Gingerbread Christmas

This card began on Splitcoast Stampers with the Challenge Your Stash December challenge. The hostess asked for gingerbread or another sweet on your card. I went with gingerbread.

This card will be added to the Peace on Earth Christmas challenge with the anything Christmas option.

I used November 2020 Paper Pumpkin stamp set for the house. I embossed with white pigment ink, then used a Bic marker to color the small spaces trying to keep it away from the white embossing. The stitched square and rectangle dies are from The Stamps of Life. The decorative square die used is from Spellbinders. The gingerbread man is from The Stamps of Life addition set that goes with a snow globe set. The greeting is also TSOL from a large gingerbread set.

https://peaceonearthchristmas.blogspot.com/2022/12/peace-on-earth-challenge-30.html

I enjoyed creating this card. I used an idea I saw on Pinterest. It was nice to use my stash and create something totally different with the items.

Stripes, Dressing up an Animal, Feathers

Here are my samples for three more challenges.

My Jolly Snowman was really pushing the hour time limit. I used a background from Simon Says Stamp called Stripes. It took forever to dry as I inked it at least 3 times using my MISTI. I struggled getting the stripes stamped cleanly. The snowman is from Inkadinkadoo and I have had it for many years. It has stripes on the hat and scarf, so it was perfect for the stripes challenge. I layered it two times. The second oval is hiding a major mistake and didn’t want to start again. The paper color is Soft Succulent. I used the pen gifted me for Christmas for the gold (Thanks Bonnie!). The greeting is a Paper Smooches greeting. I did enjoy this card, even though it took time creating and a long time drying.

Since the penguin helped decorate flamingo, he had to have his place in the spotlight. I used the penguin from The Stamps of Life to get him festive for Winter. The background paper is Gina K Designs. I love this penguin and was thrilled to create with him.

My last challenge for today is Feathers. I used a walrus from Paper Smooches along with the hat and greeting. He gets his feather from Hero Arts already created sitting in my stash. I kept the tag simple with a bit of twine. Some day, this will probably go onto a card as I rarely give gifts these days.

Thanks for sharing in my card. There are three more challenges that I have not created for. I hope to take care of that soon.

Flamingo, layers and Lace

More challenges for Virtual Stamp Night. Saturday challenges took of at 12 EST. I made samples for three of the ones posted today. The challenges are ongoing today and there will be a total of 10 new ones today.

First up is Dress up a Flamingo. I chose a flamingo from The Stamps of Life. She got her clothing from the penguin. I enjoyed creating this flamingo card.

Next is Layers. When styling in the fashion world, sometimes layers add to the outfit. I used a sketch from Dawn Griffith #238. I love her sketches as they tell exactly what size to cut the paper and die cuts. The sketch made the time used 45 minutes on this card. Everything is Stampin Up. Hippest Hippos is the stamp set used and Lovely Lipstick is the cardstock and patterned paper color.

The last one I am sharing right now is Ladies and Lace. I used Uptown Girls from Art Impressions. I colored as fast as I could using colored pencils and gamsol.

My challenge is coming up in 20 minutes. I hope to be back later to share more challenge samples. Thanks for reading and seeing what I am up to.

Denim anyone?

Tonight kicks off the Virtual Stamp Night Mini at Splitcoast Stampers. I am a hostess for one challenge in mid-December so I was able to create samples for several challenges. Following is my first sample.

https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/virtual-stamp-night-54/dec22minivsn1-~-forever-blue-jeans-~-fri-nov-18-5-pm-est-642938/

This card was completed in one hour exactly. The rules are to complete the card in one hour. Now, there are short cuts. You can have card bases created ahead of time, images colored and just taken out to use, backgrounds created to use and anything you create ahead of time is fair game to use. However, I had nothing created ahead of time so I worked quite quickly in finishing this card. It helps to know your images, dies, embossing folders, and what papers are available ahead of time.

I knew I had this pocket stamp from an old Stampin Up set. I say old as it is woodblock and one of the first I purchased back in around 2004 – 2006, so it came out to be used. It comes with girls and a frog, but I wanted a more winter theme. The cardstock is very retired Midnight Muse from SU. I embossed the pocket in gold embossing powder. The gingerbread are Stephanie Bernard/Sizzix dies. I die cut them in SU Crumb Cake and red cardstock from my stash. I added a tag with the same cardstock. The background was rather plain, so I embossed with the Swiss Dots folder and added a bit of Blue Denim ink.

This was a fun card to create. If you enjoy these kinds of challenges, feel free to join in.

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.

