Pastels, gems, and sparkles for Christmas

For the last two days I have been inspired to make Christmas cards. Perhaps, because I have a lot of new Christmas dies and stamps I have found on sale and haven't used yet, I was excited to try. Here's one that I plan to use for the Can You handle the pressure challenge to use pastels and also for the SCS May Challenge to use sparkles and bling. This is my new wreath stamp from Sweet and Sassy Stamps and also a new 3 D Sizzix folder I have not had the chance to use much. I used Distress oxide inks to stamp the wreath and so water color the flowers and leaves. I added bling and sparkly enamel dots to the centers of the flowers, and gemstones for the berries. I used a sparkle pen to go over the white flowers and ribbon. Although this took me longer than I usually like to allow for an individual card (mainly because applying the embellishments took more time), I loved how it turned out. 

You can find out the details for the Can You Handle the Pressure challenge here:

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2022/04/anything-goes-embossing-with-twist-of_0267032586.html

 

C.R.A.F.T. #635 Christmas

 

I am so happy to get to participate in the C.R.A.F.T. Christmas challenges as they have this this theme once a month. I helps me to get my Christmas cards done in a timely fashion.. This one was fun to make using old paper scraps that I could not part with and made this background a while back. Today I added the focal point which is aa die from Impression Obsessions cut from green foil cardstock. The sentiment is a stamp I got in one of my grab bags from Impression Obsessions as well. I love "grab bags" because you never know what goodies you will find. I think that is better than buying lottery tickets which usually for me is nothing to show for my money, where for my $5 grab bag, I probably got about a dozen or so stamps. 

You can find the details of this challenge here:

https://trimmiescraftchallenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/challenge-635-christmas.html

As you see it - Blue

How fun to use a stamp that I have not been able to use before today, and to use it on a blue color scheme is awesome! I love how this turned out. The stamps are from Unity. The stencil is from Gina Marie Designs, The ink used for the stenciling are some blue shades of distress oxide inks that seem compatible with the SU colors mentioned in the challenge. The image was colored using Copic Markers. I added the denim design paper to come in with more of the darker blue for the design. 

https://www.asyouseeitchallenge.com

 

Find Joy in the Ordinary

I love finding Christmas challenges to take part in during the year, as it builds my Christmas stash during a less hectic time of the year, and these challenges provide the motivation I need to be inspired even out of season. This card I am using for two Christmas challenges going on this week. They are listed below:

https://byshcardmakers.blogspot.com/2022/04/spring-into-christmas-2022-byshc-linky.html

and the other is here:

https://mytimetocraftchristmas.blogspot.com/2022/04/mttcc-33-theme-is-fireplace-scene-and.html

My card was embossed with a Sizzix 3 D folder, then inked over by rubbing  antique linen over the stones. This is one of my oldest stamps in my collection of Christmas stamps. It is from PSX 1995.

It is colored with Copic markers. I added a organdy ribbon up the side. 

 

CCEE2216 Favorite blossoms

 Liz here bringing us this final challenge for April:

April 28, 2022 -  ccee2216 –  Give us a peek at what you have planted in your spring garden. Feature your favorite blossoms on your creation. 

These paper gardens created by our team are fabulous. Check them out!

www.cceestampers.blogspot.com 

I used a stamp image from Power Poppy. I stamped the image with versafine clair black ink onto water color paper. Then I used distress oxide inks to do the water coloring. I stamped the red background with a rose image from the same Power Poppy set in black onto the red background.  My red roses are the major thing that is going in my flower beds at the moment. My azaleas were gorgeous earlier this month but are now gone. The sentiment is a TH idea-o logy strip that says: Give out what you most want too come back. 

BYSHC Linky Party

 

How excited I was to run across this fabulous Linky Party that you can find here:

https://byshcardmakers.blogspot.com/2022/04/spring-into-christmas-2022-byshc-linky.html

I stamped with distress oxide ink this green pine needle stamp from Unity Stamps. I used Versafine clair black in to stamp the ornament also from Unity stamps. Both of these were stamp on a piece of Graphics 45 design paper. The other papers in the background are from Graphics 45 as well. I colored the flowers and leaves on the ornament with colored pencils. I mounted this on black cardstock and then used a black cardstock cardbase. I used gold chrome cardstock to die cut the sentiment from a Sizzix Christmas die cut set. 

