Christmas 2019 #1 - L for layers

Usually by now I have a good start on Christmas cards, but this is my first for this year. Thanks, Beccy, for the encouragement.   I found a paper pad at Michael's that I like a lot - Hope and Faith by CraftMart.  You will be seeing s lot of examples from that pad.  The gold layer is from a gift bag, and the sentiment is computer generated.
L for layers  (5) - Beccys Challenges
Sketch:  Tuesday Morning Sketches
Border:    Creative Knockouts.
Dies:   Happylittlestampers
Any:   Scrapyland

Thinking of you

I need to replenish my supply of generic thinking of you cards.  I really like this sketch to display verses.  Word Art has such a lovely selection  This has been in my file since late 2014  The sentiment is from my computer. I used the heat gun to frizzle the ribbon ends, and used Labels dies for the "tag".
Sketch:  Tuesday Morning Sketch
Bow:    Craft-deebowz 
Any:     Happy little stampers
              The house that stamps built 
              Word art Wednesday
 

Happy birthday to our son

Paul, are you really going to be 60? where have the years gone? 
He just finished a major remodeling job -the final project of many in their home.  He had to do this evenings and week ends.  I thought about putting a big red X over the tool cart!  (I have used so many hunting and fishing images - time for a change LOL!!!)
The image was a prize from Sparkle n Sprinkle - I think they are now out of business. The letters are from a Cuttebug alphabet die set - probably the first die set I purchased.  The DP pieces are from my endless stash.  The base features a number of stripes to fulfill the sketch.  I sponged the town edges of the image with chalk.
Sketch:  Tuesday Morning Sketches.
Any:       Lemon Shortbread
               Through the Craft Room Door 
                Cards Galore 
                Happy Little Stampers

Christmas '18

Stamp by Stampendous; brads; dies by Peachy Cheap.
Sketch:   Your Next Stam
"M" -Magi:  Beccys Place
Any:   Word Art Wednesday.
           Happy Little Stampers.

Recycled Christmas 2018 - Mojo Monday Sketch

Yeah!  Mojo Monday is back - every 2 weeks or so.  I am addicted to sketch challenges so this is welcome news.  Once again, I am recycling a card from my stash (the ones I am using are all pre-2017.)  The papers, unmarked, are from my collection, and I added a bit of burlap for texture. and roughed the edges to go with the vintage look of the image.
Sketch:  (Mojo) - Poetic Artistry
Christmas:      Happy Little Stampers
Traditional Christmas colors:   Allsorts 
Circles:   Crafty Friends 
Any:   Pammies Inky Pinkies   

Teapot Party sends cards to cancer patients

Check out the weekly challenge at SplitCoastStampers, MMTPT534.  This week our cards go to a group called Card Care Connection.  Feel free to join us in supporting that group - but no verse on the inside of the card.
I dry embossed the background, and die cut the butterflies and greeting from a recycled pecan pit box!
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches.happ
Dies:    Happylittlestampers
 Any:   Creatalicious challenges

Some new old items to use

I belong to a local crafter's group.  Our leader some times gets items a family is wanting to give to good homes.  The last time, I scored on several lengths of lace and other trims.  I finally had a chance to use the orange lace and the dragonfly trims.  They were a good match for the Our Daily Bread image ( one i had already colored).  I used Spellbinder circle dies and DP from my stashand I added some  shiny orange gems to the dragonflies.
Sketch:   Feeling-sketchy
Circles:   Art Impressions 
Bling:   Simon says stamp Wednesday challenge 
Dies:    Happy Little Stampers
             Scrapyland
Dragonfly critters:   2 crafty critter crazies    
Lace:    Creative craft cottage
Any:   A bit more time to craft

