January 2025 Card Chain Challenge Reveal

 Today's the day we can see all of the cards that were exchanged all over the world for the January Card Chain Challenge!    I sent a card to Carol in England and I received a card from Hilary - also in England!

Every month there are suggestions of colors, sketch, theme, product and technique options to inspired us.  

This month I just went with the theme of Friendship.

I used a recently purchased Gate Fold X Fence die from Mama Elephant along with the Dandelion Wish Embossing folder from Sizzix.  The stamps are from Dandelion Wishes Sentiments from Papertrey Ink (on sale!)

I embossed the dandelions onto a white panel and then rubbed over the panel with  Ranger Distress Ink - Scattered Straw ink pad to color the raised bits.  I adhered the fence tabs to the back of the panel

Since the fence will stand the card up I embossed and inked another white panel and adhered it to the back of the card panel which also covers the tabs from the fence.  I added a die cut scalloped trim and a white panel for the sentiment and message!

I adhered the oval sentiment to just one side of the fence and 3 yellow enamel dots on each side of the fence.

Have you been thinking of joining this fun monthly card exchange challenge?  You sign up each month - so you can just do it once and see if you enjoy it!  You'll find all the info you need to know about joining in over at The Card Chain Challenge!

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

First time using the fence and the sentiment stamps.

Time Out Challenge

layer, warm, love

Can You Handle the Pressure?

Anything goes with embossing

Stamps:  Dandelion Wishes Sentiments Mini Stamp Set - Papertrey Ink.

Paper:  White, Summer Sunrise - Papertrey Ink.

Ink:  Scattered Straw - Ranger Distress Ink, Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Gatefold X Fence die - Mama Elephant, Scalloped Edge Die - unbranded, Oval and Scalloped Oval Punches - Stampin'Up, Zutter Corner Rounder, Yellow enamel dots - Altenew.

Inkspirational #334 Collaboration with Color Hues!

 Today the Inkspirational Challenge is teaming up with the Color Hues Challenge and both Design Teams are creating cards using Red and Pink!  We invite you to join in as well!

The Impressionist Garden Stencil, Garden Gateway die and Bloom and Grow sentiments are new purchases from The Greetery.  The gate and sign are up on foam dots.  

So please join us at Inkspirational AND at Color Hues and link up your red/pink creation!

The challenge ends on 2/14

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

first time using the stencils, die cuts and stamps

Seize the Birthday

ends 2/4

AAA Colourful

Colorful Options

ends 2/28

Stamps:  Bloom and Grow Sentiments - The Greetery

Paper:  White, Lovely Lady, Pure Poppy, True Black - Papertrey Ink, Hammered White (on gate/fence) - Amazon.

Ink:  Lovely Lady, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink, Nocturne - Versafine Clair.

Other Supplies:  Garden Gateway dies - The Greetery, Impressionist Garden Stencil Set - The Greetery, Pierced Feature Frames dies - Papertrey Ink, enamel dots - Altenew, blender brushes, foam dots.

A Snarky Cat with a Valentine Balloon!

 Today, I'm sharing the Valentines that I made this year to send to my grandnieces and grandnephews.  I used pink metallic paper to emboss/die cut the hearts for the girls and red metallic paper for the boys, ages 14, 13, 12 and 10.  

These are mini slim line size 3"x 6".  I always include a $1 bill as a (very small!) treat but it adds a little fun when they open the card. 

I used a large eye sewing needle to 'sew' the balloon twine string through the cats hands.  I colored the Snarky cat with Distress Water Color Pencils and a water brush.  The hearts are die cut/embossed using Tim Holtz/Sizzix  3D Impresslits Lucky Love 

I'm sending my Valentine to the following challenges:

Time Out Challenges

used Stitch (balloon string), Heart, Love, Layer  ends 2/12

Inspired by Challenge

Red, heart, Valentine, animal ends 2/5

Can You Handle the Pressure

anything goes (embossed heart) ends 2/5

Tic Tac Toe #263

Used the top horizontal line -  Hearts, Designer Paper, Love Sentiment ends 2/13

Stamps:  Snarky Cat - Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous, Love You from Mini Boxwood Heart set - The Greetery.

Paper:  Red and dark pink card bases from stash, DP Gosh I love You - Unity, Valentines Day - Recollections.

Other Supplies:  Crushed Olive and Wild Honey Distress Water Color Pencils - Tim Holtz, foam dots, water brush pen.

Group of 7 Cardmakers - January 2025 Technique

 Today the Group of 7 Cardmakers are playing with the technique of Dry Embossed Highlights over Ink Blending.

