Santa Claus has arrived

 Hello and welcome.  Yes it's been a hot minute since I've posted here.  I've "finally" finished and mailed my Christmas cards.  Today I am featuring a series of (Santa cards) that I made this year.  You've seen this one already:

I made that way back in November.  Here are the other 4 cards I made using the same stamp set:

All cards feature the stamp set: Simon Hurley - Silly Santas and matching dies.

Traditional Christmas colors were used.  If you need information on papers, etc..that I used feel free to message me.  In the interest of time on these cards I'm leaving out all that information.

Christmas Cards - Day 5

 Today I'm wrapping up the last of the cards I made for Christmas 2023.

This first card featured items that I had in my scrap bin waiting to be used.  Card Base, Very Vanilla.  Then I die cut (Unity die) a piece of pink card stock.  To that I layered the holly embossed piece I found in the scrap box with a piece of mint card stock.  I also had the poinsettia in the scrap box so I added that along with the heart brad, a piece of ribbon in my stash, some pink pearls and the sentiment.

One of the CAS designs I did.  This featured the pretty holly designer paper, a stamped holly & berries, some gems and Washi tape.

Colors, Real Red, Basic Black, Garden Green.

This card was featured earlier on the blog (click to enlarge) - But I used the pieces of it to create another card:

Colors, Garden Green, Real Red, White.  Designer paper, red gems, sentiment (which I can't find now) and black ink.

Stamp set: Peace to You (SU). Embossed pine bow that I brushed over white ink. Shiny dotted paper (SU), Cherry Cobbler, Shaded Spruce Card Stock. - I also embossed the church image with sparkle embossing powder.

These last 2 cards featured an old SU wood block set, Holy Triptych.

 

Gold card used the Brushed Gold card stock (retired SU), Gold embossing powder, gold striped designer paper (SU), Gold pearls, sparkly punched heart.

 

Blue card used, Silver embossing powder, Blueberry Bushel card stock and ink.  Glitter, a piece of the striped designe paper, and a piece of the star designer paper that I still had left over. Also a tiny gem in the star center.

 

That's a wrap for Christmas of 2023.  -  I hope you have enjoyed seeing all my cards.  I had a wonderful time making them and sending them out.  

 

Here's to starting off 2024 by starting way earlier on the Christmas cards!

Christmas Cards - Day 4

 Just about to finish posting all the cards I made for 2023.

This card features 2 images from the the Unity (November 2023 KOM - Festive Flair).  I embossed the deer with black embossing powder and added a small red dot covered in glitter for the nose.  Colors used: Real Red, Mossy Meadow.  Some DP from Memory Box (Dashing Holiday) Circle Dies, Holly embossing folder, red sequins, Real Red ink, foam tape.

This card features a background stamp from Unity Stamps - (Frosted Fauna) and the deer is from Unity as well (Winter Cheer and Deer).

Colors used: Real Red, Mossy Meadow.  Designer paper was a scrap of plaid I found in my Christmas paper drawer. Added some red sequins and a tiny red gem for the nose.  Sentiment was stamped with Memento Tuxedo ink and fussy cut.

This card features an old SU stand alone stamp (Dasher) that I embossed with Versa Mark ink and Woven Tapestry embossing powder (PSX). Circle Die, Scallop circle die.  Sentiment stamp from an old Studio G stamp set.  The DP is also a piece of scrap paper that was one of my favorites.  It has a nice bit of shimmer to it.  Colors: Chocolate Chip (retired SU which I really miss), Real Red and Very Vanilla.  Small red gems, foam tape.

This one uses the same deer image (Winter Cheer and Deer).  This time stamped on Crumb Cake cs with Early Espresso ink and die cut out with an Oval die.  Card base was Very Vanilla,  Real Red cs embossed with Swiss dot embossing folder, a piece of Plaid DP, Some snowflake dies (Memento), red brad and Gold EP for the embossed Merry Sentiment.

Will wrap up all the cards tomorrow with the last 6 designs that I did this year.

Thanks for stopping by & leaving such nice comments.  Have a great day.

Christmas Cards - Day 3

 Welcome back. - We are rapidly winding down the year 2023.  I am posting more Christmas cards today as last year I made cards and never posted them.  So I thought I'd best get this years cards posted.

