CASE Study #168 + Merry Monday #85 + Simon Says

I have really enjoyed CASEing Keisha Campbell this month at the CASE Study Challenge. This is her last week as the muse and we have another terrific card to play with - I love her details and unique design sense.

As you can see, I followed her design very closely, but went with a winter snowflake theme. 

The color scheme was influenced by this week's Merry Monday #85 challenge to make an all white card with kraft or brown accents.

Modeling paste and stencils help add interest to the monochromatic layout - the large dots aren't quite as white looking once dry, so next time I might add a touch of white paint of ink to the paste.

I initially stamped snowflakes and heat embossed them with the holographic embossing powder, but didn't love the way they looked through the circle windows. A few punched snowflakes covers most of   the embossed snowflakes - just a little glitter shows through.

Patterned paper on the tag and small snowflake add a tiny bit of color, along with the brown jingle bell and pearl.

With Anything Goes at Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge blog, this will be linked up to that challenge as well.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Muse + Festive Friday Snowflakes + Simon Says

It feels like forever since I posted a card, but my jingle bell series have been safely delivered to my sister and will add to the Christmas joy at her house next month.

I took advantage of my kids having this week off school to sneak in a quick visit to my parents (their being off school saves me from rearranging car pools & activities while gone). All I can say is aging is not for the weak - since I last saw my parents in August, the family house has been sold and care needs have separated them. Mom, with dementia, requires full-time care now but dad, at 84, is going strong and in a lovely retirement community.

Today I am avoiding the pre-decorating cleaning and catching up on some of the card challenges while my insane husband has taken the kids and headed to a mall or two.

The Muse Card Club has a wonderful card to inspire us this week from Lucy F.

I used a snowflake wreath die (ETA Sussex Snowflake die from Memory Box) to create a similar look to Lucy's card, layering the offset die cut back onto the panel it was cut from. I discarded the leftover center from the panel and backed the open space with a piece of vellum.

A Technique Tuesday sentiment is inked with MFT Berrylicious to finish the card.

I am also linking this card to the Festive Friday blog where for their final challenge of 2013 you can pick your favorite challenge from the past year. I didn't participate in this one the first time around, but am picking the Snowflake Challenge.

 

With Anything Goes at the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog, I am also linking up there.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Merry Monday # 84 + CASology Bells + Curtain Call

I am heading to the airport in a few minutes, but woke up very early with a card on the brain. This truly was a 10 minute dash card, but it is not my first time stringing jingle bells.

 I wanted a third card to go with this and this for one set of nieces and a nephew. These are going to be passed onto my sister this weekend - the only reason crafting took priority this morning.

A Cuttlebug embossing folder adds texture and a Technique Tuesday stamp provides the sentiment.

I am going to link this card to Merry Monday #84  (hoping the shiny bells are blingie enough), CASology Week 71 Bell and the Curtain Call CASual Christmas challenge.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Paper Smooches Sparks + Merry Monday #84 + CAsual Fridays 120: Curtain Call

This card is being linked up to four challenges, but it really started with the Paper Smooches Sparks November Cool Shades challenge.

 

Sticking to my Christmas card focus and going through my PS stamps, I decided to use Hullabaloo to create a little Christmas scene like the one in the Curtain Call Inspiration photo and CASual Friday #120 challenge.

A triangle of patterned paper forms the tree and paper pieced gifts sit at the base. I curved the sentiment and stamped it on both the white panel and the tree.

An orange star brings in the final color and a Prima crystal provides some bling, making this card perfect for Merry Monday Challenge #84.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CASE Study #166 & Muse #44 + CASual Friday #120: Curtain Call

I am rapidly running out of time to submit these tags to CASE Study Challenge #166 where Keisha Campbell continues to provide the inspiration for November.

I started with a simple white tag and added a strip of snowflake patterned paper and then sifted through my embellishment looking for brads & pins to use.

A big Sizzix die cut snowflake is shared between the tags. One is layered with a glitter die cut leftover from another project and held together with a red Theresa Collins gem brad.

For the second tag, a punched snowflake is layered with the other half of the Sizzix die cut.

These tags took me forever as I played around, but this card came together super fast. It is inspired initially by the Muse Challenge #44 and this card from Marion Vagg.

I adore the pop of color from the tiny flowers on the bird cage along with her great use of the chalkboard technique.

I cheated a little, using a rub on for my sentiment.

The sentiment chalkboard mimics the shape of the birdcage and a few holly leaves and button berry echo Marion's flowers.

