Playing with texture and DCWV "Sunday Afternoon"!!!

Guess what day it is?!??  HUMP DAY!!!! Hahahaha!!! Sometimes, I just can't help myself!!!  

Any who... I'm here today to share a couple of things with you that I've been working on!!!  

(If you're here for the GIVEAWAY, please click HERE!!!!!)

"Sweet Beautiful Princess" with DCWV "Sunday Afternoon" Paper Pad

First up:  I came across this WONDERFUL site called "Frosted Designs" earlier this year and constantly find myself trying to make their challenges!!! They provide TONS of creative inspiration from their VERY talented design team and they have recently opened their own kit club as well (which is probably going to be very bad on the hubby's bank account!!!).  Hahaha!!!!! 

Their current challenge is to use "texture" on your project.  This is something I don't dabble with very often but I was tempted to give it a shot!!!  

I also used the week 1 October sketch from "Let's Get Sketchy".  I receive their posts via email and they always have FAB-U-LOUS sketches to work with, and this one I just couldn't resist!!!!  

Here's a look at the sketch:

And here is my page:

I absolutely LOVE this paper stack from DCWV called "Sunday Afternoon"!!!!  It's full of beautiful papers and all kinds of wonderful tid-bits!!!  

I followed the sketch "as is" without altering the layout of it.  For my texture, I mixed some Gesso with Glimmer Mist until I achieved my desired color.  Then, using my Cricut Expression 2 and the new "Edge to Edge" cartridge, I cut out a "mask" and laid it behind where the photo would be.  I added the Gesso all over the mask , let it dry a bit, and this is what I ended up with!!!  I don't know how some people have their's look SO perfect because mine is anything but, but it did come out okay all the same!!!

Then I went to work adding things all over the page cut from the paper stack, including the triangle banner, the hearts (which I hand-stitched using white embroidery thread),  , the hot air balloon (which I pop-dotted), the postage stamp, and "Dream Big" piece.  

I finished the page with some rub-ons, Glitz and Glitter words ("Darling Smile"), Liquid Pearls, Heidi Swapp mistable chipboard pieces,  and flowers by Prima and Recollections that I sprayed with a gold Glitter Mist.  Here's a close-up of them:

"Joy" Handmade Christmas Card 

So, Cheryl, over at Sketches4All, is hosting a "Christmas Card" challenge this month so we can get a jump on our cards for this year!!!  I haven't really thought much about my cards for this year but I decided to do something creative for this challenge!  

Here's my card:

I started with white and red papers by Bazzil and used my Cricut Expression 2 and the Holiday Cards cartridge to cut out a "mask" for my card.  Then, I used various Tim Holtz Distress Inks to create my desired colors.  I finished come of the circles with a ring of clear glitter glue for added detail.  I heat embossed the word "Joy" from a set of Hero Arts stamps and added the star on top to finish the card!!!! This was SUPER easy to do and I am quite pleased with the end result :-)

Well gang... Thanks soooo much for stopping in and have a LUCKY day :-)