The musings and offerings of a burgeoning greetings master

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Mr Cardmaker is Back to Guest with the 12 Kits of Occasions










It's a party! It's a parade! It's take-out Tuesday! It's a lovely, peaceful moment...

It's your friendly, neighborhood Mr. Cardmaker, back as a guest designer for the 12 Kits of Occasions, January 2019 edition!

My dear friend Jeanne Jachna has once again honored me by asking me to play along with her kit of this year, and oh yeahhhhhh…. What a kit it is.

There's die cuts. There's papers. There's embellishments and fibers. There's stamped images galore, and sentiments to go with them. Jeanne makes an amazing kit, I gotta say. Every. Dang. Time.

This January, ASIA baby. Asia. China and Japan, to be specific.

So, I made cards. Heck yeah, I did...

I made this--
 Now, Jeanne provided just about everything here, with the exception of the red circle, which I cut from a scrap in my stash.
I just love that detailed medallion cut from textured gold cardstock, especially paired with the similarly patterned dry embossed panel behind it.
I ink blended the die cut scene in blues that complimented the background, and adhered it with foam tape to add depth.
I have a real appreciation for the beauty and strength that comes from so many Japanese artworks, especially ones that draw its strength from simplicity. I struggled with the urge to add embellishments here, and in the end, I'm so glad I held back.

Next, I made this--

Here, I couldn't help but go to town with these gorgeous papers. Just stunning.
I loved these lantern die cuts so much. Behind the gold one, I added vellum colored with a bright yellow copic marker to create the idea of lamplight. It was tricky cutting, but well worth the effort.
The blue lantern got some gold ink on its edges, to help marry the two. I used the gold and blue twine included in the kit to "tie" the lanterns to the top of the card. The little wood piece reminded me of the signature blocks you see on many Japanese prints, so I used it here, along with some subtle embellishments.
I still say the paper is the star here, though...

Next, I made this--

 I couldn't stay away from all the gorgeous papers, and I'm sorry I covered up so many of the ones I used on this card. There's sushi hiding behind the take-out containers...
Those take-out containers!! With the perfect labeling...so smitten. I only wish I had some noodles to come pouring out of the one with the open flaps, and believe me, I tried to find something that worked properly. I'll figure that one out one day, because I may just have to have this stamp and die set for my very own.
The fortune cookies are so much fun. I cut slits in my panel, all the way through the papers and everything, in order to be able to slide the full sized fortunes in, leaving their little tails hanging out so you can grab them. I love that Jeanne cut the cookies from a matte finish gold cardstock, too.
I had gobs of fun making this one.

And FINALLY!! I took two days to make this one---

 It's a PARADE! A Pan-Asian Parade!
I actually used every image (but one) that was sent to me on this one #10 card. (That's the looooong one, that fits in a business sized envelope.)
Now, I am NOT the world's greatest Copic colorer, by any means, and I was rather daunted at the challenge at first, but I got through it, and probably learned a couple of things along the way, too.
Three things--
1. Those kid images are SMALL, yo. You best take to decaf for those babies...
2. It's amazing how mere dots can look like flowers.
3. I AM sort of proud of my Ninjas, I have to admit...

I drew in the lines on my background that make the "street" and did some bokeh-type dots to indicate a crowd. I did grab an old stamp from my stash of dollar bin stamps to make the banners on vellum with gold embossing just to add a more parade like look to my scene.

Oh yeah. Mr In-flight Ninja? On an action wobbler. 'Cause that's how I roll. (it makes him even more forward of the one behind him, too. Because, depth...)

And that's my collection for this 12 Kits of Occasions January 2019 edition!
I had, as ALWAYS, a wonderful time playing with this kit, and I can't wait to see what all the other crafters come up with. I invite you to check out the 12 Kits site, as well as the linked sites that will give you all kinds of wonderful eye candy and inspiration.

