Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #27

Time for another Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge...here is #27!

I used a brand new line of decorative paper from October Afternoon called "Modern Homemaker" for the background and to paper-piece the little house.  The green and red papers in it are so festive!  Also used the house from Sewing Box Christmas, and made snow using a pattern from Pic-Nic Patterns.  The snowman and sentiment are from Heather Nichols's adorable set Holiday Tree from PTI.  I have collected quite a few jingle bells this holiday season, and can't seem to make a card without one.  LOVE these red ones that I found at JoAnn's!

Sparkling Noel Tag

For Kim Hughes's FIRST Ways to Use it Challenge as the new hostess!  Today she wanted us to find ways to use glitter.  I chose a glittery embossing powder to sparkle up the leaves from PTI's Turning a New Leaf to make a Christmas tag. 

Gingham paper is from A Muse (LOVE IT!).  I actually made the tag by running PTI's bookmark die through my Cuttlebug, and then cutting it down in length.  Rounded the ends at the bottom with my corner rounder punch...insta-tag!  Also used Waltzingmouse Stamps Musical Background stamped in Smokey Shadow ink, and a sentiment from PTI's Holiday Tree set.

Gingham Dream House

For Julia Stainton's last  "Ways to Use It" Challenge at Splitcoast.  She is handing the reigns over to Kim Hughes after hosting 300 challenges over almost 6 years!  Her last challenge was to go back and try to do at least 3 challenges on one card, and then to try something new!

I chose these past challenges..."Ways to Use" pearls, ribbon, paint, and an un-inked set.  I have never used the Home Made set that I purchased on the PTI boards this summer, or the home template that I downloaded that coordinates with the set.  So in honor of Julia's last challenge, I went crazy and made my Gingham Dream House! 

For those of you that don't know, this is actually a little box...the roof is the lid!  At first, I was too scared to attempt this again because it was soooo hard for me (templates and I don't usually mix), even with using previous projects by Kittie Carraciolo and Melissa Phillips as my inspiration pieces.  But I think I will give it another go around, and turn this into a teacher gift filled with a family favorite...peanut butter balls!

Mitten Weather

I have been missing participating in the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge, so I am quickly uploading a card before this week's sketch is closed!  Plus, who wouldn't want a chance to win the sweet stamp set Bountiful Baskets?

Here is this week's sketch:

And here is my card:



Flipped the sketch (to cover an "oopsie", of course!)!  Used sweater pattern from Faux Fun, the mitten from Sewing Box: Christmas, and the plaid stripe from Pic-Nic Patterns, all Waltzingmouse Stamps.  Used the sentiment from Papertrey Ink's Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers.

Mitten weather has arrived here, as we've been getting snow in our area all week.  But the BIG event is in the forecast for Sunday night...could it be a snow day this early in the season for us?!

Celebrating Colors!

This week's Color Challenge (#300!) at Splitcoaststampers is to celebrate all of the OTHER 299 color combinations that have been posted!  The colors are listed using Stampin Up names, but you are free to substitute whatever papers, patterned papers, inks, markers, and embellishments that you have that are close!

For my first card, I used Color Challenge 53:  Chocolate Chip (dark brown), Bashful Blue (light blue), and Certainly Celery (light green).  Made my own background paper using PTI's Guide Lines set with the coordinating grid paper, and a little scroll from Faux Ribbon.  Also featured the gingerbread man from Holiday Button Bits:

Next up is Color Challenge #90, which was Blush Blossom (light pink), True Thyme (an "olivey" green), and Cranberry Crisp (burgandy/red).  I chose Bamboo ink by VersaColor, PTI Scarlet Jewel Ink, and Tim Holtz Spun Sugar Distress ink.  Made the background using PTI's Background Basics: Botanicals, and used Wreath for All Seasons:

Betty challenged us...she said, "I wonder who will do the most different combinations?"  Okay, so maybe that was just pondering, but I took it as a CHALLENGE, hee!  It was so addicting to go back and see the master list of all those little color blocks in a row. I hope to get to more this week!

Seven-Layer Poinsettia

Finally got to play an Inspiration Challenge at Splitcoast today!  On Saturdays, SmilynStef picks the best websites for us to go and visit for inspiration.  Today she chose the website Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.  I chose this German-made Opal Champagne Heart with Poinsettia glass ornament for my inspiration piece.

Christmas is my favorite stamping time of year!  I have lots of old treasures (retired stamping sets!) that I refuse to part with, and one of these is from Stampin' Up.  It's called "Sew Seasonal".  I stamped the flower from it SEVEN times, cut them out, and layered the pieces to make this poinsettia card:

It was like eating potato chips...once I started stamping and layering the petals, I couldn't stop!  Stamped the flower 4 times on cream paper, then used a sponge and burgandy/red inks to color the petals.  Then stamped the flower 3 more times on PTI's Aqua Mist paper and tucked them in the back.  Used PTI's Turning a New Leaf set for the background leaves, and a sentiment from PTI's Wreath for All Seasons set.  Wish I had a heart-shaped Nestie, but had to settle with a circular one. 

Go check out Bronner's website...it will have you singing holiday tunes in no time!

Festive Tree

Long time, no blog!  We've been away in New Jersey to see family for Thanksgiving and also so that I could attend my 20th High School Reunion!  I got me a new avatar after dressing up for the party on Saturday :)!

Today I thought I would share a card featuring Pink Persimmon's new stamp set
Merry Christmas Tree!  Used PTI's Pinefeather cardstock, stamped the tree in Versamark, and then embossed it in white.  The little red stitching is actually a stamp included in this set!  The big plaid ribbon and jingle bell are courtesy of JoAnn's (and some coupons, hee!), and more PTI cardstock in Fine Linen. 

Tomorrow is December 1st and the start of my favorite card-making time of the year!  Can't wait to dig into my Christmas stamp stash and see what I've been missing all these months!