Noel for Color Hues

Hello friends!  The first of November is upon us and we have a new challenge over at Color Hues.  This time, the lovely and talented Karen has chosen red and black for her color duo.

Color Hues

 

This beautiful combination works well for so many occasions but I thought it would be an elegant look for a Christmas card.  For my card design, I used the sketch for the current challenge at The Paper Players. If you see this before 3 pm EDT today, you still have time to play along.

As I was searching my stash of patterned papers for another project, I came upon a 6x6 pad from HoneyBee Stamps that is probably about 2-3 years old but still yields some beautiful patterns for the holidays and found two pieces in red and black plaid that would work for the card front.

I could not believe my good fortune!  They didn't line up precisely but using the strip of matte gold cardstock did the trick to hide it.  I pulled out a new favorite die set from Spellbinders, the Christmas Bird Poinsettia and created a red floral image, using red Copic markers to color the white die cut.  

The poinsettia was added to the card with a foam square, then I tucked in the die cut leaves and branches, most from the same die set.  Using the matte gold for the flower center, one of the branches and the sentiment tied in with the gold horizontal strip.  The final step was to add a bit of sparkle with some pretty red gems.

Thanks for taking time to stop by and I hope you'll head over to the CH blog were my very talented teammates, along with our guest designers Colleen Begley and Izzy Scrap, have some gorgeous inspiration for you.  We'd love to have you play along; the challenge will remain open until 9 am EST November 14th.

Take care!

Stef

• Spellbinders Christmas Bird Poinsettia and Christmas Greetings die sets
• HoneyBee Stamps Lovely Layers: Winter Greenery die (the black branch)
• HBS Holiday Traditions 6x6 patterned paper
• Simon Says Stamp Matte Gold cardstock
• Picket Fence Studios Candy Cane Gem Mix

Festive Bouquets v2 for The Flower Challenge

Hello my friends and happy holidays!  I hope things are going smoothly for you and that you're able to have time to enjoy the season.  I actually finished my Christmas cards earlier this year than the prior 2-3 and got the house decorated on December 1st, so I've been feeling a little ahead of the game.

But that's probably not why you've dropped by my blog, so let's get to it!  This is my reminder post for The Flower Challenge, where we're asking everyone to use gold on their cards.

The Flower Challenge

I loved the lilies and the colors I used on my first TFC card here, so I decided to stick with them and go a bit bolder.

As with my prior card, the image was stamped, colored with alcohol markers, restamped with Versamark ink and gold heat embossed. The gold embossed sentiment is from the same stamp set and it, along with the flowers were die cut with matching dies.

For the background a panel of magenta cardstock was embossed with the Spellbinders Beveled Diamonds 3D folder, then lightly brayered with gold pigment ink across just the very top of the panel to make some of the embossing stand out.  When dry, the floral image was adhered and the overhanging parts trimmed off, then I added the sentiment with some thin foam squares.  

I hope you'll find a few minutes for a crafty break from the holiday busyness and join us - the challenge remains open until the 25th and we'd love to see your card in the gallery.  The team will be taking a much-deserved break in January, returning with a slate of new challenges for the new year beginning 2/4/24.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Stef

Stamps and dies:  Simon Says Stamp Festive Bouquets

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, C&9 Dragonfruit 

Ink:  Versamark, Altenew Antique Gold

Other:  Spellbinders Beveled Diamonds 3D embossing folder, Altenew Antique Gold embossing powder, Tim Holtz Brayer

Sketchmarker:  V111

Copics:  RV06, 04, 02, R39, 37, 35, YG67, 17, 03, BG32,11, G00

Festive Bouquet for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends! Here we are, time for the final challenge for the year at The Flower Challenge.  This one is perfect for those last minute holiday cards or, if you're like me, you love using metallics on your cards anytime.

The Flower Challenge

 

I'm also joining the current challenges at The Paper Players and Time Out Challenges.

