#3 Around the World Triptych

Today's sketch comes from April 2014:

A simple sketch design for today's card. I love the Christmas Around the World DSP pack, but I found myself hoarding the paper. I just didn't want to cut up these great patterns. I just wanted to stare at them, finding all the little details in the paper. I told myself I would take the plunge and cut these papers today. Thankfully I found the perfect design to highlight the papers. After choosing my patterns, I added a strip of washi tape and a cut-out sentiment. Finally I added a bit of red thread to add that little something to the card. 

• Stamps: 
• Inks: 
• Cardstock: Christmas Around the World DSP; Real Red
• Accessories: Red Metallic Thread
• Tools: 

#2 Simple Tree

Today's sketch comes from February 2016:

Here was my original submission for the sketch:

And here's my take for Christmas! I've kept this Christmas tree stamp for a few years now. I can't bear to part with it. I used my Garden Green and Real Red markers to ink up the stamp. I simply layered on some cardstock, a piece of pattern paper, and some fun seasonal washi. The punched gold snowflakes became a finishing touch.

• Stamps: Star Tree
• Inks: Real Red; Garden Green; Close to Cocoa
• Cardstock: This Christmas DSP; Real Red; Whisper White
• Accessories: gold washi tape; red snowflake washi tape
• Tools: Lots of Labels Framelits; snowflake punch

#1 Merry Reindeer

Today's sketch comes from June 2016.

And here was my original submission for the sketch:

On to my reimagined Christmas card... I flipped the card onto it's side after realizing the pieces I wanted to include wouldn't quite fit vertically. Once I realigned my thinking, I got to stamping and cutting! I love my new little reindeer stamp! He's just so cute! For this card, I stamped him in Black, layered some trees in Old Olive, and (hard to see in the picture) added some sparkle with Wink of Stella. 

• Stamps: Merry Mistletoe
• Inks: Basic Black; Cherry Cobbler; Old Olive
• Cardstock: Be Merry DSP; Merry Music DSP; Old Olive; Whisper White
• Accessories: 
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits; Clear Wink of Stella

30 Days of Christmas Cards from Sketches

Two years ago, I embarked on a month of Christmas cards in November. It was a lot of work, but so much fun. I wanted to do it again, but with a twist. For this November, I am making 30 Christmas cards using back sketches from Stylin' Stampin' Inkspiration. I used to be on the design team and loved my time. I took a break due to life craziness, but still love following their creations. I went back through the site and pulled sketches from their sketch challenge. These sketches will be the basis of my month of Christmas cards. By the end of the month, I will have over 60 Christmas cards ready to send out (I'm making at least two of each design).

Gold Snowflake

Today's post is a simple shiny card with lots of texture! I wanted to created a card with some layered snowflakes. I started with the Winter Wonder Embossing folder and a smaller piece of Whisper White cardstock. Next I layered on a gold foil snowflake. From there, I heat embossed my sentiment in gold and die cut it using the Stitched Shapes Framelits. I bought this framelit set last year and am constantly amazed at how often I pull it out to use. Definitely one of my better investments! Finally, I needed some more shine, so I pulled out the Year of Cheer DSP pack. I was going to use the gold snowflake pattern, but this plaid was the better choice -- a nice contrast to the repeating the snowflakes. For a pop of color, I added a layer of Night of Navy cardstock. and place the whole thing on a white card base. Love this shiny card!

• Stamps: Wrapped in Warmth (retired)
• Inks: 
• Cardstock: Year of Cheer DSP; Night of Navy; Whisper White
• Accessories: Metallic Foil Snowflakes
• Tools: Winter Wonder Embossing Folder; Stitched Shapes Framelits; Gold Embossing Powder

Smitten Mittens

For today's card, I pulled out my new Smitten Mittens bundle. After perusing the Holiday Catalog, I just knew i had to have these cut little mittens! My favorite part is the die that creates these cute cut-out mittens. For this card, I started with my Winter Wonder Embossing Folder and the mittens. From there, I decided to accent my card with metallics. Thank goodness I bought the Year of Cheer Washi Tape. The three skinny solid metallic rolls were perfect to create a fun shiny embellishment. I went even further by layering my white piece on top of a some copper foil. In person, this card is oh so shiny! 

• Stamps: Smitten Mittens
• Inks: Night of Navy
• Cardstock: Copper Foil; Night of Navy; Whisper White
• Accessories: Year of Cheer Washi Tapte
• Tools: Many Mittens Framelits; Winter Wonder Embossing Folder

Two Cups of Cheer

Today's post is all about my current favorite stamp set: Merry Cafe. Of course I bought the Coffee Cafe bundle in the annual catalog. And as soon as I saw the Merry Cafe Stamp Set in the Holiday Catalog, I had to have it immediately! For this card, I made two cute Christmas coffee cups featuring paper and ribbon from the Quilted Christmas Suite. Such a great card.  

