Five Green Trees

This week's Merry Monday Christmas Challenge is a fun one!  

Make a card with 5 of something on it!

I used several FIVES.   Five tree stamps, 5 green inks, 5 snowflakes and 5 clear rhinestones.

Then I blew the plan - and made SIX cards while I had all the supplies out!

Can you tell I'm recently retired??  I have SO much more time to stamp now!! Whoo hoo!!

You'll find the Merry Monday Challenge here!   What FIVE of something will  you use while you are getting a really big jump start on your Christmas card stash?!

Also linking my card to:
Christmas Card Challenge

Stamps:  Tree Line - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Alpine Christmas - Waltzingmouse retired, Stillness of snow (part of a larger verse - wooden stamp unknown)
Paper:  White - PTI
Ink:  Ranger Distress Mowed Lawn, Peacock Feathers, Bundled Sage, Evergreen Bough, Shabby Shutters,  Soft Stone - PTI, Archival Jet Black.
Accessories:  Clear rhinestones - Michaels.

Hiding how I'm thinking of you

I almost forgot Darnell was having 3 NBUS challenges in a row this month - the second being posted this past Monday.  SO glad I realized and got a card done in time!

I did use one of her optional elements in my card design:  1.  The first optional theme I used this week is a NBUS Technique called "Hidden Word" or "Camouflaged Word" or, if you want to get technical "Steganography."

 My NBUS is this piece of paper from a K and Co Amy Butler paperpad.  I've used other papers from this pad - but none of this one.  I also used word dies from a thinlit die set - I've used other words from this set but not these.

I die cut the words twice out of Simply Chartreuse card stock and once out of the panel of DP.  I glued all three layers together with the DP on the top - then adhered the thick words into the cut out on the DP that I had already adhered to the card .  I added a little matboard heart that I colored by inking it with Simply Chartreuse.

You'll find this week's NBUS challenge here.
Also linking my card to:
Happy Little Stampers 

Darnell is having surgery today -  so the sentiment on this card is going out to her through cyber space - as well as prayers and hugs!  Best wishes today Sis!!

Paper:  Simply Chartreuse - PTI,  DP - K and Co/Amy Butler/Desigher Mat Pad, little sizzles Matboard - Sizzix.
Ink:  Simply Chartreuse - PTI
Accessories:  Dies - Thinking of you - Thinlits/Celebrate, heart die - Tim Holtz. 

Six Prancing Deer

I'm playing along with Merry Monday Christmas Challenge again this week.  Deanne's challenge is to be inspired by this photo.

Although I wanted to eat those luscious sugar cookies (!)  my card design was inspired by that little reindeer with the wreath around his neck - pulling Santa's sleigh in the top right corner of the photo!

I made the little wreath by die cutting a 1" Pinked Circle Nestability and then punching out the center with a 5/8" circle punch.  I cut a slit in the wreath and wrapped it around his neck, taping it on the back.  I added 3 red rhinestones to the wreath and a black Tiny Twinkles for his eye. 

I then made 5 more cards, choosing some different patterned papers and stamping the sentiment on Sentiment Strips.  

The red DP on this one was inspired by the cloth on the tray in the photo.

The next I used a black DP.  The Prancing Deer is a Tim Holtz/Ranger die.  The sentiments are popped up on foam dots.

and a grey swirl DP

And here's the group of 6!

Also linking my card to:

Happy Little Stampers

Happy Little Stampers Christmas

Stamps:  Silent Night - PTI
Paper:  Vintage Cream, Pine Feather, Text Style Distressed Dots - PTI, Yours Truly/Echo Park 6x6pad.
Ink:  True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Pinked Circles Nestabilities, 5/8" circle punch - EK Success, red rhinestones, Black Tiny Twinkles - Taylored Expressions, Sentiment Strips Dies - MFT, Prancing Deer Die - Tim Holtz/Sizzix.

January 2017 Papertrey Ink Blog Hop

Today is the January Papertrey Ink Blog hop and Nichole gave us this photo for inspiration.

