A Merry Mistletoe Christmas

If you saw my post from earlier today, you would know that it's only 172 days until Christmas ... I've only made a couple of Christmas cards this year, so I have a lot of catching up to do.

This card uses the Mistletoe image from the Tied Up With String digital stamp set by Beccy's Place.  I opened the Mistletoe image in Silhouette Studio and sized it to fit on a 5" x 7" panel.  I added the sentiment, printed on X-Press It blending card, trimmed down to size, heat set, then coloured with Copic markers.  I used liquid adhesive to secure the image panel to the front of a 5" x 7" side folding card base.

The berries didn't look "right" being left white, so I added a subtle touch of colour to add some dimension, then finished them off by adding a delicate sparkle using a clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush.  It was a challenge to photograph and I'm afraid that the close up makes the berries look darker than they really are.

 

~~~*~~~*~~~

I have made two CAS Christmas cards today.
Click HERE or on the image below to learn all about the berry branch.

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*** INGREDIENTS ***
Beccy's Place - digital stamp - Tied Up With String

X-Press It A4 Blending Card

Copic markers - leaves - G40-43-46-29
Copic markers - string/twine - R27
Copic markers - berries - E0000
Wink Of Stella - Clear Glitter Brush
5" x 7" card base

Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #145682
PN Hello Gorgeous font - MERRY - by ScrapNFonts
Lily Bloom Regular font - CHRISTMAS - The Hungry JPEG
this was part of a free font bundle
Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - to adhere the image panel

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Challenge #95 – Anything Goes
AAA Cards - CAS Game #143 - One Corner - Optional Twist: Flowers
my mistletoe berries used to be flowers ...

Aloha Friday Challenges - Challenge #146 - Christmas in July
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog - #230 – Anything Goes + A Sentiment
Beccy's Place - July Challenge – Anything Goes
Colour Crazy Challenge - Week 25 – Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart - Challenge #246 – Anything Goes
Make My Monday - Challenge #99 – Begins With The Letter B
the Bunch of mistletoe is tied with a Bow and covered with Berries
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog - Challenge 437 – Anything Goes
Polkadoodles Craft Challenge – Wk 26 – Anything Goes
QKR Stampede - Challenge #355 – Anything Goes
The 12 Months Of Christmas Link Up - Challenge #55 – Anything Christmas Goes
optional twist: Plaids
The Corrosive Challenge Blog - Challenge #6 – June Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Challenge #435 – Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes - Weeks #394-#395

A Berry CAS Christmas

I've only made a couple of Christmas cards this year.

YIKES

It's only 172 days to go . . . 

It's definitely time for me to start getting ready for Christmas!

I started by taking a wander through my stash of digital stamps and chose some images that made my fingers itchy for some colouring and started with the elegant Berry Branch from Beccy's Place.  This image was a freebie and I'm sorry, but I can't find the link to share with you.  Beccy does have an alternate Berry Branch freebie available on her blog, so I will make another card using that image real soon.

I opened the Berry Branch image in Silhouette Studio and sized it to fit on a 5" x 7" panel.  I added the sentiment, printed on X-Press It blending card, trimmed down to size, heat set, then coloured with Copic markers.  I used liquid adhesive to secure the image panel to the front of a 5" x 7" top folding card base.

   

~~~*~~~*~~~

I have made two CAS Christmas cards today.
Click HERE or on the image below to learn all about the mistletoe.

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***
Beccy's Place - digital stamp freebie - Berry Branch

X-Press It A4 Blending Card

Copic markers - branch - E21-25-27-29
Copic markers - berries - R21-22-24-27
5" x 7" card base

Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #145682
PN Hello Gorgeous font - MERRY - by ScrapNFonts
Lily Bloom Regular font - CHRISTMAS - The Hungry JPEG
this was part of a free font bundle
Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - to adhere the image panel

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Challenge #95 – Anything Goes
AAA Cards - CAS Game #143 - One Corner - Optional Twist: Flowers
my berries used to be flowers ...

