ASM - Holiday ....

.... Hello and Good Evening!  It's time for our Holiday challenge at Addicted to Stamps and More!  You can make any kind of papercraft project - ATC, tag, card, scrapbook layout, etc but you must base it on Holidays.  Now this can be any holiday - Valentine, Easter, St Patrick's Day, Halloween, Christmas or even a National Holiday, oh yes, it might even by an actual holiday!  I've made a really clean and simple Christmas card - I always need lots of Christmas cards:

Stamps: Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Decorations
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Gumball Green, Certainly Celery, Real Red; Versamark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Gingerbread; SU Punch - Christmas Decoration; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder

I've used the sketch from this week's CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#136 and the colours are from this week's Merry Monday Challenge - MM#169.  I cut a stripe of design paper which included all the colours - red, dark green and light green - and adhered it to the card.  I stamped a simple sentiment above the line and finished the front with a gold Christmas bauble (left over from a previous card) and a sparkly Christmas poinsettia.  On the inside I cut mat layer of design paper and on the white panel stamped a Christmas wreath with a greeting inside.

Our sponsor this week is STAMPlorations and the winner of the challenge will receive a $10 gift certificate.  Don't forget to visit our blog to see what the rest of the team have made based on our holiday theme.  Have fun!

52CCT - Sketch ...

... Good morning!  I do hope that you all had a super Christmas and a wonderful New Year.  Here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown we've got some new team members, lots of new challenges and a new look too.  I'm hosting the challenges this month and first up is a sketch for you to play with.  Feel free to turn the sketch and you don't have to use a star.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Cheerful Christmas; Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas, Winter Wonderland
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinders - Labels 24 (S4-353) #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - North Pole; SU Card - Real Red; SU Markers - Real Red, Pistachio Pudding, Marina Mist; Silver sticker

I've gone for a folksy feel on my first card for 2015.  The stamps and paper are from different companies, but they work really well together.  I cut two coordinating pieces of design paper to cover the base of the card and then adhered a silver glitter sticker over the top to hide the join.  I used marker pens to selectively colour the stamped image and matched the colours to the papers used.  I cut it out with a die (one that hasn't been used for ages).  I made the mat layer by drawing round the outside of the die.  I finished the front with a bold sentiment on a white banner.  On the inside I have another mat in green gingham and a simple greeting on the white panel.

For more inspiration using the sketch, check out the blog to see what my team mates have made.   Don't forget to drop by and visit our new team members and leave a comment.

There's a really good reason for joining in with our weekly challenges, if you make one card every week during the year, you'll have a stash of 48 cards ready at the beginning of December.  Of course, if like me you make more than one card each time, you make have even more cards ready.  This challenge helps to reduce stress at Christmas.  Looking forward to seeing your creations.

52CCT - Pick a Previous Reminder ...

... Good morning!  I'm back this morning with a reminder about our Pick Any Previous challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  You can pick any previous colours, sketch, theme, recipe or technique - go wild.  We have a fabulous sponsor for this challenge - Deedee's Digis.  The winner of this challenge will get a super prize of $15.00 gift voucher to Deedee's shop.  So here's my card featuring one of Deedee's fun digis:

Stamps: Deedee's Digis - Happy Owl-idays; Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas
Inks: Memento - Cottage Ivy, Lady Bug
Dies: Spellbinders - Squares Lg (S4-126) #7
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Real Red; Copic Markers; Washi Tape; Glamour Dust; Basic Grey Candy Buttons

I picked a previous sketch for my card - May 2014.  I've been quite faithful to the sketch.  I think I've mentioned that I adore owls, so when I saw this set, it was easy.  I printed the owl onto white card, coloured with Copic markers, cut it out with a die and added lots of sparkle.  I edged the image with a dark green copic marker.  I used some bright washi tape for the tab, added a sentiment and three enamel dots.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of red card and on the white panel stamped a wreath and greeting.

Check out our blog to see some more inspiration cards using Deedee's Digis - they are just fabulous!
You have plenty of time to play along - deadline for submissions is Friday 19th December.  We'll be back in January with some new challenges.  Have a wonderful Christmas and Happy New Year.

