Sneak Peek: Santa’s List for Paper Players Challenge #153

Hi Everyone.  Happy Saturday.

It's the fabulous Ann's turn to host the challenge across at Paper Players this week and she has a theme challenge for us

Before I started my card, I needed a sketch.   So, I popped along to Freshly Made Sketches and I found the perfect sketch for the set that I wanted to use.

One of the new sets from the SU Holiday Catalog is one called "Santa's List".  I immediately fell in love with the Santa image and decided he would be fabulous to color.  

I started by stamping him into water color paper and then using my Blender Pens with my Cherry Cobbler and Gumball Green classic ink pads.  This challenge also gave me a chance to break open another new goodie that arrived in my box this week.   It's a new embossing folder called Pretty Print – which I thought was perfect with the image.

Here's my card

You will notice another new goodie on this card, too.   The new Washi Tape.  I LOVE this tape and it was perfect for my card.  I pulled out my Iridescent Ice embossing powder and, using my Versamark Pen, versamarked the areas of his beard, hair, pompom and the ruff of his sleeves.  It gives it just a little sparkle and shine but still allows the details of the stamped image to shine through.  I added a basic rhinestone to the sentiment banner.   The sentiment is one of my favorites and I was glad that it this set is carried over for this winter – More Merry Messages. 

You can see that I had great fun coloring Santa.   I used Blushing Bride for his face, a little Cherry Cobbler for his cheeks and then used my Coastal Cabana marker to color his eye area.  I then used my Soft Sky marker to go around the whole image to make him pop a little.

So – lots of new goodies for you on this card:   Santa's List stamp set; Pretty Prints embossing folder and the Washi Tape.  I think it all came together beautifully!

The design team have done another stellar job of providing some gorgeous cards for your inspiration.  Check out their blogs below and then don't forget to join us at the Paper Players.

• Ann
• Anne Marie
• LeAnne
• Nance

And, as you are making a card – why not consider the sketch across at FreshlyMade.   It's also Anything Goes month at Merry Monday – so, as you are making a Christmas card for the Paper Players – you might as well make a three-for-one and join Merry Monday, too! 

On a personal note:

It's hot and humid.  I think summer has finally arrived in Minnesota.  When the humidity is as high as the temperature – and the temps are 90 – then you know that I have the airconditioning on.  It's way too hot and way too humid and the mosquitoes are way too aggressive at the moment.  Mind you, the humidity is really good for the seeds that we planted in the woodland and wetland areas.  Lou says he can see a thin layer of green appearing.  YAY!  I haven't braved the mosquitoes and humidity to go check, but I will tomorrow.  I will also go out and take some photos of our new trees.   The trees do a couple of things – give the birds a great place to roost during the brutal winter weather, gives them a place to escape to when being chased by the Cooper's – and also give us some screening from the new house that is almost finished next door.   The house is MASSIVE – seriously, it's over 6000 square feet and is against the boundary on both the east and west side of the house. Lou and I really cherish our privacy and it was important that we manage to sit in our new gazebo and enoy the wetland and woodland without having to watch the guys in their garden next door.  The 15 foot trees sorted out that problem.  :-)  So, it was a win-win for everyone.  We got the privacy we wanted and the birds are loving new places to hide and roost.  In addition, they will give us much needed winter color as they are evergreens.

Putting the trees in was quite a palaver I can tell you.   The spade truck had to get down the side of our house (which is fairly steep!) and then dig a massive hole – about 6 feet deep by 7 feet wide.  He then closes up the spades and then drives to the tree farm, fills in the hole for the tree that he took out with the dirt from the hole he just dug in our garden – and can then plant the new tree in our garden.   As we put in 5 trees on Friday – it took him the whole day.  He's back on Tuesday to put in the last two.  It's an ingenious piece of equipment.  I'll remember to take some photos on Tuesday to show you.

Before I go – a quick look at what was visiting the feeder today

and one last photo….. they might look like weeds, but I promise you these are prairie grasses and prairie flowers.  Three flowers are coming up right now

I love that we have managed to put back just a tiny little piece of what used to stretch for thousands of miles.   The prairies stretched from the Mississippi all the way to the Colorado Rockies – no trees except along the major rivers – just grasslands.   It must have been the most amazing site.   Putting back just a tiny little portion is the right thing to do.   You can read about the prairies on wikipedia at this link.

As always, thank you for visiting my little neck of the stamping blogosphere.   Your visits and comments really do mean a great deal to me.    Warm hugs and prayers for those of you who need a little lift tonight.  Have a beautiful Sunday

Hugs

Jaydee

Card recipe – all ingredients Stampin Up!

• Card stock:  Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Water color paper
• Stamps:  More Merry Messages (sentiment).   Santa's List
• Inks:  Cherry Cobbler, StazOn, Gumball Green.
• Tools:  Blender Pen, Versamark Pen, Iridescent Ice embossing powder
• Accessories:  Season of Style Designer Washi Tape.   Basic Rhinestones