Aloha Friday Challenges - Challenge #146 - Christmas in July
Beccy's Place - July Challenge – Anything Goes
Crafting From The Heart - Challenge #246 – Anything Goes
Make My Monday - Challenge #99 – Begins With The Letter B
the Branch is covered with red Berries
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog - Challenge 437 – Anything Goes
Polkadoodles Craft Challenge – Wk 26 – Anything Goes
QKR Stampede - Challenge #355 – Anything Goes
The 12 Months Of Christmas Link Up - Challenge #55 – Anything Christmas Goes
optional twist: Plaids
The Corrosive Challenge Blog - Challenge #6 – June Anything Goes
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes - Weeks #394-#395

Summer Fun at the Crafty Gals Corner

It's time for another challenge with us at the

Crafty Gals Corner

This week we are letting our creative juices flow with

Challenge #195 - Summer Fun

Crafty Gals Corner Challenges are bi-weekly.
Each crafter may only submit 3 projects per challenge.

~~~*~~~*~~~

The sponsor for this challenge is:

The Paper Shelter

Prize: 3 Digital Stamps

~~~*~~~*~~~

Today I have used the Cutest Ice Cream Cart digital stamp from The Paper Shelter, our generous sponsor this week.  This super cute image comes with a digital stamp to colour, along with a pre-coloured image and patterned paper.  Unfortunately I haven't been able to colour this week, so I was thrilled to have the pre-coloured image to work with.

Here's a sneak peek of two of my cards.

I opened the image in Silhouette Studio and sized it with plans to make a 6x6" square card and a 5x7" top folding rectangle card.  I used the pre-coloured image in PNG format, so that I could place the image over a digital cloudy background paper.  I added a digital sentiment, matching the colour to the chocolate brown of the awning on the ice cream cart.  I printed the image panels on smooth white cardstock, trimmed to size, heat set then used my Copic markers to add some shadows to ground the image.
I matted the image panels on Merlot weave cardstock and trimmed it down to 1/16" edges using my Perfect Layers Ruler.
Next came the card bases.  I cut the scalloped square and rectangular cloud panels from Carnation weave cardstock, scored the top back panel from each pair then adhered them to the front panels to make top folding cards.  It was quick and easy to finish them off by adhering the matted image panels in place.

You can see from the image above, that I have scored along the first scallop to adhere to the front panel and create my top folding cards.  It's a great way to make folded cards from different shapes.

This Cutest Ice Cream Cart image is so cute that I ended up making four cards.

PS: it was ever-so-easy to choose the perfect
cardstock colours using my Kaisercraft rainbow.

~~~*~~~*~~~

NOW it's YOUR turn!

I hope that I have inspired you to get creative
and look forward to seeing your projects fill the gallery for

Challenge #195 - Summer Fun

at the Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Gals Corner Challenges are bi-weekly.
Each crafter may only submit 3 projects per challenge.

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***
The Paper Shelter - digital stamp - Cutest Ice Cream Cart

smooth white cardstock - letter size - to print image

Copic markers - ground shadows - W0-1-3-5
Kaisercraft - 12x12 weave cardstock - Carnation + Merlot
Silhouette Cameo

Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #204358
Baby Card Clouds - cut file - by Lori Whitlock
Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #2231
Square Scallop Lg - cut file - by Silhouette
Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #145682
PN Hello Gorgeous - font - by ScrapNfonts
used for the sentiments on the rectangular cards
Lily Bloom Regular - font - used for the "birthday wishes" sentiment
this font was included in a free bundle last year from The Hungry JPEG
Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #267812
You Are So Sweet - cut file - by Silhouette
used for the sentiment on the square cards
Fred She Said Designs - cloud background - Daisies & Ladybugs
scoreboard and bone folder
Perfect Layers Ruler - 1/16" border
Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - to adhere the layers & top folds

~~~*~~~*~~~

Sending a big Thank You to The Paper Shelter for supplying the digital stamp I used today and for being a sponsor for Challenge #195 at the Crafty Gals Corner.

    

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Challenge #95 – Anything Goes
A Perfect Time To Craft - July Challenge #7 – Anything Goes
Creatalicious Challenges - Challenge #166 – Anything Goes
optional 2 or more Designer Papers
Creative Inspirations Challenge Blog - July Challenge – Anything Goes
Cute Card Thursday – Challenge #588 – Birthdays
The Paper Shelter - Challenge #390 – Digital Image

CAS sparkling stripes

No stamping from me today, just CAS cards with lots of sparkle.

I have used Double Sided tape and Micro Fine Glitter from X-Press It to make the sparkling striped corners.  The tapes are 3mm, 6mm and 12mm wide and I spaced each strip 2mm apart on 5" x 7" card bases.  I smothered the tape with glitter then burnished it before brushing the excess away.  I die cut the "happy" and "birthday" sentiment.  The birthday die comes with a backing layer and the white makes the black word contrast even more against the glitter strips of the background.

