T'is the Season!!

Challenge 384 at Shopping our Stash is T'is the Season, it is Donna's brilliant idea for the last challenge of 2018. This challenge will  run from December 11 2018 until January 7th 2019.  We would like you to make a project to show how you celebrate whether it be Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza or any other celebration.

My thoughts of Christmas is Family, decorating the tree and Christmas eve carol service. When the children were young we went to the Christmas morning service and each child got to take one of their toys and have it blessed as we knelt for communion. So I went with ornaments, houses and church all in one lovely die. First I cut it with white foam core wasn't happy so cut it out of some very ancient 6x6 glitter paper pad I have been hoarding it. The background was embossed with a cuttlebug winter embossing folder I have had for over 5 years not sure if I have used it before. The silver cord Is also very ancient and it is very heavy and stiff as you can see by the bow.

Close up of the lovely scene.

Finished inside of the card with a couple of die cut ornaments from Impression Obsession which this might be only the second time I've used it. The set comes with a bell, candle, candy cane, tree, gingerbread man, snowman and two ornaments. I need to keep these at the front of the die box and use them more often.

I would like to enter this in: 

Jingle Belles ~~ Taking back our 8th December

Happy Little Stampers ~~ Anything goes with Dies

Winter Wonderland ~~ Anything Goes Winter

Thanks for stopping by today, check out how the design team celebrates the season and remember 

We are on break from December 18 2018 until January 7th 2019

Happy Birthday Dude!!

Challenge #383 at Shopping Our Stash was chosen by teamie Donna, I'm sure she wanted us to change our mindset from Holiday cards!! Happy Birthday Dude is the theme and since I have been in "snow" mode for the last few challenges it almost stumped me, masculine cards are so hard to make and this is the quickest card I've made in a while. So we want to see a Birthday card for a Dude....a big guy or a little one.

Sketch Saturday had a really great sketch this week so I wanted to use it as it was perfect for this double sided designer paper from Stampin'up that I think I've had for almost a year as well as the matching cardstock, (just opened the pack to make the card. The vertical Happy Birthday is a couple of years old and I think I've used it once. The glasses brad is the first from a pack of brads from eyelet outlet also over a year old. 

Very happy the one sheet of DSP had both design on it (bonus) 

Finished the inside with  a scrap of paper and a sentiment from a bin at Michaels Craft Store.

I am entering this in:

Saturday Sketch ~~ week #542  I flipped the sketch to vertical

I took a few liberties with it.

Thanks for stopping by  and check out all the Dude cards at the Main Blog.

W is for Winter at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers!!!

W is for Winter at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers, Edna want to see some Winter cards I'm sure that's easy, I send a lot of Winter cards as I am usually late mailing so they can't say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings so they need to be snow/winter cards.

Look at Edna all bundled up in the middle of a snowstorm, Lee has done a fabulous job of our graphics, and I hope you will add them to your blog post when you enter.

I have not made many Snowman cards this season, I suppose this is going to be what I'm making for the next little while. I did a galaxy background, I left the black soot off as I really liked the look I had already. Toto our kitten saw me picking through the box with the oxide inks and decided she was helping me, (not really much help) I made a white frame with the wonky stitched die. Although you can't see it I flicked touch of stella ink on it.  The super cute snowman is from the Lindsay Ostrom collection at Impression Obsession.  I think he is the cutest little guy. 

Close up of the little guy, 

Finished inside using a Stampendous cling sentiment and the same die as I used on the front.

I am entering this in:

Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog ~~ Snowmen/ladies

Thanks for joining me here today and head over to the MAIN BLOG  to see the rest of the Winter cards from my teamies.

It's Rudolph Days for November!!!

Wow where did November go? I was prepared this month I had my image stamped and coloured it looked great then disaster......why would I use clear glaze on the berries before I die cut it? well it smooshed (in a bad way) all the berries and it was toast, so I stamped a new one and planned to fussy cut the holly and use it but since the challenge ends tomorrow I had to try plan "b" an already coloured image in my "bits bin" So here is what I came up with for November Rudolph Days.

Sometimes I colour images just in anticipation of a challenge and then not finish so this is one of those, I added stickles to his hat and the snow, added the let it snow and  popped it up with some fun foam.  I love my Gruffies stamps although don't have too many this is one of my favourites, they are from House Mouse Designs.

Finished the inside with a simple Warm Winter Wishes.

I am entering this in:

Rudolph Days ~~ November

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge ~~ Anything Goes 

Option Something Warm

Beccy's Place Challenges ~~ Day 30 of  a Month of Holiday card challenges.

it's the 6th year and I just found this challenge recently. Next year!!

Thanks for stopping by today and have a fabulous weekend.

Washi, Washi, Washi is the Challenge at Shopping Our Stash!!!

