Card Making Process: Sending Texas-Size Wishes!

For today's post, I'm sending you "Texas-Size" Christmas Wishes with this adorable armadillo stamp from Texana Designs.  This stamp was a good excuse to break out of the traditional Christmas colors and try something a little more "Texan."

I am not sure that this stamp is offered anymore, but you can find all the other adorable holiday stamps at their Etsy shop HERE.

The stamping for this card was with Memento Tuxedo Black ink so I could complete some simple coloring with Bic Mark-It alcohol pens on watercolor paper. For the holly berries, I added Glossy Accents for some shine, and used a Sakura glitter pen to color over the star and the stocking fur.  The sentiment was designed on my computer, so I could make up the phrase I wanted to use.

TRIVIA:  I have yet to see a live armadillo here in Texas, although there have been some spotted in my neighborhood.  Even so, I am very partial to them. Sometimes I think they just get a bad rap.

Do you make untraditional holiday cards?  What have you tried?  Share in the comments below!

Card Making Process: Glossy Apple Accent Card

I finally picked up a bottle of the Glossy Accents (by Ranger) while checking in at Scrapology last week.  While going through my school themed stash, I came across four of these simple apple diecuts (I think they were from Creative Memories):

I knew they would be cute on Teacher cards, but they were . . . well . . . dull.  Ta-da!  Glossy Accents!

I started around the outside to make sure I got to the edges (you can use the bottle tip to move it around), then worked toward the middle.

This is when I was done -- I did use the bottle tip to take off just a little bit of that pool at the bottom of the apple.  It's okay if the paper bows a little.  It drys flat.  Make sure you give it plenty of time to dry.  I played it safe by letting it dry an hour, but it may only take 30 minutes.

Voila!  The finished apple on the card.  Really dresses it up, doesn't it? Makes old stuff look new.

You can notice the bubbles at the bottom of the apple?  I learned -- don't shake the bottle!  LOL  But you don't really notice it unless you look up close like this!

Have any of you had experiences with Glossy Accents?  Let me know or post your project using Mr. Linky below!