Warm Wishes for Color Hues

Hello friends and Happy New Year!  I hope your holidays were wonderful.  We're back with a new year of challenges at Color Hues and starting off 2026, the lovely Bonnie is hosting and has chosen a wonderful winter pairing.  

Color Hues

I'd been wanting to use an older stamp set from Stamping Bella and these colors couldn't have been more perfect to use with it.

This is Quinn.  She looks very stylish and cozy in her cute coat and warm boots!  I used Copic markers in cool grays to color her coat, stockings and to add shading, including on the ground so she didn't look like she was floating in air lol!  The red markers are more of a tomato red mix and worked well with the poppy cardstock used for the layering arch. A white gel pen was used to add polka dots to her scarf, but it looked so bright white that I chose to lessen the effect by coloring over them with a light red marker.

I used a piece of gray snowflake patterned paper from the Honey Bee Stamps North Pole paper pad (it came out last year but it's still available), cut it with an arch die, then layered that over the poppy cardstock cut with the next smaller arch die.  Two additional layers were added under that for a bit of dimension before adhering to the card base.  

The sentiment is from the same stamp set and was die cut with a small circle die.  The final touches were to add Star Dust Stickles to the hat pompom and head band, along with the tops of her boots, plus a few HBS Aurora Borealis gems.  In person, the sparkle is amazing but of course, it is difficult to capture in a photo. 

I hope you'll have an opportunity to play along with us this round.  These colors provide a wide range of options, as shown here by my talented teammates and our wonderful Guest Designers Lisa and Barb.  The challenge will stay open until 9 am Wednesday, January 14th.  I hope to see your card in the gallery!

Thanks for visiting!

Stef

• Stamping Bella Uptown Quinn and her Boots stamps
• Simon Says Stamp A2 Arches dies
• Hero Arts Nested Circle die
• Star Dust Stickles
• HBS Aurora Borealis gems
• HBA North Pole paper pad
• Copics - R59, 46, 27, 17, C7, 5, 3, 1, 0, E47, 44, 43, 41, 04, 21, 00

Grand Poinsettia for Color Hues

Hello friends!  Here it is, the first day of the last month of 2025.  My, my time seems to pass so quickly.  Do you feel the same?  Anyway, the good news is that the first of the month brings a new challenge at Color Hues.  The lovely Tracey is hosting our final challenge of the year and has chosen a wonderful color combination and it's a perfect combo for any time of the year.

Color Hues

I'm also joining in over at the Time Out Challenge, where this time we are to "Pick 2" and I chose nature (flowers/pine branches), emboss and sparkle.

TOC #302

And I'm playing along with Just Us Girls, where it is Anything Goes Stencil Week.

JUGS #803

How about one more poinsettia?  This one is unique in that it was made exclusively for the Simon Says Stamp/Gina K class kit sold earlier this fall, so there weren't any made available outside the kit, and it is sold out.  However, it's too pretty not to share and other components on my card are currently available.

The beautiful Grand Poinsettia was die cut from white cardstock then embossed in the coordinating folder, after which I used the matching stencils to color it in three shades of pink.  The pine sprigs were die cut from two shades of green cardstock.  All that was set aside to create the background.

The SSS/Gina K Merry & Bright stamp set (this one IS available) has a number of snowflake stamps, so I used them to create the background on a 4.75" x 6.75" panel.  A clear block was used to stamp them in Gina K's Medium Spruce ink, followed by a large blending brush to lightly blend the same color to soften the edges.  

The sentiment can be found in the same stamp set or, as I used, in a matching Polyglaze sheet, which I foiled, one each of gold and silver, then die cut.  The 4" x 6" panel was matted with silver glitter cardstock, added to the snowflake panel then all the other elements adhered.  I finished things off by adding SSS Prism Dazzling Gems to the flower center and up around the sentiment.

And of course I couldn't make just one, so here's the same design with gold.

Both of these cards were inspired by one we made in class from Gina K's design.  We used her new ink colors of light, medium and dark Cranberry, along with the spruce. 

