Gatefold Christmas cards that I created following Jennifer McGuire’s Surprise Gate Fold Cards. Of course Jennifer’s cards are more elaborate than mine but I do like this concept and how they turned out. The poinsettia card outside folds were sponged using a Tim Holtz stencil, the star card uses patterned paper and the ornament card has dry embossed panels.

Primarily you need a decorative die and the outline matching die with the decorative die on the outside of the gatefold and the outline die is behind the outside die with a message which leaves the inside of the card for a personal handwritten message. I think I may add “something” maybe a light stamped image or light stenciling inside, too. These were fun to make. I hope someone comes out with a large snowflake die and outline.

Busy day today at my home with girlfriends making Christmas Cards for Troops. I believe we finished 75 cards today to be sent to “Making cards for Troops”. I cut, stamped and prepped the cards and today was coloring and assembly day. We socially distanced in my living room today with only two girls at a table and after lunch completed our project in under 3 hours. Lots of laughing and fun for a good cause. My one friend found the information on Guideposts Magazine and since she has a daughter and son in law that are Navy Chiefs we thought it was be a perfect project for us. Masks were made by another girlfriend so we decided to show them off. I’m seated in the middle front row.

Getting this CAS card in under the AAA Cards deadline challenge of maxi white space + optional twist flowers. The flower I chose for this card is a SU ‘From The Garden” which is a beautiful stamp but it is very large so in my attempt to have maxi white space stamped it off the side of my layering panel in versamark and gold embossing powder, adding a sentiment from GKD’s The Northwoods by Theresa Momber.

These challenges with AAA Cards are always fun and help me to enjoy the CAS concept. Have a great weekend. Stay Safe.

Inspiration picture on the Just Add Ink #516 challenge is this amazing pink Christmas tree….oh how I wish we would have kept some of those retro white, silver and pink trees….so for my card I pulled out my pink cardstock and cut 1/2 inch strips to create my background. I did case this idea from Yana Smakula and her beautiful blue hues card. My stamp set is a Catherine Pooler Designs Stamp of Approval Hip Holiday set. I stamped the sections of my tree in different inks, embossing powder to create my “hip” tree.

Carnivals and fairs near me have been cancelled this year due to Covid-19 but the colorful photo week challenge with Just Us Girls seemed inviting as did the sketch with Sunday Stamps. My carnival is located on the boardwalk at the shore. This stamp is an older red rubber wood mounted Inkadinkadoo stamped in Distress Vintage Photo ink and popped up on some red cardstock. The next layer for the sketch challenge is white cardstock embossed with a Happy Birthday cuttlebug embossing folder. This was getting as little busy even for me so I opted for some ribbon as the next layer and finished off with fireworks using simple stories fireworks stencil and GKD glitz glitter gel.

Moral of the card — no carnivals but we can still be happy and enjoy fireworks as long as they aren’t lighting the sky every night.

Hello,

It’s a hot, hot day once again outside so I have been playing in my stamp room catching up with challenges. The first challenge is The Sisterhood of Crafters and and Ocean/Beachy theme. The second challenge is from The Paper Players Sketch Challenge: PP501. To meet these challenges, I created a background using Hero Arts Color Layering Waves stamp set and since I’m working on some Christmas Cards for troops I pulled out Newton’s Nook Sun Soaked Christmas which is also a beach themed stamp set. More waves were added for the sketch layer by using Pretty Pink Posh waves stencil and my diagonal stripe bubbles patterned paper is from GKD.

Hopefully we will get a little break in temperatures so we can get ready for the dog days of summer.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay Cool!

I always enjoy the speed challenges at the As You See It challenge blog and this challenge was not only an under 10 minute timed challenge but an Elements of Three twist in which to repeat the image three times. Reaching into my never seen ink before stamp sets, I found this Hampton Arts Jillibean Soup’s You’re Tweet. I chose this set because of the sentiment. Definitely need “happy” in our world right now. After I collected all of my supplies, I anxiously hit the start on my timer. Using a sizzix branch/tree embossing folder, I dry embossed on some neutral cardstock and stamped my birds from the stamp set onto the branches in Blue Raspberry, Cherry Red and Black Onyx (Blue Bird, Black Bird and Red….well maybe cardinal….Bird. Added a little layering colored card stock and a piece of patterned paper finishing off with some Sakura Clear Star Gelly Roll pen and wink of stella.

Finished under 10 minutes. Actual time 08:34.35. Fun challenge.

Five years ago my dear friend’s granddaughter was born asleep so each year I send Gram Joy and Mom Abby a card to let them know that little Callie Joy is always in my heart. The day of the outside services a dragonfly was hovering over the guests. My girlfriends and Gram Joy all noticed this beautiful dragonfly and instantly knew it was a sign from above. The dragonfly is just another bond that we friends share. Dragonflies for Callie Joy and butterflies for my mom.

I found the design on the top card from a SU demonstrator but forgot to copy the link. The dragonfly is attached to the inside of the card and fold the wings to close the card. Inside the card is patterned paper from GKD’s Spring Parade pack which is one of my favorites. The dragonfly is a 2 piece die. The bottom card is quite simple using some Denami Designs lightweight pearlescent paper that I’ve had for many years the label is wearing off. I used a daisy Darice embossing folder and punched another dragonfly adding some wink of stella to make it sparkle. Sentiment was also GKD.

Thanks for looking. Make it a great day and stay safe.

It is Christmas in July with the Dies R Us Challenge Blog to create a project using a metal die and a Christmas theme. My manger die is from Penny Black and the Christmas Foilage is from SimonSaysStamp. Using some GKD papers and sentiment from Holiday Hospitality and Martha Stewart punch finishes off this card.