A Christmas Card & A Baby Card

 Card #1 inspired by 4 challenges...

Color Throwdown Challenge // #ctd770 ...A color challenge!!  Dark green, yellow green, and black are the color called for in this challenge.

Freshly Made Sketches // #FMS613 ...A sketch challenge!!  This sketch was perfect for showcasing this jumbo ribbon that I have been hoarding.  This ribbon has long been retired from Stampin Up but I love it.

TGIF Challenges // #tgif448 ...A theme challenge!!  What is your favorite Christmas song??  O Christmas Tree!!  Actually I love them all...but when it came to making a card, I picked O Christmas Tree.

Retro Rubber Challenges // #rrcb220 ...A tic-tac-toe challenge!!  My winning three in a row are trees (stamped trees & die cut trees), patterned paper (sheet music from an old song book), and ribbon/twine (both ribbon &twine).  This challenge also wants us to use stamps that are over a year old.  My stamped tree came from Stampin Up's Winter Woods set that came out in 2020.

Update: This card was chosen by the Retro Rubber team as a "Top Pick"!!  What an honor!!  I am super excited because in there last challenge my card was also chosen...two challenges in a row!!  What an honor!!

Card #2 inspired by 3 challenges...

Once Upon A Time Challenges // #OUAT16 ...A monthly challenge inspired by a book!!  The book given to us as our inspiration for November is The Thank You Book by Mo Willems.  The elephant and the pink & teal on the cover were my inspiration.

Splitcoast Stampers Sketch Challenge // #SC982 ...A sketch challenge!  This fun sketch was perfect for showcasing my pair of twinning elephants!!

Tic Tac Toe Challenges // #tttc236 ...A game board challenge!!  My winning three in a row on this game board: critters, die cut, layers!!  A winning combination for this baby card!!

Update: This card was chosen as a "Top 3" by the Once Upon A Time design team.  What an honor to have both of these cards chosen by different design teams.  I always get so excited when one of my cards are spotlighted.  So I got extra excited when both cards from this post got picked!!

Verse of the Day: (courtesy of YouVersion)

New Challenge @ Shopping Our Stash

Today begins a new challenge at Shopping Our Stash!!  Our theme for this challenge is "The Power of Pastels"!!  What will you find in your stash that fits this theme??  For me, I right away thought of babies!! And pulled Stampin Up's retired set...Something for Baby.  I also found a metal hanger embellishment that I have been hoarding!!  Now it is your turn...dig around in your stash and play along with our "The Power of Pastels" challenge over at Shopping Our Stash!

The Power of Pastels // #SOS505

2 other challenges inspired this card...

Sunday Stamps // #SS282 ...A sketch challenge!!  I loved the trio of banners called for in this sketch and decided to stamp them!

TGIF Challenge // #tgifc367...A color challenge!!  Pale Papaya, Soft Succulent, and Fresh Freesia.  Perfect for my Power of Pastels baby card!!

Card #2 was inspired by 2 challenges...

INKspirational Challenges // #264 ...A word prompt challenge!!  BARK!!  Stampin Up's woodland embossing folder was perfect for this challenge along with their Winter Woods set that has a matching stamp.

Fusion // #4.28.22 ...A fusion challenge!!  Use the photo or the sketch or fuse them together and use both!!  I used both!!  

Color Hues // #TCH40 ...A color challenge!!  The duo of colors...blue and tan!!  I love this combo!!  Perfect for my bark & butterfly combo!!

Verse of the Day: (courtesy of YouVersion)

TGIF Challenges #348 // Papercraft Challenges #77

2 challenges inspired today's card...

TGIF Challenges // #tgifc348 ...A technique challenge!!  The technique called for in this current challenge is MASKING!!  A lot of my stamp sets have a couple of post-it note masks stored in the stamp case.  I love masking and used to use it quite often but have let this technique fall by the wayside.  Thanks for the reminder and inspiration.

Papercraft Challenges // #PC77 ...A theme challenge!! "Driving home for Christmas" is the theme for this challenge!!  I used a Tim Holtz car stamp along with Stampin Up's Winter Woods set to create my "driving home" card.

Driving Home For Christmas

Verse of the Day:

he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Psalms 23:3 (NIV) Courtesy of YouVersion

Global Design Project #309

 1 challenge inspired this card...

Global Design Project // #GDP309 ...A color challenge!!  This color challenge calls for Black, White and an additional color of your choice.  Me...I picked Calypso Coral as my third color.  Stampin Up's Winter Woods set is perfect for this kind of challenge...great black and white image!!

Verse of the Day:

Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.

John 15:4 (NLT) Courtesy of YouVersion

Color Throwdown Challenge #611

Gray, Kraft, Green and White....that is the color combo for this week's Color Throwdown challenge.  I used Stampin Up's Winter Woods stamp set for my trees...that is my gray, along with my ribbon.  Kraft sentiment die. Wild Wasabi sponged circle and scalloped is my green.  All done on a white base which completes the current color combo!!  Thanks for the inspiration!

