Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Two Challenges - Two Cards!

Thank you all for being so nice with your comments for me and Bonnie. It really means so much to me ---



So we have two cards for today - House Mouse Challenge had some "technical difficulties" yesterday so I couldn't post my card - I am pretty excited about it! This is my first Guest DT for them, love my "mice" and their friends. Now I freaked just a bit when I was emailed my first DT challenge - Snow.... I have A LOT of HM stamps... not a one had snow of any kind. You want summer heat, swimming, playing yep got them all. But not a one with a winter snow theme. Well I got my thinking hat on and looked at each of my stamps to see how I could make it work. And just over half way through them - I picked up my Patriotic Mice. hmmmm that flag looks alot like a blanket... So I stamped it twice, first I colored the mice with my Copics - then the second one I cut out the flag - and separated the parts that were folded down. I just got some of the Doodlebug felt paper and it was perfect for a warm fuzzy blanket - I layed the pieces onto the paper and cut all of them out, bright blue for the main side, and purple for the inside color. I then cut out my mice, and then attached the blanket. I needed some shape... so with one of my Copics I shaded the blanket. I then pop dotted it onto the Me and My Big Ideas glittered snow paper, that I had cut out with my new Nestibilities label die, matted with purple. Then I backed card with the same papers. I layered two ribbons in the same colors, and doodled the edges. The sentiment is from Whiff of Joy and is heat embossed to make it pop more. I then added three Martha Stewart snowflake punches inked a bit with bright blue, then attached with snow flake brads and topped with blue dew drops.
I love how it came out, hope no one is upset I covered the flag... but the snug warm blanket worked so well with the snow - Now you must run over and try the House Mouse Challenge and see all of the DT's work! Oh my too cute!

CARD TWO:
Now to this weeks Spoon Full of Sugar - I can not believe it... but this week is a Happy New Year's theme!! Wow where did 2008 go? This will be our last challenge now before Christmas and we will be returning on 6th January. We would like to thank you all for joining in our challenges in 2008 and helping making our challenge blog such a huge success!! Thank you also to our wonderful sponsors for your continued support and for the wonderful prizes you have donated!!
Well I wanted to go with some bright colors and didn't have anything really party New Year's to go with so I went for a "pick me up" type of card - (yes pun intended there) I love the HM Bunny stamp, just love coloring those balloons! I have a stamp that reads Let your Dreams take Flight... but I decided instead to use the computer and print out my sentiment and add In the New Year.
My card base is the other half of my HM card's base, the pattern papers are from Inspirations, loved the soft colors and patterns with the stamp. I colored the image with my copics, including the background sky. I made the balloons a bit stronger, then high lighted with white gel pen. I then stamped them a second time and cut out pink and green balloons and popped them up on the image with pop dots. I then used my Glazed Dimensions to make them shiny and round. Really looks cool in person!
All the pattern papers were inked on the edges, the sentiment was doodled and used a Rubberstamp Tapestry stump stamp to put the flowers around the edge. I then stacked Prima flowers, jewelry spacers and mini brads on top of Martha Stewart Frond punched leaves. Love the colors and love that bunny -
I hope you will give the challenge a try... there are some really great prizes this week from new sponsors Colette and Katie from Nutcrafters. They have given us a fantastic prize this week which includes: High Hopes - Sunday's Best High Hopes - Daniel Prima Center Kisses (Jade)Prima Sandi's Favourites - Jealoussea (Green) Oh you just must run over to Spoon Full of Sugar and take a look! And also make sure to check out the other DT cards... oh these girls make me ohh and ahh each week!
Ok... sorry this one was long - but hope you enjoyed - Now I must run... I want to go and visit some blogs before the day gets to far away from me.
Again thanks for all of the well wishes -
HUGS and-

30 comments:

Heidi said...

Wow your cards are so beautiful Michelle-I really love them. The mouses are soooooo cute and when you colored them they get even more cuter!


Hugs from
Heidi

Anita said...

