JOY at Christmas

How are your holiday preparations coming? I took some much needed time off from card making to spend time with shopping and a few other things but I'm happy to be back with a card to share today. 

I've had so much fun making my cards this year, pulling out all my old stamps and some new supplies too. 
Been thinking about my creative goals for 2018 and you know what? One thing for sure on my list is to make 3 or 4 Christmas cards a month all year long. The Merry Monday Christmas Challenge is on my sights right now, and inspired this card. 

I LOVE using alternative Christmas colors, so I couldn't resist playing along featuring my never-been-used Neighborhood Border Die from Tailored Expressions. The inside of the card reads, "Merry Christmas from our house to yours." 

I colored the trees and the word Joy with Copics, and added sparkle to the windows with my Wink of Stella pen. You know of course, that I had to add sequins too, right? Yep!
Thanks so much for your visit today. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Holiday Wishes

Hello everyone! I'm getting my post up early since our weather is gorgeous and going to be warm today! I will be out in the boat this afternoon for sure. 

In my craft room I'm still humming along on the Christmas card theme. 

The Make It Monday Challenge hosted by Laurie at Papertrey Ink featured tips for using lots of layers. I got a bit carried away but had fun adding colors of ink and die cut layers. Have a look! 

I combined die cut images from Holiday Greens and Spruce and Sprigs. They were stamped multiple times using shades of Parakeet Green, New Leaf and Hawaiian Shores. I just love these colors! 

I cut an ornate square and a circle die from the Don't Forget to Write Basics Collection, and used those as bases for tucking in and layering my bouquet of holly and blooms.  The stamped and die cut sentiments are from the Christmas Cheer stamp set. 

This card will make it's way to someone special on my list, either delivered by hand or in a specially made envelope.

You are so special too, hope your day is wonderful! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used are PTI unless noted

Stamps: Holiday Greens, Christmas Cheer, Spruce & Sprigs

Paper: SU - whisper white, Crumb Cake; PTI - Hawaiian Shores

Inks: Hawaiian Shores, Green Parakeet, New Leaf, SU - Crumb Cake

Accessories: Sequins, Dies, sponges, MISTI

I'm also adding this to these challenges. 
Merry Monday who posted these fun colors!

Golden Christmas Wishes

Hello stamping friends! 
How is it going? Are you getting back to a more normal week?

I had time to stamp today and pulled out the Stag Trio Die from WPlus 9 to make an elegant card. If I had time to make four cards a day (who ever can do that?) I would never use all the Christmas sets that I have in the house. But I'm having fun trying!  

Clean and simple cards don't always come together quickly in the designing stages. It took me awhile to decide what color sequins to use and where to put them. 

This is a design I will love using again. I LOVE the stag dies!
Happy wishes to you, thanks so much for your visit today. 

Be yourself.

     Find delight in your craft.

          Make something beautiful! 

I was inspired by the fun layout at CAS(E) This Sketch. Also linking to The Merry Christmas Challenge.

Papertrey Ink Blog Hop Inspiration

Hello friends,
Hope you are having a lovely holiday weekend! 
My times with family have been such a blessing and we've had lots of fun visiting and lovely weather. 
I actually made this card last week so that I could be ready for the blog hop.

Our inspiration photo contains beautiful elements of autumn. I was inspired by the greens gathered around the gold word in the centerpiece and the lovely creams of the table settings.

I used the Year of Psalms February Mini Stamp Set, and embossed it in gold on vanilla card stock. The floral background images are Gathered Garden Stamp Set. I added a gold embossed image accent among the leaves and berries.

I hope you've been inspired by my card today. Much thanks for your visits and kind comments!

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Other supplies used are 

Inks: PTI - Green Parakeet, SU - Cajun Craze, Versamark

Accessories: ribbon, Gold embossing powder.

Sparkling and Bright

Are you tired of seeing Christmas cards on my blog yet? I hope not, because I'm just getting warmed up! Today's card is sparkling with bling and bright with a non-traditional color scheme. 

 I pulled out a die I've had for quite awhile, the Ornamental Wreath die from Simon Says Stamp. Actually, it's retired already but I've only used it once before. I determined today to find an easier way to use it. I glued strips of card stock in pinks and aqua onto to a piece of scrap paper. I first die cut the wreath from that. Then I die cut one in white, poked out the holes and glued it on top. I didn't have to glue each piece separately into the negative space. Does that make sense? 

Adding a satin bow, sequins and jewels dressed it up in sparkly holiday style.

 I was inspired by two challenges that I'm playing along with that include a retro style. For the Card Concept, my card fits the Classy and Elegant stye and I just had to use some sparkling ornaments. The other challenge, Inspired by all the Little Things uses the same pastel colors and also has a little collection of ornaments.

I'm linking to the Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge. 

Thanks to all who come by and visit my blog and for your kind comments. For those in the US, I'm wishing you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving Day tomorrow. 

Sparkly Warm Wishes

Hi stamping friends, 
I had a bit of time to relax in my stamp room on this sunny breezy Saturday afternoon. It's a day just perfect for sitting on the screened in back porch to edit photos and type this post. I'm surrounded by fall colors, the sounds of crickets. Feeling thankful and cozy in my hoodie. 

I'm happy to share another Christmas card! 
This time joining in with Papertrey Ink after their new release. 

The new products and samples from the DT were amazing! The card that caught my eye was this beautiful design by Michelle Leone. 

I admired the classic lines of her card, the layers of papers and plaid to create texture, and a sparkling die cut focal point.

I knew that I'd need to come up with different dies and colors using what I had on hand. 

I'm pretty pleased with the result and it's great having one more card done that will be easy to mail too. 

Hope you are having a good good day. 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

Supplies used are from PTI 

Stamps: Christmas Cheer, Spruce and Sprigs (dies)

Paper: Aqua Mist, Plaid DSP (retired)

Accessories: Mix & Mat Flourishes Die

More Merry and Bright

Hey there! 
Hope you are doing well today. 
I realized that this is the only week I have to finish making Cards for Hospitalized Kids if I want them to arrive in time for Christmas. And I do! 
I can't get enough of the cute images from the Merry and Bright set from Simon Says! I created a scene using Distress Inks to make a background and masking the reindeer.
I spritzed the background with water and added die cut snowflakes and a little glitz from my Wink of Stella pen.

Once I had all the supplies out, it was easy to create a few of these using the Misti for stamping. 

I love coloring, but that was enough for me for one day. I only wish my photo did the colors justice. I have trouble photographing blends well, they are either too washed out or too deeply contrasted. 

That's enough rambling from me. Thanks to you for coming by to visit! 

Be yourself

     Delight in your craft 

        Make something beautiful!

I will be adding this to the Challenge at SSS called Furry Friends and Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge Christmas.

Supplies used 

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp - Merry and Bright

Paper: white

Ink: Distress Inks - Worn Lipstick, Candied Apple, Cracked Pistachio

Accessories: Copic markers, Wink of Stella