Merry Christmouse!

Merry Merry! 

I accepted a creative challenge this week to take a card from the holiday catalog and make a change or two to make it mine. The challenge also specified the stamp set be a retiring 

one.

I was late purchasing the Merry Mice stamp set and had yet to use it, so that's what I inked up.

On page 23 of the holiday catalog there are three merry mice cards and I chose little Mortimer with the pine sprig to CASE ~ Copy And Share Everything. Mortimer was the main character in a children's Christmas book that I read to my grandchildren, Mortimer's Christmas Manger, it is a lovely story! 

On the original card showcased in the catalog, Mortimer has been colored in with a blender pen and markers. He is matted onto a solid piece of red card stock and then onto a merry piece of Warmth and Cheer DSP.

Considering how c-c-cold it was here today, I decided that he needed an even heavier sweater and so used the Cable Knit Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, plus a swatch of Warmth and Cheer DSP for the mats and a crumb cake card base.

I colored the little scene with aqua pens and classic stamp pads and I brightened up the ornament cap using Gold Wink of Stella and added a gold star from the Metallic Enamel Shapes embellishments to his tail.

The 'Merry Christmouse' sentiment is from the stamp set, along with 'Wishing You a Festive Season' and  'It's Time to Deck the Halls.'

Merry Mice is retiring and is on sale right now for only $13.60, a 20% savings. I know what you are thinking, 'it's too late for Christmas cards.'  But it's not too late for Valentine's. Mortimer could just as easily hang a heart from his pine sprig. He could be also be holding a heart and singing a love song or happy birthday ~ he can celebrate any winter occasion with you!

Let your catalogs work for you. Look at the sample cards and then copy them, or change them up a bit (or a lot, if you're feeling creative!).  If you get stuck for ideas, call me; that's part of what I do as an Independent Demonstrator!

Merry Christmouse from Mortimer!

Here's what I used to create this card:

Merry Mice Stamp Set

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=142145&demoid2121276

Cable Knit Dynamic Textured Embossing Folder

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=143537&demoid2121276

Real Red Cardstock

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=102482&demoid2121276

Warmth and Cheer DSP

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=141991&demoid2121276

Crumb Cake Cardstock

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=120953&demoid2121276

Aqua Painters

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=103954&demoid2121276

 Wink of Stella  Gold

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=141898&demoid2121276

Enamel Metallic Shapes

https://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=141678&demoid2121276

classic stampin' colors of your choice ...

Just sitting here...

I  have new seating on our screened - in porch, but not a swing. Perhaps that's one reason I was drawn to the swing image in the new Sitting Here stamp set. See page 100 in the annual catalog.

The possibilities with this set are endless! I have seen many cards designed by demonstrators; mine are CASEd from Carolina Evans www.studioevans.blogspot.com.au.  I thought this design was a more simplistic one for my first attempt,  plus I am also a blue person. My two cards are almost identical,  but the card beneath the top has a torn or ragged top - I am really liking this look.

So, I am anxious to keep playing with this set ~ kind of like color forms!

You need this stamp set!  And,

as one of my stampers said, 

'this is so relaxing.'

(the flowers are from Awesomely Artistic, as is the splatter ~ the shades of Dapper Denim have been created with a blender pen, an aqua painter and sponge)