Candy Cane Christmas - 52CCT Guest Designer

... Good Morning!!! I am absolutely thrilled and delighted to be joining the Design Team at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown as Guest Designer today. We have such a fun challenge for you. The team have picked - Candy Cane - 52CCT2026-11 - and here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Elf Made, Half Baked Gingerbread Joy, Jolly Old Elf, Oven Fresh Gingerbread Joy, Candy Jar Christmas Fillers, Nordic Christmas

Inks: Gina K - Kelly Green, Red Hot, Lucky Clover, Lipstick, Soft Stone; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: White & Black Card; Copic Markers; Gold Glitter Pen

I had such fun making this card. At Christmas, I do find myself going back to some of my favourite stamp sets from Waltzingmouse Stamps (now, sadly, closed). Claire's stamps are perfect for this challenge. I made the background pattern using various candy can images and stamped them in shades of green and red directly onto the A2 note card. I used my MISTI to stamp the cute elf on white card. I removed the image from the MISTI and coloured it with Copic markers. I returned the image to the MISTI and restamped the image with Versafine Clair Nocturne ink - such a dark black. I then fussy cut the image out. I used dies to cut the mat layers, added a simple greetings and used dimensional pads to adhere the elf and his candy cane. On the inside, I cut a mat layer in black and on the white panel, I stamped candy cane in soft grey ink, coloured with Copic markers, and finished with a warm Christmas greeting.

I'm building my Christmas card stash quite nicely. I made a few more candy cane cards, and I'll be sharing those during the week. I'm entering this card to ABC Christmas Card Challenge - ABCXMAS#0326 where they have E = for Elf, and also to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#67 where it's anything Christmas goes.

I'd like to thank the 52CCT DT for inviting me to join them this week - it's always a pleasure to play along; this challenge has a very special place in my heart!!

That's all for now. I look forward to seeing all the cards for this challenge. See you soon.

C24C - Sweet Treats ....

..... Good morning! I'm here with my card for our new challenge at Christmas 24 - C24C#038 where we want to see Christmas cards with the theme of Sweet Treats. I love peppermint candy canes that you can get at Christmas, so I made a jar of them for my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Candy Jar Christmas Fillers, Half Baked Gingerbread Joy, 2011 Holiday Ornaments

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Gina K - Soft Stone

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 2; WMS - Jar Fillers

Accessories: SU Card - Real Red; White & Black Card; Clear Embossing Powder; Acetate; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies Challenge - HLSAGD#07. I used dies to cut out the candy canes and to create the layers.

I've used some old favourite stamps on this card - sadly Waltzingmouse Stamps closed a while ago, but I love Claire's designs and they often come out for Christmas cards. I used red card to make the A2 (US size) side opening note card. I used Gina K's Master Layout 2 die set to cut the black mat layer and the white panel with the stitched edge. I stamped the jar directly on the white panel, and added a greeting. I stamped the jar again on some embossable clear acetate. I fussy cut the jar on the acetate panel and left a tab either side of the jar. On white card I stamped the candy canes, coloured them with Copic markers, and die cut them with the matching die. I adhered the canes with dimensional pads. I used a scalpel to cut down the side of the jar on the white panel. I slipped the tab into the cut and adhered the tab to the back of the panel. I adhered the whole panel to the front of the card. I like to make a clear jar to put over the contents - it's a fun look! On the inside, I cut a mat layer of black card and on the white panel added some more candy canes, a Christmas greeting and Mrs Claus's shop sign.

I took a photo of the jar to show the dimension with the clear acetate jar over the top of the candy canes.

That's all from me today. Do visit our blog - Christmas 24 Challenge - to see more inspiration from the rest of the team. See you soon.

52CCT - Sketch ....

....  Good morning everyone!  It's time for our new challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and this month our hostess is Ruth - she has some fabulous challenges in store for us.  As usual, we start the month with a sketch.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Oven Fresh Gingerbread Joy, Half Baked Gingerbread Joy, Alpine Christmas, Bitty Banners, Seasons of Love
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Old Olive, Calypso Coral, Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink; Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: WMS - Gingerbread Family; Lil' Inkers - Stitched Squares #2 & 6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Pumpkin Pie, Pretty in Pink;

I used a few other challenges to help me make this card:

• Colour Q - cQc#239 - just love these colours
• Merry Monday - MM#106 - to feature a gingerbread man/woman
• Jingle Belles - JB:14:09 - to use at least three layers

I cut a couple of mat layers for the card; the pink layer was cut using the stitched square die from Lil Inkers - I do like the effect it gives.  I stamped the gingerbread couple onto white card using the outline stamps, then stamped the clothes and finally die cut them using the matching dies.  I stamped the top hat in Versafine to get a really deep, even black colour and fussy cut it out.  I stamped the dotty banner and cut it out by hand.  I finished the front with another stitched square, stamped the sentiment here and added a bit of holly and a couple of stars.  On the inside I cut another mat in orange and stamped a few gingerbread babies and a sweet sentiment.

For more inspirational cards based on this sketch check out the work of our Guest Designer - Judy.  Judy makes wonderful cards and she plays along with us regularly.  The Design Team also have a great selection of cards to share with you - do stop by and leave some love - we all like comments!  Can't wait to see what you make with this sketch!  Bye for now.