This one features a large white embossed snowflake layered on a dark green circle of cs. - The DP was an old pattern that I still had a few scraps of.  It has glitter sparkles on it.  I also used an old SU punch, a banner punch (SU) and the sentiment was from a little set of stamps from Inkadinkado that I've had forever.  I also added a small brad to the center of the snowflake.

 

 This card was done using bits and pieces of stuff I had in my scrap pile.  I had punch out the flowers (old SU punch) and added glitter to them.  The center is a star brad.  - The embossed piece was also in my scrap pile and the designer paper is another pattern that I still had a few scraps of.  Other dies were used for the circles, berries and the cut out of the patterned paper. Sentiment is from a Tim Holtz set.

Another card made from bits and pieces of stuff. - Old pattern of designer paper, snowflake dies, tree brad, gold pearls, snowflake punch, ribbon, dies from Unity and SU - Sentiment from Tim Holtz.

 

 

Yet again card made from stuff in the scrap pile.  Someone had sent me the die cut trees.  I distressed them with dark green ink and added snow splatter.  The deer was already punched out and the embossed panel was in the pile as well.  I added a strip of designer paper, and the sentiment (from Annabelle Stamps - no longer in business).  Red sequins completed the card.

 

A few more to show in the next few days. - Thanks for stopping by.

 

 

Christmas Cards - Day 2

 Welcome back. - Today I'm featuring a few more Christmas cards.

This first card features a darling beaver from an older stamp set, (Holiday Treats & Tails - Artful Inkables)  I colored the beaver with Prisma colored pencils.  Added Glitter to the bulbs and some white gel pen to the teeth and white ball on the hat.

Paper is a retired SU pattern. - Enamel Dots (Echo Park), Dies (Nestabilitie).

 

These next 3 cards feature Dimensional stickers on them.

 

Dimensional stickers were purchased years ago so I don't know who made them.  Paper on the first card (Artic Frog - 2006) see how long I've had some of this paper!  Paper on 2nd card - Stampin' Up!

Embossing Folder & Dies also used.

 

This last card I quickly put together when I thought I had forgot to send a friend a card.  It features a felt cardinal sticker, holly embossing folder, gold embossing powder and a pretty piece of foiled designer paper.  -  Funny thing is that later when I checked my card list I discovered that I had sent her another card but hadn't crossed it off my list.  - So she got lucky with 2 cards from me this year.  Hubby said to tell her not to open the 2nd one that way I'd be ahead with her card for next year!

 

 Take card & enjoy the holiday weekend. - More cards to come.

Christmas Cards

 Welcome! - Well all the cards are done and mailed out!  So today I'm sharing a few of them with you all.  Normally I don't do duplicate cards (I'm not a mass producer) - I like to make each card different.

These 4 cards all feature the same stamp for the focal point.  I did vary the colors, paper patterns and sentiments though so each one is just a tad different.

The focal image is from an old SU set (Heavenly Peace - 2006) - It belonged to my mom who loved to send out a religious card each year.  So in her memory I created these cards.  Again each card has a different paper, color, embossing folder, etc...the very bottom one I used a sparkly embossing powder over the image so it really shimmers.

Hope you have enjoyed seeing these cards. - I'll be back tomorrow with a few more to share with you.

Freshly Made Sketches #609

 

Welcome.  I hope you are having a great start to your week.

Today I'm sharing a card for FMS609 

 My card follows the sketch for the most part.  I had an idea in mind and those banners were just hanging me up as I didn't want them to cover my image panel.  So hopefully this still meets the challenge.

I'm going to use the holly leaves as my banners and yes I know there are 3 instead of 2 but it just looked better with three leaves.

Details:  Card Base, Very Vanilla.  Covered with a piece of SU Designer Paper (retired).  The strip is the reverse side of the paper.

Stamps used: Tim Holtz Mixed Media purchased at JoAnn's a couple of years ago.  I embossed the sentiment with Bold Black embossing powder.  

Mounted the sentiment on a rectangle die of Very Vanilla and layered with the Scalloped die of Cherry Cobbler.

Cut out some Holly Leaves and Berries in Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive and Garden Green.  Sentiment and Berries were mounted with foam tape.

Used a punch (EK Success?) and then a strip of Cherry Cobbler to mimic the pierced border at the bottom of the sketch.

That's is.  Pretty CAS and one more card in my very small stash of Christmas cards.  So many more to go!

