Layers of Blue

The current challenge over at Christmas Challenges with Sketches is to use the sketch on a gift bag. You can follow the link to see the sketch if you'd like; they ask that people don't repost it.

It's a very layered sketch. I like it, but normally I wouldn't attempt it -- lots of layers start looking really silly on a 2-inch-wide bookmark! However, I figured that a bag ought to give me plenty of room.

So I rummaged around in my wrapping supplies and found a bag I'd saved from some gift or other. It was blue, which was perfect: clearly I should do something wintery and snowflakey with the layers of the sketch.

I invested my creativity in making paper designs rather than altering the sketch much -- I decorated all the papers myself (except for the black one with big glittery white dots, which was a scrap). I think the black with silver snowflakes is probably the prettiest one... too bad it's mostly covered up!

Tip: My craft sheet was pretty messy after creating the first three or four papers -- white ink, silver ink, shimmer spritz and even some stray glitter and embossing power were everywhere! Don't waste this lovely mess -- take another piece of paper and rub it all over the craft sheet. Now you have a cleaner craft sheet and a cool piece of paper -- mine's the darker blue piece with the dove in the upper right.

I had a specific color inspiration, hence the use of black as well as blue and white -- but I can't show it, because it's the present inside the bag, and the recipient reads my blog.

(Hey Anya, I have a present for you...)

I'm entering this bag in the following challenges:

• Christmas Challenges (with Sketches) #53: Sketch with a Twist - Use a Bag
• Repeat Impressions Designer's Choice Challenge 125: Tags or Bags (bag, not tag... it would make an awfully large tag!)
• Stamptacular Sunday #193: Anything But a Card
• Divas by Design 64: Let It Snow
• Simon Says Stamp: Snowflakes
• Charisma Cardz #48: Christmas!
• Delightful Challenge: All About Christmas
• Sparkles Monthly #38: Christmas is Coming
• Top Tip Tuesday 91: Christmas (a Christmasy creation and a tip, too!)
• The Cupboard Trilogy #6: Frosty Winter

Supplies:

Bookmarks XXXII: Frog Princess

The frog princess has a golden ball just like the human princess, but when it falls into the well she just goes in right after it.

Once she managed to lose the golden ball up in a tree. A human prince happened to be sitting under the tree, so she asked him to get it down for her. When he proceeded to demand to eat off her plate, and sleep on her pillow, and all that rigamarole, she simply called on the frog gardeners and had them get it down instead.

She's both independent and charming, and she knows it. That's why she looks so self-satisfied. That and the being-a-princess, which does tend to give one an over-inflated idea of one's self-importance.

I shall put this bookmark into "The Ordinary Princess" by M. M. Kaye. Princess Amy is not a frog, but she is certainly both independent and charming.

I'm entering this bookmark into these challenges:

• Annabelle Stamps: Say It In... Shades of Pink (and white)
• Dawn's Crafting: Breast Cancer Awareness and/or Think Pink (not just a little use a lot!) (no BCA here, but I think we can agree there is quite a lot of pink)
• Cupcake Craft Challenge 211: Fairytales (frog princess!)
• Sarah Hurley Challenge 72: Something Magical (frog princesses and strong women are both magical, although in different ways)
• Challenge Up Your Life #78: Fantasy (frog princess!)
• Stamptacular Sunday #182: BLING It On! (glitter on the paper, glitter in the clear embossing powder, sparkly gold embossing powder...)
• Great Impressions: Sentimental Journey
• Robyn's Fetish Challenge #126: Book Marks

I'm also linking it up to DL.ART's 1000-post Linky Party and Unique Crafters' Big Chance Giveaway.

Supplies: (white 110lb. cardstock is from Staples)