Christmas Cards

A couple challenges inspired me to make more Christmas cards.  They are my favorite to make.  As you'll see, these two are completely different.

First is my entry for Poppystamps Make it Magic October challenge.  I thought that would mean things like elfs or witches or mermaids.  Lucky for me, the challenge is actually to add some sparkle--right up my alley! 

I die cut Poppystamps 2014 Twirly Whirly Tree 3 times from white cardstock and once from the white/iridescent glitter cardstock from Memory Box Holiday Glitter pack.  All the pieces remained in place when I removed the tree from the die.  It was so beautiful, I decided to make the top tree green using Distress Oxide rustic wilderness.  Then I paper pieced the glitter cardstock pieces into the green tree.  So glad I did, as it's truly beautiful in person.  You can see the sparkle in my IG post.  Simple framing using Gina K rectangle dies and a favorite W&W sentiment finished the card.  I'll make another card with the glitter cardstock outline tree.  Can't let it go to waste!  I'm also entering WAW.

My other card is for the October Papertrey Ink Challenge with the color combo Classic Kraft, Vintage Cream and Scarlet Jewel. 

The PTI products I used are Joyful Florals stamp set/dies, Vintage Cream and Classic Kraft cardstock, Scarlet Jewel printed paper, Classic Kraft and Scarlet Jewel ink cubes, Scallop Stackers:  Small and Delicate Circle die.  The sentiment was gold embossed and the poinsettia centers were colored with a Pental gold Color Pop pen.  You can see the shimmer and shine in my IG post.  

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Note Card and Christmas Card

I love stencils, so didn't want to miss the JUGS challenge which is about to close.  I also wanted to make another Artichoke and Purple card for Color Hues, as my first card had very little purple.  Unfortunately, I missed the deadline.  

I started with a PTI Vogue Vases white diecut.  I found a stencil from a friend that looked made for the vase and it worked great!  After using CN9 Plumberry through the stencil, I lightly brushed over the vase with the leftover ink.  I "glazed" my pottery with clear embossing powder.  I colored the diecut greenery from Memory Box and Poppystamps with CN9 Artichoke.  The same ink was used with Memory Box Texture Distressed Grid stencil on green cardstock.  I've seen some cards I like with pops of white, so I kept Poppystamps Little Layered Asters white and used Plumberry to color the centers and brushed them with shimmer.  I splattered white gouache and added the panel to a slightly larger white card.  I'm also entering SSS Monday and WAW.

I'm happy to have one more Christmas card completed.  No dies, just stamping, and it's flat for mailing.

The background is SSS Poinsettia Background stamped in CN9 Evergreen.  NOEL is a very old Penny Black stamp which I'd forgotten about.  I opened my last jar of JudiKins Egyptian Gold embossing powder--so beautiful in person!  It's been in my stash a long time.  Would you believe it cost $2.50?!  I used a gold sparkle pen to color the letters and added Christmas Red Stickles to the berries.  You can get an idea of the sparkle in my IG post.  I'm entering SSS Wednesday and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Altenew, Pinkfresh, Poppystamps

Short month, so I'm posting 3 cards today for challenges.  First is the Altenew September Inspiration Challenge.  The inspiration photo is a branch of beautiful apples, but the color combo of red, green and brown made me want to create a Christmas card.

The shade of red is not one I would have thought to use, but really like it.  I found a cardstock in my stash that was very close to the color in the graphic and used it for Altenew's Poinsettia 3D die set.  I brushed the petal edges with Coral Red and added a bit of shimmer with a pen.  The flower center and Fancy Peace sentiment were die cut from scraps inked with Mocha followed by Versamark so I could emboss with clear sparkle powder.  I found green cardstock in my stash that was very close to Fresh Leaf and embossed it with Altenew's Perfect Poinsettia folder.  I inked the edges with Fresh Leaf, but it was too similar.  So I used Olive Grove to deepen the corners and edges--does make a difference.  I inked the card front with Mocha to tie it all together and decided against any embellishments.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday, TTTC 302 (Diecuts, Free, Embossing) and WAW.

Next is my entry for the September Pinkfresh Challenge using 3 favorite PFS products:  Delicate Wreath, Layered Wreath and Perfect Sentiments.  

I stamped the wreath in CN9 Artichoke, purposely making some random areas darker.  Then I overstamped in Delicata Golden Glitz for a beautiful shimmer.  I used the same inks for the card edges.  I colored a scrap with CN9 gorgeous Plumberry ink and then used it for the berries die from Layered Wreath.  After gluing down the berries, I covered them with glaze.  A long time ago I cut apart the one piece Perfect Sentiments so I could stamp directly onto cards.  Here I used Versafine Clair Acorn and then embossed with a matte clear powder.  Finished off with Artichoke splatters.  You can see the shimmer and shine in my IG post.  I'm also entering Color Hues and WAW.

I'm posting my September CCC card early.  It reached the recipient and I want to enter Poppystamps September challenge and WAW.  I used the colors and the sketch.

