Do you need expensive pencils to achieve good coloring results?

Do you notice any difference between the digital stamp coloring of today's card and the look of this fall card from a few weeks back?  If you say, 'Not really', from a purely visual aspect, I'd have to agree with you. I ask because instead of the nice-but-expensive Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils I normally use, I used an inexpensive box I recently picked up at my favorite outlet shop. It's not like I needed any more pencils – I have all 76 Luminance ones – but I was curious as to what result I could achieve using these and as they were only €4.99 for a nice tin box of 24 I didn't risk much.

I was pleasantly surprised by the result! The brand is Fantasia and although a bit more expensive than the €4.99 outlet store price I paid, an internet search shows them available in the States for $10.99 and the UK for £9.48. My Luminance pencils run about CHF 4.00 a piece (about $4.00). Do the math and you see what a great buy these are. I wouldn't say they're perfect. Their blend-ability is adequate, but they're not quite as good as my Luminance ones and I feel like they miss a bit in color intensity, but that could be because I was limited to 24 colors. All in all though, for someone just beginning the hobby and not wanting to spend a lot, they're great!

The cute little bear with his goodie laden wagon is Autumn Stroll from Di's Digi Stamps (on sale for $1.00). The digital papers are freebies from Rita at The Coffee Shop Blog – Mabel and Thanksgiving. It's worth taking a look around Rita's site. She is a very talented photographer/designer who graciously shares all sorts of wonderful freebies. The sentiment was created with Euphoria font. Embellishments are simple pearls in each corner.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Coffee Shop Blog Mabel & Thanksgiving digital papers
Digital stamp – Autumn Stroll Di's Digi Stamps
Color – Fantasia pencils
Dies – Die-namics rectangle stax, Artemio circles
Embellishments – pearls
Font – Euphoria

I'm linking up with: Di's Digi Challenge 5/10/18 – Include a Pumpkin, Little Red Wagon 17/10 – Digis, The Paper Shelter #358 – Digis, Crafty Creations #376 – ATG, and Creative Moments #154 – ATG.

Yippee! Autumn's here! Happy Halloween and Happy Fall card

Do you like fall or autumn better? Apparently, if you more often than not say fall you're likely to be an American, whereas if autumn is your preferred term, you're British. Growing up in the States I used fall, but now I find myself saying autumn. Although, I haven't abandoned fall altogether as this recent squirrel Happy Fall card shows. I guess it has something to do with where I live. There are more Brits around me than Yanks and autumn is closer to the French automne. Whatever you call it, it's a lovely time of year. My greeting inside makes this a multi-tasking card covering autumn, Halloween and even Thanksgiving (I don't do a lot of Thanksgiving cards).

The stamp is Di's Digi Stamps Windy Play. The leaf digital paper is a freebie from Just Peachy – Autumn Leaves.

The sentiment was created with Angel Face font. Enamel dots are simple embellishments.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Just Peachy Autumn Leaves
Digital stamp – Windy Play Di's Digi Stamps
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics square stax
Embellishments – enamel dots
Font – Angel Face BTN

I'm linking up with: Fab 'n' Funky #411 – Autumn Colors, WWC #191 – All About Occasions, Words 2 Craft By #58 – October Eves, Color Throwdown #514 – color chart #CTD514, and Unicorn Challenge #37 – Autumn or Halloween.

It's pumpkin time! Happy Fall/Halloween card

This autumn/Halloween pumpkin themed card features My Besties Pumpkin Pie Giggle Box digital stamp and Leska's Digitals Pumpkin Fall digital paper pack.

This card is for my niece who loves everything pumpkin, as her last year's Pumpkin Lovers Unite card illustrates.

I created the sentiment with Euphoria Script font (so pretty!). Embellishments are a button slider and ribbon.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Leska's Digitals Pumpkin Fall digital paper pack
Digital stamp – My Besties Pumpkin Pie Giggle Box
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics Rectangle Stax
Embellishments – button slider, ribbon
Font – Euphoria Script

I'm linking up with: My Besties International Challenge Blog Oct. – Halloween/ATG, Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog #150 – ATG opt. Embossing, My Besties Dutch Girl Designs – ATG opt. Flowers, Little Red Wagon #465 – Falling Leaves, House of Cards Challenge Oct. – Autumn Flowers and/or color scheme, My Besties Aussie's Challenge Blog #10 – Fall Colors/ATG and Creative with Stamps #31 – Halloween or Leaves.

Carte d'anniversaire masculine célébrant la victoire de la France en Coupe du Monde 2018

This card was for my husband's recent birthday. Let me begin by saying my husband is a huge foot (soccer) fan. So much so travel plans between June 15 and July 15 this summer were forbidden, all because he had to stay home and watch the World Cup in front of  HIS television. Now, unless you were hiding in a box somewhere, you probably saw that we actually won!!! Wow! The whole country went crazy with joy. You gotta understand...foot is really, really, really big in Europe – actually, that's probably true everywhere outside of North America – so winning the World Cup was a major victory celebrated nationwide. This card helps commemorate that win. Notice the two stars? That's not just for design; if your country wins a World Cup you get a star on the breast of your jersey. We had one before (France won in '98) and now we have two! Brazil, who has won the most, has five.