PP669

TOC 252

Using a large floral stamp created an opportunity to create a slimline card, which I haven't done in a while.

I started with the stunning Festive Bouquets stamp set from Simon Says Stamp (and designed by the endlessly talented Emily Midgett), stamping the larger of two florals bouquets in the set.  It was stamped in alcohol marker friendly ink, colored using bright pinks for the flowers, then restamped with Versamark and gold heat embossed (yay for stamp positioners!).

Next came the background panel, which was die cut using the SSS Detail Bohemian Slim Plate, sprayed with shimmer then adhered to a white card base after it dried.  I used my trimmer to cut the floral image so I could use the two parts on each end of the card.  The sentiment is from one of my favorite holiday stamp sets by Poppystamps, also gold heat embossed then die cut with a rectangle die.  The flowers were adhered directly to the card, the sentiment popped up with thin foam tape and finally a few gold glitter gems were scattered about.  

I do hope you find time during the busy holiday season to join us! the challenge will remain open until 5 pm on 12/25/23, plus we'll be back with more inspiration on the 15th with our reminder post.  But, before you head off to your craft room, be sure to take a peek at the stunning array of cards my teammates have created - lots of inspiration there!

If you don't have a chance to drop by for my reminder post on the 15th, I wish a happy holidays to you and yours!  

Stef

Stamps:  SSS Festive Bouquets, Poppystamps Christmas Sparkle

Paper:  Neenah Solar White

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark

Dies:  SSS Detail Bohemian Slim Plate and Festive Bouquets, Hero Arts Nested Rectangle die

Other:  Hero Arts White Iridescent Shimmer Spray, Altenew Antique Gold embossing powder, Studio Katia Gold Glitter gems

Copics:  RV06, 04, 02, YG67, 17, 03, BG32, 11, G00, R39, 37, 35

Sketchmarker: V111

Friends Like You for The Flower Challenge

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at The Flower Challenge!  This month, along with your beautiful flowers, you need to add embellishments - how easy is that?  And thank you to all those that joined the challenge last month for our 6th birthday celebration; there were soooo many beautiful cards!

The Flower Challenge

I've been seriously working on my Christmas cards, so I took this opportunity to make another one.

This was a fun, if messy, card to make.  I used a wonderful poinsettia die set from Concord and 9th, die cut all the flower and branch components from watercolor paper, then sprayed them with Distress Mica Stain sprays.  While you can see the shimmer in the photos, it is just remarkable IRL, and doesn't look splotchy like the photos make it out to be.  I also die cut a few pine branches from white cardstock and leaves from dark green cardstock, then sprayed them with sheer shimmer spray.  The flower center was painted with gold metallic paint.  When all the parts and pieces were dry, I put the flower together by adhering the layers just in the middle so I could get some dimension from the petals.

Next the sentiment was gold heat embossed, then fussy cut for kind of a fun look.  I really love what it says and plan to use on several cards to friends!

For the base, I die cut three layers of a trellis cover die, adhered them together, then onto the card base.  The floral arrangement was adhered directly to the front and the sentiment popped up with thin foam squares.  I then added a gold glitter drop to the flower center and scattered about a few Leaf glitter drops that conveniently arrived the day I was putting this card together.  It was just meant to be!

I hope you'll join us this month for this easy challenge and in the meantime, be sure to use the link above to pop over and see all the gorgeous cards from the other DT members!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Christmas Sparkle (Poppystamps)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Midnight Green (Simon Says Samps), Canson XL watercolor

Ink:  Versamark

Other:  Peppermint Stick, Winterberry and Tree Lot Distress Mica Sprays, Concord and 9th Fresh Cut Florals Edition 4 dies, Altenew Garden Trellis Cover Plate die, Metallic Paint and Antique Gold embossing powder, Studio Katia Gold Glimmer Crystal, Pinkfresh Studio Leaf Glitter Drops, Imagine Crafts Sheer Shimmer Spray