Love the black background with white and red accents - and since I'm making Valentines for a sale at church - that's what I made for this blog hop!  I made two cards and the only difference is the die I used for the white frame.  Here is the first one I made - the frame is from Tag Sale #10, the LOVE is a Wonderful Words die and the flowers are Bitty Button Stacks dies.  The LOVE and 2 of the flowers are popped up on foam dots. I bent up the edges on some of the blooms as well. The scallop edge of this frame makes this card feel feminine I think.

I used all the same dies for this second card accept the white frame is Heart Squared and this looks more masculine to me with that one change.

  I can't wait to see how everyone else was inspired by the beautiful cookies!  The hop is taking place over on Nichole's blog.

Paper:  White, Pure Poppy, True Black - PTI
Accessories:  Dies - Tag Sale #10, Bitty Button Stacks, Wonderful Words: Love, Heart Squared - PTI, foam dots, black rhinestones.

A Valentine Card using Eileen Hull's Sizzix Dies

For the month of January Technique Posts - Eileen Hull's Sizzix Creative Team will be showing you how to use dies on your cards -  dies don't JUST have to be for a 3D item.  You can check out other cards by the team over on Eileen's blog all month long.

This is my 2nd post this month for Eileen - and with February on the near horizon - I made a Valentine card.  (see my first post here if you missed it!)

 I used several of Eileen's Sizzix dies for this card -  I made the rose using her Pansy Flower die. (Yes, I know - I made a rose out of a pansey!?!)  I die cut the 3 flower layers 2  times out of red card stock.  I sprayed each piece with water and crunched each piece into a ball - letting them sit over night to dry.

The next day, I opened up each piece and layered them all together - the 2 large ones on the bottom, then the 2 middle size ones and then just one of the smallest pieces in the middle.  I connected them with a black and white brad spreading the bigger petals out just a little but leaving the smallest one more closed up sort of like the bud in the center.  I made a stem using floral wire and Eileen's Twist N Style Tool.  I die cut two leaves using Spring Leaves die, creasing them down the middle and attaching them to the stem.  

I die cut Eileen's 3D Vase out of Cream Little Sizzles Matboard. To make it more of a 2D piece that I could layer onto a card -  I trimmed off the end panels leaving 5, two of which I folded to the back and curved the 3 in the middle.  I covered the 3 front pieces with Golden Crackle Paste Gel Medium and let it dry overnight.  I sponged over all of it with Ranger Distress Antique Linen Ink then used Distress Ground Espresso Ink along all the edges.  I covered the whole thing with Distress Collage Medium Crazing to help seal it and add more crackle.  After leaving the vase to dry overnight,  I adhered the stem to the back of the flower and to the inside of the vase piece.  I glued the folded over edges of the vase to the card and put thick foam dots under the back of the flower and one of the leaves.

And someone really has to stop me using Eileen's Mailable Frame Die for my card bases.  I really LOVE this die - it transforms a card into a gift!  I cut it out of the cream matboard.

Granted, given the size of the flower this card is not mailable unless you put it in a bigger padded envelope -  but it's perfect to hand deliver!

I added a die cut sentiment strip embossed in white and 3 rhinestone hearts to finish off my Valentine!

Please look for more 'using DIE cuts on cards' ideas during the  month of January over at Eileen Hull's blog.

Paper:  True Black, Pure Poppy, Textstyle Black and White Basics - PTI, Paper Stash Seasonal - Tim Holtz/Idea-ology, Cream Little Sizzles Matboard - Sizzix.

Ink:  Ranger Distress Antique Linen and Ground Espresso, Versamark.

Accessories:  Dies - Mailable Frame, 3D Vase, Pansey Flower, Spring Leaves - Eileen Hull/Sizzix, Sentiment Strips - MFT,  brad, thick foam dots, Scotch Quick Dry Adhesive, rhinestone hearts - Michaels, white embossing powder, Ranger Distress Collage Medium Crazing, Golden Gel Medium Crackle Paste, florist wire, Twist N Style Tool - Eileen Hull/Sizzix.

Every Moment Matters

Today I made a card for Darnell's Blog birthaversary Surprise NBUS Challenge!   She is celebrating so many things you will just have to check it out here to see what all the hubbub is about.

