One Last Christmas Card Post

Hi guys! I really wanted to post everyday (since last Saturday) with my last Christmas cards of the season. Best laid plans and all that. There was just too much to do! However, I have decided that I will just go ahead and include them all in tonight's post. How's that? Well, let's get started!

Number #1...

This is one that I tried and wasn't thrilled with my results. I decided that I was seeing a lot of the pastel holiday prints and even though they aren't usually my idea of a typical Christmas card, I wanted to give one a go. Well, my daughter LOVED this card but I still feel the same way I did before...Christmas cards are red & green! I adore the image used here. It is from the Pure Innocence collection by Heather Ellis and I found it on Etsy. You may have seen some of her lovely work here, at My Favorite Things also. I think this image would work well on a winter card too if you left off the mistletoe at the top. For the sentiment tag, I used my Spellbinder Tag Trio to cut it and printed the wording on my computer. The paper is from Hobby Lobby and my sketch is from the SFYTT on 12-5-09, courtesy of the uber-talented Jen Del Muro. How about another card?

My second card...

This is another Heather Ellis image which I also found on Etsy. It is called Purr Button. I would link to this image for you but Heather is on vacation (or her Etsy shop is) and the items are not currently listed. This little kitty isn't available at My Favorite Things so I can't even lead you there for it. Sorry! You can look it up after January 3rd if you are interested in owning it for yourself. The paper here came from Hobby Lobby, once again. For inexpensive background papers, they just can't be beat. The sketch I used is from the October Verve Release Challenges (VSOCT09C).
And my last card for tonight...

This one really isn't a Christmas card but it is finished and I won't be back for a few days so I wanted to go ahead and show it to you. I made sure to chose colors that weren't predominantly red and green. For some reason, yellow stars on the little fir trees would make it Christmas-y but the silver tones them down and makes it an appropriate winter card. To me anyway! The image is from WhimsieDoodles. I have used some of their images before, on this card here.
They are of superior quality and I love to color them.

Well, I think that will do it for me tonight. I finally got my holiday cards posted here for you. Yay! Not a day too soon. I'll be back "next year" with lots of new projects to share with you. I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year's. I hope each and everyone of you is surrounded by those you love and that you get to experience the many gifts of the season. I would also like to thank you for visiting my little corner of the web here and giving me a place to share my passion for all things papercrafting. I appreciate your support over the last several months as I figure out this part of my hobby. Warm holiday wishes from me to you!

Merry Kissmas: Papers- Paper Studio Trendy Christmas Mix. Stamps- Pure Innocence Merry Kissmas digi image. Tools- CB divine swirls emb folder; Coluzzle circles; Spellbinders Ribbon Tags Trio; SU word window punch. Embellishments- 3/8in white grosgrain ribbon; Dress It Up Mini Primary Confetti Buttons. Pens- Copics (B21, B0000, Y02, Y21, RV10, YG11, E00, YR02); Zig (black, pure red, fawn); SU (Green Galore, Pixie Pink). Font- Cheri 16pt. Sketch- based loosely on SFYTT 12-5-09.

Merry Christmas Kitty: Papers- Paper Studio Retro Presents; HL CS. Stamps- Pure Innocence Purr Button digi image; Hero Arts Winter Wishes. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- CB emb folder divine swirls; EK dotted mini scallop edger punch. Pens- Copics G07, G28, R29, RV10, C1, C3, C5, B0000, B000, blender (0). Sketch- Verve/VSOCT09C.

Snowfriend Like You: Papers- Fancy Pants Frosted Striped Scarf & Colored Winter DP; HL CS. Stamps- WhimsieDoodles Snowfriend digi image. Tools- Marvy oval punch. Embellishments- Walmart buttons; DMC#6052 pearl cotton; Michael's ribbon. Pens- Copics (YG63, E44, B0000, R59, RV19, YR02, B37, B34); Sakura silver gelly roll pen.

Making Spirits Bright

Hi folks! I am in a huge hurry today. Today is my second to the last day of work and it will be a humdinger so I am going in early to get my ducks in a row. Just wanted to show you a quick card though. We are almost out of time to show Christmas cards so I wanted to fit it in. Here ya go...

It uses a digi image from All That Scraps, obviously a fav of mine. My papers are Imaginisce. I touched up the berries on the wreath with a little red stickles and the trim is a Martha Stewart edge punch. I printed the sentiment on my computer (cheri 12pt). The inside is balnk for now but I will add some embellishment using my scraps before I give it to anyone.

Can you forgive if I duck out of here quickly? I'll be back this weekend though. I want to finish up my holiday cards that you haven't seen yet. Have a great weekend!

