Sparkle Christmas

Hi everyone.   Today I'm sharing my Design Team card for the latest Addicted to CAS Challenge.

This challenge is being hosted by the extremely talented Sarah (Sazzle Dazzle Crafts).  Sarah wants us to "Sparkle" with our cards. :)

This challenge is sponsored by Happy Little Stampers

I love to add a bit of sparkle to my cards ... especially Christmas cards.  This card is all die-cuts with the exception of the stamped sentiment.  I do love working with die-cuts ... and this time I used ones that aren't specific to Christmas to create a Christmas-y wreath. :)  I used the Dazzling Details glimmer paper from SU!, along with a soft green copic marker to colour the leaves, and then added three rhinestone "berries".  I'm really happy with how this turned out, but found it very difficult to get a picture that shows the sentiment well.  It is stamped in a very soft green to match the leaves, and then embossed with iridescent powder.  Much prettier and sparkler in real life. :)

Here's a close-up ...

Please click HERE to see the amazing cards "Sparkle" cards from the rest of the talented Design Team.  I know you'll be inspired to play along! :)

I'm also entering this into the Simon Says Wednesday Challenge - Clean and Simple Christmas.

Hope to see you in the gallery.  And as always, I appreciate you dropping by for a visit!!

Stamps:  Mixed Christmas Sentiments (Happy Little Stampers)

Paper:  White (Neenah); Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper (SU!)
Ink:  Pistachio Pudding (SU!); Versamark; Green copic
Accessories & Tools:  Circle Nestabilities (Spellbinders), Little Leaves die (Sizzix), red rhinesones, iridescent ice embossing powder (SU!)

Challenges:

Addicted to CAS #74 - Sparkle
SSS Wednesday - CAS Christmas

Merry Stocking Tag

Hi everyone.  Last night my son popped by with a surprise.  I had ordered some items from Joann's and he had gone down to the US mailbox and picked them up for me.  Isn't he sweet??!! :)

So I HAD to make a card today using one of my new "toys".  I saw that the challenge this week at Merry Monday was to make a card with a tag.

And I thought this stocking would fit perfectly on a tag ... and it did. :)  I stamped it, coloured it with Copics and fussy-cut.  It's popped up on a "falling snow" embossed, stitched tag.  I stamped the sentiment onto a small scrap of card stock and added it at the bottom.  Since I used a scrap, I'm going to head over to the Snippets Playground and join the fun! :)

I kept this CAS by just having the tag and image.  I did add a little wink of stella to the ribbon and holly, which doesn't show in the photo above.  I'll include a close up below so you can see a bit of the sparkle.

We've been having the BEST weather the past few days.  Sunny, warm, breezy ... just perfect.  I actually went out and watered the front yard today. :)  I need to get moving more.  As some of you know, I had knee surgery back in January, after taking a spill and tearing my quadracept tendon.  Rehab is going well, but I'm still a little a bit scared about walking around outside where there is uneven ground.  I need to get over that. :)

Stamps:  Stocking (Kaiser Craft); Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Gumball Green (SU!); Copics
Accessories & Tools:  Stitched tag die (Lil' Inkers), green ribbon (SU!), clear wink of stella, embossing folder was borrowed from a friend (unknown)

Challenges:

Merry Monday #162 - Tag, You're it!
Snippets Playground Week #180

Snowman on a Swing

Hi everyone.  Sorry I haven't been around much lately.  We have had an amazing amount of entries on the last HLS CAS challenge, and I've been visiting all the entrants and enjoying the creativity.  Plus we also had a DT call, so I've been spending some quality time poking through the blogs of the applicants.  So much fun!!  Just means less time right now for creating, so it's been over a week since I posted a card.  Time flies when you're having fun! :)

Speaking of time ... it's now time for the new sketch challenge at Happy Little Stampers. :)

I went in a different direction than the icons on the sketch :)  ... but I hope you can see that I kept the two tall elements, with the curved detail in the middle.  The sun is replaced with all the falling snow. :)

I used a digital image, printed it twice, fussy cutting one and colouring it with copics. I then coated it with Clear Wink of Stella so it sparkles ... can't see it in the photo above, so I'm including a close up below that shows it a little. :)

