MY FIRST TILDA

My card is for the Friday Sketchers Challenge for Dec 25th. I really liked this sketch and will use it again soon. Please be kind...I am just learning to paint all over again! The face was splotchy looking when I scanned the card and by using my digital camera, I got a softer look. The shadows are not quite right....GRRRR! I am afraid to go over it again. I used SU water Color Wonder Crayons to fill in this Tilda image. I don't have the right kind of card stock to be trying to blend with water. It pilled a little, but I did the best I could. I wanted the background behind her to be a cool chilling shade of blue but the only snowflake DP (from Holiday Collection Winter Matstack by DCWV) I had was more of a soft teal color. So I used a blue- toned Stickles to bring the flakes in line with the blue. I agonized over what color to make her outfit, and decided the pink would POP off the card visually. Then I realized there was a heart in her basket and I just painted it pink too. : ) I heat embossed the black sentiment and split it, part on the inside. I pop dotted her up and the one snowflake too. A thin silver cord is the only extra embellishment. Very simple really.

Our grand daughters have been staying with us for the week and I think that was part of the reason I took so long with this card. We attended a game night New Year's Eve at my church and played a couple of games, had snacks, and came home before 9PM. They really seemed to enjoy the couple of friendly children we played games with. (I stayed up till midnight by myself). The grand daughters wanted to color a Tilda too and make their mom and dad a card so I have included their cards as well in this posting. They picked the mat color and I had to help them with the MS snowflake punch. They used markers, and I reminded them that skin is white, pink, yellow, or brown, but they are their own creative geniuses and colored as they wished. The almost 5 year old did the one with the purple snowflake matting. and the almost 4 year old has the pink snowflake matting. Inside it says, "Let It Snow: and "I love you". Aren't they just the cutest Tildas especially for their ages? The sparkly snowflakes we cut off of one of those garland things...easy peasy for them! LOL! I just love these girls so much. They love stamping with their Mamaw and I am so blessed to be able to spend time with them. They recently went with me to visit a nice SU demonstrator in Appleton, WI. Cheryl Ulrich is a super person and a very kind lady. She gave them a set of art supplies (colored pencils, markers, chalks, paints, brushes, and more.) They were thrilled. I let them pick out a stamp to buy for their own too. So I will be posting their creations from time-to-time. I love watching them create with paper, and listening to the stories they make up using their toys. They are very creative and I hope to foster that creativeness. Sometimes schools squelch children by having them always color in the lines, etc. There is so much more to creating and we all are born with creative ability I believe in different amounts and in different areas of expertise, but many loose it along the path of their lives somewhere. I think that is a part of us that we got from God. He is the Creator and He made us in His image. To me that says He made us creative. He has provided all we need to be creative, if we are allowed to try and take risks, be encouraged, and do something new for ourselves. Thank you Father for making us creative as it gives us joy.

We are still working slowly on my craft area. With the grand daughters going home today, we will have more time to put up the shelves and make a place for everything. : )

Since we no longer go south for the winter, I am making "winter themed" cards for a while. BLOOM WHERE YOU GROW is a saying I have always followed. That way your happiness doesn't depend on where you are.

Happy 2010 to everyone. Hope you enjoyed a peak into my life in 2009. May we seek to please the Creator in 2010, in our obedience, in our service, and in how we honor and worship and love Him because He first loved us. Martha