Holly Jolly Christmas for Christmas Card Throwdown

I'm the honest poster who says . . . "Holly?  Ivy?"  I'm so confused . . . which is which?  And do I have stamps with either.  

Pretty sure you do, so holly it is . . . 

 I have this holly pattern paper and these stamps, and I went a bit in the pink hues for my reds.   

And then I went totally white for the stamped elf elements. 

Christmas makes me a bit happy!  Just saying . . . 

Go create!

Debbie

Supplies Used - Holly Jolly Christmas

Stamps and Dies:  Nice List Stamp Set and Dies and Stocking Stuffers Stamp Set and Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Be Mine, Lime Rickey and Midnight (Catherine Pooler Ink);

Paper: Premium White Cardstock and Holiday Whimsy Pattern Paper (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Other:  Diamond Stickles (Ranger);

Happy Birthday Inspired by Dies

A little something crafty using mostly dies and one little sentiment stamp.  

These were stamps and dies that I got last fall when attending the Crop & Create Delivered Cardmaking event.  The set was mostly holiday stamps, but the sprinkled in some birthday sentiments and flower dies.  I had some leftover paper and the dies, so I got busy and created some cuts to create a card inspired by the "die cut" prompt at Little Red Wagon. 

 

The larger flowers were created with a die to make bows in the set.  I just adore these bright colors.  I think the striped paper is my favorite, so I used it to highlight my sentiment.  Love the font on that "happy" die.  

I hope you had some time to get creative this past weekend.  

Cheers!

Debbie

Supplies Used - Happy Birthday

Stamps and Dies:  Deck the Halls Stamps and Dies (Doodlebug Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Midnight (Catherine Pooler);

Paper: White and Black Cardstock (Scrapbook and Cards Today); Pattern Paper (Doodlebug Designs);

Other: Crop and Create Sprinkles (Doodlebug Designs);

Awesome Pups for Cupcake Inspiration

How about a little something creative?  I've been falling off track with creativity because work has been a beast lately.  Here's a little card I created inspired by Cupcake Inspirations.  And the prompt was this little yummy goodness . . . 

And no one loves their pets more than me (OK, maybe you love yours too).  These are two of mine and they have a faux shadow thing going on the background which is the inside of the card. 

I learned this technique from my favorite crafty place, StampNation.  I manually trimmed out the front panel, and then created that inside panel.  My friend gave me the stamp because she said it looked my girls.  

So yes, this is Sweet Caroline and Jojo Marie . . . both named from songs.  Sweet Caroline named in honor of my dad who was (and still is in heaven) a Red Sox fan.  The Neil Diamond song is an event all by itself at Fenway Park!  And then that's Jojo who was named after the Beatles song, Get Back (Jojo was a . . . ), in honor of my brother who used to belt that song at gigs.  We gave her a middle name.  We gave her a last name too.  She is Jojo Marie Sanchez.  She answers to Miss Sanchez (she really does).  

Thanks for the Cupcake Inspiration!  I hope you find some time to create.

Debbie

Supplies Used - You are Awesome

Stamps and Dies:  Darby & McKenzie Stamp (Impression Obsession); Lawn Fawn Greeting

Ink & Embossing:  Midnight, It's a Girl, Be Mine, Rockin' Red, Black Jack and Twilight (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: Accent Opaque Cardstock; Premium White Cardstock (Catherine Pooler Designs); Clear Gloss, Black Gloss and Stardust Pens (Sakura);

 

HB2U

The challenge at Little Red Wagon was another Beatles inspired, and this time was "Let it Be".  

And so the letter B is the focus.  A Brown card base with a Background that includes some Blue stenciled Bones.  A Bottom Border with some Bark patterned paper.  A pup on a Ball that says HB2U.  He's rolling forward to grab a Bone off the ground.   

And the sentiment . . . Its Your Birthday.  Have a Ball!

I adore this stamp set and can't wait to use it again.  I hope you find some time to get Busy!  

Debbie

Supplies Used - HB2U

Stamps and Dies:  Watch This Stamp Set and Dies (Colorado Craft Company); Grass Die (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento); Various Copic Markers; Aquatini, Grass Skirt and Icing on the Cake Ink (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: White Daisy Cardstock (Close To My Heart); Rocky Road Cardstock (American Crafts); Scrap of Pattern Paper from Stash;

Other: Woof Stencil (Newton's Nook); Twine (Lawn Fawn);

 

Bunny Fun for Just Us Girls

I've been trying to pull out old kits and weed through use supplies within them.  I truly wish I had the time to pull out a kit and craft until all the supplies were gone.  But a full-time job keeps me from creating when I want . . . which is all the time (shhhh, don't tell).  

