Sprigs and Pine Branches

Hello and welcome!  I have a card to share that I've made for two challenges - Festive Friday and Color Hues. 

FF0098

(It was fun to find out that in England a jumper is a Christmas sweater. Unfortunately, I didn't have a stamp with one but it's something to think about for next year!)

For I used red, green and gold which fits both challenges (gold is considered a neutral for the Color Hues challenge).  

I love the Holiday Sprigs stamp set from Simon Says Stamp, and it has seen plenty of use in making my Christmas cards as it is fairly easy to make multiples.  I started by stamping the images on multiple panels and coloring everything with Copic markers.  When the coloring was complete, I put the panels back in my Misti and restamped with black pigment ink for a nice black outline.  After die cutting, I painted the poinsettia centers with gold metallic paint, and added Glossy Accents to the berries on the one sprig.

Next, a panel of white was embossed with the Delicate Pine Branches 3D folder then adhered directly to the white card base.  The sentiment was die cut from Matte Gold cardstock and adhered to the white shadow die cut twice and layered to add a bit more dimension so it would stand out better against the white background.  The sprigs were adhered directly to the card, the candy canes on top of them, then the poinsettias added with thin foam tape.  Festive and pretty easy!

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by, I really appreciate it!  

Take care!

Stef

All products from Simon Says Stamp unless otherwise noted

Stamps:  Holiday Sprigs

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Matte Gold

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Claire Nocturne

Other:  Delicate Pine Branches 3D embossing folder, Merry Christmas die (MFT), Holiday Sprigs dies, Metallic Gold paint (Altenew), Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Copics:  R39, 37, 35, BG 96, 93, 90, YG67, 17, 05, 03, T2

Peace for The Flower Challenge

Hello and welcome! Today I'm thrilled to share that I am this month's guest designer for The Flower Challenge!  The theme is Christmas and I hope you'll be sure to join in this month!

TFC #63

I was very excited to use a stamp for this challenge that I had purchased last year but never used.  It's not one for mass producing, as there is a lot of coloring involved but I love the end result.

I started by stamping the image in Copic friendly black ink, leaving the stamp in place in my Misti as I colored the image.  Rather than go with the traditional red, I chose to use muted pinks for the poinsettia.  When the coloring was complete, the paper was placed back in the Misti, stamped it with Versamark ink, then gold heat embossed it.  I LOVE how elegant the result is.

Next came the center of the image.  The stamp is one of Simon Says Stamps "center cut" red rubber stamps, which enabled me to separately stamp and heat emboss the circular sentiment, then die cut it.  The main panel was die cut with a rectangle die then it was layered on four layers of scrap cardstock for a bit of dimension, then adhered to the white base.  Once that was in place, the sentiment circle was added with thin foam squares.

Thanks for taking time to stop by, I really appreciate it!  Be sure to use the link above to see all DT members gorgeous cards and hopefully be inspired to join in this month!

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Center Cut Holiday Floral (SSS)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark

Other:  Nested Infinity Rectangle and Circle dies (Hero Arts), Antique Gold embossing powder (Altenew)

Copics:  R89, 85, 83, 81, YG 97, 95, 93, 45, G21, 40, B66, 63, 0000

Holly Christmas for Sunday Stamps

Hello and welcome!  It's time for a new challenge at Sunday Stamps, where the colors are perfect for finishing up your holiday cards.

Sunday Stamps

I think I managed to get all the challenge colors on my card along with some silver embossing and baubles.

I started by stamping and Copic coloring the large holly image.  The leaves have lots of intricate little shapes to them, so it was a bit of a challenge to color them.  I love the bright cluster of red berries and when the coloring was complete, I used Glossy Accents to give them a nice shine.  While the Glossy Accents dried, I went to work on the remainder of the card.

The sentiment was silver heat embossed on some Midnight Green card stock, then I used the matching die to cut it out.  I went through my patterned paper stash and found the green plaid paper, which I cut into a one-inch strip.  The main panel was trimmed down, then the patterned paper added along with two thin strips of silver paper.  After the panel was adhered to the card base, the sentiment was added with thin foam squares and the final touch was to add a few silver baubles.

Thanks for taking time to visit, I really appreciate it!  Be sure to use the link above to see all the wonderful creations by the other DT members and hopefully join us for this challenge!

