{BYSHC} FALLING FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2025 LINKY PARTY

 

Hello crafty friends! It's Fall, which means it's time for the Falling for the Holidays 2025 Linky Party, WOOT, WOOT! If you are worried about the size of your Christmas/holiday card stash, then this linky party is for YOU! We have a HUGE line up of fabulous sponsors, so you don't want to miss a chance to win one of the prizes! (I have highlighted the sponsors whose products I used on this card.)

Tawny Owl Paperie

QT Cards With Mom

Unity Stamp Co.

Angie Blom Digital Designs

Crafty Stamp Co.

RAM Stamps

Creative Worship Stamps

Kraftin’ Kimmie Stamps

Gina K. Designs

Lawn Fawn

Digi Doodle Studios

Not 2 Shabby

Taylored Expressions

Jaded Blossom

Twiddler’s Nook

A Colorful Life Designs

Club Scrap

Von Marie Design

Kat Scrappiness

Pink & Main

Newton's Nook Designs

Pajama Crafter Stamps

In Love With Paper - Cindy Messer

Markers, Ink & Paper - Cathy Preissing

Therm O Web

Another Card Maker? - Marie Bingaman

My first card features a gorgeous stencil from sponsor A Colorful Life Designs called Baroque Swirl Snowflake.

I decided to try my hand at ink blending a stenciled design on patterned paper, and thought that Gina K's Powder Blue and In the Navy inks went perfectly with this pretty blue plaid paper from Lawn Fawn.  

A snowflake this size really needs to be showcased on a square card, IMO, so I used the 5x5 Card Die Layers from My Creative Time to die cut the scalloped square layer and the zigzag stitched layer. The sentiment is from the Simon Says Stamp and Honey Bee Stamps Warm Wishes collab set from 2022, heat embossed in a combination of Ranger's Navy and Bridal Tinsel embossing powders. The snowflake got spritzed with some Perfect Pearls mixed with water before I removed the stencil for some subtle shimmer.  The layers are all adhered to a gorgeous navy glitter cardstock from Recollections called Night Sky.

I think it turned out stunning, if I do say so myself. 😍 

Alrighty, friends, it's time for you to join in the fun for a chance to win a great prize from one of our sponsors, AND you'll be building up your stash of Christmas/holiday cards! That's a win/win in my book! Head on over to the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers blog to add your cards into the Linky... Oooo, and let's see how many cards we can get into the Linky this time!

Thanks so much for stopping by and take care!

💖 ~ Marie 💖

{BYSHC} CHRISTMAS IN JULY LINKY PARTY --JULY, 2025

Hello, crafty friends, and welcome back to my blog!  It's time for the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Christmas in July Linky Party! WOOT, WOOT!  If you haven't heard of this linky party before, the {BYSHC} team invites you all to get your Christmas and holiday card-making supplies out and build up your card stash so you're not so rushed during the holiday season.  Doesn't that sound like fun?  Here is my first card for the party:

So, this card (and the other 2 I will share next week), are actually extras I had from when I created my cards for last month's Sketch 58. I knew that I wasn't going to have much time to create as many cards as I would like to for the linky party, so I saved these just for this. I hope Crystal doesn't mind too much! 😊

This sketch is definitely fantastic for making good use of patterned papers, whether you use both pieces on one card or split them up to make 2!  I really like this green snowflake paper from the Berry and Pine paper pad from Hobby Lobby, and it pairs really well with the My Creative Time sentiment.

Alrighty, my friends, it's time to get busy and build up your holiday card stash, so what are you waiting for?  I know the rest of the DT has been busy creating cards to inspire you, and you know what else is awesome?  We have a whole list of sponsors for this party that you can win prizes from:

Tawny Owl Paperie

Fresh and Renewed with Teresa

Angie Blom Digital Designs

Jaded Blossom

Not 2 Shabby

Therm O Web

Gina K. Designs

Unity Stamp Co.