Anyhoo -  the bottom line is that she would like us to use an NBUS while using colored pencils on kraft card stock (jump on one foot and twirl around at the same time too!?  just kidding!!!......)

Here's what I made:

and here's what I used

The flower stamp is my NBUS - it's from a stamp set called Artful Life by Wendy Vecchi - I've used other stamps in the set (such as this sentiment) but not this particular flower.  I used colored pencils and Gamsol - a technique that you can find on YouTube and Splitcoast stampers.

I black embossed my flowers and the Gamsol seemed to melt it a little so there are some dark smudges as well as the colors -  but I kind of like the shadowy look!  I laid a Check Mate stencil over the panel and colored in some of the squares randomly with a colored pencil - trying to ground the flowers a bit.   Then I just added 3 sequins.

I haven't used the Gamsol colored pencil coloring technique in many years but did have all the supplies in a drawer in my craft room!  You can see other cards I have made using this technique here.   I need to practice it more - but this will do for now!

Some come and join us over at Darnell's NBUS challenge -  she's running one every week for 3 weeks for her special celebration!   See it all here.  Thanks for making stamping so much fun Sis!

Stamps:  Artful Life - Wendy Vecchi Studio 490/Stampers Anonymous
Paper:  Kraft - PTI
Ink:  Archival Jet Black, Versamark
Accessories:  Gamsol, paper stump, Fantasia Color Pencils, Check Mate Stencil - Wendy Vecchi/SA,  black embossing Powder, heat tool, sequins - Neat and Tangled.

Creativation Craft Show - Eileen Hull Sizzix Sneak Peeks

You may have seen the deluge of posts on Facebook by myself and the rest of Eileen Hull's Sizzix Creative Team members.  The Creativation Craft Show (formerly known as CHA) is being held in Phoenix, AZ from Jan 19th - 23rd this week and Eileen will be there with her trailer 'Scotty' right on the showroom floor - running 'make and takes' and displaying all of the team's creations using her new Sizzix Dies and other products.

Here are sneak peeks of the projects I created for her. 

I will be posting full posts with tutorials in April after the new products are available for purchase!

Fun stuff, right??!!

If you are lucky enough to go there this year - please check out Eileen's Sizzix  Booth - and let me know if you saw any of my projects!

The Sentinel

Yes, friends -  another Christmas card!  This time 3 versions using the same stamp.  I was so surprised and pleased to be picked the challenge winner over at Merry Monday last week - I just had to join in on this week's challenge, use a reindeer.

I bought this beautiful Penny Black stamp, Sentinel, on sale at Michaels several months ago and knew he'd be perfect for this challenge.

I stamped him in Archival Jet Black, heat set the ink, then watercolored over the trees, sky, moon and the reindeer.  I splattered white acrylic paint over the panel using an old tooth brush then dotted white on the bigger dots (most of which are part of the stamp) using the round end of a paintbrush.

I brushed over pretty much everything with my clear Wink of Stella which is so hard to see in a photo but makes it quite shimmery IRL!  You may see some of the shimmer on the trees and moon below.

And since I've decided when I make a card for my Christmas stash - I'm going to try and make multiples while I have the supplies out, so I made two CAS cards using this beautiful stamp.

For my second card - I just embossed the stamp in silver and added clear rhinestones.

and for my third card I just embossed the stamp in gold and added gold half pearls.

I'm linking my first watercolored card to these challenges:

Merry Monday Challenge

 A new challenge I just discovered -  The Heart Desires Challenge

I was inspired by the blues - and the snowy backgrounds!

 Penny Black January Challenge

Anything Goes (using a Penny Black stamp)

 Thanks for stopping by today!  I'm having the staples removed from my back surgery tomorrow morning - they've been itching so I'm sure I'll feel much better with them out!

Stamps:  Sentinel - Penny Black, Silent Night - PTI
Paper:  White, True Black - PTI
Ink:  Versamark, Archival Jet Black
Accessories:  watercolor paints, water, brush, heat tool, gold and silver embossing powders, gold half pearls, clear rhinestones, foam dots, word window punch - SU