September Christmas Sketch Challenge

52 Christmas Card Challenge blog has an interesting card sketch for this week's challenge. I knew exactly the die cut images I wanted to use for the sketch.

I started with a red 5" x 7" base card. On a white layer I die cut my Santa at the top leaving the bottom of the layer blank. I attached die cut mini stars in the open space of the die cut. I die cut a 'Ho ho Ho' sentiment out of red and attached it to the bottom of the layer. I cut a curved piece out of red and white (adding a Merry Christmas sentiment on the white piece) and attached it under the santa.

Santa Die - Stampin' Up!
Ho ho Ho Die - Impression Obsession

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #652

This morning I made a card for the current challenge at Freshly Made Sketches.

I decided on a 5 1/2" card so cut the base card in white. I then cut a circle in a piece of heavyweight white card stock. I embossed the top of the card with a leaf embossing folder. Across the circle I attached a die cut foil butterfly. I added a thin strip of blue foil card stock at the bottom of the circle then added a blue floral designer paper at the bottom of the layer. I backed the entire layer (using foam mount tape to lift it slightly off the card) with a piece of the same designer paper I used for the bottom of the layer (so it would show behind the foil butterfly). That layer was then attached to the white base card. Lastly I stamped a sentiment on white, backed it with the blue foil card stock, then attached it (using foam mount tape) at the bottom of the circle. For a little bling, I added two blue gems.

Butterfly Die - Marianne Designs Creatables
Sentiment - Stampin' Up! Elements of Style

Floral Anniversary Card

Oh my goodness. When I came across a personalized anniversary card on Pinterest (credit to Debbie Armstrong), I just had to make one like it. It is the perfect anniversary card for my son and daughter-in-law. I began with a 5-1/2" white base card. I printed out two copies of some pink flower clip art on white cardstock (adding a clip art ampersand at the center of one image). One was for the background layer and the other was for diecutting out their initials. I printed 'Happy Anniversary' under the flowers on the background layer. To raise the initials off the card a bit, I added four die cut layers of white card stock to each letter. I then added the letters on top of the floral layer, lining up the images. I backed the printed layer with gold and attached it to the base card.

Dies for initials - Altenew

Color Hues Challenge #94 Rust and Green

This morning I made a card for the current challenge over at Color Hues. The challenge is to use the colors rust and green on a project.

I was surprised to see I had some rust colored card stock, so made a 5" x 7" base card using it. I had an extra embossed white layer (from the last challenge), so added that to the front of the card. To add the green, I die cut leaves and attached it to the embossed layer, then die cut a Thank You sentiment in gold and backed that with green. I attached the sentiment with foam mount tape to lift if off the card a bit. Lastly I added a little decorative green brad.

Embossing Folder - Gina K Designs Tapestry
Leaves Die Cuts - Memory Box Fresh Foliage
Thank You Die Cut - Diamond Press
Decorative Brad - The Paper Studio

Christmas Joy

I enjoy making Christmas cards each year and thought I'd get an early start to this year's cards. Inspiration came from a new challenge that I came across, 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. They have weekly challenges so I hope to participate each week. This week's challenge is Embossing.

I knew exactly what kind of card I wanted to make, a clean and simple design with an embossed background. I started with a 5-1/2" square dark red base card. I embossed a white square and backed it with a red and white larger square to form a border. On the embossed layer I wanted to add the die cut word "joy" that I cut out of a foil card stock. I cut several more of the words in a thick white card stock, glued them together and backed the foil one so it would rise off the card a bit. For the dot above the 'j' I die cut a tiny red cardinal and attached it. The layers were then attached to the base card.

Embossing Folder - Gina K Designs Tapestry
Joy Die Cut - Memory Box Joy Airy Script
Mini Cardinal Die Cut - Impression Obsession

Double "D" Challenges

Today I came across a new challenge website called Double D Challenges and decided to add it to my list of card challenges.

The theme of this challenge is 'shapes', so a square, rectangle, circle or oval could be used. I chose to use a square shape for my card and layers. I started with a 5-1/2" square brown base card. At the center I added a square layer of foil flowers and added a gold layer to the back to form a border. I stamped a sentiment (one of my favorites) on white using black ink. I backed the sentiment with a gold layer and a brown layer then attached it to the center. I added one of my favorite bird images (stamped in black and die cut) to the right top corner. Lastly I cut out a flower from some more of the decorative card stock and attached it (using foam tape) to the lower left corner. Love it!

Foil Flower Card Stock - The Paper Studio 'Pretty as a Poppy'
Nature Sentiment - Impression Obsession Art of God
Bird Image - Gina K Designs Spring Blessings

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #651

Autumn will be here before I know it, so I thought today I would make a Summer card before starting on my Autumn cards. The card sketch idea came from the current challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches.

I decided to turn the image and make a landscape designed card using the sketch. I started with a blue A-6 base card. I cut a floral (with gold leaves) layer and a gold & pink diagonal strip and added it to the base card. On a piece of white I stamped the sentiment in black and layered it on a gold piece of card stock to give it a border. I attached the sentiment to the center of the card. Lastly I added a stamped bird image at the top right corner.

Floral Foil Layers - The Paper Studio 'Pretty as a Poppy'
God's Love Sentiment - My Sentiments Exactly
Bird Image -Gina K Designs Spring Blessings