! I don't remember my first encounter with snow, but I remember good times falling in the snow while trying to ski, and sled... Lot's of falling! I can't wait to see ALL the new stamps! There are so many this time and I am so excited!
ReplyDeleteHere in Australia it doesn't snow much, especially in Queensland where I grew up. When I moved away to go to university I moved to a mountain town and the first winter I was there it snowed. I was 31 years old and had never even seen snow IRL, I ran outside and stood there for ages watching it fall...until I just got way too cold and went back inside to watch it through the window with a nice cup of hot chocolate in hand :)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness,those are BEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteI want them so mucch!
Absolutely beautiful cards. Especially love Gina's new image. Can't wait to see the rest.
ReplyDeleteOh these are lovely! I'm always inspired by what you create.
ReplyDeleteYou know it’s funny that my favorite memory of the snow is actually here in Texas! Back in 1985 we got over a foot of snow. My family had moved here from Maine three months earlier and I was missing the snow due to the 85 degree temperatures in December that year. We lived on a golf course in the hill country so my friends and I used my mom’s large metal mixing bowl to ride down the fairways that had a good slope to them. Of course the snow was gone the next day when the temps rose again but we had so much fun while it was on the ground! And the best part was that I didn’t have to shovel it!
Blessings,
Cyndi
Cute cards ! I love them both. The little boy is such a cute image! I remember bundling those little ones up like that! It was such a hassle! I agree with you that xmas cards should be simple since you have to make so many of them.
ReplyDeleteOMG! You have such awesome ideas Mel! I LOVE the dove, so classy and elegant...and the little boy, I thought the same thing too about Christmas Story, Ralphie's little brother (what WAS his name!?) when I saw this set! LOL! I love his striped scard, cute little touch! Gorgeous coloring on this one!
ReplyDeleteGreat job as always Mel! That little boy all bundled up is the cutest!
ReplyDeleteGreat cards, Melanie. I can't wait to see the rest of the release!
ReplyDeleteMy 'snow' story..while working in downtown Chicago we were hit with 24 inches of snow. My Dad and I took the train home and people were packed into it as if it were a 'cattle car'. I rememer saying "I think I am going to faint" and Dad saying "you'll never hit the floor"..there was NO floor room..just people! We walked over a mile in the snow to get to our home...as all transportation was at a standstill. I was young and really thought of it as an adventure at that time! Today, not so much!
I would be one of those that doesn't remember *not* having snow as I grew up here in the Midwest. Brrr! I do remember sledding on (what seemed at the time) a ginormous hill in the cemetery behind our house...and my mom putting baggies inside our "moon boots" to keep our little feet dry while my brother and I would play! Ha! Thanks for the memories!
ReplyDeleteYour samples are stunning! I love your clean-lined style!
Mel, your cards are perfect!! Love your long card with Rupa's set - I had to use Shimmery white cardstock too... this set just screams elegance,doesn't it? Your little snowbunny card is adorable too. Your coloring is amazing - love it all!
ReplyDeleteBoth cards are so elegant! Love your coloring on the little guy!
ReplyDeleteBEautiful, beautiful cards Mel! I live in Montana so I have no first memory of snow. But of course, the first snow of the season is always fun and I remember making snow angels as a child!
ReplyDeleteMel, the cards are beautful.. Rupa's set is soooo elegant!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous cards! I can't wait to see more!
ReplyDeleteI live in Michigan and I'm not a cold weather person, so there isn't really a favorite memory of snow.
Oh my... that first card is one I am in love with! Snow memories? hhhhmmm. Well, when I was a kid we lived on this rather big hill. Our driveway butted up against the neighbor's driveway - so when it came time to shovel, we would shovel to that center space between the two homes. Well, once the snow was packed - it was perfect for snow tunnels!!! It was a kid's dream!
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC Mel! You amaze me! I love that super gorgeous first card (love how you did the sentiment!) and the coloring on the second is fabulous. great accents too!
ReplyDeleteOOHH So beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteCute idea, hanging those ornaments from the sentiment. Very nicely done and nice coloring too.
ReplyDeleteWow, gorgeous cards, Melanie! I love your coloring on both, especially the subtle shading on the dove. It is perfect! Great tip about the rolling pin. I've got to try that!
ReplyDeleteI love snow and all my favorite memories of it are taking my daughter so she could play in it when she was little.
My dogs are so much fun in the snow. My Cocker Spaniel loves to play catch with snowballs and my Border Collie/Mutt loves to rub in it. She lays her head on the snow, with her front legs tucked in, and runs along, just using her back legs.
Your dove is so elegant!
