Happy Tuesday evening!

Just checking in really quickly this evening to share a few cards for the Christmas stash:

 

 

 

 

I was playing around with distress inks for the first 3 cards pictured; I still wanna do a purple version too!  All 3 cards feature three shades of the chosen color.  After I applied the colors, I used the darkest shade to splatter drops all over the pieces.  Then after thoroughly drying that process, I strategically sprayed/splattered water on them.  After another drying, I sprayed them with homemade shimmer spray in metallic pearl white.  I had lotsa fun during this process, and wore LOTSA ink on my hands!

The final card features another pre-colored image from the Winter Fairy Wee Stamps topper set.  Who can resist a bunny on a sled with gifts??  For something different, I put matted dp in 2 corners, and then repeatedly stamped the sentiment and a couple of snowflake images in the leftover white space.  Not quite as nice as Jennifer McGuire does it, but it'll do.  To match the sparkle on some of the dp stripes, I added clear Wink of Stella to parts of the image as well.  Three small blings in the same corners, and this was done.

 

Challenges:

 

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #10:  Anything goes or optional "for a child" twist

Sparkles Christmas Challenge:  Distress it!

CHNC October Extra:  Anything goes

Jingle Belles:  The Hanukkah Song,  aka cards that don't necessarily celebrate Christmas

CHNC #249:  All wrapped up

ABC Christmas challenge:  T is for "transport"

Papertake Weekly:  Anything goes

CHNC Patterned Paper:  Anything goes

 

Well, that's all for me this evening.  Thanks so much for stopping by my blog, take care, and God bless!

 

~Marie~

 

 

 

Happy Fall Greetings!

According to the calendar, it is now Autumn here in PA, but the weather is still pretty warm at about 75º.  Nice and sunny, with a breeze a-blowin' intermittently...ahhhh, beautiful!  The weather tomorrow is also supposed to be wonderful for the Selinsgrove Street Fair that Chad and I are going to attend.  Lotsa food, local vendors, local politicians, music and entertainment...a great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday!

 

As for today, right at this moment, I have another Christmas card to share:

 

 

This cutie is from a topper sheet from Sylvia Zet for Wee Stamps called Winter Fairy.  I love these images, so adorable!  I went with all dark blue for my card and designer paper to really set the image off.  Invisible in the pic (as usual!) is lotsa Wink of Stella on the snow, earmuffs, bells, and snowflakes.  I added three iridescent white sequins in the upper right and lower left corners, all topped off with tiny iridescent bling.

 

Challenges:

 

CSAYL #56:  Lots layers or different texture (this card has 6 layers of paper between the base and image!)

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #9:  Anything goes with optional Christmas tree twist

The Christmas Challenge #68:  Christmas Dinner or Anything goes

CHNC September Extra:  Anything Christmas

Jingle Belles:  The Hanukkah Song (celebrating other winter holidays or general winter cards)

CASE-ing Christmas #29:  Be inspired by this card made by Mynn (I liked all the blue and white)

ABC Christmas:  "S" is for Silent (no sentiments or text)

Papertake Weekly:  It will soon be here (Christmas, of course...3 months from today!)

CHNC Patterned Paper:  Use patterned paper (mine is from Jack Frost American Crafts 6x6 pad)

 

 

Well, thanks for stopping by my blog today!  Have a blessed weekend!

 

~Marie~

 

 

Joy to the World!

Happy Sunday afternoon!  As I had hoped, I'm back on the blog today to share another Christmas card done:

 

 

This one features the music background stamp from Recollections that I bought after last Christmas.  I inked the heck out of it with Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap to age it, and then added some gold Stickles around the edges with my finger for a festive feel.  The cute little caroler in the left corner is a digi from Fred, She Said called Emma the Caroler, Pre-colored set.  The sentiment, also inked all to heck, comes from the Signature Christmas set from Papertrey Ink.  LOVE that sentiment set!!

 

Challenges:

 

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #9:  Anything goes with optional "Christmas tree" twist

The Glory of Christmas #67:  Anything goes with optional "no stamp or digi" twist (I don't seem to be following that one very well anyway!)

CHNC Christmas September Extra:  Anything goes

Holly Jolly:  Use a die (Spellbinders ovals and scalloped ovals)

Crafty Calendar:  Anything goes

 

That's all for today!  Thanks again for stopping by!

