Christmas Cardinal

I always loved seeing cardinals when we visited family in Indianapolis.  One of my grandmothers always sent Christmas cards with cardinals.  Now I can, too!  After last Christmas I got the Waffle Flower Cardinal Duo Die-n-Stencil.  Here's my first card.

I used PTI Pure Poppy and Smokey Shadow through the stencil which was very easy to line up.  I used a white gel pen to highlight the details.  Poppystamps Shasta Twigs were colored with PTI Pinefeather.  The embossed background was made with Honey Bee Snowy Pines folder which I sprayed with Lindy's Pixie Dust for a beautiful gold shimmer.

Birch Press Design Merry Christmas Vintage Sentiment was leftover from last year and was just right with the beautiful gold glitter letters.  Can't wait to make some more cardinal cards.  I'm entering Christmas Kickstart, DCD and SSS Wednesday.

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

More Christmas in July

Emboss resist was one of the first techniques I learned and I still love it.  I started by white embossing and diecutting the fun circles tree from SSS Color Me Trees.  

Then I ink blended them with Distress Oxide Pine Needle and Peacock Feathers.  The ink wipes right off the white embossing.  I colored the center circles with Pentel silver Sparkle Pop pen which gives gorgeous sparkle you can see in my IG post video.  The embossed panel was made with SSS Dibble Tile folder and I attached it to a metallic silver mat.  Versafine Clair Morning Mist was used to stamp the sentiment from an old Honey Bee set.  I raised the center tree and the sentiment strip, but should still just need one stamp.  I'm entering Christmas Kickstart Challenge 100 and sending my congratulations to Jo!

Next is my card for the Poppystamps July Challenge: Red White & Bloom.  I began with a red cardstock panel that I covered in Distress Spritz fired brick.  The sparkle is just gorgeous! 

I die cut Poppystamps Poinsettia Background from the red panel and a white one.  I attached the white outline to a panel of GKD Whisper cardstock.  The white petals were glued in place and then the red ones were glued on top for a bit of dimension.  The white leaves were brushed with white metallic watercolor before being glued in place.  Poppystamps Merry Christmas Poe Script was brushed with the same watercolor and glued over the vellum strip.  Check out my IG video to see the beautiful sparkle and shimmer.

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

Coffee Christmas & Felt Holly

Our state started out with extremely low Covid numbers, but that has totally changed now.  We continue to see examples of people thinking being with family & friends won't be a problem.  But, of course, it can be.  People can spread the virus when they don't know they have it.  So sad cases & deaths continue to rise when wearing masks & staying apart could prevent so much of this.  

I've never been more grateful to have a hobby I love that takes my mind off world problems--at least for awhile.

I don't always make a card for the Coffee Lovers Blog Hops.  The number of entries is mind blowing & some people make a bunch of cards.  However, THIS recent card by my friend, Lisa, reminded me that I could use the PRS Coffee Love stamp set.  An idea actually came to mind & you never know when Mr Random will find you!  Here's my entry for Fall Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop.  

I white embossed the cup on red cardstock & trimmed it out.  I also trimmed a slightly larger mat after I added the white heart sticker.  The SSS Christmas Foliage branches & the W&W blooms are brushed with a shimmer pen.  My sweet friend, Rosemary, loaned me the foliage dies & I still have a bunch more die cuts ready to use.  The white embossed sentiment is W&W.  I've been wanting to do a tone on tone background with die cuts & I really love the look with the PTI Bold Borders: Yuletide.  I used the Richard Garay Lumberjack embossing folder on the white panel & mounted the cup with foam tape.  I'm also entering RRCB (Cup from 2018), SSS Flickr & We Love Chocolate Baroque.

Also adding my card to Christmas Kickstart & Let's Squash It since Jo said the pine branch embossing folder counts as Christmas.  It's hard to see in the photo, but that white embossed rectangle behind the cup makes a big difference in person.

Some of you know I love using felt, so you may not be surprised that it showed up on my 25 Days of Christmas Tags entry based on Ardyth's Day 6 tag.  

My friend, Vikki, die cut a bunch of PTI tags & gave them to me back when we could actually meet in person for lunch.  I pulled out Tag Sale #4 & die cut TSM holly & berries from TE & MFT felt.  

I found just the right sentiment in a very old Penny Black stamp set.  I used to buy ribbon by the yard when I had a LSS, so I could have some of a lot of different rolls.  This black ribbon has a little sparkle which makes it perfect for holiday projects.  I'm getting close to the end, so I'll have to look for some more.  

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

Christmas Kickstart & Squash It

I was determined to get a card made for the Christmas Kickstart Pink challenge.  There are 2 photos to use for inspiration.  I pretty much copied the plate in the first photo which I love!  

I stamped an old HA tree & a Winnie & Walter sentiment in Delicata Silvery Shimmer.  The gold glitter mat is really a thin frame with white cardstock in the center.  

I die cut the EH deer from the saved piece.  Luckily, I have a bright pink Zig for splatters & the right shade of pink cardstock.  Finished off with gold sequins.

