Thursday, November 28, 2013

Santa Christmas

Got my turkey in the oven this morning and decided to sit down and get another
card done.  I really like the current sketch at The Deconstructed Sketch and thought 
it would work well for a new stamp and die set I have.

This is the sketch...



and what I came up with.





So, I think it came out okay.  The stamp and die set is the Tim Holtz Alterations
collection called "Retro Christmas".  The papers I used are from My Mind's Eye
called "Lost & Found Christmas.  Thanks for taking a look and have a great
Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

FMS 114


I've been so busy making Christmas cards recently that I decided I needed a change of pace
and would do a birthday card when I saw the Freshly Made Sketches challenge for this
week. I will also enter this card in the Dynamic Duos "Triple Threat Challenge" and the
Seize the Birthday challenge as well.




I went shopping at Joann's the other day and found a couple of Sizzix stamp & die cut
sets I've been wanting, so I used one of them on this card.  I stamped the floral image
twice, first with the green ink and then with the pink.  I fussy cut the pink flowers and
layered them on top of the green, which was die cut.  I did some embossing on the white
panel and the dark red strip, punched out the butterfly and added some sparkle to it and
the flowers.  Thanks for taking a look!




Monday, November 25, 2013

Snow Family


I wanted to get one more card done today that I think will work for a couple of
challenges.  I used the sketch from retrosketches and the color combo from
Dynamic Duos, which is actually using 3 colors this week instead of the normal 2.
I think this will work for the Just Us Girls challenge as well.

Here's what I came up with...


using this sketch...


 this color combo...


and this photo as inspiration.





I used a Cricut cartridge called Snow Friends to cut the little snow family.  The
printed paper is from the Merry Little Christmas paper pad from My Mind's Eye.
I used some tiny pearls for the eyes and clothes embellishments.  I stamped, heat
embossed and cut the snowflake with the Tim Holtz Holiday Joy set from Sizzix.
Thanks for taking a look! 

Snowflake Christmas

Oh the ladies at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown are really challenging me.  I am
learning so many new techniques playing along with them.  The technique challenge
for November is acrylic block background.  So, once again this is my first attempt at
something!  


Here's my card.



How appropriate that when I took my card outside to photograph it was starting to snow! I
didn't even know it was supposed to do that today.  Anyway, I inked my acrylic block with
pearlescent sky blue ink, spritzed it with water and stamped on a heavyweight card stock.
I used the Lacy Labels Cricut Lite cartridge for the die cutting and added the large snowflake
brad to the center of the label.  I stamped the greeting with the same ink I used for the
background, cut it into a banner and adhered to another piece of the background paper and
added a little more bling to the 4 small snowflakes.  Thanks for taking a look! 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Christmas Angel

I was able to get to get yet another Christmas card made with inspiration from 2
challenges.  I used the sketch from Mojo Monday and the theme from CAS-ual Fridays
which is to create with 8.







I really like these foiled papers from DCWV and this little angel stamp I got from Hot off
the Press.  The angel was heat embossed with red embossing tinsel and colored with
smooch inks to match the ribbon.  I added 8 dazzles stars and finished with the greeting.
Thanks for taking a look!

Friday, November 22, 2013

FMS 113

I made a card using the current sketch at Freshly Made Sketches to share.

This is the card I made...



using this sketch.

I used the border piece I had left from the Warm and Cozy 3-D papier tole die cuts
from Hot off the Press.  The printed papers are from the same collection.  After
layering the die cut pieces with foam tape and adhering to the horizonal strip all I
had to do was stamp the greeting.  Thanks for taking a look!

'Tis the Season

Yay! I'm so happy to be on vacation now until December 2nd.  That means I get
to spend extra time crafting.  I can't ever seem to get enough.  Although, I'm sure
my husband would beg to differ!  Anyway, we've got snow on the ground here 
in Colorado and it's about 20 degrees so when I saw the current sketch at retrosketches
I thought a cute little snowman would be a good choice for this project.

Here's the sketch...



and my card.