Crafter's Cafe Challenge #202 - birthday and/.or buttons

I used buttons on this birthday card, but if you enter the current challenge at the Crafter's Cafe you may choose one or the other - or both, as I have.   I know many of you have a button collection around there someplace!  This image is part of a set available from one of our sponsors, Sparkle n' Sprinkle.   The birds in the background are a part of the set as well.  Actually, I have also had it in my collection as a freebie from Beccy's Place - thanks to both of you.  It is a favorite of mine - so versatile as it can be a masculine birthday card, as I have done here, or it could be a thinking of you or sympathy card.
Sketch:   Tuesday morning sketches
Embellishments:  Beccys Place
Wings:    Star Stampz
Die cut circle:  Happy little stampers
Tic tac toe (metallic ribbon, button, off the edge):  House that stamps built
Any:  Crafting with an attitude 
          Jo's scrapshack    
          Patties creations
          Polkadoodle
  

Sympathy - Cross and Blossoms

I will most likely use this for a sympathy card.  The stamp, one I have had for a long time, is Cross & Blossoms,  by Paper Inspirations.  I stamped it on subtly patterned paper - all in tones of blue/blue green.  The mats and leaves are a dark teal.  The strip on the left  (patterned paper) is from a set of banner dies (Spellbinder) that I have had for a while, but have not used - so they are new to me. The leaves are from a Sizzix die, and the background is a butterfly folder by Darice.
Sketch:  Sketch-Tanten
New (banner border):   Die- Cut-Divas
                                         Penny Black at Allsorts
                                         Allsorts
Flowers:   Cuttlebug Mania 
Die Cuts:    Happy Little Stampers
Blue:    Simon Says Stamp Monday
Any & Fav. color:  Digi Stamps 4 Joy
Pattern paper:   Simon Says Stamp Wednesday 
Any:    Polkadoodle
             
            

Sport lover

Pre colored image by Dearie Doll, from a couple of years ago. Hi is by QKR Stampede. Grass die and baseball die by Die-Namics.  This goes to our son-in-law who will be hospitalized in rehab for several more weeks.  He is hopeful the Astros will win the World Series!
This will also be entered in the Falliday Fest challenge at SplitCoastStampers.
Sketch:  Sketch Saturday
Any, with a die:  Happy Little Stampers

Silhouette Nativity

I have been looking for a Nativity die, and just got this - now I realize I am not sure how best to use it.  Your suggestions/references/links are most welcome.  I embossed the bg. with snowflakes and distressed stripes.  I cut the die in black, then used a small piece of shimmery old gold to back the rays at the top. I used a circle die the right size, and cut a half circle.  I then trimmed a bit so it would not show behind the frame of the stable, leaving enough of the gold to back the star.   Alternatively, I could die cut the star and place it in the opening - and have no gold behind the rays.  Hubby suggested cutting the rays in gold, but that is too much delicate cutting and gluing for me!  The base mat is a deep red, almost burgundy and the ribbon is metallic gold.
Sketch:  Sketch Saturday
Shimmer     Simon Says Stamp Monday
Silhouette CAS:    Happy Little Stampers
Die cut:   Clean and Simple on Sunday
Christmas:     Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge 
                        Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge2.

Vintage golf, HB Walter

 This is for my brother.  He enjoys golf, but also likes history, so I thought this vintage style image - an oldie from Stampin' Up - would be suitable.
Chalk sponging on image; distressed edges; Washi tape; Grass die by Die-namics; DP from my stash.


Sketch:   Mojo Monday
Chalk:    Chalk n Stock
Let's Distress:   Art Impressions 
Any, with dies:   Happy Little Stampers
Summer fun:     Die-cut-divas 
Masculine:     Dies r Us
Boyz Rule:      Love to Scrap
Any:     Penny Black at Allsorts 