The picture at Just Us Girls prompted me to remember a kit that had a bunny stamp with little feet.  I created my card with a bunny on an action wobble. 

I just love the little bunny and the back that the bunnies in the pattern paper appear to have little colored eggs on their bellies.  Old supplies . . . new card.  And always fun!

I hope you find some time to use your old supplies, create something new and have some fun!

Debbie

Supplies Used - Happy Easter

Stamps and Dies:  Some Bunny Stamp Set (Simon Says Stamp);

Ink & Embossing:  Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento); Various Markers from The Stamps of Life; Signo Uniball White Gel Pen;

Paper: Slate Cardstock (Simon Says Stamp); Solar White (Neenah); Pattern Papers (Echo Park);

Other: Action Wobble; Spring Blooms Mix (Pretty Pink Posh);

CAS Lawn Fawn Creation

Creating a CAS creation with Lawn Fawn stamps and dies is always hard for me.  I always want to add color and dimension . . . skies and hills . . . mountains and water sources.  I held back and created something for the current Lawn Fawnatics Challenge.  

 

I did go with a slimline design using the die from last year's release.  Valentine stamps and dies to make a CAS birthday greeting.  And yes, there's a little dimension, but I tried to keep some white space. 

 

Love my lawn fawn stamps and dies.  

And now I must go create!  

Debbie

Supplies Used - XOXO Happy Bird-Day

Stamps and Dies:  Special Delivery Stamp Set and Dies, Special Delivery Add-on Stamp Set; Scallop Slimline with Hearts Landscape Die (Lawn Fawn); 

Ink & Embossing:  Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento); Midnight Ink (Catherine Pooler) Various Copic Markers; White Gel Pen (Uchida);

Paper: Solar White Cardstock (Neenah); Be Mine Pattern Paper (Pebbles); Night Before Christmas Pattern Paper (Doodelbug Designs);

Other: Romance and Crater Lake Sequin Mixes (Catherine Pooler Designs); Diamond Stickles (Ranger);

 

 

 

Favorite Person

A CAS card with a masculine spin for CAS on Friday.  

The earthy tones work well for a masculine card, and I love the big bold sentiment stamp. 

My trees were stamped on pattern paper which makes for an easy design. Nothing sparkly or flashy, because that's not typically a guy thing. 

I hope you find some time to create! 

Debbie

Supplies Used - Favorite Person

Stamps and Dies:  Fun Forest Stamp Set and Dies and My Favorite Sentiments (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Icing on the Cake

Paper:  Early Espresso Cardstock (Stampin' Up); Solar White Cardstock (Neenah); Pattern Paper from scrap stash;

Veggies for Shopping Our Stash

Couldn't resist the urge to make a veggie card for Shopping Our Stash. I included the gardeners of the vegetables; credit where credit is due to them for their hard work.  

I love the view of the veggies growing under the dirt!  A little spring greeting for someone soon. 

I hope you find some time to use your stash!  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Spring Greetings

Stamps and Dies:  Gardeners Greetings Stamp Set and Dies, Grass Border Die and April Showers Stamp Set and Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Tuxedo Black (Memento); Copic Markers; Midnight and Aquatini (Catherine Pooler Inks); Izink Titanium Pigment; 

Paper: Solar White (Neenah); Aquatini Prints (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Other: Crater Lake Sequin Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs); Cloud Stencil (My Favorite Things); 

Valentine's Food Truck Inspired by Festive Friday Prompts

 Played along with the inspiration list at Festive Friday.  

 Some pink some sparkle and some hearts.  (And there may be some red in there too.)  

 I paper-pieced this cute little shaker, and love that the awning matched the background paper.   

Wouldn't it be cool to have a seasonal holiday truck that served the basics and then all things seasonal. I would totally hunt that truck down!

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you find some time to create today! 

Debbie

Supplies Used - Happy Valentine's Day Shaker

Supplies from The Stamps of Life December 2018 Card Kit:  Cardstock, Pattern Paper, Enamel Dot Stickers

Other Supplies:  icecreamtruck2stamp stamps and dies (The Stamps of Life), Black Pigment Ink (Ranger), Rockin' Red Ink (Catherine Pooler Inks),
Versamark, Silver Embossing Powder (Stampin' Up), White Glitter Paper (Close To My Heart), Beads and Heart Confetti (Pretty Pink Posh), Open Heart and Love Glitter from stash, Acetate sheet from packaging

Slimline Required for Two Doxies

The challenge at Little Red Wagon was to create a slimline card.  I kind of snickered because I had stamped images of dachshunds on my craft table and had put them aside because I couldn't figure out the layout for two of them to have a party on an A2 size card.  A slimline was definitely there only chance at a party.   