Digi Vases and Web Greetings

Hola, mi amigos! How goes it? We are rockin and rollin here at my house. I have a long to-do list to finish and am slowly making some headway. I was supposed to work today but I switched days because today was crazy enough without leaving the house to work for someone else. Know what I mean? So tomorrow when I would have been hanging out at home getting things done and grocery shopping, etc, I will actually be donning my work clothes.

This busy-ness brings me to today's card. Last night I noticed it sitting in my stacker and thought about how long it had been finished, just waiting to post here and how it was a symbol of my life lately. When I made it originally, I was hurrying to finish it for some challenge or another. I vaguely remember that I missed the deadline. The image I used is a digi image...another computer dependent project in a hobby that could be 100% from my own hands if I let it. I also remember that the ribbon on it was a scrap so I ended up running back to JoAnn's to get more so I could make duplicates. And so on...I am never finished!

My husband asked me last night if I ever feel "caught up." Um...NO! Do you? In the new year, maybe I need to think about making that happen. This world is just spinning too fast for me! This week I got a very long email/holiday newsletter from a friend. It would have been several pages if I had printed it out. We are too busy to catch up on a regular basis during the year but then there is so much stuff to tell me because it is Christmas that it takes a multi page newsletter? Maybe we are all just too darn busy. Hmmm...

So, I went the long way but how about a card....

The inside of this card has a small stamped panel that says, "many thanks" trimmed in scraps of cardstock used on the front. The image is from Cocoa Studio and it was a freebie when I found it. Check them out though because they have tons of adorable images to buy and download for free. This one colored like a dream and printed so very nice on my little old printer. I got nice, crisp image with no tweaking.

This card shaped up around the image that I colored first. I rarely color before choosing papers. Isn't it funny how we have a process and stick to it over and over again? I am very much a routine kinda girl. Sometimes that "routine" takes a left into Rutville though. :D

I better finish up here. My supply list is below and this card will be listed on Etsy sometime soon. Have a great week and try to slow down and remember the real reason for all this rushing around in the month of December. I will try to do the same!

Papers- DCWV cardstocks from my stash. Stamps- digi image of flower vase from Cocoa Studio; Hero Arts petite messages (inside.) Inks- Graphite Brilliance. Tools- Fiskars lace border punch; EK yellow corner rounder; Sizzix emb folder (lg spring flwrs). Embellishments- Bo Bunny ribbon; red primas (reinked with Copic RV19); misc buttons. Pens- Copics RV19, YG03, Y21, YG17, BG18.

Happy Holidays... Snowman Style

Hi guys! I hope the weekend was great for you wherever you are. I hope you got lots of time to do what you pleased and found no worries along the way. I have a card to show you today. I didn't make it this weekend. I was just to busy! I made it back in October for the Verve Release party Challenges and just have not gotten around to posting it here. I hope you like it!

This card uses the sketch called VSOCT09A. There were 5 sketches that week and this one was the first of the series. I found it to be a tough one to work with considering that tag area that overlaps the focal point area. What I love though is that snowman! This is one of my favorite images. It is by Penny Black and I saw it used last year on another blog so I just ran right out to find one. I ended up ordering it online and paying wayyy too much for him. Oh well! He's a cutie and I bet I have already gotten my money's worth. I used Nesties to cut the scalloped square behind the image and the pale plum panel is embossed with a Cuttlebug folder.

I didn't bother snapping a photo of the inside because it doesn't have any sentiment but it is decorated to match the front of the card. I used scraps and left plenty of room for a hand written message. To me, that is one of the benefits of making and sending hand made cards...they can say whatever you want them to say!

I have abusy day planned so I am off for now. I will be back with a few more holiday cards that I haven't had time to show you just yet. Have a great Monday!

Papers- EK Art Blanche Winter Dot; Gina K Pure Luxury CS; SU Perfect Plum & Pale Plum CS. Stamps- Penny Black Warm & Cold; Hero Arts Sunny Happy Holidays. Inks- Memento Tuxedo black; Tim Holtz faded jeans distress ink. Tools- Nestie Scalloped Square (sm); Nestie Ribbon Tags Trio; Paper Studio snowflake punch; Marvy circ punch (2.5in); CB snowflakes emb folder. Embellishments- American Crafts ribbon (silver baby); Dress it Up Blue Snowflake buttons; MM silver metallic stitches. Pens- Copics (N1, N3, B93, B97, E44); Zig (pure orange); SU (Perfect Plum, Pale Plum); Sakura (Clear Stardust, Blue Metallic). Sketch- VSOCT09A.

