Top 10 of 2021

 One of my favourite posts of the year!  It allows me to look at everything that I've posted this year, and to pick 10 favourites.  Some years it's easy, and some not.  I could've had a top 20 this year, for sure.  There were a whole bunch of slimlines as favourites this year, and two companies that I've enjoyed trying out their products: Pinkfresh Studio, and Pigment Craft Co.  And of course there are a few Art Impressions favourites.  In no particular order:

I lied... It's a top 11 of 2021... I really loved these thank you cards that I made for an engagement gift:

Thank you for your comments and support!  Here's looking forward to a crafty 2022.

Alpaca My Scarf

 This sentiment still cracks me up every time I see it!  I've had my alpacas coloured up for awhile, and finally got around to making them up into a few more cards for my coworkers.  I had a couple of similar background papers and tweaked the design a little, but managed to get 10 more cards made.  Stamp sets are Over the Mountain Borders and Winter Alpaca by Lawn Fawn.

Happy Holidays!

Santa's Sleigh

It's my last post of the year for Art Impressions!  We'll be back in early 2022, with plenty more Watercolour inspiration.  This is my project that will be on the Ai blog this Saturday for the Watercolour Weekend.  I created a small holiday scene today, using the sleigh from the recently released 5467 - Snowmen Set:

I coloured the sleigh in my Tombow Dual Brush markers #969/565, and stamped it onto my Bristol Smooth cardstock.  I did the same with my elf from 5125 - WC Elves Set, positioning him above the sleigh, and slightly forward - and then sketched in the toy bag and presents around him with a pencil.  I wanted the bag to be bulging over the sides, and also needed a bit of a shelf for him to perch on, so I kept that in mind when I drew the curves.  For the elf's skin tone, I painted in #850, and #947 for his hair, then for all the greens in my scene, I used #177, the reds are #847, and the yellows are #993 - adding several layers of each to achieve the darker shades.  For the toy sack, I mixed #249 and #565 on my palette to create the teal/blue shade, again adding layers to achieve the darker colours.  For the sleigh, I mainly pulled out the colour from the stamped lines, and added a few tones of #177 and #565 for contrast and shadows.  I lightly painted in a sky and snow shadows with #565.

Since they were drawn in pencil, the presents needed more definition, so I used my Navy Twintone Marker to trace the shape of each package, and redefined any other lines in my scene that needed it.  This is it for 2021 for me on the Art Impressions blog, so I wanted to thank all of you for viewing our projects, and leaving likes & comments on social media.  Happy Holidays, and we'll see you soon in 2022!

Gingerbread Cubbies

 I made a special Christmas card for my two great nephews - a little more fun & sparkly than is the norm for me!  But I think they'll like it.  This is the 5180 - Gingerbread Cubbies set from Art Impressions:

There are a LOT of little pieces to this one, but it stamps and cuts out quite easily with the matching dies.  I coloured everything with my Copic markers, made my own snowflake sky and cut a sparkly hillside out.  Before assembling, all of the little men were glued in place, and the whole thing was adhered to the base with some 1mm 3D foam adhesive.

There are all kinds of sweet Cubbies sets available on the Art Impressions website here.

Snow Much Fun

 Cuteness overload, today!  I am using the sweet Snow Much Fun set from Lawn Fawn - that features these little bears making snow angels.  I couldn't resist.  And not only are they adorable, when you pull up on the little tab, his arms go up and down just like he's making the angel.  

Here's the starting position...

And when you pull up the tab, his arms go down.  So when you pull the tab up and down, his arms do the same :o)

I got three of them assembled this afternoon, and have a handful more coloured up, ready to go.  Stay tuned, there'll be more!

Art Impressions Christmas Tags

 I love making a few special gift tags to attach to holiday parcels every year.  I made a trio of greenery themed tags, but will just focus on the urn one today for my tutorial, but scroll down to see all of the tags.  These will be on the Art Impressions blog this Saturday for the Watercolour Weekend post:

I cut out the 5132 - Tag Stitched Die from my Bristol Smooth cardstock, and cut another one out of coordinating patterned paper to layer behind it.  I coloured up the urn from 4870 - WC Ornate Container Set in #969/565, stamped it and pulled out the colour from the lines, concentrating it where the shadows would be.  Then, using the new 5472 - WC Christmas Wreath Set, I began to build my image from the bottom up.  I coloured and stamped the two cedar fronds in #158 several times across the top of the urn, then stamped the two pinecone images several times in #969, masking some of them to create a cluster.  I filled in around them with the two pine branches in #249, and added two of the 4964 - WC Branches stamps in #969, and one in #837.  I filled in the middle with the berry image stamped in #856, and then using my Twintone Chocolate marker, I drew in the branches of the berries by hand.  To soften the stark white background, I blended some pale green Distress Oxide ink around the urn, then added a matching bow & twine to finish it off.  These are keepsake tags that can be reused for many years to come.