HB to my husband

Yesterday I posted the card for hubby's twin brother - now here is hubby's.  He has a lot of back pain, so, as he says, he is getting good at doing nothing, sitting in his chair LOL!.  This AI stamp (one of the first in my collection) works pretty well for him! It is colored with Prismas. and cut with a Spellbinder die.   The DP is stonewashed Denim by Provo Craft.  The numbers are from the Olivia alpha set by Cuttlebug  (double layered with white and blue), and the personalized greeting is computer generated.  I sponged the edges of the white, and distressed some of the other layers.  There is a bit of ribbon added.
Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches
Let's Distress:    Art Impressions
Masculine:   Simon Says Stamp Monday 
                      Simon Says Stampblog Wednesday
                      Dies r us 
                      Star Stampz 
For the Boys:   Cute as a Button
                          Patties Creations 
Two+ dies:    Allsorts
Frame:       Cuttlebug Mania
Use dies:     Happy Little Stampers
Pattern Paper:   Crafty Hazelnuts Patterned Paper 
Any (with stamp):   Penny Black at Allsorts
 

Serene farm scene

Recently I have seen several beautiful cards that feature lovely backgrounds as a base for silhouette images.  Some are sponged and some are "squished".  I decided to try my hand.  I used various Twinkling H20 inks with an aqua pen.  I have several colors of this ink but still was somewhat limited - though I am pretty happy with the result.  (I painted the base cs in the location where I knew the digi would be printed.)
Digi - Beccy's Place Nell's Cottage;  Twinkling H2O ink; Spellbinder circle dies;  Cuttlebug embossing folder, SU sentiment (very old!); twine, scrap of DP, green cs.  For my snippets I used a bit of twine and small pieces of green to back the DP, as well as a bit of cs for the sentiment.
Sketch:  Mojo Monday
"Snippets"    Pixies
Go Green:   Crafty Cardmakers
Going round in circles:   Whoopsie Daisy
Add green:   Delicious Doodles
Dies:    Happy Little Stampers
Any:   Beccys Place

Recycled Christmas card

Today we want to remember all the victims of 9-ll and pray for all of the families affected by acts of terror that have happened throughout the world.

Over the years I have saved many Christmas cards with plans to recycle them - thanks for the challenge to encourage me to do at least one!  The blue DP is Paper Pizazz, and the yellow is Paper Studio.  The edges are distressed.  Star brads complete the layout.

Sketch:   Tuesday Morning Sketches

Shabby:  Christmas Cards All Year Round

Recycle:    Pile it on

Colors - top row:    Deep Ocean

A bit of yellow:       Crafty Hazelnuts Christmas Challenge

2 pattern papers:    Crafters Cafe

Song - "Star of wonder":   Happy Little Stampers

Any:     Creatalicious

              Snowflakes Promise  

              Through the Craft Room Door

 

Special Christmas 2016 #2

This is to continue my tradition of creating Christmas cards for grandkids that are special in some way - this may be called a double gatefold or maybe a z-fold. .The original piece is 12x5.5; each side is folded, then folded back.  The belly band and image hold it closed.  I will add a name and greeting to the front, and the inside has a pocket.  Another tradition is to give a donation in their honor - organizations like World Vision and Samaritan's Purse offer items such as $50 for school supplies in Africa or $50 for medical supplies in a third world country.  We have the fun of "matching" interests, and providing an object lesson in giving.  We include the donor card in the pocket.
Image - QKR  digital shepherd boy - reminds me of the song "The Shepherd Boy".
Swiss Dot embossing folder - Cuttlebug; shimmery champagne and textured blue cs.

More than one fold/cards and more cards - this is #2 of 6:    Scor-pal
Christmas song:   Happy Little Stamper Christmas Challenge
"Character" of Christmas:   Winter Wonderland challenge
Embossing:    C.R.A.F.T.
Any:  House that stamps built

I did not take additional photos of this card, but here is an "open" view of the first z-fold card I posted on Sept. 10:

 

Christmas 2016 - 3

Image:  QKR Shepherd boy;  DP - Faith by Paper Studio; gold glitter cs;  punched star; Cheery Lynn branch die cut; gold ribbon:
Sketch:    Sweet Sketch Wednesday2
Christmas:   Cheery Lynn Designs
                       Happy Little Stampers
                       Fussy and Fancy
                       C.R.A.F.T.
                       Deep Ocean
                       Kitty Bee 
Any:               DLArt