Lawn Fawn

RAM Stamps

Taylored Expressions

The Greeting Farm {NEW!!}

Creative Worship Stamps

Gina Marie Designs

Newton's Nook Designs

Pink & Main

Markers, Ink & Paper ~ Cathy Preissing

Digi Doodle Studios {NEW!!}

Kraftin' Kimmie Stamps {NEW!!}

Club Scrap

Twiddler's Nook

Crafty Stamp Co. {NEW!!}

A Colorful Life Designs

WOW, what a fabulous list!  These are all fantastic sponsors, and the more cards you link up, the better your chances of winning!  Be sure to add your links to the linky party post on the BYSH Cardmakers blog to be eligible.  OK, I'm ready to see what you're going to create, so.... LET'S GO!

~ Marie 💗

SPRING INTO CHRISTMAS {BYSHC} LINKY PARTY ~ MAY 2025

 It's that time of year on the Build Your Holiday Stash blog.... The Spring into Christmas Linky Party!

So, get those Christmas and holiday cardmaking supplies out and get busy building up your stash! Here is my first card for the party:

  

I pulled out a couple of matching papers from the DCWV Down the Chimney 12x12 paper pad and cut them on the diagonal with the intention of making more cards (which are on the way!). I cut a sliver of my favorite Walmart white glitter paper to cover the seam between the papers. The cute snowman image is from Whimsie Doodles, which has been closed down for a while now. 😢 The sentiment is from the Winter Scripty Sentiments by Lawn Fawn.  The circle is popped up on foam tape.

Alrighty, head on over to the BYSHC blog post to see the rest of the DT inspiration, and to add your Christmas and holiday cards to the Linky. There are prizes to be won again this year, from this list of fabulous sponsors:

Tawny Owl Paperie

NEW Club Scrap

Lawn Fawn

Therm O Web

Taylored Expressions

Twiddler’s Nook

Not 2 Shabby

Unity

Angie Blom Digital Designs

Jaded Blossom

A Colorful Life Designs

Gina K. Designs

Fresh and Renewed with Teresa

Pink & Main

RAM Stamps

Newton’s Nook Designs

Gina Marie Designs

The more cards you make and add to the Linky, the more chances you have to win! AND you have the added benefit of building up that Christmas card stash! It's a win/win!

Until next time, take care!

💗 ~ Marie 💗

ABC CHRISTMAS -- E IS FOR EMBOSSING, F IS FOR FOCAL SENTIMENT, G IS FOR GIRLS

 Hello crafty friends!  It's time for another set of letters at the ABC Christmas challenge blog! This month's letters are:

E is for EMBOSSING

F is for FOCAL SENTIMENT

&

G is for GIRLS

I have 2 cards this month, one for F, and one for G:

The top card features a pretty stencil from A Colorful Life Designs called Regal Doily, as well as one of the new dies from Tim Holtz from the Big Tidings set. I really love how that card came out!

My second card features a retired Bugaboo Stamps angel image, and a pretty starry night paper from the Star of Bethlehem paper pad from Hobby Lobby. I also used Sketch 55 from Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers.

So, if you have a lot of Christmas cards to make this year, there is plenty of inspiration on the ABC Christmas challenge blog AND the Build Your Holiday Stash Cardmakers blog, so what are you waiting for? Head on over to see what's happening!

Until next time, take care!

~ Marie 💗

ABC CHRISTMAS -- C IS FOR CUTE & D IS FOR DIE CUT

 Hello crafty friends! It's time again to add to our Christmas card stash by creating cards for the ABC Christmas Challenge! This month's letters are:

C is for CUTE

& 

D is for DIE CUT

And luckily for me, my card covers both prompts:

I love how this card turned out, using papers from Sweet Miss Daisy, aka Anna Wight, and an adorable snowman in a cocoa mug image from Crafty Stamp Co.  In hindsight, I wish I would have embossed the green panel before adhering it, but it still looks good, I think. The die cut comes from the Wavy Frosting Dies set from Peachy Keen Stamps.  I colored the cute image with Copics, and edged the image panel die cut with Aged Mahogany oxide ink. This card also features the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Sketch 54:

The 4 panels at the top of the sketch (or at the bottom if you flip it!) are a great way to use up some scraps, even though I couldn't resist tearing into Anna's beautiful paper pads!