Just Because

Good Morning! I am off to a kids Christmas party and buffett at my husband's office. Since I am fond of hot breakfast, I think I will hurry here. OK? Today's card is one of those simple little all occasion greetings that is perfect to make ahead and have on hand. I made it a while back but have not showed it you yet. Take a quick look and then I will elaborate.

My papers are Basic Grey Urban Prairie (Bountiful & Bluebird) from earlier this year. I paired it with a muted yellow print that must have been from a kit. It was a single sheet with no label on it, stuffed in an old paperkeeper. My sketch is courtesy of the ever so talented Mercy Kerin (MTSC 32). The image I chose to use is an Annie LaPointe image called Chill Out. I think I picked it up in the MFT Bubble Bin. I tried my hand at distressing on this card. That technique is always a tough one for me. My results end up looking very contrived. I guess Ineed to practice more!

If you have any questions about this card or any others, please feel free to email me anytime. I am going to skip a detailed supply list in the interest of time though. Have a great weekend!

Deck the Halls Trevor

Hidee ho, neighbors! It is Friday. Hoo-RAH! It is going to be a lovely weekend. It finally turned winter here in GA and I am looking forward to some hanging out time with my family and it better involve some cocoa and cider alongside our fireplace. Of course, I have to work in the middle of those bursts of family time. Oh well! The December credit card bills won't pay themselves, right? How about a card really quick? Let's forget about finance charges and interest rates for a minute and take a look.

And don't forget the sentiment inside...

Please excuse my fingers in the photos. It was terribly windy here when I took my pictures. I almost lost the card off my deck twice. Little Trevor would have been pretty chilly if he landed in a puddle, huh? He is so cute! I wasn't lying when I told you a long time ago that I just can't quit on using the CC Designs Sugarplums images. I think they are some of the cutest little kid images out there. I love every one. I also love that they come as digi images. I can resize and have them in my possession as soon as they are released.

I colored Trevor with Copics and accented with a little Sakura gelly roll in silver. The sentiments, both inside the card and the front, are printed on my computer. The DP is some older stuff by Deja Views in the Sharon Ann collection. It is a baby boy themed group but the prints I chose are just basic colors and geometric prints. I felt like it worked really well here.

I think I am almost done making holiday cards. I still have lots of stamps and papers I wanted to use this year but my card pile(s) have grown to ridiculous proportions. Maybe I need to put it aside til next year and replenish the birthday and thank you note piles, KWIM?

Whatever cards you are working on lately (if you do that sort of thing) make them something fun. Grab a little time for yourself this weekend too. I know I will be sitting in my office after work this weekend for sure. Just enjoy yourself whatever you do! Bye for now!

Papers- Deja Views Sharon Ann My Precious Boy Big Dots & Little Dots; SU Wild Wasabi; Paper Co Ming Blue. Stamps- ATS Sugarplums digi image Ornament Trevor. Tools- EK circle punches (1 1/8, 1 1/4, 1 3/8in); SU ticket corner punch. Embellishments- American Crafts ribbon; Making Memories silver button brads. Pens- Copics (E37, E35, RV11, E00, RV29, B23, B39, B21, E49, E44, G28, G21, G24, C3, blender 0); Sakura Silver Gelly Roll. Font- CAC One Seventy (16, 18, 20pt).

PS: I have gotten a few emails lately asking me if I still sell my creations in an Etsy shop. Of course! Sometimes it may take me a little bit to get things from here listed on Etsy but if there is something in particular that you are interested in, I can hurry and get it listed just for you so please ask. In addition to the many things I show here prior to listing, I list several other items in my shop too so please visit and check them out! If you end up ordering, drop me a note to tell me you stopped by here first and I will throw in a treat with your order. :)

I Get a Kick Out of You!

Hello! I took a few days off but I'm back with a new card!I thought it might be nice to take a break from holiday and winter cards for a day and show you something different. I am almost done with my Christmas cards anyway. Before we know it, we will need Valentine's cards! Today's card is just one of those all purpose, friendly greeting kinda cards. Here ya go...

The inside of course...

As I have mentioned before, those Changito monkeys have grown on me. I didn't care for them but the newer, unmounted image/sentiment combos are really cute. This set is really versatile. I recently made a birthday card for a friend who has a soccer crazy grand daughter so I masked the plain ball and substituted the soccer ball from SU's set called All in the Family Accessories. It turned out cute.

