Happy New Year! A New Start on Christmas?

Happy New Year (well, almost:-))  !!

I love the colors that my stamping friend, Ann chose for The Paper Players PP76 Challenge and wanted to create another Christmas card.  

I know, most of you are tired of Christmas but I am re-committing my Christmas card effort in 2012.  I must confess that even though I started in January last year, I under  estimated how many I actually needed so I am now publicly stating this commitment (and will post my progress each month) in hopes that this will help me be more accountable and I will accomplish my goal :-)

I decided to combine Ann's color challenge with this week’s CCMC182 Create with Connie and Mary Sketch Challenge and used a new set (sneak peak).

To create this card:

Ink the stamp image using Versamark™ ink onto Very Vanilla cardstock, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Gold Embossing Powder and heat emboss with the Heat Tool.  Once the image has cooled, punch out the images using the Postage Stamp Punch. 

With the Big Shot™ emboss a piece of Cherry Cobbler with the Finial Press Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and emboss a piece of Very Vanilla with the Elegant Bouquet EF. 

Lightly spray the Very Vanilla embossed panel with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (this step does not show up on the photo but adds a bit more glitter and gold), layer with the Cherry Cobbler cardstock pieces, 5/8” Satin Ribbon and a punched border with the Lace Ribbon Punch.  

Add the sentiment to finish off the card

Stamp Sets: Fresh Vintage Stamp (sneak peek), Teeny Tiny Wishes

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Versamark™,  Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Big Shot™, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Finial Press and Elegant Bouquet, Heat Gun, Stampin’ Emboss® Gold Embossing Powder , Punches- Decorative Label , Lace Ribbon Border and Postage Stamp, 5/8” Satin Ribbon (from my stash)

I hope you like this card and will try to post one more card for 2011 tomorrow (before we leave to visit our friends and family).   

I am so very thankful for all of you who faithfully visit my blog and your comments are so encouraging to me- God Bless you in 2012! 

Merry Christmas- Two Challenges in One!

Merry Christmas Stampers! 

Only two days until Christmas and I am still not ready!!  Last minute gifts to make and I never seem to have enough Christmas cards on hand (even started early this year :-)).  

I have been invited to be this week’s Guest Designer for the Monkey88 A La Card Monkey Thinking of You Sketch Challenge (when you win one of their challenges you are invited to be a guest designer) .  I originally thought of using some of the new upcoming SU! Mini Catalog items but until I finish my Christmas gifts, I cannot think of anything else :-)

I decided to combine the Monkey88 Challenge with the “Christmas-y” colors from this week’s CQC116 ColourQ Challenge (these colors were a bit of a challenge for me and believe me, Glorious Green and Kraft are on the card).

To create this card:

Use a Brayer to ink the smooth interior side of the Petals-A-Plenty Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder and emboss two pieces of Whisper White cardstock (re-inking the folder between embossing). 

Ink the floral spray image with Stampin’ Write markers using Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade and Glorious Green- stamp onto Whisper White cardstock.  Emboss with the Big Shot™ and the Designer Oval Frame Textured Impressions ™ Embossing Folder.  Carefully cut out around the edges of the oval frame and using a Sponge Dauber, lightly sponge Crumb Cake ink around the edges. 

Use the Decorative Label punch and punch out a label from Lucky Limeade cardstock- emboss with the Finial Press Textured Impressions ™ Embossing Folder and cut in half.  Also emboss a piece of Designer Series Paper with the Finial Press EF and lightly sand the paper to expose the white core.

Layer the Designer Label Frame onto the large oval cut from the Oval Originals™ Die (I used a scrap piece that I had already embossed with the Finial Press EF and sprayed with Frost White Shimmer Paint). 

Add the satin ribbon, sentiment label and pearls to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Gifts of Christmas, Beautiful Season

Ink: Crumb Cake, Stampin’ Write Markers- Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Glorious Green

Cardstock: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Petals-A-Plenty, Designer Label (Oval) and  Finial PressTextured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Punches- Decorative Label, Large Oval, Sponge Dauber, Sanding Block, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Pearls, 5/8” Satin Ribbon (from my stash)

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope all of you have a wonderful Christmas celebrating the birth of Christ, our Savior! 