First up is the vibrant Fuchsia card.

   

... and here is the elegant Silver card.

   

Here is another sparkling card that I made using the luscious 3mm, 12mm and 25mm X-Press It Glitter Tapes.  Click HERE on on the image below if you would like to learn more about it.

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***

smooth white cardstock - 5" x 7" card base
scoreboard and bone folder
X-Press It - 3mm Double Sided Tape
X-Press It - 6mm Double Sided Tape
X-Press It - 12mm Double Sided Tape
X-Press It - Micro Fine Glitter - Fuchsia
X-Press It - Micro Fine Glitter - Silver
Winnie & Walter - In a Word: Happy Cutaway
Sizzix - birthday - Stephanie Barnard Regal Stand-Ups Framelits Card Die Set
Sizzix Big Shot
Kaisercraft - black pearls

Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Adhesive - to adhere the sentiments

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

AAA Cards - CAS Game #143 - One Corner - Optional Twist: Flowers

Alphabet Challenge Blog - G is for Grunge or Glitz
no grunge, lots of glitz
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog - Challenge #230 – Anything Goes + A Sentiment
Cardz 4 Galz - Challenge #99 Your Favourite Colour Combo
I have lots of favourites, today it is bright pink with bold black and white
Crafting By Designs - July Anything Goes Challenge
Creations In Pink - Challenge 11 – Anything Goes with Pink as the Main Colour
Die Cut Divas Challenge Blog - Anything Goes - Optional Twist of Patriotic
Inkspirational Challenges - Challenge #190 Designer's choice - Three or Five
I have added five stripes and embellished with three pearls

International Art & Soul - Challenge #61 – Stars and /or Stripes
Simon Says Stamp – Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says: Anything Goes

Elegant Potted Lavender

You may have seen this card HERE from earlier today.

Well, I have to confess that I loved the image so much that I made a second card.

I have used the Potted Lavender digital stamp by A Day For Daisies to make a tall A5 CAS birthday card.  I opened the image panel on my Silhouette Studio design mat and sized it to fit on an A5 panel.  I added the sentiment then printed the image panel on a sheet of A5 X-Press It blending card.  I coloured the image with Copic markers then embellished with some score lines.  I adhered the image panel to an A5 card base using liquid adhesive.

I really like how the score lines add an elegant touch

... but they sure are difficult to photograph.

Click HERE or on the image below if you would like to learn more about my square card with striped corners or the Stripes With Team Lou challenge on the Southern Girls Challenge Blog

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***
A Day For Daisies - digital stamp - Potted Lavender

X-Press It A5 Blending Card

Copic markers - pot - E11-13-15-17-18
Copic markers - foliage - G40-43-46-29
Copic markers - flowers - BV02-04-08
Momday Font - The Hungry JPEG

(I was super lucky to get this font as a freebie)
Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - to adhere the image panel to card base

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Challenge #94 – Anything Goes
A Gem Of A Challenge - Wk 12 Anything Goes
Allsorts Challenge Blog - Week 525 – Soft Pastels
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog - Challenge #230 Anything Goes + A Sentiment
Colouring In Scrapland - June Challenge - Anything Goes or Watercolours
Crafting From The Heart - Challenge #246 – Anything Goes
Crafting With An Attitude - Challenge #52 – Anything Goes
Creatalicious Challenges - Challenge #165 – AG optional Spots and/or Stripes
Digi Choosday Craft Challenge - Wk 26 – Anything Goes
Inkspirational Challenges - Challenge #189 – Garden

Love To Scrap Challenge Blog - LTSCB #122 – No Rulz 3
(use anything from your stash)
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog - Challenge 436 – Anything Goes
Polkadoodles Craft Challenge - Wk 25 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp – Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says: Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Challenge #434 – Keep It Simple
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes - Weeks #392-#393

Sweet Potted Lavender & Stripes with Team Lou

It's time for another challenge with us at the Southern Girls.

This fortnight Team Lou have created projects to inspire you for the new challenge

Stripes with Team Lou

Our generous sponsors for this challenge are

A Day For Daisies


Krafters Cart

~~~*~~~*~~~

Today I have used the Potted Lavender digital stamp by A Day For Daisies, one of our generous sponsors this fortnight to make a CAS birthday card.
This card stands 6 1/4" tall.  I opened the image panel on my Silhouette Studio design mat and sized it to fit on a 6 1/4" square panel.  I added some striped corners to the image panel using a cut file that I set to print in black instead of cut.  I added the sentiment then printed the image panel on a sheet of A4 X-Press It blending card and trimmed down to size.  I coloured the image with Copic markers.
I adhered the image panel to a 6 1/8" square card base using liquid adhesive.

   