OK, now you need to head on over to the ABC Christmas Challenge blog to see what the rest of the DT has created, AND to add your card creations to the linky!

Thanks for stopping by!

~ Marie 💖

ABC CHRISTMAS -- Y IS FOR YOUR FAVORITE COLORS, AND Z IS FOR ZOO ANIMALS

 Hello, and welcome back to my blog!  I am a bit late with my ABC Christmas Challenge blog post this month, as I was behind on getting Christmas cards sent out, and on getting some ornaments made for my coworkers.  BUT, that is all done now, so here we go!  This month's letters are:

Y is for Your Favorite Colors

 and

Z is for Zoo Animals

 What my favorite colors are can depend on the day, or the mood I'm in, so I chose to create a card with a zoo animal as the focus:

EEEEEEEEE, isn't this little polar bear just so cute?!?!?!  I love that this image can be used all winter as well, since it doesn't really scream "CHRISTMAS."  I sized the image in my Silhouette software so I could die cut it with a Spellbinders Classic Square die.  I matted the image panel with a deckled edge square die that I inked with Weathered Wood oxide ink to match the blue gray in the image.  That was then matted onto another deckled square panel that I ran through a 3D snowflake embossing folder.  My only wish is that I had started out by making the image panel smaller, so I could have more of a border with the snowflake layer.  Maybe next time!  I adhered the image panel and the gray panel flat but popped up the snowflake panel on thin foam tape.  I will most likely add my sentiment to the inside of the card, since I hate to ruin the aesthetics of it. 😊

Be sure to head over to the ABC Christmas Challenge blog, if you haven't already, to see the rest of the DT gorgeous inspiration.  I saw earlier that there were already many cards in the linky, so make sure you add yours in as well!

Until next time, take care! 

💗💗 ~ Marie 💗💗

LAST-MINUTE INSPIRATION FROM THE NOVEMBER 2024 RELEASE AT A COLORFUL LIFE DESIGNS -- NOV 30, 2024

 Hello, crafty friends!  I'm back on the blog today to share my last 2 cards for the November 2024 release at A Colorful Life Designs.  These cards both feature the Geometric Christmas Duo 6x9 stencil. 

**Use my code MarieFan10 to save on your complete order when you shop!**

The purple card was created by (carefully!) smooshing Versamark ink through the stencil and heat embossing with Ranger's Holographic embossing powder.  I added the panel to a panel of my favorite white glitter cardstock from Walmart's Pen & Gear brand.  To finish this simple card, I added a layered die cut "merry" sentiment, with the top layer also coming from that white glitter cardstock.  I replaced the star on the stencil with a puffy-looking star gem from my stash.

Now, the second card, which is my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE of all the cards I made for this month's release, was inspired by the incomparable Laura Bassen's Christmas rainbow.  I binge watched a few of her related videos to make sure I was getting the proper Christmas rainbow colors, and I think I did a good job!  I ink blended the tree shape with the following oxide inks:

Spun Sugar

Picked Raspberry

Lumberjack Plaid

Carved Pumpkin 

Mustard Seed

Lucky Clover

Mowed Lawn

Rustic Wilderness

The star was ink smooshed with Versamark and heat embossed with gold tinsel embossing powder.  I felt like the edges of the card needed something, so I did more smooshing with the Versamark and heat embossed with the same gold tinsel embossing powder.  The sentiment was die cut from Recollections gold foil paper using Honey Bee Stamps' Bitty Buzzwords:  Holiday Honey Cuts.  I really love how this card turned out, and I don't know if I can send it out this year!  Maybe next year??