I pulled out my Cricut Snow Friends cartridge to create the snowman or should I say
snow person?  Embossed the white panel with a Paper Studio embossing folder and
border punched the pink vellum with a Fiskars punch.  Stamped and heat embossed the
 greeting, although I'm not really happy with the way it turned out.  And there you
have it. 'Tis the Season!  Thanks for taking a look.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Gingerbread Greetings


I had some cute little gingerbread papier tole pieces that were just screaming out
to be put on a card, so when I saw the color challenge at Just Us Girls I knew they
would be perfect.  And I thought the sketch at Mojo Monday would work as well.

This is the color scheme...


the sketch...



and what I ended up with.


I think it turned out rather cute!  I didn't have to do that much.  Adding some foam
dots to layer the pieces, little die cutting and adding some printed cardstock which is 
from a Teresa Collins designer pad called Christmas Cottage.  The stamped greeting is
from a Hero Arts set.  The papier tole is from Hot off the Press.  Thanks for taking a look!


Black & Silver Christmas

Managed to get one more card done today.  This one is for 3 challenges.  I used the
sketch from Seize the Sketch, the colors from the Dynamic Duos challenge and
the cue from CASology. I'll also enter this one in the CAS-ual Fridays challenge.


Here is the card I came up with...




using this sketch...


this color combo...


and this cue.

I used a Paper Studio embossing folder for the main panel.  I cut the tree  with a Cricut
Christmas solutions cartridge.  The DP is from the DCWV Twinkle Glints paper pad. I
added a little bit of bling.  Thanks for taking a look!  


Saturday, November 16, 2013

FMS 112 / Seize the Birthday


I've been thinking and thinking since I saw this week's sketch over at
Freshly Made Sketches of what I could do with it and finally came up with
something.  I'm also going to enter the Seize the Birthday challenge, since I
made a birthday card and there is a "toppings" option of texture.


Here's the sketch...
and my take on it.




I needed to make a birthday card for a co-worker and I seem to have at theme going
when it comes to making this co-worker's card every year.  It's red and black.  She
simply loves red and I like using black with red. I embossed the white panel with a
Cuttlebug folder and used a favorite Fiskars border punch for the 3 strips, which
broke just before I finished all my punching but managed to get it done anyway. I hate
when that happens, but I guess I've gotten my money's worth, as much as I've used it.
I added the paper roses, some red jewels and a greeting. Now I think I'm gonna have to go
out and see if I can find another border punch I like as well as this one. Thanks for taking a look!

One Layer Christmas


Ok, so I'm not one that really makes one layer cards but the theme/recipe challenge
 over at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown this week is to do so with only a hint of
 color, ribbon or bling.  I had to give it a try and this is what I came up with. I'm
thinking I'll enter this card in the CAS-ual Fridays challenge as well.











Pretty simple!  I dry embossed the white card stock with a Sizzix embossing folder,
colored the center of the flowers with smooch ink, added red ribbon and a bow and
stamped the greeting with red ink.  Thanks for taking a look!

Sunday, November 10, 2013

FM 111

I've got a card for the Freshly Made Sketches #111 challenge.


Here's what I did...


with this sketch for inspiration.


I only wish my picture of the card was brighter.  I took it outside and the sun had already
started to go down.  The pictures I took inside weren't any better.  Oh well.  I embossed the
white panel with one of my Sizzix texturz plates and die cut the snowflake with
Spellbinders Create -a -Flake Four dies and layered with foam tape. I added some bling
throughout.  Thanks for taking a look!

Mojo 318

Just a quick post with the card I created for the challenge over at Mojo Monday.  I really
like this sketch and struggled to come up with something I thought would be worthy of
entering.


Here's my card...



based on this sketch.


I think it turned out okay.  I die cut the reindeer with the Cricut Christmas Solutions
cartridge.  The tag was cut with an old Sizzix originals die and the snowflakes are
cut from Spellbinders Create- a- Flake Four.  The greeting is from a Hero Arts
set of Christmas greetings.  Thanks for taking a look!



Saturday, November 9, 2013

DD #78 / DS126

I actually got a second card made today in spite of the fact that I think I may have
carpal tunnel syndrome and it's not easy to work with a brace on my hand. I  saw the
color combo over at Dynamic Duos and found a sketch I wanted to try at
The Deconstructed Sketch. So I decided to combine the two challenges.

Here's the card I came up with...



using these colors...


and this sketch.


I used the same  Cricut cartridge and Sizzix dies I used on my earlier post today.
The papers are from the Teresa Collins Christmas Cottage 6x6 paper pad.  I used
a Prima Say it in Pearls embellishment and used a Hero Arts stamp set for the
greeting.  Thanks for taking a look!