The theme at Shopping Our Stash is Washi, Washi, Washi and it is brought to you by my teamie Donna, she wants us to use washi tape on our projects.  I am really washi tape challenged, I panic everytime there is a challenge to use washi tape but this time I saw Stephanie Severin's post this morning I thought "yes I can do this" of course I have to give credit to the original designer of this technique Rhode'.  I'm sure I will use this design many times it's really fun and the hardest part is getting the washi tape straight.

The sentiment is from Kraftin' Kimmie I bought it a couple of years ago at Scrapfest Kitchener. All the washi tape is at least 1 year old. I added some transparent glitter stickers from Starform. (I'm also sequin challenged too)  

Close up of the tape and glitter dots.

Finished the inside with a practice piece, it pays to read instructions instead of just following a picture. 

Now you have seen what I have done (with help) head over to the Main Blog and check out the awesome designs my teamies have made. 

It's Inspiration Time at Shopping Our Stash!!!

Challenge #381 at Shopping Our Stash is Inspired by a food or beverage label/packaging.  Although I don't have the packaging from my inspiration I have the Blueberry Candy canes that are going on the tree this year. It might be the only thing on the tree since we have a 1 year old kitten that has not seen a Christmas tree yet.....it will be interesting, the lovely blue glass baubles are staying in the box.

I was amazed at how few food related stamps I have , I could have done coffee and birthday cake but I still need more Christmas Cards!!! I used a House   House Designs candy cane stamp and as I said I saw the blueberry candy canes and had to colour these to match...just because I could.

Here is my inspiration picture.

And on to the close up shot.

 House

The candy canes were coloured with spica glitter pens and wink of stella, lots of sparkle IRL.

Because I'm using my blueberry candy canes on the tree I chose the the inside sentiment to match.

Challenges I'm entering:

Jingle Belles Rock ~~ Bring us some Figgy Pudding 

House Mouse & Friends Monday Challenge ~~  Anything Goes or option In the holiday spirit.

Thanks for checking  in today and head to the Main Blog and check out what the rest of the design team have made for the challenge.

It's Saturday and Time for a NEW Challenge at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers!!!

H is for Home!!! it's challenge #123 at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers. I think it is self explanatory, we want to see some type of "home" on your project.  Of course it's November and I'm in the thick of making holiday cards so this one is no exception. I really need to step up the production of them.  I saw a card on pinterest and thought this is perfect for the challenge, and I used my favourite background technique for it.

The house and clouds were cut out of white foam core, the background was made smooshing several shades of blue distress oxide ink on the teflon mat spritzed with water and dragged the cardstock through it.  

Just had to show how puffy the clouds look. 

I picked an appropriate sentiment for the inside.

Thanks for visiting today and don't forget to check out my TEAMIES cards.

It's Mele Kalikimaka at the Jingle Belles!!!

The Jingle Belles Rock Challenge is to use flowers on your holiday card!! I went with the not so traditional poinsettia for my card. I'm so glad I had some time to get my card done today since it closes at 6 p.m. Wednesday...see I do have time left, although I still haven't gotten everything back in order after our summer at the cottage and I'm still digging through boxes and totes.  So here is my card.

5 1/4 inch square card base, snowflake embossing folder and Elizabeth Craft Designs Hexagon die to frame the Stampendous sentiment along with the fancy poinsettia dies cut out of metallic green and red I bought at Dollar Tree. 

Close up of the flowers, the centers are glitter stickers from starform. (there are 4 different sizes on one package.)

Carried the Hexagon theme to the inside with a simple sentiment from an old Stampin'up set, I also used the poinsettia stamp from the same set.

I'm entering this in:

Jingle Belles Rock Challenge ~~ Mele Kalikimaka

Thanks for visiting today come back and visit anytime.

It's Tic - Tac - Toe Time at Shopping Our Stash!!

It's Mimi's time to pick the challenge for Shopping Our Stash and that's exactly what it was for me when I tried to decide which line I would attempt.  I'm so much into Holiday cards I had trouble focusing on anything but holidays. So here is the challenge board.

Lots of choice, just remember the center square is Stash more than 5 years old and tell us what it is.

I chose the diagonal line bottom left to top right 

smooshing technique/stash more than 5 years old/ heat embossing

Of course my background is the alcohol marker smooshing technique done in as many greens as I have The image is a Stampin'up two step stamping set called Solemn Stillness dated 2004 (it qualifies) I stamped the tree in Memento green and heat embossed the gold on top.  Note to self do not use Versafine if you are using embossing powder. 

Close up of the embossing because this is a wood mounted set it gave me a bit of trouble lining it up, was wondering if it would be better to unmount it. Check out that background. 

Not sure I'm thrilled with the gold embossing on the green but it's legible.

Closer look at the sentiment.

Thanks for visiting today and head over to the Main Blog and see what the rest of the design team have made. 

It's Raining Cats and Dogs at Shopping Our Stash!!!

Challenge #379 at Shopping Our Stash is Raining Cats and Dogs translation ~~ we want to see Cats, Dogs or Rain would be cool to use all three, but I didn't as I was short on time this week. I did make two cards. Here is my first card using a Katzelkraft Cat.

