Jingle Belles sticker challenge

 I'm just getting in under the wire for the current Jingle Belles challenge to use stickers on your Christmas card.  I don't use stickers too often on cards, but I had a sheet of vintage style stickers from Simple Stories that were too pretty not to use.

The sentiment and the Santa are both stickers.  I just added some die cut pieces and this one was ready to go.  Love the vintage style of these stickers.

Mix It Up Challenge Blog - #85 - Embossing

 Time for a new month and a new challenge at Mix It Up Challenge Blog.  This month it's all about embossing - heat embossing or dry embossing, your choice.

I used dry embossing on my card, but with a little twist, using a technique from Simon Hurley's YouTube series back in the spring.

Using the Simon Says Stamp Wildflower Field embossing folder, I embossed the image on white cardstock.  Then I turned the embossed image over, so the debossed (indented) side was facing up.  I used a brayer and lightly rolled some Lunar Paste over the debossed image.  The paste covered the flat side of the image without going down into the debossed areas.  This left the florals in white with the shimmery background in blue.  Once this dried, I used a scalloped rectangle die to cut the image and attached it to a card front with thin foam tape.  I added a foiled sentiment to finish off the card.

I hope you find some time over the next six weeks to join in our challenge.  We would love to see which technique you choose and what you create!

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - August technique challenge

 The technique challenge for this month at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is to create a fracture card. You can see a tutorial for this technique on the 52CCT blog.

Sometimes called a shutter card, this technique involves a shaped centerpiece (typically a square or diamond), a pattern paper background and thin 1/4" cardstock strips that match the card base.  Here's my card for the challenge:

I stamped and colored the square Santa image, then tilted it slightly so the fracture strips would be angled. I added a few tiny clay peppermint pieces to the top and bottom strips.

Cozy Christmas

 Jingle Belles is hosting a "Masculine Merriment" challenge right now, featuring cards with a more masculine feel to them.

I pulled out an older Hero Arts stamp and die set and made this little Christmas fireplace scene.  It's a more muted color scheme with the darker red fireplace and gray hearth, so I thought it fit with the more masculine theme.  Plus, who doesn't like to sit by the fire on a cold winter night?  I inked around the edges of the background with some dark red and kraft inks to create a bit of a frame for the image.

ABC Christmas Challenge for August

 The current challenge at ABC Christmas Challenge is a choice between:

P - penguins

Q-Quartet

R-rectangles

I went with Q for quartet, with four sparkly little bottle brush Christmas trees.

The background was embossed with snowflakes.  I stamped the bottle brush trees in various colors, using gray for the bases on all, then die cut them.  Crystal glitter was applied to the trees and once that dried, I adhered them to the card front, along with a silver embossed sentiment.  I love the nostalgic vibe of the colorful bottle brush trees.   

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - August color challenge

 The August color challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is to use red, green and brown on your card.

Here's my card for the challenge:

Stamp and dies are from the Timeless Tidings set from Tonic Studios.  I reallyl like the pine branches in this die set, they cut really well.  The white label die is from Gina Marie Designs.  I don't use kraft as a base for Christmas cards to often, but it was just perfect for this woodsy foliage feel.

Sparkles Christmas challenge #186

 The current challenge at Sparkles Christmas is a monochrome Christmas.  For my card, I used shades of green/teal for the trees and the sparkle background behind them, as well as the sentiment.

I added three tiny gold star sequins to the top of the trees for a bit of shine.  The tree stamps are ones from PaperTrey Ink that I hadn't used in a long time.  I'd forgotten how cute they are!

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #112

Christmas Kickstart's current challenge is all about the presents!

Here's my card for the challenge. I used a few different stamps sets for this one.  The sentiment was heat embossed in gold.  The presents were adhered with a mix of flat and dimensional adhesive.    I used a splatter stamp for the background sparkles.

52 Christmas Card Throwdown - "Baubles" challenge

 The theme challenge for July from 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is "baubles".  

Here is my card for the challenge.  The ornaments were stamped and colored with Olo markers.  I lightly ink blended around the edges of the snowflake patterned paper and added some shimmer pen to areas of the ornaments for some sparkle.

Jingles Belles "Unicorn holiday" challenge and ABC challenge of "no stamping"

I made this card for the Jingle Belles color challenge, but happily it also fit the ABC Christmas challenge of "no stamping".   Here is the color inspiration from Jingle Belles.

The challenge is to use at least three colors from the above image on your project.  Here's my card for the challenge:

I used pink, red and green.  It's hard to see, but there is pink in the plaid and the striped papers.   I used die cut ephemera pieces, a die cut bow, and then added some silver and clear shimmer pens.  When you have pretty papers and pieces leftover from layouts, you hate to let them go to waste!  It unusual for me to make a card without any stamping, but this one looked nice without any sentiment on the front.  

