Green and Gorgeous at The Pixie Cottage

Sorry I have been MIA for so long...some health challenges, my daughter's wedding - which was BEAUTIFUL!, and a relationship breakup...all together a bit overwhelming.  I plan to post wedding pictures and shots of the things that I made for the wedding in a later post. 

Today's card is for The Pixie Cottage Challenge #117, which is Green and Gorgeous.  As always, there is a great sketch to follow, you can follow the theme, or you can do both.  I chose to follow the sketch, though I do have some green in there. :)

I used the adorable Hannah With Umbrella , available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  She is colored with Copics and then cut out and attached to an embossed background.  The embossed gold paper is a scrap from my stash, used a MS border punch on it.  Sentiment from Stampin Up, cut out with Spellbinders Circle and attached to Spellbinders Persian Accents die.  Added the dainty little Memory Box Fuschia diecut.  Few rhinestones and Stickles. 

Buttons and Bows at The Pixie Cottage

Two and a half more weeks until my daughter's wedding.  I keep getting asked if I am getting panicked and sometimes I wonder if I should be.  I think we have been slowly working on things and getting things done that everything is just done, except for the cake and a few other last minute details.  Once I get another camera I will take pictures and post everything. 
So here we are with another Wednesday rolling around, and that means another challenge at The Pixie Cottage. This week it's Buttons and Bows.  There is also the great sketch provided.  So follow the theme or the sketch, or both!  Come join us. 

I used Copics to color Hanna on Stepping Stones by Sandra Hammer, available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  The image was cut /embossed with Spellbinders die and sponged with Distress Ink.  All DP is Basic Grey Stella Ruby.

Stamps:  Hannah on Stepping Stones from The Pixie Cottage.
Paper:  Basic Grey Stella Ruby;  The Paper Studio.
Ink:  Memento, Copics, Distress Inks.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Lacy Ovals die, Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish die, ribbon, buttons

Pixie Cottage Challenge #106

It's time for a Clean and Simple challenge at The Pixie Cottage.  Every Wednesday is a new challenge, with a sketch and a theme.  You can follow the sketch or the theme, or do both.  Come join us!  For this week's clean and simple challege, I followed both theme and sketch.  I used Valentine Hannah by Sandra Hammer available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils.  Cut and embossed the image with Spellbinders Lacey Ovals, inked with Distress Ink.  Sentiment (can't remember which company, because it fell off it's backing) was stamped with Colorbox Queues, then cut/embossed with Spellbinders Ribbon Banners and inked it with Distress Ink as well.   The background DP is from DCWV Simple Elegance pack, and I photographed it so you can see the foil swirls.  

Stamps:  Valentine Hannah from The Pixie Cottage; (?) sentiment.
Paper:  The Paper Studio, DCWV Simple Elegance, Neenah Solar White.
Ink:  Colorbox  Queues, Distress Ink.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Lacey Ovals and Ribbon Banner dies, corner rounder/heart punch.

Truly Scrumptious - Love and Hearts.
Paper Sundaes  - Valentines.
My Time to Craft - Adorable.

The Pixie Cottage #104 - Embossing

I have been MIA for several weeks.  Life sometimes knocks the wind out of our sails temporarily, and I had a few days of feeling pretty ragged.  My daughter, Shelbie, was home from December 24 and left late Sunday.  I truly enjoyed her being home, and also seeing and hearing her and Tyler bantering with each other again.  They are both such a joy.  Shelbie and I managed to get quite a few wedding items taken care of checked off the list, the main thing being finishing all of the invitations and getting them mailed out.  I also managed to get the earrings and necklaces for the bridesmaids made, Shelbie's veil finished, started on her headpiece.  Got the fabric for the flower girls' dresses, and finally got the measurements for all five bridesmaids so I can get started on their dresses.  March 10 will be before we know it! 
So here we are again with another weekly challenge at The Pixie Cottage, this one being one of my favorite themes - embossing.  There is also a wonderful sketch, and you can choose do follow the theme, the sketch or both.  I have used the sweet Valentine Hannah by Sandra Hammer, available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  The image is colored with Copics, as well as the speckled background around it.  All DP is Rhubarb Tart by Memory Box.  The vine is a Cheery Lynn die that I cut apart.  Can definitely say that die can hold up to repeated cuts...I have used it many times before, and also used it for the 250 wedding invitations, and it's still like new.

