Today I'm sharing a card for the challenge over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown that uses the current layout over at Tuesday Morning Sketches:

As with my previous Christmas card make, today's card features another of the patterns in the retired Storybook Gnomes designer series paper pack - where else can you find Christmas mushrooms?! Here's my card:

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

I chose a busy pattern featuring lots of gnomes and mushrooms/toadstools, split it into 3 as per the sketch layout, then added a circle embossed with the retired Wintry 3D snowflake embossing folder, where I highlighted the details with some white craft ink, before adding another toadstool and gnome that I diecut from another sheet of designer paper. I also added some puffy snow to my toadstool for an added wintry detail:

My sentiment comes from the coordinating 'Kindest Gnomes' stamp set, which I also used to add some detail to the inside of my card:

I couple of sparkly enamel dots complete the detail on the front of my card. The hubby ventured into my craft room the other evening as I was finishing this card, and was properly bemused to see me making a Christmas card in February. As I pointed out, it pays to be prepared! How is your Christmas card stash coming along?

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 LeAnne to host this week and she has my favourite, a sketch challenge for us to work with:

I thought that the main panel on LeAnne's sketch was crying out to frame something, so decided to create a quick and easy Christmas card using the panel with an aperture to frame a Memories & More card from the Beary Christmas set in the upcoming mini catalogue. - take a look:

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

The new Beary Christmas Memories & More cards feature polar bears, trees, presents and patterns and are just great for quick and easy Christmas cards. I added a small one featuring a large sentiment and trimmed slightly to a Balmy Blue card base, then taking a smaller panel of Balmy Blue, cut a square aperture using the Stylish Shapes Dies then ran the whole panel through my diecutting machine with my (retired) Wintry 3D embossing folder - check out the lovely embossed effect in more detail on the close up below:

I added a Real Red ribbon and bow to complete my card. So simple, yet the embossing adds a really pretty detail. I'm linking today's card up over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown where they are asking us to make Christmas cards that feature an embossing folder 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; I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. Cecile is hosting this month and since we have 5 weeks this month we are ending with a double challenge: 

Feel free to flip or rotate the sketch when making your card.

I have loved all of Cecile's colour and sketch choices this month and whilst I normally struggle with a double challenge, this one came together easily - I love it when that happens! For my card today I used my Spruced Up Outline Dies to create a collection of ornaments in three sizes to mirror the circles on the sketch, in each of the challenge colours - take a look:

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

Retro Colours - As I no longer have any of this week's colours (long time readers of my blog will remember my thoughts on Always Artichoke!), I substituted with my nearest matches: Pool Party, Mossy Meadow and Blushing Bride respectively. I actually think they look ok together and the Mossy Meadow is perfect for a festive feel; I made this my dominant colour of the trio and used it for a hint of mat layer colour and my sentiment too.

Wintry Pines - Whilst I could have just added my baubles and been done, they looked a little 'lost', so I added a panel of embossed pines courtesy of the Wintry 3D Embossing Folder. This is a narrow EF so did mean I had to get creative with my layering to maintain the square aspect ratio, but I think it works and I really love the way the ornaments now look as if they are hanging from pine branches. Keeping this layer white helps to keep the clean and simple feel yet adds beautiful subtle embossed detail:

'Tis The Season - Finally, my simple sentiment is courtesy of the 'Jingle Jingle Jingle' stamp set - just enough to finish without obscuring the detail of my card.

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 really love this card - so much so, I'm going to make a few more in alternative colourways too.

As a reminder, for our colour challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colours. You may also use neutral colours; however, the challenge colours should be the most noticeable ones featured on your card. We use Stampin' Up! color names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' products as long as you match the challenge colours as closely as possible.

Enjoy your day; I'll be back later with another post with important details about this week's upcoming Retiring List. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

SPRUCED UP OUTLINES DIES (30.00)	JINGLE JINGLE JINGLE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (21.00)	WINTRY 3D EMBOSSING FOLDERS (9.50)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)	MOSSY MEADOW A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	BLUSHING BRIDE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)
POOL PARTY A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	MOSSY MEADOW CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

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 Betty is our featured designer this week. This is the fun board that we are playing along with: 

Betty made a fabulous board this week and I really was spoiled for choice! Having finally taken receipt of my Wintry 3D embossing folder this week after a very protracted wait, I knew I would have to use it on today's card. I went down the middle column of the grid with snowflakes/free/winter and used both the sketch layout over at Try Stamping on Tuesday and the sparkly snowflake in this week's Inspired By photo for a wintry card that is choc full of snowflakes and sparkle in equal measure - take a look:

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

A Wintry Ombre - I embossed two panels of basic white cardstock and another of ombre glimmer paper with the snowflake Wintry 3D embossing folder for some textured panels - I love how the snowflakes appear to swirl with the design. On the ombre glimmer paper, which is in hues of Night of Navy, I lightly sanded the embossed areas to highlight the texture and detail - you can see it more closely on the photo below:

The ombre glimmer paper is gorgeous and embosses beautifully - I just love the effect!

Tag-tastic - I used one of my Tailored Tag Dies to cut my tag as per the sketch, and stamped it with snowflakes and swirls, adding a sentiment heat-embossed onto a stitched label. I added an over-the-top bow using some sparkly ribbons and accented my tag with some glimmer paper snowflakes in white and navy. I cut these with my Stitched Snowflakes Dies; if you've had your eye on these and not yet ordered, I'm afraid you will be disappointed as they were one of the first things to fly off yesterday's 'Last Chance Products' retiring items list. If you missed that post, check it out here.

Merry Snowflakes Inside - I used the 'Snowflake Wishes' stamp for the details and sentiment on the front of my card, but added decoration and a further sentiment from the 'Merry Snowflakes' set to decorate the inside:

I know I made today's card as a seasonal thank you, but I think it's still ok to have a Christmassy sentiment on the inside too, don't you think? 

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. 

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 hopefully be back tomorrow with another project, but no promises - the Christmas rush is getting the better of me! Until next time, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

SNOWFLAKE WISHES PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£24.00)	MERRY SNOWFLAKES CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£10.00)	WINTRY 3D EMBOSSING FOLDERS (£9.25)	TAILOR MADE TAGS DIES (£20.00)	STITCHED SO SWEETLY DIES (£30.00)
BLUE ADHESIVE-BACKED GEMS (£7.50)	OMBRE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY PAPER (£9.25)	WHITE 3/8'' (1 CM) GLITTERED ORGANDY RIBBON (£8.00)	SIMPLY ELEGANT TRIM (£7.00)	NIGHT OF NAVY A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)
BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)