So I pulled my two pups out of the bowl on my table and got busy creating a slimline card.  While I had the pups all stamped, I needed party supplies . . . a birthday banner, gifts, cake, candle and confetti.  

 

 

And a sentiment on a pup . . . loooong!

 I love cards with critters on them.  I also love this color family.  It's the Date Night collection of inks from Catherine Pooler Designs.  

I hope you find some time to make a loooong card.  

Debbie

Supplies Used - You've Been Around So Loooong

Stamps and Dies:  Doxie Birthday Party Stamp Set and Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Midnight, Over Coffee, Icing on the Cake, Pucker Up, Catching Rays, In the Park, Cummerbund, Serenade, Drive-in (Catherine Pooler Inks)

Paper: Premium White Cardstock and By the Yard Paper Pack (Catherine Pooler);

Other: Onyx Liquid Pearl (Ranger); Dandelion Yellow Crystal Drops, Ivory Seashell Crystal Drops, Purple Rain Glitter Drops (Nuvo); Mockingbird Heights Sequin Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Holly Jolly Stencil Fun for Christmas Craft Creations

This month's challenge at Christmas Craft Creations was stenciling.  I've become a huge fan of stenciling whether is blending inks over them or getting crazy with some shaving cream and ink.  Today I used some layering stencils to create a background, and then used those same ink colors to color some stamped images. 

There were three stencils in my layering set, and I decided to use two off them and blend on some Martini and Uptown ink from Catherine Pooler. 

My stamp set has these adorable birds with scarves, and so I stamped one and used the same inks to color.  I also stamped some hearts onto my stenciled background and heat set some embossing glitter onto them.  And then there is all the added sparkle!  What's not to love about added sparkle?  

I do love mixing up my supplies.  Stencils from Close To My Heart; stamps and dies from Catherine Pooler Designs, and a sentiment die/banner from Concord & 9th.  Finding ways to creatively mix it up is so much fun. 

I hope you find some time to create!  

Debbie

Supplies Used -Sending Love - Holly Jolly

Stamps and Dies:  Flock of Friends Stamps and Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs); Holly Jolly Banner Die (Concord & 9th);

Ink & Embossing:  Jet Black (Lawn Fawn); Wow Embossing Pad and Uptown Embossing Glitter (Wow);  Uptown and Martini (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: White Cardstock (Scrapbook and Cards Today); Solar White (Neenah); Black Cardstock (American Crafts);

Other: Card Front Stencil Bundle 3 (Close To My Heart); Black Glaze Pen and Quickie Glue Pen (Sakura); Prisma Glitter (Lawn Fawn);

A Hard Day's Night Inspired

Just when I think I have too many stamps and dies, I realize my stamps and dies are missing an element.  Where are my stamps relative to working?  The challenge at Little Red Wagon is A Hard Day's Night . . . something work related!  I love that they are going to focus this year on themes related to The Beatles. 

And so back to the challenge and my lack of work related stamps and dies!  Perhaps when I'm cutting and pasting, the last thing I want to think about is anything work related?  But Lawn Fawn doesn't disappoint.  I created a card honoring the the mail carrier!  

Like my mail carrier, this little dude is delivering cheer to mailboxes and chicks everywhere.  

If only my mail carrier kept it to important Air Mail and cute cards with hearts on the envelope!  

I used a mix of kraft and white, which is a combination that I've gotten away from.  

Love my creating time!  Cheers!

Debbie

Supplies Used - Hoo is the Best

Stamps and Dies:  Special Delivery Stamp Set and Dies, Special Delivery Add-on Stamp Set and Dies; Scallop Slimline with Hearts Portrait Die (Lawn Fawn);

Ink & Embossing:  Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento); Midnight Ink (Catherine Pooler) Various Copic Markers; White Gel Pen (Uchida);

Paper: Solar White and Desert Storm Cardstock (Neenah); Be Mine Pattern Paper (Pebbles);

Other:  Crater Lake Sequin Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs); Diamond Stickles (Ranger);

Have a Lovely Birthday

I have one last card to post for January, and it's one inspired by the use of a border die and comes from Shopping Our Stash.  

I love this set of bird stamps, and it came with a separate die to cut a leaf border.  I went with one of my favorite techniques . . . bring out the ink and shaving cream.  

 

I created my background piece first using some Neenah Solar White cardstock, shaving cream, a stencil and a few ink colors with some rosy tones.  I created a smaller panel with some green tones to cut my border die.  I cut the die with black ink as well, and I trimmed my rose tone panel to match the edge die.  I then paper pieced the leaves back into the black die.  