ReplyDeleteWaow, that coloring!! :-D
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie, that's funny you should mention A Christmas Story, all the school shots were filmed right here where I live! Not far from me actually, I can walk there! I love the images from this set so far!
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite menories of snow is when I was younger, christmas shopping uptown, going store to store (outside, no malls) while it snowed big soft flakes.
The colouring on your second card is amazing. Great work on both cards. Can I come and live in your basement so that you can teach me to colour?
ReplyDeleteThese are both wonderful!! Love the dove with the ornaments and I adore Gina's new set. Awesome coloring and love the simple layouts!!! The new ribbons are awesome too!!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Your team is really making it easy to make a "wish list" for Christmas! That ribbon is too scrumptious to use?!?!
ReplyDeleteOh these are both wonderful!! My favorite memory of snow (I actually do miss it sometimes here in Austin, but then I remember how ugly it is after it's been on the ground a little while and the cars have driven through it and it's all gray and slushy...) anyway - I grew up in MI, and we would bundle up in snowsuits just like that - and we'd get so much snow my dad would build massive snow forts for us to play in out in the yard. This was before global warming, I don't think they get that much snow anymore!! (or maybe the forts just SEEMED huge because I was so SMALL!?!) :-)
ReplyDeletePS... I still have my fingers crossed for a Little Onesies set. ;-)
ReplyDeleteThese are just stunning. I love the dangling ornaments!
ReplyDeleteWonderful cards, I am so loving the seek peeks today.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get very much snow here on the California coast, so I remember being so amazed the first time it did snow here. My favorite times in the snow of when my son was small and enjoying the beauty and fun of it through his eyes. Thank you for sharing your wonderful cards with us everyday.
Both cards are very pretty!
ReplyDeleteI love Rupa's new set - it is so elegant! My first memory of snow is sledding on this gigantic hill and nearly wiping out one of my friend's dads who was standing at the bottom videotaping the fun. Poor guy had to move quickly to get out of the way.
ReplyDeleteWOW, Great cards! I LOVE your coloring. Can't wait for Thursday! yay! :)
ReplyDeletewow all of those images are awesome!!
ReplyDeleteFavorite snow story...blizzard of 1982!
Wonderful color choices and coloring on the Warm & Cozy image! First snow memory? Not a clue! lol Favorite snow memory - well, actually, it happens every year! Three things - I LOVE, Love, love being inside with my family, all 'warm & cozy" (lol) watching the snow come down and not stop for hours. Second - it is always exciting to watch the first big flakes fall for the first snowfall of the season. Lastly - I am in awe when the bare tree limbs are covered with ice and a layer of snow 'frosting' on top - all sparkling in the shining sun against the pale blue winter sky in harmony with the dazzling diamonds sparkling on the ground. Yep- all my fav snow memories are from the INSIDE of my house! heehee :) Thanks for asking! this was fun!
ReplyDeleteI still remember the Halloween that I had the most beautiful butterfly costume that my parents made for me. It was all pink and glittery! Then *darn* if it didn't snow that day and I had to ruin my perfect costume by wearing snow boots. UGH! Snow is just NOT right for Halloween. :)
ReplyDeleteStunning! The dove card looks so elegant with the hit of colour in the ornaments against the white cuttlebug embossing. Lovely! And the way you coloured the dove with a hint of Copic: gorgeous. That bundle up stamp is way too cute. What a sweet little scene! (And thanks for the giggle; I just LOVE "A Christmas Story" heehee)
ReplyDeleteSuch texture softly reminding us that summer gives way to fall. Fall is the forecast of snow and the smell of fresh air snow according to my students today! Charmed, I'm sure, is my delight with the mighty alluring reds, greens, and whites in soft inviting wintery colored carding. Yum!
ReplyDeleteHey, do you remember the year snow was shoveled so high that I had to hold my arms out shoulder high to make it through the path my DH made from the backdoor to the car?!? That's a great memory!
Keep Looking Up!
What fabulous new sets!!! Love them!!
ReplyDeleteI just adore that darling little guy (girl) with the sled and tree. It is SO Christmas-y and your white and red card is just beautiful. Simple but so lovely! I have lived with snow my entire life and I find that I dislike it more every year but one of my favorite memories of snow is a couple of years ago when we had a big snowstorm and school was called off. My son who was 7 or 8 at the time and I went out to shovel and play in the bright sunshiney day that followed the big dump of snow. I took some great photos of him in the snow, the snow hanging heavy on the pine trees in our yard and snow on other things in the yard. It is pretty when the sun creates sparkles on the snow (and when I can just stay at home instead of trying to drive in it!)
ReplyDelete