Simple card, but really pretty in person.  I'm also entering ABC Christmas.

Two of my blogging friends, Gail & Jo, have started a new challenge called Let's Squash It.  Before I started making cards, I bought dry embossed stationary.  So a challenge using embossing folders is right up my alley!  The first challenge is Geometric & Metallic.  I used one of my older Sizzix folders that came in a set called Hello Friend Set.  I sold the others since I bought it just for this one.  

The bronze foil sheet is also by Sizzix--so pretty!  I used one of the RC die cut wreaths from my friend, Rosemary, foliage from PTI Twig Wreath & Painted Thanks from SSS.  

The little branches & the word are cut from the same dark red cardstock, but I added Nuvo Glaze to the word.  I'm also entering SSS Flickr & WAW.

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

Christmas Bunnies

Lots of new items listed in my sale pages, in case you're looking for a bargain.

The die set (DIE43-G) with 3 little bunnies is one of the first I got from Impression Obsession--so cute!  It's a good thing I have them since the current IO Challenge is Bunny Love.  They probably have in mind an Easter/Spring card, but I was inspired to use them for a Christmas card to also enter in Christmas Kickstart & Rudolph Days.

I decided to go with a classic red, white & green color scheme.  IO Three Trees Background was die cut from white cardstock & attached to a green textured scrap.  The bunnies were die cut from red foil paper (another scrap) & I used tiny black gems for the eyes.

The sentiment from IO Vintage Ornaments is stamped in Versafine Clair Nocturne.  I mounted the front bunny with foam tape, but think this will still just need 1 stamp.  By the way, the trees die cut beautifully even with the delicate branches.  I'm also entering The Snippets Playground & SSS Wednesday.

Well, the virus got me.  Good thing I finished this card while I just had a sore throat.  Now my head aches & my nose is running.  Lots of washing hands & using hand sanitizer trying not to pass it on.  At least my throat isn't sore now & you can't see me, so I'll be on the couch visiting your blogs.

Couple Cards

I didn't want to miss Christmas Kickstart Challenge #4--Have a Heart.  Thought of making a wreath of hearts.  As I was looking for a variety of little heart stamps to use, I came across my PTI Trendy Tree Tops.  A lightbulb went on in my head & I decided to use the plaid circle with a heart in Christmas colors.

Kind of fun, I think.  The green ink is Delicata Emerald Green & the heart is covered in Christmas Red Stickles.  I love this very old Stampendous sentiment stamp & thought it worked for this unique card.


I printed a couple pictures & wanted to use the scraps of glossy photo paper.  I've not had a lot of success with my Alcohol Inks, but I'm not giving up--haha!  My first try was just blobs of color, as I forgot you need to do the blending before it dries.  Next try I used my felt applicator with Stream, Patina & Silver Mixative along with the blending solution.  I just dabbed on the blues & swiped a little with the silver.  Finally--a piece I really like!

The current PTI LFF challenge is to use your favorite stand alone die.  There are several I really love & one is definitely Window Works.  I chose the largest die to show as much of my beautiful background as possible.

The sentiment is another favorite die--SSS Painted Hugs.  I die cut it from 2 shades of blue cardstock & brushed it with a shimmer pen.  Ignore the lines on the right--shadows from the blinds as I held it in the sun to show the shimmer.  The mat is a dark gray which I really like with the blues.  I'm also entering SSS Wednesday & Die Cut Divas.
Edited to add: Also entering Virginia's February Show & Share.


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

Reindeer & Snowman

Yep--I made 2 more Christmas cards!  First up is my entry for Winnie & Walter Rerun No. 37.  I've been working on other W&W projects--see THIS POST.  The gallery is about to close & I don't have the penguin stamp set.  No problem, though, the adorable snowman from Snowy Holiday worked great to case Heather's fun card.

I colored with blue & green markers as close as I had to Heather's colors.  The snowflakes from the same set & the sentiment from The Big, the Bold & the Happy were stamped in Versafine Clair Morning Mist.  I added a few Wedding Dress Pico Embellisher dots & now my card for our cute little neighbor girl is ready for next year!  I'm also entering CASology & SSS Monday (new stamp sets).

Next up is another cute card, which is unusual for me.  I wanted to enter my friend Jo's new Christmas Kickstart Challenge.  The theme for Challenge #1 is Rudolph & Friends.

I meant to use the 2010 Hero Arts Reindeer stamp last year, but never did.  It really is the cutest image & is clearly a girl with the eyelashes & elegant antlers, don't you think?!

I masked the inside of the card & sponged with DO broken china & cracked pistachio.  Then I stamped the image in Versafine Clair Nocturne & "colored" the deer with Shimmer Pico Embellisher.

The window in the front of the card was done with MFT Rectangle Peek-A-Boo Window.  The Stampendous sentiment & little dots from W&W Snowy Holiday were stamped in the same inks.  I'm also entering Stamping Sensations & WAW.


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