Beautiful cards! I love how you changed the stamp.

TA Carbone said...

BEAUTIFUL I have the one with the balloons also. Hey how is Bonnie doing as you said you had to take her to the vet also. Please let us know

TA
http://carbonescorner.blogspot.com

Lim said...

Beautiful cards Michelle. Both of them are gorgeous!. Your coloring as usual, fantastic!
Hugs,
LIM

Debbie said...

Two Beautiful cards Michelle the mice and the bunny are so cute and your colouring is fabulous, Have a great christmas, Hugs Debbie x

Anonymous said...

Wow, I love both cards! You really rock the HM images!! VERY creative to change the flag to a blanket...what a great idea! Awesome job on the challenge this week and congrats on being on the team! yay. :)

Helene said...

Michelle,
I love your mouse card in the Jacket it's so sweet

Heidi said...

this is an awesome idea Michelle! You did a fab job on it too!

Annie said...

two fabulous cards Michelle and great how you re-vamped the mice with a nice warm blanket! And such a pretty card for New Year's too. hugs, annie x

Kelly L said...

Wow, these are both beautiful cards, Michelle! I love how creative you were with the Patriotic mice stamp. GREAT idea! :)

the balloons look so pretty and shiny -- makes ya want to touch them! :D Kel

Catherine said...

they're both adorable, Michelle :)

Anne said...

Absolutely LOVE your idea with making the flag into a blanket! Congrats on stretching your thinking cap and getting the most out of your stamps! WOOHOO! Now, if I could only get my thinking cap to stretch that far, my pocket book would be considerably heavier LOL!

Ila said...

These are both Gorgeous!! love your coloring and the way you changed the flag into a blanket...you are Amazing!!...Hugs, Ila

Stacy Morgan said...

Wonderful job with the blanket. Very creative way to use the challenge and I might use this for future. Great job!

Alhambra Club said...

Love you thinking outside the box with the blanket, great card, two great cards.

Marja Sch said...

OMG they are absolutly gorgeous. Your coloring is so wonderful. Hugs Marja

Nikki Fairbairn said...

Two beautiful cards Michelle and I love the cute images, so clever how you have changed their flag for a warm snug blanket, Hugs, Nikki x

Sally said...

Love your cards and how you used the Patriotic stamp. Brilliant! Just love the one with the balloons.

cats whiskers said...

Oh these are just two stunning cards Michelle I love how you colouring your housemouse images you just bring them to life
Hugs Jacqui x

Diana said...

Hey Michelle
How clever are you ?? WONDerful! That is way cute ..I would of nevr thought to se a flag for a blanket ,,Clever and the other way cute ..
Huggs
Diana

mi sello personal said...

i love your work its so beautiful

Janna said...

Both of these cards are absolutely stunning as always!! You have such a fantastic coloring technique!! You are one amazingly talented lady!

Smiles,
Janna

retiredheather said...

Michelle your cards are great. Love the way you colored them. Glad to hear all is better with your back plus with Bonnie and the Donkeys.
Happy Holidays
Heather

Rosalien Zwackhalen said...

Your cards are both beautiful. Love the coloring too.Great job to turn the flag into a blanket.:))Love it.

Rosalien

Carolyn Bounds said...

Both of your cards are absolutely gorgeous!!! I love EVERYTHING about them:o) Your work is always amazing!!!

Hugs!
Carolyn

Janneke said...

Awesome cards ;)!

X Janneke

Susan said...

Both these cards are adorable but I love how you took the 4th of July one to another level and found a way to use it for Christmas. That is just sooooo clever and so darn cute!!!!!!! Gosh I love this card!

Els G. said...

Gorgeous cards! How clever to make a blanket of the flag!
Els
x

Elizabeth said...

I am just Wowwed at how you took a summer themed stamp and turned into a winter wonder. Truly Amazing!

Paula Talbert said...

I love those so much; I really need to get some of those house mouse stamps. Darling cards; and I liked how to altered them slightly too.