Challenge Ready

I found it!  I found the perfect stamp for my very first challenge of using 1 stamp for a card 12 times.  Way back in my stash was a stamp I have not used in years.  I have this cute little stamp store that carries very unique stamps.  Alot are from the owners own creation and then she also carries the Northwoods Line.  Oscar opened her store back in the late 70's I think and a childhood friend of hers just happens to be the owner of the Northwoods line of stamps.  These stamps are so detailed.  Some of the scenes look like paintings and require alot of coloring.  I for one am not a great colorer (is that a word?)  I don't shade well and never have great results but one stamp in particular does not require alot of detail coloring and that's the one I chose.  The stamp is called "Two Raccoons in a Can"  #M9035 and can be gotten HERE  

I decided on this one because I thought I could use it for many different themes plus not alot of coloring.  So lets start.  For this first month I decided to make a Birthday card for my friend.  I chose blues because I always think of January as being a blue month.  First because it's usually quite cold and I'm always sad Christmas decor returns to normal. 
So if any of you know me you know 3 definite things about my creative juices. One is I do not like to color which is why most of my cards are huge layered ones.  Two is I do not like to "fussy" cut.  If something has to be cut I sure hope there is a die for it otherwise I turn into a cranky pants.  Finally three..I love to embellish.  Choosing a stamp to use every month has multiple dislikes for me.  Coloring and fussy cutting.  Thank goodness I can still use embellies!  So I decided to make it look like these raccoons are digging through the Christmas garbage to find something usable for a birthday.  I even had the one little guys find a birthday card that he's holding lol.  So here it is.  Hope you like it.

I Heat embossed the image and then just added a hint of color with color pencils.  The background paper already looked like sky so I just sponged some brown on the bottom for ground.  The sentiment is a die cut.  Oh how I wanted to use a stamp instead lol.  The trash consists of chocolate foils, tissue paper and I cut little stuff out of the snack packages I give the grandkids.  Though this was fun I know the challenge will be to incorporate raccoons every month.  It will be an interesting adventure.  Hope you all stick around to see how this ends at Christmas 2020.

Can't wait to share February's card.

Thanks for stopping by

HAPPY CARDING!