Xmas Hamster Card (LMMS Challenge #148)

Hi everyone! :o)

Today a new challenge started at Little Miss Muffet Stamps Challenge Blog. It's #148, Anything Goes Challenge.

This is my first project as a Guest Designer over at LMMS and I made this CAS (clean and simple), Xmas Hamster Card.

For this card I used super cute 'Xmas Hamster' rubber stamp from Wee Stamps. I love an expression on his face and all little bubbles around him. You can find the stamp in LMMS shop here.

My first idea was to create totally different card, but as I was coloring this cutie, I was changing my mind as the crazy weather changes here in autumn: wind, no wind, rain, sun, cold, too hot... Crazy!! Well, now I have some ideas (which I put on paper this time) on what to do with this cutie. :o)
TIP: Get a sketchbook, notebook or something similar to scribble and write down your creative ideas. This might be very helpful, especially when in lack of an inspiration.

I stamped the image on a watercolor paper and colored it with Distress Inks in watercolor technique.
TIP: Use fine paint brushes for watercolor, with soft hair. Rough doesn't work good, especially when coloring tiny parts and details. 

The watercolor paper I use is great for coloring, but is a bit yellowish. I didn't like the yellowish background for my image, so I decided to go with paper piecing.
TIP: If you don't like a background of your colored images, or you made a mistake while coloring, or you smeared part of your card... save your image and go with paper piecing. This way you'll save the image, as well as paper and other materials, and you'll also add some dimension to your card.

I fussy cut the image and colored edges with black marker.
TIP: When fussy cutting, first cut away large pieces of paper and then cut on the lines. Rotate paper, it will be much easier to cut around tiny details. Color edges of fussy cut image with black pen or marker. This way you'll hide white edges and any white space you didn't cut off and your paper pieced image will look much better.

Then I stamped one more image on a white cardstock paper square panel. I colored bubbles with Distress inks and hamster and ornament with black marker.
TIP: When paper piecing, simple with two layers like I did here, or more complex with a lot of pieces, color parts you'll be covering with black or dark grey marker to add extra shade and/or to hide any white space.

To add more interest, I softened the image with stylus ball on a soft working mat. The image curled a bit, and that's what I wanted to achieve. :o) I glued the colored image over the image on the panel, making sure not to press to hard in the middle of the image, because I didn't want it flat.
TIP: When paper piecing, use white waterbased glue. If you don't have it, use any waterbased glue. If your glue leaks or smears anywhere, you can simply rub it off with your fingers when it's still wet. Make sure your fingers are clean and dry. :o)

I love adding details on my CAS cards. Here I went with white structure paste circles. When circles were dry, I glued the panel on a slightly larger top folded white card base. I added some white highlights on the image and my card was finished. :o)

I didn't put any sentiment on my card, because it would be too busy. :o)

Card dimensions: 104 mm x 104 mm (4 1/8" x 4 1/8")

List of supplies:

• Wee Stamps 'Xmas Hamster' rubber stamp
• white cardstock paper
• watercolor paper
• Ranger's Archival Ink (Jet Black)
• Tim Holtz's Distress Inks
• Spun Sugar
• Blueprint Sketch
• Tea Dye
• Vintage Photo
• Walnut Stain
• Hickory Smoke
• Stabilo Fibre Tip Pen (Markers), Black 68/46
• Staedtler Lumocolor permanent black pen S (superfine) 0.4 mm
• Unibal Signo White
• double sided strong adhesive tape
• Marabu Light Structure Paste (805)
• Fiskars High Precission Personal Paper Trimmer
• Sigma Rotary Paper Trimmer
• acrylic block (102 mm x 102 mm)
• Marabu fine rounded paint brush no. 3/0
• scissors
• stylus ball
• soft working mat
• palette knife (spatula) no. #1
• 'Christmas Trees' ARTploarations Stencil (structure paste circles)
• water
• paper towels

I hope you liked my card for today and got inspired. Do join me in a week here on my blog, for more LMMS inspiration.

Stop by the LMMS Challenge Blog and join us in on Challenge #148. The challenge will last for two weeks. There is also a prize for one lucky winner: $10.00 Gift Voucher to the LMMS shop. We like to select couple other projects to highlight as well. :o)

I'm entering my card to following challenges:

Note: bold text and challenge badge (if any) are direct links to the current challenge and blog badge (if any) is a direct link to blog or challenge home page.

1) Addicted to Stamps and More,Challenge #214 - Clean and Simple

2) Catch The Bug Challenge, Saturday Weekly Challenge: October Anything Goes Challenge

3) Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge, Challenge #82 - Ornament

4) Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, Weekly Saturday Challenge, Challenge #351 - Pick a Holiday, any Holiday!

5) Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps, Wonderful Wednesday Challenge, Anything Goes

6) Lil Patch of Crafty Friends Challenge, LPOCF #43 - Anything Goes

7) 613 Avenue Create, Challenge #190 - Anything Goes
This is my 2nd entry to this challenge.

Thank you for visiting and your kind feedback. Enjoy and smile! :o)

Milka