Three challenges

I'm pleased to have my first Christmas card of 2015 in my stash!  And I was able to combine three different challenges, as well.  I've used the sketch from Retro Sketches, the theme at Heart2Heart is Old/New (last year's Frosted stamp set, with this year's Snowhaven papers) and I am entering this at Merry Monday, where the challenge is to use a snowflake on your card.

Merry Monday inspiration:

A couple of Christmas cards

I have two Christmas cards to share today, both using the same elements, but for two different sketch challenges.  First up is The Challenge #17 where I am just using the sketch:

 And here is this week's Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge:

Patterned papers are Mistletoe; Cardstock is Cranberry, Colonial White & New England Ivy; Ink is Garden Green; Stamp set is Frosted WOTG; Red Sparkles - all Close To My Heart. 

Merry Monday & The Challenge

I've combined a couple of challenges today, and put together two more Christmas cards (both the same!) for my stash.  Merry Monday's challenge was to use a wreath on your card, and I have used both the sketch (loosely!) and the colour combo from The Challenge on Lesley Croghan's blog:

Patterned papers are Frosted; Cardstock is Outdoor Denim; Inks are Whisper and Outdoor Denim; Bitty Sparkles; Stamp set is Merry, Merry - all Close To My Heart. 

Merry Monday #92 & Freshly Made Sketch #120

I had a great time making Christmas cards today for this week's Merry Monday challenge... which was to use Chocolate, Kraft, Red & Vanilla with ribbon.  I pulled out the Classy Doily stamp, which I haven't used yet (gasp!) and coloured it up with my Copics.  I was all set to make two of them, but decided to change up the colour combo for the second one, using the Frosted papers.  I've used this week's Freshly Made Sketch for both:

 

 

Patterned papers are Mistletoe & Frosted; Cardstock is Chocolate, Kraft, Colonial White, Cocoa & Frosted Turquiose; Stamp set is Classy Doily; Chocolate/Cream striped ribbon - all Close To My Heart; Copic Markers.

 

Mojo Monday #326 and the Shabby Tea Room #199

I've combined a couple of challenges today that both inspired me immediately to do another Christmas card, the Shabby Tea Room's colours of Kraft/Black/Cream along with Mojo Monday's square sketch this week.  You can't tell too well in the photo, but the background paper is actually a cream on cream snowflake pattern that fits in well with the snowflake die cuts:

I've also come up with a new Christmas card policy in my craft room... to always make 2 of each card.  That was kindof a "duh" moment for me... I sometimes make multiples of a card, but if I simply ALWAYS make two of each Christmas card, I just may be in a better place come next fall when life simply gets busier.

Patterned paper is Frosted, CTMH; Cardstock is Kraft, Black & Colonial White, CTMH; Stamp set is Peace on Earth, Verve; Ink is Tuxedo Black, Memento; Snowflake dies, My Favorite Things; Martha Stewart snowflake punch.

Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge #200!

Karen Giron is celebrating her 200th Sweet Sunday Sketch this week, so I decided to play along :o)  It was heavenly to make a Christmas card last night to add to next year's stash!  I took my time, there was no rush to make it and then quickly get it in the mail... I just played - heaven.  Here's what I came up with:

Here was Karen's sketch:

Patterned papers are Peppermint Twist, Crate Paper; Cardstock is Pacifica & Colonial White, CTMH; Stamp sets are Frosted WOTG, CTMH & Rescue Remedies, Waltzingmouse Stamps;  Inks are Black, Pacifica and Clover Meadow, CTMH;  Sparkle, CTMH; Martha Stewart snowflake punch.

 

Frosted Christmas cards

I have a wonderful new Memory Box die that I'm trying out today on a couple of cards.  I've used the Frosted paper pack, and added a little chunky glitter to the berries:

Patterned papers are Frosted, CTMH; Cardstock is Cocoa, Slate, Colonial White, CTMH; Ink is Whisper, CTMH; Stamp set is Glad Tidings, Verve; Curvy Oval dies, Verve; Hayden Twigs die, Memory Box.

 

Atlantic Hearts Challenge #32

I'm playing along with the Atlantic Hearts Challenge this week, with the Frosted WOTG stamp set, and the Sparkle & Shine paper pack:

I was trying hard to incorporate juniper into the card somehow (that's the minty green that you see in the polka dot paper)... I tried second generation snowflakes behind the sentiment, but it was way too busy.  I used to own juniper grosgrain ribbon, but not any longer, so I couldn't add any ribbon.  Anyhow, I decided that plain was best for now - any suggestions?

Patterned papers are Sparkle & Shine, Cardstock is Slate, Ruby & White Daisy; Ink is Slate; Stamp set is Frosted Workshop on the Go - all Close To My Heart.

 

A Square Mojo card

I used the square option from this week's Mojo Monday sketch, and had fun distressing the edges of my papers - I don't do it very often!  I pulled out some Tim Holtz distress glitter and added it around the edges of my pieces, too.  My second generation grey snowflake has disappeared in the photo!  It's quite pale, and is behind the sentiment (it's there, really!).  I've used today's Colour Throwdown colours as well:

Patterned papers are Very Merry Christmas, Echo Park; Cardstock is Grey Flannel & White Daisy, CTMH; Stamp set is Frosted WOTG, CTMH; Inks are Grey Flannel & New England Ivy, CTMH; Olive Waxy Flax, CTMH; Tim Holtz Distress Glitter.