 

~Marie~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happiest of Holidays

to you and yours!  Here's my latest Christmas card share:

 

 

This card is done exactly the same way as the card in this post here.  Sweet and simple.  The challenges I'm entering:

 

 

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up:    Anything goes with optional "Christmas tree" twist

The Glory of Christmas #67:  No stamp or digi OR anything goes

CHNC September Extra:  Anything goes

Merry Monday #170:  Use Holly

CHNC #246:  Festive trees or greenery

Holly Jolly:  Use a die

Crafty Calendar:  Anything goes

Penny Black:  Anything goes (stamp from Recollections)

 

Thanks again for stopping by...I hope to be back tomorrow with another Christmas card!

 

~Marie~

 

 

 

O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree...

...how lovely are thy branches.  Are you singing yet?  LOL!  I hope you find the branches of my Christmas tree at least cute:

 

 

It took me 2 days to complete this one, what with all the switching of papers on my cutting mat, gluing, glittering, and inking...lol!  All in all, I like my end result!

The designer papers come from the Merry Little Christmas MME 6x6 pad.  I tried to make it look as though the paper is wallpaper and a floor...maybe I shoulda hung a picture on the wall...nah.  A sweet sentiment from Signature Christmas stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa, and the card was done.  I'm going to enter this card into the following challenges:

 

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up:  Anything goes with optional "Christmas tree" twist

Christmas at Sweet Stampin':  Festive Décor

Glory of Christmas:  No stamp or digi OR anything goes

Sparkles Christmas:  Oh! Christmas tree

CHNC Christmas September Extra:  Anything goes

CHNC #245:  T'was the Night before Christmas

Crafty Calendar:  Anything goes

Creative Card Crew:  Christmas

CHNC Patterned Paper:  Anything goes

 

Thanks for taking a look at my blog...have a wonderful day!

 

~Marie~

 

 

 

Family

Good Sunday afternoon bloggers!  I trust all is well in your neck of the woods, as it is in mine at the moment.  I'd like to share this Christmas card with you today:

 

 

I made this specifically for the One Layer Christmas Card challenge, which is asking for an optional "family" twist:

 

 

And as the challenge graphic suggests, what better family than the Holy Family to showcase?  My image is a Silhouette cut file that I printed out, cut a circle mask for, and inked with Mustard Seed distress ink.  I wasn't intending for my "glow" to be so dark, but it is what it is.  The sentiment comes from the Stampendous Nativity Christmas set, and I stamped it with a Studio G glitter ink that matched pretty well.  I added some clear Wink of Stella pen to the Holy Family and the Star of Bethlehem above the manger, but of course that isn't visible in the pic.

 

Challenges I'm adding this to:

 

One Layer Christmas #17:  Anything goes with optional "family" twist

CSAYL #55:  Anything goes

Winter Wonderland:  Add a sentiment

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #9:  Anything goes with optional "Christmas tree" twist

CHNC #245:  T'was the Night Before Christmas

CHNC Christmas Extra for September:  Anything goes

 

 

Thanks for stopping by again!  Take care!

 

~Marie~

 

 

Is it really September already??

I can't believe how quickly this year is flying by!  The girls have been in school for a week now, in 10th and 11th grades, and next Friday, Laurena turns 17!!!!  Life itself sure is flying by as well...I never envisioned myself as a mother to a 17-year-old, and a 15-year-old!!  It's overwhelming if I think about it for too long...so let's move on, shall we?

 

I'd like to share my most recent Christmas card with you today:

 

 

I have most of the ladies I work with giving me their empty tissue boxes, and this cute ornament was made from one of them.  I was inspired by the colors of the box, as well as the design of the "un-usable parts" for my layout.  An adorable little polar bear from a misc. Christmas stamp set, and a Signature Christmas sentiment from Papertrey Ink are my stamped elements, and the ornament shape is from 2011 Heirloom Ornaments from Spellbinders. 

 

 I want to add this card to these challenges:

 

Christmas at Sweet Stampin':  Penguins and/or Polar Bears

The 12 Months of Christmas Link-up #9:  Anything goes with an optional Christmas tree theme

The Glory of Christmas Challenge #66:  Anything goes with an optional humorous theme

CHNC Christmas Extra for September:  Anything goes

CHNC #244:  Use some silver (silver scalloped circle behind image, silver ornament topper, and silver cord for ornament hanger)

Holly Jolly Christmas:  Use a die

Winter Wonderland:  Add a Sentiment

Creative Card Crew # 95:  Christmas

Papertake Weekly:  Anything goes

 

Thanks for stopping by, and Happy Labor Day weekend to all my fellow Americans!

 

~Marie~