Mistletoe and Candlelight

 

I’ve got all kinds of gorgeous and amazing new Christmas stamps from Power Poppy, and so many of them are on my color-it-again list, but I’ve got a particular soft spot for Merry Littles.  They make me want to design.  So I did.  I combined three stamps from the set – the mistletoe, the candle, and “Peace” to create the focal image for this card.  And then I got busy with the layout.  Fun.

 

 

As much as I admire clean and simple when everyone else does it, I have to realize it may not be meant for me.  Once in a while it just sort of “happens” when it feels right, but mostly I love to layer and play with designer papers.

 

 

Pictured below are the markers I used for coloring.  Two greens for the leaves, two greens for the berries, two blues for the candle, and so on.  It’s like a Noah’s ark of Copic colors.  The X-Press It Blending Card that I colored on was too white for this designer paper, so I colored the oval with the E50 marker, then colored the outer edge with E51.

 

 

I hope you’ll join us for this week’s Peep of the Week Challenge.  We’d love to see what you come up with!  My Bloomie Teamies have some inspiration for you:

• Allison
• Tosha
• Cindy
• Katie
• Christine
• Dawn
• Julie

Thanks for visiting with me today.  Have a great weekend!

 

 

Stamps:  Merry Littles  Paper:  X-Press It Blending Card (white), Naturals Ivory, Poppy Parade (red), BasicGrey Jovial designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Adirondack Sand (for sponging through dies), Copic markers as pictured above  Accessories:  Copper cord, Stickles Stardust glitter, Spellbinders Classic Ovals and Floral Ovals, Spellbinders Labels Twenty and Parisian Accents, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Comments

[Lynette]

Another STUNNING creation, Leslie! Love the way you combined the images. Love your die cuts, too, and the papers and the stitching. Everything is so wonderful together. And of course, the sparkle is just the icing on the cake:)

[Conniecrafter]

so pretty, love how the mistletoe is around the candle, such pretty layering of dies and design of the card, I am with you, I love the layering and use of designer papers!!

[Glenda]

Your coloring skills and the fact that you play so well with color always make for a beautiful creation. This is such a pretty card and I also love those gorgeous papers ... I think I covered all the bases. If not....I love it all!

[Julie Koerber]

What a darling combination of stamps! Goodness, doesn't this stamp set have so many possibilities? Love the layout and design -- it looks so well thought out in every detail! I also like the fact that you accented the embossed areas with some marker to make it truly stand out!

[Francie in Montreal]

Your card could charm the elves out of Santa's workshop. It's precious. The layout is beautiful, the stamp combo is a delight and your colouring is always spot-on perfect. I also have a great fondness for stitching and you do it so well. Beautifully done! And you too, have a great weekend.

[Maggie s]

Wow! Stunning. Love what you did with the different stamps. And those papers are just gorgeous! I must have some of that in my collection. I'm spending the weekend with my oldest daughter in California away from the cold weather that hit H Town this week. Brrrr....

[ChristineCreations]

I'm totally with you on the cas vs layered designs Leslie. I don't know if I'm made for it :). Love this little beauty and how you've incorporated the different little stamps in the design. So warm and cozy!

[Sherri Dean]

This has such a country "homey" feel to it! All the beautiful patterned papers just make me think of a country Christmas. I love the way you used the mistletoe with the candle & all the layers just build up to a gorgeous card!

[Diane H]

I agree, a beautiful release of Christmas stamps and you have put them together just beautifully! You do have a knack not only for your gorgeous coloring, but the mixing of you papers as well! Lovely, lovely layers, too...another "masterpiece"!! I know I say that quite often, but it is the truth!! I hope you enjoy your weekend and gets lots of creating done...I still have "the bug"!!

[TamiB]

Fun...and fabulous! I just got this set and now I'm gonna have to go play! Thanks for the inspiration!!

[Karen Wallace]

This is gorgeous!!

[Marcella Hawley]

Lady, we must be two peas in a pod. Both nature freaks, both have a loved one we named Lulu, and both relish in layering and adding and playing and doing just a little more more more! Woo hoo! I do just love how you've designed this card with all those different Merry Littles!! They look so happy together - the mistletoe border you made below the candle is my favorite part. Oh wait, maybe it's the little glimmer and shimmer around the candle. Or is it that you picked out the perfect shade of blue for the candle to pick up that color from the background paper. Golly, it's all just a treat! ~m

[yogi]

love the mistletoe... that candle is pretty too. Lovely card.
Have a great day

[Pauline]

My or My what a STUNNING card Leslie! Love what you have done with these stamps- the mistletoe border is gorgeous, love all your layers - I think sometimes layers make the card and this time it certainly does. WOW, Gorgeous!!

[Tosh]

What a beauty filled with a plethora of vintage details! I love how you framed the candle with the mistletoe. And the diecuts and papers just highlight your stamped images perfectly!

[Susan (rainy)]

So glad that you love to layer and play with pretty papers, Leslie. The resulting creations are such a feast to look upon!! TFS this beauty.

[Gail Meinen]

This certainly did come all come together. And quite spectacularly I might add. I'm always amazed when someone creates a wonderful card with two or more pretty papers. I've quit buying pattern paper, because I have no talent for putting them together and I have so much that I've never used.
I've had a month of PC problems, so I've been playing catch up. I went back to Oct 20th commented on only the ones that were really special. (They were are special!)

[Becca Feeken]

I can only echo what those have said before. I continue to be wowwed by your coloring and composition! You make the most delightful cards and I can just imagine the magic your recipients must feel to know your loving hands crafted so a special touch of hospitality :-) Your cards have such a cozy, warm and inviting feel!

[Ida P. Krause]

Super festive card. Your coloring is awesome. Anymore I tend to want quick and easy designs and I'm just not that good with Copics even though I own a ton of them.

[Kim L]

Leslie, This card is so gorgeous! Not only is the paper one of my favorite Basic Grey lines of all time, I love what you did with the stamps, how you've arranged them! And the Spellbinders die cuts, beautifully layered!!!