Saturday Showcase: January 12, 2013

A new year, a new month, a brand new showcase!

It is that time of week where I showcase other artists' work (whether it be stamps, cards or otherwise), a blog post offering a great technique, or I might even just pick a whole blog to showcase. If you are new to my blog you can find out why I created the showcase HERE.

My top picks for this week include... 

Card Choice

 This adorable card was designed by

  LINDA W.

Her blog is called

The Scrap Lady's Craft Haven

Linda  has a real gift for colouring and putting cards together.   She loves to sit and just colour and shade and bring her images to life, often in front of the television set.  This is something else we have in common because that is where I tend to do my colouring as well.  While going through some of Linda’s archives, I came across this gem from her January 13 post from last year entitled, “Cuddle Buttons”.  Even the name of the post is adorable!  This is such a beautiful card.  I love the use of buttons, the colours and the diecut frame.  The image she used is called 'Snuggle Buddies' and I just fell in love with it.  Her attention to detail and the realistic nature of the fur is just incredible.  This image took me way back in time to a memory of my very first kitten.  My parents and I were vacationing in Nova Scotia, my mom’s birth province.  We still have many relatives there and at the time, we were visiting with an aunt and uncle.  If I remember correctly I must have been around eight at the time.  Anyways, my aunt and uncle lived on a farm in Cape Jack and had a giant German shepherd.  Suddenly you see this little ball of white fur come tumbling across the kitchen floor sliding to a stop in front of the dog’s looming mouth.  Eyes wide, I was sure he was going to eat her but no, he just let her play around him and finally settle in next to him to snuggle.  The kitten and her siblings were long haired angora cats that my Aunt and Uncle’s daughter had brought to the farm on a visit.  They were about to become barn cats and their lives would have been greatly reduced as a result.  So, with ample pleading and sucking up to my dad—and that was just from my mother—he had no chance when I joined in but to relent to our wishes.  The white ball of fur became known as Muffin and came to Ontario to live as the newest member of our family. 

Now, I shared the above card because of the memory it invoked in me.  This second card I’m showcasing is just out of pure awe at Linda’s colouring talents.  It is from her November 1, 2012 post, "Its Beginning To Look Like Christmas".  If I hadn't taken the time to follow the link to Squigglefly to see that the Santa she used in this card had started out as black and white, I would have sworn that she had used a coloured graphic.  That is serious talent!  I will definitely be heading to Linda’s site often for inspiration on how to colour my own work.

I encourage you to pay Linda a visit.  Whether it is for inspiration on card design or just colouring in general, it will certainly be worth the time you spend there (clicking on the blog name will take you straight to her blog).

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Free Digital Stamp Artist Choice

This incredible digi was designed by

   MARY ELLEN

Her blog is called

Dearie Dolls

I would be very surprised if you have not already been to Mary Ellen's Dearie Dolls blog.  She started her blog in April and I have been following along every step of the way.  Almost every day of the week she offers the most incredible digi designs in both black & white and in colour. The above image is the colour version of her creation called, "Brrrrr". It was truly very difficult just choosing one design to highlight.  It would be very easy to put a Dearie Doll image in every single showcase.  They are all just so darling!  The one I finally decided on was this winter image.  I laughed out loud when I first set my eyes on him.  The thought of a snowman who was cold was just too funny.  That particular snowman must live in Sudbury although I'm sure Mary Ellen herself has never heard of the location!  You can be guaranteed that you will definitely see more of Mary Ellen's work here in the future.  One can never tire of the adorable Dearie Dolls (clicking on the blog name will take you straight to her blog). I'm sorry that I could not provide a direct link to this specific image.  There were connection problems at the time that I went looking.  If you yourself encounter any problems when trying to visit her blog, I would encourage you to be persistent.  You'll be happy you did once you see everything she has to offer.

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 Finally, that brings me to the...

  This is a special category highlighting 
 a stamp for sale by another artist.
This week that honour goes to...  

These cute stamp sets were created by

TRINA CLARK

Her store is called

 Digi Scrap Kits

The colour version of the set is available for sale HERE

The black and white version of the set is available for sale HERE

If you haven't figured it out by now, I just love snow people.  There is just something about the magic of Frosty the Snowman that has stuck with me since I was a child.  I used to envision whole villages of snow people just going about their day to day business in their little snow houses and stores.  Sometimes I still do!  Snowmen and woman adorn our home during the winter months.  I even have a nativity scene made completely from snow people.  However, our cat Marigold stole baby snowman Jesus a couple of years ago and we've yet to find him.  I hope he turns up because I sure there might be some bad Karma wrapped up in that somewhere for my furbaby.  Anyways, apparently that love has translated into the digi world as well.  I especially like how Trina combines the snow people with the idea of love and that she makes this kit versatile.  The hearts, bows, birdies and cottage can all be used outside of the winter season.  If you love snow people too then this is the perfect time to grab these sets as they are currently on sale at 75% off.  Additionally, Trina has generous terms of use.  Commercial use applies to any of her digis as long as you credit her for the creations.  I'd say that was more than fair for being able to sell the products you make with her designs.  Please find some time and visit Digi Scrap Kits.  Trina has over 1000 products for sale just in her name alone.  She also features other designers too.  So whatever you could possibly be looking for, odds are that DigiScrap kits has it (clicking on the blog name will take you straight to her blog).

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Well, the first Saturday Showcase of the new year is complete.  Thanks to all these wonderful artists for agreeing to allow me to showcase their work on my blog.  I'm sure I'll be coming back to them time and again.  Though you never know, I may be contacting YOU next to showcase something incredible you've created.

Until next time,

Note:  

*Thanks to Nikki from Limited Runs Stamps for creating my Saturday Showcase badge.