My paper choices for this card came from my infinite stash. The DPs are Scenic Route and the card stock is from Hobby Lobby. I colored little monkey man with my Copics. I end up coloring monkeys the same way every time which is to use E44 and E42 along with a touch of R83 for the tongue. The ball is popped up on dimensionals. You can barely tell in the photo but there is a bit of sparkle on the shoes. I used the clear star gelly roll pen for the accents. Watch out Nike!

I'll be back tomorrow with a new card. If our weather clears up and I can go outside to get a good shot of a new card I made this week, I will have that one for you. It uses the new Ornament Trevor digi image from All That Scraps and it is wayyyy too cute. If it stays gray and yucky outside, it will be a snowman card that I made during the October Verve Release Party Challenges. Tune in because they are both pretty cute IMO. Have a wonderful day!

Papers- Scenic Route North Shore Wipe Out and Appleton 5th Street; HL CS. Stamps- Stampendous Cling Changito Kick and Cling Get a Kick. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- EK dotted wave edge punch. Embellishments- Favorite Findings buttons; DMC #823 pearl cotton. Pens- Copics (R22, R27, R29, R39, R83, E42, E44, B97, B0000, YG95, YG03. Sketch- SSC247.

Paisley and Poinsettias

Hi there everyone! I hope your week is off to a great start. I have a chorus concert to attend tonight so my post will be a quick one. Today's card is one I made last year. I pulled it out to list in my Etsy shop today and realized that since I began blogging in January, I never showed this one "to the masses." So, how about a card?


And the inside...

The papers for this card were an outlet store find. They are older Daisy D's prints which I didn't really care for when they were new but they grew on me. The poinsettia is made out of 2 stamped flowers from the SU set called Doodle This. It was one of the first large square cards I ever made, I think. I used to avoid them since I could never find envelopes but then I discovered that American Crafts makes 5.5in envelopes in several colors. My ink is SU Old Olive and the Merry Christmas sentiment is from the dollar bin at Michael's.

Since this card is a simple design and I have plans tonight, I'm off. I am probably going to freeze my tootsies off so y'all think of me while you stay toasty warm. G'nite!

Even Warmer Winter Wishes

Hi guys! The weekend is almost over and I am NOT ready for the grind again just yet. I hope your weekend has been full of fun though. I better get some stamping time in soon because I am in withdrawal. It is a good thing I had several cards made ahead to show you this weekend I guess.

Today's card is another winter themed card. I have made so many "wintery" cards this year! I think that means I have too many snowman stamps and papers, right? I just never get tired of coloring little scarves and hats on chubby little white people, LOL! So, you wanna see?

If you had told me 5 yrs ago that I would pair dark jewel tones and brown with snowmen, I would have laughed. Isn't it funny how paper manufacturers can dictate our style as we go along with this hobby? Anywho, this is my card! The sketch came from the Viva la Verve with aTwist Challenges. I turned it on it's side though. I don't usually do that. I am so boring! When I see a sketch, I rarely visualize using it in a different orientation. I already had my image stamped and ready though so I wanted to use a sketch with a "landscape" focal point. I like how this one worked. :)

I think you have heard this line from me recently but I have to get ready for work. So, I'll leave you with a supply list and a sincere wish for a great week. Stay warm wherever you are and try to fit in lots of hobby time...whatever that hobby may be. Heck, maybe I will be able to fit in a little crochet time as well as stamping. Dream big I always say. Bye for now!

Papers- MM Double Dipped Brown CS; Neenah Classic Crest Natural White; Imaginisce Polar Expressions Pine & Peppermint. Stamps- SU More the Merrier. Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- MS Snowflake Punch. Embellishments- Doodlebug Lily White Sugar Coating; DMC #E5200 Pearlescent Effects Floss; DMC ecru pearl cotton; Favorite Findings buttons; Inkssentials Glossy Accents. Pens- Zig (pure orange, chocolate); SU (Basic Black); Copics (E44, B00, B52, G24, R39); Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Stardust pen.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Brrrrr! My little "Hotlanta" finally got chilly enough to seem like almost Christmas! It is so darn cold this morning! In honor of the dropping temps, I picked a card that is all about the cold. Without further ado...

And the inside of the card which is without sentiment but decorated just the same...

I'll tell ya...this color combo has grown on me this season. When I first saw the new papers in Bo Bunny and Imaginisce, I kinda cringed. I thought, "BROWN? Everywhere? On Christmas papers?" Now it just seems to come together on my projects and I have found myself even accenting the brown components of the prints too.

