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)

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 my favourite, a sketch, for us to work with:

I decided to use a little 'something old(er), something new' on my card this week - take a look:

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

I almost used the returning favourite 'Penguin Place' stamp set on my card for last week's challenge, but went in a different direction so decided to use it this week instead. This is one of the sets that carried over from last year, but I haven't used much this time around so thought it was time to remedy that. I paired the sliding penguin with an embossed background courtesy of one of the new Charming Landscapes embossing folders - I just love these and the one with the mountains has perfectly embossed curved lines that suited the contours of the penguin. I masked off the mountains and inked in the sky using my beldning brushes as I've done on previous cards using this set and used some (retired) white frosted shimmer paint to paint back in the snowflakes. You can see that more closely, as well as some of the embossed detail, more clearly below:

I stamped and fussy cut a few trees in blue to co-ordinate with my scene (which I painted with clear Wink of Stella for added sparkle) and the snowflake-patterned Storybook Gnomes paper I used for my outer frame. I added a simple sentiment to the front which I paired with this one on the inside:

I'm clearly entering my 'blue' phase as far as Christmas cards are concerned - it was fun to play with this cute penguin again though!

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; we are off to the cinema this afternoon to watch a streamed theatre production of Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' - nothing like a GCSE English Literature course to lead to a fun family afternoon out! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

PENGUIN PLACE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (17.00)	CHARMING LANDSCAPES EMBOSSING FOLDERS (7.50)	STORYBOOK GNOMES 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (5.75)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)	BLENDING BRUSHES (11.75)
BALMY BLUE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	TAHITIAN TIDE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	PACIFIC POINT CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	HIGHLAND HEATHER CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	PUMPKIN PIE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

Today I have my card for the new challenge over at Festive Friday; I've also used the Try Stamping On Tuesday sketch for my layout and played tic-tac-toe colours over at Color My Heart Color Dare (first column plus Seabrook):

The challenge that we are celebrating this week is 'National Letter Writing Day' which is on December 7th. 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 hello sentiment, envelope and embossing folder from the inspo list and in a change from this week's run of Christmas cards, this is what I came up with:

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

Full of Love - The 'Full of Love' stamp set was the obvious choice for my card today, as it features not one but two envelopes! I used the one surrounded by flowers on the front of my card, tucking an embossed panel in behind (I used the retired Greenery embossing folder) and coloured it with my Stampin' Blends markers. I added my sentiment to a stitched circle, masking it so that the words stamped one above the other rather than side by side.  

It's In The Detail - In addition to the (retired) striped Poppy Parade ribbon and bow, I stamped the image again and fussy cut the envelope and added it with dimensionals for a little extra height and added a few small pearls to the centre of the pink flowers:

Finishing Touches - I used another stamp from this set to decorate both the inside of my card and the reverse of my own envelope - for the envelope I used the other flower-filled envelope image in the set:

This is such a pretty card and I can't wait to write it to someone. Are you a big letter writer?  I have always loved writing letters; as a young girl, I would write to one of my aunts who lived the other side of the country on an almost weekly basis and we continued this ritual until she became too ill with Parkinson's Disease in her old age to hold a pen, but we both loved sharing each other's news across the years and it definitely brought us closer together. Today's card is in memory of her but will definitely be sent to someone else to brighten up their mailbox. It's so easy in today's busy world to resort to a text or WhatsApp message, but there really is no substitute for some good old-fashioned letter writing. Why not pick up a pen and send someone a handwritten note today?

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:

FULL OF LOVE CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (20.00)	STITCHED RECTANGLE DIES (33.00)	STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)	POOL PARTY A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	FLIRTY FLAMINGO A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	POPPY PARADE STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (8.50)
FLIRTY FLAMINGO STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (8.50)	POOL PARTY STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (8.50)	SOFT SEA FOAM STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (8.50)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (5.75)	PEARL BASIC JEWELS (5.75)

Today I'm sharing a card using the sketch layout over at Sunday Stamps and the Hand Stamped Sentiments colour palette:

This is one of those cards that ended up looking nothing like it started out! I had a trio of stamped and diecut wreaths leftover from another project, so thought they would work nicely with the Sunday Stamps sketch. They were too large on a standard cardfront and I couldn't find a background I liked to accompany them, so in the end changed my colour scheme and went slimline and eventually came up with something I rather like - take a look:

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

Country Wreaths - I initially restamped my wreaths green-on-green instead of green-on-white, but the stamped detail just got lost so instead I went for a layered wreath using the dicuts only and I like this much more. I added some Cherry Cobbler Festive Pearls and a gold glimmer bow to each, to tie in with my ribbon banner and central sentiment element. I did add some stamped detail to the envelope and inside of my card though:

Framed & Festive - Instead of three wreaths, I opted to add a circle with my main sentiment to the centre. My sentiment comes from the limited-time stamp set 'Framed & Festive' that co-ordinates with the Framed Florets bundle currently on early release from the new mini catalogue - I love the big, bold font. I heat embossed it in gold onto Cherry Cobbler cardstock and added a sprig of greenery and some gold pearls to decorate: 

I almost ignored the banner detail on the original sketch, but there was the perfect stamp in the set to add a second sentiment part, so I added 'from all of us' heat embossed in gold directly onto the cardbase - you can just see it on the corner of the photo above.