The wood patterned paper frame was inspired by the rustic wood on the mantle of the image from both the current Curtain Call and CASology #120 challenges, so I am linking up to their joint CASual Christmas challenge as well.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CAS(E) This Sketch! #54 & CASology Week 71: Bell

You know the week is not off to a good start when you get asked "why is there water on this chair?" by the child about to sit down. Why, that would be because we have another leaky pipe and water is dripping from the saturated ceiling onto the new leather chair {sigh}.

Trying to look for the bright side, I am happy this happened today and not over the weekend while dear husband was away. I freely admit to handing any household maintenance/repair issues to his capable hands while I take care of all card making responsibilities.

After shutting off the water main, moving furniture, placing buckets and poking holes in the ceiling to release the water and stop further ceiling damage, I squeezed in some crafting time and made a Christmas card based on the CAS(E) this Sketch! #54.

The card is sweet and simple and uses more of my little jingle bell collection.

I am editing this post to add the card to the new CASology challenge.

If you are interested in why our pipes are leaking, google copper pipes & chloramine.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Muse Challenge #43 & CASology Week 70 : Triangle

I have a couple more Christmas cards to share today. This first one is inspired by this card from Therese Calvird for Muse Challenge #43.

Purple has been my favorite color for forever - I even persuaded my dear husband to paint our house purple in Washington - but it is a color I rarely turn to when paper crafting. 

For my card, I did stick mostly to shades of purple with a little aqua thrown in for interest.

I used a similar sentiment to Therese and hope my cascade of snowflakes passes the test. Technically these are part of a flower stamp set, but I think they can pass for a modern snowflake.

I used a glitter pen on the sentiment and the centers of the snowflakes for a little frosty sparkle.

When I saw the CASology Week 70 Cue Card was Triangle, the first image that came to my mind was this trio of holiday trees.

After stamping the image, I used markers to color in the ornaments. Glossy accents gave them a little shine & dimension.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC#47 Christmas Card

I really need to stick to making Christmas cards for the next couple of weeks, so didn't think I was going to participate in the current Runway Inspired Challenge given the blue & orange color profile of this ensemble.

But you know how sometimes a challenge gets in your head and you just can't let it go? When I saw this Santa sleigh & reindeer (part of a larger image that needed to be masked), I had a lightbulb moment and knew I could work this color palette into a holiday card.

I stamped & heat embossed the Santa sleigh first, then masked & colored the moon before masking it and inking the night sky.

The image panel was attached behind a window die cut and then adhered to the blue woodgrain wall.

The Hero Arts sentiment is one of the few wood mounted stamps I still have kicking around in a drawer.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Make it Monday #140 & Festive Friday

This week Ashley Cannon Newell provides the challenge for PTI's Make It Monday #140: Ink Pad Designs. I started by swiped a few different colors of ink onto cardstock, trying to figure out how to use this idea for a Christmas card or two.

The rounded shape of the PTI ink pads created some interesting swirly designs and my first thought was to go with a snowflake card, but instead went with sequins.

I love the PTI one Liner dies!

The inked panel is cut narrow to leave room for a trio of jingle bells.

This second card is for the Festive Friday Challenge 21.

I've used the aqua & red color combination a few times of the last couple of weeks - it really is one of my favorites!

This card is super simple - it started with the patterned paper and some paper scraps. The snowflakes extend from the paper and the simple die cut provides the sentiment. I need a number of flat cards for mailing, so didn't add any bulk to this one.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CASE Study #165 & FMS111 + CFC119 + Simon Says

We had a busy weekend with Homecoming and guitar recitals added to the usual mix, but I still managed to add a couple more cards to the Christmas pile. 

This first one is inspired by Keisha Campbell's card for CASE Study #165.

I love the word banner on Keisha's card, so started with that for my card.

I used the double flag to finish the sentiment, but moved the placement to the bottom of the card.

I'm not sure where I first stumbled on the Freshly Made Sketches blog, but think I will be a regular here - the sketches are terrific! The current sketch can be found here and I am slipping my card in pretty close to the deadline.

I used the sketch to create another card using my tiny jingle bells.

The ornaments anchor the channels I created for the bells to dangle - only the center one on each side is held in place with a glue dot, allowing the others to move around.

The embossed dots and clean design make this card eligible for both the CAS-ual Friday Challenge #119 and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge to Keep it Clean & Simple.

CFC119: Use dry or heat embossing on your Clean And Simple project.
Deadline is Wednesday, Nov. 13th at noon eastern.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie