Holly-days

 Here's a simple Christmas card using some scraps of patterned papers. This card was inspired by a few challenges, including the Jingle Belles' masculine challenge and the Try a Sketch on Tuesday sketch. Masculine cards often have images of nature, such as a plant, without too much fru-fru or embellishments, so this fits that bill, I think. All the patterned paper panels are edged in red ink to give them some definition. The sentiment circle is popped up on foam tape.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Jingle Belles -- masculine merriment

Double Trouble #223-- 3 patterned papers, two sizes of holly die-cuts, 1 sentiment + TSOT sketch + popped up item  (sentiment circle) 

TSOT -- sketch #702

Simon Says Stamps Wednesday -- going around in circles

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2633-- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #766 -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes 

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes

Gem of a Challenge -- anything goes

 

Sledding toward Christmas

 Still summer, still hot. Let's think cool thoughts. How about a little sledding? I got this sweet penguin image in Alice Keegan's (Kit & Clowder/The Coloring Channel) Advent giveaway. Colored him with pencils and added some clear Stickles to the flying snow around the sled. Three patterned papers with snowflake designs are featured -- the black one, the gray one, and the red around the main image. 

Added some acrylic circles that feature snowflake patterns as a quick embellishment.

This card is entered in these challenges:

ABC Christmas -- P is for penguin

Double Trouble  #233 -- 3 patterned papers, two colors (red and green), one embossed sentiment

Word Art Wednesday #764 -- anything goes 

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2633 -- anything goes 

Pattie's Creations #245-- use an image

Gem challenge -- anything goes  

Beach vibes

 This die-cut sand dollar and shell patterned paper have been sitting on my craft table for a while now.  I was finally inspired to use them after seeing a video of this fun fold. I didn't catch the name of the fold, if it has one. Cut paper at 5.5 x11, score at 4.25 and 8.5. Cut circle in front flap of card, and attach the circle to the inside flap.

I have a variety of seashell stamps, so I used them to decorate the inner flap and inside of the card. The sentiment sticker is from Stamplorations. 

This card is for these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- monochrmatic

The Paper Funday #90-- fun fold

CRAFT #786 -- summer/vacation

Word Art Wednesday #764-- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2632   -- anything goes

Digi Choosday  -- anything goes

Pollkadoodles challenge  -- anything goes 

Inkspirational #373 -- beach vibe 

Sunshine and sunflowers

 The inspiration photo for Inspiration Station challenge #88 shows a beautiful field of sunflowers. To me, sunflowers and sunshine go hand-in-hand, and this lovely image and sentiment from Stamplorations conveyed that idea perfectly. The image is popped up on a stitiched oval, and backed by a sunshine-colored pattern paper.

 

This card is entered in these challenges:

Inspiration Station #88 -- inspired by sunflowers.

A Cut Above -- fall flowers

Stamplorations Never-ending Challenge -- feature Stamploration products

Word Art Wednesday #764 -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2631-- anything goes

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes 

CRAFT 786 -- summer 

 

Spotlight on morning glory

 The last spotlight card I posted, maybe a year and a half ago, is by far the most popular blog post I've ever made. It's been viewed like double the next most popular post, and more than 10x the average post. I remember  being super intimidated by the technique when I first came across it, but it's so easy. 

For this card, I used a morning glory image. I picked out the area I wanted to color, cut it out with a circle die, and referred to an online photo of morning glories when choosing the purple, pink and green colors. Die-cut a slightly larger circle in purple, placed it over the spot the image was diecut from, then placed the colored circle on top, making sure the image lined up. Easy peasy.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Beautiful Blossoms # 43 -- florals

Double Trouble # 222-- 3 layers, 2 colors, 1 sentiment plus optional twist of "more" (4 layers and three colors)

Simon Says Stamp Monday -- birthday

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2631 -- anything goes

A Cut Above -- include diecut

Triple B -- include blossom, bird, or butterfly

Paper Funday #90 -- anything goes

 

Ice cream time

 It's still very much summer, so how about some ice cream? 

This fun cone and sentiment are from Stamplorations. The cone is heat-embossed in black, watercolored with dye ink, and die-cut with the matching die. For the background, the same inks were swiped across an ice-cream-themed EF, creating a fun and colorful debossed side.

This card is entered in these challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- anything goes

Can you Handle the Pressure -- use embossing folder

The Paper Funday #88  -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2630 -- anything goes

Word Art Wednesday #762 -- anything goes

Digi Chooseday -- anything goes

Polkadoodles challenge -- anything goes 

 Stamplorations Never-Ending Challenge -- showcase Stamploration products 

Pressed flowers

 I tried a new-to-me technique that mimics the look of pressed flowers. I started by creating a possibly vintage-looking background by stamping script on tan cardstock, figuring out where to place the paper flowers, and lightly stamping in some leaf shapes around them. The flowers were then adhered to the panel and run through a flatish-pattern embossing folder. (The folder, from Marianne Designs, is a Never-been-used- supply (NBUS) that I have had for at probably 10 years. I can date it because I purchased it at the Atlanta Stamping Show, and it's been a decade since I've been able to attend.) The panel was then mounted on a slightly larger mat, placed on the top-fold card, and accented with dimensional paper flower held on with a brad.

This card is for these challenges:

NBUS #88 -- never before used item is the embossing folder

Beautiful Blossoms #43-- anything floral

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday -- make your own background 

Word Art Wednesday #762 -- anything goes

Pammie's Inky Pinkies #2629 -- anything goes