CASE Study #117

 

Good evening -- and happy Turkey week. I'm sure everyone has made at least 2 mad dashes to the grocery already for all the cooking that is sure to ensue in most kitchens across our land. I know that's pretty much all I'll be doing tomorrow! (But I hope to sneak off for even just a little crafty time to stay sane.)

I finally found time this morning to squeeze in a card for this week's CASE study. I've been wanting to make this card since Thursday when I saw this card from the November muse.

I was able to use the red cardstock and a snowflake die-cut shape for a poinsetta. (I've been wanting to do this since I saw it in my Fall/Winter CTMH catalog!) I used Tulip cardstock and the Art Philosophy Cricut cartridge to cut the shape. I inked the edges with Barn Red ink and used a black Zig pen to add some "texture" to the edges.



Other supplies used:
PaperTrey Ink -  "Over Under Easy: Holiday Additions Mini Stamp Set",
Kraft cardstock; K&Co - Patterned kraft cardstock; CTMH - Tulip cardstock,
Barn Red and New England Ivy ink pads, Bling brad, Black cardstock; Tsukineko -
VersaFine Black Onyx ink pad. Basic Grey - white cardstock (reverse side of a pattern)


 

Thanks for visiting my blog -- have a great Thanksgiving week! 
 

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Dynamic Duos #29 and Mojo Monday #268

I LOVED the Mojo Monday sketch today! I didn't get to play along with Mojo as often and it's just perfect for the Dynamic Duos color & snowman theme.

 








I used my remaining pieces of "Wonderland" paper from CTMH and my BRAND NEW "Flakey Friends" stamp set. I LOVE it! I think it's my first snowman stamp set ever. I'm almost positive. The sentiment is from the October SOTM, "Very Merry Christmas".  I colored in the adorable snowman image with General's Chalk Pencils and then smoothed with a blending pen.

 

 

 

I also broke out my NEW Silver Trim. That was exciting. :)    The black ribbon, bling button, and twine are all from my stash and agreed to coexist peacefully with my new goodies. I was pleased with how it all went together. 

Thank you for visiting! Have a great holiday week with family and friends. Pin It

PDCC #158 and CAS(E) This Sketch #6

I loved applying the Play Date colors this week to Christmas! Anytime I can throw in non-traditional with something blatantly Christmas, I'm enjoying myself. (Yikes - I just realized how nerdy that sounded after I typed the period. Sadly, I still mean it, so it shan't be stricken from the record.)



The stamp set I wanted to use, I thought, went perfectly with this week's sketch from CAS(E) This Sketch.



Here is my card using these colors, this sketch, and PaperTrey Ink's "Mistletoe and Holly" stamp set, a favorite "impulse internet purchase".

 

 

 

I used CTMH colors of Blush, Juniper, and Grey Wool. The gray twine was an add-on courtesy of Doodlebug Design. (I've been wanting an excuse to use it on something.) I also added dots of GlitterGlitz gel, by CTMH. I liked the little pop it added to the berries.

 

Thanks for checking it out - please have a safe and happy holiday week! 

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CFC79: Winter Blues

CASual Friday is

CFC79: Create a CAS winter project featuring blue.

This one is too easy for mojo! I may have to play again - I love doing anything in all blue. ESPECIALLY a winter project. (The only way this could get better is if it were for a baby boy IN the winter project. But that doesn't make sense, so probably as good as it's going to get.)

I used snowflake stamps from the Wonderland stamp set from last winter. These are great snowflakes and pretty much all I use for this theme.

 

 

I used CTMH colors of Lilac Mist, Sky, Heavenly Blue, and Moonstruck (sentiment). The adhesive gems are from KaiserCraft and the glitter paper (mat for banner) is from DCWV. Everything else is CTMH.

 

 

Thank you for visiting! 

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Friday Mashup #85 - A Thankful Fall

This week's Friday Mashup challenge appealed to me, because I felt I could apply an idea I've been banting about for several weeks. I don't have near enough time to play with all my ideas, challenges, projects, and layouts I have in mind! So, I'm prioritizing somehow - not sure there is a method to the madness...but I'm surviving. As my sister says, "Everyone's still alive. So I guess I'm doing something right."  :)

That being said, this week I prioritized all the challenges I wanted to participate in by first selecting the ones for which I actually already had an idea. (I wish I could do them all!) After an overly long week's hiatus from my craft room, (GASP! I know - I've NOT been happy about that) I went into turbo mode today!

1. Make a project with "Leaves".
2. Or Make a project saying "Thank You".
3. Or "Mash it Up" and create a "Thank You project with Leaves".

 

 

I wanted to use a small leaf stamp to form a wreath. (yes, I managed to pull out a stamp set that had a small leaf on it. Wonders never cease!) These two stamps from my "Timeless" set that came with the Olivia WOTG kit a couple of falls ago. (If it was more than a couple, don't tell me. I don't want to know.)

