There's nothing better on cold winter days than being all snug and warm in your craft room surrounded by all your toys (I mean craft supplies....wink). The way I am working on Christmas cards early for the 2023 holidays, I'm going to be in good shape when it is time to mail cards! There are a couple of challenges currently calling for "snippets" and I wanted to join them. So I looked around to see what I could find from previous projects laying around. Found two grey patterned polka dots papers, a piece of trimmed white cardstock plus two pine bough die cuts in a pretty forest green (see photo above). I thought it would be fun to challenge myself to use those grey papers for a Christmas card (don't ordinarily think of using grey). Jingle Belles is calling for cards with bells so I found a pretty bell stamp image and went from there. To carry the polka dot theme a little more, I used a "large dot" embossing folder for the gray cardstock. Added a stamped sentiment plus a Christmas twine bow and BAM...another card done for Christmas 2023! Thanks for stopping by....hope you are staying warm on this cold January day!
Sunday, January 15, 2023
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Love Me Do Card
Got up to a very dark and rainy day which made heading to the craft room "my ray of sunshine." (Wink.) I decided to do Valentine's Day card and designed it with three challenge blogs in mine. Time Out Challenges has a "romantic" themed challenge going on. Perfect timing as I need to be getting started on my Valentine cards! I went through my wood block stamps in designing this card so I could join Woodblock Wednesday. I used a pretty heart from Hampton Art which has the word "love" multiple times inside the heart image. I also wanted to join the Snippets challenge. I found a couple of pieces of patterned paper, used white cardstock large enough to stamp heart images on and a piece of pink left over polka dot ribbon. For the current Snippets challenge you are supposed to photograph the "snippets" before you make your card (see above my "snippets.") The word die cut was cut out with my Silhouette Cameo (#75004 Love Love Me Do at the Silhouette Design Store). Thanks for dropping in today...happy crafting!
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Meowy Christmas Card
It is a beautiful January day in my area and I got to spend a few minutes creating in my craft room. I wanted to join the new Inspiration Station January challenge. The inspiration photo is shown above. I was inspired by the bird in the tree on a cold looking day with the cat in the window. I used a Silhouette Cameo cutting pattern for the window, tree and bird (#105694 A2 Christmas Robin Card from Silhouette Design Store). The cat and sentiment stamped images are from Simon Says Stamp (Christmas Kitties). I finished it off with three snowflake spankles and a Christmas twine bow....and BAM....another Christmas card done for 2023! No more catching me scrambling around at the last minute! Thanks for stopping by....here's hoping you are enjoying your January day as much as I am!
Saturday, January 7, 2023
Pink Floral Birthday Card
My daughter's former college room mate has a birthday coming up in a few days. I wanted to mail her a card for her special day. I did a slimline card using a floral stamp set by Pinkfresh Studio. The card base is a patterned floral paper from DCWV (one of those paper stacks from my collection of papers). I matched those colors when coloring the stamped image with alcohol markers. The slimline rectangle and circle die cuts are by Spellbinders. I enjoyed coloring all the flowers on this stamped image....it was relaxing. I'm going to link this card up at Double D Challenges which is celebrating their 7th birthday with a birthday challenge! Happy Birthday Double D Challenges! Thanks for visiting and remember to stay crafty....stamp those floral sets and color, color, color!
Watch Out Grandma Card
The Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers are back for 2023 with a brand new challenge of "R is for Reindeer." You know how I love to do a funny card so I decided to use the song "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" for my inspiration. (I stamped that sentiment on the inside of the card too....but forgot to photograph it.) I used an older Jane's Doodles image for "grandma." I wanted to have reindeer in the background which looked like they were running. I treated myself to a new cutting pattern for my Silhouette Cameo from the Silhouette Design Store (Reindeer Border #5314). The sentiments on the front of my card were computer generated using a typewriter font. Finished it off with a small red jewel for Rudolph's nose and a Christmas colored twine bow. Thanks for stopping by and remember if you see grandma....give her a warning about those mischievous reindeer!
I'm also going to link this one up at Jingle Belles which has a "What Did Santa Bring You?" challenge (using something new on your creation). I'm using my new Reindeer Border cutting pattern.
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Large Snowflake Caffeinated Snowman Card
I couldn't resist playing one more time with the "Snowflakes" theme at Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge. I used my Silhouette Cameo to do the large snowflake die cut for the front of the card. The stamps used (with the exception of the coffee cup and "But First Coffee" sentiment) are an older set by Stampin'Up. This set was given to me by a friend recently who was cleaning out her craft room. It is a fun one to play with! Old to her but NEW to me....and I'm giving it a good new home! (Wink.) The patterned snowflake paper is a Recollections Christmas stack from my hoard of supplies. Thanks for dropping by to see my coffee drinking snowman. Remember to stay warm and crafty!
I'm also linking this card up at Jingle Belles with their "What Did Santa Bring You?" theme. You are supposed to use something you got for Christmas or something you have which you have never used. (I haven't played with creating a snowman with my "new/old" set my friend gifted me.)
Topless Hookers Birthday Card
We have a family friend who loves to fish and every year I send him a funny birthday card which has a "fishing theme." Needless to say after so many years, this has become harder to come up with something different. I saw this saying on the internet and the light bulb went off in my brain. I found the funny photo and the rest is history we shall say. I used a Buffalo check patterned paper in green since there was a lot of green in the photo. The sentiment on the front of the card is computer generated with some added punched arrows plus a twine bow. The inside sentiment is a stamp from Uniko which fit perfectly on a die cut word bubble I had cut ages ago with my Silhouette Cameo (for another project). Our friend's birthday is coming up on the 8th of January so will be mailing it tomorrow. I'm hoping to bring a smile on this fisherman's face when he opens his card. Thanks for stopping by to see my "topless hookers." Wink!