So where will these colors take you?  For more inspiration, I encourage you to visit the challenge blog, where my amazing teammates have some gorgeous creations.  

Since this is the final challenge of the year, it will be open until December 29th at 9:00 am EST, so I hope that gives you time to sneak away from the holiday goings-on and play along with us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Stef

P.S. If you like today's card, come by on Tuesday when I use the same poinsettia ef to create two CAS cards.

• Gina K Grand Poinsettia ef, stencils and dies
• SSS/Gina K Merry & Bright stamps, dies and Polyglaze sheet
• Altenew Baby Pink, Fuchsia and Magenta inks
• Gina K Medium Spruce ink
• SSS Prism Dazzling Gems

Snowflake for the Paper Players

Hello friends!  It's Sunday and time for a new challenge at the Paper Players.  This week I'm hosting our monthly sketch challenge and created one that will be super easy and versatile for you to use.

PP757

As you can see, the circle can be any shape, so your choices are vast!  

For my card, I created a simple Christmas card.  In fact, it was so simple I ended up making four altogether.  But here's my favorite...

I had several ideas for this card, but I ended up with a foiling session, using the Pinkfresh Studio Radiating Snowflake press plate and a couple of Spellbinder sentiment sets.

Next I pulled out one of my favorite Christmas patterned paper pads and found four that would match the snowflakes I'd made.  For the most part, the papers all utilize a bokeh effect, along with different colors and some with more prominent snowflakes.  I love the gold and blue on the card above.  

Putting the card together was super simple.  The snowflake was layered on two additonal die cuts then adhered to the card front, the sentiment popped up with foam tape and then I added three snowflakes cut from white glitter paper and topped with sparkly gems.  I used the same design on the other three cards.

I hope this easy-to-use sketch inspires you to join us this week!  For more design ideas, my wonderfully talented teammates have some fabulous cards on challenge blog here. The challenge will remain open until 3pm EDT on Friday 3rd - I hope to see your card in the gallery! 

Stef

• Pinkfresh Studio Radiating Snowflake Betterpress plate and die
• Spellbinders Comfort & Joy Sentiments Hot Foil plate and die
• Spellbinders Sending Joy Sentiments Betterpress plate and die
• Kristina Werner Kristina's Essential dies A2 rectangle
• SSS Woodland Treescape Snowflake dies
• SSS Warm Tones, Surf and Prism Dazzling Gems
• Whimsy Stamps Blurry Flurries patterned paper

Snowflakes for The Paper Players

Hello friends!  The last Sunday of the month is upon us and that brings a new sketch challenge at The Paper Players!  This time the lovely and talented Ann has given us this wonderful sketch with lots of options.

The Paper Players

I'm also sharing my card over at Addicted to Stamps, where the theme is Any Occasion.

ATSM #479

Since I'm still working on Christmas cards, that is the direction I took.  I kept things very simple; so simple I made two cards!

I decided to pull out some patterned paper that I hoard rarely use but knew it would work perfectly with the snowflakes I created.  I love the bokeh effect and the pretty colors.  

The snowflakes were die cut from silver and white glitter cardstock using various snowflake dies, with the exception of one small snowflake that was cut from light purple glitter paper.  The same cardstocks were used for the die cut sentiment and the vertical strip.  No need for embellishments with all that sparkle and shine, plus I think they would get lost against the background paper.

What are you inspired to create with this sketch?  For more ideas and inspiration, be sure to visit the challenge blog to see what my talented teammates have come up with.  I hope to see your card in the gallery this week - the challenge remains open until Friday November 1st at 3 pm EDT.

Thanks for stopping by and take care!

Stef

• HoneyBee Stamps Lovely Layers: Snowflakes dies
• Simon Says Stamp Aidan and Sophie Snowflake dies
• SSS Handwritten Merry Christmas dies
• SSS Glitter and Matte Silver cardstock
• Whimsy Stamps Blurry Flurries 6x6 designer paper

Winter Wishes for Just Us Girls

Hello friends!  It's time for a new challenge at Just Us Girls, where I am the January guest designer.  This week is Word Week and we have one that is apropos for this time of year.