Special thanks to my very special friend Jeanne Jachna, for the invitation to play, and for coming up with yet another amazing kit.
Much love.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
All Best--
Richard

12 comments:

  1. OMG! You did me proud Richard! I loved scrolling down slowly taking in each card.. The inked landscape and beautifully colored lanterns with the twine strings (showing off your patience here!) and of course the wonderful take out. Love the fortunes in the cookies and stacked boxes.. and then BAM the last one .. WOW!!! The parade? You blew me away! Brilliant! I love your coloring and all the details .. You got patterns on the kimonos! And the ninja wobbler you need to video that.. I'll be checking insta! LOL! Thanks for playing along - you're amazing !

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  2. Oh my goodness! Wow. I'm in awe. What fantastic cards you created, MISTER Cardmaker! Your use of the papers included is fantastic. I love how you backed the medallion and blended the die cut. Perfection. The lantern card is just beautiful. Great use of the vellum, too. The fortune cookies and take out boxes is just plain fun! But the star of this show is that final card. My jaw literally dropped when I saw it. What a stunning masterpiece! You've got some mad skills there, MISTER and I thank you for sharing them!! What a labor of love!

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  3. Happy to have you back again, Richard! Welcome! Wow on all your cards beautiful , fun and so very creative! That last long card is amazing! I love the beauty of that second card with the lanterns so pretty with the patterned paper! I can tell you had a good time with Jeanne's wonderful kit! Hope you have a great weekend.

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  4. Oh my goodness Mr. Cardmaker, you've blown me away! Your cards are amazing little works of Asian art! I love how you used all the printed papers layered with alll the die cuts. Each card had me wanting more. Your last card is jaw dropping, genius! It really is just like an Asian parade. What a way to celebrate Jeanne's amazing kit. So glad you joined us this month and wowed us with your creativity.

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  5. Richard as always I am so excited to have you join us again as a guest! I always LOVE to see the kits through you eyes and each and every one is a masterpiece! Bright, bold and fabulous--all of them! I am especially smitten with the last card. I can only imagine the amount of time spent making that, but wow wow wow the resulting card is brilliant!

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  6. I enjoyed every one of your striking cards, but I have to say I audibly GASPED when I saw that parade! Amazing how you saw the sizes of those images and brought them all together with perfect perspective! Your bokah crowd! The banners! The twinkle! Fabulous!

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  7. Your bright and FUN cards take my breath away! Thanks so much for letting me join in the "gang" for fun! Your Fortune cards so interactive and AWESOME! The large overhead crownd celebration, I MEAN WOWZER!!!!!!! Just Brilliance!

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  8. OH MY GOODNESS! First welcome back as Jeanne's incredible guest. And second, your cards really shine, you totally rocked her kit. Your parade card is over the top incredible, just so much fun! I could look at it all day and would keep finding little details that I missed the time before. Your take out card is wonderful too, just beautiful! Love all your wonderful creations, so happy you joined us again!

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  9. Welcome back Richard, so happy to have you playing along this month! Your cards are amazing. I love the take out card, so much going on but it all flows together perfectly! And your last card...um...WOW!!!

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  10. Welcome back--so happy to have you joining us again this month! You've done such an amazing job with Jeanne's kit. Your first card is the perfect combo of patterns. Love the gold coin with the navy embossing and your coloring on the landscape die cut. The lanterns look great with patterned papers and the take out design is such fun. But that long card with a collage of images is the stand-out. That is one awesome card!!

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  11. Oh my goodness...I am totally blown away by what you did with Jeanne's kit Richard!! Each card is FABULOUS and I just love how you combined all that gorgeous paper with the die cuts and images! Your lantern card is AWESOME, and I LOVE how you made the gold lantern look lit up with the colored vellum behind it...genius!! But oh my Richard...your Parade card is absolutely STUNNING!! I love every single last detail about this card, and believe me, I've been staring at it for quite a looooong time!! From starting with the smallest images to the largest, the coloring, (and yes, your little dots DO look like flowers!!) the bokeh for the crowds, the streets paved with gold...oh my, but this is absolutely frame worthy Richard!! Thank you SO much for sharing all this beauty with us this month...you really did blow me away!! :0)

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