November Color Challenge - 52CCT


Got started a little late with my crafting for the weekend.  I had to go in to work
 for a little while this morning to do an interview for a position I need to fill.  So, now
with that done I was able to get down to business creating a card for the color challenge
at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.


This is the color combo...


and what I managed to come up with.


It took me quite a while to formulate a plan but finally decided to pull out my Cricut
and my Christmas solutions cartridge.  I've already done several cards with poinsettias
this year and some snowflake cards so I thought one with a reindeer would be a good 
change.  I used a Sizzix embossing folder for the background of the frame and 2
Sizzix originals dies for the frame itself.  I added some bling and stamped the greeting.
There you have it!  Thanks for taking a look!

Sunday, November 3, 2013

DS125

I'm managing to get one last post in this weekend.  I wanted to get a birthday card
made for a co-worker whose favorite color is green.  So I saw the sketch for this
week over at The Deconstructed Sketch and thought I'd use it for this project.

This is the sketch...



and my interpretation.



I have a paper pad from Recollections called Garden Florals that I used for this card.
The flower and leaves were fussy cut from one of the designer papers and layered
with foam tape.  I added a Prima Say it in Pearls piece to the center of the flower
and added some silver stickers and the sentiment.  Thanks for taking a look!

Black & White Birthday

This morning I was checking out some challenge blogs I've never participated with
before and decided to try my hand at a few.  I actually was able to create a card that
I think fulfills the requirements for 4 challenges.


Here is the card I made.



So, I first saw the challenge at CASology where the cue word is black and the
challenge at Cas-ual Fridays where the theme is embossing, either dry or heat.
Now I've never considered any of my designs to be clean and simple, but I'm
finding that the more I do along those lines the more I like it.  Hope this card qualifies
as clean and simple for those 2 challenges.  I saw the sketch at Seize the Sketch...



and decided that would be the one to use.  I also thought, that since this is a birthday
card that I would enter it in the Seize the Birthday challenge as well, as anything goes
for that one.

I used Black Magic cardstock from Core'dinations and dry embossed it with the
Sizzix Corners and Lattice embossing folders set.  Then I lightly sanding the embossing 
to bring out a little of the white core.  I stamped my sentiment, which is from the
Inkadinkado Expressions and Frames set, and heat embossed it with white embossing
powder.  I finished with 2 silk flowers from the Paper Studio that I put together with
a black brad.  So, hopefully I covered all the bases for these 4  challenges.
 Thanks for taking a look!

Saturday, November 2, 2013

DD #77

The Dynamic Duos color challenge this week has a bold and cheery theme.  So in
continuing my quest to get a whole bunch of Christmas cards done that's what I
did.  Another Christmas card.

Here's the color combination...


and my card.



Oh, just realized my little penguin has a big ole shadow.  One day, maybe, I'll get
a little better at photography.  Anyway, I did some stamping, heat embossing, dry
embossing, punching and die cutting to create this fun little card.

Thanks for taking a look! 

52 CCT

The challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown this week is a sketch challenge.
This is one of my favorite challenges to take part in.  It really helps to have such
motivation to get those holiday cards done.


This is the sketch...




and what I decided to do with it.


I love the Foiled Elegance and the Foiled Cardstock stacks from DCWV.   The foil
combined with the kraft cardstock is something I wouldn't have thought of doing
on my own.  The angel stamp is from Hot off the Press.  I stamped it and the
sentiment with Versamark and heat embossed with red embossing tinsel.  I cut
both circles with Sizzix framelits dies and popped the angel and circle with foam tape.
Thanks for taking a look.

FMS 110


I just have a quick post this morning to share a card I made to enter in the challenge over
at Freshly Made Sketches.  I've done another Christmas card as I think I need about 25
more.  We'll see if I get that accomplished!

Here 's the sketch...

and my version.



I used classic Christmas colors this time, red and green.  I embossed the main white card
stock panel with a Sizzix Texturz plate and the white squares with a Paper Studio
embossing folder.  I stamped the tree and heat embossed it with rainbow sparkle
embossing powder, although it's hard to tell in the picture.  The tree was fussy cut and
popped with foam tape. Thanks for taking a look!