You'll find links to a couple of YouTube Videos over at the Group of Seven Blog.

I tried two of the techniques with varying success depending on the embossing folder and lighter colored ink I used over the panel.  

The instructions say to use a white pigment ink to rub over the embossing. All of my white ink pads seem to dry out by the time I go to use them?! I used the one I had on the heart card below this card - but it wasn't very 'juicy' and also picked up the pink from the background.

So, I used Antique Linen Distress Oxide over the embossing on the two cards below.  I used Distress Oxide Seedless Preserves, Squeezed Lemonade and Salvaged Patina on the backgrounds.

A few creation photos for these two using the same embossing folder.

I used an old Colorbox Frost White Ink rubbed over the embossed hearts on the card below -  the pad wasn't very 'juicy' and picked up some of the Festive Berries Distress Oxide ink so the white was not very 'white'!  But I liked the result.  This older embossing folder was not very deep. 

I rubbed my Squeezed Lemonade Distress Oxide ink pad over the embossing, using Speckled Egg Distress Oxide inside the rectangle.

Notes:  I decided to use light Distress Oxide Inks to rub over the embossing on 3 of my designs instead of white (accept on the Valentine) since I didn't have a 'fresh' White Pigment Ink.

I found if the embossing wasn't deep enough, the ink pad I rubbed over the embossing would also get ink onto the un-embossed areas of the card.

I tried 4 other embossing folders that didn't work out either with the colors I used on the background or the thinner depth of the embossing - so keep playing!

We'd love to see what you create using this technique.  You can link up your card over at the Group of Seven Cardmakers blog so we can all come and see them!

I'm linking my Thank You card

 to:

Can You Handle the Pressure

anything goes with embossing ends 2/5

Allsorts Challenge

optional: Close to Nature (flowers) ends 1/31

Thank You and Sympathy Cards

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, Gold foil, Silver Foil

Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxides - Seedless Preserves, Squeezed Lemonade, Salvaged Patina, Old Paper.

Other Supplies:  Masking Tape, Flowers and Leaves Embossing Folder - Altenew, Way with Words Hot Foil Stamps (Thank You) - Ellen Hutson, Classic Frame Foil Set (Sympathy)- Waffle Flower, foam dots, blender brushes.

Valentine Card

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, gold foil

Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxide - Festive Berries, Frost White - Color Box.

Other Supplies:  Masking Tape, Hearts 3D Embossing Folder - Sizzix, Way with Words Hot Foil Stamps (Love You) - Ellen Hutson, foam dots, masking tape, blender brushes.

Congratulations Card

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, gold foil

Ink:  Ranger Distress Oxides - Speckled Egg, Squeezed Lemonade.

Other Supplies:  All Star Burst Embossing Folder - Simon Says Stamp, masking tape, foam dots, blender brushes, Way with Words Hot Foil Stamps (Congratulations) - Ellen Hutson. 

Inkspirational #333 - Word Prompt - Snow

 Here is my DT card for today's Inkspirational Challenge - Snow!   We just had a lovely 4" snow fall in MA last Saturday - falling on freezing bare ground.  That small amount is enough for me to feel warm and cozy when I look out the window!

I just received these snowflake dies from a sale over at The Greetery - So I made two cards using different snowflakes.  The snowflake below is from Snipped Showflakes #3.  The DP is from Charlie and Paulchen on both cards and I also added snowflake sequins from This Calls for Confetti on both cards.   The sentiment is from Paper Artsy Alison Bomber EAB05 set.

The snowflake below is from Snipped Snowflakes #2 from the Greetery.

I brushed Clear Glitter Wink of Stella over both of the large snowflakes - so they are shiny IRL but it doesn't show up in the photo.

Here's a close up where maybe you can see the sparkle a little bit?

So we hope you will join us and show us 'SNOW'!  You will find Mr. Linky and some beautiful inspiration from the rest of our talented team over at Inkspirational.

Link up by 1/31!

I'm also sending my card to:

NBUS

First time using the die cut snowflakes and the DP

Christmas Crafts all year Round  ends 1/31

The Christmas Song -  Line: Jack Frost nipping at your nose

Love Those Pretty Papers

ends 1/31

Four Seasons Challenge: Winter

ends 1/25

Stamps:   Alison Bomber EAB05 set - Paper Artsy

Paper:  White - Papertrey Ink, Alpaca - Bazzill, DP - Charlie and Paulchen.

Ink:  Stormy Sea - Papertrey Ink

Other Supplies:  Snipped Snowflakes #3, Snipped Snowflakes #2 - The Greetery, snowflake sequins - This Calls for Confetti, foam dots, Clear Glitter Wink of Stella.