Oh crap! it's Christmas - again!

 Today I was inspired by several challenges that collided nicely. Enter die cuts, critters,  Christmas, coloring pencils and 'juvenile'...

I started by stamping a crocodile and then coloring it in, Christmas-like. It is an old stamp, but new to me, this was its first outing so to speak.

I then die cut a garland and some Christmas baubles and a snowflake.

I couldn't resist an irreverend speech bubble: Oh crap! It's Christmas - again!

Entering it in:

Critter Crazy Challenges: #68 AG with a critter

Crafty Animals: #67 AG with a critter 

SoSS: 222 J is for Juvenile 

Crafters' Challenge: #291 Dies or punches 

HLS: November AG with dies 

Daisy Chain Challenges: #69 Christmas is coming

Kleuren met potlooden: November alles mag (AG) 

Mix It Up: #62 AG+optional open technique  I like water color pencils, they give such a great coverage.

And since e verything I used today was new to me and used the very first time, I need to link this with NBUS again.

 

Leaping off the page

 I have forever been wondering what animals are referred to by the word 'critter'. Small animals? Small and cute?Do bigger ones, say a horse, qualify? I had to look it up in Merriam-Webster (online version) and to my surprise - as my bet eas on small and cute - the word 'critter' encompasses all animals. It's just another word for animals.

Well then, nothing could stand in way of this mighty buck, a stamp that I bought some time ago but have never used. I had wanted to make a card with an opening, but not the normal kind where you see through. The idea of a deer buck jumping up and colliding with the top layer as if trying to jump off of the card really applied to me.

The background was first colored in with distress ink, then stamped and heat embossed with bronze. I took a craft paper with newspaper print as my top layer. I then took a blunt instrument and struck it through the back of that paper, peeling off the paper around the opening. I created some depth in the folds and put my critter in place. 

Entering in:

Mix it Up Challenge: #51 Anything goes + Aperture

Lost Coast Stampers: #126 Critters

We Love 2 Create: #7 Anything mixed media

B is for butterfly

 I was inspired to stamp on different types of paper. They give the image some interest and texture.

I used several papers and stamps by Dina Wakeley (the girl). Stampers anonymous (butterfly) and tulip by Tin Can Mail. That one is ancient, but I love it to bits. Part of the background is a dictionary page that was used in gelli plate printing, but I also used 'store-bought' papers there to get a nice flow.

entering in:

Allsorts challenge: Use design paper 

Sweet stamping: Something beginning with a B mine is Butterfly 

MixitUp challenge: Anything goes with optional stamping