 

Frosted Christmas Village

I have another card using this week's Mojo Monday sketch to share today - it's such a great sketch, perfect for using patterned papers, a good sized image and stitching (all of which I love!).  These are the papers from the Frosted Workshop on the Go paired up with Cocoa and the church from the Christmas Village set:

I added 3 square sparkle gems to the top corner, and there is a silver thread running through the Baker's Twine... but I think that I may go back and add a little glitter to the snow on the roof just to add a little extra sparkle.

Patterned papers, sentiment stamp set, twine and Frosted Turquiose cardstock are all Frosted WOTG, Close To My Heart; Cocoa and Colonial White cardstock and Christmas Village stamp set also CTMH.

Twilight Frosted #3

The final Frosted Twilight card (designed by Vicki Wizniuk):

And here are all three cards together:

 

All supplies are Frosted Workshop on the Go, plus Twilight, Whisper & Slate inks, and Twilight and Whisper cardstock - all Close To My Heart.

Twilight Frosted #2

Here is the second of Vicki Wizniuk's version of the Frosted WOTG:

All supplies are Frosted WOTG + Twilight, Whisper & Slate cardstock and inks - all Close To My Heart.

Vicki's Frosted WOTG

The very talented Vicki Wizniuk came up with an alternate version to the Frosted WOTG, using tones of Twilight, Slate & Whisper - and they are just gorgeous!  (See my sidebar to visit Vicki's blog - her artwork is inspiring!)  Very frosty & sparkly looking.  Several of my card class ladies have opted to do this version, so I've been working on samples to show them.  Here's the first:

All supplies are Frosted Workshop on the Go, plus Twilight, Whisper & Slate cardstock, and Twilight ink - all Close To My Heart.

Frosted WOTG Part Three

Here is the last card we'll be making at my card class.  The ladies will all make 5 of each, for a total of 15 cards:

The whole center kraft panel is popped up off the base, with the twine wrapped around and a glitter gem added onto it. 

All supplies are Frosted Workshop on the Go + Ruby Ink - all Close To My Heart

Frosted WOTG Part Two

Here is the second card that we'll be making at my card class next weekend:

The snowflakes are second generation twilight stamped right onto the card base.  The twine is wrapped around the sentiment panel and popped up over the ruby mat.

 

All supplies are Frosted WOTG + Cocoa and Twilight ink - all Close To My Heart.

Frosted WOTG Part One

Well, I've managed to get cards posted for the first 8 days of November... and I'm going to cheat a little for the next 3!  I've had a large rush project requested of me, so will be crafting overtime for the next few days to get it all done... so even though I have personally made the cards I'll be showing today through Monday - they are the Close To My Heart Workshop on the Go cards that I will be teaching at a card class next weekend.  Even though I didn't design them myself, they will still add towards my count of total Christmas cards made this month - yay me!  Here is the first one:

The trees are done in first and second generation stamping in Cocoa ink, and the horizontal strip is also second generation Cocoa.  The image square and the strip are both popped up for a little dimension.  You can't see it very clearly in the photo, but the bakers twine has a silver thread running through it, and the glitter dots also add a little sparkle to the card.

 

All supplies are Frosted WOTG, plus Ruby & Cocoa ink - all Close To My Heart.

Season's Tweetings

I really love how this one turned out!  The first time that I coloured this wreath image, I did it in the classic green leaves/red berries (which turned out great!!)  But then I decided to just do some cool & frosty berries using blue tones... and love the effect.  I kept it all fairly simple (I'm on a real kick to do flat & mailable cards this year):

I am entering this into this week's Curtain Call challenge... here is the inspiration photo:

 

Patterned paper is Dakota; Carstock is Twilight, Heavenly Blue & White Daisy; Stap sets are Season's Tweetings & Frosted WOTG; Crystal Blue Waxy Flax - all Close To My Heart;  Ink is Tuxedo Black, Memento and Whisper, CTMH;  Snowflake stamps are Merry & Bright, Verve; Copic Markers.

Poster Tidings

This wonderful Subwary art stamp was part of the September stamp of the month "Poster Tidings".  It's a large image, so it doesn't require a lot of fuss added to the card - I added Verve's pennant border die down the side, a cream snowflake and a little hemp - done.

Patterned paper is Frosted; Cardstock is Twilight & Colonial White; Ink is Whisper; Stamp set is Poster Tidings; Natural Hemp - all Close To My Heart; Martha Stewart snowflake punch; Pennant Border die, Verve.

Frosted Deconstructed Sketch

I'm on a roll getting some Christmas cards made this weekend (yay me!), and made several using the Frosted Card Workshop on the Go papers & stamp set while they were out on my desk.  I really love the subtle rustic look of using kraft with Slate, and I stamped several of the large snowflake images on my patterned background paper using Champagne ink to continue the subtle trend...  I've used the current Deconstructed Sketch for my layout:

Patterned papers and stamp set are Frosted Workshop on the Go; Cardstock is Kraft, Slate & Colonial White; Inks are Champagne & Slate; Tan and Brown Sparkles - all Close To My Heart.

 

Frosted Freshly Made Sketches

This week's Freshly Made Sketch is designed by Narelle Farrugia who is well known for the lovely layers that she uses on her cards.  I reached for the Frosted papers and stamp set to make a soft, rustic looking Christmas card with the addition of a little burlap:

Patterned papers are Frosted; Stamp set is Frosted Card Workshop on the Go; Cardstock is Frosted Turquoise, Champagne & Colonial White; Ink is Champagne & Slate; Burlap ribbon - all Close To My Heart.