Joyful Wishes

I created a Christmas card this week. It is green, so I will add it to the Sisterhood of Crafters, the Peace on Earth Christmas and the Can You Handle the Pressure challenges.

This card started as the alphabet challenge card at Splitcoaststampers for the letter J. I needed to use a word off of the list and one of my own. The word from the list was Jade and my own is Joyful. I used SU Just Jade for my cardbase and embossed layer. I used the Spellbinders Evergreen 3D embossing folder. The patterned paper is SU Flowers for Every Season. The brown paper is from Spellbinders. The greeting is Lawn Fawn Winter Wavy Sayings cut with a die from Simply Wavy Banners. I added SU snowflake sequins for a bit of sparkle.

https://thesisterhoodofcrafters.blogspot.com/2025/03/31225-shades-of-green.html

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2025/03/march-2025-peace-on-earth-challenge-83.html

https://cyhtp.blogspot.com/2025/03/anything-goes-with-twist-of-luckyst.html

We reached 80 degrees today! I have windows open and am enjoying getting a bit of fresh air in the house. Thanks for coming by and reading my post.

Winter Bird

I have a winter Christmas card meeting a few challenges.

My bird has been colored for several months sitting the stamp case; I have several of these colored so this is the one I chose to use for this card. The set I used is SU Perched in a Tree, released in 2022, then retired a year later. I used matching dies to cut the butterfly, branch, and the Aspen Trees are in the die set. I followed a tutorial by Brandy Cox and altered it a bit. She used a white cardbase and I chose blue; she used embossing paste to make her trees wintery and I used Taylored Expressions clear glitter embossing powder. The background is stamped with Gina K Designs Powder Blue ink to add texture.

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2025/01/january-2025-peace-on-earth-challenge-79.html

https://www.retrorubberchallengeblog.com/my-blog/2025/01/challenge-246-winter-fun.html

https://dd-tripleb.blogspot.com/2025/01/triple-b-january-2025-challenge.html

https://thefourseasonschallenge.blogspot.com/2025/01/winter-season-january-2025.html

I am also adding this to the Triple B January challenge and the Four Seasons Challenge. Diane mentioned these in her comment.

This card is posted to the alphabet challenge with SplitcoastStampers. We are going through the alphabet using keywords that have to be on the card plus one of our own. I chose the word bird from the list and added blue from my own.

I hope to keep up with a few challenges this year to post to the blog. I have already caved on limiting my shopping and using my stash. I found some bargains that were calling me.

Happiest Snowman Wishes

Sharing a Christmas card with a fun snowman…I have several cards that have not been shared here on the blog, so I chose one to share.

I chose to use my Home for the Holidays patterned paper with snowflakes and colored the snowman to match the colors on the patterned paper. Those colors are Jelly Bean Green, Turquoise Sea, and Christmas Pine and I found alcohol markers that were close all different brands. The cardstock is Turquoise Sea by Gina K Designs.

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2024/10/peace-on-earth-challenge-74.html

I have been busy crafting with Falliday Fest at Splitcoast Stampers along with watching Justine Hovey’s 12 Days of Christmas. Add the medical stuff happening in my household, I have been slow adding photos to this blog. Sorry for the short post.

Christmas Nativity

I created a nativity card today. I am entering it in the Peace on Earth challenge.

I used the My Favorite Things stamp set called Away in a Manger for this card. The star is from another set by Recollections. I like the simplicity of the set and the words included.

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2023/10/peace-on-earth-christmas-challenge-50.html

I like the moodboard, but went with the anything goes option. Thanks for coming by. I have been busy with challenges with Splitcoast Stampers as I have been asked to be active for a few months with the Dirty Dozen Design team. That doesn’t take all of my time, but it seems to keep me busy for a while. I appreciate your time and comments.

Christmas in July

I have busy with the Dare to Get Dirty challenges at Splitcoast Stampers both hosting, creating samples, and just keeping up. I decided to take time away and create something for myself. I made two identical Christmas cards.

I used a Paper Pumpkin set from a few years ago on this card. I saw the idea on Pinterest and followed her plan. I used SU Cherry Cobbler cardstock and Accent White for the card base and layer. I embossed the flower image with Wow Pale Gold embossing powder. I added Nuvo drops for an embellishment.

