Reindeer

     A fresh Pinspirational Challenge has been posted, and look at the sweet inspiration this time, to the right. (Don't know about you, but I need all the inspiration I can get at this time of year.) The prize for this challenge is two digi images from All Dressed Up, so make a project inspired by the image and link up to the challenge at the Pinspiratoinal Challenge blog for a chance to win.
     For my card, I used a sweet reindeer image from All Dressed Up, which I colored in pencil, with Nuvo drops to highlight the flowers. I also ran a pad of red ink around the edge of the panel for a little distressed look. The deer panel is matted on a mistle-tone patterned paper, which is on a brown card. There's a strip of burlap ribbon under the red ribbon and bow, with a few additional snowflakes as a highlight.

This card is for these challenges:
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #412 -- anything Christmas
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge-- use patterned paper
Scribbles Designs #71 -- Reindeer Games
Simon Says Stamp Monday -- Let it snow
Word Art Wednesday #360  -- anything goes

Rustic tag

 
   I was inspired to make another tag for Tracey McNeely's 25 Days of Christmas Tags. This one was inspired by one of Tracey's own tags, her pine cone tag published on Day 8. (right)
     I started with a manila tag that was sprayed with walnut stain. It has been hanging around my stash for years and I decided it needed to come to life.
     The pine bough was stamped in Garden Green ink.  The pine cone was stamped in Versamark, then covered with a glittery gold EP and embossed.
     The sentiment was stamped in a red pigment ink and embossed with clear EP.
     I found snippets of gingham ribbon and raffia and created the top treatment.

The tag is entered in this challenges:
25 Days of Christmas Tags
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- all that glitters is gold
The Paper Shelter #362 -- Christmas is Coming

Really retro

    The newest challenge at Pinspirational Challenge harkens back to a time most of us can't remember, except for having seen it in movies. It's time to dig out the poodle skirts and bobby sox.... If this retro scene inspires you, create a project and link it up. You'll be in a random draw for two digi stamps from Cute as a Button.
     My card features a retro image from Cute as a Button, a waitress on roller skates. I took the color cues from a retro-looking bit of patterned paper I had in my stash, so this card is all about the pinks and blues. The image is colored in pencils, with a few highlights in silver gel pen, along with silver dots around the edge of the image.
      The sentiment picks up the circles from the patterned paper, and to add to the circle theme, it's die-cut and mounted on circles.

My card is entered in these challenges:
Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge -- use patterned paper
Word Art Wednesday #359 -- anything goes
Crafty Sentiments -- anything goes
Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1844 -- anything goes
 

Tags

     I've been in a creative slump recently, so I'm so happy that the 25 Days of Christmas Tags has started on Tracey McNeely's blog. This event always features an amazing array of inspiration, and I hope to find the time to play along a lot this month.
     I jumped right into it by creating a tag inspired by Day 1, which featured the design team from Simon Says Stamp. specifically was inspired by this tag (right) by Kim Hamilton. Lots to like there, with the rich reds and the unexpected shape.
     For my tag, I used mistletoe instead of a poinsettia but retained the round shape and the second red tag behind the white tag. The berries have Nuovo drops on them for a bit of dimension and sparkle.
Source of mistletoe stamp is unknown. The sentiment is from Whimsey Stamps.

Entering this tag in:
25 Days of Christmas Tags
Catch the Bug -- Anything goes challenge

Spooky scene

     It's time for another PINspirational Challenge. Today we have a seasonal challenge, so bring out the ghosts and goblins.The sponsor for this challenge is The Cutting Cafe. To enter the random draw for a prize from Cutting Cafe, just make a project inspired by the inspiration photo (to the right, here.)

     For my card, I chose this amazing image by Impression-Obsession. I mean, it's a cat-mummy-witch flying by a full moon -- what else could you ask for on Halloween? The image is covered in pencils and fussy cut. It's on a piece of sparkly dark blue paper on which I splattered some clear Wink of Stella for more starry action.  There's also Wink of Stella on the stars. The adhesive bat was already glittery, I didn't have to amp that up at all.
     The stentiment is a sticker, which has been in my stash for a while. It has quite a realistic look of twill and eyelets.

Leaf time

      At last.  It's almost the middle of October, and finally, it looks like fall is going to sneak into the Southeast. I can't wait.
       Luckily, this new challenge at PINspirational Challenge has a fall theme, so I could at least dream about fall while making a card.  This challenge is being sponsored by the ever-popular My Besties shop, which will provide three free digis to the winner.  To enter the random draw, all you need to do is make a card inspired by the image and link it up at the challenge blog.
       My card features a gorgeous die-cut leaf. (Does anyone know who makes that die? The die-cut was sent to me and I couldn't find anything online showing who made the die). The sentiment is from Purple Onion, stamped in Amber Clay chalk ink. The ribbon is two-sided and perfect for fall.

This card is entered into these challenges:
Creative Inspirations -- Autumn Glow
Ribbon Girl -- anything goes
Cookie Challenge #104 -- fall
Catch the Bug -- anything goes
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge -- use patterned paper
Word Art Wednesday # 354 -- anything goes

Christmas cardinal

Here's another Christmas card, and as we near the end of September, holiday cards are becoming more urgent. The image is a Spellbinder's stamp (I honestly didn't know they made stamps until I saw this at a stamp show) which is supposed to give a 3D effect with one stamp. I think that might be an exaggeration. The image is stamped in black with color added via colored pencils. The sentiment on the bottom is a different stamp added to the panel.

The top right corner is embellished with a ribbon tab and some piercing. The papers are from a Vintage themed Christmas stack I got at Michael's last year (or possibly the year before).

This card is entered into these challenges:
Winter Wonderland -- use ribbon
Crafting By Design -- getting ready for Christmas
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Card Challenge #404 -- use patterned paper
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge  -- use patterned paper
Word Art Wednesday #354 -- anything goes