 

 

 

I had to monkey with it 2 or 3 times to get it to look the way I wanted, but I finally was quite pleased with this one. (I traced a circle onto my card base first for a pattern.) After the wreath was stamped, I stamped the small "berries" from a dot that came in another set. Whenever those randomly appear in a stamp set, I wonder what they are there for -- I was quite glad to make good use of one.

 

I finished it off with a twine bow and button just because it needed a little something else. Otherwise, this is a very simple card -- all stamped on the card base.

 

Thank you for visiting! Have a great Turkey Week and drive safely!

 

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Merry Monday #41

I'm getting another post in for the weekly Merry Monday challenge, an excuse to indulge my guilty pleasure of making Christmas cards. (It's a guilty please becuase I will never use these cards -- but probably give them to my Mom for her to send out. She loves it - I get to make cards. It's a win-win.)



I wanted to do something with my card other than the circles. I've thought about this sketch off and on for most of the week. Today I finally thought of some of my trusted CTMH Christmas ornament stamp sets. This particular set - Holiday Cheer.

 

 

I used a patterned paper strip from my "Jingle" paper kit (I'm STILL using that stuff! I think it's mulitplying in my desk drawer.) The patterned background paper is from a K&Co. mat stack (perfect size for cards) The twine is Doodlebug Designs.

 

Thank you for visiting! Hope you have a great Thanksgiving Holiday and travel safely!

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Fun Play Date Cafe Colors (#157)

I'm getting wild and crazy with some Christmas card colors, thanks to the Play Date Cafe!

I loved these colors and thought it would be fun to do something "gradient" with them. (I never really try that.)

 

 

 

This one was pretty simple -- stamping the Peace & Joy sentiment from my PaperTrey Ink "Peaceful Pinecones" stamp set in each color. (CTMH: Moonstruck, Gypsy, and Orchid Bouquet [retired]) I added a matching bow and Opague Pearl, and then stamped the 3 Harlequins from my Happy Harlequins set (also PTI). More pearls there, an additional sentiment, matted with a dark purple cardstock and it's done!

 

Thank you for visiting. Please check out the wonderful inspiration over at PDCC!!

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CAS(E) this Sketch! #5

I'm excited to have found another Sketch challenge blog. And, I love working toward the more CAS designs so this is fun for me.

I have a brief post for this week's entry. I've already given away one set of Christmas cards for a birthday gift this week and have one more to go. :) This card was made to go with the second set.

 

 

Originally, I had an image I intended to use in place of the three scalloped edges. But after stamping it, coloring it, and trimming it (that's right ALL THREE steps were complete), I just didn't like how it turned out. I knocked it down and use the sentiment there instead. I used 3 mini-adhesive pearls to give homage to the 3 scallops, but without busying it up. I also intended to only use the red paper strip, but really loved having that pop of green stick out. I love this pattern and plan to repeat it in the future. It's quick and easy but with a lot of "zazz" -- Sheldon Cooper fans --> "It's ZAZZY!".

 

Thanks for visiting my blog -- please check out the amazing entries and DT work over at CAS(E) this Sketch! challenge blog. 

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CASE Study Challenge #116

Christmas card season is officially here! (For me anyway)

I kinda got hooked last year. Long time scrapper, but somewhat new to making cards. I resisted for lo' these many years, afraid to get another "vice" and dent in my pocketbook. But there's no turning back now. Once I started on Christmas cards last year, I realized it may be my favorite!

So, with that being said, I've decided to fulfill some November birthdays around here with custom made Christmas cards. Why not? I have them everywhere b/c I love making them and it's even more fun to make them when you have a special cause.

This one will go in a smaller set for a friend's birthday next week. For hers, I'm making a somewhat coordinated set. By using same paper, colors, stamp set, etc.  That's been a fun little challenge unto myself - staying with these same products. (And, yes, I know I'm not fooling anyone - it is to use up some of my stash.)

Here is the inspiration piece from this weeks CASE Study Challenge.



And my card expanded from it:

 

 

I used my CTMH spray pen and cranberry ink to blast a sweet little mist on the right edge of my page. That Christmas tree is die cut from patterned (Scenic Route) paper and I used CTMH Glitter Glitz gel all over. (I love that stuff. It's the lazy man's glitter brad.)  I do  have a red adhesive gem at the very top. Added a red strip to "ground" my happy little tree, stamped sentiment and I was DONE. LOVE when that happens!   (Of course, it wasn't as fast as it looks like it should be.   .... BUT if I were to repeat this pattern, which I believe I will, it would be fast then. .....I'm pretty sure it could be anyway.)

 

Thanks so much for visiting my blog and checking out my newest creation(s). Please come back soon!

