A Beary Merry Christmas

Hello Scrapping Cottage friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with us today. It's Mary Marsh here bringing you the Friday edition of the Blog. 

The new release of Artic Animal dies are in the online store. There are 13 new designs in this release and they are currently on sale. You can get this entire release at an amazing price of under $70.00. The sale ends tonight though so make your selections quickly. 

These new dies are so versatile, and can be used for a variety of occasions. The baby Artic animals  would make a cute congratulations card,  baby shower invitations, a welcome new baby card, a child's birthday card or cards for our animal loving friends. The other dies are great for a winter birthday, thinking of you, thanks and let's not forget our Christmas cards. 

I am featuring the new Artic Polar Bear and Cub + the Artic Snowy Tree dies, and I made a whimsical Christmas card. So let's get started on some details of how I created my card.

Step 1: I started my card by choosing my designer paper. I have this Christmas collection of plaid papers and I wanted to use some of the patterns on my Christmas cards. Plaids are so on trend right now.

Spruce layering panel: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Designer paper layer: 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"

Next I cut my Polar Bear images. I used a naturals white paper that has fine specks of gray in it. Although in this photo the bears look a bit yellow (lol)! It's perfect for the bear images. I matched their scarves to the colors in the designer paper. The snowy trees are cut in the same spruce cardstock as the layering panel.

I used the largest Circle and largest Stitched Circle dies for the image panel. My sentiment is computer generated so I printed that off first on white cardstock and then used the die to cut the circle.

I wanted the Bear to walk on a snow mound so I used the one from the Skiing Gnomes die.

In order for it to fit in the circle I used the largest circle die and laid the snow mound in there and cut it.

Finished image

Step 2: Now that all my elements are cut, I am ready to start card assembly. I attached the bears with dimensional adhesive & the snowy tree with double sided tape to the circles. 

I used double sided tape to adhere the other panels. When it was put together I decided to make the card base the cherry shade. I thought it brightened up the card with this extra color and I also added a tuft of spruce ribbon. The base measures 4 1/2" x 5 3/4". I added the glitter to the snow mound after it was attached to the designer paper. A little tricky doing it this way but it worked out ok. 

To finish up my card, I scattered a few gold sequins. I hope I have given you an idea on a way to use these new dies. Today is the last day of the sale, so if you are considering any or all of them head over to the online store before 9:00 pm PST.

  

dies I used to create card:

Penguin Carolers sing Joy to the World

Hello Scrapping Cottage friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with us today. It's Mary Marsh here bringing you the Monday edition of the Blog. 

We have the new release of Christmas Part 2 in the online store and they are all in stock and available for delivery. There are 34 new designs in this release. 

This release has something for everyone. So if you prefer a more religious tone to your cards- we have you covered. If you like a more whimsical design featuring Santa, reindeer, gnomes, moose or even a hot chocolate theme you will find some really cute dies.

I actually do a combo of religious and whimsical for my Christmas cards. Today, for your viewing pleasure, I am going whimsical with the Penguin Carolers (It's from the Christmas Part 1 release} + Joy to the World (Christmas Part 2 release) dies. So let's get started with some details on how I created this card. 

Step 1: I saw this week's Mojo sketch, and I immediately thought of these 3 penguin carolers. I knew the penguins would fit in one of the circles and a sentiment in the other. Plus, I could use some red ribbon which I like to do for my Christmas cards.

I looked through my designer papers and I thought this musical note themed paper would work well. I paired it with black cardstock and will use some red ribbon and embellishments to brighten it up. I used the Stitched Circles die for the circle elements of the sketch. It's the 3rd, 5th & 6th largest dies in the set.

Next, I cut the penguin carolers from black, white and red cardstock. Notice the little songbooks they are holding. So cute!

The Joy to the World Sentiment is done with a black foil. I thought the shiny foil would work well against the white circle of the sketch.

Step 3: Now that all my card elements are cut, I am ready to start assembly. I secured the designer paper to the white base with double sided tape. Used the same for the ribbon.

I placed the largest stitched circle on my card first because I wanted to position the sentiment and also make sure the penguin fit. 

Once I had the sentiment where I wanted it, I placed the 2 remaining circles.

When I added the penguins, I thought the middle one was a bit too large for this circle layout. So I cut another of the smallest and it worked ok. I will use the other penguin on my card inside.

For the flower element of the sketch I decided to use a black snowflake and cut it in the black foil. This is an older die from CottageCutz - Season's Greetings w/Snowflakes. I used the tiny dots from the Joy to the World sentiment to embellish the circles.

The card still didn't have the finished look to me. So I decided to make the card base red and cut some more dots and added those to the snowflakes on the designer paper. Bingo - the card brightened up and I am happy with the finished look.  

Well, that's it for me for this week. I hope I have given you a bit of inspiration on a way to use this new die. See you next Saturday!

dies I used to create card:

Ballerina Mouse Birthday

Hello Scrapping Cottage friends! Thanks for taking the time to stop and visit with us today. It's Mary Marsh here bringing you the Saturday edition of the Blog. 

The new release of Birthday dies have been restocked in the online store. So if you didn't get the ones you wanted previously, all 25 designs are in stock. This release is filled with cute little whimsical animals, birthday cakes, cupcakes and birthday phrases. Everything you need to create some outstanding birthday cards.

Today, I am featuring the Ballerina Mouse die. I needed a birthday card for a little girl turning 3 and I was invited to the birthday party. So let's get started with some details on how I created my card.

Step 1: I found this interesting sketch #762 on Splitcoaststampers this week. I thought it would be a good layout to feature this new die and allow me to use designer paper, a birthday number balloon and a stamped sentiment. 

I wanted the papers to be girly and I found this designer paper with shades of pink, teal and cocoa. I used the coordinating cardstocks as layering panels. 

Cocoa Card Base: 4 3/8" x 5 3/8"

Pink Layering Panel: 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Designer Paper: 4 1/8" x 5 3/8"

I cut the ballerina mouse in a light gray (smoky slate) and her outfit in 2 shades of pink (pretty in pink and pink pirouette). Her ballerina slippers are cut in teal cardstock. 

For the number balloon. I used the Stitched Numbers die and the streamer is from the Ballerina Mouse die. 

For the circle elements of the sketch, I used the Circle (4th largest), Stitched Circle (4th largest), Double Stitched Circle (5th largest) and the Sweetheart Doilies (2nd largest) dies. The sizes fit my image and sentiment well.

Step 2: I am ready to start card assembly Next, I stamped my birthday sentiment. It's a one liner but with the help of my MISTI and masking I changed it to 3 lines. I stamped in teal ink.

Attached the designer paper to the pink layering panel with double sided tape.

Next I secured the ballerina to the circle layer with double sided tape. I am using the #3 balloon as element 5 of the sketch. I just moved it to the other side.

Then I added the sentiment circle.

I thought I was finishing off my card by attaching the cocoa card base and adding enamel dots to the sentiment circle. But I thought it still need something to balance the lower left corner.

So I cut the balloon bunch from the Festive Birthday die.

Still wasn't quite right for me.  I thought I needed something on the top left. I couldn't add any enamel dots because of all the dots on the designer paper. So I cut the happy phrase from the festive Birthday die in teal cardstock. And my card is complete.

Well that's it for me for this week. I hope I have given you an idea for a way to use this sweet Ballerina Mouse die. See you again next Saturday.

dies I used to create card: