Couple new House Mouse Cards and Wow . . . look what I got!

I have made a couple more House Mouse cards in the last 2 weeks for swaps that I will share with you, but I will save the best for last. :)







This first card was for a technique challenge. I agreed to try faux denim (but in this case, I will call it faux jeans, because I don't want to step on anyone's toes). There is a GREAT tutorial at Technique Junkies for this, or so I have heard that really looks like denim, but I thought I would try my hand at it too. I actually loved the denim look, but I was unable to find the technique because I haven't splurged for the TJ newsletters YET. I am really thinking about it though, because I have seen so many terrific examples of her techniques out there that I would love to try. Anyway, I used an adapted version of GinaK's faux wood technique with blue and white inks to try and come up with a faux jeans look.



So first, I took the Bliss Blue (or now Bashful Blue) and direct-to-paper dabbed it around on the white cs. Then I did the same with the Ballet Blue, which I also used to make streaks. This was done with the corner of the ink pad. Once you make sure your blue is dried well, you can then press the white pigment ink around in different spots to lighten it up a bit and make streaks with that as well. I still felt like this did not have the fabric "jeans" look to it, so I used the ballet blue again with my canvas bg stamp and stamped that overtop of all the different colors/streaks. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of that stamp. Overall, I think it looks pretty close to denim jeans, but with more experimentation you may get something that looks closer. (otherwise go with the pro and check out Technique Junkies) :)




My second card is just a simple tent topper that I created for our HM SOTM(stamp of the month) swap. It was colored with prisma colors, trimmed to size, added to a layer of cs that was trimmed with Fiskar scissors for a bit of a scalloped edge, and then stickles and brads were added. The base layer is textured barely banana with a word window punch cut out for the sentiment "Celebrate" from the Flourishes word set.




One picture shows the sparkle better, and the other shows the word in the window punch better. I sure hope the ladies in the group like them. They are so stinkin' cute and fun to color. :)

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Now for my good news! I got the most terrific package yesterday from Donna at Down the Paper Trail with Nettie. If you haven't seen her blog, you must go check it out. The link is in my side bar on the right. She has reached 5000 hits already, and she had some terrific blog candy, which is now mine!!! :D Can you believe it?! I rarely win stuff, so this has me so excited! I took a picture of my treasures . . .



but my absolute favorite part is the Address Book she created. We keep a telephone book of friends, family, and frequently called stores or restaurants near our phone (in a drawer hidden from view), but BELIEVE ME this will not be in the drawer!! It will be out for everyone to see the marvelous creation Nettie made for me. I told her my kitchen had apples and was red and green with a gingham blue and white country type border with apples, etc, and she came up with this totally CUTE book for me. Don't ya just love it?! I sure do, and she handmade it!! Doesn't get much better than that! Thanks, again, Nettie! {{hugs}}