Jingle Bells Stars or Stripes challenge

 Jingle Belles is hosting a stars or stripes challenge.  I decided to go with stars for my card.

The background panel was one I had foiled a few weeks ago but hadn't used yet.  I ink blended shades of blue over the foiled stars and snow and added white shimmer cardstock for the snowy ground.  The penguins were stamped and colored with Olo markers, then die cut.  Penguins and sentiment are from Taylored Expressions.  I added a little bit of clear Stickles to the snow.

AAA Cards - Challenge #318

 AAA Cards is hosting a "follow my lead" challenge.   Here is the card for scraplift inspiration.

I went with a Fall theme for my card, using stamps from Catherine Pooler and HoneyBee Stamps.

The swirly leaves were stamped in rose gold ink and the greeting in sepia ink onto light kraft cardstock.  I stamped and diecut some small leaves in rose gold ink and used clear embossing powder on top.  Fall is my favorite time of year, so I always enjoy making cards to celebrate.

CAS on Friday - Christmas in July challenge

 CAS on Friday is having a Christmas in July challenge.  Christmas themed but keep it clean and simple.

Here's my card for the challenge:

The floral image was stamped and colored with Olo markers, then die cut.  The sentiment was stamped onto an oval die cut and then both were adhered to a layered gold scallop frame.  

Mix It Up Challenge Blog - Challenge #84

 Here we are at the start of July, and it's time for another Mix It Up Challenge!  This time the challenge is to create a shaped card.  Here is my card for the challenge.

To create the shaped card, I made a top folding 4.25" x 5.5" card base.  I used an arch die to cut the folded card base, aligning the die so the top portion extended over the top of the fold so it wouldn't cut.  I then used two other sizes of the arch dies to create the layers.  The middle blue layer was dry embossed, while the floral image was stamped and colored on the top layer.  I just added some silver corn and a few sequins to finish off the card.  The stacked arch dies are from Scrapbook.com, the floral image is from Stampin' Bella, and the sentiment is from Hero Arts.

You can create shaped cards with dies like I did, or by using a Cricut or Silhouette cutting machine, or even hand cutting a shape.  We'd love to see what you create for this challenge.  Hope you can join us at Mix It Up Challenge blog!

AAA Birthday Challenge #87 - for the girls

 I'm so happy to be a Guest Designer this month for the AAA Birthday challenge blog. This month the challenge is all about girls.

Here is my feminine birthday card, with lots of pink and pastels and just a bit of shine!

I used Simon Hurley Solar Paste and a Deco Dots stencil from Carta Bella for the background.  Once that was dry, I used a Honey Bee scalloped rectangle to die cut the background.  The cake, cake stand and banner were stenciled, stamped and die cut using the Cake Walk combo from Taylored Expressions. That solar paste adds just enough shimmer as an extra touch.

The AAA Birthday challenge runs through July 31st, so I hope you get a chance to play along.  We'd love to see your creations!

AAA Cards - Challenge #317

 AAA Cards is hosting a sketch challenge right now.  Here is the sketch:

Here is my card for the sketch.  I used a large floral ephemera piece and a puffy sticker word, with just three gold bead embellishments.  A card with no stamping is a different look for me, but that lavender floral piece was too pretty to let it hang around in my stash.

AAA Cards - one plus one challenge

 I was lucky enough to be a guest designer at AAA Cards for this 1+1 challenge.  The theme is "summer" and then you can choose any one of the other four themes shown.

I went with summer and sun for my card.

The smiling sun image was cut with my Cricut and the sentiment was printed on my computer.  To add a little bit of fun, I stenciled the background with a cloud stencil and light blue ink.  This will be a good card to send to my grandkids as they start their summer vacation from school.

Thanks to AAA Cards for giving me the chance to be a guest designer.  I hope you get a chance to join in with this summer challenge!

AAA Cards Challenge #315

 AAA Cards is hosting a sketch challenge thru June 6th.  Here is the sketch:

I went with a patriotic theme for my card from the sketch.

The stamps and dies are from Taylored Expressions and Concord & 9th.  I added some gold ink splatters and three tiny gold beads.  Two of the stars are adhered with thin foam adhesive for a bit of dimension.

Jingle Belles Ombre Wonderland challenge

 The current Jingle Belles challenge is about using ombre blends in your project.  Here's my card for the challenge:

I used three different green inks and three different red inks for the stenciled holly background and two of the green and one red ink for the stenciled sentiment.  The same three green inks were blended onto white cardstock for the mat behind the stenciled panel.  I added three clear sequins and a few shimmer pen dots for just a bit of sparkle.

The Sisterhood of Crafters May challenge

 The May challenge at Sisterhood of Crafters is to use banners on your project.

I used a banner stamp and die from Concord & 9th and a word die from HoneyBee Stamps for my card.

The card front is cut from white shimmer cardstock, and I added a few gold star sequins for some shine.