Casology 324 Holly

Hi there,

I decided to get a head start on next year's batch of Christmas cards.  Casology's challenge of Holly let me use a new to me stamp.

With all the shading on the stamp already, I thought it would be showcased best by gold embossing and I added a few gems for color.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

My 2018 Favorites

Hi there,

As the year draws to a close, I took a look at all my cards from the past year and I picked out 10 that I like most for myself.  There are many cards that I love for someone else, but these are the ones just for me.  Not a single one of them is still in my possession.

Clearly, I do love coloring most of all for card creation.  I'll be doing more in the coming year.

Thank you  to all of you who come by to take a peak, those who come by and leave some love, and those who visit due to a challenge. All are appreciated more than I can possibly say.  Special thanks to those who have become friends, a crafty bond is a special one.

Wishing you all a Happy, Prosperous, Healthful and wonderful New Year.

Cheeky Pup

Hello-

I had to play with this new to me Penny Black stamp again. It makes me laugh every time I look at it.

This time I used it as it is laid out on its wooden block.

I stamped it on Bristol and used Arteza watercolor pens for color.  The background stamp on the card base is from Hero Arts S5609 Stunning Snow Flakes.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy Birthday

Hi there-

My favorite card for a gal's birthday is of course a flower card. Fun coloring for me and flowers for the recipient. Win Win right?

This fall I got a new bouquet stamp that fits perfectly for fall and winter birthdays. The stamp was a Simon Says Stamp exclusive collaboration with Studio Katia.

This was my first use of the stamp. Embossed in platinum and colored with Arteza markers.

This is my second try. Again embossed this time in gold, colored with zig markers and over sprayed with gold glitter. In the light it sparkles beautifully, and I am sure my MIL will love it.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

More Birthday

Hello -
On top of those Christmas cards, I had 8 birthday cards for December to get made. I made this one is several shades besides the coral tones here.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Truck

Hi there,

I needed a guy card for Christmas; fortunately Peggy lent me her AI Truck stamp.  After scrolling through the AI You Tube videos, I had a video to follow for the design.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Inspired by 51

Let's Go Sledding is the prompt over at Inspired by 51.   I knew I had a sled stamp somewhere, and I found it.  It has an odd perspective so I don't use it much.

I am drawn to 4.25 inch square cards lately. They still fit nicely in my envelopes and they are fun. I left this monochromatic after all winter skies are often gray.






Thanks much for stopping by.

Snow

Hi there,
I am avoiding laundry for a little bit to play with a new to me stamp. Its actually from 2005 and is by Penny Black.  It is a stamp for a landscape style card, but I changed it up by masking off the last image and stamping it below the first two.

The sentiment comes from MFT. Its perfect for that cheeky pup to say to the newly denuded Snoman.

The challenge at Double D is  Let it Snow.    The  Challenge at Penny Black Saturday Challenge is anything goes, optional - Winter.
 
  


Thanks much for stopping by.

Seasons Greetings

Hi there-

Its no secret I have had a difficult time wrangling the old mojo to get the Christmas cards done.  I think I finally figured out why...I had set up an extra table in my crafty space and all my Christmas stamps, sewing stuff, and bags for the crafty gals were cluttering up that table.

I got that table mostly cleared off and have gone back to my small side table and I feel so much more relaxed in here now. Of course it could also be that the cards I did make were mailed last Monday.  But, I think its more to do with the clutter.

So on to today's card.

I loved the silvery and festive photo over at The Card Concept and have made my clean and simple version inspired by that photo.  I used a green cardbase for that touch of green in the photo; and after heat embossing my image and sentiment, I went back in with a small blender brush and added a touch of brown to the pine cones.  The image and sentiment are a Simon Says Stamp exclusive from Clearly Besotted.

 

Thank you so much for visiting.  May your season of holidays be all that you wish for.

Holiday Blessings

Hi there-

I used the Penny Black Die Manger.  I wanted that manger to be the focal point so the cards I ended up making several copies of are very simple.  I tried dressing it up a bit, but I like it best on the white.

I am submitting this to the Penny Black Saturday Challange - Its Anything Goes or Christmas/Wintertime. Since the die is new to me  I am also submitting to Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday, and at least for us in the northern hemisphere, Christmas is in the wintertime so I am also adding this to Die cut Diva's. I am also submitting to Time Out Challenges.

 Thanks so much for stopping by.


 

December Bizarre Day

Hi There:

December brings the 12th installment of my Bizarre and Unique Days cards.

December 20th is Go Caroling Day. 

This stamp joined my stash last year after the holidays, so it is well past time for it to be inked up.

The background is sponged with distress oxide inks; and the coloring is done with alcohol markers.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Joy

Hello -

I usually don't buy card kits anymore, but I fell in love with the MFT Joy kit.  I plan to play more with it after the holidays to get a head start on next year.  The  "O" can be made into an ornament, a snowflake, a shaker or a snowman.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Happy Holidays

Hi there-

I'm getting close to finishing up those Christmas cards.  These two are early morning efforts.  One will be submitted to Color Throwdown Challenge 523 - Colors - Red, Green, Kraft and White.