Guest Designing

I was selected to be a guest designer for the Retro Rubber Challenge. I made two cards using the challenge details.

The challenge is tic tac toe! I love birds, die cutting, embossing, patterned paper, and anything else available on the board. It was a tough decision deciding where to begin.

https://www.retrorubberchallengeblog.com

The circle card follows the top row across. I used The Stamps of Life toucan2stamp with matching die from August 2019. The flowers are from the same set. The stick for the toucan to stand on was a die from Hero Arts in a kit also from 2019. The scalloped circle is from a Sizzix die. I used a stencil from Taylored Expressions, which was new in 2021. The circle card base was created using the largest Sizzix circle die. The stencil used for the card base was A Starry Night by Hero Arts. I used Gina K Designs ink to blend the stencils in Key Lime and Blue Raspberry.

I like the Retro Rubber Challenges because it gives me new ideas for my older stamps and supplies. It helps me shop my stash.

This card was fun to create as I love tropical images and own quite a few. I followed the second column for this card. The stamped images are all from Catherine Pooler Designs Toucan Do It, March 2219. All were colored with alcohol inks and fussy cut. The embossed background is SU Layered Leaves, very retired. I used GKD Key Lime and Fresh Asparagus cardstock for the background and card base.

I enjoyed guest designing for Retro Rubber Challenge. Thank you for the opportunity.

VALENTINE PENGUIN

I had fun with a penguin and Valentine theme today.

https://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2022/02/hearts-challenge.html
https://shoppingourstash.blogspot.com/2022/02/sos463-my-heart-beets-for-you.html https://colorfuloptions.blogspot.com/2022/02/february-2022.html

This penguin is from Gerda Steiner Designs Valentine Penguin along with the greeting. The letters are stamped from The Stamps of Life lovebugs2stamp. I embossed the bottom of the card with a folder from Stampin’Up, retired. I added the red hearts across the card with a border die from Sizzix, also retired. The small hearts were punched with the Owl Builder Punch from SU.

https://www.splitcoaststampers.com/gallery/photo/3070834?&cat=all&what=keywords&si=SC891

I used the above sketch in creating this card. I group the hearts and letters as one unit and the penguin a unit, so that makes the three units down the left side. It has been quite a while since I used one of the sketches and this was a joy to work with.

There are red heart on the Double D Challenge mood board, so I am adding it to that challenge. The Shopping Our Stash challenge is to use hearts or vegetables. I chose to use hearts. Another challenge was brought to my attention, Colorful Options. February’s challenge is to use the color red.

Party balloons

Off to a new year with Party Balloons!

https://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2022/01/party-balloons-challenge.html
http://seizethebirthday.blogspot.com/2022/01/seize-birthday-229-blue-and-gray.html

A celebration is not complete without party balloons. These balloons were die cut using Lawn Fawn Party Balloons dies and an assortment of cardstock scraps. The greeting is from Lawn Fawn Wavy Sayings along with a matching die. I made a frame using The Stamps of Life Stitched Rectangles. I added a bit of twine to each balloon from my twine stash from SU Paper Pumpkin kits. A bit of sparkle was added to each balloon. The star background is from a retired MFT birthday paper pack. I know whoever receives this card will love the sparkle and enjoy the party atmosphere.

Deer, trees, and snow

I created a fun card that will work for several challenges.

https://modsquadchallenge.com/animal-themed-holiday/
https://daranddiane.blogspot.com/2021/11/trees.html
http://mmmchallengeblog.blogspot.com/2021/11/162-cute-christmas.html
http://www.global-design-project.com/2021/11/global-design-project-319-theme.html

First challenge is Mod Squad with the animal themed holiday. I made this deer to have a red nose like Rudolph. This is definitely a Christmas themed card with the lights and red nose. I didn’t have a suitable Merry Christmas that would really fit, so I went with the greetings from the stamp set. This stamp set is Snow Wonderful by Your Next Stamp.

Second Challenge is Double D with trees. This evergreen tree was blended with a stencil from Newton’s Nook, called Evergreen. I cut a small portion of the trees out to use on this card.

The Third challenge is Make My Monday Challenge with Cute Christmas. I think this image with the girl and her reindeer are cute. It was fun to color.

The Fourth challenge is Global Design Project with Christmas. This card will be mailed for Christmas.

The snowflake background was created with a die from The Stamps of Life. I used and glitter cardstock placed on a blue background. Nuvo White Blizzard Glitter Drops were added to the snowflakes, the tree, the lights, the reindeer nose, and the greeting.

This was fun card to create. I was thrilled to find several challenges to share this with. Thanks for looking and reading this long post.