Stef

Stamps: Mondo Holly (Ellen Hutson), Ornamental Christmas (Simon Says Stamp)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Matte Silver (SSS), Midnight Green (SSS), 9x4 Holiday Paper Collection (Trinity Stamps)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark

Other:  Ornamental Christmas die, Silver embossing powder (Hero Arts), Glossy Accents (Ranger), Silver Baubles (Trinity Stamps)

Copics: G29, 20, YG99, 45, R59, 46, 27, 14, C1

Gnome for the Holidays

Hello and welcome! I'm sharing a fun card that I made for a couple of challenges - Joanne's fabulous sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches and using the festive color duo at Color Hues.

CC&S #447

TCH #30

I haven't joined either of these challenges for quite a while, especially since I seem to keep running out of week and now Christmas is nearing rapidly.  But these both worked beautifully for using a fun gnome that I got last year.

I love this CAS design, although putting together all the fiddly little die cut pieces on the gnome's hat were anything but simple lol!  I die cut his robe from Matte Gold cardstock and the hat from the same and also from Matte Silver cardstock.  The rest (the base, solid hat, nose, mustache and beard) were cut from white.  I used Copic markers to color his nose, mustache and beard then adhered all the pieces to the base.  The hat pieces are actually adhered to a solid hat, then added to the base.

Next a panel of white was die cut with the mini-slimline rectangle die that put a nice design around the edges.  The sentiment was gold heat embossed, then the panel layered on 3 slightly smaller pieces of scrap cardstock and adhered to the white card base.  Our fancy gnome was adhered directly to the panel and I was going to leave it at that, but decided a few baubles were in order so they were added as the final touch.  I LOVE how this turned out, that gnome was definitely worth the time and effort!

Thanks for taking time to stop by, I appreciate it.  Enjoy the remainder of your weekend and take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Classic Holiday Sentiments (Waffle Flower)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Matte Gold and Silver (Simon Says Stamp)

Ink:  Versamark

Other:  Deco Hat Gnome die (SSS), Mini Slimline Essential Bundle rectangle die (Pinkfresh Studio), Antique Gold embossing powder (Altenew), Silver and Gold Baubles (Trinity Stamps)

Copics:  E11, 000, W3, 1

Holiday Sprigs for the Tic Tac Toe Challenge

Hello and welcome! It's time for a new Tic Tac Toe Challenge and this week Jeanne has given us this terrific board to spark our creative juices.

Tic Tac Toe Challenge

I'm also slipping in at the last minute to join The Flower Challenge, where the theme is to add leaves.

TFC #62

I decided to go straight across the middle of the Tic Tac Toe board for my card (wreath, holiday, embossing).

Wreaths seem to be quite popular this year, and I discovered that was a missing item from my "collection" of stamp sets, so I remedied that by picking up a couple for use this Christmas.  All the images were stamped and colored with copic markers.  Hard to see because they ended up getting mostly buried under the poinsettias and sentiment are a couple of mossier colored stems that I think are supposed to be eucalyptus.  The centers of the poinsettias were colored in with gold metallic watercolor and the berries covered with Glossy Accents.  Once those things were dry, the coordinating dies were used to cut out everything.  

For the background I used the Delicate Pine Branches embossing folder, trimmed it down and adhered directly to the white card base.  Next I laid out the wreath elements, adhered the sprigs, the large poinsettias and the candy canes directly to the card front, then popping up the small poinsettia with thin foam squares.  The sentiment was heat embossed, die cut then added across the wreath, also with foam squares.  One more Christmas card done!

Thanks for taking time to visit, I appreciate it!  Be sure to use the link above to check out the amazing cards by the other Tic Tac Toe DT members, and hopefully be inspire to join us this week!

Stef

(All products from Simon Says Stamps unless noted otherwise)

Stamps:  Holiday Sprigs

Paper:  Neenah Solar White

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Versamark

Othe:  Holiday Sprigs dies, Delicate Pine Branches embossing folder, Antique Gold embossing powder (Altenew), Nested Infinity Rectangle dies (Hero Arts), Glossy Accents (Ranger)

Copics:  R59, 37, 35, YG97, 95, 93, 67, 17, 05, 03, T2

Winter Anemone

Hello and welcome! Today I'm sharing a card that I made for The Flower Challenge theme to add leaves and the Peace On Earth Christmas Challenge, which is Anything Goes.

TFC62

POECC#4

I'm also joining the current Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge where the theme is also Anything Goes.

I decided to go with a pink and gray for the flowers and used a light mint color in the background, going a little non-traditional for this Christmas card.

I love the delicate design of this stamp set.  I used Copic markers to color it from the muted pinks in the R80s.  I've had these markers almost since I first started learning to color with Copics four years ago but rarely use them. That is going to change - I love these pinks!  After the coloring was complete, I used a white gel pen for the ends of the stamen and die cut the image with the matching die.