I used the super cute Di's Digi Stamps Kick Off Ted stamp (flipped to face right) before on this Father's Day card for my father-in-law (another foot fan, it runs in the family) round about the time of the 2016 Euro Cup. I loved how that one turned out, so I reused the image and the free Just Peachy digital papers, but changed up the base and added that all important second star. If you're card making for a foot fan it's worth checking out those free papers. There are some for England and the USA, as well as Spain, Germany, Mexico, and Brazil, among many others – just search her site for 'soccer' and all the countries available will be shown.

The base is made with Presscut's Scalloped Semi-circle die. The paper ribbon and rectangle sentiment are also from the freebie paper pack. The circular sentiment I crated with Candy Round BTN font. I dressed up my two die-cut stars with matt red enamel dots.

Supply List

Paper – cardstock, Just Peachy free digital papers

Digital stamp – Di's Digi Stamps Kick Off Ted

Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils

Dies – Die-namics Circle Stax, Presscut Scalloped Semi-circle Card die, Nellie's stars

Embellishments – enamel dots

Font – Candy Round BTN

I'm linking up with: Di's Digi Design Challenge 21/09 – For the Boys, Always Fun Challenges #77 – ATG, Crafting From the Heart #221 – ATG, Pammie's Inky Pinkies Challenges #1838 – ATG, and Craft Rocket Challenge #52 – Boys/Men.

Happy Fall card featuring Found It digital stamp from Di's Digi Stamps

According to the calendar autumn officially starts this Sunday (even if our current summer weather says otherwise). So to start the Fall ball rolling...here's a Happy Fall card. This will be more than just fall, my inside sentiment will also mention Halloween and depending on whom I'm sending it to, may also include Thanksgiving. I prefer images for autumn in general, rather than the 'spooky' ones for Halloween. The featured digital stamp is Found It from Di's Digi Stamps (a bargain at just $1.00). Digital paper is defunct Tactile Studio.

Squirrels are such busy little things this time of year; they're fun to watch and their imagery is perfect for autumn. I say that, they're good for birthday cards, too. Like this Go Nuts birthday step card – one of my all time favorites.

Such a pretty image didn't need much embellishment (plus, I wanted to keep it flat and easy to mail), but a few CANDi dots in opposing corners dress it up a bit. I added the sentiment to the acorn with Smarty Pants BTN font.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, patterned paper
Digital stamp – Found It Di's Digi Stamps
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics rectangle stax
Embellishments – CANDi dots
Font – Smarty Pants BTN

I'm linking up with: Di's Digi Challenge – Happy Fall Y'all, Always Fun Challenge #76 – Fall Colors, Cards in Envy – Feels Like Fall, Crafty Cardmakers #218 – Autumn Colours, and Make My Monday #80 – Autumn/Fall Colours.

Christmas card featuring QKR Stampede Santa in Chimney digital stamp

Poor Santa, you just can not go around eating milk and cookies all the time with impunity. As this QKR Stampede Santa in Chimney stamp shows, sliding down that chimney is getting harder and harder for him to do. Which is why he's saying, 'That's it! No more milk and cookies after the new year.'

This is my second stuck-in-the-chimney Santa card this year. You can see my French version here.

The Christmas paper is more of my recent discount haul mentioned on my Beary Happy Summer post. I bought two graphic packs with bright colors and then this Christmas one. I created the sentiment with a speech bubble and Mister Sirloin BTN Rare font. Embellishments are glued felt brads with the tines cut off.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, patterned paper
Digital stamp – QKR Stampede Santa in Chimney
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics square stax
Embellishments – felt brads with tines removed
Font – Mister Sirloin BTN Rare

I'm linking up with: QKR Stampede Challenge #312 – ATG, CHNC #402 – ATG Christmas, Winter Wonderland 31/08 – Christmas Joy, Happy Little Stampers – September Christmas Challenge, Merry Little Christmas Challenge – ATG Christmas, The 12 Months of Christmas #45 – ATG Christmas, and The Merry Christmas Challenge 15/08 – 14/09 – ATG Christmas.

Dragonfly freebie birthday card

This dragonfly birthday card for my aunt features two freebies from Simply Cards and Papercraft magazine issue 171 – the dragon fly digital stamp and sentiment (one of several provided). Click on the link to download.

Paper is more of my recent Aldi score, as mentioned in my Popsicle Congrats card post.

