Happy New Year ~ #2

I have another card to share with you today. It's for the December monthly progressive challenge at Imagine That Digi Stamps.  I received these really cute gingerbread "people" (to be politically correct) for playing in November. They also had some adorable digi papers (that I couldn't resist, so I bought them).  I used two of the papers from that set on this card. 

 

The peppermint candy image is actually the button on the gingerbread man that I enlarged and cut out . . . digistamps are so versatile.  The sentiment is a freebie from Stamp Fairy.

 

Sorry the pictures aren't the best . . . I had to take them with my phone since my camera battery is dead at the moment and I have to get this card posted.\

 

Happy New Year to everyone!

Happy New Year

The month (and year for that matter) is almost over and that means that the December Stamp of the Month Challenge at {From the Heart Stamps} is winding down.  I had to pick one of two freebie digistamps to use for the month of December.

 

Since my mom was just recently visiting me in FL and she is now back in cold, COLD Michigan, I thought this image and sentiment might reflect her feelings. Note: The other image was just as darling, but this one was for my mom.

 

I absolutely LOVE the snowman. One of the cutest I've seen.  You can check out this digistamp and others at From the Heart Stamps.

 

And here's the sentiment that came with the stamp. So fitting, don't you think?

 

I can't wait to see what From the Heart Stamps has for January. Be sure to check out their website for more ideas and great digital stamp images.

 

Recipe:  Studio Calico papers~Alpine; MFT Circle Stax Dies; Copics; Memento Ink

'Tis the Season for Giving

This is the last Challenge of the year at Crafty Creations Challenges. Our theme is:
"Anything Goes"
and the challenge starts today (Dec 18) and ends January 6. 
Not only are prizes being awarded at the CC Blog, but several of the Design Team members are offering prizes on their own personal blog also (links are at the end of this post).  And, since I love winning prizes, you know I had to offer something.

 

Leave a comment on this post by 10 p.m. Monday, January 6th and I will randomly select

THREE ~  yes 3 ~ people to each win a

$5.00 Gift Certificate to the Doodle Pantry store.

Use your GC wisely, and you could get 2, 3 or even more digital images/sets, since Doodle Pantry often has a "gift with purchase."

 

A few weeks ago, I shared a card I made using the Paper Studio Brick embossing folder. I loved it so much, I thought I would use it again with Doodle Pantry's Window Box Wishes set.  The first one uses the "Snow" digistamp. I used the color version but highlighted certain areas with Copics. 

 

 

The sentiment on the front is from Stamp Fairy ~ Lenny Christmas Scenes. The sentiment on the inside is from Doodle Pantry ~ Holiday Greetings.

 

My next card uses the Sunflower digistamp also from Doodle Pantry's Window Box Wishes set.  I lightened the digistamp before printing and used my Copics to color the flowers, leaves and window frame.

 

I printed one of the digital papers that came with the set (and matches the curtains) to use as the DP for the inside. There's no sentiment on this card because I'm not sure what I'll use it for yet.

 

I hope you'll join us for our last "Anything Goes" challenge of the year at Crafty Creations ~ I'm amazed at all the talent out there.

 

If you arrived at my blog from Marlene's, then click on Jaime's name below to visit the next blog that is offering a prize giveaway. I've also listed the other DT members that are offering a prize on their blog, since you won't want to miss any of them. 

Marlene
Heather - you are here

Jaime
Sabine

Anna
Mary

And don't forget to visit the Crafty Creations Challenges Blog and see what terrific items the DT created this week.

 

I'm also entering these cards in the Doodle Pantry Blog Monthly Challenge.

 

Don't forget to leave a comment on this blog post by 10pm Monday, January 6.  

Three randomly selected people will each win a

$5 Doodle Pantry Gift Certificate.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday, January 8 and will have one (1) week to claim their prize.

Note: The Gift Certificates are being awarded by Heather and not Doodle Pantry. 

Quick and Easy

Another Sunday . . . which means it's time for another Challenge at Christmas Card Challenges.  This week's theme is: Make Words the Focal Point.

 

Initially I had a hard time thinking of what to do for my DT card. Then I found this great free digistamp from A Piece of Heart (click here for the sentiment; click here to see all their freebies and designs) and my card was born.

 

I changed the color of the sentiment from black to green and printed it on Kraft cardstock. The striped DP is from The Paper Studio~Classic Christmas Cardstock Pack.  The ornament border is something I picked up eons ago ~ SW Glad Tidings Icon Adhesive Borders by K&Company.  I added dimension to the center only . . . mainly because it was just a tad too long and I could get it to fit better if I puffed up the middle.  And, to be honest, I didn't realize it was self-adhesive until I wrote this blog and looked for the name on the package (duh!).

 

Check out what the other Christmas Card Challenges DT members have created for you this week (click here). Hopefully we'll inspire you to make a few Christmas cards ~ for this year or next.

I'm entering the following Challenge with this card:
 ~ Clear It Out Challenges - Theme & Stash: ATG

Whew! Just in the nick of time

I finished another card just minutes ago for a challenge over at Melonheadz Friends. MelonHeadz has some really cute stamps for all occasions. Unfortunately, I mixed up 3 challenges and so this card only works for 1 of them . . . the Melonheadz Friends challenge (good thing I used a Melonheads digi stamp).  And it ends in just a couple hours, so I am really down to the wire.