I paper pieced the fussy-cut snowman on top of the printed card front, after I glued down twine for the swing and added glossy accents to the light bulbs.    Dazzling Details clear glitter glue was added to the falling snow for a little more sparkle. :)

I hope you'll join us for our sketch challenge at Happy Little Stampers.  The challenge is open until the end of June ... lots of time to play along. :)

Stamps:  Snowman Christmas Lights Swing (Dearie Dolls); Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)

Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Real Red (SU!); Copics
Accessories & Tools: glossy accents, clear glitter glue, clear wink of stella

Challenges:

HLS June Sketch Challenge

Embossed Snow

Hi everyone.  Today I spent a lot of time in my studio.  Had lots of fun and ended up making four cards ... that must be a record for me.  Will share the others with you soon.

This is for the current challenge at Merry Monday (#157) that is being run by my good friend Bonnie.

I used an embossing folder for the snowy background that my friend Susan lent me. Love this folder!!

I die-cut some snowbanks and added dazzling details (glitter glue) along the tops, but it doesn't show in the photo.  It adds a bit of sparkle.

I stamped the owl, coloured it with Copics, added white dots to his scarf with a gel pen and then fussy-cut him out.  Glossy accents were added to his eyes and once dry, he was popped up on the snow for added dimension.  Stamped the sentiment and added some twine and I was done.  Easy, peasy card and so much fun to make! :)

I'm going to enter this into this week's JUGS challenge (291 - word week) as well ... they are looking for cards with twine.

And also a reminder about the Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - Die-cuts / Punches.  There's also a DT call going on. :)

Edited to add:  Just realized the challenge at ATS&M #143, is Holiday!  Perfect. Linking up to the challenge!  And thanks to my friend Sandie, for letting me know it fits the STAMPLORATIONS sketch challenge!


Happy to get another Christmas card added to my stash.  It's building ... slowly. Need to step it up a bit. :)

Have a great rest of the week!

Stamps:  Winter Owl (Lawn Fawn); Christmas Sampler (Paper Smooches)

Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Real Red (SU!); Copics
Accessories & Tools:  Snow embossing folder (unknown), Snowdrift Dies (My Favorite Things), white gel pen, maraschino twine (The Twinery)

Challenges:

Merry Monday #157 - Embossing
Just Us Girls #291 - Word:  Twine
HLS May CAS Challenge - Die-cuts
ATS&M #143 - Holiday
STAMPLORATIONS sketch challenge

Christmas Gift

Hi everyone.  Couldn't resist joining in this week's challenge from Merry Monday #150 - Gifts.

Haven't used my copics for a while, so pulled them out and coloured this adorable digital image from Bugaboo.  Added a little bit of sparkle to the furry on his hat and pompom using my clear wink of stella pen.  I also went over the JOY lettering with the clear wink of stella to give it a bit of sparkle, but it just made it look blurry in the photo. :(

We've had lots of rain over the past few days, so I've spent lots of time in my studio. Did manage to get several cards made even though my mojo is struggling at the moment.  I'll be sharing my cards with you over the next few weeks. :)

Stamps:  Christmas Teddy (Bugaboo Digital Stamps), Big Christmas Words (Amy R)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Real Red, Pistachio Pudding; Copics: G43, R27, R29, E44, E77
Accessories & Tools:  Clear Wink of Stella pen, Maraschino Twine (The Twinery), Classic Tags die (Memory Box), sponge

Challenges:

Merry Monday #150 - Gifts

CASEplorations

Hi everyone.  Second post for today.  If you're looking for my Mixed Media Card Challenge post, please click HERE.

Today's challenge at  STAMPlorations is called CASEplorations. 

That's where a card will be posted by a Guest Designer and participants are asked to CASE (copy and share everything) the card, adding their own twist to the design. I'm excited and thrilled to be a Guest Designer for this new challenge.  This is my card for the CASE Challenge ...

This card was made with a red watercoloured background, topped with a stencil that is covered with gold Inka Gold beeswax paste.  The candle image (Holiday Sketches: Christmas Candles by STAMPlorations) was stamped onto watercolour paper, watercoloured and then fussy cut and popped on top of the background.  The gold peace sentiment was cut with my Silhouette Cameo using gold foil card stock.

