Holly

Hi everyone.  

I made a card similar to this one last year, but never posted it before sending out.  So I've made another because I think this image is just perfect for this card layout.

I started by stamping Cheerful Christmas (Penny Black) in black ink and then heat embossing in clear.  I watercoloured the image using distress inks, then added a little bit of sparkle and gloss to the berries before cutting my panel down.  I stamped the sentiment (Christmas Moments - Penny Black) in the same black ink and heat embossed in clear to match the image.  To finish, I popped the panel up over my black card base.

Close-up ...

I'm sending this card to Rudolph Days September Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes.  The challenges runs from the 25th to end of month - Jan. thru November.

And, I'm sending this to the Merry Little Christmas Challenge #46 - Anything Christmas Goes ...

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Stamps:  Cheerful Christmas (Penny Black); Christmas Moments (Penny Black)

Paper:   Bristol Paper (Strathmore); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Black (Memento); Distress Inks:  Mowed Lawn, Rustic Wilderness, Fired Brick, Aged Mahogany, Mustard Seed, Ripe Persimmon, Rusty Hinge, Black Soot (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Clear embossing powder, heat tool, paint brushes, Clear Wink of Stella, Crystal Glaze (Nuvo)

Challenges:
Rudolph Days Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #46 - Anything Christmas Goes

Stenciling with Pan Pastels

Hi everyone.  Today I'm sharing another card made from my stash of card fronts.

This is one of the backgrounds I made a few years back when crafting with my sweet friends Susan and Christine.  We were together working at Christine's house and she had us using stencils (Aspen Trees stencil by The Crafter's Workshop) with pan pastels.  The shimmer and shine from the pearlescent violet pan pastels is really amazing.  Hopefully you can see it in the photo above.  I simply added two torn snow hills, a silhouette deer (gift from another friend), and a sentiment (Season's Gifts - Penny Black) to finish off this card. 

I'm sending this over to CAS Christmas September Challenge that closes at the end of today.

I hope you are inspired to go through your stash of goodies and see what you can use to make a quick and easy card.  

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Season's Gift (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); black card stock
Ink:   Black (Memento)
Accessories:   Aspen Trees stencil (TCW), pan pastels, sponges

Challenges:

CAS Christmas September Challenge - Sparkle and/or Shine

September CAS Christmas Reminder - Sparkle and/or Shine

Hi everyone.  Time for the reminder of this month's CAS Christmas challenge - Sparkle and/or Shine, hosted by the lovely and talented Hideko!

For today's card I created a very CAS design using a frame of a circle with trees die from AliExpress.  This cuts away the background of the circle, leaving a card front with the circle aperture and trees, which I used for my card front.  I die-cut it again using silver glimmer paper (SU!) and then cut the trees away from the frame so I could attach them on top of my card front.  I off-set the trees slightly so it looks as though there is snow on the tree branches.  I didn't get it perfect for the bottom of the circle, so I covered up my uneven edge with a black sentiment banner (Snowglobe sentiments - retired - My Favorite Things).  The banner is heat embossed with silver embossing powder, so that added just a tiny bit of shine.  The background is from my stash of pieces of smooshed magicals, just perfect to add a bit of colour to my design.

Close-up ...

Please check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful, sparkly, shiny CAS Christmas cards from our wonderfully talented team.

Hope you'll come play along with your CAS Christmas cards!  See you soon!

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Snowglobe Sentiments - retired (My Favorite Things)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.); Silver Glimmer paper (SU!); Black card stock (SU!)
Ink:   Magicals; Versamark
Accessories:   Tree circle die (AliExpress), Silver embossing powder (Ranger); heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Christmas September Challenge - Sparkle and/or Shine

September CAS Mix Up Reminder

Hi everyone.  This month Hilary is hosting the CAS Mix Up Challenge - Gesso.  I've used gesso as a resist again on my DT card.

