The Collected Crafty Collabs hop group is at it again, using those supplies we’ve squirrel away and forgotten about!!! The prompt this month is Christmas cards, which is easy enough… but using any texture paste, glitter paste, dimensional glaze, or mousse. Once the mojo started flowing, I had all sorts of ideas for some of those fun pastes! Check it out!
For my first project today, we’re going elegant!
This background is made with Nuvo Cosmic Brown (an almost Bronze) embellishment mousse and the Woodgrain Rings stencil from Gina Marie Designs, sadly this appears to be either discontinued or out of stock. After the mousse dried I add some inking around the edges with Distress Ink in Walnut Stain. I die cut the MFT Believe dienamics from red mirror cardstock and matted it on the same. I agonized over the sequin placement for longer than I care to admit and settled for this arrangement. Here is a close up of that gorgeous mousse and mirror cardstock:
Next up, I used the Poinsettia stencil, also from Gina Marie Designs, masking off areas of the stencil so I could ink blend it with different colors.
Yeah, I’m crazy like that. Then for the extra challenge, I added Nuvo Moonstone Glimmer Paste over the whole thing for some sparkly goodness! I die cut a label shape from thick vellum cardstock from Stamp On It. I used a die set from Sizzix to cut the sentiment from a white scrap, which I ink blended to match the flower centers on the panel, then gave the words a coating of the same glitter paste. I didn’t have any glitter dots or glues to match, so I die cut circles, inked them to match, and added more glitter paste! Check out how glittery this card is!!!
And for my third and final card (I have mentioned before that I’m an overachiever!!!), I had to sneak in a squirrel as our hop mascot!
The background was ink blended with Distress Oxides in 3 shade of turquoise and then Ranger Opaque Texture Paste was applied through a Simon Says Stamp stencil called Falling Snow. The images are all from a Lawn Fawn and Simon Says Stamp Stamptember set called Nutty or Nice from a couple years ago, that I’m using for the first time! I watercolored the images with my trusty Tombow markers and die cut them with the coordinating dies, which I was so thankful I bought this time. The stitched hill die is from Creek Bank Creations and I cut it with white shimmer cardstock. All the images were popped up with foam tape and the sentiment white says “Nutty or Nice?” was stamped inside rather than the front. Take a look at the shimmer and dimension:
I have an abundance of these products that I *just had to have* and most have sat unused in my drawer of pastes. Yes, a whole drawer….
Ridiculous, right? *No one* needs *this* many pastes. And while these products lend themselves well to the shimmer and sparkle of holidays like Christmas and New Year’s, I really need to find ways to use them the rest of the year as I tend to not want to do messy crafts when I’m trying to bust out holiday cards. When things settle down in January (please tell me things will be better in 2021!), I want to take a month and really explore the ways I can incorporate these products more often! If anyone wants in on that challenge, hit me up and we’ll make it a group event! An “Anything but Christmas Paste Challenge” LOL
OK, I’m the official starting point today so I will provide you with the whole schedule so you can see how many fun ways the group interpreted the theme this month. Remember, they could use the theme, or the supply, or BOTH! And if you like what you see along the way, be sure to leave them a comment and make their day and make them feel appreciated for busting out a project during a holiday week here in the states. To my fellow Americans, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and I hope you get to spend it in the company of those you love!!! Thanks for dropping by today!
HOP SCHEDULE:
- Karen Page – YOU ARE HERE
- Boryana Yankova
- Virginia Fairchild
- Tracy Schultz
- Sharon Luska
- Natasha Davies
- Valerie Powell
- Marie Bingaman
- Teresa Russell
- Lounon Riviere
- Anna Mahtani
- Yvette Olea
- Donna Perisic
- Danielle Brown
Misplaced Mojo 
Oh my!! You outdid yourself again my sweet squirrel sister!! I love them all! 😍
LikeLike
You know I couldn’t get this far into the hop and NOT make a squirrel card this month! Thank you so much for being a sounding board on these too… I truly appreciate your eye for design and advice! Love ya, Anna! 😘
LikeLike
All of your cards are great! But I LOVE the first one! It’s elegant and a beautiful color combination! I think you made the right choice with the sequins, it’s just enough and enhances the card. Nice! 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you so much sweetie! That one was not my normal style, but I love how it turned out and it sparked so many other ideas for other elegant cards! We’ll see if I can get them done in time for Christmas. LOL!
