I've managed to get a little extra cardmaking time this week, but as for writing up my blog posts - not so much! Today I'm taking a departure from the 'new' to share a Christmas card just in time for the January theme challenge over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown where the theme is wreaths:

Today's card also uses their January sketch layout which I missed, but is perfect for a showcase of a sparkly layered Christmas wreath - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

I used a piece of the now-retired (but hoarded!) Shining Brightly foiled paper to cover my cardfront and added a banner with a sentiment from 'Brightest Glow' and paired it with a navy and gold layered wreath, with a combination of gold sequin and navy gem 'berries' and a brushed gold bow:

I really love these papers and the colour scheme, so don't be surprised to see me use them throughout the year as I endeavour to play along with the team at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown to keep me on track in my Christmas card making throughout the year. If you don't have these papers though, you could easily change out this paper for an alternative Christmas design and alter the colours of your wreath accordingly.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Just a quick post from me today; I have a basket of ironing to get through before I prepare dinner and get myself ready for this evening's final episode of 'The Traitors' - anyone else out there as hooked as me? I can't wait! Enjoy your evening and I'll be back tomorrow with another project that has an altogether more Spring-like feel. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

COUNTRY WREATHS DIES (37.00)	BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)	NEUTRALS ADHESIVE-BACKED SEQUINS (7.00)	GOLD FOIL SHEETS (4.75)	NIGHT OF NAVY A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)
METALLICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)

It's Thursday and time for a new challenge over at TicTacToe! It's the turn of Team X to host this week and the lovely Felicita is our featured designer this week. This is the fun board that we are playing along with: 

I went down the right-hand column with red or green (I used both), patterned paper and diecut, and paired it with the fabulously festive colours over at Colour Inkspiration and made a card that is perfect for the 'add glitter' challenge over at Inkspirational - there's definitely plenty of that! I'm definitely in full-on Christmas mode still, so couldn't resist another Christmas card - or two! - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

Gorgeous Garden - I decided to use a die that you possibly don't immediately consider as a Christmas one. The Gorgeous Garden Dies feature both a leaf coverplate and a floral coverplate die. The floral die reminds me of amarylllis flowers, that are often associated with the festive season, so I decided to create a card using red and green as my chosen colours to add to the Christmassy feel. 

All That Glitters - Whilst my card looks quite simple and straightforward, it actually showcases a neat technique. I covered a two-ply cardstock panel with an adhesive sheet, then placed the die on top and ran it through my diecutting machine so that the adhesive sheet was cut but the cardstock based remained intact. I then firstly removed the backing paper from the green sections, and having diecut another floral plate out of the mottled Shaded Spruce pattern in the Joy of Christmas designer series paper set, added the negative space green diecut pieces to the adhesive background. The pattern is subtle, but it adds just a little more interest than a plain green. Next, I removed the backing paper from the negative space of the flowers themselves, then sprinkled this with some Real Red glittered embossing powder that I found in my drawer. I heated it to set the powder, then finally removed the main piece of backing paper and add a double-layered diecut coverplate in Real Red. I just love the finished effect - check out the sparkle on the close up below:

 I also made a second version of this card, this time using pure fine red glitter. This wasn't Stampin' Up! branded glitter, so the colour is slightly deeper. I gives a slightly more textured finish - just as effective though:

The glitter just needs to be pressed firmly against the adhesive paper; any stray excess can be removed with the sticky end of your Take Your Pick tool. I know glitter is ecologically out-of-fashion right now (although there are eco-friendly versions available), but if you have old tubs of fine glitter hanging around like I do, this is a fun way to use it up. Here's another photo of both cards together so that you can see the subtle difference between the two:

Which one do you prefer? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Brightest Glow - Finally, the sentiment on the front of my card is from the oh-so-useful festive sentiment set in the annual catalogue called 'Brightest Glow', heat-embossed in white on Basic Black for a little more emphasis against that red and green background and added some black and white gingham ribbon too. I added another sentiment from the same set to the inside of my card:

So what do you think? I absolutely love these Gorgeous Garden Dies - I think they are one of the unsung heroes of the annual catalogue, since they are standalone dies. You will definitely be seeing more of them in the weeks and months to come - watch this space!