This is as clean and simple as you will get from me. The music background stamp is from Stampin'up the Happy Birthday is unmarked and the cat singing is from Katzelkraft. I added paper glaze to the music noted.

I used (for the first time) an Elizabeth Craft Designs paw print die and one of the first sentiment stamps I bought many many moons ago (over 10) 

On to my Second Card

It's a Katzelkraft dog,  images sent as a RAK from a friend. I've had the patterned paper for many months and although it's opened I think it might be the first time cutting into it.  I thought the cute "hound" needed a "houndstooth" background. There is paperglaze on the doggie's nose and on the bone which is popped up. 

Nothing like gussying up the inside, I really wanted to use this die and cut it to use on the front and I really liked the clean look of the front without it so decided to put in inside. Another first cut for the die with the exceptions of cutting a few bones for a different challenge. The sentiment is a cling mount one from Stampendous.

I'm entering this in:

Show us your Pussycats Challenge ~~ furrything goes.

Thanks for checking in today and head over to the Main Blog and see what the rest of the design team have made for the challenge (I wonder if anyone did a trifecta?)

F is for Fantasy at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.

The Sisterhood of Snarky stampers challenge #122 F is for Fantasy, lots of choices to put your brain to work and make some awesome fantasy projects, fairies, angels, witches, dragons, unicorns the list goes on and on. I decided to go cute for this challenge with a haunted theme.

Haunted house and mice dressed up for Halloween, I think that is fantasy  The background (I cheated) is paper from a Halloween pack I didn't have to do much but I added the web and spider. The super cute house mice were coloured with copics and spica glitter pens, fussy cut and popped up on the punched fence.

Simple Happy Halloween a few stamped spiders and a black cat along with a scrap of the patterned paper to finish off the inside of the 5 1/2 inch square card.

Challenges I'm entering:

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge ~~ Anything goes

Tuesday Throwdown ~~ Webs

Thanks for visiting today and do check out the rest of the design team projects, just click HERE!

It's Almost Witching Hour~~~

Challenge #378 at Shopping Our Stash is Witching Hour we want to see Halloween/Spooky/Witchy. Donna is are theme maker for th is challenge and she loves Halloween and scary stuff so get in your craft room and create something for the challenge.

Since I need cards for my great grandsons I started with this one, my favourite stamp company is House Mouse Designs and I love the super cute Halloween stamps. I made it into a slider card, the garlic is chasing the Dracula mouse. The paper is from a stack I bought many many many years ago while in Florida.  

If I knew how to use the video on my camera I might be able to show how it slides.

I was really happy and surprised to find I had packed a Halloween sentiment (which was printed last year or maybe the year before) among my stamped/printed images.

We are all closed up at the cottage for the Winter, I have everything back home now the fun starts putting everything back where it belongs.  We have spent a lot of time there this summer although without internet it was a bit of a challenge, a few trips into town to use the WiFi at the library or if it was Sunday we went to Wendy's and enjoyed the .99 cent frostys. Thanks for stopping by today and we are looking forward to your spooky creations.

It's Rudolph Days for October!!! from the 25th to the last day of the month!!!

I'm so happy to be super quick with my card for Rudolph Days I look forward to it every month I'm not always as early as this, I'm usually scrambling at the last minute.

What do you know I have used my favourite "critters" a house mouse, he is so adorable "helping?" with the string of lights. A very quick card, it looked rather plain even with the polka dot paper so I glued two think scraps of cardstock to sides. HoHoHo is from a super cute set of self inking tiny sentiments, I bought two different Christmas ones at Winners a couple or more years ago and there is nothing on the little boxes to tell me who made them.

Carried the polka dot theme to the inside and one of my cute sentiments 

Challenges I'm entering:

Rudolph Days ~~ October

Jingle Belles ~~ While Shepherd Watched their Flocks

52 Christmas Card Throwdown ~~ October 

House Mouse and Friends Monday Challenge ~~ Anything goes Option fall colours.

Thanks for visiting today come back anytime you are always welcome.

Embossed Trees.......

Lindsey is the Muse at Christmas Visions,

I loved her second card and thought I would give it a whirl. I had a bit of break while packing up my crafty stuff at the cottage to play along.  We still have to finish closing up the cottage so we are heading back for the weekend.  Once I get everything home it will be a fun time finding homes for everything, you know how things gravitate to an open spot.  So here is my card for the challenge.

One of my first tree stamps I bought was this Scribble Tree, I embossed it in Pewter, gold and copper. The sentiment is from a retired Stampin'up set, Painted Poinsettia, I added some glitter washi tape to tie in with the turquoise base.

Here is Lindsey's card

On to the inside of my card.

I embossed the inside sentiment too. I haven't done wet embossing for so long and it was fun. I can see more embossing in the future.

I'm entering this in:

Muse: Christmas Visions

Thanks for stopping by today and check out this challenge it is a fun one.