Pop-Up Reindeer

I've been on a bit of a Lawn Fawn streak lately. I just can't resist those cute little critters and lovely dies! I dug out my Stitched Hillside Pop-Up die and made a few cards and I thought I might as well make a Christmas card as well while I'm at it. So I got out a few sets with reindeers and a Christmas card, added some ornaments and presents and there we have it. Although to create the background, I adhered small scraps of yellow card behind every star cut - let me tell you, if you need to some work-out for your patience muscles, this is what you should be doing. But I got them all done in the end.  

I had such a blast creating the background using Distress Inks and water splattering and colouring the little critters. I also used Distress Inks to colour the Christmas tree as I have learned from past experimenting that colouring the large tree with Copics just ends up looking streaky and weird, but sponging Distress Inks and adding some water splatters ends up with a much cooler look (just a hint in case you are having trouble colouring large areas with Copics - just switch to Distress inks!).

I'm linking up with Lawn Fawnatics where the challenge is Happy Little Critters, Make My Monday where the theme is Animal Antics, Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is Christmas and Crimbo Crackers where the theme is Reindeer.

Card: 300 gsm white card, Neenah Solar white card, scraps of yellow card
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters In The Snow, Critters In The Forest, Toboggan Together, Joy to the Woods and matching dies
Ink and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Tim Holtz Distress Ink Broken China, Blueprint Sketch, Chipped Sapphire, Black Soot, Copics
Dies: Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Pop-Up, Stitched Rectangle Nesting dies, Snowy Backdrop, Forest Border die, Scripty Merry die

Critter birthday in the woods

What an insanely crazy week. Working towards our project's big Quarterly review on Friday, and there simply isn't enough hours in a day for anything else than reports, slide shows, emails and a bit of sleep in between. However, today I decided to finish a card I have been creating bit by bit for the current Lawnscaping challenge "Calling all critters". So I thought the critters would hang out in the forest and have a great birthday party with party hats and cupcakes! I love combining the various Lawn Fawn Stamp set and have used five different sets here, along with some lovely Lawn Fawn patterned papers. And sadly, it's back to writing reports now, any further crafting will have to wait until the weekend. 

I'm also linking up with the Unicorn Challenge where the theme is polka dots and the Critters and Creatures Linky Party where anything goes with a cute critter. 

Card: 300 gsm white card 

Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Forest, Critters in the Arctic, Party Animals, Joy to the Woods, Hats off to You and matching dies

Inks and colouring: Tsukineko Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics

Paper: Lawn Fawn Let's Polka in the Meadow, Let's Polka, Perfectly Plaid

Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Frame, Stitched Hillside Borders, Grassy border and Happy Birthday Border 

One layer forest critters

I am convinced that my newly minted theory about creativity and exercise holds true. They are inversely correlated. I have been more or less living in my craft room this week (apart from the dreary interruptions of work) and lots of cards have been born. At the same time, my trousers are feeling very tight... 

Today's card is inspired by several wonderful challenges. First of all it's inspired by the One Layer theme over at Lawnscaping, I do love the stamping and masking technique, and I had a really great time creating this little scene. I was also inspired by the Forest Friends theme over at The Card Concept.  Additionally, I'm linking up at Make My Monday where the theme is nature, Inspiration Emporium where the theme is Happy (Happy Fall! in addition to working with these critters and watercolours which also makes me happy), Fan-Tastic Tuesday where the theme is Colour me Autumn and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday challenge where the theme is No Pattered Paper. And who would need any when you can create your own scene!

Although the stamping, masking and colouring of the card are quite intricate and took quite a while, it was very simple to make. I always start out by stamping the scene onto a scrap piece of paper to make sure I get the order of stamping right, what is supposed to be behind what. At the same time I stamp and fussy cut all the masks I need. Then I stamped the scene in Antique Linen Distress ink, and used distress markers for watercolouring and creating that no-line look. I only realised at the end that I hadn't even thought about putting in a sentiment, so I just stamped it in the corner in Ground Espresso distress ink, as I thought a black sentiment would be too harsh.

Card: Daler&Rowney 300 gsm Aquafine Watercolour paper
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters in the Forest, Joy to the Woods, Violet's ABCs, Happy Everything
Ink: Tim Holtz distress inks
Other: Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle dies 

Fall in the forest

I think there is no denying that we are properly into autumn now. Leaves are turning into those golden autumnal colours, plums and figs are done and the pears are getting perfectly ripe. It's getting chilly in the mornings, I have added an extra shirt on top of my PJs at night and evenings are getting dark by the time I make it home. I know I should be embracing it all, but I just miss the light. Days seem so short now. And it will only get worse. But it's less than 100 days to Christmas, and then it will start getting lighter again! And I know this autumn will bring with it some changes, which is always exciting.

There are so many autumn themed challenges out there right now. And only the other day my order of the super cute Critters In the Forest arrived, so inspired by the sketch over at Viva La Verve I made this little autumn watercolour scene. I so love to watercolour with my Tim Holtz Distress markers, and the colours are so perfect for an autumn card. I made a banner using a Stampin' Up DSP with autumn leaves. 

I would like to link up with the following challenges:
Addicted to CAS - Leaves 
Make My Monday - Nature
Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Use a Stamp and blog hop 
Our Creative Corner - Shades of Autumn
One Crazy Stamper - Christmas/Halloween/Fall
Let's Craft and Create -Dies or Punches
Crafting Musketeers - Autumnal Colours
Animal Friends Challenge - Forest Animals
That's Crafty - Lovely Leaves
Viva la Verve Sketches

Card: 300 gsm white linen card, Daler & Rowney 300 gsm Aquafine Watercolour paper
DSP: Stampin' Up Colour Me Autumn
Stamps: Lawn Fawn Critters In the Forest
Ink: Tim Holtz Distress markers
Other: Lawn Fawn Scripty Hello dies, Stitched Journaling Card die