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my Product and 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

One last thing to mention: this will be my last challenge with the TicTacToe Challenge team. I have absolutely loved being a part of this team and will miss Felicita and everyone very much; moving into 2024 I will be reducing my design commitments to allow me to focus on other opportunities. A tictactoe board offers so many creative possibilities - how does this week's board inspire you? Why not have a go? We would love to see you in the gallery and who knows - you might be selected for Designer's Choice and be eligible to be a guest designer on a future challenge. 

Enjoy your day; I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

GORGEOUS GARDEN DIES (40.00)	BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)	JOY OF CHRISTMAS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.75)	REAL RED A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	SHADED SPRUCE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)
LABELS AGLOW DIES (31.00)	BLACK & WHITE 1/4" (6.4 MM) GINGHAM RIBBON (6.75)	VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)	BASICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Ann to host this week and she has my favourite, a sketch challenge for us to work with:

I had the idea that the central panel would be a great way to showcase one of the Winter Meadow designer series paper designs - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

One of the designs in the Winter Meadow designer series paper pack has a deer pattern that can be split into 6 and used as card fronts. I took the one that had the deer on the right hand side of the panel and cut it down to fit my central rectangle. I added a background panel of Moody Mauve and scored in the diagonal lines (these are quite difficult to see in the photos I'm afraid, but add a lovely subtle detail in real life) and fussy cut a couple of berry stems from another of the sheets in the paper pack to decorate my sentiment, which is from the 'Brightest Glow' stamp set and cut with one of the Labels Aglow dies:

I really liked this card, although I did think that I lost a lot of the impact of the deer panel once I'd cut it down. Whilst I had the papers out on my desk, I decided to make a second card using another panel of the deer paper, this time using Kim's open layout over at Freshly Made Sketches this week:

I cut the single panel into three and built up the central section with a couple of layers of black and white cardstock, adding my sentiment from the 'Christmas Classics' stamp set onto a stitched label:

I let the paper do all the work as far as this card is concerned and added only a trio of three pale silver sequins to complete my card:

So two cards for you today - hope you like them! I'm also linking my first card up over at Time Out Challenges where the current challenge is Winter/Holiday.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's projects for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my Product and 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Before you reach for your ink and papers, check out what our amazing team has created to inspire you this week:

Enjoy your day; I'll be back later in the week with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)	LABELS AGLOW DIES (31.00)	WINTER MEADOW 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.75)	MOODY MAUVE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.50)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)
SIMPLY ELEGANT TRIM (7.00)	IRIDESCENT RHINESTONES BASIC JEWELS (7.00)	STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)	CHRISTMAS CLASSICS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (20.00)	NEUTRALS ADHESIVE-BACKED SEQUINS (7.00)

Today I've a quick post with a card I made for a couple of challenges which gave me the opportunity to use up some of the retired bits and pieces in my stash - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

I saw the layout that I've used on today's card over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown last week but didn't have time to play along, but no matter - it was perfect for this warm and cosy (retired) Festive Farmhouse patterned plaid paper, along with a trio of rustic retired wooden snowflake embellishments. I added them to a piece of neutral coloured ribbon and tied this with some Cherry Cobbler twine, to which I added a little tag featuring the sentiment from the 'Brightest Glow' stamp set - this was a fun way to add a sentiment without obscuring the plaid:

I'm linking this card up over at Global Design Project #GDP415 for their current 'pattern' challenge and I'm playing along over at SUO Challenges where they are making cards with a masculine theme. I know this is a Christmas card, but I think the rustic feel makes it a perfect masculine card; I hope so anyway, because I made this with a male relative in mind!