 

Happy  Christmas cardmaking season!

 



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Dynamic Duos #27

Good afternoon.

I'm splurging with my time management today and posting mid-day! An activity usually reserved for night-time when I have energy levels that don't get me very far.

I played with Dynamic Duos this week because I had this (what-I-thought-was-a) great idea for the colors and one of my favorite floral stamps from CTMH, Trellis. It turned out pretty, but for some reason, just not exactly what I pictured.

 

 

 

I cut a window out of my card base using my Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge. I stamped the rose and sentiment on the inside of the card. Then, stamped the rose and leaves on scrap paper, trimmed, and adhered to the card front, lining up the rose so that it was over the stamped image peeking through the window from the inside of the card. I lined it up so well, you can't even tell there is an inside image in my picture. :) (FOR ONCE, I line something up perfectly. Whatever.)

 

I broke open a tube of  Colonial White ribbon and used it to give more dimension to my card. (In reality it seemed much plainer than I had imagined.) Those are mocha pearls in a light tan in the center of my rose.

 

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are having a great week! 

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Play Date Cafe #156 and Retro Sketches #36

Good evening -- another post -- 2 in one night. I'll have to go to sleep now!


This week I combined Play Date Cafe's color challenge with the sketch from Retro Sketches.

 



I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Play Date inspiration photos and colors. They scream fall and natural tones/textures.

I used Kraft paper and an Olive kraft paper for the base of my card. The stickers are "vintage" CTMH from the Enchanged set (GREAT colors in it). I stamped and trimmed the leaves and acorn from my stamp set Many Thanks, also using the sentiment from that set. The burlap ribbon, autumn terracota colored twine are also CTMH. Ivy Green Stick pins from Little Yellow Bicycle and dark cocoa pearls from Recollections (Michael's) finished it off.

Thank you for visiting - hurry back now!

Please remember to check out tons of inspiring artwork at both challenge blogs: Retro Sketches and Play Date Cafe.
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Merry Monday #40

Good evening!

I'm excited as a first time Merry Monday challenge poster. I've played along for several weeks, but never managed to post.

I loved this week's sketch and prioritized since I'm using a stack of handmade Christmas cards for an upcoming birthday gift.



I turned the sketch sideways and shortened the main image to suit my patterned paper. This piece is retired Jingle paper that I love, but it's busy enough that I didn't want it covering the base of the entire card.

The patterned paper has its own strips and it's a timesaver. I opted not to trim them seperately but to use a solid piece and break it up with ribbon and bow. (I don't feel any project is complete without a bow and some hardware. Squee! That's always my favorite part!)

I backed the patterned paper piece and the sentiment label with coordinating Jingle cardstock (Tulip) and rounded the corners. The ribbon is from my CTMH Cranberry collection, but it's close enough, I wasn't worried about the color difference. Those two mix pretty well, actually. (For future reference) The stentiment stamp is from my Holiday Trinkets stamp set. The ADORABLE red bling is Doodlebug Designs. I snatched up off a Christmas display at a nearby scrapbook supply store. (One of those run-in-for-one-thing raids.....It's NEVER just one thing!)

Very simple, but one of my favorites.

Thanks for visiting my blog - please visit again soon. Hope you have a great week! Don't forget to check out the beautiful Christmas cards and inspiration over at Merry Monday.



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Colour Q #161

Good evening!

Nothing like pushing one in close to the wire. In my typical fashion, I made a card for the Colour Q color challenge DAYS ago, but here I am posting it right before I go to bed on the night of the deadline! I almost forgot about it! (Which would be even MORE typical.)



Since I made my card after I had mailed out my Halloween cards, I decided to ink up a new stamp and try something different.

I used PaperTrey Ink's Happy Harlequin set.  I couldn't resist buying this set because I loved my Happy Hexagons set I purchased several months ago. Technically, it might be categorized as a somewhat-frivolous purchase since I really could do the same things with the Hexagon set... Not like it's that different. But in the words of my Papaw(-in-law), "I didn't need it. But I wanted it."

So I made sure that I'm putting it to good use already!

 

 

I "lifted" my card sketch idea from something I've seen recently on Pinterest. (I'm a recently converted junkie. TONS of inspiration out there - It's like a continuous free magazine subscription!)

 

The harlequin shapes are stamped in Sunset, Autumn Terracota, and Creme Brulee CTMH colors. Matted in black cardstock with a black accent piece on top. Sentiment is from Paper Smooches. (Oh yeah. That was another one. I've gotten stamp happy lately. I'd give my recent behavior a "yellow light" --- but it's SO fun.) The twine is CTMH Autumn Terracota also. Black Bitty Brads are used on the top corner.

 

 

Thank you for visiting my blog - please come back often and please check out Colour Q for tons of inspiring artwork!

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