I have CASED my own design above :) ...

This is a CAS (clean and simple) version of the Peace card.

I had an "ah-ha" moment when I was thinking about the glow behind the candles.  I had bought this stencil from memory box, but hadn't used it much.  I thought it would be perfect as the glow from the candles :)  I sponged over top with Mustard Seed distress ink, fading at I got toward the outside edges.  Then I coated it with my clear Wink of Stella (also used it on the Candles and I LOVE that it actually shows up in this photo ... most times WoS is hard to photograph).  The candles, holly and berries were coloured with Copics.  I've added a little highlight with a white gel pen to some of the berries.

And I used the sentiment that is in the same stamp set as the Candles.  I fussy-cut the candles and holly and popped them up ... happy with the dimension it adds to the card.

Pretty easy card to make ... just a little bit of time to fussy-cut, but worth it! :)

I hope you'll join in the CASEplorations challenge at STAMPlorations!

Stamps:  Holiday Sketches: Christmas Candles (STAMPlorations)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Mustard Seed (Tim Holtz); Black (Memento), Copics:  R29, R59, G43, YG67, YR24
Accessories & Tools:  Textured Brilliant stencil (Memory Box), clear Wink of Stella, white gel pen


Challenge:
CASEplorations - March

Rose Garden

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of the March Sketch Challenge at Happy Little Stampers.  Kylie has come up with another awesome, CAS sketch ... which can be used for ANY style of card (doesn't have to be CAS).  I hope you'll come and play along! :)

Here's the sketch ...

I pretty much copied the sketch :)  Love this fun image from Bugaboo called Two Roses ... I know ... there are three :)  I copied the image twice and then masked off the fourth rose to just have the three.  Turned out really well.  The above card is the second version I made. :)  Unfortunately, I thought the sentiment was at the bottom on the sketch ... where was my head at??!! :)  So I have a second version that is basically the same except for sentiment placement. :)

I printed the digital image onto my card front, coloured it with Copics, used clear Wink of Stella over all the black lines (including the sentiment) to add a bit of sparkle.  I cut out the card front with my stitched rectangle mat and then added the Paper Smooches sentiment.  It was a fun and easy card to make --- twice! :)  I hope you'll come and play along with our Sketch Challenge.

And, if you also enter your card into the same challenge located on the Happy Little Stampers Forum, your name is automatically entered for a random, monthly draw prize.

And I'm joining in at Challenge #18 - Birthday at Uniko Studios.  Thanks Sandie!! :)

Stamps:  Two Roses (Bugaboo Stamps); Sentiment Sampler (Paper Smooches)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Black (Memento)
Accessories & Tools:  Copics:  R29, R39, G43, YG67, Clear Wink of Stella, Stitched Mat die (Lil' Inkers)

Challenges:

HLS March Sketch
Uniko - Challenge #18 - Birthdays

You Mean the World to Me!

Hi everyone.  Time for the first challenge of 2015 at Addicted to CAS (#55).  This challenge is being hosted by the talented Jaydee (Stampin! with Jaydee) ... and she chose this word ...

Our challenge is sponsored by

I used a free digital image from Melonheadz.  I've had it a long time ... just waiting for the perfect challenge to come along ... and this is it! :)  I printed the image and sentiment onto white card stock and coloured with Copics.  That's it ... simple CAS design.

It's the start of the new year with our newest ATCAS Design Team members joining us for the first time.  A big welcome to Barb, Bonnie, Rebecca, Jan and Joanna! :)

And, this month we have a very special Guest Designer, Julia from Create with Me. Julia has a wonderful CAS style ... and she also does mixed media projects.  I have learned so much from visiting her blog!!  So great to have you with us Julia!

Please click HERE to check out Julia's beautiful world card, along with the cards from the rest of our wonderful Design Team.  I'm sure you'll be inspired to play along! :)

Our challenge is open for two weeks ... hope to see you in the gallery!

