February Challenge - Heart

Here it is February 1 and I know you think this is a Valentine's card, but wait!

Sylvia's Christmas Card Challenge this month is a red heart and foil paper. I totally missed the foil paper part, so come back later to see if I managed to make another card incorporating that. Today I was feeling pretty proud of myself that I managed the red heart part! This is an old (2001) Stampington & Company stamp called Forget Me Not, which is what it said before I covered it up with a "from the heart" banner using a Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous stamp and some white embossing powder. 

The red ink for the heart and banner is Versafine Satin Red which I clear embossed, and I used the same ink to stamp Waltzingmouse's "Christmas Wishes" along the left side. A stamp positioner makes that a breeze. I used a MISTI and slid the paper up by one inch increments to stamp evenly spaced wishes. I popped the heart and sentiment up with foam tape. It's a simple card, but I think it looks more involved thanks to the beautiful collage stamp.

I am entering this in the fun Jingle Belles challenge called "Text Me." Still time to enter until Feb. 7. I am also entering it in the Splitcoaststampers Fan Club February Christmas Card Challenge for the letter H.

Winter Birthday

Here's a sweet woodland scene for a winter birthday card. These stamps are by Waltzingmouse Stamps. I really miss that little Irish stamp company!

I added a little snow (Rock Candy glitter) to the branches which you might make out here:

I am entering this in the Seize the Birthday Anything Goes challenge here. Thanks for stopping by.

January Christmas Card Challenge

It a new year of monthly Christmas Card Challenges over at SMD Paper Arts. I have printed them off and the first one calls for a yellow star and an embossed die cut. I managed a pretty clean and simple card design using a Tim Holtz star embossing folder.

I was ruminating on the utter humility required for the Creator of the universe to humble Himself and be born in a manger. I thought the contrast with the big, bright star would reinforce that.

This naive sort of artwork is normally not my thing, but I have very few nativity stamps and for some reason this Bible journalling set by Illustrated Faith attracted me.

So that's my first Christmas Card for 2018 and so far my favourite! As this rubber stamp set is new to me, I am also entering this card in the Jingle Belles Challenge for their first challenge of 2018.

Welcome, 2018!

Happy New Year! I hope this year brings health and peace and wisdom to you.

I had a haircut today to start the new year right, and I made the above goofy eyeglasses for my hairdresser as a gift for her 8 year old daughter. You can find the free SVG file at the Simply Crafty SVG site.

I also made her this card, which has lots of glittering sparkly fireworks (heat embossed glitter embossing powders) in real life.

Thanks for visiting today!

Last Two 2017 Christmas Cards

How has your Christmas season been? We have had a lovely time and I am now back in my craft room tidying up. I have two more cards I made for Sylvia Durocher's monthly Christmas Card Challenge that I can share with you today. In November the shape was Scallop Square and the colour was Navy. Here's my effort:

Stamp City Snowman with Cardinal circa 1999; Penny Black sentiment

I created the background with a slatted stencil and Clarity Stencil Brushes. I need to work on that technique some more. My soft red ended up looking pink! The Scalloped Squares are made with Spellbinder dies. The parts that might look black are actually Navy. I black embossed the Snowman with Versafine ink and coloured with Zig Clean Color brush markers.

In December the shape is Rectangle and the colour is brown. I didn't stamp anything on this card - I used Tim Holtz "Remnant Rubs" in gold foil for the Wonderland title and to add Season's Greetings up the side. The deer paper is from a small Memory Box "Tinsel" paper pad. I added glitter to their scarves.

Thanks for visiting today. I look forward to seeing what Sylvia's challenge will be for 2018!

Free Gift Card Holder File

I did not have time to make greeting cards for my staff this year, but I wanted to present them with gift cards in a novel way. Dreaming Tree has a free file to create a clever pop up gift card presentation. I made an assortment.

In the upper left is the prototype but I was rushed for time so fussing about with ribbon was a challenge. I discovered I could affix these pins, that I picked up at Winners, to close the pouches and skipped the ribbon on the rest.

I forgot to take a photo of the inside which is elegant and clever, so pop over to the Dreaming Tree site to see that and if you have an electronic cutting machine, be sure to snag this freebie!

And here is a card I made this year that made me smile. It is very simple, for my great niece who is only 18 months old. The penguins are mounted on Action Wobbles so they shimmy and make me laugh. I hope they make her laugh, too!

Dreaming Tree Christmas Card

I have not been feeling well this season so the Christmas Card production came to a bit of a halt and I feel bad some folks won't be getting a card this year.

However, I did find time to make one very special card to put in my parcel to my Mom. This is a Paperscape Box Card SVG file from Dreaming Tree that folds flat for mailing, but also works as a luminary with LED lights inserted in the base. Dreaming Tree files are a dream to work with, very well designed, and Leo provides video instructions on the website that are very clear to follow.

Here is a bit of a side view. There are four layers including the background.

A Quietfire Design stamp in Brilliance ink provided the greeting. I added crystals later.

These were supposed to be cardinals but I wanted a blue and white card, so Mom gets blue jays instead.

Finished card with gemstones.

Here is the card with the LED lights inserted, next to my Mom's Christmas tree. She is enjoying it.