Best Sentiment for Christmas

The sentiment on this card is one I wholeheartedly agree with - and I indulge in a kind of wistful imagining (what if this WAS the year where these qualities were in evidence everywhere?) whenever I use it.
In this case, I've used Global Design Project's sketch #166  as a basis for the card.
I was pleased with the background stars - I tried using the embossing powder while the sponging wasn't 100% dry in the hopes that there'd be a background 'shimmer' of stars and (in a way that doesn't often happen) it turned out the way I'd imagined!

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card, (Whisper White, Shimmery White, Marina Mist, Night of Navy), ink, (Soft Sky, Marina Mist, Night Of Navy), Stamps (Musical Season, Christmas Pines), dies (Petals & More), silver embossing powder, Subtle embossing folder

Other products: Kaisercraft Moonstars dies, Fiskar circle punch, Fynmark vellum

Christmas baubles

I loved Fab Friday's sketch challenge #151 and, as is my habit at the moment, made a Christmas card in response. Happily, an embossing folder I got a couple of years ago marries nicely with Stampin' Up's 'Beautiful Baubles'. The handy stitched embossing die in Sweetly Stitched Framelits proved a subtle way to add the final embellishment.

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! card (Whisper White, Shaded Spruce, Soft Suede), ink (Basic Black), watercolour pencil (Cherry Cobbler), gold embossing powder,  Beautiful Baubles stamps, Detailed Baubles framelits

Other products: Craft Creations Kiwiana Christmas series - embossing folder, Derwent Inktense Teal Green watercolour pencil

New Favourite

Well, there's no question what my new favourite is from Stampin' Up - the utterly delicious Needlepoint Nook suite - so it was great to see Paper Craft Crew's invitation, in challenge #316, to showcase it. I recently went to a card class run by the marvelous Jan Clothier (check her out here!) where we made screen cards, so the first thing I did when I got home (who needs dinner, anyway?) was make one using this new favourite.

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card (Petal Pink, Old Olive, Whisper White), ink (Berry Burst, Granny Apple Green, Basic Black), Needlepoint Nook,DSP, stamps and framelits, Happy Birthday Gorgeous stamp (for sentiment), banner punch (for base).

Butterfly exploration

The other day, I got to experiment with the upcoming Beauty Abounds bundle - which is full of lovely surprises. As a base, I used the latest Freshly Made Sketches challenge: #365. The stamps and dies called out for soft colours, so I obeyed their demands! The two panels have a sponged base and then are lightly over-stamped with one of the stamps from the set. The butterflies are (carefully!) detached from the stunning larger framelit in the 'Butterfly Beauty' framelits.
A lovely set  - I look forward to more exploring.

Ingredients
Stampin' Up: Card (Shimmery White, Whisper White, Gorgeous Grape, Highland Heather, Balmy Blue), ink (Gorgeous Grape, Balmy Blue, Soft Sky, Lemon Lime Twist, Pineapple Punch), stamps (Beauty Abounds, Needlepoint Nook - for sentiment), thinlits (Butterfly Beauty)
Other Products - francheville rhinestones

Christmas Pressies

Paper Player's challenge #420 was an interesting study in verticals. I'm just getting my head around Stampin' Up!'s 'Nothing Sweeter' stamps and dies, so decided to interpret the sketch using them. Thank goodness for the Stamparatus, which was a boon for this card.

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card (Blueberry Bushel, Whisper White), DSP (In-colour 2018-2020), ink (BAsic Blac, Lovely Lipstick, Pool Party), stamps (Nothing Sweeter), framelits (Sweetly Stitched).
Other products: Zing! (American Craft) embossing powder in green glitter finish; francheville rhinestone.

Celebrating with Retro Rubber!

Congratulations, Retro Rubber, on reaching your 100th challenge! And what a great idea, to make a blog-hop challenge. 

In the middle of the excitement of new stuff, it's so nice to be reminded of older stamps and dies. For this card, I returned to the 'Shake and Celebrate' stamps and accompanying dies from the 2016 Holiday Catalogue, which I under-utilised when I got them. I think I limited my thinking to just shaker cards, so for this I thought about using them as 'normal' stamps and dies. I also used Affectionately Yours DSP from the 2016 - 2017 Annual Catalogue.

So, Retro Rubber, here's a celebratory cake, with the added elements (from the bottom of your grid) of heat embossing (the sentiment and heart - they were hard to catch in a photo) and glitter paper. 

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up! card: (Whisper White, Night of Navy), glitter paper (copper), iDSP( Affectionately yours), ink (Cucumber Crush, Watermelon Wonder, Basic Black) stamps (Shake and Celebrate) and dies (Shaker Shapes)

Sneak Peak #2 of Needlepoint Nook

I'm just loving this new set, which I was lucky enough to order early through attending OnStage. I've used it here for Sunday Stamps' Challenge SSC192. I love the colours in the DSP so have chosen to use the same colourways here, with just a little of one of the reverse-sides as a base. I also used another recent acquisition, Stampin' Up's 'Corrugated' Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. It makes a great base when used with coloured card, I think.

