52CCT - Theme .....

.... Hello and good morning!  We've reached the third Saturday of the month and that means it's time for our theme challenge here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  Patricia has picked a fabulous theme for us:

O little town ...

I had fun with this challenge and have two cards for you:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - December Wonder, Holiday Home
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Elegant Eggplant
Dies: Spellbinders - Petit Ovals Scalloped Lg (S4-139) #4
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Elegant Eggplant; Kanban - Christmas Mirri Card, Old Town Stacked Print

This card was so easy to make, it almost feels like a cheat!  I cut the gorgeous mirri card slightly smaller than the card and adhered it flat to the card.  I used dimensional gel to layer up the Old Town images, keeping it reasonably flat and then layered the finished piece on a die cut purple oval.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of purple card and stamped a simple greeting on the white panel.

My second card is totally different - more contemporary and it's a folding card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - December Wonder, Holiday Home, Mingle All the Way
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; Kanban -Christmas Town Tags; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella; SU Marker - Real Red

Again, this one was reasonably quick to make.  The tag images are all joined, so I simply lined the inside with plain white card on which I stamped some Christmas images and a fun greeting.  I added a faux stitched border using a red marker and this defines the inside of each panel.

In the photos above you can see the card opened flat to show the inside as well as see the whole of the front of the card.  I made a belly band to go round the card to keep it closed.  I cut a strip of red card, stamped a sentiment and added some stars and snowflakes, along with a bit of sparkle.

Do check out our blog to see the inspiration cards from the rest of the team.  Looking forward to seeing your creations - have fun!!!

52CCT - Technique ....

...  Hello! We're at the fourth Saturday in January and that means it's time for our Technique challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  I decided to pick a technique that is really very popular at the moment and gives the impression of lots of layers and dimension, but in fact the card is pretty flat making it easy to post.  I'd like you to use the Inlaid Die technique on your card.  If you don't know how to do this technique, check out the video by Betsy Veldman (from Papertrey Make It Monday) at the end of this post.  Here's my take on the technique:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Holiday Home; Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold and The Merry
Inks: Memento - London Fog; SU - Cajun Craze, Mossy Meadow
Dies: Lawn Fawn - Stitched Hillside Borders; SU/Sizzix - Homemade Holiday Framelits; Winnie & Walter - The Big, The Bold & Merry Cutaways
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Mossy Meadow; Copic Markers

I used the colours from this week's Colour Me! Card Challenge - CMCC#55 and the theme of houses from Merry Monday - MM#142.  I stamped the three houses onto white card, coloured them with Copic markers and cut them out with the matching dies.  Next I die cut the houses from the card base, stamped on some lights, trees and the sleigh.  I adhered a piece of white card on the inside of the card and then adhered the die cut houses into the negative spaces.  Next I die cut the hillside and sentiment in white card.  I used Copic markers to colour the die cut sentiment to match the colour of the house doors and adhered it back into the negative space.  I finished the front by added a little snowman in the foreground and stamping the word merry.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of green card and stamped a simple sentiment.  ETA - Seems I managed to CASE Heather's card - we've both made a lovely winter scene, but I much prefer the colour of Heather's pretty houses!

Check out our blog to see more inspiration cards using our Inlaid Die technique and don't forget to check out Betsy's video - below:



That's all for now - have fun with the technique and enjoy your weekend!

TMR - New Beginnings ...

....  Good morning!  I hope you all had a super Christmas and New Year and are ready to get back to making cards for the men in our lives!  It's time for our first challenge of 2015 at The Male Room - for the next couple of weeks we'd like to see your projects with the theme of New Beginnings.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Holiday Home; Uniko Studios - All Occasion Sentiments #1
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: SU/Sizzix - Homemade Holiday Framelits
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red

Our theme of New Beginnings gives huge scope - new baby, new home, new school, new year, new adventures - it's your choice.  I decided to make a card for a new home.  I kept it really simple with a row of houses stamped in black and one stamped on red card and die cut.  To finish the front I simply added a sentiment.  On the inside I cut a mat of red card and a very bold sentiment on the white card.  Now, this card uses several items that have never been used before (although I've had them for a few months) - the Holiday Home stamps and the matching framelits and so I'm submitting this card to Darnell's Never Before Used Schtuff - NBUS#3.  Can you believe she's on her third challenge?

For more inspiration with our theme of New Beginnings - check out the blog to see what the rest of the team have made.  Just remember you need to have a masculine feel to your project - looking forward to seeing what you make!  Have fun.