#bethegift challenge:  Really listen to someone today...give them the gift of your undivided attention!!

Tic Tac Toe Challenge #053

Tic Tac Toe!!  I win with the center column...Green//Flowers//Tree!!  I love how springy this card turned out!!  I know I am ready for some warmer weather and budding flowers!!  Thanks to the Tic Tac Toe challenge for the inspiration for this card!!  I think all three element in this card...the green tree, the flowers, and the sentiment came from three different stamp sets/bundles from Stampin Up. You see...I had my craft table covered with all kinds of sets, inks, and papers and I just was putting things together as I cleaned up!!  Clean up takes longer when you create while putting things away!!!  The struggle is real!!
Update:  I was a team pick!!

Fusion Challenge

Here is my take on the Fusion Challenge.  I feel like I gained inspiration from both the sketch and the photo.  I decided on using silver paint for my stencil based on the shimmery wintery photo.  The pop of red was totally an extra on my part.  But the branch die from Stampin Up's Winter Woods set seemed like a perfect addition.   I decided to hold off on a sentiment for this card until I was ready to send it...but I'm thinking it would make a great sympathy card!  

#bethegift challenge:  See all of your "to-do lists" as "to-love lists".  Do everything today with great love!!

Color Throwdown Challenge #575 & Paper Craft Crew Challenge #365

Here is my card for today...inspired by the sketch challenge from the Paper Craft Crew team and the color challenge from the Color Throwdown team.  This week's color combo was...Kraft, Gold, and Green.  I used Stampin Up's Winter Woods stamp set and the branch die from Seasonal Layers.  

#bethegift:  Hug someone today and tell them they are wonderful!!

The Library Challenge #48...Rupert

I created this wintery card for the Library Challenge.  The current Library Challenge is Rupert...an British comic strip character that has been in the newspapers since 1920.  For this card I use Stampin Up's Winter Woods, Wild About You,  and Beautiful Blizzard stamp sets to create my winter wonderland.  I embossed the snowflakes first with clear embossing powder and then stamped my trees and sponged in the rest of my landscape....this technique left the snowflakes without ink color letting them shine through.  Next I layered my little "Rupert" over the wintery scene I had created.  I am very tickled with how it turned out.

3 Gifts Challenge: (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) gifts rejoicing, wondering, praising...Rejoicing in the health and happiness that have been ours in 2019!!  Wondering if and when heart change will happen in loved ones!!  Praising and worshipping with other believers this morning at church.

"Less Is More" Challenge #409

Pick a triangle...leave 2/3 of the card empty...that was the challenge from the "Less is More" team.  

This is what you get...Stampin Up's Winter Wood stamp set and matching die along with a bit of bling!!  Yes, they are right...sometimes "Less is More"

Fab Friday #177 & Inspired By #100

Pink Christmas...I like it!!  Today's card was created for the sketch challenge from Fab Friday and the Pink Christmas challenge from Inspired By.  I love pulling non traditional colors into my Christmas cards.  Not much stamping on this card...just a few snowflakes in Blushing Bride and the Season's Greeting sentiment from Stampin Up's Winter Woods set.  A snowflake card just isn't complete without a little bit of bling!!  


3 Gifts Challenge: (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts)  gifts circling, crowning, and crafted...The bright red cardinal that keeps circling my bird feeder this morning!!  They say hair is your crowning glory, since I shave my along with a friend who is going through chemo, I realized there is some truth to that!!  Crafted...lots of cards for this weekend's Christmas in the Square event in our town!!

Paper Players Challenge #PP466

Into the woods was the theme for this weeks card challenge from Paper Players.  Stampin Up's Winter Woods stamp set and matching dies seemed perfect for this challenge.  I love how it turned out!!  I decided to make it a Birthday card instead of a Christmas card because I am needing some additions to my birthday stash but I will remember this card and make it in green and red for Christmas!!  

3 Gifts Challenge: (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 gifts acorn small....My rings, each one (I wear a total of 5) has special meaning and are about acorn size!!  The Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon pin that I just ordered that I wear daily to keep reminding me to be praying for my friend Donna who has begun this rough journey!!  His eyes...love the way he looks at me!!

As You See It Challenge #211

Trees...Trees...More Trees!!  That is the challenge from the As You See It blog.  Stampin Up's Winter Woods stamp set seemed to be the perfect set for this challenge.  I made the wintery trees kinda "fallish" with some orange leaves.  


3 Gifts Challenge: (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts) 3 gifts undervalued...water, food, and clothing...Here is America they are all easy come-easy go!!  We take them for granted and don't realize what a gift they really are!!

Many Thanks

Happy Mother's Day!!  Many thanks to the women in my life who have helped me be the mom I am today!!  

This card was inspired by the sketch challenge from Freshly Made Sketches.  I used the Winter Woods die set from Stampin Up. 

3 Gifts Challenge: (using Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts daily prompts). 3 gift help in my hand today...my hubby's hand//my phone--yes!! Because it it how I connected with my kids that 100s of miles away!!//my coffee mug