I don’t want to panic anyone, but Christmas is sort of around the corner. No, really! For us crafters, anyways, because we need to mail our cards in time for the holidays (learned that the hard way last year). This year, I’m better prepared and I’m tickled pink that I have the opportunity to start my christmas frenzy as part of the Gerda Steiner Blog Hop “Smells Like Christmas” – and you, my dear readers, can win this rubber stamp set or one of Gerda’s digi stamps! Read on to find out how!
| Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view.  |
| Smells a lot like Christmas Rubber Stamps by Gerda Steiner Designs |
The stamps come all separate, but I decided to combine the mice on my first card, which you can achieve quite easily by masking. I just thought it would be super cute if the guy was giving the girl a kiss, thankful for the plate of cookies, don’t you think?
I’m using watercolor paper and a combination of Distress Markers and Winsor & Newton watercolors to bring these two adorable mice to life. The Mama Elephant Polaroid die helped to cut out the center portion of the image and then I matched it with a white frame to create the illusion of a photo.
The close up shows you also that there is some major sparkle going on (I mean, hey, Christmas!!); that’s thanks to Perfect Pearls. It’s a powder that I mixed with some droplets of water and it makes it shine. I applied it super generously on the white furr part of the left mice’s hat, and then on the background. The border of the inner die cut (the “photo”) was also distressed with some Distress Ink and a blender tool to create some contrast.
I bet you didn’t even notice the silver thread before Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I thought it would be the perfect touch – not “in your face” obvious, but just a subtle little extra to finish up the card. The sentiment is from Mama Elephant, too, and used my new(ish) WOW Black Twinkle embossing powder … isn’t it absolutly gorgeous! Throw in some Lawn Fawn Stitched borders for die cutting the red card stock and some Pretty Pink Posh Raspberry 4mm sequins and this card is finished!
PS: Why did I date the photo 7/12? It’s my mom’s birthday, she’s an amazing cook, and my dad always gives her a kiss on the cheek when she makes something new and tasty for him Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
For my second card, I combined the mouse with the cup of steamy goodiness – I like to imagine a cappuchino with marshmallows, but you can color it any way you like.
Using the same techniques (watercolor, Perfect Pearls), I changed this card up a bit and used a stencil on the background on the kraft paper. Stencils are so amazing and when you add embossing paste and glitter on top of it – heaven! The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp and I sprinkled some tiny gems around it for the sparkle. The cardbase is Bazzill Card Shoppe card stock (nice and heavy) and I used a Clearly Besotted line stamp to and some clear embossing powder to add some patterns.
Here’s the close up – with watercolor, I try to be precise, but I feel it’s not the end of the world if it looks a tad messy. It’s a technique that is by nature messy, and this is a hand-made card. So, there Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
I hope you enjoyed these two cards and now I’m sending you on the blog hop for your chance to win these cute mice and the cup as rubber stamps. And I’m throwing in a digi stamp as well – the Little Witch I used on this card previously. All you need to do is comment!
The Giveaway – Hop to Win!
Would you like to win the “Smells Like Christmas” Rubber Stamp Set or one of Gerda Steiner’s Digital Stamps?
A total of 8 Chances to win and here is how:
- Comment on the Gerda Steiner Designs blog, the Design Team blogs, and the Guest blogs (see list below)!
- The winner of the Rubber Stamp Set “Smells Like Christmas” will be chosen at random from the collective blogs listed below.
- Make sure to check out EACH blog and comment for your chance to win.
- ALSO, each member of the Design Team and the Guest Designers got to choose one Digital Stamp from GSD as a special GIVEAWAY to increase your chances to win something on this blog hop. Each blog will randomly choose one lucky winner, who leaves a comment, for their Digital Stamp GIVEAWAY.
- You have until Monday, October 13 at 10pm PST to comment — The winner of the rubber stamp set will be posted on the GSD blog shortly after the hop ends. Winners from the designers blogs will be contacted by the designer.
Now it’s time to hop on and have fun! Check out all the awesome Design Team Blogs below to enter:
Supply List 1st card
- Gerda Steiner “Smells Like Christmas” stamps
- Mama Elephant Polaroid Fun Creative Cuts dies
- Mama Elephant Merry Greetings
- Mama Elephant Believe in Magic
- Pretty Pink Posh 4mm Raspberry sequins