 

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up! card (Berry Burst, Whisper White, Night of Navy)  ink (Berry Burst, Balmy Blude, Old Olive, Night of Navy), Corrugated Embossing Folder, Needlepoint Nook Suite (stamps, dies, DSP)
Other: Rosie's lace trim.

Sneak Preview: Stampin' Up!'s Needlepoint Nook

I'm so glad I went to OnStage in Auckland - and the chance to acquire the completely gorgeous Needlepoint Nook suite early is high among the reasons why!
I used a little of the DSP and some stamps and dies from the suite to make this card for Paper Craft Crew's gorgeous sketch challenge PCC315.
I can see lots and lots of fun ahead experimenting with the suite's different permutations. The closeup shows the lovely stitched-effect die and the delicacy of both the stamps and the DSP.

Vases four ways

I loved the combination of colours in Hand Stamped Sentiments' Challenge #302, but it wasn't until I saw As You See It's challenge #189 - a 'quadtriptych' card - that I worked out how to use them together. I liked the idea of removing an element of colour in each of the parts, but repeating the central image:

Ingredients: STampin' Up card (Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Merry Merlot, Pumpkin Pie), ink (Merry Merlot, Crushed Curry, Pumpkin Pie), stamps (Varied Vases) and die (Bunch of Banners)

Christmas with beach colours

I'm just squeaking in under the wire to get this card entered, so I'll be brief: the colour palette for Sunday Stamper's challenge SSC91 was beautiful - we were challenged to use at least three of these colours:

Since I'm currently on my yearly mission to make southern hemisphere Christmas cards, I seized the day:

Pretty tricky colours to match from what I had, so this is as close as I could get!

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card (Marina Mist, Whisper White, Crumb Cake), ink (Crumb Cake, Dapper Denim), Stamp and Dies (Beautiful Baubles), watercolour pencil (Balmy Blue)

Other: Water colour pencils (Faber Castel's Raw Umber and Cream, Derwent Inktense Deep Indigo)

Speedy Red!

I was pretty impressed with how efficiently I made this card for As You See It's 'Vitesse Rouge' Challenge #188 - which required a card using red and taking less than 10 minutes. I ended up taking 6:38 minutes - though as you can see, I followed their advice to keep 'it simple'!
(By the way, the background is white - it just came out funny in the photo because I was hurrying to get it in on time!)

Card ingredients:

Stampin' Up! dies (Detailed Baubles), stamps (Beautiful Baubles), card (whisper white, real red) and left over glitter paper from when my daughter crafted (that is, at least 10 years ago!)

New stuff!

I went to my first On-Stage on Saturday, and it was great! One stamp set I came away with was a lovely set of sentiments - "Strong and Beautiful' - which I've used on this very CAS card.
I combined the colours from CAS Colours and Sketches #297 - Balmy Blue, Rich Razzleberry and So Saffron - the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch's #297 and the theme of 'Compliment' from CASology 320.

Ingredients: Stampin' Up! ink: (Balmy Blue, So Saffron, Rich Razzleberry), card (Thick White), Stamps (Strong & Beautiful, Love What You Do), dies (Stitched Framelits), Rhinestones. 

Framed Christmas

This week's challenge from Sunday Stamps was an interesting sketch made up of frames:

I went back to my absolute favourite set from last year's Stampin' Up Christmas Catalogue - the Quilt set. I ended up not using the stamps, but the dies and paper instead, to make this card:

Ingredients: Stampin' Up card (Blushing Bride, Garden Green, Real Red, Pool Party, Whisper White) Quilt DSP, Quilt Builder framelits, Quilt Top embossing folder.

Other products: Crafter's Choice 'New Traditions' stamps, Rosie's glitter dots. 

Apples!

The theme this week for The Paper Players was... Apples (and Clean and Simple). Luckily, I read some of the designer's blogs, because it wasn't till I read Jan Clothier's that I remembered that I, too had the Thoughtful Branches apple - and like her, that was the only apple in my collection!
The card started out super clean and simple, but then I had a workplace (well, craftplace!) injury - caught my finger on the paper cutter - and bled all over one edge of the card. Rather than start again, I made a frame for the un-bled-on bit - I hope it's still clean and simple enough!
The card:

Ingredients

Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Night Of Navy) ink (Nigh of Navy, Basic Black, Granny Apple Green, Real Red), stamps (Thoughtful Branches, Swirly Frames, Itty Bitty Greetings), MFT stamp and dies (Kitschy Kitchen)

Musical Christmas

I loved Just Add Ink's sketch challenge #431:

I especially loved that I thought of a way to use the Musical Season stamps and dies - I think they're great, but I haven't had much success with them. (Until now!)