I masked off the area I wanted to ink blend with Altenew's Pinkalicious, Purple Wine and Ruby Red.  Then I dry embossed the panel with Altenew's Flower Bed 3D folder.  Poppystamps Layered Pointy Petals were inked in the 3 colors and I added Stickles.  The white branches are from CN9.  Poppystamps Scribble Hello was stacked and also covered with Stickles.  You can see the sparkle in my IG post.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Thanksgiving Cards

Finally made a card with PTI's Fall Bouquet stamps and dies.  The PTI September Challenge colors are Sweet Blush, Harvest Gold and Orange Zest. 

Fun to use my Sweet Blush and Orange Zest patterned papers a friend gave me.  I also used Sweet Blush cardstock and ink, Harvest Gold cardstock and ink and Orange Zest ink.  The pumpkin, flower cluster and sentiment (Take 3 Fall) were white embossed.  I used second generation stamping with Orange Zest for the outline of the sunflower and leaves before using the solid stamps with Harvest Gold.  The flower center was filled with Stickles.  I need a new Sweet Blush ink cube, so had to stamp the leafy branches multiple times using my MISTI.  Cover Plate: Herringbone was cut from Sweet Blush cardstock and Shape Shifters: Circle 3 from vellum.  I found tiny gems in my stash to finish off this card with more layers than I usually make, but I really enjoyed putting it together.  

As I was looking for an old card in my blog, I came across some I'd made using my neglected Distress Paints.  That inspired me to pull them out for another Thanksgiving card.

I used a wet flat brush with peeled paint, fired brick, abandoned coral and wild honey.  Poppystamps Whittle Field and Trees die was cut from a shimmery copper brown paper which is really beautiful in person.  I found just the right sentiment in GKD Autumn Wreath Builder.  Versafine Clair Pinecone stamped perfectly on the paint, although I did double stamp just to be sure it was completely inked.  I seldom use color block techniques, so it was fun to do something different.  I'm entering JUGS using the picture of the trees in the top center of the mood board.  Also entering Time Out since Fall colors here are shades of green, red, orange and yellow.  The trees have really started changing colors in the last 2 weeks.  My card is also going in the galleries for Poppystamps, SSS Monday and WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Halloween and Friendship

I'm honored Nonni asked me to join her Vintage Vibes Card Making Hop on IG.  It's not a style I make very often, but I have the perfect Halloween paper by Graphic 45.  

My dear friend, Betty, sent me home with several sheets the first time I visited her.  I darkened the edges of the panel and added brown Distress Stickles to the sunflower centers.  For the mat, I embossed brown cardstock with Altenew's Playful Leaves folder.  I inked and lightly distressed the edges before adding the light tan lace and pearls from my stash.  If you use IG, check out the creations of the many talented designers.  You can find the list of participants in my IG post.  I'm entering WAW. 

Next is my idea of a seasonal transition card with flowers and what I call dusty ink colors.  I've only made one card with SSS Long Stem Florals and I didn't use the stencils.  

Love the look of these images and it's really fun to add color with the stencils.  The inks I used are Altenew's Glacier Iris, Amethyst, Dusty Pink and Sagestone.  I die cut the panel with PFS Nesting Postage Rectangle and splattered with black ink.  Thought the font of this Verve sentiment went perfectly with the flowers.  Pretty sure that Verve stamp set had never been used and it has lots of wonderful small sentiment stamps.  I'm entering SSS IG, SSS Flickr, WAW and NBUS.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.

Happy Anniversary and Thankful

Very grateful it's feeling like Fall now.  We even had a few rainy days, which we really needed.  Still lots of dangerous weather in many places.  I hope things are OK where you are.

I like masking a frame, which I haven't done for quite awhile.  That's how my card for Color Hues Dusty Blue and Brown began.  

I only found 2 dusty blue inks in my huge stash of ink pads and one of them was SSS Hybrid Steel Blue.  Not every ink lets the details show with more solid stamps like SSS Anna's Flowers, but this one stamped perfectly.  It's a richer color than shows in the photo and I need to remember to use it.  The little branches from an old Gina K set were stamped in Altenew Rocky Shore--a lovely shade of brown.  I splattered both inks before adding the Winnie and Walter sentiment.  If you look closely, you can see 2 tiny white hearts above the h.  They're Gina K embellishments which I covered with shimmer.  Glad to have this card ready for my sister's anniversary next month.  I entered WAW via IG.

I'm truly thankful for my sweet cardmaking friends around the world.  One of them gave me CN9 Autumn Splendor stamp set and dies.  JUGS Die Week: Thanks gave me the motivation to use these products for the first time.  

I pulled out a variety of cardstock colors.  Decided to use a different green for each type of leaf and 2 shades of rose for the flowers.  The berries were die cut from a soft gold glitter cardstock and I added gold splatters.  You can see the shimmer and shine in my IG post.  Pearls were my favorite embellishment years ago and I was happy I still had some of the Latte ones to use for the flower centers.  It was a lot of diecutting, but so fun to see the card come to life.  Of course the look can be totally different by changing up the colors.  You can also use the images without the background piece, so I may try that next.  I'm also entering WAW.

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by.  If your blog address is in your profile or comment, I will visit you.