On another panel of white I stenciled a design using a light mint color (which unfortunately looks a bit grayed out in the photos).  The panel was die cut then the word Merry was stamped in the upper right.  The panel was added to a white card base, then the rest of the sentiment was heat embossed in silver on a strip of gray and die cut with a label die.  The flowers were added with thin foam tape, as was the sentiment strip, then I used some silver embellies to finish things off.

Thanks for visiting, I always appreciate it!  If you are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, enjoy!  I am so grateful that my husband and I will be gathering with our local family members once again...it was kind of a quiet Thanksgiving last year (yup, the fam can be a bit on the boisterous side lol!).

Take care!

Stef

Stamps:  Winter Anemone (Honey Bee), Holiday Scripts (Pretty Pink Posh)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Slate (Simon Says Stamp)

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Claire Nocturne and Morning Mist, Versamark

Other:  Winter Anemone die, Crystal Kaleidoscope Stencil (HB), Elegant Rectangle Stax die (MFT), Skinny Strips die (MFT), Crystal Collection-Night Sky (Little Things by Lucy's Cards)

Woodland Stencil Birthday

Hello and welcome!  I have a card to share that I made for my SIL's upcoming birthday.  He's an avid outdoorsman, so I think he'll like the stenciled scene on the card.  I'm sharing it with three challenges.

ATSC #418

Double D - Trees

Just Us Girls #610

The stencil I used is 5.5" square so I was able to get two cards from this, although I only photographed one. The other one will go to my great nephew who has a birthday next month.

I wanted the image to be a black silhouette, so I used some black watercolor paper as I thought it might stand up better to all the ink being applied.  I started with a mossy green at the bottom, then progressed to brown for the hills.  The sky was yellow right along the horizon, then orange-red, then purple to dark blue.  The inks were all Distress Oxide (listed below).  Once the inks dried (and that took a while!), the panel was trimmed down and matted on a panel of moss green cardstock.

Finding the right size of sentiment probably took longer than anything lol!  I ended up using one from an Anita Jeram/Colorado Craft Company stamp set, stamping it in black pigment ink on white cardstock, then trimming down to size.  The main image was adhered to a black card base that ended up measuring 3.5" x 6.5" and popped up the sentiment on thin foam tape.  A really easy card that I think the guys will like.

Thanks for visiting, I really appreciate it!  Take care and enjoy your upcoming weekend...only one week until Thankgiving!!?!!

Stef

Stamps  Big Love (AJ/CCC)

Paper:  Mossy Meadow (SU), Black (Hero Arts), Stonehenge Black watercolor

Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Forest Moss, Walnut Stain, Squeezed Lemonade, Crackling Campfire, Seedless Preserves and Chipped Sapphire DOX

Other: Scenic Woodland Stencil (Polkadoodles)

Happy Holidays

Hello and welcome!  I'm working, working, working on getting those Christmas cards done and thanks to the terrific challenges at The Paper Players and Freshly Made Sketches, one more is complete!

PP567

FMS512

I loved Joanne's sophisticated color combination and Kim's sketch worked perfectly with what I had in mind.

This card came together so quickly that I am definitely going to use it for a bit of mass production.  I started by using a shimmer spray on a panel of white and before it completely dried, ran it through my Big Shot with the 3D snowflake embossing folder.  Having it a bit damp kept it from cracking.  Next came the horizontal strips, the largest of which was trimmed down from a sheet of pearlescent silver paper, which actually looks almost gray in the photo and in real life. To make sure I added gray, the sentiment was stamped with gray pigment ink on a strip of white.  

With the horizontal strips adhered to the embossed panel, it was added to a black card base with foam tape.  Next the berry brank was die cut from white cardstock three times and partially out of the pearlescent silver to get the berries.  The white die cuts were layered together then I trimmed the berries off and added them to the white die cuts.  I adhered it to the card and decided I didn't like it. ;-(  Do you ever do that?  I'm afraid I do that more often than I would like...anyway, the branch was die cut one more time from a different silver cardstock and added to the white layers, which I liked so much better! I left it simple without any embellishments so the snowflake background would shine and IRL it really sparkles.

Thanks so much for taking time to visit.  I'll be back later with another card for some other challenges (it's been a productive week!), so stop on by!

Take care!

Stef

(All products are from Simon Says Stamp unless noted otherwise)

Stamps:  Tiny Words Christmas 

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Black (Hero Arts), Matte Silver cardstock, Pearlescent Silver (Tonic)

Ink:  Versafine Clair Misty Morning

Other:  Etched Berry Branch die, Snowflake Visions embossing folder, Tsukineko Sparkling Sheer Shimmer Spray

Sparkle and Shine for Sunday Stamps

Hello and welcome!  It's time for a new challenge at Sunday Stamps.  This week we have quite a versatile sketch that can be used in a variety of ways.

