Oddball Nutcracker

Inspiration: Mojo Monday #550 + The Paper Players #520

Now that I am done with the cards I was gifting away, I am back to replenishing my own pile of Christmas cards to send to friends and family this year. One of the images I had stamped hoping to color soon is the adorable Oddball Nutcracker from Stamping Bella. I love the whole Oddball family, but this image is particularly adorable. I was really digging the blue coat from the packaging example, so I had that in the back of my mind when I looked through my 6" x 6" patterned paper pads trying to pick something. I landed on Echo Park's Deck the Halls (from 2016). I didn't really realize that the dates are added to the paper strips or paper pads until a crafter pointed that detail out in a video. I've been having fun paying attention to that detail now as it sometimes feel like I just bought a paper pad the year prior and then I realize it's been in my stash for way longer than that. It's giving me a better sense of chronology.

I based my design on the Mojo Monday sketch. I missed the deadline to submit, but Julee's sketches are my favorites and I keep a list of all of her sketches on my computer, and play catchup with older sketches when I have time as they are a great inspiration and guaranteed to turn up a great layout. I liked the idea of playing with the stars and as you can see, I added glittery stars on my mint circle as well, using the Hocus Pocus stencil from Tim Holtz and Golden Crystal glitter paste from Nuvo. I only have a bit of paste left in the jar and despite using Press 'N Seal on it, the paste is getting really crumbly and does not have the same smooth consistency it once had. I wasn't sure it would stay in place, but after moving it around the stencil for a little bit, I finally managed to get a respectable result. I need to restock on gold, though, as I might be able to get one more use of what is left in the jar and then I'll have to call it quits.

The red banner was a leftover piece from a previous project and it was the perfect layering piece on this layout, so I decided to use it to add my sentiment. I have a pile of Stampin' Up! holiday stamp sets that I've put together in my library and that I keep going through every time I make a card to find a sentiment that's the right size and format. The one I picked here reads, "May this Holiday season be full of joy." I embossed it in gold powder to fit with the other gold accents.

Speaking of which, most of my image was colored using Copic markers, but I did want a true gold on my hat and buttons, so I pulled out my Gansai Tambi Starry Colors watercolors. By the way, I was initially hesitant to get this one because I was thinking, How many shades of watercolor gold do I really need? The answer is, all of them. Okay, maybe not a true need, I'll admit, but I will say, I've really enjoyed being able to pick a shade of gold that really complements the project I am working on and to my surprise, I really have been using all of them.I thought I would always revert to Light Gold and Champagne Gold, which is what I usually gravitate towards, but I have actually used Blue Gold, Red Gold and Yellow Gold (used on this project) as well. The sixth shade is White gold, which I consider more of an opalescent shade that I use in a different capacity, more to add sheen to colors and images than as an actual gold shade. So all in all, this turned out to be a valuable purchase and it's going to last me a long time as the pans still look brand-new, even though I've got the projects to prove that they have been used!

To finish off the card, I went through my buttons and picked two to decorate the stars with, as they were a little too blah without nothing on them. I then pulled out a Nautical Blue linen envelope, which I decorated with matching paper and washi tape.

Let's hope I get good creative mojo this weekend and crank a few cards out. I felt a little wiped out creatively after finishing the batch of 50 and had to take a break as I couldn't come up with anything good anymore. I'm happy with how this one turns out so this gives me hope to get something going this weekend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies
Stamps: Oddball Nutcracker (Stamping Bella); Ce que j'aime à Noël (Stampin' Up!)
Cardstock: Mint Macaron, Gold Glimmer Paper, Red Foil Sheets (Stampin' Up!)
Patterned Papers: Deck the Halls (Echo Park)
Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento); VersaMark; Mint Macaron (Stampin' Up!)
Dies: Wonky Stitched Rectangles Die-namics (My Favorite Things);
Circle Double Stitched (Art Impressions)
Accessories: Hocus Pocus Stencil (Tim Holtz for Stampers Anonymous);
Golden Crystal Glitter Paste (Nuvo); Starry Colors Gansai Tambi Watercolors (Kuretake);
A2 Nautical Blue Linen Envelope (envelopes.com); Markers (Copic); Aqua Painter Brush,
Large and Small Star Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals, Designer Buttons, Washi Tape,
Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder (Stampin' Up!); Red Button (Foof-a-La); Washi Tape (Recollections)

 

Comments

[jaydee]

Nutcrackers are one of my favorite things for Christmas - and I love yours. Fabulous coloring and I love how you tied the colors to the background DSP. So glad you shared this wonderful card with us at the Paper Players this week
jaydee

[Laurie schmidt]

Love it!! What an awesome card.Thanks for joining us at The Paper Players!

[Joanne James]

Cindy your nutcracker card is wonderfully festive and he's beautifully coloured too. Thanks for playing along with my theme challenge over at The Paper Players this week!

[Julee Tilman]

A little late in coming by to check out this card, but love it just the same! So cute!