A felt flower serves as simple embellishment.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock,  Max Bringmann KG Charming MotivKarton pad
Digital stamp and sentiment – Simply Cards and Papercraft freebies
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics square stax
Embellishment – felt flower

I'm linking up with: Seize the Birthday 30/08 – ATG Birthday/opt. Rainbow toppings, Crafting by Designs September – ATG, The Paper Shelter #352 – Make it Bloom, The Crafty Addicts #52 – ATG/opt. Back to School, and WWC 186 – ATG Feminine.

Christmas cards using Nitwit Collections All is Calm free digikit from Simply Cards & Papercraft #181

Today's post features four cards I created for September's Simply Cards & Papercraft issue #181 (available for purchase on newsstands now) using Nitwit Collections All is Calm free digikit. Click HERE to download. Except for the basic cardstock used, all papers and images are from the kit. The kit's large variety of images and papers will give you endless options for quick, easily mailed Christmas cards.

For this circular Christmas Bells card, I digitally manipulated and layered elements from the kit, using my digital image processing application's shadow tool to give the images depth. The sentiment was mounted on 3D foam tape to make it stand out.

Ribbons and pearls top off  this Joy at Christmas card.

3D foam tape highlights the circular sentiment and snowflake button on this Peace on Earth card. Doesn't the tag look like it's separate from the background paper? Using the shadow tool with your digital images gives the impression of layers without the bulk.

I digitally manipulated several individual images in the kit to create this Merry Christmas card, adjusting sizes, layering and adding shadows. The church, trees, snow banks, street lamps, sentiment, background paper and buttons are all separate items on a single layer. The buttons really prove how realistic the shadow tool can make your images look. At first glance you'd swear those were real buttons, wouldn't you?

In addition to the free downloadable digikit, issue #181 is packed with freebie goodness! There is an awesome paper pack (can't wait to get creating with that one), traditional stamp kit and cute as a button pickup cutting die!!! There's a video (HERE) showing the freebies. Simply Cards & Papercraft is easily found on newsstands across the UK and at  Barnes and Noble, Jo-Ann’s, Michael's, Books-a-Million and AC Moore stores in the US. In Canada you can find it at Indigo Chapters.

I'm linking up with: Little Red Wagon #461 – Old or New Trends (it would be 'new' with this one), Watercooler Wednesday Challenge #185 – ATG, Jingle Belles 24/08 – Shape-up for the Holidays, Winter Wonderland 31/08 – Christmas Joy, and The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #35 – ATG.

Happy Summer card featuring Sliekje Digi Stamps wading pool mice freebie

Summer's winding down. The kiddies are back in school or shortly will be (next Monday the 3rd of September for France), but technically it's still summer, so in that vein here's the last of my Happy Summer cards this year. This one features another Sliekje Digi Stamps freebie – wading pool mice (click on the link there to download). Look's like they're having a grand 'ole time, eh?

The paper is more from the discount store pads I used on my other summer cards – Sunning Mouse, Parasol Cat and Sunning Bear cards.

Embellishments are flat, light and easy to mail – a wooden flower and enamel dot. The sentiment was created with Mister Sirloin BTN Rare font.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, patterned paper
Digital stamp – Sliekje's Digi Stamps freebie
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics square stax
Font – Mister Sirloin BTN Rare

I'm linking up with: Crafty Friends #91 – Animals/Birds, The Corrosive Challenge #8 – ATG, Scrapbook Stamp Society #148 – ATG, PIP #1834 – ATG, and Cute N Crafty #8 – ATG.

Female Graffiti Artist birthday card

Oddball Art's Big Eye Girl Aya Tags the Wall digital stamp is the focal point to this graffiti themed birthday card.

I have mixed feelings about graffiti. I know it's illegal. One doesn't have the right to deface private property and I sure wouldn't like it if someone came and painted graffiti all over my apartment building's walls (although they did tag one of our outbuildings). And yet...I do admit to a certain reluctant admiration for an exceptional display of creativity and execution, some examples of which I documented in this Paris street art blog post.

But back to the card...this is one of the rare cards where the paper (more of my recent Aldi haul) inspired the stamp, and not the other way around. I almost didn't buy this Graffiti pack  as I wasn't sure how I'd use it, but its bright colors and urban edge won me over. A search for just the right digi ensued, result being this perfect Oddball Art image. The sentiment I created with Teen Scene Graffiti font. Matt enamel dots serve as simple embellishment.

Supply List
Paper – cardstock, Max Bringmann KG (also sold as Folia) Graffiti MotivKarton pad
Digital stamp – Oddball Art Big Eye Girl Aya Tags the Wall
Color – Caran d'Ache Luminance 6901 pencils
Dies – Die-namics rectangle stax
Embellishments – matt enamel dots
Font – Teen Scene Graffiti

I'm linking up with: Oddball Art Challenge August – ATG/optional 'Lost Souls of Innocent Dolls', TTCRD 21 August – ATG, Creative Moments #151 – ATG, Crafty Creations #373 – ATG, and Addicted to Stamps #306 – ATG.