LikeLike
So gorgeous cards as always, Karen!! I love how elegant the first two are! That red mirror cardstock looks amazing with the bronze mousse (red is my least favorite color…well except on Christmas projects, but I love this one so much). The last card is the cutest ever! Love these squirrels having fun 🙂 I am ready to skip December and Christmas just so 2021 comes faster and hopefully it’s a better one for everyone 😀
LikeLike
I’d be willing to skip Christmas too if it meant the new year would be normal!!! Hmmm, if we skip December, then *technically* I don’t turn 50 and can stay 49 forever! I like your plan Bory! Let’s make it happen!!! LOL😂 And that you for the sweet comment on the cards. Anna was instrumental in how that wood card turned out, and I’m not sure I could have made something so elegant without her suggestions 💗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, I think this time I am definitely the squirrel in the blue scarf underneath the tree, based on the size of her belly. LOL As usual, my amazing Squirrel Sister, you have outdone yourself making 3 cards for our hop! I love how you used 3 different pastes and came up with 3 completely different card styles. Those first 2 are so pretty, and with the third one, you had me at Lawn Fawn. LOL SUPER JOB, my friend! 🙂
LikeLike
I was thinking that one was me!!! Short and pregnant looking! LOL!!! I think V is the one out on the limb, daring to take chances! If I knew I was going to use all 4 squirrels when I first started, I would have colored her scarf cobalt blue 😁 The 3 squirrels on the ground were colored to match the ornaments, not based on anyone’s fav colors. But that has me thinking now…. 😉
LikeLike
All of your cards are gorgeous but my favorite is the one with the wood circle stencil. It looks so real! Thank you for all that you do to keep the hop on track and all your hard work.
LikeLike
Thanks Tracy! That card is not my usual style but I loved how it turned out and want to try something similar soon, if I can get my hands to be cooperative on a day I have time to play!!!
LikeLike
I love the three ! They are beautiful and the last one is so cute ! I love how you used your pastes ! And I definitely want your drawer ! I don’t have enough pastes :p
LikeLike
Well don’t invest in Brea Reese pastes! I haven’t been pleased with the finish on the ones I’ve tried. Can’t go wrong with Bo Bunny but they are harder to find, here anyway. I was disappointed not to have time to use the Vicky Boutin glaze I have, and I want to try the glaze from Brutus Monroe… but not until I make room in the drawer!!! Thanks for the kind words, Lounon!
LikeLike
Lovely cards Karen! I love that one with the brown tree rings!
LikeLike
Thanks, Teresa! That card couldn’t have happened with a little help from Anna! Glad you liked it!!!
LikeLike
Wow!!!! Absolutely love all of these!!!! And even if I know I wouldn’t use all those products I can’t help but be incredibly drawn to that gorgeous rainbow drawer of shimmery goodness!!! 😍😍😍
All three cards are stunning as usual Karen! You rock it every single month!!!! 👏😍
LikeLike
Thank you so much Tasha! I really should get in a habit of trying one color before buying the full set as I have found some that I don’t care for as much as others. Maybe one day I will learn!
LikeLike
Karen, as always your projects are amazing. I am always in awe of your crafting style! I may or may not have a drawer with that many pastes, gels, mousses, etc. I would love to take part in a challenge to use up some of my collected products.
LikeLike
I *totally* need an excuse to bust out these pastes more often! If I thought I could pull it off, we could do a weekly Texture Tuesday, but I’m fairly certain I couldn’t keep up with the schedule!!! I’m going to be sad that our hop group is coming to a close, but we’re working on an idea for what to replace it with in 2021. 😉
LikeLike