Sunday Stamps

 

So, how about a non-traditional color for Christmas?  That's where I went with my card for this challenge.

I was just in the mood for pink!  Actually, I tussled around a few design ideas for this great sketch but ended up running short on time and went to one of my great holiday fall backs - sparkle and shine!  I started by embossing a white panel with a beautiful snowflake folder and adhered that directly to my white card base.  Next I die cut the snowflake  from the pink glitter paper and layered it on the white shadow that was die cut from a Polished Foil paper pad.  I have to say I never thought I'd use that color foil but it worked beautifully as a background for the sparkly snowflake.

I had a piece of patterned paper cut out for the rectangle strip but after I laid it out with the snowflake and the holographic horizontal strip, it just didn't have enough zip for me, so I ended up using more of the pink glitter paper.  The both strips were adhered directly to the card front, then the snowflake and sentiment strip were popped up with thin foam tape.  I was thinking of adding some silver baubles that I just got from Trinity Stamps but then remembered these fabulous holographic stars and used those instead.

That finished off my card.  Thanks so much for taking time to stop by and I hope you'll use the link above to check out the gorgeous cards by the other DT members.  Please join us for this challenge and show us how you are inspired by this great sketch!

Stef

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, 6x6 Glitter Assortment Pack (Simon Says Stamp), 6x6 Polished Foil Pad (Memory Box), Silver Holographic card stock (SSS), Reverse Christmas Sentiment Strips (SSS)

Other:  Dainty Snowflake dies (SSS), Filigree Snowflake 3D embossing folder (SSS), Skinny Strips die (MFT), Oh My Stars Confetti (Trinity Stamps)

Ho Ho Ho for the Tic Tac Toe Challenge

Hello and welcome!  It's time for a new Tic Tac Toe Challenge and this week Carol has brought us this fabulous board to inspire our creativity.

Tic Tac Toe Challenge

For my card, I decided to go diagonal, from the bottom left to the top right (Holiday, Free, Gift).

I'm also joining three other challenges - Inkspirational, Peace On Earth Christmas and Watercooler Wednesday.

Ink#251

POEC #3

WWC328

I really love the Big Pickup Truck and Big Pickup Tailgate stamps from Honey Bee Stamps so I decided to use the pickup tailgate on for this card.  It's not one I can mass produce for the holidays but I will make a few to send.

For starters, I stamped multiples of everything - the truck, the tailgate, the tree, packages and Santa's bag full of toys.  Also, when I stamped the truck, I stamped the back of Santa in the cab, waiving as he hurries to get everything home before the snow comes down too heavy. (Obviously, it's just started because the tires aren't entirely covered with snow - oops lol!)  Colored it all with Copic markers and used the matching dies to cut everything out.  

To accommodate the size of the truck, a panel of mixed media paper was trimmed down to 5x5 inches, which is the final size of the card.  Distress Ink was used to create the sky, ground and stenciled trees.  The truck was then assembled, adhering the tree and packages directly to the truck, then using thin foam tape to add the bag of gifts.  The tailgate was then added with regular foam tape.  

Next I used both white acrylic paint and white gouache to splatter snow on the background and the truck. I also used the paint to cover the "ground" and add a bit to the tires.  I set those aside to dry and created the sentiment. The word Christmas was die cut twice from white cardstock and once from red polished foil.  I used double sided adhesive sheets on those papers and the vellum used for the shadow, just to make things easier.  The merry was stamped in green pigment ink then die cut with a label die.  Once all the paint was dry, the background was mounted on a white card base, the truck adhered directly to the background, then the sentiment was added to finish things off.

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

Stef

Stamps:  Big Pickup Tailgate, Loads of Holiday Cheer, Bitty Buzzwords: Holidays (all Honey Bee)

Paper:  Neenah Solar White, Vicki Boutin Multi Media, Memory Box Polished Foil 6x6 pad, Grafix Translucent Vellum

Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Green Oasis; Distress - Speckled Egg, Frayed Burlap, Hickory Smoke

Other:  Big PU Tailgate, Loads of Holiday Cheer and Bitty Buzzwords: Holiday dies, Sentiment Labels die (Simon Says Stamp), Woodland Stencil (Tim Holtz), Picket Fence Distress Acrylic Paint, White Gouache

Copics: R39, 37, 35, 29, 24, YR18, BG49, 13, 23, 11, B000, YG67, 17, 03, C7, 5, 4, 3, 2, W9, 7, 5, T6, 4, 2, 0