Today I've a quick post to share a card for the current challenges over at Time Out where the theme is 'Winter/Holiday Season' and at SUO Challenges where the theme is Christmas:

I love to make an all-white card and I hadn't made any this year, so I decided that the theme of 'Winter' along with the sub-zero temperatures here in the UK  - and waking to snow on the ground this morning were the perfect inspiration - take a look:

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

I used some retiring favourites for today's card: Snowy White velvet sheets and the Merriest Moments stamp set and hybrid embossing folder. I went with some simple layers: First I ran a piece of velvet paper through with the embossing folder, then added this to my card front. Then I used the embossing folder with the embossing die to cut the large base foliage design out of white glimmer paper and adhered it to my cardbase. I then added another diecut and embossed foliage layer, this time using the smaller detailed foliage die and Snowy White velvet paper. I cut a rectangle of white glimmer paper and used this to back a diecut stitched rectangle of white cardstock, onto which I heat-embossed my sentiment in silver: 

I added a trio of opal rounds to complete my design. This is a card of many layers and wonderful texture, but was actually quick and easy to execute. I will miss Merriest Moments for sure!

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'!

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

I couldn't resist another crack at Kim's fabulous layout over at Freshly Made Sketches this week and paired with the colours over at Color Dare (I added Cherry Cobbler red as my fourth colour) for today's card - take a look:

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

I started out planning today's card with some trepidation; whilst I still have my retired 'Gnome for the Holidays' stamp set, I have no other current gnome stamp sets. I decided though that I would rise to the challenge and embark on trying to create one using some current supplies to fashion some gnome punch art. A quick perusal of Pinterest, I chose a cute cuddly gnome to base my design on, grabbed some current supplies and tools and set to work! I used the largest of the skinny Christmas trees from the Christmas Tree Dies and my Strawberry Builder Punch to make my gnome. I used some offcuts of Peaceful Place designer paper for my gnome body and the top horizontal strip above my sentiment, along with some Snowy White Velvet Paper for his beard and moustache for some subtle texture and a matt dot for his nose. A piece of snowflake behind and a tiny one on his hat, along with a sentiment from 'Penguin Place' complete my clean and simple gnome card:

I created a basic crib sheet so that you can see the main elements of my gnome and how I trimmed them, in case you fancy having a go at making one yourself - feel free to save this for future use:

I based the design of my punch art gnome on one of the ones in the retired 'Gnome For The Holidays' stamp set, which I stamped on the inside of my card for added decoration:

 As you can see, I decided I liked this card so much I made another - I think these little gnomes are rather cute, even if I say so myself!

I think I did a pretty good job of meeting the 'clean and simple' brief too - remember in addition to featuring a gnome (or elf, or fairy!) on your card it should also be clean and simple:

• minimal layers
• little/no embellishments
• lots of clean white space (no pattern)

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:

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; mine is shaping up to be a rather uneventful one - here's hoping anyway! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

CHRISTMAS TREES DIES (£33.00)	STRAWBERRY BUILDER PUNCH (£17.00)	PEACEFUL PLACE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£14.00)	DECORATIVE MATTE DOTS (£7.50)	SNOWY WHITE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) VELVET SHEETS (£4.75)	PENGUIN PLACE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£16.00)
WONDERFUL SNOWFLAKES (£5.50)	BASIC GRAY A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	CHERRY COBBLER A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (£9.00)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)

I so enjoyed making the card I shared with you on Sunday, that I decided to make another card using the Merriest Moments bundle for the challenge over at Just Add Ink, this time inspired by the modern colour palette over at TGIF Challenges: 

I just loved that colour palette and thought it would work well for a modern Christmas card. I also changed the orientation for today's card - take a look:

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

A chalkboard style sentiment, this time surrounded with a white frame cut from the Snowy White Velvet sheets - these are amazing! I hope you can see some of the gorgeous embossed detailing on the velvet below:

It's so pretty in real life! I used some Pattern Party patterned paper for my background, and centred my Coastal-Cabana stamped poinsettias with some of my favourite black matte dots too.

A few loops of Coastal Cabana (retired) sheer ribbon for an added pop of blue complete my card, with a little extra stamping on the inside:

Before you think I'm completely mad choosing to feature these traditionally red or cream flowers in bright blue, a quick internet search showed that blue poinsettias are actually a thing - who knew?! I absolutely love this card - I'm definitely going to make a few more in this colourway.

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; today is the youngest of the James Juniors 14th birthday and we have a fun day of activities planned, all to be finished off with an Oreo cookie ice cream cake! I'll hopefully be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

MERRIEST MOMENTS BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£50.25)	SNOWY WHITE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) VELVET SHEETS (£4.75)	PATTERN PARTY 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) HOST DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£17.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)
TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)	VERSAMARK PAD (£8.75)	BASICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (£17.00)	COASTAL CABANA CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	MATTE BLACK DOTS (£6.50)