The focal image is easily recognizable (if you spend any time on the My Favorite Things site) as a Who's That Girl image. I have to admit another thing. When I began blogging, and reading other blogs especially, I saw "the girls" using images I had never seen before. I had been a strictly Stampin Up/Archiver's/Hobby Lobby girl until then. I have to say a "headless chick" didn't really appeal. Well, one image in particular grew on me the most so when they released several WTG sets as digi stamps, I had to order the one used above. I have not been disappointed. Printing the image for use lets me resize as I wish and print with less effort than pulling out my stamps, blocks, cleaner, etc. I'm not finished having inky fingers! Not by any stretch but digi images can simplify the process when you are strapped for time. Might that be you? Heaven knows that I am the original "strapped for time" girl!

So anyway, about the card up for discussion! I went with a square card this time. I love square cards! My snowflakes are from QuicKutz Revolution dies. And ya wanna know where I got that delightful shade of blue-green paper to match my DP? I colored it with Copics of course! No paper I had set off the lovely Bo Bunny print paper so I made my own. Beware though, if you try this technique yourself, I used quite a bit of ink. Don't attempt if you don't own the reinker for your color of choice. It used several cc's of ink. Another point of interest to mention is that I made her little boots shiny to look like rubber galoshes. If you enlarge the photo, it may show up better.

As I mentioned yesterday, I am off to work in a bit so I will go ahead and give you my supply list. Have a wonderful weekend! Please stop by again tommorow since I have another new card just waiting to show you. Stay warm!

Papers- Stampin Up Chocolate Chip CS; Bo Bunny Tis the Season Snow Flake DP. Stamps- MFT Baby It's Cold Outside digi stamp; Stampendous Snowy Short Stacks (sentiment). Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- Marvy snowflake punch (2 sizes); EK (1 & 1 1/8in) circle punches; QK snowflake and flourishes dies (Revolutions). Embellishments- Paper Studio clear gemstones (3mm & 2mm); Inkssentials Glossy Accents. Pens- Copic (BG72, E21, B0000, R27); Zig (pure orange, chocolate).

Merry Merry Merry!

Hi guys! TGIF, huh? I couldn't be more ready for a weekend if I tried. I have some great new cards to show you this weekend too so drop in every day. Today's card will kick off a run of several Christmas and winter themed cards. Tis' the season, right? I used an older digi image but since she is still freaking adorable I didn't think anyone would mind. Have a look...

Isn't she precious? I was happy to finally cut into my Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses too. Every time I have pulled it out this season, it just didn't work with my project. For this, it clicked though. My sketch was from Mojo Monday # 113. That was one of those weeks where there was simply no time to play along so I filed it away. It really works well with this image IMHO.

That cute little snow bunny is a digi image from All That Scraps. As y'all know, I never really get tired of those "mouthless little kids" (as my family refers to them LOL). They have evolved over time and just keep getting cuter. Every new release, I wait anxiously to see what is new and I am never disappointed.

Well, I am off to work again. I'll be working every day but I still have a small backlog of work to show you here so be sure and visit during your chilly weekend. Bye!

Papers- SU Soft Sky and Ultrasmooth white; Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses (thin ice, glazed apple, & snow globe). Stamps- ATS snow bunny digi image; Rubber Stampede Merry Merry Merry, Inks- Memento Tuxedo Black. Tools- Marvy scalloped circle punch (1 3/8in) & 1 1/4in circle punch; SU scallop edge punch. Embellishments- American Crafts ribbon. Pens- Copics (E00, E02, E21, E57, R59, G24, B00). Skecth- Mojo Monday #113.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Well, the weather outside is frightful, but my card is sure delightful... Hahaha! I think so anyway! Howdy folks! I am here with a super quick post and then it is off to work for me. As you may have noticed, I am simply OBSESSED with winterish/snowman/ snowflake themed cards this year. I have hardly made any traditional red & green cards yet. Today is no exception. Wanna see?

I pulled out some really old paper here and decided it was going to work "or else." Luckily, I didn't have to take myself up on that dare. I liked my results! You can see I used another non-traditional color scheme. I always seem to gravitate towards blues for snow themed cards. Here, I paired it with a dark, plummy, red. These papers were part of a winter stack from Walmart several years ago.

The image is a Hampton Arts stamp. He was really easy and fun to color...not that snowmen need much color, right? My sketch is Jen Del Muro's Sketch for You to Try posted on 10-24-09.

Like I said, it's off to work I go. Hi Ho and all that good stuff. Enjoy your Wednesday and I will be back very soon with 2 great new cards. I will update this post with a supply list too. I haven't been able to get a good photo of each new card with all our clouds here but the sun is coming out today supposedly so I will snap a few. Adios!