I didn't intentionally keep that lower right area lighter in tone on my piece, but it was the perfect spot for the sentiment.  I toyed with a die and a stamped image on a white tag.  Went with it on the piece itself.  

And my birds were stamped in the same tones used for the background.  I just love those little birds and have pulled them out a few times.  They're great for all seasons and so darn cute. 

I had a personal goal to create more in 2022, and I often use the challenge blogs to inspire me to create more and think outside of the box.  My overall goal is to post 100 times in 2022.  Make more cards . . . play less games on my phone!  So that's an average of 8 to 9 posts a month which I more than met for January.  

I believe I'm 15 down, 85 to go for 2022.  Honestly, so happy to be creating more.  

I hope you find some time to create and be happy!

Debbie

Supplies Used - Have a Lovely Birthday

Stamps and Dies:   Lovely Birdies Stamp Set and Dies and Birdies Branch Die (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Midnight, Spruce, Seafoam, Shea Butter, Tiara, Pink Champagne, Royal Treatment and Sangria (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: Solar White Cardstock (Neenah) and Black Cardstock (American Crafts)

Other: Split Chevron Stencil and Crater Lake Sequin Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs); Diamond Stickles (Ranger);

Warm Wishes Card . . . Cookie Inspired

I look forward to seeing the inspiration photos at If You Give a Crafter a Cookie because those cookies are so beautiful.  I can't even imagine the work that goes into creating those artsy little treasures. 

I decided this year I want to be sure to play monthly, and here is my January submission.  

 

I took inspiration from the colors and that cute little polar bear cookie.  I had gotten this stamp set as part of Creative Journey Art Retreat, and it was created by Honey Bee Stamps exclusively for the group with images from Woodland Winter Animals Stamp Set.  I remembered the polar bear had a scarf, so I went digging.  

A little bit of sparkle makes it awesome!  

And I'm one for one at playing along.  

I hope you find some time to get crafty today.  Or to eat a cookie.  And why not both?

Debbie

Supplies Used - Sending Warm Wishes

Stamps and Dies:  Holiday Creative Journey Art Retreat 2021 Stamp Set (Honeybee)

Ink & Embossing:  Jet Black Ink (Lawn Fawn); Embossing Pad, Dress Blues Embossing Glitter and Opaque Bright White Embossing Powder (Wow); Salvaged Patina Distress Ink (Ranger); Rockin' Red Ink (Catherine Pooler Inks); Copic Markers;

Paper:  White Daisy Cardstock (Close To My Heart); Solar White Cardstock (Neenah);

Other:  Unicorn Stickles (Ranger);

So Very Merry for The Card Concept

The Card Concept had an inviting photo for their challenge, so I had to play along.  I went CAS for this one, and just added a little pop to my stamped images.  

I will share that those little circles came from  cards I made a year or two ago using a die that cut a circle from the center of another circle.  I stored them in a bag and vowed to use them one day.  I do love the color combination displayed in the inspiration photo. 

This means I cleaned some stuff off my desk!  One little bag of goodies down, and so very many to go.

I hope you clear a bag of goodies from your desk, in a very creative way.  

Debbie

Supplies Used - So Very Merry

Stamps and Dies:  Warm Hugs Stamp Set and Warm Wraps Dies (Stampin' Up);

Ink & Embossing:  Spruce, Over Coffee and Cranberry Fizz (Catherine Pooler Inks);

Paper: Premium White Cardstock (Catherine Pooler Designs); Heartwarming Hugs DSP (Stampin' Up);

Other: Celebration Confetti Mix (Pretty Pink Posh);

 

Little Town Inspired

It's a theme challenge at Christmas Card Throwdown, and the prompt was . . . 

 

 I have had this stamp and die set in my stash for over a year, and it's just time!  I feel as thought they were neglected, so created a little something . . . 

This is the set with the little doors that align with stamped images that you can purchase to go with it.  I used another set for inside the little peek-a-boo doors.  I'm always a fan of mixing sets and companies who manufacture the sets.  Behind the doors are small sentiments, strings of holiday lights, silhouettes and faces of elves . . . all little things! 

The weekend is here - and it's time to create.  I hope you find some time to fit some cut and paste into your life.  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Peek-a-boo Doors Holiday Card 

 Stamps and Dies:  Winter Village Peek-a-boo Clink Stamp, Peek-a-boo Circular Doors Fancy Die, Irreverant Elf Messages Stamp (Hero Arts); A Dash of Joy (Close To My Heart);

Ink & Embossing:  Tuxedo Black Ink (Memento); Copic Markers

Paper: Solar White (Neenah); Call Me Clover Cardstock (Stampin' Up);

Other:  Icicle Stickles (Ranger);

So Happy Together

I created an anniversary card inspired by the challenge at Sweet Stampin' Challenge.  

