2013 January Christmas- Three Challenges in One!

Hi Stampers!!

I have been busy at work again this week and wanted to take time this weekend to create the remaining six cards for my January “commitment” for the SplitcoaststampersCCC13 Christmas Card Challenge ( I have committed to 20 per month:-)).

  

After I had already created my first two Christmas cards for the Splitcoaststampers CCC13 Challenge, I realized that the theme for January is to use non-traditional colors.  With that in mind for my last set for January, I decided to use the colors from this week’s Pals Paper Arts PPA150 Color Challenge long with the Freshly Made FMS67 Sketch Challenge.  I love both of these challenge sites and the Design Team Samples along with all of the other submissions show how many interpretations can be made with a specified challenge

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To create this card:

Print the images from Beautiful Season and More Merry Messages using My Digital Studio (MDS) onto Whisper White cardstock (I mirrored the image to reverse the chickadee).  I love using MDS to create "hybrid" cards :-)

Color the berries using a Stampin’ Write Melon Mambo marker and the chickadee and leaves using the Gray Watercolor Pencil.

Use the Big Shot™ with the Oval Framelits™ to cut out the chickadee image and also cut an oval from Basic Black and Melon Mambo cardstock (cutting these two in half lengthwise to layer behind the focal image).

Use the Big Shot™ with the Fancy Fan Textured Impressions™  Embossing Folder to emboss a piece of Basic Gray cardstock .  Also with the Big Shot™, cut pieces of Whisper White cardstock with the Large Scallop Edgelit™  and Northern Frost Decorative Strip.   Emboss the scalloped pieces with the Delicate Designs Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder (2 pieces per card) and “pop” out two snowflakes per card.

Added a third snowflake to cover up the sentiment "error" :-)

Layer the embossed Basic Gray with a strip of Melon Mambo Designer Series Paper (from the DSP Stack) along with the two lace borders onto Basic Black cardstock. 

** HINT** I cut the ovals from the Basic Black background layer and covered it with Basic Gray, Melon Mambo and embossed lace panels (no one will be the wiser plus it helps eliminate some of the weight of the card).

Add the two strips of 5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon.  Adhere the Oval focal image and sentiment using Stampin’ Dimensionals. 

Stamp Sets:  None- MDS Beautiful Season, MDS More Merry Messages

Ink: Printer Ink-Black, Stampin’ Write Markers- Melon Mambo,  Watercolor Pencil- Gray

Paper: Whisper White, Basic Gray, Melon Mambo DSP from the Brights Designer Series Pack

Accessories:  Big Shot™,  Fancy Fan and Delicate Designs (Lace)Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folders,  Oval  Framelits™, Northern Frost Decorative Trim, Large Scallop Edgelit™, 1” Square Punch (for banner points), Pearls, 5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon (retired)

Thanks again for stopping by- I hope you like this non-traditional color Christmas card! 

Have a wonderful Monday and stop back soon- I will be posting another card using an upcoming Sale-A-Bration set!

Another "Hybrid" Christmas Card

Hi Stampers!       

                                                                                                        

I hope all of you are having a wonderful week!  I decided to try another My Digital Studio “hybrid” card for the PP123 Sketch at The Paper Players- again, if you have the time, check out the Design Team Samples and the other entries!!  They rocked this challenge this week!!

To create this easy CAS “hybrid” card:

Using My Digital Studio (MDS) print out the snowflakes from Serene Snowflakes  and the greeting from More Merry Messages onto Whisper White cardstock.  One thing I love about MDS is that you can re-size your stamp images (not to mention flip, freverse, mirror and so many other things) plus the images do not “retire” :-)

Cut the panel and trim the sentiment to size and adhere to Basic Black cardstock.

With the Big Shot™ and the Delicate Designs (snowflake) Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder emboss a piece of Whisper White cardstock along the sides that will be showing on the card front.

Mount the center printed snowflake panel and add the sentiment with SU! Dimensionals. Add the Rhinestones to the center of the snowflakes and at the corners of the sentiment and attach the 5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon bow to finish off the card.

Quick and easy!!  Although it was a bit difficult to obtain a good photo of this card- the Rhinestones do not show up as well as they do IRL and since there is so much white, it was hard to avoid the shadows but my husband said he liked this card- high praise indeed! :-)

Stamp Sets:  None- My Digital Studio- Serene Snowflakes, More Merry Messages

Ink: Printer Ink- Black

Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Delicate Designs (snowflake) Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder, Rhinestones, 5/8” Basic Black Satin Ribbon (retired)

Thanks again for stopping by!  This would be an easy card to duplicate in time for Christmas- I think it would be pretty with a red or possible green bow on some of them!!  Have a great week creating and God Bless!

Chickadee Christmas- "Hybrid" Clean and Simple

Hi Stampers!   

In January, I decided to sign up for the CCC12Splitcoaststampers Christmas CardChallenge and create at least 20 cards per month- unfortunately due to my unforeseen overtime work schedule and a few unexpected Design Team assignments, I am woefully behind on my commitment :-(

While enjoying an extra day off during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I decided to take a day to create a set of Christmas cards for the CCC12 Challenge using the Splitcoaststampers WT402Challenge- Black and White with a “pop” of color.

One way I have found that is successful in creating a batch of cards is to utilize My Digital Studio (MDS) to create the images and then use dry embossing, ribbon and other techniques to create a “hybrid” card.  I love the crisp and detailed image of the bird with MDS :-)  

 Just a reminder- if you have not tried MDS yet, now is a great time since it is half price through November 28^th (check out the Online Extravaganza Sale thru my Online Store).

Smaller circle image 

I used MDS to print out the chickadee image from Beautiful Season (in several sizes to fill the entire piece of 8.5 x 11 cardstock), the sentiment from More Merry Messages and a few sentiments from Christmas Lodge onto Whisper White cardstock.  

FYI- All of these sets were additional downloads that I purchased after the initial investment in MDS but the digital version of the stamp sets are so economical that I like to purchase the actual stamp and the digital as well to supplement my “inventory” - a girl cannot have too many stamps! :-)

Some of the cards I used a Circle Punch to cut out the chickadee image and others I used an oval Sizzix Framelit™ or just cut a rectangle with the paper cutter around the image.  Add the "pop" of color on the berries using a Real Red Stampin’ Write marker.

Easy Rectangle Image 

Layer the focal image onto a Whisper White or Basic Black card front (Whisper Whitee embossed with the Petals-A-Plenty and Basic Black with the Lacy Brocade Textured Impressions™ Embossing Folder).  

Punch banner corners on some of the sentiment pieces (using the corner of a 1” Square Punch) and layer onto Basic Black or Real Red.  Adhere at an angle either at the top or bottom of the focal image. On one of the sentiment banners I used the Circle Punch to round the corners versus the banner points :-)

Add the 5/8” Real Red Satin Ribbon bow, adhere to a Whisper White card base and you are finished!

   

Version with the Lacy Brocade Basic Black card front 

Stamp Sets:  My Digital Studio- Beautiful Season, More Merry Messages, Christmas Lodge

 Ink: Printer Ink- Black , Stampin’ 

Write Marker- Real Red

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red

Accessories:  Big Shot™, Petals-A-Plenty and Lacy BrocadeTextured Impressions™ Embossing Folders, Oval Framelits™, 2" and 2 1/2' Circle Punches (or use the Circle Cutter),  5/8” Real Red Satin Ribbon (retired)

Thanks for visiting!  Have a wonderful week and hopefully, I will be sharing more Christmas cards shortly (time is running out! :-))