• Stamps: Merry Cafe
• Inks: Early Espresso; Real Red; Lemon Lime Twist
• Cardstock: Quilted Christmas DSP; Whisper White; Garden Green; Early Espresso
• Accessories: Quilted Christmas Ribbon
• Tools: Coffee Cup Framelits

Fall Bingo -- Holiday Cards

Last Saturday, I held my second Stampin' Up! Bingo Party. It was so much fun! For this time, I went with a fall theme even though it was over 100 degrees this past weekend. This week, I'll be sharing the projects I prepped and the make n takes from the party. 

Today's post is all about the make n takes I created featuring Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas items from the Holiday Catalog. I gave my ladies a choice for their goody bags. Some went with a combo of two holidays and some stuck with one holiday. From there, I created a few examples. The two designs could be switched to the other holidays by just switching out the paper, sentiments, and accessories. Easy Peasy! The first card is simple but oh so cute! I embossed my layer of Whisper White and layered on some DSP and a cute coffee cup. For the final touch, I added a cute felt shape.

• Stamps: Merry Cafe
• Inks: Garden Green; Real Red
• Cardstock: Quilted Christmas DSP; Garden Green; Whisper White; Crumb Cake
• Accessories: Stitched Felt Embellishments
• Tools: Polka Dot Embossing Folder; Coffee Cups Framelits

For my second card, I switched out the theme to Thanksgiving I added some stamped leaves using tone on tone stamping to play off the DSP. From there I created another cute coffee cup and finished off my card with some natural elements.

• Stamps: Merry Cafe
• Inks: Cajun Craze
• Cardstock: Painted Autumn DSP; Cajun Craze; Very Vanilla 
• Accessories: Burlap Ribbon; Natural Elements
• Tools: Coffee Cups Framelits

And here are all the wonderful cards the ladies created with their supplies. Such different cards here! Love it!

A Collection of Quilts

Merry Christmas Everyone! The boys and I are at my mom's house in Indiana snuggling up to stay warm and enjoying our lazy day. Today's card is the last of my Christmas cards to share with you this year. Simply make a quilt from all the little pieces! In this case, I used the smallest square from the Stitched Shapes Framelits set and die cut 12 squares for each card. If you look, I ended up die cutting 96 squares to make this collection. A lot of cranking! But it was worth it create this amazing collection of cards. And I used use a ton of small scraps laying around. Win win!

• Stamps: Cookie Cutter Christmas
• Inks: Cherry Cobbler
• Cardstock: Presents and Pinecones DSP; Cherry Cobbler; Mint Macaron; Emerald Envy; Gold Foil; Whisper White
• Accessories: Mint Macaron Striped Ribbon; Metallic Enamel Shapes; Emerald Envy Metallic Thread
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits

Variations

• Stamps: Cookie Cutter Christmas
• Inks: Cherry Cobbler
• Cardstock: Presents and Pinecones DSP; Cherry Cobbler; Mint Macaron; Emerald Envy; Gold Foil; Whisper White
• Accessories: Mint Macaron Ribbon; Emerald Envy Ribbon; 2016-2018 In Color Enamel Shapes
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits

• Stamps: Four You (retired)
• Inks: Cajun Craze
• Cardstock: Petals and Paisleys DSP; Delightful Dijon; Mint Macaron; Copper Foil; Very Vanila
• Accessories: Regals Candy Dots (retired)
• Tools: Paisley Framelits; Stitched Shapes Framelits

• Stamps: Four You (retired)
• Inks: Night of Navy
• Cardstock: Petals and Paisleys DSP; Night of Navy; Mint Macaron; Copper Foil; Very Vanilla
• Accessories: Affectionately Yours Washi Tape
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits

• Stamps: Random Christmas Stamp (retired)
• Inks: Cherry Cobbler
• Cardstock: Warmth and Cheer DSP; Cherry Cobbler; Garden Green; Crumb Cake
• Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Twine (retired)
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits

• Stamps: Random Christmas Stamp (retired)
• Inks: Early Espresso
• Cardstock: Candy Cane Lane DSP; Early Espresso; Crumb Cake
• Accessories: Real Red Ribbon (retired)
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits

• Stamps: Four You (retired)
• Inks: Island Indigo
• Cardstock: Winter Frost DSP (retired); Mint Macaron; Island Indigo; Silver Foil; Smoky Slate
• Accessories: Large Rhinestones; Silver Metallic Twine
• Tools: Stitched Shapes Framelits

Wonderful Scraps

What to do with all the scraps of DSP you inevitably have leftover? Make a fun card with them of course! Siimply cut some DSP down to 3/4" x  3 3/4" and create a background pattern. A simple heat embossed sentiment and a few embellishment create a great card! Tomorrow I'll show you another fun way to use your scraps.

• Stamps: Wonderful Year
• Inks: Versamark
• Cardstock: Presents and Pinecones DSP; Cherry Cobbler; Mint Macaron; Whisper White
• Accessories: Gold Sequin Trim; Emerald Envy Metallic Thread
• Tools: Gold Embossing Powder