I am not in the habit of NewYear's resolutions, but one thing I told myself I wanted to do this year was to enter more online card challenges.  So, I am starting off with two challenges for January and I am barely making the deadline. :)

For the first card I am using the cute Cozy Kittens digital stamp from From The Heart Digital Stamps.  This is the January image for the progressive challenge on their site.  These cute kitties reminded me of my two cats, although I am not sure I have ever seen them quite so loving to each other.  

 

 I printed the kitties onto some Coredinations 110b card stock and colored them using Prismacolor colored pencils.  I blended the coloring with gamsol and fussy cut the image, using a black felt marker around the edges for a cleaner looking cut.   I glued the image to a piece of vellum that I had traced one of the included sentiments onto, then I used a Pigma Micron pen to add back in the little whiskers that I lost when cutting.  I heat embossed some brush stroke hearts with silver embossing powder onto some Bazzil Candy Hearts card stock for a background and added the vellum piece using foam tape hidden behind the kitties.  The card base is a piece of linen textured grey card stock cut to 11 by 41/2 and folded to create a top folding card.   

Card number 2 today is also a cat themed Valentine card.  This cat image is from Gerda Steiner Designs and also the image for the progressive challenge.

 

This guy is also printed on 110lb Coredinations paper and colored with Copic Markers (I used the warm grey colors for the kitty along with just a tiny bit of blush for his ears and cheeks and 2 red shades for the heart).  I added Wink of Stella glitter brush pen and Glossy accents to the heart for extra sparkle.  For the background, I smooshed Spun Sugar, Worn Lipstick and Festive Berries Distress inks onto my craft mat, sprayed the ink with water and layed a piece of card stock down onto it.  I was hoping for a bit of an ombre effect and I am happy with the results.  After the color was dry, I let drops of clean water fall onto the paper and blotted these up with a paper towel for a splotchy look.  I then glued this piece to the grey card base left over from card #1 and mounted the kitty on an action wobbler.  I have made several cards with action wobblers recently and they always make me smile!