I missed the party!

German Phrase of the Day: Heute kommt der Nikolaus. = Santa Claus is coming today. In Germany, Santa comes on St. Nikolaus Day, which is December 6th. Children polish their shoes, and leave one outside the door (along with goodies for Santa and the reindeer) and in the morning if they have been good they get special treats. If they have NOT been good, they get a stick. Julia got to take a sock to Kindergarten and it was filled with treats when she arrived this morning. She is quite fortunate, because since she's an American in Germany, Santa will come twice!!!

I missed the fun party for the new My Favorite Things stamps last night. I just couldn't drag myself out of bed at 3 in the morning. Heck...I could barely drag myself out of bed at 8:15 this morning!! Something about this cold, grey weather makes it really hard to get the energy going! However, even though I missed out on all the fun, I certainly won't miss out on the stamps! Have you seen them yet??? I LOVE the new Icing on the Cake set. It's wonderful!! And Rain or Shine? I love the little dog, and the boots, and the raindrops...and...and! Of course, I already have Baby it's Cold Outside on it's way to me soon since I joined Paper Pretties. LOVE that one!!

Kim is having a contest to be the My Favorite Guest Designer along with this launch. The contest, as announced on SCS, was to create a card from an ATC - both of which had to be new. For this card, I started then with the beach lady. I stamped her with palette noir ink on watercolor paper, then colored her in with my aquapainter and watercolor wonder crayons. The next step was to cut her out. Let me tell you, that was NOT easy. I think I spent about 30 minutes JUST on that one task. I mostly used my paper snips because I'm more comfortable with them, but for some of the interior bits I had to use my hobby blade. Overall, I think I did a darn good job if I do say so myself.

Next, I cut a piece of kraft cs to 2.25 by 3.25. I then had a small strip of tempting turquoise for the top (to be the sky- onto which I stamped the birds in black) and a wider strip of Cool Caribbean for the water. I tore the bottom of the water and quickly rubbed the torn edge across the white craft ink then applied some 2-way glue to add some dazzling diamonds (easier to see in the closeup I think.) Next, I stamped the waves with the white craft, and then adhered this piece right under the sky. Lastly, I added our lovely lady along with her dog and her hat using dimensionals. I then layered this piece on some Apricot Appeal, and then on Not Quite Navy to make the full sized ATC.

For the card base I started with a Not Quite Navy card, then layered on some Tempting Turquoise. I added a strip of kraft cardstock which had been stamped with the seashells from this wonderful By The Sea stamp set. I tied on the ribbon around the card where the 2 layers met (I used some May Arts polka dot organdy, along with some SU! apricot grosgrain and silver cord.) Next, I stamped the sentiment on a punched, sponged circle of Apricot Appeal cs using Not Quite Navy ink, which I layered on a scallop punched and sponged piece of Cool Caribbean cs, and attached that with a dimensional. With clear acrylic stamps, it is so much easier to line up your greetings when you want to use it in a different configuration then it's made. I love that! (I probably should have had the greeting be Wishing You Sunshine, since I have none here to send!! I guess this should be a card Kim could send to me :-) ) Then, the last step was to attach the ATC with a few more dimensionals.

A time intensive, but very satisfying card!

Supplies: (all supplies are SU! unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: By the Seashore
CS: watercolor paper, Kraft, Tempting Turquoise, Not Quite Navy, Cool Caribbean, Apricot Appeal
Ink: Palette Noir, Cool Caribbean, Apricot Appeal, White craft, creamy caramel
Acc: circle and scallop punches, hobby blade and mat, silver cord, apricot grosgrain, sponge, 2-way glue, dazzling diamonds glitter, May Arts ribbon

TFL!
-Jana