A Holiday Beverage

TGIF everyone!! I watched Craft Roulette Episode #246 Live tonight. Lots of shenanigans with Mary Gunn FUNN posing at Mrs. Claus & her guest "Merry Gary" was dressed as an elf - such fun!! Here's my card:

Supplies: Paper - Recollections A2 card; Neenah Solar White; 

Merry Making (snowflake; from Hobby Lobby);

My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas (brown dotted)

Stamps with Dies - Simon Says Stamp Old Fashioned Christmas Set

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Other - Copic Markers; foam tape

The wheel spun some fun holiday parameters:

• Project - Holiday Card: I made a Christmas card.
• Colors - Trees: I used green, brown, orange and red - many trees have these colors.
• Element - Drinking Vessel(s): I stamped a cocktail glass with bottle.
• Random - Something From Your Floor: I got the SSS Old Fashioned set back in November & it's been on the floor by my TV chair ever since! Perfect!

I and several friends love drinking brandy old fashioneds when out for dinner. People tease us because we're from Wisconsin originally & they think it's a WI thing - maybe? I've only been drinking them since I moved to MN! Anyway, when I spotted the SSS set I had to order it. 

Stamped the bottle, bow, & glass then colored with Copics. Added to a background of snowflake paper with a brown dotted "tablecloth". Sentiment is from the same set. Since my Old Fashioned is newly used, I'll add my card to Darnell's December NBUS Challenge #69.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful & crafty weekend!!

Starting 2025 Christmas Cards!

Hi everyone! I finished my 2024 Christmas cards and either mailed them all or am hand-delivering them. 80 in all - Whew! So, what better time to start on 2025 cards:

Supplies: Paper - Recollections Light Brights; Paper Studio Holiday;

Hero Art Glitter Basics; Neenah Solar White;

Graphic 45 Merry & Bright; scraps

Dies - Spellbinders Stocking Full of Joy (DOML-Jul23;  retired);

AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set

Stamps w/dies - Hero Arts Santa's Door Accessories

(retired at HA but found HERE at Frantic Stamper

Embossing Folder - Spellbinders Pine Cones & Berries (3EOM-Jul24);

Taylored Expressions Weathered (retired)

Other - Copic Markers for shading; foam tape

I wanted to do at least one card for Day of the Month Card Club #70 where it's National Sock Day. So I brought out a Spellbinders Large Die of the Month from last year that I used to make my December Card Chain card (to be revealed 1/2/2025).

Die cut a stitched rectangle from light blue cardstock and embossed it. Added to an A2 card formed from dark red cardstock. Die cut the stocking, foliage, gingerbread & candy cane from patterned paper and scraps. Embossed the stocking base with a weathered pattern before adding the cuff, toe & heel pieces. Assembled the accessories and added them behind the stocking, then to the card. A sentiment sign from an old Hero Arts set finished the card.

That's it for today, friends. Thanks for visiting and happy crafting!!

Anything but a Card for Poppystamps

Hi all - over at Poppystamps Challenge #123 they're doing anything but a card. A lot of people were doing tags but I decided to try an ornament.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; 

Hero Arts glitter; scraps

Dies - Poppystamps Sweet Nordic Snowman

& Basic Ovals Set

Other - Snowflake and gem from the stash;

$1 monogram ornament from Target; Copic markers

I was thinking of different ways to do an ornament. While shopping today, I found some acrylic monogram shaker ornaments in the Target Hot Spot. For just a dollar I figured I could mess it up and not lose a lot of cash. Decided to cover the front and still have the depth of the acrylic shaker to see from the side. 

I cut the snowman bits from scraps and assembled. Some of the scraps were a pale aqua which I used that way, plus I colored some pieces deeper aqua shades with Copics. The pink scarf was from a scrap of watercolor paper that I'd painted pink at some point. 

I die cut an oval and glued it to the ornament front then added a glittery snowbank to the bottom which I round more to the O shape. Noticed at the top right that a bit of the O showed so I added a snowflake. Here's a view of the ornament back:

The shaker bits inside are thin glitter. I specifically chose the letter O since I wanted to cover it up. On some of the other monogram ornaments you could leave the letter showing and just add to it - might try that next!

That's it for today! Thanks for stopping by & I hope you're having fun preparing for the holidays!!

Fancy/Uneven Edged Card for Die Cut Divas!

Hello everyone! We have a December Challenge running at Die Cut Divas and the team is doing a reminder post today. Given the busy holidays, we're not doing individual posts so I won't have a Diva post on the 21st. Instead, I'm sharing the card below as inspiration. Frantic Stamper sponsored us this month and has a couple of dies as a prize for our random winner (to be awarded 1/3/25).

