FESTIVE FRIDAY CHALLENGE #17

I have been inspired by Nicole Derendorf's Festive Friday Challenge, to make a start on Christmas cards.  I have made ONE already (so proud of myself!) for a recent Just Add Ink challenge, but I need to now keep the ball rolling!

This week's challenge is to use the following sketch to create a Christmas card inspired by one of the Design Team samples:

I loved the way Carolyn used the Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder, and Riding Hood Red pleated satin ribbon, so I've incorporated those two elements on my card.

Stamps: Welcome Christmas, Season of Joy, Delightful Decorations

Card: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Whisper White

DSP: Letters to Santa Designer Series Paper

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive and Early Espresso stampin' pads

Other: 2 1/2" Circle punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, 3/4" Circle punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Riding Hood Red pleated satin ribbon, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, Basic Rhinestones, stampin' dimensionals, sponge dauber, Petals-a-Plenty embossing folder

ETA:  I was named as winner of this challenge - thanks, Nicole!

STAMPIN' UP! CHRISTMAS-THEMED BLOG HOP

Today I'm taking part, with 8 friends who are also Stampin' Up! demonstrators in Australia, in a blog hop.  We have lots of ideas to share with you, for using Stampin' Up! products to make your Christmas projects.

You may have come from the very talented Alisha Watson's blog.  If not, you can start here, and follow the link at the end of my blog post, to go on to the next 'stop'.  Please visit all 9 of us if you can, and leave us some comment love, so we know you've stopped by!

I have two cards to share with you.  The first card evolved from a flower that my friend Nikki kindly showed me how to make.  I didn't attend Stampin' Up! Regionals training this month, but by all accounts it was a "wow" event, not least of all because of Miriam Spiess's flowers!  My first attempt is not all that great, but you get the idea!

...... and a close-up of the crimped, die cut and punched panels on the spine of the card:

Stamps: Merry & Type

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Basic Black

DSP: First Edition Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Cherry Cobbler and Basic Black stampin' pads

Other: Tasteful Trim XL Bigz die, Decorative Label punch, Scallop Trim border punch, Crimper,          2 3/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle punch, Antique Brad, sponge daubers, paper snips

My second card uses a sheet of Designer Series Paper, from the "Letters to Santa" pack, that I hadn't yet cut into.  I really like the colours on this card.  I used the rock 'n' roll technique with the ornament stamp, with varying 'intensity' of rolling, to achieve two different looks.  The ornaments were inked up first in Marina Mist ink, then rolled on my Early Espresso stampin' pad.  Hubby thinks this card is too "blingy", whereas I think one rhinestone brad and four self-adhesive rhinestones is quite understated! LOL.

.... and a close-up of the ornaments and 'bling'.  (I was more concerned about two bows being "over the top"!)

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Contempo Christmas

Card: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red and Marina Mist

DSP: Letters to Santa Designer Series Paper

Ink: Marina Mist and Early Espresso stampin' pads

Other: Ornament punch, Cherry Cobbler seam binding, Basic Rhinestones, Ice Circle Rhinestone brad, Scallop Edge border punch, stampin' dimensionals, White baker's twine (*new - out 1st December), mini glue dots

I really enjoyed making these cards, and hope I've inspired you to try something new.

Now it's time to visit Ros Davidson's blog. 

 

Here's a list of all the participants in today's hop. 

Tina Gillespie

http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com/

Nikki Sadler
http://www.inkyart.com.au

Sue Madex
http://www.madexcreations.com

Di Dunk
http://www.stampartbydi.typepad.com

Judy May
http://www/judymay.typepad.com

Kathryn Mangelsdorf
http://klm55.blogspot.com

Alisha Watson
http://www.ratherbstampin.typepad.com

Christine Blain
www.christineblain.blogspot.com


Ros Davidson
www.rosdavidson.typepad.com

Thanks for stopping by, and have a great weekend!

JUST ADD INK #44

Second only to red, my favourite colours are earthy tones, so this week's colour challenge at Just Add Ink really tickled my fancy.

Last night I was a bit foggy-headed, in the aftermath of a migraine, but felt well enough to make a simple card.  I mention this because when I put my card scraps away, I was horrified to discover (and even more horrified that I hadn't noticed earlier) that I had used Early Espresso, instead of Chocolate Chip, cardstock on my card!!!  I am going to be unusually forgiving of myself, though, and have decided not to re-make the card; just pretend that the strip of card is a lighter brown than it really is, okay?!