No visual summary of the key products used on today's project as most of them are retired - I will provide links to the online store for those that are current below.

Enjoy the rest of your evneing and I'll be back tomorrow with my projects for the new challenge over at The Paper Players. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)

TAILOR MADE TAGS DIES (21.00)

VERY VANILLA C6 ENVELOPES (8.00)

VERY VANILLA A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.50)

TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (6.25)

Summer has finally arrived here in the UK and yes, you've guessed it - I'm sharing a Christmas card! I was intrigued by the layout that the lovely Linda Callaghan came up with for her Freshly Made Sketches design this week - check it out:

I managed to grab a little crafty time over the weekend so decided to have a go at creating something that made the most of her unique layering and this is what I came up with:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

I almost went with a wreath for the circular element, but couldn't work out how to incorporate that vertical column effectively. I finally settled on using the fabulous circular die in the Labels Aglow set for the circular element and layering it with some (retired) Lights Aglow designer paper in festive Cherry Cobbler with a pattern of dots in vanilla and gold that tied nicely in with the gold dots of the circular element. I also lined my envelope with the same paper. I did take a liberty with the sentiment, in as much as whilst I retained the position I didn't have a skinny one that I liked. I thought I would try the 'Celebrate' diecut from the 'Wanted To Say' die set which never seems to leave my desk at the moment and I really liked the effect:

Whilst my card is designed for Christmas - I used a festive sentiment from the 'Brightest Glow' stamp set on the inside of my card - it occurs to me you wouldn't know from the outside that this card was designed with Christmas in mind. Hopefully the peeps over at Happy Little Stampers will appreciate my understated take on Christmas - which is perfect for their die challenge too (the only stamping is on the inside of today's card). For a card with 7 layers, the design is still clean and uncluttered - just how I like it! This isn't a layout that I would usually be drawn to, but I really love the finished effect - thanks Linda for a thought-provoking sketch!

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

LABELS AGLOW DIES (31.00)

WANTED TO SAY DIES (37.00)

GOLD FOIL SHEETS (4.75)

VERY VANILLA A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.50)

CHERRY COBBLER A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

Today I have my card for the new challenge over at Festive Friday Card Making and Paper Crafting Challenge. 

The challenge that we are celebrating this week is 'Chinese New Year' which is on 22nd January. Remember the fun thing is that at Festive Friday you do not need to actually celebrate the occasion; your goal is to simply use three or more items from the inspiration list on your project. This week I used red, gold, rabbit, envelopes, heat embossing and new year sentiment and decided I would stick with our theme this week and create a card for Chinese new year - this is what I came up with:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

Year of the Rabbit - Since this Chinese new year is the Year of the Rabbit, my new Easter Rabbit punch came in handy! I used a punched rabbit for the centrepiece of my card; whilst my whole card was in red and gold, I wanted it to stand out a little more without adding in another colour, so I swiped my Poppy Parade cardstock with my ink pad in the same colour for a deeper shade - the photo below shows the difference:

Brightest Glow - I used a new year sentiment from the 'Brightest Glow' stamp set and another of the co-ordinating diecuts from the Labels Aglow Dies to reveal the gold foil of my mat layer to 'frame' the rabbit:

Red Envelopes - I completed my card with a few envelopes snipped from the 'Full of Love' stamp set that I heat embossed in gold on red. Did you know that red envelopes, often with gold detailing and containing money or gift cards, are traditionally given to children to celebrate Chinese new year and are considered to bring good luck, health and prosperity?

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

I'm also linking today's card up over at Global Design Project where their theme is 'party'.