A Neat Lights Aglow Trick - The eagle-eyed amongst you may have recognised that the background pattern I used comes from the Lights Aglow designer series paper pack. This is a 6"x6" paper pack - which is not wide enough for a slimline cardfront. The solution? I actually made my cardfront from two pieces of DSP, with the join running down the centre behind my red sentiment circle. I was careful to cut and line up the pattern perfectly and the presence of the circle means it is super difficult to see the join - if I hadn't just told you it was there, you wouldn't notice ;-). 

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; the bitter cold winds of winter seem to have arrived in force this week so I am hibernating! I hope you are warm and cosy wherever you are - and to all my American friends and readers, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration today. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

COUNTRY WREATHS DIES (37.00)	FRAMED & FESTIVE CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (22.00)	STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)	LIGHTS AGLOW 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) SPECIALTY DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (14.00)	EVENING EVERGREEN A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	SOFT SUCCULENT A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)
GLIMMER 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY PAPER (9.50)	VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)	METALLICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)	FESTIVE PEARLS (6.75)	SLIMLINE ENVELOPES (9.50)

Today I spent the day making for a few cards for upcoming posts and took the opportunity to make an extra one to share with you today, inspired by the traditional festive Christmas colours over at Just Us Girls and the 'blank canvas' over at Inspire.Create:

I've been wanting to use the Leaves of Holly bundle in more traditional Christmas colours and Carol's colour palette gave me the perfect opportunity - take a look:

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

Boughs of Holly - Whilst this card may look complex at first glance, with such a mix of reds and greens, you might actually be surprised to know that the only stamping on the outside of my card is the sentiment; both the red/green background panel and the green of the holly leaves and the red of the berries have all been cut from the Boughs of Holly designer series paper. The reverse sides of the papers in this pack have some beautiful watercolour-effect backgrounds, so I chose one incorporating a mix of reds and green for the background panel and then two others, one red and one green, for the back pieces of my holly and berries. I love the variagated tones that you can see through the gold upper layers and all achieved with minimal effort - bonus!

Touches of Gold - I really wanted the gold to have a starring role on this card so the distressed gold specialty paper was the obvious choice. I used it for the main label and cut an extra holly leaf to slot behind - the effect of the distressing is so beautiful and I think compliments the colours beautifully:

I added a simple label sentiment so as not to detract from the label detail and added some gold twine trim and brushed gold enamel dots to complete the look. What do you think - do you prefer the traditional or contemporary look with these holly leaves? Do leave me a comment below - I would love to hear your thoughts.

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 evening; hockey training was cancelled this evening due to the torrential rain that continues to fall here - and I am thankful to be wrapped up warm inside! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

LEAVES OF HOLLY BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (48.50)	BOUGHS OF HOLLY 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)	DISTRESSED GOLD 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY PAPER (4.75)	REAL RED A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	EVENING EVERGREEN A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	EVENING EVERGREEN CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
BRUSHED METALLIC ADHESIVE BACKED DOTS (8.50)	SIMPLY ELEGANT TRIM (7.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. This week's challenge is a sketch challenge and Cecile has asked that we overlay an image and background element: 

Feel free to flip or rotate the sketch when making your card. For my card today I used my snowflake and 'swoosh' stamps from the 'Season of Chic' stamp set along with some diecut snowflakes cut with the Chic Dies for some winter birthday or Christmas inspiration:

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

I added a simple border with my white chalk marker then stamped some tone-on-tone snowflakes stamped in Orchid Oasis to my cardfront, along with a swoosh in Starry Sky for contrast, and complimented this with a white heat-embossed sentiment and some white glimmer diecut snowflakes, trimmed with Opal Rounds:

I added some stamped snowflakes and a greeting to the inside of my card, and carried the detail over to the envelope too:

A card that works for a winter birthday or Christmas - and easy to make too!