This is my whimsical tag!  Using the branches from 4960 - WC Fir Trees Set, and some gold thread.

My retro tag!  Using 4870 Container Set and the two pine images from 5472 - WC Wreath Set in a fun pink!  And a little bling as ornaments.

Happy Birthday, Alex!

 My wonderful little great nephew is one today!  I *may* have ordered this stamp set especially with him in mind...  I made his card using the cute Barnyard Animal Cubbies stamp and die set from Art Impressions:

This is so easy to die cut and stamp - especially doing multiples with my Misti, then everything was coloured up with Copic markers and adhered to the base with some 3D adhesive.  You can colour up as many animals as you like, and decide where they go.  So cute!

Happy Birthday, Alex!

Exclusive Art Impressions Christmas Train!

 You're going to want to hurry on over to the Simon Says Stamp website to get the limited edition Christmas Train stamp and die set by Art Impressions.  This was SO fun to colour!

Using my Misti, I die cut, then stamped each of the images, and coloured them up with my Copic markers.  I loved the pretty sky made by Lynn Dionne a few weeks ago on the Ai blog, so I did my ink blended version using Distress Oxide inks, then spattered it with white paint to look like a starry sky.  

I arranged all the little pieces where I wanted them and glued them down, then attached it over my stitched hillside with some 3D foam adhesive.  A little festive sentiment went in the top corner.  These usually sell out pretty quickly, so go check it out now on the SSS website!

New Nautical Art Impressions

 It's our last week of new releases of Art Impressions Watercolour stamps.  I have three of the new sets incorporated into my project today.

I stamped the largest image from 5465 - WC Cliffs Set on my Canson XL Watercolor Paper using #969/565 Tombow Dual Brush Markers, then did the same with my image from 5466 - WC Lighthouse Set.  Using the leaves from 5372 - WC Mini Foliage, I added some trees in #177/249, and added a wash of green to the grass area.  With #493, I painted in the line of the water, and a wash of it beside the cliffs, and then dabbed some onto the sky to define where my clouds would be.  I used #N55 and #565 to create my stormy sky, and also painted them into the crevices of the cliff.  To warm up the cliffs and rocks, I added #992 and #969.  I used the grey and blue to paint in shadows on the lighthouse and cottage, and to darken the windows, and then painted in #856 mixed with a little #969 to make a duller red for the roofs and chimneys.

I added #528 and #565 to the water to give it some deeper tones, and then with my #N55, I added the seagulls from 5473 - WC Seagull Set to the sky.  This makes a great masculine card!

2021 Coffee Lover's Fall/Winter Blog Hop

 Happy to be playing along with the 2021 Coffee Lover's Fall/Winter Blog Hop!  I haven't missed one yet.  I'm even happier to be using some Simon Says Stamp exclusive products designed by the amazing Miriam Pranter.  I've been saving them for a few weeks, now!  Here is a 5 3/4" square card using Drink Coffee sentiment set and the Coffee Drinks background cling set:

If you look closely at my background - the stamp is the negative around all kinds of coffee drinks (Mocha, Espresso, Frappuccino etc.).  I played around with four Distress inks, before spritzing with water and stamping onto my watercolour paper.  Not my usual thing, and I love it :o)

Of course, it wouldn't be a Coffee Lover's hop if I didn't add a little something Verve to my card, so I've used some of Julee's cute to-go cups coloured in Copic markers.

New Ai Foundations Stamps

 If you're a fan of the new Foundation line of Watercolour stamps from Art Impressions, you'll be excited to know that there are 3 new sets releasing on the Ai blog today!

I'm excited to share a slimline card using the new 5469 - WC Foundations Watering Cans:

With a large image like this one, I like to use my Misti, to ensure that I get a complete impression of my image.  I die cut my Canson XL Watercolour paper, lined up the image in my Misti (leaving enough room for the sentiment at the bottom), then coloured the entire stamp in Tombow Dual Brush Marker #969 Chocolate, and #565 Deep Blue, and stamped it.  After pulling out the colour from the stamped images, I picked my colour palette of #757 Port Red, #528 Navy, and #565 to paint in the watering cans, adding layers of colour where they would be darkest at the edges, and leaving highlights in their middles.  I used the same three colours along with #761 Carnation to stamp my flowers, then used #177 Dark Jade and #126 Light Olive to add in some foliage.  The stamp sets are numerous - so you can see them listed below.  I added a few small branches in #969, and painted in the post in a combo of #992 Sand and #969.  I added some grass in #177, and painted in a watery shade of #528 to suggest a sky.

The sentiment from the Exclusive Hydrangea Set was gold embossed on vellum, and adhered across the bottom, after I had matted the image in coordinating cardstock.  Be sure to check out the Ai blog on Saturday, to see what Dot and Tricia have to share, too!