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card;

Doodlebug, BoBunny & Neenah white;

Dies - Frantic Stamper Simple Scalloped Edgers &

Giant Layered Thanks 

Stamps w/dies: Hero Arts retired snowman (set unk)

Other - Copic Markers

Our theme is a fancy or uneven edge on the card's outside edge. Some people have been unclear on this - we do mean an edge of the card base. Interpreting this as a shaped card works or making just one of the card base edges as fancy/uneven works too. 

On my card I made both the front and back bottom edges of the card base as scalloped. I started with a pale lilac A2 card and die cut the front with one of Frantic Stamper's Simple Scalloped Edgers (set has 3 different scalloped dies). I bought this set specifically for this challenge and it got first play here.

Next I cut an A2 panel of dotted Doodlebug down to a layering panel using the same die and then a darker purple strip of BoBunny that I layered behind the dotted. I had left the card back with a straight edge but decide to cut it with the scalloped die too. I used it on the white inside edge, rather than from the back, so it looks like part of the other rows. I love how this turned out!!

Next I die cut the layered thanks with Neenah white and a scrap of the same darker purple for the outline. I had a snowman already stamped and die cut in the Christmas bits box. I know it's Hero Arts but not sure the set's name; definitely retired though... I colored the snowman with some Copics. This is the first of my thank you cards for Christmas gifts; I plan to make more of this design - so fun!!

Ready for a bonus? I had been addressing envelopes to mail my stash of Christmas cards and realized I would run out. So I broke out another new FS die set I bought for this challenge.

Supplies: Paper - Park Lane A2 card;

Graphic 45 Merry & Bright

Dies - Frantic Stamper Deckled and Torn Edgers

Other - Graphic 45 Merry & Bright Ephemera

Yes, I have other dies to cut deckle and torn edges but I liked the shape of the FS ones. I used the torn edge die and cut into the card front. I added patterned paper to the inside of the back of the card base & left it as a straight edge. Next I took a piece of texty patterned paper from the same designer collection & cut it with the same die and layered onto the card front. Some ephemera from the collection completed the card. Oh, & on the inside, I used an Insider panel from Taylored Expressions. Those panels really saved me some time this year! I die cut the right edge with the torn edger, just a bit shorter than the card front so it's hidden when closed.

I'll add the snowman thanks card to Darnell's December NBUS Challenge #69. And I'll add the second card to Christmas Kickstart #93 where any Christmassy-themed card works! This is my third of three max.

That's it for today, friends. Hope to see you in the December Diva Gallery by 9pm Pacific Time on December 31st.

Thanks for stopping & happy crafting!

A Tri-Panel card for Craft Roulette!

Hi all - I've been very busy making and mailing Christmas cards but I still had time to watch Craft Roulette #245 last night. I was out for dinner with the neighbors night so missed the first hour of the LIVE but watched it all later on replay. I waited until this morning to make my card:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah Solar White;

BoBunny Snowfall; Hero Arts Arctic & glitter

Dies - Hero Arts Paper Layering Poinsettia (retired);

snowflakes by unk

Stamps w/dies - Taylored Expressions

 Season's Sweetings (dies HERE)

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Caitlin Anthony (Caitlin Annalee Cards) as her guest. Caitlin has been card making since September 2018 & she does some of the LIVES for Pink & Main. The wheel spun some fab parameters for us:

• Project - Tri-Panel Card: I found a YouTube tutorial by Dawn of the Glitter Pit & used that format. 
• Colors - North or South Pole: Like Caitlin, I figured Santa's workshop was brown, snow is white & some has that frosty blue color (like Arctic paper!).
• Element - Holiday Floral: I broke out my favorite poinsettia die set.
• Random - Snowflake(s): My patterned papers have loads of snowflakes but I added some die cut ones from the bits box too. That's why I don't know the brand...

Easy and fun card format! I'll add the sentiment to the back panel which is 4.25x5.5" (A2 size). The card folds down to A2. Here are a couple more views:

I participated in my first Craft Roulette member Zoom call today. Got to put a face to some of the names I see a lot in the chat during a LIVE; there were about 28 of us on, including host Mary. Most of us were multitasking with card projects; I worked on uploading my episode #245 card.

I'll add my card to Christmas Kickstart #93 where any Christmassy-themed card works! This is my second of three max.

That's it for today, friends. Hope you're having a great weekend and getting loads of cards made! Thanks for stopping by!!

Two Christmas Cards - Joyfold and Stenciled!