Stamps: Valentine Hannah from the Pixie Cottage.
Paper:  Rhubarb Tart by Memory Box, The Paper Studio.
Ink:  Memento, Copics.
Accessories: Spellbinders Deckled Oval, Deckled Rectangle, and Labels Twelve dies, Cheery Lynn Fanciful Flourish, embossing folder, corner rounder, gold leaf pen.

Challenges: 
One Stitch at a Time:  Anything Goes
Crafty Cardmakers:  No Floral embellishments
My Time to Craft:  Favorite embellishment (flourish)

Last Minute Gift at The Pixie Cottage

The theme at The Pixie Cottage is last minute Christmas gifts and cards.  As always there's a sketch  you can follow as well. 
You know how it is during the holidays...there's always one more little gift or trinket for something that comes up unexpectedly or last minute.  Last year at this time I was the "newbie" at work and really didn't know anyone well at all.  I chose not to participate in the name-drawing for Secret Santa gifts, because I didn't want anyone to feel obligated to buy something for someone they didn't know. There were two ladies that were very helpful with breaking me in and teaching me the ropes, and I made them each a little gift similar to this one pictured, just different colors and images.  They loved them!  :)

One of those ladies needed some little gifts for her daughter's classmates and asked if I could make up 15 of the mugs with an image that kids would like, and I went straight for "To Santa From Buffy" by The Pixie Cottage.  Last week I had stamped and colored a bunch of these images to use on Christmas cards.  I just love the chubby little bunny!  They have now been reappropriated; just need to color up a few more.  You can get this stamp from Michelle's Scrapbooking.

Buffy is colored with Copics, then I cut around the image very closely and attached it to Spellbinders Deckled Classic Ovals which I lightly sponged with Distress Ink.  I made the "mug"from Kraft paper, embossed some little swirls with copper EP. I then attached the oval to the front of the mug.  Inside the mug are two different flavored packets of cocoa, mini marshmallows in the cellophane, and two skinny chocolate covered peppermint sticks (that somehow managed to hide behind the cellophane).  Quick and easy little gift!

Stamps:  To Santa From Buffy, by The Pixie Cottage.
Paper:  Kraft CS, Neenah Solar White.
Ink:  Copics, Distress Inks.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Deckled Classic Oval, Stickles, Liquid Pearls, copper EP, ribbon.

The Pixie Cottage Holiday Home Decor

The challenge this week at The Pixie Cottage is a little different.  We want to see holiday banners, ornaments, etc...  Or if you create a card, it must follow this week's sketch (below) 

I made this little wreath by stringing a bunch of jingle bells onto wire.  The bow and curly tendrils are 1/4 metal strips I cut and curled.  Few nicks on the fingers while manipulating it because the metal edges are sharp, but it turned out pretty. The leaves were in my stash, and I swiped a cotton ball with Distress Ink over them to give them a patina.  I colored "To Santa From Buffy", available at Michelle's Scrapbooking, with Copics, cut around the image and suspended it in the center of the wreath.  I have this hanging on the inside of my front door.  Now I hear a pretty jingly sound when someone opens the door and there's no more sneaking up on me. :) 

Challenges: 
Simon Says Stamp - Anything Goes.

Stamps:  To Santa From Buffy by The Pixie Cottage.
Paper:  Neenah Solar White
Ink:  Memento, Copics.
Accessories:  Liquid Pearls and Stickles, jingle bells, wire, cording, thin metal sheet.

Pixie Cottage Challenge #96

Whew...where are the days going?  I can't believe next week is Thanksgiving!  Over at the Pixie Cottage Challenge blog the theme this week is Family Thankfulness.  There is also a great sketch to follow...so follow the theme, follow the sketch, or do both.  But come play along with our challenge this week!

I need more Christmas cards, so I followed the sketch and used Sebastian the Snowman, available at Michelle's Scrapbooking.  He is colored with Copics and has Stickles Frosted Lace on his feet.  The corner embellies are Spellbinders Holly Motifs and the snowflakes are a Cuttlebug die.  Gold Dew Drops for a final touch.  Easy peasy. 

Stamps:  Sebastian the Snowman from The Pixie Cottage.
Paper: 
Ink:  Copics.
Accessories:  Spellbinders Holly Motifs, Cuttlebug snowflakes, Dew Drops, Stickles.

This week's sketch