It is a bit hard to tell in the photo I've taken, but the Christmas ornaments look a light gold colour.  I inked the stamp up first in River Rock ink, then used a sponge dauber to apply Frost White shimmer paint, before stamping the image onto white card.  I've taken a close-up shot so you can see some of the shimmer.

Here is the card in its entirety:

Stamps: Contempo Christmas, Delightful Decorations

Card: Whisper White, River Rock (textured), Early Espresso (let's just call it Chocolate Chip!), Wild Wasabi (textured)

Ink: River Rock and Wild Wasabi stampin' pads

Other: Ornament Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder, Chocolate Chip 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (retired), mini glue dots



CHRISTMAS CARD CLASS - part 2

As promised yesterday, I have a couple more Christmas cards to share with you.  In the class I ran yesterday, we made four cards, all using new products from Stampin' Up!  I am loving the new "Delightful Decorations" stamp set, and the Ornament punch that makes it so easy to cut out the ornaments.

Here is the third card we made using these stamps, and "the" punch:

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Christmas Classics

Card: Shimmery White, Rich Razzleberry, Always Artichoke

DSP: Always Artichoke Patterns DSP (from the Regals Patterns Stack)

Ink: Rich Razzleberry and Always Artichoke stampin' pads

Other: Ornament XL punch, Scallop Trim border punch, Large Oval punch, Scallop Oval XL punch, mat pack and paper-piercing tool, sponge dauber, stampin' dimensionals

The last card I have to share with you is a bit more 'rustic' looking than the other cards we made.  The focal image is the gorgeous new "Dasher" stamp, that is only $14.95.  This beautiful reindeer will feature heavily on my Christmas cards this year, I'm sure!  I love the colour combination of Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, and Very Vanilla. 

Stamps: Dasher, En Francais, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler

DSP: Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso stampin' pads

Other: Buttons #5 Sizzlits die, Word Window Punch, Linen Thread, sponge dauber, mini glue dot



I hope you have some fresh ideas for making your own Christmas cards.  Please get in touch with me if you have any questions!

Please come back again on Saturday, 25th September, and work your way around the blog hop I will be taking part in.  There will be lots of pretty things to look at!

CHRISTMAS CARD CLASS

This morning I held a class, in which we made four Christmas cards using new Stampin' Up! products.  I've committed to holding one Christmas class a month (since July) until at least November, in an effort to be more organised than I'm prone to being!

The first card we made was so I could show how beautifully the new Cherry Cobbler ink, cardstock and papers match.  We used "Jolly Holiday" Designer Series Papers, which have a beautiful array of patterns (lots of circles and polka dots, so I'm happy!).  It's a simple card, but I think it's quite elegant, with the addition of some scrumptious new Old Olive 5/8" satin ribbon, and a single rhinestone.  What do you think?

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Occasional Greetings

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla

DSP: Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler stampin' pad

Other: Ornament XL punch, Old Olive 5/8" satin ribbon, Basic Rhinestone, Stamp-a-ma-jig, mini glue dots

We again used the "Delightful Decorations" stamp set, and co-ordinating Ornament punch, using the same colours but with a very different result.  The pattern in the punched-out squares on this next card was made by stamping the beautiful ornate Christmas tree, from "Snow Swirled", then punching out portions of the image.  I love it, and was quite pleased with myself for coming up with that idea - I wanted something 'swirly', to go with the pattern on the ornament, and the background of the card.

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Snow Swirled, Short & Sweet, So Swirly jumbo wheel

Card: Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Ink: Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Ornament XL punch, Word Window punch, 1 1/4" large square punch, 1 3/8" XL square punch, stampin' around jumbo handle, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Very Vanilla 3/8" taffeta ribbon, sponge daubers, Stampin' Dimensionals, mini glue dots

I'll be back tomorrow with the second instalment of today's Christmas card class.

You can expect a few posts from me in coming days, as on Saturday 25th I will be taking part with some friends in a blog hop.  Hope you come back to visit, and join us all, to get some ideas on how to use lots of new products from Stampin' Up!