Can you handle the pressure? - Pastels

 I made this card for the Can you handle the pressure challenge to use pastels. I used a stamp set from Power Poppy on water color paper. I water colored the image with distress oxide inks in various shades of pastels. The I embossed the entire card with a Sizzix embossing folder. 

You can find the details of this fabulous challenge here:

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2022/04/anything-goes-embossing-with-twist-of_0267032586.html

House Mouse Fun Monday Challenge 364

 

I can't think of a more fun way to celebrate a birthday than to create with a House Mouse stamp that shows just one way these little mice choose to celebrate!! The theme this week for the House Mouse challenge is birthdays, so here is my contribution to the week. You can find the details for the challenge here: http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/hmfmc-364-anything-goes-option-birthdays.html

I used distress oxide inks for watercoloring the mice and the flames. I also used it for creating the glow of the candles by blending it on. The other parts of the card are colored with Copic markers. The stamping was done with versafine clair black.  The paper for the stamping is watercolor paper, It was mounted on a piece of design paper and light pink cardstock. 

CCEE2215 National Kindergarten Day

April 21, 2022  ccee2215 

Liz is back for our next April challenge:

– It’s national Kindergarten day, so make a card using primary colors and basic shapes. 

Check out these great ideas our team has created for this week here on the CCEEstampers blogsite:  http://www.cceestampers.blogspot.com

Here is my card that features primary colors, a few basic shapes and of course A, B, and C. A is for art, B is for blocks, and C is for crayons. As a former kindergarten teacher, I could have not made it in the classroom without those 3 things. 

TLC 895 and Cupcake inspiration Challenge 542

 

I am using this card for the Technique lovers challenge on SCS to use a faux torn paper technique. I am using the Cupcake Inspiration challenge 542 for the colors and butterfly inspiration. 

You can find the details for the Cupcake Inspiration church here:

https://cupcakeinspirations.blogspot.com/2022/04/cupcake-inspirations-challenge-542.html

Make my Monday 172 - Use washi tape

 

How excited I was to see the criteria for the Make my Monday challenge to be to use washi tape. I have made 72 of these crosses with my designer paper scraps and washi tape so each one is different and have different scriptures on them as well. I picked these two for this photo. I bought the cross base at Hobby Lobby and it has self adhesive on the front. So easy and fun and helped me use up some of those wonderful scraps I can never throw away. 

You can find the details here for the challenge:

http://mmmchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2022/04/172-use-washi-tape.html

Just Us Girls 628 color challenge

 This is my favorite color combo so wanted to get a card done for the Just Us Girls Color challenge this week. I used some scraps from my design papers and added the sentiment from Gina Marie Designs. This star diecut is from Gina Marie as well. The little silver stars are puffy stickers.

\\You can find the details for the challenge here:

http://justusgirlschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/just-us-girls-628.html 

  

Can you handle pressure? with a twist of Easter

This is one of my favorite techniques to use with my embossing folders. I ink the indented inside part of the folder so that the background turns out the color of the ink. In this case I use Robin Egg distress oxide ink. I die cut a cross and flowers out of white. Added tiny rhinestones for the centers of the flowers. I tied a matching ribbon up the side.  

You can find the details for this challenge here:

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2022/04/anything-goes-embossing-with-twist-of.html

CCEE2214 Look Up at the sky day

April 14, 2022  CCEE2214

It's Liz back for our second challenge for April. 

 – It’s "look up at the sky day.”  So recreate something you love as a beautiful part of God’s huge canvas (maybe a starry night, a bright rainbow, sunrises or sunsets, or beautiful cloud formations. )

I have used a Hero Arts stamp for the sea and sentiment, a Stampendous set for the sailboats and seagulls,  and an SU geometric stamp for the sun. I used the cloud stencil from A Colorful Life. Distress oxide inks provided all the colors for the sea and sky and Versafine Clair for the sentiment and the sailboats and seagulls. 

Enjoy these fabulous creations the team has designed for this week!

http://www.cceestampers.blogspot.com

I also used this card for the Little Red Wagon challenge this week to use 3 off something. In this case, it is my 3 sailboats. Details for the challenge found here:

http://lilredwagon.blogspot.com/2022/04/challenge-649-3-of-something.html

 

As You See it 272 Horizonal Array

 

Find the details for the challenge here: https://www.asyouseeitchallenge.com/2022/04/272.html

I used some great design paper that I found in my stash, and added this cactus from Unity and I designed the pot it is in.  The image is colored with copic markers. The sentiment is from a Tim Holtz's Idea-o-logy sticker pad.