Old Fashioned Christmas- Three in One!

Hi Stampers! 

I wanted to create a special Christmas card and decided to use the CCMC180 Create with Connie and Mary Sketch Challenge along with the Hand Stamped Sentiments HSSAOFC97 Old Fashioned Christmas theme.  This card also qualifies for the Stampin’ Up! Only SUO34 Holiday Challenge- if you have time, check out all of the challenge sites (the Design Teams and other entries provide so many fabulous ideas!)

To create this card:

Stamp the chickadee image from Beautiful Season using Versamark™ ink onto Whisper White cardstock, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder and heat emboss with the Heat Tool.  Once the image has cooled, emboss again with the Big Shot™ and the Designer Oval Frame Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder. 

Color the image with Stampin’ Write markers in Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler and use a Blender Pen with Basic Gray for the bird.  Tear around the outside edges, distress by hand and use a Sponge Dauber to apply Crumb Cake ink to the edges and over the image to “antique” the paper.

With the Big Shot™ and the Square Lattice and Finial Press Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, emboss a piece of Designer Series paper for the background layer as well as the vertical layer behind the bird image (retired Deck the Halls ).  Carefully sand the background layer with the Sanding Block.

Stamp the Hello Doily background stamp using Versamark™ ink onto Always Artichoke cardstock, apply Stampin’ Emboss® Winter White Embossing Powder (retired) and heat emboss with the Heat Tool.  Once the image has cooled, carefully cut out around the outline and cut the doily in half. 

Layer the card as per the sketch, add the embossed/distressed sentiment, pearls and snowflake to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets: Beautiful Season, Hello Doily (background), Come to Bethlehem

Cardstock: Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, retired SU! Designer Series Paper- Deck the Halls

Ink: Versamark™, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Stampin’ Write Markers- Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Big Shot™, Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders- Designer Frames (Oval), Finial Press, Square Lattice, Northern Frost Decorative Strip Die, Sanding Block, Heat Gun, Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder , Sponge Dauber, Pearls

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope the recipient will enjoy this card and that all of you have a wonderful Christmas! 

Triple Treat Embedded Christmas

Hi Stampers! 

Here it is again, another long week has passed and I have not had a chance to stamp a card for a challenge- I am having withdrawal symptoms :-)!  

I decided to take a break from making my bulk Christmas cards to create a quick easy Clean and Simple card using the bright fun colors for this week’s CQC115 ColourQ Challenge along with the FM15 sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches. 

To create this card:

Ink the Triple Treat Flower with Real Red Classic ink and stamp onto Whisper White cardstock (stamp a total of four flowers in Real Red).  Clean the stamp and stamp the flower again onto Whisper White using Regal Rose Classic Ink.  After cleaning the stamp one more time, use a Glorious Green Stampin’ Write marker to ink up the center of the Triple Treat Flower stamp and stamp onto a scrap piece of Whisper White. 

Use the Fancy Flower punch to punch out all of the Triple Treat flowers in Real Red.  Punch out the five petal area  of the Regal Rose flower using the 5-Petal Flower Punch and punch out the Glorious Green center using the ½” Circle Punch.

Cut one of the Real Red flowers in half and adhere the halves at an angle onto Whisper White cardstock.  Adhere two of the remaining flowers onto the Whisper White cardstock as well (this creates the angled layer for the sketch).  Use the Big Shot™ with the Square Lattice Textured Impressions ™ Embossing Folder to embed the flowers into the background. 

Assemble the final Real Red flower with the Regal Rose petal section and Glorious Green center onto a piece of Glorious Green (embossed with the Finial Press Textured Impressions ™ Embossing Folder).  Add the Green Galore leaves (created with the 5-Petal Flower punch and a score line up the center of each leaf).  Mount this panel onto Real Red cardstock, add the 5/8” Real Red Satin Ribbon, Sentiment Label and Rhinestone to finish off the card.

