Top 10 of 2021

 One of my favourite posts of the year!  It allows me to look at everything that I've posted this year, and to pick 10 favourites.  Some years it's easy, and some not.  I could've had a top 20 this year, for sure.  There were a whole bunch of slimlines as favourites this year, and two companies that I've enjoyed trying out their products: Pinkfresh Studio, and Pigment Craft Co.  And of course there are a few Art Impressions favourites.  In no particular order:

I lied... It's a top 11 of 2021... I really loved these thank you cards that I made for an engagement gift:

Thank you for your comments and support!  Here's looking forward to a crafty 2022.

Alpaca My Scarf

 This sentiment still cracks me up every time I see it!  I've had my alpacas coloured up for awhile, and finally got around to making them up into a few more cards for my coworkers.  I had a couple of similar background papers and tweaked the design a little, but managed to get 10 more cards made.  Stamp sets are Over the Mountain Borders and Winter Alpaca by Lawn Fawn.

Happy Holidays!

Santa's Sleigh

It's my last post of the year for Art Impressions!  We'll be back in early 2022, with plenty more Watercolour inspiration.  This is my project that will be on the Ai blog this Saturday for the Watercolour Weekend.  I created a small holiday scene today, using the sleigh from the recently released 5467 - Snowmen Set:

I coloured the sleigh in my Tombow Dual Brush markers #969/565, and stamped it onto my Bristol Smooth cardstock.  I did the same with my elf from 5125 - WC Elves Set, positioning him above the sleigh, and slightly forward - and then sketched in the toy bag and presents around him with a pencil.  I wanted the bag to be bulging over the sides, and also needed a bit of a shelf for him to perch on, so I kept that in mind when I drew the curves.  For the elf's skin tone, I painted in #850, and #947 for his hair, then for all the greens in my scene, I used #177, the reds are #847, and the yellows are #993 - adding several layers of each to achieve the darker shades.  For the toy sack, I mixed #249 and #565 on my palette to create the teal/blue shade, again adding layers to achieve the darker colours.  For the sleigh, I mainly pulled out the colour from the stamped lines, and added a few tones of #177 and #565 for contrast and shadows.  I lightly painted in a sky and snow shadows with #565.

Since they were drawn in pencil, the presents needed more definition, so I used my Navy Twintone Marker to trace the shape of each package, and redefined any other lines in my scene that needed it.  This is it for 2021 for me on the Art Impressions blog, so I wanted to thank all of you for viewing our projects, and leaving likes & comments on social media.  Happy Holidays, and we'll see you soon in 2022!

Gingerbread Cubbies

 I made a special Christmas card for my two great nephews - a little more fun & sparkly than is the norm for me!  But I think they'll like it.  This is the 5180 - Gingerbread Cubbies set from Art Impressions:

There are a LOT of little pieces to this one, but it stamps and cuts out quite easily with the matching dies.  I coloured everything with my Copic markers, made my own snowflake sky and cut a sparkly hillside out.  Before assembling, all of the little men were glued in place, and the whole thing was adhered to the base with some 1mm 3D foam adhesive.

There are all kinds of sweet Cubbies sets available on the Art Impressions website here.

Snow Much Fun

 Cuteness overload, today!  I am using the sweet Snow Much Fun set from Lawn Fawn - that features these little bears making snow angels.  I couldn't resist.  And not only are they adorable, when you pull up on the little tab, his arms go up and down just like he's making the angel.  

Here's the starting position...

And when you pull up the tab, his arms go down.  So when you pull the tab up and down, his arms do the same :o)

I got three of them assembled this afternoon, and have a handful more coloured up, ready to go.  Stay tuned, there'll be more!

Art Impressions Christmas Tags

 I love making a few special gift tags to attach to holiday parcels every year.  I made a trio of greenery themed tags, but will just focus on the urn one today for my tutorial, but scroll down to see all of the tags.  These will be on the Art Impressions blog this Saturday for the Watercolour Weekend post:

I cut out the 5132 - Tag Stitched Die from my Bristol Smooth cardstock, and cut another one out of coordinating patterned paper to layer behind it.  I coloured up the urn from 4870 - WC Ornate Container Set in #969/565, stamped it and pulled out the colour from the lines, concentrating it where the shadows would be.  Then, using the new 5472 - WC Christmas Wreath Set, I began to build my image from the bottom up.  I coloured and stamped the two cedar fronds in #158 several times across the top of the urn, then stamped the two pinecone images several times in #969, masking some of them to create a cluster.  I filled in around them with the two pine branches in #249, and added two of the 4964 - WC Branches stamps in #969, and one in #837.  I filled in the middle with the berry image stamped in #856, and then using my Twintone Chocolate marker, I drew in the branches of the berries by hand.  To soften the stark white background, I blended some pale green Distress Oxide ink around the urn, then added a matching bow & twine to finish it off.  These are keepsake tags that can be reused for many years to come.

This is my whimsical tag!  Using the branches from 4960 - WC Fir Trees Set, and some gold thread.

My retro tag!  Using 4870 Container Set and the two pine images from 5472 - WC Wreath Set in a fun pink!  And a little bling as ornaments.