~~~*~~~*~~~

NOW it's YOUR turn!

I hope that I have inspired you to get creative
and look forward to seeing your projects fill the gallery for

Stripes with Team Lou

on the
Southern Girls Challenge Blog

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***
A Day For Daisies - digital stamp - Potted Lavender

X-Press It A4 Blending Card - for the 6 1/4" square card

Copic markers - pot - E11-13-15-17-18
Copic markers - foliage - G40-43-46-29
Copic markers - flowers - BV02-04-08
Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #122147

Stripe Border and Corners Set by Sarah Hurley

Momday Font - The Hungry JPEG

(I was super lucky to get this font as a freebie)

Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - to adhere the image panel to card base

~~~*~~~*~~~

Sending a big Thank You to A Day For Daisies for sponsoring the

Stripes with Team Lou challenge with us at the Southern Girls.

I hope I have inspired you to get creative and look forward to seeing your work shared in the challenge gallery.  Remember we are not just a card blog, we love to see scrapbook layouts, artjournal pages and all types of papercraft.

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Challenge #94 – Anything Goes
A Gem Of A Challenge - Wk 12 Anything Goes
Allsorts Challenge Blog - Week 525 – Soft Pastels
Cardz 4 Galz - Challenge #99 Your Favourite Colour Combo
I have lot's of favourite combos, especially purple and green
CCC Digi Creations - Challenge #104 – Eileen’s Anything Goes
Colour Crazy Challenge - Week 23 – Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Challenge #467 – Anything Goes – optional twist: Circles
Creatalicious Challenges - Challenge #165 – AG optional Spots and/or Stripes
Double “D” Challenges - Pick A Pattern
I have chosen the black and white stripes

Inkspirational Challenges - Challenge #189 – Garden

International Art & Soul - Challenge #61 – Stars and /or Stripes
Love To Scrap Challenge Blog - LTSCB #122 – No Rulz 3
(use anything from your stash)
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog - Challenge 436 – Anything Goes
Polkadoodles Craft Challenge - Wk 25 - Anything Goes
Simon Says Stamp – Wednesday Challenge Blog - Simon Says: Anything Goes
The Paper Shelter - Challenge #389 – Going Digital
Tuesday Throwdown - Challenge #434 – Keep It Simple
Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes - Weeks #392-#393

You're Turtle-y Awesome

It's time for another challenge with us at the

Crafty Gals Corner

This week we are letting our creative juices flow with

Challenge #194 - Polka Dots and/or Stripes

Crafty Gals Corner Challenges are bi-weekly.
Each crafter may only submit 3 projects per challenge.

~~~*~~~*~~~

The sponsors for this challenge are:

OddBall Art

Prize ~ $10 Gift Certificate

Kitty Bee Designs

Prize ~ 1 digital image (non colored)

Scribbles Designs

Prize ~ $10 Gift Certificate (Images Only) 

~~~*~~~*~~~

Today I have used the Honu Love digital stamp from Kitty Bee Designs , one of our generous sponsors this week, to make a 6 1/4" square top folding birthday card.  It's funny how things work out when you're crafting.  This card started out in my mind as soft colours and lots of waves ... it has ended up being a bright, bold, de-constructed rainbow!

I started by opening the digital stamp in Silhouette Studio.  After deciding on the card size, I sized the elements to fit, starting with the 5 3/4" square striped background.  Next came the star frame, which I decided to fill with polka dots (bubbles).  I made some changes to the bubble background, filling the gaps between the bubbles, instead of having each one "framed".  I sized the bubble panel to fill the star frame.  I cut a white panel the same size as the star frame, then fussy cut the bubble panel to fill the inside.  I also cut some yellow stars to fill the stars of the frame.  I cut all of the pieces from textured cardstock using my Silhouette Cameo.

Next came the sentiment.  I sized the font to make my turtle-y awesome sentiment, printed on textured cardstock, heat set, cut to size, then coloured with Copic markers.

I adhered all the elements using a combination of liquid adhesives.

Lucky last came the most important element, the super cute turtle.  I sized it to fit inside the star frame, making a few different sizes, printed on X-Press It blending card, heat set then fussy cut before deciding on the perfect sized on to fit perfectly on the card.  I coloured the turtle with Copic markers and finished off the edges with a Memento Tuxedo Black dual tip marker.  Initially I was going to adhere the turtle directly to the card, then it was going to be foam dots, then, finally, I tried it with an Action Wobble mechanism ... it fitted perfectly under the shell, so Action Wobble it was.  They always make me smile and I hope the birthday boy enjoys the wobbly action hidden in the envelope too.

Here are some close-up photos of the Action Wobble mechanism.
Click on the photo if you would like to see them in full screen.

   