 Stamp Sets:  Triple Treat Flower, Come to Bethlehem

Ink: Real Red, Regal Rose, Glorious Green Stampin’ Write marker

Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Glorious Green, Green Galore

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Square Lattice and Finial PressTextured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Punches- Fancy Flower, 5-Petal Flower, Decorative Label, ½” Circle,  Rhinestone, 5/8” Real Red Satin Ribbon

Thanks again for stopping by! As we finalize our preparations for Christmas, may we never forget the "Real Reason for the Season"- Christ the Lord!

I hope all of you have a wonderful week and have fun stamping! 

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Snowmen!

Hi Stampers! 

I wanted to create one more card this week and decided to use the colors from this week’s CQC114 ColourQ Challenge along with the Monkey86 sketch/theme from A LaCard Monkey and the FM36 Baby It's Cold Outside Challenge from The Friday Mashup!.  

If you have the time, check out the Design Team samples from each of these sites as well as the other entries- they are gorgeous!

To create this card:

Heat emboss the snowman image using Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder, color with Stampin’ Write markers in Poppy Parade, Certainly Celery and Crumb Cake.  Use a Blender Pen with Cool Caribbean to highlight the shadows and punch out with the 2 ½” XL Circle Punch.

Layer a piece of Poppy Parade DSP onto a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock and adhere the snowflakes (cut from the Northern Frost Decorative Die) with 2-Way Glue.  Use the Big Shot™ with the Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (EF) to emboss the entire panel.

Cut three pieces of cardstock with the Big Shot™ and the Scallop Circles #2 Die (two from Poppy Parade and one from Cool Caribbean using the largest of the two scallop circles). 

Use the Big Shot with the Snow Burst Textured Impressions™ EF to emboss the Cool Caribbean scallop and from the center of the embossed scallop circle, punch out a circle using the 1 ¾” Circle Punch (this will become the layer behind the snowflake on the lower left).

Layer the card per the sketch- add the sentiment and pearls to finish off the card.

Stamp Sets:  Snow Much Fun, Short and Sweet

Ink: Versamark®, Basic Black, Cool Caribbean

Cardstock: Whisper White, Poppy Parade, Cool Caribbean, Crumb Cake

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Snow Burst and Square Lattice Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Scallop Circles #2 Die, Northern Frost Decorative Strip Die, Punches- 2 ½” XL Circle, 1 ¾” Circle, Modern Label and Word Window, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Black Embossing Powder, Pearls 

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope all of you have a wonderful week!

PP75 Non-Traditional Christmas Card

Hi Stampers!   

Wow, it seems like it has been forever since I have had a chance to stamp!  This week has been very busy at work and a lot of overtime hours but just in the nick of time, I was able to participate in the Paper Players PP75 Holiday Hoopla Challenge (if you have time to visit their site, check out all of the samples- they are absolutely fabulous!)

The non-traditional stamp set used is Day of Gratitude (can you see it as the ornament tops) and the colors are somewhat non-traditional (depending on the fashion trend when you were young).  

I decided to use silver, pink and turquoise- those colors remind me of a silver tinsel tree that we had as our family Christmas tree for years (my mother loved all of the silver!:-)).Oh no, I am aging myself- do you remember those tinsel trees? :-)

With Versamark™ ink stamp the medallion image from Day of Gratitude onto Whisper White cardstock and h­­­­­eat emboss with Stampin’ Emboss® Silver Embossing Powder. Once the embossing powder cools, use a Sponge Dauber with Pink Pirouette ink to color the white cardstock and carefully cut around the image. 

Use the Ornament Punch to punch out the caps for the ornaments and also punch out the ornament shapes from a piece of Tempting Turquoise (embossed with the Snow Burst Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder).

Use the Big Shot™ with the Snow Burst Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Pretty in Pink and Basic Gray.  Layer the cardstock, ribbon, ornaments and sentiment.

Stamp Sets:  Day of Gratitude, Christmas Greetings

 Ink: Versamark™, Tempting Turquoise, Pink Pirouette

Cardstock:  Whisper White,  Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Snow BurstTextured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Emboss® Silver Embossing Powder, Ornament Punch, 1” Pink Satin Ribbon (from my stash), Silver Cord (retired)

Thanks again for stopping by!  I hope to have some time this weekend to create more projects to share with you- have a great weekend and God Bless!