How does our board inspire you? I can’t wait to see what YOU create! For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Card Making and Paper Crafting Challenge Design team:

Enjoy your day; mine will be a busy one, as I'm going into Birmingham for some shopping and a trip to the theatre this evening - exciting! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

EASTER BUNNY PUNCH (18.00)	FULL OF LOVE CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (20.00)	BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)	LABELS AGLOW DIES (31.00)	POPPY PARADE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	POPPY PARADE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
GOLD FOIL SHEETS (4.75)	METALLICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)	VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Ann to host this week and she has a festive colour challenge for you to work with:

I still had my Lights Aglow designer paper out on my desk having made yesterday's cards, so I grabbed another of the patterns in the set and this week's layout over at Freshly Made Sketches and set to work. This is what I came up with:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

I used a Cherry Cobbler card base, then adhered a sheet of Lights Aglow designer paper patterned with Very Vanilla stars to my card base. I then added a central panel of gold glimmer paper, and allowing for a thin vertical border, adhered another piece of paper from the pack, strewn with festive garlands, to which I'd added some diecut banners using one of the Twinkling Lights dies so that the gold glimmer paper showed through from below:

I did cut the piece of DSP that I used for the central section from the centre of the sheet, as I wanted the curves of the garlands to be centred, which is a little frivolous, but I know I will use the remnants on other projects as there is a beautiful gold embossed snowflake design on the reverse too.

I added a final panel of Cherry Cobbler with a sentiment heat embossed in gold to the bottom of the panel to complete the front of my card. To finish I added an extra sentiment from the 'Brightest Glow' stamp set to the inside of my card:

This is a great card that didn't take too long to create, which was especially good as I have been rather pushed for creative time this week.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my Product and 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Before you reach for your ink and papers, check out what our amazing team has created to inspire you this week:

Enjoy your day; today is the day that we will be decorating the James household inside and out for Christmas, so we are all looking forward to that. I am also going to be doing some crafting of a different kind, as I have a festive-themed fancy dress outfit to make for Rebecca to wear this week - a Sixth Form festive tradition, more on that later in the week! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)

VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)

METALLICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)

CHERRY COBBLER A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

CHERRY COBBLER CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

VERY VANILLA A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)

Today I have my card for the new challenge over at Festive Friday - our last challenge of the year! 

The challenge that we are celebrating this week is 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' which celebrates the nativity of Jesus and begins on 25th December and runs until 5th January. Remember the fun thing is that at Festive Friday you do not need to actually celebrate the occasion; your goal is to simply use three or more items from the inspiration list on your project. This week I used square, Christmas, gold and red and this is what I came up with:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

Keeping things Simple - In the run up to Christmas as things start to get busier, I like to have a simple yet elegant card design that can be produced in multiples and today's card definitely fits the bill. A simple sentiment on a diecut shape, a designer paper frame and gold foil mat, all on a Cherry Cobbler square card base:

That's all there is to it - with a little extra stamping on the inside:

The 'Brightest Glow' stamp set is perfect for sentiments both inside and out.

Lights Aglow Four-In-One - The product hero of today's card is most definitely the Lights Aglow Specialty Designer Series Paper. There a several sheets that feature four of these starry, gold foil embossed 'frames' - so it's easy to take the design and make four cards in only a little more time than one. Here's all four of my cards from one sheet of designer paper:

A Green Alternative - In addition to the Cherry Cobbler frame sheets, there is a Soft Succulent one too. I made four more cards using the green version, stepping them up slightly to include a background of DSP for three of the four cards too - take a look:

Here are both designs together - which one do you prefer?

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

How does our board inspire you? I can’t wait to see what YOU create! For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team:

Ann Schach
Beth McCullough
Sharon Hashimoto Burkert
Melanie Hungerford
Helen Jennings
Melva Peters
Jaydee
Diane Evans
Joanne James

Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

BRIGHTEST GLOW CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)	GOLD FOIL SHEETS (4.75)	REGALS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) CARDSTOCK (13.00)	2021–2023 IN COLOR 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) CARDSTOCK (13.00)	CHERRY COBBLER CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	EVENING EVERGREEN CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)	VERY VANILLA A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)