Just Us Girls

  

I'm also playing along with the current Time Out Challenge, where the theme is new.

TOC 254

I recently bought a new snowflake embossing folder and snowflake die cut set and was excited to put them to use for this card.

I started with a panel of mixed media cardstock and ink blended a trio of purple inks, then embossed it with the snowflake folder.  Next I used my white pigment ink pad and very gently rubbed it across the top of the raised part of the embossing to give it some dimension.

I used four dies from the HoneyBee Stamps Lovely Layers: Large Snowflakes set to cut snowflakes out of two colors of purple and one of white.  The background panel was added to the white card base, the snowflakes adhered together and then added to the card along with a foiled sentiment to finish things off.  Super easy and oh, so sparkly!

Thanks so much for visiting, I appreciate it.  Be sure to head over to the challenge blog where the DT has loads of inspiration to share with you!

Take care!  

Stef

Stamps:

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Vicki Boutin Mixed Media, Pinkfresh Studio Foiled Sentiments 4 Holiday, Simon Says Stamp White Glitter, Winter Glitter and Be Mine Glitter

Dies:  HBS Lovely Layers: Large Snowflakes

Inks:  SSS Lilac, Orchid, and Amethyst, Hero Arts white pigment

Embossing:  HBS Snowflakes folder

Pink Shimmering Season for Color Hues

Hello friends!  I'm back with a card for the final challenge of 2023 at Color Hues.  The lovely Nancy has chosen a gorgeous non-traditional color combination sure to work for any of your last-minute holiday cards!

Color Hues

For my card I used the beautiful Gina K/Simon Says Stamp Stamptember 2023 stamp set Shimmering Seasons.

I started by silver heat embossing all the images on a panel of pink cardstock, then used a darker pink ink to blend around the edges.  I really fussed and debated about the sentiment.  I had one idea in mind, but it didn't look right and then I realized some the of embossing didn't come out well. Rather than toss the panel, I came up with a new plan.

I opted to use a large sentiment die cut from matte silver cardstock but the background was too busy without something behind it plus I wanted to hide the areas where the embossing didn't take properly.  A band of vellum took care of that and was the perfect home for that beautiful sentiment and I really like how the card turned out.  I hope to create some other cards using this stamp set before I'm done making Christmas cards, the images are so pretty.

What are you inspired to create with these colors?  Please take a moment to check out the cards by my wonderfully talented teammates and hopefully you'll be inspired to join us!  The challenge will last all month, so you have plenty of time to play along.  The challenge will close at 9 am EST Thursday December 28th.

I wish you all the best during the holidays!  I'll have a new post on the 4th, so I hope you'll swing by and take a look.

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Gina K/SSS Stampember 2023 Shimmering Season

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Concord & 9th Carnation, Lawn Fawn Pearlescent Vellum, SSS Matte Silver

Ink:  Versamark, C&9 Sweet Pea

Dies:  Poppy Stamps Poe Script Merry Christmas

Other: SSS Fine Detail Silver embossing powder

Christmas Sparkle for Christmas Craft Creations

Hello friends!  For the month of June, the challenge at Christmas Craft Creations is to use heat embossing as the focus of your project.  My card today is for the reminder post - the challenge is open until 11:00 am MDT on Tuesday July 11th.

Christmas Craft Creations

I'm also playing along with the lovelies at Inkspirational, where the current challenge is to emboss your background.

Inkspirational #292

I don't know about you, but I have what I wouldn't call a "bad" habit (although my wallet may disagree lol!) but a tendency to get carried away after seeing all the new beautiful Christmas crafting supplies that are released every year and buying more than I use in a season.  The stamp I used today is one of them.

The snowflakes are part of the beautiful Snowed In Background stamp from Taylored Expressions and because it is red rubber, I easily got beautiful results despite the intricate detail of the snowflakes.  It was stamped with Versamark onto aqua paper then silver heat embossed.  I then inked around the perimeter of the panel with a darker aqua color and once that dried trimmed the panel down to 3.75" x 5".