I'm entering this into the current challenge at ATS&M #127 - Make Your Mark.  I used Copics for my colouring! :)  And also in the NBUS challenge ... I used this digital image for the first time after having it for AGES! :)

Stamps:  Girl with Earth --- with matching sentiment (Melonheadz)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Copics:  G43, YG67, B06, B16, Y21, Y32, YR24, R29, R39, W4, E00, E01

Challenge:
ATS&M #127
NBUS #3

Love ...

Hi everyone.  Today is the start of a new challenge at ATS&M (#126 - Anything Goes with a twist).  The twist is that we are celebrating our team mate Marina's wedding that will be happening in just over one week's time.  Marina has been working so hard on organizing her wedding, so we took this opportunity while she was distracted, to set up this week's challenge in her honour. :)  We're sure she is going to be surprised! :)

This card has been done for a while and is currently winging it's way to Singapore ... I just hope it makes it in time :)  Congrats Marina!!  All the best to you and your hubby-to-be.  Enjoy your special day!!  xx

The challenge is sponsored by

Prize:  3 digital images

I had so much fun colouring this adorable image from DigiStamp Boutique.  I used Copics, and added some glossy accents to the beaks, and hearts ... and a little sparkle on the flower with Wink of Stella.  I fussy-cut the image and popped it up on a panel that was dry embossed with rows of tiny hearts.  A simple sentiment finishes the card.

Please click HERE to check out the challenge and see the wonderful cards made by the rest of the Design Team.

I wanted to let you know that this will be my last Design Team card for ATS&M.  I'm stepping down at the end of the year so wanted to thank all of you that take the time to check out the ATS&M challenges from my blog.  So appreciated!  And to all my team mates at ATS&M ... I have really enjoyed working with you!

I have been working on a new project for Kylie over at Happy Little Stampers Forum so you'll find me over there and on the Happy Little Stampers Blog with a new CAS monthly challenge starting January 3rd.  It's going to be fun!!  Hope you'll join us!

Stamps:  Merlin & Blinky - Love (DigiStamp Boutque); Forever (Fiskars)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Real Red; Copics:  G43, YG67, R29, R59, W4, E44, E49, YR24, V09, V25,
Accessories & Tools:  Glossy Accents, Wink of Stella, Hearts embossing folder (Sizzix for SU!)

Hippo Birdie :)

Hi everyone.  Here's a fun CAS birthday card that I made for my friend Lisa.  I thought she'd enjoy these adorable little creatures :)

I stamped the images onto white card stock and coloured them with Copics.  I used my clear Wink of Stella to add a little shimmer to the balloon, party hat and the chicks beak. The images were fussy-cut and popped up on a circle of brightly coloured, patterned paper.  A little different layout for me. :)

I've had this stamp set for a long time now ... so glad I finally got a chance to use it! :)

Stamps:  Year Four (Lawn Fawn)
Paper:  White (Neenah); Hello Sunshine (Bo Bunny)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Copics:  W4, E44, Y21, YR24, YR07, R17
Accessories & Tools:  Circle Nestability (Spellbinders), Clear Wink of Stella

Snow Family

Hi everyone.  Today's card is for the new challenge at ATCAS #54.  This one is being run by the very talented Shana (Stress-Free Stamping with Shana).  She chose this code word ...

This challenge is sponsored by

Prize:  5 digital images

I love my snow family image ... so adorable and lots of fun to colour.  I was smiling the whole time I was working on this card. :)

I printed off the digital image onto white cardstock, fussy-cut and then coloured it with Copics.  Sparkle was added to the scarves and hats with a clear Wink of Stella pen, and dimension and shine were added to the noses and heart with glossy accents.

The snowy background patterned paper and hill of snow are both cut with stitched-line detail dies and a fun sentiment was stamped in black to finish.

Click HERE to check out the challenge and see the rest of the design team's fabulous "family" cards.  There's lots of time to play along, the challenge is open until Dec. 27th.

