Sympathy card

Hello bloggers!  I'm stopping by tonight very quickly to share a sympathy card I made for a friend who lost her mother and sister-in-law on the same day.

I have had this Darice embossing folder for a little while, and this was the perfect chance to use it.  Before I embossed the paper, I blended Distress Oxides in Cracked Pistachio, Broken China, and Peacock Feathers on Bristol Smooth card stock.  I found a gold leaf pen in my drawer, so I went around the edge of the panel with it.  The sentiment is embossed with Recollections gold embossing powder, which I thought matched that gold leaf pen pretty well.  I have to say, this is the first time I have dared tried blending these inks on Bristol Smooth, and I am in love!  It looks gorgeous...I can't wait to do it again!  :)

Challenges:

Love to Craft LTCCB #19:  ATG

Mix It Up MIUCB #10:  ATG or optional CAS twist

Digi Choosday week #6:  ATG

Penny's Paper Crafty #366:  ATG

Crafting by Designs:  February ATG

Crafty Gals Corner #158:  ATG (2nd entry)

Polkadoodles Week #6:  ATG

Crafty Creations #359:  ATG (2nd entry)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #75:  ATG

Word Art Wednesday #320- #321:  ATG

Little Miss Muffet #182:  ATG

Thanks for stopping by this evening, and take care!

God Bless,

~Marie~

February Sasayaki Glitter Challenge - A project for a loved one

Hello bloggy friends!  I hope you are all doing well.  I am here today to share with you a card I made for the Sasayaki Glitter challenge blog.  I have been moved over to that team from the Inspiration Team due to technical difficulties.  So anyway, here is what I made:

I made this card using Image #15 - Love.  I sized it to fit into the largest Spellbinders Heart Circles die; which is cute, but man, some parts of the image were difficult to color being so small!  LOL  Anyway, I put a piece of the dark pink card stock I wanted to use behind the die so the heart cut outs would stand out more.  The panel of heart-covered card stock comes from the same paper pack.  I added a sliver of the glitter card stock I used in my last card along the left edge of that piece, and added a sliver of the pink behind that.  I thought that the plain white base was just too boring, so I inked the edges with Picked Raspberry Distress Oxide.  Oh, and my image was colored with alcohol markers.

Challenges:

Catch The Bug:  Feb ATG

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper:  Feb ATG using patterned paper

Love to Craft LTCCB #19:  Feb ATG

Love to Scrap LTSCB #106:  I Love You!

Mix it up MIUCB #10:  ATG or optional "Clean and simple" theme

Digi Choosday week 5:  ATG

Penny's Papercrafty #365:  ATG

Crafty Gals #158:  ATG

Simon Says Wednesday:  ATG

Polkadoodles Week 5:  ATG

Hiding in my Craft Room HIMCR #338:  Pinks and Reds

Sweet Stampin':  Anything but a Birthday

A Gem of a Challenge #212:  Have a Heart

Crafty Creations #359:  ATG

Creative Fingers #142:  ATG

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #75:  ATG

Word Art Wednesday #320-#321:  ATG

Little Miss Muffet #181:  ATG

Outlawz Festive Friday:  Card with Hearts

Ok folks, that is all from me tonight.  I am missing the SuperBowl!  Go Eagles!

~Marie~

Christmas CRAFTS All Year Round Mid-Month Inspiration

You read that correctly, the CCAYR blog has been retitled to Christmas CRAFTS All Year Round, so now you can feel free to share with us ANY Christmas-related craft you make for the season!  I know I am looking forward to seeing all of your creations over the coming months!  :)  For my own uses, I need a lot of Christmas cards, so that is probably what you will mostly see from me.

Now this month, Deanne wanted to see "Thank You" cards with a Christmas theme, of course.  This is a type of card I really don't use, but for now, here it is:

There is lots of sparkle on this card.  I covered the base with a piece of ink-jet printable glitter card stock, which is really nice because it doesn't seem to rub off much.  And if that weren't enough, I used Spectrum Noir clear sparkle pen on the word "thanks"(Honey Bee Stamps), which I stamped using Evergreen Bough and Pine Needles Distress ink.  I also used Pine Needles to ink the edges of the designer paper.  The designer paper comes from the "Mistletoe and Holly" 12x12 pad from Love, Nicole.   For the die cutting, I used Spellbinders Labels One and Scalloped Labels One.  The green scalloped layer is simply the other side of the designer paper.  I love pads like this, so I know I will always have colored card stock to match the patterned paper!