Next the sentiment, which is from Poppystamps Christmas Sparkle stamp set, was stamped on the aqua paper, silver heat embossed then die cut with a circle die and mounted on a slightly larger circle die cut from matte silver cardstock.  The sentiment was added to the panel with thin foam squares.  The panel was then adhered to a 4" x 5.25" panel of the same silver paper then added to a white card base.  I loved how it looked but thought it could use a bit more sparkle, so I added Ocean Waves crystals to the center of all the snowflakes except the tiniest of them.  I wish I could show you how it sparkles IRL, it looks so pretty, but unfortunately my camera just can't capture that.

Thanks so much for visiting and I do hope I've inspired you a bit, and for even more inspiration to start or add to your Christmas card stash, be sure to head over to the challenge blog where the other design team members have some beautiful cards to share!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Taylored Expressions Snowed In Background, Poppystamps Christmas Sparkle

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Simon Says Stamp Matte Silver, Concord and 9th Aqua Sky

Ink:  Versamark, Concord & 9th Oceanside

Dies:  Hero Arts Nested Infinity Circle dies, 

Other: SSS Ultra Fine Silver embossing powder, Studio Katia Ocean Waves Crystals

Holiday Cheer for Christmas Craft Creations

Hello friends!  It's time for the Christmas Craft Creations reminder post and this month we are asking everyone to make a "true" one layer card, decorating just your card base without additional layers of any kind, except for embellishments such as sequins, etc. 

Christmas Craft Creations

I found this to be quite a challenge but I was determined to find a design that worked and I ended up CASEing the very talented Miriam Prantner's card design, just changing up the color and the sentiment.

As you can see, this is a super easy design, even if you don't use these exact stamps.  The snowflake borders are from Snowflake Edges stamp set and the sentiment from Christmas Blessings stamp set, both by Simon Says Stamp.  I started with 110# Neenah Solar White cardstock, which is what I use for almost all of my card bases, stamped the top border with Versamark, then heat embossed with Distress Embossing Glaze in Salvaged Patina.  I did the same for the bottom border as well.

Next, Salvaged Patina Distress Ink was blended over the embossing, then I added the sentiment using Versafine Clair Morning Mist pigment ink.  Almost done!  Lastly I dug through my drawer of embellishments and found these pearls from Lucy's Cards Harmony Crystal Collection that matched perfectly!  And that was it!  This will definitely be one of those mass production card designs come fall.

Thanks for taking time to stop by.  How is your Christmas card stash coming along for this year?  If you want to get a jump on it, you can find oodles of inspiration at Christmas Craft Creation every month.  Be sure to use the link above and see what delights the other team members have created for this challenge!

Take care!

Stef

Snowflake Visions for the Tic Tac Toe Challenge

Hello friends!  It's time for a new Tic Tac Toe Challenge and this week I am the featured designer.  Oh my gosh, can you believe how quickly Christmas is approaching?  If you still have Christmas cards to make for this year, I hope my board inspires you! 

Tic Tac Toe Challenge

 

For my card I went down the middle column - snow, free, blue.

This card was so easy to put together after spending an afternoon playing with pastes, embellishment mousse and embossing folders!  I shared some other creations using this same process last week - use this link if you haven't already seen that post.

Anyway, for the background I used a 3D embossing folder with a panel of Midnight card stock, then applied some Simon Hurley Clear Skies Lunar Paste using a Ranger ink blending foam and handle, making sure to leave a bit of the dark cardstock showing around the snowflakes for some contrast. The paste dries quickly so I was able to trim down the panel, adhere it to a larger panel of silver then add to a white card base.

Next I added a large snowflake die cut from silver glitter cardstock, topped it with another snowflake die cut from matte silver cardstock, then layered the sentiment across the middle.  Making things even simpler was that the sentiment was from a package of pre-foiled and die cut sentiments.  Super quick to make with nearly all the components made ahead of time.