I will upload this to the Christmas Craft Creations Anything Goes July Theme: https://christmas-craft-creations.blogspot.com/2023/07/july-challenge-reminder-anything-goes.html

The next challenge it will be loaded to is Double D Challenge: Christmas in July https://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2023/07/christmas-in-july.html

The last challenge this will be added to is Peace on Earth Christmas challenge #44: https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2023/07/peace-on-earth-christmas-challenge-44.html

Thank you for joining me today. I have a few more days of the DTGD challenge at Splitcoast Stampers, so my craft room will be a mess for a while. I had to do a bit of cleaning this morning so I could at least see the top of my work space. Stay inside and enjoy the cool, especially if your temperatures are as high as they are here.

Shepherds in the Field

I am getting into Christmas card making mode and used the colors from the As You See It Challenge for the inspiration.

http://www.asyouseeitchallenge.com/2022/10/285.html
https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2022/10/peace-on-earth-christmas-challenge-25.html https://www.retrorubberchallengeblog.com/my-blog/2022/10/challenge-193-anything-goes.html

I used the stamp set Every Blessing from Stampin Up, issued in 2015. I have used it each year since I purchased it. The colors used are Starry Sky in ink and cardstock, Mango Melody, which I used Sweet Mango from Gina K Designs for the substitute, and Parakeet Party. I laid the card on Parakeet Party for the photo. The black cardstock is My Favorite Things with Gina K Designs Black Onyx ink.

I really enjoyed blending these colors together. I was inspired by the DT Heather Cooper on the As You See It Challenge. I liked how her blended background looked so I gave it a try. Mine looks quite different from hers.

Thanks for sharing in my card. I enjoyed stopping my busy life and creating.

Reindeer Tag Square Card

I have been using items that have been in my stash for a long time. I often forget what I own until a challenge inspires me. I was inspired by a theme to create a card for a classic Christmas movie, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. With that theme, out came a few reindeer dies.

https://www.retrorubberchallengeblog.com/my-blog/2022/08/challenge-190-tag-youre-it.html https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2022/09/peace-on-earth-christmas-challenge-23.html https://www.simonsaysstampblog.com/wednesdaychallenge/simon-says-anything-goes-98/

I love the Retro Rubber Challenge as it helps me use my stash of older supplies. This reindeer is a Stephanie Bernard and Sizzix set from October 2017. That was the closest date I could come up with based on a Google search. The tag dies used are from Hero Arts and also a Spellbinders die. All are several years old and are retired. I have been using the scraps from Echo Park Celebrate Christmas released in 2018, per my search. If you like the paper, it is still available.

The Peace on Earth Christmas challenge is always Anything Goes, but on the mood board is a red pillow with snowflakes. My Kraft patterned paper with the red greeting and snowflakes reminds me of that pillow.

Simon Says Stamp has an Anything Goes. I will add it to that challenge as well.

Thanks for sharing in this card today.

Channeling My Inner Gina

Today I created with a Gina K Designs technique. I had so much learning a new technique and made 8 backgrounds before stopping and cleaning up.

https://ginakdesigns.com/2022/06/01/june-2022-monthly-mix-challenge/?v=7516fd43adaa

The technique is called Polished Stone. Here is her video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeRZNI_Xeio&t=50s

I used Ranger cardstock with a glossy finish, ink refills, gold shimmer, and 70% rubbing alcohol. I used cotton balls to apply it all over the cardstock. It is addictive, which is why I kept going. I kept trying different colors to see what they looked like. This one has green, Kraft, and the gold all swirled together. I am not sure what kind of black ink really works on this kind of finish. I started with Versafine and after stamping four times, it still wasn’t dark enough for me. I came back with Archival Ink and stamped it another three or four times. I decided to let it go and let it dry. I added it to a gold layer and then on an Ivory card base. I like this technique and really like the finished card. I chose to let the background be with no embellishments.

I stamped the greeting with Gina K Designs Merry and Bright set.

Christmas House

I have been creating a few Christmas cards lately.

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2022/06/peace-on-earth-challenge-17.html

This began with a movie theme, Christmas Vacation, but I am not sure that this house really fits the house in the movie. I used an embossing folder to add trees to the background. I tried to add snow with white pigment ink and sparkle embossing powder. I added Nuvo sparkle to the tree and the house. I do like the card and it was fun to create. The stamp set used is Farmhouse Christmas by StampinUp.