Stamps:  Snow Family (Dilly Beans); Snowman Sayings (Amy R)
Paper:  White; Cheery & Jolly (Paper Studio)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Copics:  BG72, BG57, G43, YG67, YR24, R29
Accessories & Tools:  Clear Wink of Stella, Glossy Accents, Stitched mat die (Lil' Inkers); Stitched border die (Pretty Pink Posh)

From Our Home to Yours

Hi everyone.  Time for the next challenge at Mixed Media Card Challenge #6 (Home ... with optional element of lace).  Still working on Christmas cards and having a lot of fun ... they are my favourite cards to make. :)

I used a very old stamp from SU! call Neighborhood (it's a wheel stamp).  I removed it from the wheel, added foam backing and use it as a regular stamp ... so much easier, in my opinion.  I stamped the houses in black ink onto white card stock twice.  I fussy-cut one set out (just from the white paper, leaving the houses attached at the bottom.  On the second set, I coloured the house with Copics, and the fussy-cut them out and paper pieced them individually on top of my white row of houses.  I popped them up for added dimension over top of the card front which was coated with Sparkle Texture effect over a polka-dot stencil ... looks like a pretty crazy snow storm to me!! :)

I ripped more white card stock for the snow bank and printed off a digital sentiment onto the piece.  I then added dazzling details (clear glitter glue) to the ripped edges and glued it to the bottom of the houses.  Fun card to make! :)

Also wanted to mention that when my hubby saw the card, he said he knew which home was his ... can you guess ??!! :)

I hope you'll join in our challenge.  There's lots of time to play as it's open until Dec. 25! Please come check out the challenge HERE and you'll see all the amazing creations by the rest of the talented Design Team.

Hope to see you in the gallery! :)


I'm entering this card (third entry) into the current challenge at Time Out (#19 - embossing with an optional twist of sparkle).  I embossed the falling snow with sparkle texture effect.

Stamps:  Neighborhood (SU!); Traditional Christmas Greetings (Pink Petticoat)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Ink:  Black (Memento); Copics :YG69, R29, W4
Accessories & Tools:  Sparkle texture effect (Martha Stewart), polka-dot stencil made with my Cameo and cut file, palette knife, dazzling details

Elegant Ornament

Hi everyone.  Time for December's Sketch Challenge at Happy Little Stampers.  I know, it's Nov. 30 ... but our blog is run by the fabulous Kylie (from Australia) ... and it's already Dec. 1st there. :)

Here's December's sketch challenge ...

The challenge is sponsored by

Fabulous CAS sketch that has loads of possibilities for any style of card making.  I kept mine CAS (my favourite style!), using a stamped ornament that I borrowed from my friend Susan.  I went over the black outlines with a gold metallic pen, coloured the poinsettia with Copics, sprayed the whole thing with a golden frost finish, and then coated the poinsettia with red glitter glue, adding clear drops over the center buds.  I punched a whole in the top and added a silver jump ring, threading my red metallic cording through and knotting at the end.  Adding all these little details really makes for a pretty ornament.  The sentiment is stamped with gold ink ... it looks lighter in the picture than real life.  In hindsight, it would have been better if I heat embossed it in gold. :)

Here's a close-up so you can see the sparkle a bit better ...

____________________

I will be working with Kylie at Happy Little Stampers Blog and Happy Little Stampers Forum.

I hope you'll come check out the forum and join.  Membership is free, and it's a great place to find tutorials, ask questions about products, and start your own gallery of cards (you can use the gallery to enter challenges if you don't have a blog).  Hope to see you there!

In the meantime, I hope you'll play along with our December Sketch Challenge.  The challenge runs for the whole month, so there's lots of time to join in.  There's two ways to enter ... on HLS Blog  ... or on HLS Forum (or both!). :)

If you upload your entry to the forum, you will be in the running for a randomly drawn prize --- don't miss out! :)

Stamps:  Poinsettia (borrowed from a friend and don't have the info); sentiment is from Beautiful Season (SU!)
Paper:  White (Neenah)
Inks:  Gold (Colorbox), Copics: R27, R29
Accessories & Tools:  Gold Metallic pen, Red Glitter Glue, Dazzling Details (clear glitter glue) from SU!, paint brush, red metallic cording, jump ring, paper piercing tool, glue dot, Stamp-a-ma-jig, gold spray mist made with gold acrylic paint and rubbing alcohol