Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Day 7 - Hello From The Desert!



So... here we are ... Day 7!  I'm finally getting a chance to use my Newton's Nook stamps, Newton Loves Coffee.  I have to admit I'm a bit intimidated when it comes to coloring... sometimes I do ok and sometimes not so much.  I don't know what my problem is... but I'm pretty happy with how these turned out! 
 
So let's talk about the background... I used watercolor paper and just splashed all the blues all over the place.  It's funny 'cause mom asks me, "How do I make a watercolor background?" and my oh so technical instructions are to just "smoosh the paint all over until you're kinda happy with it and then wait for it to dry and you'll love it"... so yeah... pretty much my style... I mean I'm no Monet or anything, but I think "smooshing" is a real artist/painter term.  And if it's not.. it is now!  So, I smooshed it and then I "splooshed" and "splattered" a bit more for good measure.  After the ages it took to dry, I stamped a few "splotches" and "splashes" onto the paint using the CTMH stamp Ink Blot.  Then I used Charming Cascades and some versamark to stamp the stars and emboss them.  First I did it and used just glitter embossing powder and then I did it again using the snowy glitter.  I think that's it... yeah... sounds about right.
 
Then I cut out a couple stitched hills with a die I got from 'Lil Inker and stamped my little Lawn Fawn Saguaro in the same dark blue.. 'cause it's nighttime.. right?
 
 
I cut my circle and added just a light watercolor to it to kind of ground. the center.  I stamped and die cut the adorable pots and cactuses (sneak peak alert-you'll be seeing more of this set in January) and Newton and took to my coloring.  I layered with different thicknesses of popup tape and then finished it all off with some great mesh glitter ribbon from Funkie Junkie, a piece of silver ribbon that came on something I bought recently, one of the cool punched snowflakes that came with my Funkie Junkie order (edged in the blue and then colored with my silver Wink of Stella), some sequins,  and the great sentiment (from My Favorite Things Hug In A Mug) banner.
 
 
Whew!  Now .. get your butt on over to the Coffee Lovers Blog Hop and Choux Choux Paper Arts and Check out the challenges I've been playing along with all week.    As you're reading this I just might be trying to hurry up and make a Friday project before I go to work!
 

http://www.chouxchouxpaperart.com/2015/12/christmaswinter-challenge-2.html

http://coffeelovingcardmakers.com/2015/12/2015-winterholiday-coffee-lovers-blog-hop/

21 comments:

Unknown said...

Beautiful card! Love the composition and the background!

Sylvia said...

Oh Lisa, you have captured Arizona at Christmas! Love everything about your card, but the cat is the cutest! TFS and Happy Holidays...my son is coming to Texas for Christmas from Tucson!

~amy~ said...

LOVE all the work that you put into this sweet card! The background is wow and love how you colored Newton!

Jennifer Scull said...

such a sweet kitty sipping his cup of coffee next to the cactus! what a cute card!

thanks so much for stopping by my blog and leaving such a nice comment, too. :)

Suzanne Reynolds said...

Lisa this is just so beautiful...thank you for sharing your instructions, I guess I really need to practice on my smooshing, splooshing, and splattering, and don't stop there but go on to splotches and splashes...and then I can have a great background too. And love that stamp set, my next purchase for sure...have to have that or borrow yours.

Dr Sonia S V said...

A snowy sky in the desert is what I think of seeing your super adorable creation Lisa!!
Cheers
Dr Sonia

Helen F. said...

AWESOME card design

Hetty said...

Adorable image and a stunning background. Love your happy colors.

Teresa Godines #6857 said...

Love the scene you created. TFS

Ann said...

Adorable card, I love your background and cute little stars you added. Thank you for all the kind comments you have left on my cards this week.

D.Ann C said...

I love the dark background and colored circle and, of course, Newton in the desert!

Manila Rose said...

Love the sky background and the cute kitty! :)

KT Fit Kitty said...

Oh, Lisa, Newton looks adorable! Your colouring is amazing! I hope Newton doesn't get too close to those cacti or ouch! Your smooshed background is so pretty and I like the snow in the dessert theme - very cool!

Mitralee said...

Smooshed is for sure a technical term right there! Adorable card! Coloring gives me the chills, but I do manage at times to power through it!

Happy Dance said...

As always, a fun post to read! You've created a perfectly smooshed, splotched and splattered southwestern night sky. It really does look like the Valley of the Sun! Sweet card, and I love that little Newton image. Really fun card! Bev

Shelly said...

Oh, so fun and awesome!!

Mandy LaCroix said...

Such a cool non-traditional take on the holiday cards! Great job! :)

Sheryl said...

Love that Newton's set! So wonderful the setting is the desert.

Sheryl said...

Love that Newton's set! So wonderful the setting is the desert.

Lori said...

Fun desert scene with a cute kitty - cool card! So glad you linked up at ChouxChoux Paper Art!

Becca Yahrling said...

Gorgeous card - love that ribbon. Don't you love when you can repurpose something?