The Daily Marker 10 Day Coloring Challenge Finished Cards, Day 4

Hi folks!  Today's card features the Squirrels and branches from Hello Bluebird's Long Distance stamp set that I colored during Kathy Racoosin's last coloring challenge.

I started by creating a background for my card using the Cloud Stencil from My Favorite Things and Tumbled Glass Distress Ink.  

Then I fussy cut my images and also created a favorite retired rectangle die from My Favorite Things.  I love the extra bit of texture you get around the opening.  

I arranged my stamped images within the frame (at this point I had not attached the frame) adhering them as well as my 'phone' strings which are Lawn Fawn Lawn Trimmings twine.  To adhere the twine, I used Glue Dots Micro Dots.  I kind of picked them up, rolling them up a bit with tweezers.  They are super sticky, and more precise and less messy than trying to use liquid glue.  

After stamping the sentiment (from Avery Elle's retired Love Birds set), I very carefully adhered the frame with foam tape, keeping a bit of the bottom piece of twine and the tail of the top squirrel on the outside for some extra dimension.

This set is so fun.  I'm going to save this card to tuck into one of the girls' suitcases for when they go off to camp this summer.

ME Whimsical Winter Card Set

Hi everyone!  I'm sharing a sweet and simple card set using Mama Elephant's Whimsical Winter stamp set today using a hybrid approach to mass production.

I really like being able to knock a bunch of cards out at once, but mass production is not my favorite thing...I get bored making the same card over and over.

For this set of cards, I was able to take advantage of the ease and efficiency of mass production, but still infuse a bit of variety.  

I started by stamping the critters on some watercolor paper.  I used my MISTI, so I could stamp twice, but of course you could do this as many times as you want.

I also stamped the tree on some background panels of watercolor paper, also using my MISTI.  To keep things interesting, I moved the panels around a bit so the location of the tree varies from panel to panel.

Next up, watercoloring.  While I love coloring with Copics, watercoloring, especially in the loose fashion I had planned for these critters is so much faster for me.  

I started by coloring my stamped panel of critters, and then set it aside to dry.  Then I worked on my panels, painting the tree and then adding a bit of ground line as well.  I thought about adding some blue for the sky, but decided to go with the less is more approach.

I then die cut my critters and tried them in different arrangements on the panel until I was happy with the result.  

I added some sentiments from Hello Bluebird's Typed Christmas set, and then assembled the cards, popping the critters up for a bit of dimension.

So fun right?  I actually have some additional die cut critters/gifts that I can use on an additional card.  

I'm hoping you're going to start seeing more Christmas cards here on the blog, because it's August and I really need to start building up my stack for December!

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VersaFine Ink Pad, Onyx Black

Whimsical Winter, Mama Elephant Clear Stamps (Retiring)

36 Color Set, Gansai Tambi