I'm With You

Hi all! I hope you had a fantastic Halloween - I know I haven't posted as much since Halloween ended; I needed some recovery time!  Well, it's a new month and that means a new challenge at Die Cut Diva's - and this month is ANYTHING GOES!  I don't know about you, but that is my favorite challenge theme! 

The sponsor for this month's challenge is SheepSki Designs; just click the name to go to the shop on Etsy, and if you win you will get your choice of 3 digi images!  Andrea is a truly talented artist.  Now, for my creation, I'm With You:

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Alcohol Ink Markers {various manufacturers} 
Gelly Roll Stardust Pens
SheepSki Designs, Snowman Selfie, #100
Gold Card
Tutti Designs Stitched Nested Squares, #TUTTI-218
Tutti Designs Stitched Nested Rectangles, #TUTTI-217
Embossing Ink
Gold Embossing Powder 
Hero Arts Sentiment from You Are Loved, #CM171
Gold Snowflake Paper {from stash, but I think it is old, very old, Anna Griffin}
Wink of Stella in Clear

I started my card by coloring in the image with alcohol ink markers.  For those of you who use them on a regular basis, I have a question; why is it no matter what color I am using I never have the correct color to achieve the effect I want?  It's not like I want to make some crazy design.  I'd just like to highlight like I see all the "pros," but regardless if I am using blue, purple, or brown, I never seem to have the correct color to highlight.  Honestly, I think if I had every color known, I'd still be unable to color like I want to simply because I don't practice enough.  I am thinking that after the holidays, I'm going to invest some time and money and sharpen my skills.  I say that now - eh, we'll see.  

After my image was colored, I cut it and a gold frame, using the stitched nested dies.  I set the frame and image aside.  I had found the glittery gold snowflake paper in my stash, it was even cut to the size I needed, and I adhered that to my white card base.  I wanted to make the card a support card, not just a winter card, so I grabbed the You Are Loved set {and I just have to say, Hero Arts donates 100% of the proceeds of these certain "kindness" sets to various kindness charities - check them out and get more information HERE} and choose my sentiment from it.  I gold embossed the saying, cut it using the stitched rectangle die, and set it aside.  Then I mounted my Snowman Selfie on the card at an angle and placed the sentiment on the card as well.  Lastly, I decided to add some bling and I colored randomly on the hats and noses with

Another peek

the sparkly Stardust Pens.  I also used clear Wink of Stella to add a shine to the white portion of the Santa hat.  I just couldn't have that beautiful gold snowflake paper do all the sparkle work!

For readers who have been around for a while, I am still struggling with the digi images but I have come to realize that most of my angst is because I don't feel that I can color them correctly.  As you have already read, I think I have figured out a plan to remedy that.  While I am waiting to be able to devote the chunk of time and resources, I'll be watching all the free You Tube videos I can.  If you have one to recommend, please put it in a comment!  I've got to go close the windows now; it's about 34 degrees and my nose is cold. Hopefully I will see you playing at Die Cut Diva's Challenge.  Have a great day and thank you so much for stopping by!  ~Christi

I would Like to Enter my "I'm With You" card in the following challenges: 
To Be Filled out After I take a nap.  I apologize for being so late adding these challenges - my 4 am to 8 am shift is a bit hard to adjust to!  Without further ado:

Scrapy Land - #101, Anything Goes with a die company they carry
DL Art Thankful Thursday Challenge - #237
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Thanks
Papercraft Challenge - #24, Friendship
Dies R Us - #108, Stitched Dies {entry #2}
SheepSki's Designs Challenge - #20, Anything Christmas Goes

The Main Reason Santa is SO Jolly

I love mixing snarky sayings with traditional holiday images {OK, I love using snarky sayings with everything!}, especially when they are unexpected.  I recently found out about a new stamp company and I just had to buy the set that had this image.  Santa is getting hip in his old age!  I made this card for the Stinkin' Inkers November Challenge, the theme is "Just Because" ~

What I Used to Make my Card:
White Card Base
Polka Dot Paper from my Stash
Craft Foam
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
Happy Holla Days Stamps from The Ink Road
The Main Reason Santa is So Jolly Sentiment from Quietfire Designs
Stitched Nested Squares from Die-Versions, #DV-572 {appears to be discontinued, but any nested or stacked square dies would work}
Stitched Nested Rectangles from Tutti Designs, #TUTTI-217

I'm not sure where the idea for this card started.  I had pulled out my Christmas papers and spied this polka dot paper that has to be at least 10 years old.  I have no idea who made it, but I thought it would be great as a small frame since the pattern was so close together and, out of that, this card was

born.

I inked up the Santa image and stamped it on white card, cut the front of the frame from the polka dot paper, and cut a square from the craft foam I have lying about for when I make shaker cards {you can learn about what foam I use and my shaker card process here.}  I glued the polka dot frame onto the foam square, then attached the Santa to the front of the card {after I cut him out with one of the square dies} and finally glued the frame front over the image.

Lastly, I stamped the sentiment on a piece of white card, cut it out with a stitched rectangle die, and used dimensional dots to attach it to the front of the card.  

I debated about coloring in Santa's pipe, but I like the clean look of minimal color on this card.  The fact that the sentiment is so fancy looking, you expect it to say something delicate and then you read it - let me say everyone who has seen this card lets out a huge laugh.  Holidays are so stressful; I think everyone can use a good chuckle!

If you have a moment, we'd love to see your "Just Because" creations at Stinkin' Inkers! I hope you have enjoyed my little tutorial.  I appreciate your visit and here's hoping your holidays bring you lots of laughter. ~ Fondly, Christi

I am entering my The Main Reason Santa is SO Jolly card in the following challenges:
The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - #40,  M, Anything Christmas Goes
Incy Wincy - Christmas
Less is More - #383, Dimension {graphic below}
The 12 Months of Christmas - #47, M,  Anything Christmas Goes
CAS Christmas - M, Santa {graphic below}
Stamping Sensations - M, Get Ready for Christmas
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes
The Sisterhood of Crafters - M, Humor

Less is More

CAS Christmas