Candy Cane Fairy Christmas Card

Hooray! I actually finished a Christmas card in July! Let's not talk about how many more I need to complete by December, hmm? I'll just be happy with this one small victory.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Candycane Fairy" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card is slimline, measuring 4" x 8". I colored this festive fairy with Copics and used my Scan N' Cut to cut her out.

I decided she would really pop against a black background, so I used one of the stencils in the Card-Sized Confetti Stencil Set (My Favorite Things) with Silver Gina K Glitter Glitz Gel. I added a red cardstock mat for the bottom layer. I stamped the sentiment from the Holiday Helpers stamp set (SSS & Neat & Tangled), and I popped up both the fairy and the sentiment with foam dots.

Finally, I added a few Peridot Swarovski crystals. I mean, yes, there's already glitter... but it's Christmas... and more sparkle = better!

List of all stamps/stencils used on this card:

• Candycane Fairy digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Card-Sized Confetti Stencil Set (My Favorite Things)
• Holiday Helpers clear stamp set (Simon Says Stamp & Neat & Tangled Stamptember exclusive, retired)

I hope you have a very merry day!

Sweet Candy Girl

I've always had a sweet tooth, so when I saw this beautiful image, I knew I needed to color her! I bet you can't guess my favorite color, too. 🤣

The main image is a digital stamp called "Candy" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card measures 5" x 7". I colored this candy-loving lady with Copics and fussy cut her. I decided to keep everything fairly simple, with black and white mats and a stamped sentiment, so the blue would be luminous. I popped up the girl with foam dots for dimension and added a few Aquamarine Swarovski crystals for sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Candy digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Sugar-Coated Sentiments clear stamp set (My Favorite Things)

I hope you have a sweet day!

Mermaid Smile

Have you ever committed to a color scheme, then immediately regretted it once you started coloring? That definitely happened to me here. I spent several hours coloring her tail and hair, then I thought, "What if I made her skin look more fish-like, rather than like a human with a tail?" I started coloring her skin yellow, based on the tail colors... and instantly regretted it.

I'd spent so much time on the rest of her, so I kept coloring and blending, and it didn't turn out too badly in the end. Once I added a dark, seafloor background, I liked it a lot more. Sometimes, it's really hard to tell how the final result will look until you complete everything.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Mermaid Smile" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card measures 5" x 7". I colored this cute mermaid with Copics, fussy cut her, and mounted her on foam dots. I finally found a printed paper (Finding Nemo by Disney) that would mute some of her "yellow-ness," so I used that as the background. I printed and mounted the sentiment on foam dots, and I added a few glass drops for sparkle.

In the end, I learned two lessons: (1) If you're going to experiment, color that section FIRST so you can determine if you like it, and (2) If you're initially unhappy about a color choice, keep going, as it's hard to tell how something will turn out until it's complete. After all, you can't learn anything unless you try new things!

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Mermaid Smile digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Smile You're Beautiful digi stamp sentiment (Make It Crafty, RETIRED)

I hope something makes you smile today!

Color Me Wonderful

When I saw this image, I wondered what it would look like if someone colored her hair with Copic markers. Perhaps it would look something like this!

The main image is a digital stamp called "Color Me Wonderful" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card measures 6" x 6". I colored this gorgeous girl and her lovely, luscious locks with Copics. I decided to keep everything fairly simple, since her hair was already so complex, and just added a blue mat and stamped sentiment. I popped up the sentiment with foam dots and added a few Aquamarine Swarovski crystals for sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Color Me Wonderful digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Dream In rubber cling stamp (Impression Obsession)

I hope you have a colorful day!

Unconventional Summer Graduation Card

I needed a quick high school graduation card for my cousin, so I whipped this card up. I wasn't in the mood for another traditional graduation card (tassels, diploma, etc.), so I chose a fun, summer image and made a more unconventional card.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Lake Tubing" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card measures 6" x 6". I colored the girl with Copics and attempted to make her look like my cousin, then I fussy cut her. I was satisfied with the coloring until I got to the glasses, and then I made mistake after mistake. I tried to "fix" it with white gel pen. Unfortunately, white gel pen is permanent, so there's no way to fix it beyond that. As a last effort, I added Ranger Glossy Accents over the lenses, so at least it softened the color and added a cool texture.

When I photographed the card from above, it added a weird reflection on the glasses, due to the Glossy Accents. Here's a different angle:

I created the sparkly water background using a stencil ("Perfect Pool Water" by My Favorite Things) and Gina K "Brilliant Blue" Glitz Glitter Gel. The Glitz Glitter Gel is SO SPARKLY, and it adds a wow factor to your project in just a few seconds.