I'm going to link this card up at Double D Challenges which is celebrating its 7th birthday. Happy birthday Double D! Their theme this time around is "Birthdays."
Wednesday, January 4, 2023
Floral Slimline Birthday Card
Hope your Wednesday has been as much fun as mine! I got to play in my craft room working on a birthday card for a friend's birthday coming up on the 7th of January. I'll be dropping it in the mail tomorrow so she can get it on her special day! I pulled out a new stamp set I treated myself to a few months ago but hadn't inked up yet! Love the long shape of the floral image! It is perfect for making a pretty slimline card. After coloring the floral image with alcohol markers, I fussy cut it out. I stamped the floral design on a white #10 envelope too and colored it to match. I added yellow Stickles to the centers of some of the flowers for extra sparkle and dazzle. Here is a close-up so you can see the sparkle a little better.
I used a patterned paper from my stash (or hoard of papers) which looks like a inky splatter. Got the look without the mess...wink. I stamped and matted the sentiment to put above the floral image using foam tape for added dimension. Added my signature bow to the upper left corner plus three green "dew drops" in lower right corner. Now it was time to work on the inside of the card.....
I'm going to link this floral slimline birthday card at the following challenges:
Double D Challenges (Theme is Birthday because they are celebrating their 7th year -- Happy Birthday Double D!!!!!
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge (Something New -- my stamp set is new)
AAA Birthday Card Challenge (Anything Goes)
Crafting Happiness Challenges (Celebrations)
Stamping Sensations (Add Some Sparkle)
Thanks for dropping by today. Remember to stay crafty!
Tuesday, January 3, 2023
Christmas Kickstart Challenge Guest Elf
It's a new year and time for a new Christmas Kickstart Challenge. For January, it's all about stencils and masks! I am thrilled to be the guest elf too for January...how cool is that! I decided to stencil a border at the top and bottom of my card using a snow background stencil from my stash. I also stenciled the left side of my white envelope to have a pretty envelope to match the card. I used a Tim Holtz Distress Oxide ink pad in Lucky Clover to use with the stencil. I had a snowman stamp set by Sizzix (with matching dies to cut out the shapes) which I had not used in a long time. I decided it would be cute with my stenciled snowflake background border. After stamping and die cutting all the pieces, I put it together on a red cardstock tag with Christmas baker's twine at the top. I used an older "Let It Snow" stamp sentiment from Stampin'Up to put in the lower right corner. This was such a fun card to make and looking at it makes me happy. (Course that happiness comes from knowing when December 2023 rolls around I already have a head start on my cards....wink.) I hope you enjoyed seeing my stenciled card and I want to thank you for stopping by. I have to confess....it was FUN being an elf for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge even if I did have to wear those funny looking shoes....snicker!
I'm also entering this card at Crazy Is Our Name -- Stencils Are Our Game which has a Anything Goes (With an optional theme of Winter). This is a fairly new challenge blog and will be my first time to enter there (but won't be my last...wink). I love adding a touch of stenciling to my cards and envelopes.
Monday, January 2, 2023
Peace On Earth Card
The New Year is getting off to a great start since I have been able to "play in my craft room" both days of it. I watched the Rose Parade this morning in my craft room too which was a treat. Did you see it? So many beautiful floats and wonderful bands...I look forward to the Rose Parade each year! BUT let's get back to card making shall we? (Wink.) The new year brings another year of Jingle Belles challenges which is another thing I look forward to! This is the Jingle Belles (Stephanie and Lauren) thirteenth year of hostessing their fun Christmas card challenges. I have been participating with them for several years but 2022 was the first year I made a special effort to do every single challenge they posted! Let me tell you, when December rolled around and it was time to mail Christmas cards, it was a lifesaver! No mad scrambling around trying to make last minute cards. I had a box full of cards I had made all through the year which were ready to be addressed and mailed. Woo Hoo!
The new Jingle Belles challenge went live yesterday and it is "What Did Santa Bring You?" You are to create with your crafty Christmas presents or use something you haven't used before from your stash. The only thing Santa brought me this year which was craft related was the newest Tim Holtz color in his Distress Oxide ink pads...Lumberjack Plaid. I have all the colors in the Distress Oxide ink pads so was happy when Santa remembered I had whispered in his ear I wanted this newest color. I used a patterned paper by Honey Bee Stamps which was the perfect match to the Lumberjack Plaid color! The stamps I used are the Concord & 9th Peace On Earth set. The Peace on Earth sentiment was cut out using a circle die (Spellbinders Fluted Classics Circle). I also used a pine bough die by Tim Holtz Sizzix Greens Thinlits. Of course I had to finish it off with a Christmas colored baker's twine bow in the top left corner plus a few clear "dew drops." Here's hoping your New Year is off to a crafty good start!
Sunday, January 1, 2023
Christmas Snowflake Mug Card
Happy New Year! It is the first day of a brand new year and what better way to enjoy it than hang out a while in my craft room! The new Caffeinated Christmas Card challenge went up today and I couldn't resist having a go for it (plus a few other fun challenges as well).
I used my Silhouette Cameo to create the shaped card (Christmas Snowflake Mug Card #308847). The white part behind the mug on the card was dry embossed with a snowflake pattern (Sizzix snowflake embossing folder from my stash). The stamped sentiment is by Jaded Blossom (A Latte of Comfort and Joy Set). I finished it off with a bow made from Christmas colored baker's twine and a clear rhinestone in the center of the die cut snowflake on the mug. Fun card to make! Thanks for dropping by....hope your New Year is off to a great start!
I'll be linking this one up at the following challenges:
Inspiration Station (#44 Cup of Cheer) -- I was inspired by the red mug.