Hi all - TGIF! Sorry if I haven't visited you lately - seems like everyone is busy preparing for Christmas and not blogging as much. Anyway, I've been busy writing out my Christmas cards & realized I have to make a few more (I had 72 finished). So I got busy yesterday and whipped up a card using a new Waffle Flower stencil - will share that later in the post.

First I'll cover Craft Roulette Episode #244 which aired earlier tonight. I watched through the parameter reveal, then went off to make my card. Didn't finish until after the episode ended since I had nearly forgotten a parameter! No worries, plenty of time for submitting to the gallery.

Supplies: Paper - Doodlebug; Neenah white;

Hero Arts Glitter Basics

Stamps with dies - Hero Arts Northern Lights Polar Bears Bundle 

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders

Other - Copic Markers; Distress & Hero Arts inks;

ribbon by unk

Host Mary Gunn FUNN had Christine Bertram (Cards by Christine) as her guest. Christine is a successful Stampin' Up demonstrator who does a lot of online classes. Here's what the wheel spun for us:

• Project - Joyfold Card: I trimmed one side of an A2 card then adhered a reverse 4x8.25" panel (scored at 4.25") to the inside to form the joyfold. Added a 3x5.5" striped paper to the left side, 4.25x5.5" snowflake pattern to the inside and my 4x4 scene to the right side to fold over. I watched this YouTube tutorial on how to make a joyfold.
• Colors - Bold/Quiet: Used both bold and soft versions of purple/blue/green.
• Element - Family: I stamped, colored & die cut a polar bear family for my fold-over panel.
• Random - Ribbon: I tied a bitty bow and added to a bear cub.

Here's a view of the joyfold open:

I'll add my joyfold card to the December 2024 Hero Arts Stay Crafty Challenge where a card for this festive season works. And here's the card I made yesterday:

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white;

Hero Arts Glitter Basics; scraps

Stencil - Waffle Flower Poinsettia Background

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Poppystamps Lavish Merry Christmas

Other - Hero Arts inks; fineliners;

label sticker from Taylored Expressions

That's it for now - two more Christmas card ready to write out and mail, then back to the craft table!! How are you doing with yours??

I'll add the stenciled card to Darnell's December NBUS Challenge #69 since the poinsettia stencil got first play here. And I can't forget Christmas Kickstart #93 where you can link anything Christmassy.

Thanks for stopping & happy crafting!!

November 2024 Card Chain Reveal

Hi all - once again it's time to reveal the cards that went around the world for the November Card Chain Challenge. Twenty-seven people participated and you can see the entire chain revealed HERE. My card went to sister Diva Lucille (White Points) in New Jersey. I first met Lucille online via the Hero Arts Flickr group back in 2009 & then in person a few years later during a ScrapFest at Mall of America. Here's the card I sent her:

Supplies: Paper - Hero Arts Glitter Basics (retired);

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; scrap of vellum;

Spellbinders Betterpress Porcelain

Dies - AJVD Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Impression Obsession Pine Branch; Penny Black Manger;

My Favorite Things Stitched Oval Scallop Frames (retired)

Embossing Folder - Spellbinders Pine Cones & Berries (3EOM-Jul24)

Press Plate w/Die - Spellbinders Merry & Bright Sentiment Strips

Other - Spellbinders Betterpress Thunder ink; foam tape

We had the following options for creating our cards:

Color Palette Option

Sketch Option

Theme Options: Nativity / Steampunk / Friendship

 

Product / Technique Options: Patterned Paper / Tunnel Card

I went with the colors, sketch and theme of Nativity. The white glitter paper I used looks a bit gray in the photo but it's white in real life. I changed the sketch orientation to portrait and made the frame elements oval. 

Formed an A2 top fold card from Neenah. Took an A2 panel & die cut with a stitched rectangle, then embossed. The 3D embossing gave the background a nice texture, I thought. Die cut a glitter mat & adhered both to the card base. Next I cut two oval frames from a scrap of vellum and added to the card. I wanted to use some rectangular Taylored Expression frames I've had for years; do you think I could find them?? Nooooo. :(  

Then I die cut a glittery Nativity and added to the card with foam tape. I thought pine boughs would be fun for the corners since I was going with a Christmas card. I die cut two and trimmed them apart to fit the 4 corners. Popped on a Betterpressed sentiment from the stash using foam tape - done!

I received this fabulous card from Pia (Pias Papir og Perler) in Norway. I just love her Steampunk collage; I know she was delighted to see that as a theme option! Thanks for the card and ephemera, Pia!!

 

That's it for today, friends. If you'd like to join the December chain, you have until the 6th to sign up. For details, go HERE.

Thanks for stopping & happy crafting!!