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler), water colour pencils (Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler, Gorgeous Grape) stamps (Musical Seasons), dies (Musical Instruments), gold embossing powder, Botanical Gardens vellum
Other Products: Stazon Black ink, gold card

Simple Christmas

I'm trying to make some Christmas cards, this year, that don't assume the recipients will be filled with nothing but joy. Perhaps it's because I'm getting older, but I think Christmas can become overwhelming, particularly if you're grappling with loss or sadness. I used Freshly Made Sketches sketch challenge #359 as a starting point for this card:

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Island Indigo, Gorgeous Grape, Elegant Eggplant) ink (Elegant Eggplant, Island Indigo) Quilt Top embossing folder, Quilt Builder framelits, Pretty Label punch, 

Christmas Pines stamps for sentiment.

Other: gold card, Recollections 'Northern Lights' DSP, Rosie's glitter dots. 

CAS Christmas

I'm clearly in a CAS mood at the moment! I'm making and (gathering up ones I've already made) cards to send to my daughter, who is now working for a charity and asked if I had some to donate for sale. I leapt at the chance - now I can feel virtuous about time spent in the craft room (aka her bedroom, but she left home years ago, so I think it's fair to re-purpose it!)
Anyway, personally, I like Christmas cards that don't evoke winter, since we're on the way to a summer Christmas in NZ. This one, in response to CAS Colors and Sketches #294: Blushing Bride, Soft Suede and Berry Burst (a delicious combination!)  isn't particularly summery, but I wouldn't call it a winter card either.

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up card, (Berry Burst, Whisper White, Soft Suede), ink (Basic Black, Berry Burst, Soft Suede, Blushing Bride), stamps (Festival of Trees, and Christmas Pines for the sentiment) and punch (the one that goes with the Festival of Trees!)

Tagged housewarming

I made this CAS card for a friend of ours who has just moved into his new house. Together, Less is More's 'Tags' challenge #382 and Color Throwdown's color combo for ctd515: green, kraft and white gave me the idea for the card (we gave him a mandarin tree, so the garden-y image is appropriate!).

Card ingredients: 

Stampin' Up card (Whisper White, Kraft), watercolour pencil (old olive), Seasoned with Kindness stamp set.

Other products: Stazon black ink, francheville diamantes, American Crafts black glitter embossing powder and thread, Faber Castell Umbra watercolour pencil, Sizzix Tag Collection framelits

Celebrating Curves!

It's finally stopped raining - so this card seems appropriate - a celebration of spring, in response to CAS(E) this Sketch's sketch #288:

and Just Add Ink's pretty inspiration photo:


My card ended up like this:

Ingredients: 

Stampin' Up card (Shimmery White, Mossy Meadow), ink (Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry) watercolor pencils (Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive), DSP (Share What You Love) Stamps (Detailed with Love, Petal Palette, Thoughtful Branches for sentiment), Detailed Trio Punch, dies (Petals and More, Layering Circles), Petals and more embellishments.

Other product: Faber Castell pink watercolour pencil

Autumn colours and Happy Birthday

It's spring here in New Zealand, but the colours in CAS Colors and Sketch's Challenge #288 (Crushed Curry, Gorgeous Grape and Night of Navy) made me think of autumn. Which actually worked out okay, because it's been pretty cold and miserable for the last week - the daffodils are bowing their pretty heads under driving rain and wind.
I used the latest Global Design Project sketch:

to give a form to those rich colours. I'm glad I bought the latest watercolour pencils from Stampin' Up, since they contain both Night of Navy and Gorgeous Grape - which meant I could use both colours on my flowers. Here's the result:

Ingredients:

Stampin' Up ink (Gorgeous Grape, Night of Navy,) watercolour pencils (Night of Navy, Gorgeous Grape) card (Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Night of Navy), stamps (Love What You Do, Happy Birthday Gorgeous for sentiment), dies (Petals and More)

Other: American Craft twine, francheville pearls, Die-Namics Horizontal Stitched Strips

Happy Yellow Flower

I just love the new Stampin' Up yellow - Pineapple Punch - so it was the first colour I thought of for Less is More's Challenge #379: Black, White and one other colour. I teamed it with CAS(E) this Sketch's #287:

It was good to use the Garden in Bloom stamps again - I love the delicate watercolour effect you get with this set. 

Ingredients:
Stampin' Up card, (Basic Black, Whisper White), In Color DSP, ink (Basic Black, Pineapple Punch)

Daisies

Fusion's latest image is gorgeous! I wanted that beautiful jug of daisies on my dining table.

At first, I struggled with the sketch component, but then I remembered the lovely floral wreath die  I have by Kaisercraft, and that gave me a starting point. I enjoyed my first go at using Stampin' Up's Garden Impressions DSP, as well. It's such a dark and gloomy day here it was difficult to get a photo - but here's the best of the bunch:

The card:

Ingredients: 

Stampin' Up card: (Soft Sky, Sea Foam, Whisper White), DSP (In-Color, Garden Impressions), Stamp (Label Me Pretty)

Other: Kaisercraft Floral Wreath die, My Favourite Things Upsy Daisy dies, Die-namics Stitched rings dies.