Challenges:  

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #37:  ATG or optional "touch of frost" theme

The Merry Christmas Challenge #2:  ATG, or optional "wisemen" theme

Christmas at Sweet Stampin':  January ATG

CHNC #368:  ATG or optional "feature a creature" theme

CHN Patterned paper:  ATG

LTCCB #18:  ATG

Happy Little Stampers:  ATG with Dies

Happy Little Stampers Christmas:  ATG or optional "CAS" theme

LTSCB #105:  ATG

MIUCB #9:  ATG or optional "masking" theme

Week 02 Digi Choosday:  ATG

Penny's Paper Crafty #362:  ATG

Crafty Gals Corner #156:  ATG

Simon Says Wednesday:  Use patterned paper

Polkadoodles Week 2:  ATG

Crafty Creations:  ATG

Crimbo Crackers #149:  ATG

Fussy and Fancy #203:  Distress it

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #85:  "Thank you"

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #73:  ATG

Word Art Wednesday #316- #317:  ATG

Little Miss Muffet #180:  ATG

Thanks for stopping by today, and if you haven't already, please check out all the gorgeousness at the CCAYR blog, made by both the DT and all the participants!

~Marie~

A new DT post for today!

Howdy bloggers!  I'm here with a DT post for a new (to me!) design team... I am now a member of the Sasayaki Glitter Inspiration team!  Here is a card to "inspire" you, using Valentine Elly.

This card marks my first attempt at water coloring with my newly acquired Zig markers.  I pictured it turning out better in my head...I only water colored Elly, the heart on the pot, and the tall pink flower.  After that, I just colored with the markers.  I think the inferior quality of the paper is the issue.  I promise I will do better next time!

Challenges:

The Outlawz Festive Friday:  Winter Holiday

Catch The Bug:  ATG

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper:  ATG

LTCCB #18:  January ATG

Happy Little Stampers:  January ATG with dies

LTSCB #105:  ATG

Week 02 Digi Choosday:  ATG

Tuesday Throwdown #374:  Layer it up

Crafty Gals Corner #156:  ATG

Simon Wednesday:  Something New (Darice die is new)

Polkadoodles week 1:  ATG

A Gem of a Challenge:  Happy Anything (Valentine's Day here!)

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #73:  ATG

Word Art Wednesday #316- #317:  ATG

Little Miss Muffet #179:  ATG

Well, I think that's it!  Thanks for stopping by today, and stay crafty!  

God Bless,

~Marie~

Just a regular post...

Hi guys!  Just stopping in today to share another Christmas card for the stash this year:

I love this image!  It is part of the Snowman Set 02 from Bugaboo.  This is the same set that the card from my previous post comes from.  I said there that when Jodie released this set, I knew I had to have it, and this image is why!  Such a sweet image, I think it would even work for a Valentine's card in a few months!  This is colored with alcohol markers in traditional Christmas colors.  The designer paper comes from the Season's Greetings 6x6 paper pad from Love, Nicole.  The red cardstock scalloped circles come from a Recollections red paper collection.  The edges of my white card base were distressed with Candied Apple Oxide Ink.

Challenges:

12 Months of Christmas Link Up #36:  ATG or optional "Christmas cupcakes" theme

The Merry Christmas challenge #46:  ATG Christmas

Sparkles Christmas #83:  Snowman/men

CHN Patterned Paper:  ATG

Love to Craft #17:  ATG

Animal Friends #57:  ATG with an animal

Happy Little Stampers:  ATG with dies (I used Spellbinders)

Love to Scrap #104:  Winter Wonderland

Digi Choosday week #49:  ATG

Penny's paper Crafty challenge #358:  ATG

Tuesday Throwdown #371:  Christmas Scene

Crafty Gals Corner #152:  ATG

Polkadoodles week #49:  ATG

A Gem of a Challenge #209:  ATG Christmas

Christmas Card Throwdown:  Pick a previous challenge from 2012 or 2013 (I picked the June 2012 theme challenge of snowmen)

Crafty Creations #356:  ATG

Creative Fingers #141:  ATG

Di's Digi Design challenge:  Winter Holidays

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie #83:  

Jingle Belles:  2017 Holiday Wrap Up

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #71:  ATG

Word Art Wednesday #312- #313:  ATG

Outlawz Paper A La Mode:  Christmas card

Muse Christmas Visions #90:  ATG Christmas

Happy Little Stampers Christmas:  ATG or optional "stencils" theme

*Whew*, I'd better get to linking up to all these challenges!  Thanks for stopping by, and God Bless!

