From All of Us + Easy Masking Technique - Winnie & Walter

Hi, Friends......

I am here with a fun card that I made for the Winnie & Walter November Color Combo Challenge. Look at this wonderful inspiration palette that Heather gave us to work from:

I recently saw a wonderful card duo on Instagram by Catherine Gray that I wanted to try with my W&W So Tweet birdies. My card required a lot of masking, but I have a quick tip on an easy way to mask when you have the matching dies for a stamp set. I will share it with you below. I stamped and watercolored my birdies on mixed media paper and die-cut lots of little stars from glitter cardstock to add sparkle to my tree. I love how my card turned out!

Supplies used include:
Winnie & Walter - LS Exclusives: So Tweet with Evelin T Designs stamp set (for birds)
Winnie & Walter - LS Exclusives: So Tweet with Evelin T Designs die set (for making masks)
Distress Markers - Antique Linen, Hickory Smoke, Stormy Sky, Tumbled Glass, Vintage Photo, and Walnut Stain
Distress Ink - Hickory Smoke and Stormy Sky
Winnie & Walter - Big Hugs with Evelin T Designs stamp set (for sentiment)
Versafine ink in Majestic Blue
Winnie & Walter - In Bloom: Hollie's Festive Florals stamp set (for pine branches)
Winnie & Walter - Big Bang Confetti Cutaways die set (for stars)
Scraps of DCWV silver glitter cardstock
Winnie & Walter - Essentials: Audrey Cutaways die set (for scalloped background)
Core'dinations Cardstock in Navy Blue

Can you spot the sleeping kitty in the background?  That's my Jetta.  <3

EASY MASKING TECHNIQUE - (FOR WHEN YOU HAVE THE MATCHING DIES FOR A STAMP SET.) 
When I first receive the matching dies for a stamp set...before I separate the individual pieces....I use the entire die framework to die cut a piece of plastic.  (I am using old developed x-ray film, but that's cuz I am married to a vet!  You can use make-your-own-stencil material or whatever you have on hand.)  Now I have ready-made masks either for the background or for the images.  Since this particular set had little dies nested inside the birdies (hearts, etc) there are perfect little holes for washi to stick through and secure the mask to my paper while I stamp around them.  Since the masks are a tiny bit larger than my stamped images, I just move them slightly to line up with the outline of my image on the side where I am working.  When I want to work on the other side, I lift the mask and line it up with that side.  Easy peasy.  These masks last and last....and since they are transparent I can easily see where I want to place them. 

Hope you enjoyed my card. Thank you so much for your sweet comments!!! I hope you have a lovely day!

<3
Janis

Thank you for the honor of entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Winnie & Walter November Color Combo Challenge
2. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #362 - AG Christmas w/ opt. Quick and Easy
3. Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Star Light, Star Bright 
4. Die-Cut Divas - Winter Time
5. The Artistic Stamper December Challenge - Christmas
6. CARDZ-TV Anything Goes Challenge #24
7. DL.ART December Linky Party - Anything Goes
8. Uniko Challenge #44 - Christmas  
9. Choux Choux Visions of Sugarplums 2017 Challenge - Christmas/Winter
10. Christmas Cards All Year Round  December Challenge - Anything Goes Holiday Related