 

For this one my focus started with the background using a rose stencil and while it's hard to see, there is some shimmer to that background from some Perfect Pearls.  I layered a background stamp with script over the top of this one.  Script just adds a certain something-something to a background.  

 My sentiment and focal images were added right to the card.  I love the end result of this one. 

Supplies Used - So Happy Together

Stamps and Dies:  Love Note Background Stamp, Rose Stencil and Happy Together Stamp and Die Set (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Twilight, Midnight, Rockin' Red (Catherine Pooler Inks); Worn Lipstick Distress Ink and Perfect Pearls (Ranger); 

Paper: Premium White and Midnight Cardstock (Catherine Pooler); Bazzill Cardstock Card Base

Other:  Ivory Seashell Crystal Drops (Nuvo);

Snow Much Fun This Way

When creating this card, I was focusing on two different challenges.  The first was a challenge at StampNation in honor of the group's 11th birthday!  The focus was to stretch your stamps and supplies.  And then photo inspiration at Just Us Girls (which I've posted further below with my supply list) was my starting point.  The cute little snowmen.  So I took two stamps sets, one that was winter themed and one that was spring themed, and I meshed them together.  Now, admittedly this just looks like a winter card, but I "fashioned" a hat for my fox so he looked like he was trying to keep his little head warm while out playing with his friends in the snow.  

I also modified a mini coverplate die to fit in a smaller fashion on a slimline card.That's the piece you can see on the left.

The chunky glitter just makes my day. 

I hope you find some time to create today.  

Debbie

Supplies Used - A Little Hello

Stamps and Dies:  Snowflake Mini Coverplate Die, Build a Snowman and Puddle Play Stamp Set and Dies

Ink & Embossing:  Jet Black Ink (Lawn Fawn); Copic Markers; Over Coffee, Cove Blue, Tranquil, Pink Champagne, and Sparkling Berry Inks (Catherine Pooler)

Paper:  Accent Opaque Cardstock; Solar White (Neenah); Touch of Frost Pattern Paper (Catherine Pooler Designs); Pink Glitter Paper (Close To My Heart);

Other:  Chunky Glitter (Lawn Fawn); Unicorm Stickles (Ranger);

Thanks Bunches - Disney Style

I had a goal to post more cards this year, and so far I feel like I'm making some good progress there. I saw the post at Use Your Stuff to create a card inspired by Disney.  I had to play along with this one.  I just had to pull an item from my stuff that I just adore and have NOT used enough.  It was a stamp and punch set from Stampin' Up. I also had some strips of pattern paper that I had saved for some cards and so a card is born . . .

What I love about this stamp/punch combo is that micro-dot shading in the balloons which you can see on the yellow balloons. Seriously love it. 

I paired this with some Pretty Pink Posh sequins and love the result.  

I mixed some companies between all my supplies here - another thing I love to do.  

I hope you not only find some time to create, but that you mix it all up with yours supplies too.  

Debbie

Supplies Used - Thanks Bunches

Stamps and Dies:  Say It All Occasions (Close To My Heart); Balloon Celebration Bouquet Punch Bundle (Stampin' Up)

Ink & Embossing:  Midnight, Tiki Toch, Rockin' Red (Catherine Pooler Inks)

Paper: Premium White Cardstock (Catherine Pooler); Bazzill Cardstock

Other: Marigold Sequins (Pretty Pink Posh);

Added a Heart for Allsorts

 The challenge at Allsorts was to "Add a Heart", and I created a card with hearts in the pattern paper, but I added a stamped heart as well.

I love an infinity shaker, and this pattern paper just seemed to be perfect for a shaker.  So lots of hearts in the paper, with sequins to bring them to life, and then you just need to add a heart!  I picked some colors that would pop on that pattern paper.

Loving that dark teal!  I hope you find some time to create today.

Debbie

Supplies Used - I've Been Thinking About You

Stamps and Dies:  Notes of Love Die, Two Part Hearts Stamp Set and Dies (Catherine Pooler Designs);

Ink & Embossing:  Party Dress, Glitz, Uptown (Catherine Pooler Ink);

Paper: Premium White Cardstock and Lotsa Love Paper Pack (Catherine Pooler Designs); White Glitter Paper (Close To My Heart);

Other: Rehoboth Sequin Mix (Catherine Pooler Designs); stamp packaging plastic for shaker element