~Marie~

CHNC Extra December DT Post

Howdy everybody!  I am here to share my card for the CHNC Extra DT post for December:

 As usual, our images are provided by Bugaboo, and this one is part of the Snowman Set 02.  SO CUTE!  When Jodie released this set, I KNEW I had to have it.  I cannot resist adorable snowmen!  It looks like Snowy and his little bird buddy are discussing something important, doesn't it?

Well, I've tried to avoid it, but I have some bad news for you.  This will be the last challenge at CHNC Extra.  Hazel has decided to close up shop for personal reasons, which she explains in the CHNC Extra blog post.  Don't worry though, she isn't disappearing altogether; she will still be doing her weekly challenge that is also anything goes Christmas.  You can find that here.  She is also on a few design teams out there in blogland, so she will still be around.  I have enjoyed my time being on her team, and I will surely be participating in her weekly challenge when I can!

Challenges:

12 Months of Christmas Link Up #36:  ATG or optional "Christmas cupcakes" theme

Sparkles Christmas #83:  Snowman/men

CHN Patterned Paper:  ATG

Love to Craft #17:  ATG

Animal Friends #57:  ATG

Love to Scrap #104:  Winter Wonderland

Crafting by Designs:  ATG

Di's Digi Challenge:  Winter Holidays

Jingle Belles:  Holiday Wrap-Up

Little Miss Muffet #177:  ATG

The Holly and Ivy Christmas challenge #20:  ATG Christmas

The Outlawz Festive Friday:  Winter Bird

Thanks for stopping by, and take care. 

God Bless!

~Marie~

Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Cuties Style!

That's right, bloggers, the guy in the red suit with the long white beard is on his way in less than a month!!!  It hardly seems possible to me that 2017 is almost over.  It will soon be time to start on next year's Christmas card stash!  LOL!

 

But before we get too far into the future, let's stop a minute and check out what I made for the current challenge over at the Christmas With The Cuties blog:

 

 

Let me tell you, this card did not turn out how I wanted it to!  My original plan was to have the stamped HO HO HO! all the way across the background, but I got so far with it, and then mis-stamped it.  Even using my MISTI.  Bummer.  So I decided to cover up the majority of the bottom (I had a couple of smears to cover up too), with a piece of Swiss Dots embossed red card stock.  On top of that, I added a piece of plain green cs to the border between the red and the HO HO HO!'s, which made a perfect place for my sentiment.  The HO HO HO! sentiment and the Santa come from a Hampton Art stamp and die set from Michael's.  I picked up a bunch of different sets like this last year, and this is the first I have used one of them.  Bad, huh?  My main sentiment, by Memento, was stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black, and I attempted to clear heat emboss it, as I had done with Santa, but for some reason it didn't take.  Another boo-boo, but this one I didn't fix or cover up.  I gave Santa some sparkle for his hat with Diamond Stickles.

 

Challenges:

 

12 Months of Christmas Link Up #35:  ATG or optional "Star Struck" theme

Sweet Stampers #14:  Christmas

Happy Little Stampers Christmas:  ATG

Mix It Up #7:  ATG or optional "stenciling" twist

Crafty Creations #355:  ATG

Crimbo Crackers #146:  ATG

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends #70:  ATG

Word Art Wednesday #310- #311:  ATG

Little Miss Muffet #176:  ATG

Winter Wonderland:  Traditional Christmas colors-- red and green

CHNC #361:  ATG or optional "use doilies" theme

Christmas Card Challenges #26 (their final challenge):  ATG or optional "candy cane" theme

Sweet Stampin':  Use your favorite Christmas color (green)

Create and Inspire #68:  ATG

Hiding In My Craft Room #328:  Any Holiday

Outlawz Festive Fridays:  Christmas

The Merry Christmas Challenge #44:  ATG Christmas

 

Well, I guess that will be all for tonight.  Time for this chickie to go to bed...after I do all this linking up, of course!  Thanks for stopping by, and God Bless!

 

~Marie~