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:

SEASON OF CHIC BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (54.75)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)	VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)	BASICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)	OPAL ROUNDS (7.00)	ORCHID OASIS A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)
ORCHID OASIS CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	STARRY SKY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	REAL RED & WHITE 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) GLIMMER PAPER (4.75)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's my turn to host - it's Clean and Simple Week and I've made it festive for you:

I am properly in festive card making mode now, so I chose CAS Christmas! Your project can be any kind of Christmas card, as long as it's clean and simple. What do we mean by clean and simple? Your project must:

• have minimal layers and embellishments
• have plenty of open space
• be simple and uncluttered

I used the lovely Kim's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches this week and in contrast to last week's card, today I'm using the Colour Hues palette of scarlet red and green for a traditional festive affair - take a look:

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

For the vertical element on my card, I stamped and diecut a candy cane using the Sweet Candy canes bundle, creating a two-tone effect by using my Stamparatus and inking first the red sections with sponge daubers, stamping then cleaning my stamp and adding the green stripes. For the horizontal elements, I used a combination of a heat-embossed white sentiment stamped onto my Garden Green card front and the word 'jolly', both from the 'Jingle Jingle Jingle' stamp set, which I stamped in red, outlined in green, and fussy cut and popped up on dimensionals overlapping my candy cane.

I added a couple of simple green sprigs and a flat jingle bell trinket tied with twine to complete my card:

Simple, colourful and fun - and I repeated the sentiment on the envelope too for a little extra pizzazz.

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 we are at home with both of the James Juniors spending the day catching up on homework, having spent most of yesterday out on the hockey pitch (one win 8-1, one loss 5-0 - I'll leave you to work out which score belongs to which!) I shll be cooking, ironing and hopefully fitting in a little crafting too (fingers crossed!) I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

SWEET CANDY CANES BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (48.50)	JINGLE JINGLE JINGLE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (21.00)	FLAT JINGLE BELL TRINKETS (7.00)	GARDEN GREEN A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	GARDEN GREEN CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	REAL RED CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)	VERSAMARK PAD (9.00)	BASICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (17.00)

A quick reminder that you have until 10.59pm to place your order online and take advantage of the current annual catalogue sale - happy shopping!

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for a theme challenge chosen by Heather C:

I was really tight on time to create a card for today's challenge so decided to share one that I made earlier in the year that features the retired Horizon Dies that I didn't get around to sharing at the time that sums up the perfect vacation activity - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

Watching the sunset - for me there's nothing nicer after a long day relaxing than sitting out on a warm summer evening watching the sun go down over the horizon. My colourful scene is evocative of this and was created by simply layering some of the dies to create my scene, adding some blended ink behind the sun and a simple sentiment to finish:

Isn't that a relaxing scene? I can almost feel the holiday warmth of that setting sun, a ball of fire reflecting on the lake and turning it red. The sentiment of today's card just about sums up my week - and breathe ...

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. 

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

• Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D project or packaging project that fits the challenge.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your blog post. Turn off word verification so we can leave you lots of lovely comments. Make sure you link the post not the whole blog to the Linky. Use #AYSIXXX when uploading to a public gallery.
• If you’re unsure about ‘the rules’, check the details under the Challenge Guidelines tab on the As You See It Challenge homepage.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

PALE PAPAYA CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	PUMPKIN PIE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	BLENDING BRUSHES (11.75)	PUMPKIN PIE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	POPPY PARADE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	GORGEOUS GRAPE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)
HIGHLAND HEATHER A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (5.75)

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 have been having a lot of fun with my Cottage Wreaths bundle so decided to take the right hand column and use any shape die, wreath and gold foil/glitter for my card today - take a look:

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

I love the sketch over at TGIF Challenges this week and decided that it would be perfect for a little of 'something old, something new' - I layered a stamped and diecut wreath from the Cottage Wreaths bundle over a panel of Soft Sea Foam. embossed with the retired but gorgeous Seasonal Wreath embossing folder. This has so much detail and dimension yet makes a pretty, subtle background. I also added some stamped and diecut holly leaves, red rhinestones and an antique gold foiled bow to my Christmassy Cottage Wreath, along with a fussy cut sentiment:

All of this was against a background of the returning favourite, painted Christmas Designer Series Paper, with a couple of red glimmer borders thrown in. The prettiness doesn't stop there though - I also decorated both the inside of my card, and the envelope - no naked envelopes here:

I'll be sharing this with the lovely ladies over at Just Us Girls where it's trend week and this is the trend Lisa has chosen. I love to decorate an envelope and the inside of my card to co-ordinate with the card front; I think it's a great way to add a finishing detail and I like to think that a patterned envelope makes the recipient smile before they've even opened it. 

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 am heading out to Sixth Form Options Evening with the youngest of the James Juniors at school this evening; this does at least mean dinner out, due to the logistics of trying to get everywhere on time - what a treat! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

COTTAGE WREATHS BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (49.50)	PAINTED CHRISTMAS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)	REAL RED & WHITE 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) GLIMMER PAPER (4.75)	MERRIEST MOMENTS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (21.00)	SOFT SEA FOAM A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	REAL RED CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
SHADED SPRUCE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	EVENING EVERGREEN CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	DISTRESSED GOLD 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY PAPER (4.75)	RED RHINESTONE BASIC JEWELS (6.75)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)