Autumn Blessings

I know I'm all over the place with seasons, but I wanted to try my hand at autumn leaves.  I'm not sure if I like them or not, but I think it's growing on me.  The papers are free papers from 'Thanksgiving Leftovers'  and I embossed the olive colored paper with the D'Vine swirls folder.

Have your Elf a very merry Christmas!

Technically, this little guy isn't an elf.  He is a Swedish pixie, one of the Nøël desTømtes.  There are a bunch of illustrations to be used as coloring pages here and here.  I, of course, have used him as a stamp.  There are many more so I will probably be doing several cards with him as the star.  I used the 'Believe' papers from Summertime Designs again as well as one of her elements for the tag.  I just added the script and printed/cut it on my Silhouette.  You cannot see it in this picture (or any others I took) but I used some snowflake stickers I had laying about as well as stickles on the main snowflake he cut out.  Looks really pretty at night under a small lamp, no so much in the Florida sunshine.

Spectrum Noir markers used:
Skin (FS2, FS3, PP1), Hat & Shoes (DG3, DG2,DR7, DR5), Scissors (BGR1, BGR3) Shadow [in beard as well](BGR1)

Children's Choir

I won't even say this was an idea I was inspired by.  I loved the original so much I basically tried to duplicate it.  The original, inspiration card is at Kreative Korner by Kelly.  The background sheet music is at Noel Noel Noel and the stamp is 'Choir' at Mo's Digital Pencil.  I have the pale hues pack of markers, but I am not yet skilled at coloring skin correctly or in such a tight space so I wasn't able to get the depth and shading I like but otherwise, I am really pleased.  As always, I distressed my edges to give it a more vintage feel.

PS- I KNOW my camera sucks for this.  I'll be getting a new camera in the New Year.

Spectrum Noir colors:
Skin (FS2, FS3, EB1, EB2, EB7, TN2, PP1), Hair (EB7, GB5, OR1, EB1, EB2, True Black), Gowns (CT1, CT2, DG2, DG3, DR5, DR7), Song books (BGR1, BGR3), Star (CT2, CT3, gold glitter glue from Dollartree)

FALALALALALALA

I have searched and searched ad I cannot tell you where the stamp is from.  As soon as I can, I will reference it for you.  I fell in love with this little guy the second I found him but had no way to color him in before.  The HOHOHO paper is from Scrapdot. This is another one of those sites FULL of awesome papers and embellishments for free.  The one caveat is it takes FOREVER to download a file due to the hosting site.  Well, worth the wait, but it can take 15 mins on a fast connection. Also, it doesn't appear to have been updated in a few years but plenty of archives to wade through.  I went out of the lines a few times simply because with my cardstock, the red likes to bleed.

Spectrum Noir markers used:
Skin (FS2, FS3, PP1), Hair & Shoes (EB7, EB2, EB1), Shirt/Sweater (CT4, CT3, CT2, CT1), Pants (BGR3, BGR1), Holly (DG3, DG2), Candle and Holly Berries (DR7, DR5), Lights [string] (JG6), [lights] (CT2, DR1, GG1, BGR3, OR1), Eyes (BGR3), Shadow (BGR1)

Making Spirits Bright

OK, so here is fair warning for anyone who actually reads my blog (Hi, Mom!), I just received the first of my Spectrum Noir markers.  This means that I, with my zero experience in alcohol markers, will be posting poorly colored, stamped cards for the foreseeable future.  Somehow, watching a plethora of Copic/Spectrum Noir tutorials has not yet made me an expert.  I am, however, LOVING THEM!  I have read scores of complaints that when using digital stamps, there is excessive bleeding of the printer ink.  I have a Canon MX410 and haven't had any problems, even using the blender pen directly over the ink.  I am just using standard, 110 weight cardstock and that bleeds like the devil though I'm trying to be careful (especially with the reds).  Anyway, back on topic for this mornings first card (Oh yes, there will be dozens in the next few days with no cohesive theme *evil cackle*:

This one wasn't inspired by anything but the stamp itself.  The stamp is from Stampin' Up Making Spirits Bright stamp set.  The candy cane paper is a from a free digital paper pack, 'Believe' from Summertime Designs.  If I haven't already mentioned it, her designs are GORGEOUS and the absolute BEST quality.  Seriously, go grab every single pack she offers.  I imagine you'll see tons of her papers here.  The branches are, of course, the Martha Stewart medium branch punch.  For the greencardstock, I didn't want to use a bunch of printer ink for 5.5" of cardstock that would be mostly covered, so I coordinated by using one of my markers to border it.  I then distressed my edges.  I'm pretty happy with how this turned out.

Spectrum Noir markers used:  Reds (DR7, DR5), Greens (CG1, CG2), [for the drink] Pale Hues (FS2), [the ribbon] Citrus (CT1, CT2) ad to shadow Blue Greys (BGR1, BGR3)

Joyeux Noel

There was no file, just a inspiration card here that's been siting on my Pinterest board just waiting for me to make it.

I made a square card and found a random star file to cut out.  This was the first time I tried a 3D star so after I cut it out, I scored the lines in from both the points of the star and the recessed edges.  I distressed the edges a bit.  I used the script embossing folder and some old, gold ribbon I had laying around.  The paper I used for the star was some sheet music themed paper I had.

Christmas Pudding Easel Card

So I finally ordered some Spectrum Noir markers that are arriving this week.  I am thinking you will have a plethora of digi stamps, stamps and color swatches to wade through at that time since I am completely new to alcohol markers.  In the meantime, I am going through my Pinterest boards and doing some inspiration cards.  I will list the inspiration site as long as I have one.  If there's no source, I will do my best to hunt down the originating site to tell you where it came from.  The first card is from a free cut file at Bird's Cards .  They also have a free digi stamp of the same pudding if you don't have a cutting machine or just prefer to break out the markers.

I used the free digital paper pack from Summer Designs "Believe" kit .  I added a little sparkle with some stickles on the holly berries.  For the banner, I used a free file from the Silhouette store and placed it on with dimensionals so the plate had something to prop itself up on.