~~~*~~~*~~~

NOW it's YOUR turn!

I hope that I have inspired you to get creative
and look forward to seeing your projects fill the gallery for

Challenge #194 - Polka Dots and/or Stripes

at the Crafty Gals Corner

Crafty Gals Corner Challenges are bi-weekly.
Each crafter may only submit 3 projects per challenge.

~~~*~~~*~~~

*** INGREDIENTS ***
Kitty Bee Designs - digital stamp - Honu Love

X-Press It A4 Blending Card
Copic markers - turtle - YG21-01-03-25 + Y08

Copic markers - shell - E41-42-43-44 + YG21-01-03-25-17
Copic markers - hearts - RV09 + R29
Fiskars - micro tip scissors - to fussy cut the image
Memento Tuxedo Black dual tip marker (to finish off the edges of the image)
Sentiment - Francis Nico V 0.2 font - sorry, I can't find the link
Copic markers - sentiment - RV09 + R29 +V17
American Crafts - 12x12 textured cardstock
Silhouette Cameo

Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #186289
Square Stencil Stripes by Amanda McGee
Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #267987
Star Circle Frame by Studio Ilustrado
Silhouette Design Store - Design ID #42010
Bubbles Mask / Template / Background / Stencil by Sarah Hurley
NOTE: I filled the background so that only the bubbles were cut, not the borders
Action Wobble mechanism (under turtle)
Helmar 450 Quick Dry adhesive - to adhere the layers and sentiment panel

Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Adhesive - to adhere the stripes & spots panels
foam squares - under sentiment panel

~~~*~~~*~~~

Sending a big Thank You to Kitty Bee Designs for supplying the digital stamp I used today and for being a sponsor for Challenge #194 Polka Dots and/or Stripes at the Crafty Gals Corner.

    

~~~*~~~*~~~

I am going to enter my card in the following challenges:

~~~*~~~*~~~

2 Crafty Critter Crazies - Challenge #27 – Anything With A Critter Goes
A Bit More Time To Craft Challenge - Challenge #94 – Anything Goes
Addicted To Stamps Challenge – Challenge #175 – For A Boy / Man
Aud Sentiments Challenge Blog - Challenge #229 – Anything Goes + A Sentiment
CCC Digi Creations - Challenge #104 – Eileen’s Anything Goes
Colour Crazy Challenge - Week 23 – Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs – June Anything Goes
Crafting By Designs - Happy Birthday Challenge
Crafting From The Heart – Challenge #245 – Anything Goes
Crafty Catz - Challenge #466 – Anything Goes - optional twist: Male/Father’s Day
Creatalicious Challenges - Challenge #165 – AG optional Spots and/or Stripes
Cupcake Inspirations - CIC472 – Add A Pop Up Element
the turtle is on an Action Wobble mechanism, it sits flat inside the envelope
and Pops Up when taken out, sharing some fun wobbly action

Cut It Up Challenge Blog – Challenge #176 – Welcome Summer
the stripes & polka dots are abstract summery ocean waves & bubbles
Die Cut Divas Challenge Blog – Celebrate Birthdays
Get Creative Challenges - Challenge #81 – Anything Goes
optional twist: Favorite Color Combo - I hope that "rainbow" counts as a
colour, as I love them all and my turtle is part of a "deconstructed rainbow"
Love To Scrap Challenge Blog - LTSCB #122 – No Rulz 3
(use anything from your stash)
Penny’s Paper-Crafty Challenge Blog - Challenge 435 – Anything Goes
Sasayaki Glitter - June Challenge – Making Waves
the stripes & polka dots are abstract summery ocean waves & bubbles
Simon Says Stamp – Work It Wednesday – May 2019: Summer Vibes
The Paper Shelter - Challenge #388 – Stripes and/or Dots