Color Throwdown #755 - Card2

 I liked the colors in the CTD#755 challenge so much that I played around and created a second card for the challenge.  This was the first card I posted: (Click for larger view)

 

Here is my second card:

I went a totally different direction on this card.  I happened to spot some patterned paper in my stash and thought it would make a fun Christmas card with some not so traditional colors and patterns.

Card Base: Real Red, Basic White Layer, Patterned Paper is from DCWV-Basics and Brights.  I used the red piece because the patterned reminded me of poinsettias.  Then I got out my Waffle Flower Poinsettia die and cut of 2 in red and one in white.  I layered the patterned paper on a circle of Granny Apple Green cs and die cut some leaves in the same paper.  The leaves are from another company.  Next I added a distressed piece of Summer Sun* (retired SU) card stock and a piece of patterned paper in a yellow tone.

I embossed the sentiment (Brightest Glow - SU) with Bold Black embossing powder.  I finished off the card with some sequins and added some yellow glitter to the center of the poinsettia berries.

Another CAS design and my very first Christmas card of the year!
 

Christmas is almost here

 Good Day! - Thanks for stopping by. I haven't posted in awhile as I've been busy trying to finish up my Christmas cards.  Today I'm going to share one of them.

Do you remember this card?  Today's card features the reverse side of that designer paper.

So for this card my card base was, Real Red cs that I layered the reverse piece of designer paper on top of it.  I added the little white centers from the flowers that had been punched out from the first card.

Next I used my Poinsettia Die (Waffle Flower) and the leaves/berries from another die set.  I added some lime green glitter to the center of the flowers berries.  The Merry + Bright sentiment is from an awesome new set by Tim Holtz that I've used a lot this year.

I stamped it on Granny Apple Green card stock, added some washi tape and 3 small white circles to complete the card.

More cards to come soon.  Just trying to get them all off in the mail.

Peace on Earth#4 - I couldn't resist a second card!

 

 Yes, I just had to do a second card for the Peace On Earth Challenge #4

 

Again the inspiration/mood board:

 

For my second card I went again with the colors of the inspiration board and did a religious card.  My mom always sent out cards celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas time so again this one is a reminder of her faith to me.

 

 The card base is Basic Black. Then I layered it with a piece of a blue card stock (Paper Studio) and a piece of patterned paper that I found at JoAnn Fabric.  This paper was so cool.  It has an almost felt like texture to it and had sparkly silver stars and blotches of blue against a black back ground.  It really reminds me of the night sky.

I stamped the Nativity (Inkadinkado - O Holy Night) with Night of Navy ink on Basic White cs.  Then I added a tiny touch of glitter around the halo of baby Jesus.  I layered that onto a circle of the same blue card stock.  The sentiment is from: SU - For Unto Us stamp set and I stamped it on white cs with Memento Tuxedo black ink.

I embossed the star, also from the For Unto Us stamp set on black card stock with Silver embossing powder and fussy cut it out.  Then mounted it with foam tape and added a light blue gem to the center of the star.

I really like how this one turned out.

Freshly Made Sketches #512

 Hello and Welcome.

Join me today for a card for the Freshly Made Sketches #512 challenge.

Here is the sketch:

Below is the card that I created for this challenge.

For this card I started with a card base of, Granny Apple Green cs.

Next I layered a piece of Basic White cs which I embossed with the Swiss Dot embossing folder.  I added a strip of designer paper at the top and a punched border underneath in a turquoise color.

Next I stamped 2 images of the tree and cut one out with a oval die. I colored the 2nd image with copic markers and cut out the tops of the trees.  I glued the two side trees down and mounted the center tree with foam tape adding some glitter to the star and the base of the trees. I mounted that onto another oval die cut using Real Red card stock.

The sentiment is from a Fiskars stamp set (Festive Trees) that I've had for a number of years but have never used. I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo black ink.

Tree Stamp: Studio G

Oval Dies - Sizzix

Punch - EK Success

Freshly Made Sketches #510

 

Hello and Welcome.

 

Today's card is for Freshly Made Sketches #510 

 

Here is the card that I created for this sketch challenge:

 

 

 There is no stamping on this card.  It was all done with patterned paper and dies.

Card Stock: Basic White, Real Red, Mossy Meadow and Old Olive.

Patterned Paper: SU - Heartwarming Hugs

Dies: Poinsettia (Waffle Flower), Berries (Momenta), Sprigs (Newton's Nook), Joy (Sizzix) and Circle Dies (Spellbinders). 

Enamel Dot in center of flower (Paper Studio)

Also used was Foam mounting Tape.