I added a stamped sentiment (from "Friends with Fins" by My Favorite Things), and I popped up the girl and sentiment with foam dots.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Lake Tubing digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Perfect Pool Water Stencil (My Favorite Things)
• Friends with Fins clear stamp set (My Favorite Things)

I hope you have a sparkly day!

What a Wonderful World

During the past week, I've been busy with my new puppy, so I haven't had much time to color. When I finally had a free moment, I colored an image that allowed me to practice different skin tones and textures.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Together" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card measures 5" x 7". I wanted to let this beautiful group of kids really shine, so I kept everything very simple, with no crystals or fancy embellishments. I colored everything with Copics and trimmed my colored panel to 4.75" x 6.75". (I created the cloud background by using a cloud stencil as a guide and running my Copic marker along the edges, then fully coloring with markers.)

I stamped the birds from a 2018 Hero Arts kit. I mounted the colored panel on black cardstock, then typed, printed and trimmed the sentiment. Finally, I popped the sentiment up with foam dots.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Together digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Cloud Stencil (My Favorite Things)
• June 2018 My Monthly Hero Kit (Hero Arts)

I hope you have a wonderful day!

Strong Enough to Survive Heartbreak

I'm a huge fan of Star vs. the Forces of Evil (Disney TV show) and was sad when it ended. When I saw this image ("Heartbreak" by KristaSmithStamps), she reminded me so much of Star Butterfly! I just HAD to color her and turn her into a card.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Heartbreak" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card is slimline, measuring 8" x 4". I colored this gorgeous girl with Copics and used my Scan N Cut to cut her out. I wanted her to really pop on the card, so I used black cardstock for the background and a light pink cardstock for the bottom layer. I stamped and embossed the sentiment; the word "Enough" is a little tough to read in the photo because the embossing powder is glossy. Finally, I added some Rose Swarovski crystals for a little sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Heartbreak digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Anything-but-Basic Encouragement clear stamp set (My Favorite Things)

I hope you have a beautiful day!

Always Be Positive

I had a nice, long weekend, so I has time to create ANOTHER card. Today, I'm bringing you a little science humor! I'm a passionate supporter of girls entering STEM fields, and I just fell in love with this image.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Chemist" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card is slimline, measuring 8" x 4". I colored this adorable scientist with Copics and trimmed the panel to 3.75" x 7.75". I layered her on some Lawn Fawn patterned paper and added a fun, science-themed sentiment from a Stamp Anniething stamp set ("Taylor Think Like a Proton"). Finally, I added some Sunflower Swarovski crystals for a little sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Chemist digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Taylor Think Like a Proton clear stamp set (Stamp Anniething)

I hope you have a positively wonderful day!

Wonderful Woman Superhero

I wasn't sure what kind of card I wanted to make next, but the Fourth of July was approaching, so I chose a wonderful superhero with a red, white and blue color scheme.

The main image is a digital stamp called "Hero" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy).

The final card is slimline, measuring 8" x 4". I colored this gorgeous lady with Copics and fussy cut her. (I hate, hate, HATE fussy cutting, but it feels wasteful to fire up the Scan N Cut for just one image.) I layered her on a few patterned papers from my stash... don't you love the navy-and-white stars with this particular heroine? I stamped the sentiment (from an older CAS-ual Fridays stamp set), then I popped up both the heroine and sentiment with foam dots. Finally, I added some Light Siam Swarovski crystals for a little sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Hero digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Mon Ami clear stamp set (CAS-ual Fridays)

I hope you have a wonderfully super day!

She's Out of This World

After completing the Star Wars card, I still felt like coloring with a space theme. Today, I'm sharing a gorgeous astronaut who is simply out of this world!

The main image is a digital stamp called "Astropuff" by KristaSmithStamps (Etsy). OMG, I absolutely LOVE how her hair fills her entire helmet!!

The final card is 5" x 6.5". I colored this gorgeous lady with Copics and fussy cut her. The space background is washi tape (Watercolor Nebula by Altenew), which I adhered to a 6.25" x 4.75" panel. I stamped the sentiment (from the Hero Arts "Dream Big" stamp set), then I popped up both the astronaut/moon and sentiment with foam dots. Finally, I added some Silver Night Swarovski crystals for a little sparkle.

List of all stamps used on this card:

• Astropuff digital stamp (KristaSmithStamps)
• Dream Big clear stamp set (Hero Arts)
• Watercolor Nebula washi tape (Altenew)

I hope you have an astronomically amazing day!