The snowman and sentiment come from MFT.  A happy snowman always makes me smile.



Thanks for stopping by.

Merry Everything

Hello-

A quick card with some simple gold embossing.  The card was inspired by Uniko's 50th challenge - Celebrate option - gold.

Thanks so very much for stopping by.

Merry and Bright

Hello

When I saw the challenge at Double D, I thought of my two favorite reindeer stamps, and made two cards for the challenge.  They are both CAS cards and will also be showing up at CAS on Friday where the challenge is to make a Christmas card.  And my round card will also go to Just Add Ink, for the blue inking behind the image.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Merry Christmas

Hi there....
I am so behind on my Christmas cards.  I've mailed a few overseas but my domestic friends may be getting a card just days before Christmas.  Its snowing outside and I have a football game on inside.
Its a good set up for cardmaking.

This card is going to Freshly Made Sketches...its a bit of a stretch...but I see the sketch in it.

Here is the sketch:


Thanks for stopping by!

Christmas Wishes

Hi there,

Finally Hub's last issue of the year  is bagged up and ready to be taken to the Post Office for delivery to subscribers.  We've had a bit of a delay at the printers so its been hurry up and wait since we returned from our visit to Ohio. You'd think I should be able to just sit down and make some cards while we were waiting...but it doesn't work that way with my brain. One thing at a time. As I have gotten older my ability to multi-task successfully has diminished.

As usual when I need a good swift kick in the mojo, I turn to challenges.  Helping me out today are The Flower Challenge, Color Throwdown, and Addicted to Stamps and more.

My older stamp is from Stampendous, called Cling Poinsettia. It is one of the first stamps I acquired. I embossed it in silver (neutral) on bristol. Then colored in the biggest bloom cluster in red, coral and green. The panel is matted in dark gray and layered onto a lighter gray cardbase. The sentiment is from PTI and is white embossed on dark gray.




Thank you so very much for stopping by.

Seasons Greetings

Hi there,
One last card before I crawl into my bed. If I stay up much longer I have no chance of sleeping before 5 or  6 am.  So go the vampire hours.

This is another of PTI's  Botanical Blocks IV.  The set comes with two blocks and 4 sentiments.

I am linking up to these challenges:

AAA Cards - Mostly White
Less is More - Holiday
Muse Christmas Visions - Festive Free For All
Case this Sketch (sketch below)

 

Thanks much for stopping by.

Christmas Wishes

Hello,

I had to get this card made for the Color Throwdown 521. The colors are Silver, Black, Gray and White  I thought PTI's Botanical Blocks IV would be perfect for this challenge. 

I placed my black silver and white panel on a light gray card base.





Thanks much for stopping by.

Meow

Hi there,

Hubs and I are back from our trip to Ohio for Thanksgiving. I actually managed to pack light for the trip giving more room for the front passenger seat to recline in our truck.  Being able to nap some during the 9 hour drive really made a difference for me. For once I didn't arrive wrung out.  Hubs and I share the driving so he got some z's in too.

I made this card for two challenges : Double D Challenge the mood board is below (the kitten snuggled in the plaid blanket) as well as CAS Colors and Sketches.  I might be walking a thin (plaid) line on the CAS part of that one. The sketch is below.

I'm hoping these adorable Honey Bee kittens qualify as a shape for the sketch which I flipped. The plaid stamp is from Hero Arts.  This one will of course go to my Dad.  Its got a masculine feel to it.

 

Thanks much for stopping by.

ETA--- I missed the Double D deadline, but I'm leaving the graphic in because it was part of my inspiration.

November Bizarre Day

Hello Again -

November's Bizarre Day is November 21st - World Hello Day.  Since I need many many more Christmas cards, I chose a Christmas Hello which fits my world right now.

The poinsettia is from EH, the hello die is W&W, the smaller sentiment is from MFT and the yellow gems are from Pretty Pink Posh.

I'm taking a small break through the end of the month for the Thanksgiving holiday and will be back in December with the remainder of my Christmas cards...as they get made!  Lol.


Thanks much for stopping by.

Be Merry and Thanks

Hi there-
As with many of you, lots going on here and I am more often away from my crafty space than in it.
I have many more Christmas cards to make. Thank goodness Thanksgiving is early this year.

I have two cards for several challenges.

Here is the photo for the TWOFER CHALLENGE - WREATH. The holiday card is obvious in its wreath use.  The thanks was die cut after embossing several wreaths on red vellum and then tearing them apart and covering a length of card stock solidly with the pieces.  

I am entering this card to CASE THIS SKETCH and

ADDICTED TO STAMPS AND MORE-HOLIDAY

  On this closer photo, one can see the circles of the bubble wreath more clearly.  I am entering this to JUST ADD INK -Just add a big bold sentiment.


Each card has in common the use of the Texture EF from Stamping UP and the wreath stamp from EH's Homespun Holiday.  Additionally I used vellum (white and red), gold embossing powder, gold glitter paper, and gold tape. The sentiments came from MFT (snowglobe sentiments) and W&W (Big Bold Thanks cut away).

     




Thank you very much for visiting and commenting at this busy time of year!