Do you want to hear a secret?

...  You do!  Great!  I've been keeping a secret, and for me that's really hard.  A few weeks ago I got an email from Sandie (she coordinates all the Uniko Studio challenges) inviting me to join the fabulous Uniko Studio Design Team.  I was (and still am) so excited - my husband was really surprised by my sequel of delight!  I love Beverley's stamps and dies and use them quite a lot.  So here I am with my first post as part of the Design Team.

Stamps: Uniko Studio - The Hands of Time, All Occasion Sentiments #4; Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Bermuda Bay, Soft Sky
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Bermuda Bay; Wink of Stella - Clear; Promarkers; Gem

I used the colours from this week's Less is More challenge - LIM#201.  These gorgeous cool colours made me think of snowflakes. So I decided to make a Christmas card with my favourite set - The Hands of Time.  I love this set, it really is so versatile and so pretty.  I stamped the large hands image onto white card, coloured it with Promarkers and the fussy cut it out.  Once cut out I used my clear Wink of Stella brush to add sparkle to the hands.  On a panel of white card I stamped a bold sentiment, added a couple more images from the set and then adhered the large image on top.  I finished the front with a little aqua gem.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of dark aqua.  On the white panel I stamped a border of snowflakes and added a sweet greeting.

 

 

 

It's not just me joining Bev's team today - Sarah of Sazzle Dazzle Cards is also joining the team.  I'm absolutely thrilled to be a member of this team. 

We were out last night at Kathryn's school.  It was the annual Choir Concert.  Kathryn has been in the choir for several years now.  Kathryn has a super voice (yes, I know I'm biased) and I'm sure I could hear her clearly.  She looks so grown up too in her long dress.  It was a good show - the kids did themselves proud.  Anyway, that's all for now!

Creepmas Day 6 ....

.... Good morning.  We're at the halfway point in the Smeared & Smudged 12 Days of Creepmas.  I am really enjoying visiting all the ladies taking part in the official blog hop (I forgot to sign up on time, so I'm joining in via their Facebook page).  The projects being made are just fantastic - canvases, altered books, tags, trays, 3D projects and, of course, cards.  I'm not being very adventurous, I'm just making cards.  Here's my card for Creepmas Day 6:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Nimbleknees Gherkin Creepmas Elf; Winnie & Walter - Happy Christmas
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Old Olive; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: SU/Sizzix - Word Bubble Framelits
Accesories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Holly Bright; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Gold; SU Punch - Modern Label

My Creepmas projects tend to be rather more Creepmas lite than some of the wonderfully dark projects that I've seen.  Today's card is no different.  I adore this Creepmas elf; don't you just love his name - Nimbleknees Gherkin?  If you like him, you'll find him and his friends at Rick's Zibbet shop.

I printed him on white card, coloured with Copic markers and then fussy cut him out.  I covered the card with design paper - I really like silver birch wood and all those cardinals.  I printed the sentiment on the computer, punched it out and adhered it to the card.  I finished the front of the card with a word bubble saying "It's mine!".

I have a story with this card.  Nimbleknees Gherkin was wandering around the woods when he came across a pile of grumpy presents - you've seen the pile before, click here.  He checked to make sure no one was looking and then he took one.  Then Nimbleknees Gherkin ran out of the woods shouting "It's mine!!", all the while checking to make sure that he wasn't being followed.

On the inside of the card I cut a mat layer from another piece of design paper and on the white panel I stamped a simple wreath and sentiment.

If you want to see more fabulous Creepmas projects, here are the links to all the ladies playing along with the 12 Days of Creepmas.  Be warned - some of the projects are very dark - but they're still brilliant.

Terra- Hop Hostess
Black Dragon
Maureen
Teresa
Julia
Sue The Nanny
Jane
Susan
Nan
Shell
Kim
Monique
Airless Chambers
Keren
Sarah
Leigh
Lisa
Lady Brayton
I'm busy working on some projects that I plan to schedule for later this month - that way I can really enjoy the holiday season.  I also have a rather large pile of ironing that needs doing - again!!!! That's all for now. See you soon.