Snowflake Christmas

 Hello & Welcome.

Anyone who knows me well knows that Snow and Winter aren't my favorite things.  However when they are on a card that's a different story.

Today's card isn't for any challenge (shocking).  It's one that I made after seeing this Tag .

 

I thought it was so pretty and thought it would be fun to create a card with a Snowflake die as the focal point.

 

Here is what I came up with.

 

 I wish I hadn't photographed it on the red paper as the back came out rather dark looking.  Oh well.

The card is Whisper White (I'm so sad that it is no longer available) and Brushed Silver.

 I cut the Snowflake die (Momenta) out and saved the negative piece.

Then I embossed that with the Swiss Dot embossing folder.  Next I stamped the Merry Christmas (an old SU set) with Versamark ink and Silver EP.  I mounted that on a piece of the Brushed Silver card stock.  I rotated the snowflake die slightly from the negative one and mounted it with foam tape and added a silver sprinkle to the center of the snowflake.  That panel was then mounted with foam tape on the white base.  It's simple but elegant looking (at least I thought it was).

Paper Players and NBUS

 Hello & Welcome.

Here today with a couple of cards that I'm sharing for the following challenges:

Paper Players #520 - It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

 

 

and NBUS#21 

 

Here are the cards that I created for these challenges. The designer paper and stamp/die set are the new items I used.

 

I started with a piece of unusual (for Christmas) designer paper that I purchased this week at Hobby Lobby.  I love the colors and the shimmer of the paper and thought it would be fun to try some Christmas cards using it.

 

So do you think these colors work for Christmas cards?

 

 

 So for the first card I used: Pacific Point, then Pink Passion and Lavender Lace (the Pink Passion and Lavender Lace are retired colors). I die cute the bells from Brushed Silver card stock. Almost forgot I used Mint Macaron for the bow.

I layered the designer paper along with a punched strip of the lavender paper onto the pink passion piece. I stamped the sentiment with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and used Baker's Twine and foam tape to mount the bells.  I also mounted that panel onto the Pacific Point card base with foam tape.

Stamp & Die set is from Sizzix - Silver Bells and was purchased at Hobby Lobby. - The bow on the first card is from another die set, Pines and Holly by Newton's Nook.

Second card I used the same colors (except no Pacific Point) and I added Whisper White for the banner.

Also used a Musical Note Embossing folder (Sizzix) and some old retired silver cord from SU.

CAS(E) this Sketch #400

 Hello and Welcome.

Today's card is for the CAS(E) this sketch #400 Challenge.

 

  

Here is what I created for this challenge. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Card Details:

Card Stock: Shaded Spruce, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso & Whisper White. (SU)

Patterned Paper - SU Designer Heart Warming Hugs

Stamp Set: SU For Unto Us set.

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black

Dies: Momenta (Bought this set at Hobby Lobby).

Other: Sprinkles (that's the birds eye) these were sold by Annabelle Stamps and are no longer available.

Versamark Pad

Iridescent Ice EP (SU)

White Gel Pen

Fushion Challenge - Merry, Joy, Cheer and NBUS

Hello friends & Welcome.

 

Today I'll be joining the current Fushion Challenge: Merry, Joy, Cheer. 

 

  

Here is my card for this challenge.

 

 I was inspired by the sketch and the inspiration photo.

It was really hard to photograph this so you don't get to see the shimmer from the EP but it really sparkles in real life.  This shows a little more of the sparkle.

 

 

I started with the basic sketch and then decided to add the ornaments and sentiment to mimic the pompoms in the inspiration photo.

Plus the (Merry) from the sentiment and of course the festive colors.

 

Because I used Never Before Used Schtuff I'm also entering it on the NBUS Blog. 

 

The sentiment and the 2 ornaments on the left side of the card are from Unity Stamp Company (October 2013 Kit of the month). Yep it's taken me a few years to use them!

 

I embossed the snowflake ornament with White Satin and Diamonds embossing powder (Embossing Arts) and a Versamark Pad.  The smaller gold ornament was stamped with Egyptian Gold embossing powder (Judikins) - Both were then cut out and mounted with foam tape on the card.  The sentiment was stamped with Versamark and embossed with Bold Black embossing powder (SU) and cut out with circle dies.

 

Card stock: Cherry Cobbler, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White (SU)

Designer Paper: Heartwarming Hugs (SU)

Other: Bakers Twine and Washi Tape.