CCE2213 "No Housework Day"

 April 7, 2022 CCEE2213 –

Hi, Liz Williams here for the April challenges for CCEE.

 Let’s celebrate “NO HOUSEWORK DAY” by spending the day in our stamp rooms celebrating by doing a “Free for All” card theme of your choice. Have fun!! 

Check out all these great ideas our design team has created for this challenge over on the blog site:

http://www.cceestampers.blogspot.com

I promise I did not make this up, but it sounds like a day I really can celebrate. Any excuse to be in the stamproom is a great day for me!! Today I made this card and getting to play with some new stamps that just arrived in the mail yesterday from Sweet and Sassy! So here is the card I made with two of my new stamp sets and an old Sunflower stamp that is ancient. I watercolored some of the background stamping with the same blue distressed oxide ink with which I had stamped the image. That takes a little more time but water coloring is very relaxing for me. 

As You See it - staying dry

 

This is for the As You See It challenge this week. The theme Staying Dry. This is an image from Sassy Cheryl design. The sentiment is from Stampendous. The background stamp of water drops I am not sure of the source. They were stamped in blue distress oxide ink. The image is colored in copic markers. This took me about 10 minutes to put together. 

You can find the challenge here:

https://www.asyouseeitchallenge.com/2022/04/you-still-have-few-hours-to-play.html

 

HMFMC362

 I love getting to use a stamp from my House Mouse collection any chance I get so I used the chance use this stamp this week for the HMFMC 362 challenge with the option of snack. I loved this little guy juggling these peanuts and I used a Tim Holtz sentiment strip that said "I don't mean to brag, but I finished my 14 day diets in 3 hours and 12 minutes. I found some great papers in my stash to use for my layout. Hope you like it!

You can find the details for this challenge here:

http://housemouse-challenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/hmfmc-362-mid-way-reminder-always.html

Just Us Girls 626 - Egg

This is one of my favorite images for Easter from Power Poppy. I colored it with pastel copic marker colors. I am entering it in this week's Just Us Girls word challenge this week, which is EGG. I fussy cut the image and then added fancy corner die cuts to my pink and white houndstooth paper.  You can find the details for this challenge here:

http://justusgirlschallenge.blogspot.com/2022/04/just-us-girls-626-word-week.html

 

Can you handle the pressure? - Green

I embossed my green card base with a Sizzix 3-D embossing folder, then rubbed Frosty white metallic Lustre over the embossing. I stamped the little rabbits from an old Stampin' Up set and cut them out. They are attached with dimensionals. 

Details for the challenge found here:

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2022/03/anything-goes-embossing-with-twist-of_0895006612.html

 

CAS on Friday 228

I made this cute and easy Easter card for the CAS on Friday challenge that has the theme of using a stencil.  I love these cute chicks doing the bunny hop! 

Check on the details of the challenge here:

http://cleanandsimpleonsunday.blogspot.com/2022/04/challenge-228-stencil.html

 

Tic Tac Toe #155

I made this card using the Tic Tac Toe challenge #155 this week. I used flowers, embossing, and sympathy card. The 3 D embossing folder is from Sizzix, the tulip stamp is from Unity, and the sentiment is from My Sentiments Exactly. The images were stamped in Versafine Clair Black ink, and the tulips were colored with Copic markers. I used the new saltwater taffy distress oxide ink for the stenciling. 

https://tictactoechallenge.com/tttc155-featured-designer-claire/

 

Alphabet Challenge z is for zigzag

Made this Easter card with the criteria for the Alphabet Challenge with z for zig zag. I used this 3-D embossing folder with this zigzag weave, and then I cut a zig zag pattern from some designer paper. The rabbit is from Unity and colored with Copic markers. The little flowers were punched with an old mini paper punch from Creative Memories. The butterfly is a Martha Stewart punch. To get that weathered look on the pink embossed paper, I sanded over the texture with a sand block. 

Details for the challenge can be found here:

https://alphabetchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2022/03/z-is-for-zig-zags.html