I first sponged lightly with gesso over the Lovely Leaves stencil (Wendy Vecchi).  It dries really quickly so I could sponge lightly with my brushes over top with Autumn colours (Distress inks:  Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalade, Ripe Persimmon, Candied Apple).  Once I finished sponging, I let the inks dry a bit before using a damp paper towel to wipe the colour off the gesso stenciling to reveal a dreamy, etheral looking background.  This is an Eileen Godwin technique (seen in this video).  I love her work and using her techniques on my cards. :)

Close-up ...

I used an older stamp from Stampendous (Enjoy Gift - retired) for my sentiment, stamping in Rusty Hinge distress ink and heat embossing in clear.  The panel was cut to size and popped up on my card front for a bit of dimension.

I hope you'll check out the reminder post on the challenge blog to see the wonderful gesso CAS cards by our Designers.  Then come play along.  There's still over a week before the challenge closes.  Hope to see you in the gallery! :)

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Enjoy Gift - retired (Stampendous)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Mixed Media paper (Strathmore 140 lb.)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Spiced Marmalate, Ripe Persimmon, Candied Apple, Rusty Hinge (Tim Holtz)
Accessories:   Gesso (Golden), sponge, Lovely Leaves stencil (Wendy Vecchi), sponge brushes, clear embossing powder (Ranger), heat tool

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up September Reminder - Gesso

Patterned Holly

Hi everyone.  I've made a holly card for the Peace on Earth Challenge #23, inspired by the top right photo of the POE mood board ...

I used my favourite holly die (Holly & berry branch die - Penny Black).  I love the large size of this holly sprig and have used it numerous times.  This card uses it with patterned paper ("ho ho ho Christmas" from Polkadoodles).  I sponged around the outside edges of the holly leaves with Rustic Wilderness distress ink to add a bit of visual dimension.  I used Real Red dye ink (SU!) to add shading to the berries.  The holly sprig is popped up on an embossed background I received from a friend a few years back ... more than a few, I think. :)  I love the added texture in the design with the embossing.  To finish, I stamped the sentiment (Christmas Moments - Penny Black) in Real Red ink.

Close-up ...

Also entering this into the "Can you Handle the Pressure Challenge - Anything Embossing Goes".  I love the depth from my embossed ornaments in the background. :)

* * * * *

Latest photo of Jessie (by Alex)

Chillaxin' ...

Thanks for stopping by!

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Stamps:  Christmas Moments (Penny Black)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Ho Ho Ho Christmas Designer Paper (Polkadoodles)
Ink:   Rustic Wilderness distress ink (Tim Holtz); Real Red dye ink (SU!) 
Accessories:   Holly & berry branch die (Penny Black), sponges, embossed background (gift from a friend)

Challenges:

Peace on Earth Challenge #23

Can You Handle the Pressure - Anything Embossing Goes

More Gesso Stenciling

Hi everyone.  On Sept. 1st, I posted a card for the CAS Mix Up September Challenge - Stenciling with Gesso.  I created a second card using the same technique, gesso and stencil, changing up the colours and the design a bit.

This time I used a panel of Baked Brown Sugar card stock(retired from SU!) for the backdrop of my stenciling with gesso.  I changed up the medium, using distress inks (Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin) instead of acrylic paints.  I again used my white Posca pen to outline the stenciling.

The sentiment (Blowout Birthday - retired from Poppy Stamps) is stamped in the same Baked Brown Sugar ink, stamping it several times, so it appears slightly darker and stands out on the card.  I love the addition of the torn edge to add another element to this CAS design.

Close-up ...

I've even added a torn edge to the inside of the card to carry the theme from the front to the inside.

Thanks for stopping by!

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Birthday Blowout - retired (Poppy Stamps)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Baked Brown Sugar card stock - retired (SU!)
Ink:   Distress Inks:  Mustard Seed, Carved Pumpkin (Tim Holtz);  Baked Brown Sugar - retired (SU!)
Accessories:   Slimline Gentle Leaves stencil (The Crafter's Workshop); Gesso, sponge daubers, White Posca Pen

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up September Challenge - Gesso

September CAS Christmas Challenge - Sparkle and/or Shine

Hi everyone.  It's the start of the September CAS Christmas Challenge.  This month is hosted by the super talented Hideko (Papercraft Boutique).  She would like to see your CAS Christmas cards with a little sparkle or shine (or both!).

