Inspirational Holiday Challenge

Paper Craft Crew has given us an inspirational Holiday challenge this week.  The inspirational photo reminded me of a technique I haven't used in a long time....the one where you create a background using metallic ink/glossy paper/alcohol/reinkers.  I can't remember what the technique is called but I had fun giving it a try.


Materials used:  Stampin Up's gold embossing powder, stamps, gold cord, Encore gold ink, Basic Black ink and Real Red ink.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Day 18 of the Kindness challenge:  Pay for a strangers coffee.  This one will be tough for me because the little town that I live in does not have a coffee shop.  Oh well...I will look for other ways to show kindness today.

Season's Greetings

Season's greetings!!  The count down is on!!  We are getting super excited about our kids coming home.  Still have a few more days of stamping and posting before I take a break for the Holidays.  That being said I am playing along with the Freshly Made Sketches challenge today.  This sketch is great for showing off designer paper.                          Materials used:  Stamping Up's Dashing Along designer paper and matching yardstick...Tim Holtz's reindeer die...bakers twine...retired sentiment from Stampin Up...Memento's Tuxedo ink                                                                                  Day 17 of the Kindness Challenge:  Tell someone that you love them!  This one comes easy for me because in our family we regularly say....I love you!!                             

                                                                                      

Happy Holidays II

Today I am using the Fusion sketch challenge again, along with the inspiration challenge from Inspired By.  The Chocolate Chip rectangles are the cut out from my window card that I made a couple days ago.  I try to use my scraps when I can to create a second card...this cuts down of the amount of waste.  If I do it right away I can usually come up with a plan, but if I just pile it up I often end up throwing it away.  To my fellow stampers...how do you handle your scraps??

Materials used:  Stampin Up's Night Owl thinlits die for the greenery...their Winter Wood stamp set and matching thinlits die for the pinecones...a retired sentiment

Day 16 of the Kindness Challenge:  Smile and thank someone who serves you!!  For me that would be the sushi chef that made my lunch.

Happy Holidays

This is our last sketch challenge for Sketch Saturday before we take a break and begin a new year of challenges.  We hope this sketch inspires you to play along and share your creativity with us.  We always look forward to seeing your interpretation of the sketch.  Our printer died this week and I was not able to use the digital images from this week's sponsor....so I kept my card this week super simple.  Basic stamping of the sentiment and then just some layering of papers and tying of some ribbon.  Sometimes a super simple project is a very good thing...back to basics.

Materials used:  Stampin Up's designer paper and card stock...ribbon...retired Stampin Up sentiment.

Day 15 of the Kindness Challenge:  Write a thank you note to someone.   I love this one...especially since I am a card maker.  With all of today's technology we are loosing the art of written word.  Take the time today to write someone a special thank you note.

Happy Winter

Another card that is showcasing two challenges...a color challenge from Sunday Stamps and a sketch challenge from the Fusion Card blog.  The sketch was perfect for this die and I had to pull it out retirement.  I'm one of those demonstrators that hangs on to favorites even though Stampin Up retires them.  I know I some times make others sad and they are comment...."ohhh I want to order that" and I have to tell them it is no longer available.  

Materials used:  Stampin Up's retired stamp set, Happy Scene with matching die...Early Espresso ink, Chocolate Chip, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Real Red, Blushing Bride card stock...doily...embossing folder.

Day 14 of the Kindness Challenge:  Let a car in front of you in traffic today!!  Road kindness...no road rage today, or any other day!!

Time to Time

I am loving this new (well new to me) challenge that I found that bases their challenges on book covers, title and/or story...The Library Challenge.  Each new challenge gives you the cover and you take it from there.  This week's challenge book is...Jack Finney's From Time To Time.

Materials used:  Tim Holtz stamps...Wild Wasabi, Basic Gray and Daffodil Delight ink from Stampin Up...enamel embellishments

Day 13 of December's Kindness Challenge:  Get in touch with an old friend or relative.  Reach out and reconnect!!

For You Wreath

Two challenges in one post today....sketch challenge from As You See It and a color challenge from the Color Throwdown blog.  The Color Throwdown team asked for Red/Green/Kraft. Typically these are Christmas colors but red flowers and green leaves can be used any time of the year.                                    

Materials used:  Swirly Birds stamp set and matching die from Stampin up...Tranquil Tide and Real Red yardstick...Soft Suede ink and yardstick...ultra mini pearls.

Day 12 of the Kindness Challenge:  Smile at a stranger...or 2 or 15!!  Just smile!!  I know that here in in the Panhandle of Florida we could use some smiles.  60 day out from the devastation of Michael and we are still finding it hard to smile!!