Thanks for visiting, I really appreciate it!  Be sure to use the link above to check out the beautiful cards from the other DT members and hopefully be inspired to join us this week!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  None

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Concord and 9th Midnight, Simon Says Stamp Matte Silver and Silver Glitter, Pinkfresh Studio Foiled Sentiments 4 holiday

Other:  Simon Says Stamp Dainty Snowflake die, Filigree Snowflake Emboss & Cutting die, Snowflake Visions 3D embossing folder, Simon Hurley Clear Skies Lunar Paste

Snowflake Christmas for Sunday Stamps

Hello and welcome!  It's time for a new challenge at Sunday Stamps and this time Heidi has given us this great sketch to work with.

Sunday Stamps

  

I'm also playing along the Watercooler Wednesday Challenge and the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge.

WWC326

POEC #2

When I saw Heidi's sketch, I narrowed my choices to leaves or snowflakes...and snowflakes won out because I wanted to use a couple of the gorgeous new Tim Holtz Mica Stain Sprays.

For starters, I took an oversized piece of multi-media paper that could withstand water and sprays, and had a fun time creating this background.  I used two of the green blue colors (my photos pick up more of the blue shade - IRL it turned out more of a teal shade), sprayed in spots on the panel, sprayed with water to mix it, then heat set it.  I did this a couple of times then set it aside to dry overnight.  The next day, I die cut the panel with a rectangle die, splattered it with white metallic paint, which was a bit too faint, so I went to white gouache for a brighter effect.  As with many shiny applications, the beautiful shimmer of the mica sprays unfortunately isn't discernable in the photos.

For even more sparkle, the snowflakes were die cut from white glitter cardstock.  I used Liquid Platinum to heat emboss the sentiment, trimmed it down, then added more embossing around all the edges.  The sprayed panel was added to the 5" x 7" white card base with foam tape, then the snowflakes were adhered with just a touch of liquid glue at the centers so I could get some lift on the outer portions of the flakes. The sentiment was popped up with thin foam tape and the final touch was to add a few sequins.

Thanks so much for visiting, I really appreciate it!  Be sure to use the link above to check out the fabulous, clever cards by the other DT members and hopefully be inspired to join us!

Stef

Stamps:  Holiday Greetings Mix 1 (Simon Says Stamp)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Vicki Boutin Multimedia, White Glitter (SSS)

Ink:  Versamark

Other:  A7 Layers Rectangle die (Waffle Flower), Daphne, Lia, Kaydn & Rina Snowflake dies (SSS), Snowflurries and Frosted Juniper Mica Stain Sprays (Tim Holtz), white metallic paint (Altenew), White Gouache, Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder (Ranger), Antique Gold sequins (Altenew)

Merry Days

 Hi friends!  I hope this finds you well!  Today I'm sharing a card made for the current Paper Players challenge, where the lovely Claire is hosting.  It's the monthly CAS challenge and this time the theme is "Snow".  I'm also joining the current challenge at Addicted to Stamps, where it is Christmas week.

PP 524

Challenge #397

So many potential ways to go with the snow theme but snowflakes won out!  

I went through my pile of leftovers from making Christmas cards and found this gorgeous embossed background.  The panel was initially sprayed with Distress Spray Stain and Shimmer Spray, then when dry was embossed with the Filigree Snowflake folder.  I just love the pattern and the shimmer makes it so elegant.  The panel was trimmed down and added to a white card base with foam tape.

The large snowflake was die cut from holographic paper and the shadow from heavy weight vellum backed with double sided adhesive paper.  I first removed the release paper of the vellum and added it to the embossed panel then adhered the snowflake.  The sentiment is from a sheet of sentiments and I trimmed it out with my paper trimmer then adhered it across the snowflake middle with foam tape.  The final touch was to add a few holographic star sequins.

Thanks for visiting, I really appreciate it!  I hope you're staying safe and healthy.  Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  None

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Silver Holographic (Simon Says Stamp), Grafix Platinum Vellum, CZ Design Reverse Christmas Sentiment Strips (SSS)

Ink:  Dusty Concord Distress Spray Stain

Other:  Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Spray, Dainty Snowflake (SSS), Filigree Snowflake embossing folder (SSS), Oh My Stars Confetti Mix (Trinity Stamps)