Nothing says Christmas like glitter! :)  I used two dies from AliExpress to make a very quick and easy Christmas card.  The berry and branch is one set that I die-cut from green and red glitter paper.  I tied the pieces together with a thin, 1/4" thick red satin ribbon.  I also die-cut the Joy sentiment from the red glitter paper and added a strip of it on the side.

Close-up ...

We are so happy to have JoAnn (Crafty Nana's Blog) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome JoAnn!!

Please check out the challenge blog to see the beautiful, sparkly, shiny CAS Christmas cards from our Guest Designer and our wonderfully talented team.

Then come join us!!  Hope to see you in the gallery!

I'm sending this card over to the  Merry Little Christmas Challenge #46 - Anything Christmas Goes.

If you would like to subscribe by email,

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Thank you.

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Red Glimmer paper (SU!); Silver Glimmer paper (died with green alcohol inks) - SU!

Accessories:   Berry and Branch die (AliExpress), Joy die (AliExpress), 1/4" red satin ribbon

Challenges:
CAS Christmas September Challenge - Sparkle and/or Shine

Merry Little Christmas Challenge #46 - Anything Christmas Goes

September CAS Mix Up Challenge - Stenciling with Gesso

Hi everyone.  Welcome to the start of the September CAS Mix Up Challenge.  This month is hosted by the talented Hilary (fiddling about).  She would like us to use Gesso through a Stencil for our CAS cards this month.

I started by watching this video.  I rarely use Gesso and I'm always stumped about what it is for. :)  This video really helped me see that one of the great properties of white Gesso is to use it as a base for adding colour over top of coloured card stock.  It can be used for other things, but I have never tried this before so wanted to check it out.  It works great!

I used a dark blue card stock (sorry, not sure of the colour).  I added my Leafy stencil (Gentle Leaves Slimline - The Crafter's Workshop) over top and using a sponge dauber, dapped on a light coating of gesso through the stencil.  I removed the stencil and washed it right away ... gesso is not very easy to clean up if it dries.  I then left the stenciled gesso piece to dry completely.

I placed my stencil back over top and sponged the leaves and stem using two colours of acrylic paint, using sponge daubers.  I stamped a sentiment (Garden Greetings - Simon Says Stamp) in matching white pigment ink before heat embossing with white embossing powder.  To finish, I used my white Posca pen to outline the leaves and stems before mounting my card front onto my card base.

Close-up ...

We are excited to have Sue (Cards by Q) as our Guest Designer this month.  Welcome Sue!  I hope you'll check out the challenge blog to see the fabulous gesso-stenciled cards from our Guest Designer and Design Team.  Pull out your Gesso and stencils and come join us!  Hope to see you in the gallery.

Edited to add:  I'm sending this to the Color Hues Challenge #48 (Navy & Lime) where they are celebrating their 2nd birthday!  Congrats to the team! 

... and I'm sending this Navy and Lime Birthday card to Seize the Birthday #246 - Collaboration with Color Hues! :)

Thanks to my sweet friend, Marcia for letting me know about the challenges!

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Thank you.

Stamps:  Garden Greetings (Simon Says Stamp)

Paper:   White card stock (Neenah 110 lb.); Navy card stock (unknown)
Ink:  White Pigment Ink (Hero Arts)
Accessories:   White Gesso (Golden), Gentle Leaves Slimline Stencil (The Crafter's Workshp), sponge daubers, Green acrylic paint (DecoArt), white embossing powder, heat tool, white Posca Pen

Challenges:
CAS Mix Up September Challenge - Stenciling with Gesso

Color Hues Challenge #48 - Navy and Lime

Seize the Birthday #246 - Collaboration with Color Hues