 

 

The balloons (I cut off the strings) and the pennant are both from Melonheadz.  The sentiment and ribbon are from Stampin' Up!.  The DP is from Pebbles~Lakeside Paper Pad.

 

 

I added Glossy Accents to the balloons and also printed an extra balloon to add some dimension. I colored the digis with Copics.

 

 

I left the inside blank at this time. I'm not sure if I'll add an additional sentiment or just a handwritten note.

Black and White

Another post late . . . but it is still Sunday, so in a way, I'm not too late.

 

The Challenge this week at Christmas Card Challenges is Black and White Christmas Cards.  I had a dickens of a time with this challenge. Somehow black and white colors just don't feel like Christmas to me.  But, I managed to come up with a design and card.

 

I used Stampin' Up!'s My Digital Studio to design this card. I did add a few "shadow" trees in light grey . . . but then grey is just a light black, right?

 

I printed and cut out a second Christmas Tree to add dimension.

 

This is the inside; but after I took the pictures, I realized that the inside could be the front and the font could be the inside . . . so I may have to make a few more black and white cards using this design because I like how it looks.

 

Be sure to check out the Christmas Card Challenges blog (click here) so you can see what my fellow Design Team members also created this week. Some gorgeous black and white Christmas cards this week.

For the Dogs

The actual Catered Crop challenge theme is "Animal House Recipe Swap Quickfire" but since I chose a dog as my "animal" ~ I decided to title this post "For the Dogs."

 

A neighbor (and good friend) recently adopted the cutest little schnauzer rescue dog. So, of course, our little dog had to send a card to welcome her to the neighborhood.  If you're not a dog/cat/animal person you might not understand this crazy way of thinking.

 

 

The window digi stamp is from Doodle Pantry ~ Window Box Wishes. And since you receive jpeg and png files from Doodle Pantry, I used the png file so I could add the dog digi stamp, Stamp Fairy's ~ Charlie Happy Life.   I wanted it to appear as if the dog was looking out the window . . . from one house to the other. The window is a pre-colored digi, but I enhanced the window frame and curtains and colored the dog with Copics.   The brick embossing folder is from The Paper Studio ~ A2 Bricks.

 

The sentiment is computer-generated.  I sponged the brick and inside papers using Memento Toffee Crunch and added a bit of Memento Dandelion to the inside papers as well.

 

A Sunny Day

Living in Florida it's often hard to believe that winter is here with Christmas right around the corner. We've been blessed with 80+ degree days lately, so it definitely does not feel like Christmas.

Thank goodness Crafty Creations Challenges is having an

Anything EXCEPT Christmas

challenge this week. We're sponsored by Oak Pond Creations and I received a beautiful digi stamp called Sunflowers to use for this week's challenge.  It is definitely not a Christmas image (unless you consider sunflowers to be Florida's "Christmas Tree").

 

I printed the sunflowers on white cardstock then die cut it with a Spellbinders Oval die. The Oval matte is DP from Pebbles: Lakeside Collection. The grey DP is from DCWV: the dots, stripes & plaids stack. The yellow cardstock, plaid DP and ribbon are from my stash.

 

I printed an extra image and cut out one flower and 2 leaves so I could puff them up using dimensionals.  I colored the image with Copics

 

I finished the inside using Die-namics Layered Treat Tag Die, but left off the sentiment. I'm not sure whether this will be a Thinking of You, Get Well or Happy Birthday card. It's nice to have options.

 

I'd like to enter the above card in the following challenges:

  ~ Clear It Out Challenges ~ Theme: ATG; Stash: ATG (the Plaid DP and small piece of ribbon have been in my craft scrap bin for eons; glad to finally use them both up)

  ~ Papertake Weekly Challenges ~ Theme: ATG with optional extra: CAS

  ~ Ribbon Carousel ~ #88 ATG but must used spooled item (yellow ribbon)

  ~ Songbird Challenges ~ Theme: Die Another Day, use 1 or more dies (Spellbinders Oval and Die-namics Layered Treat Tag)

  ~ One Stitch at a Time ~ Use a Digi

  ~ Melonheadz Friends ~ Fall Colors (yellows and greens are pretty much FL's Fall colors)

 

A New Year

Today I begin another 6 months as a member of the Christmas Card Challenges Design Team. I'm thrilled to have been asked to stay on for another "term" for several reasons. First, I love making Christmas cards and this gives me an incentive to get a huge head start on my cards for 2014; second, I love the gals that are on the DT with me . . . they've been SO encouraging and supportive; and third, I'm even more happy that they found me worthy to stay on for another term.

The challenge this week is No Stamping. Yup, that was a tough one for me, since I love all stamps: digi, rubber or clear/acrylic. And, I felt no stamps meant no sentiments either. UGH!! Me without something to say . . . hardly (I know you were all thinking it, so it had to be said).

I used an embossing folder and my Sizzix ornament die for this card. I added a bit of gold twine and red vellum to finish off the look. Very quick and easy and I'm happy with the look. . . . hmmm, maybe I like "No Stamping" afterall.

Stop by the Christmas Card Challenges blog to see what the other DT members have created. I'd love to see your card designs with "No Stamping."