Drop on by the shop at A Colorful Life Designs to check out this stencil, and many, many more! Time is definitely ticking to get those Christmas cards done so they can be sent out.  I feel like I have a pretty good stash built up, but then again, I haven't decided who all I am sending cards to yet! 😬

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you were inspired!  Until next time, take care!

💖💖~ Marie 💖💖

Edited to add:  I decided to join a few challenges while hanging out in blogland!

--CHALLNGES--

Rudolph Days November Challenge:  ATG Christmas

Christmas With The Cuties #87:  Sparkle and Shine

The 12 Months of Christmas Link Up #116:  ATG Christmas

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog #59:  ATG Christmas

Creative Moments#264:  ATG option

Love to Craft Challenge Blog #83:  ATG 

Classic Design Challenge #11: ATG option

The Paper Funday Nov 24 Challenge #71:  ATG option

A Place to Start Nov 24:  ATG option

Ally's Angels #88:  ATG

Crafty Catz #683:  ATG option

Word Art Wednesday #675 -#676:  ATG

As You Like it:  Favorite -- Gold, Silver, or Glitter (my 2nd card is covered with gold tinsel embossing powder -- I usually prefer gold over silver on my Christmas cards, and I love glitter all the time!)

Simon Says Monday Challenge:  Trees

Polkadoodles Wk #48:  ATG

ABC CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE -- W IS FOR WATERCOLORING, AND X IS FOR XYLOPHONE

 Hello, crafty friends!  Welcome back to the blog.  It's time for the next to last ABC Christmas challenge of the year...can you believe it?  I know I'm finding it hard to fathom that 2024 is almost over, but anyway...this month's challenge is

W is for Watercoloring

and 

X is for Xylophone (inspiration pic)

And here is my card:

I'm not all that comfortable with water coloring, so I made a card following the X is for Xylophone prompt.  I have to say that this inspiration photo is pretty darn cute, and I had lots of fun making this card!

I incorporated the rainbow colors of the tone plates (Yes, I had to look that up!) with this cute striped paper from my stash, and the adorable bear is called Cocoa Bear from Impression Obsession.  I placed him on a panel die cut from my favorite white glitter cardstock from Walmart, and he is holding a cute gingerbread cookie, also from Impression Obsession.  The speech bubble and sweet sentiment are from My Creative Time.

If you still need to bump up your Christmas card stash for this year, or you are already creating for next year (#jealous), head on over to the ABC Christmas Challenge blog for lots of gorgeous inspiration from the rest of the DT.  Enter your card creations into the challenge for a chance at a fabulous prize!

Until next time, take care!

💗💗 ~ Marie  💗💗

{BYSHC} FALLING FOR THE HOLIDAYS LINKY PARTY -- OCTOBER 18-25, 2024

Hello crafty friends!  Welcome back to my blog!  It's time for another fabulous Linky Party with the Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers! 

Please use hashtag #fallingfortheholidays2024byshclp when adding your cards to social media platforms.

Here is my first card:

I am killing 2 birds with one stone again by using the current Sketch 50.

This sketch is wonderful for mass producing cards, which can be necessary during this time of year!  All you really need is some pretty patterned paper and a sentiment!  I did not use patterned paper for my card; rather I utilized one of the many stencils I have from our wonderful sponsor for the month of October, A Colorful Life Designs.  This particular stencil is called Dotted Flakes.  Such a pretty pattern that can be used in so many ways!  Here I chose simple ink blending with Tumbled Glass and Broken China oxide inks.  Before I did anything else, I moved both the panel and the stencil to my splatter box and sprayed it with water and Perfect Pearls.  I die cut the stenciled panel with a deckled rectangle die, which I then layered onto a piece of my favorite white glitter paper from Walmart (which I need to get more of!).  I adhered that layer onto another panel that was inked with the Broken China oxide ink, and all of these layers were adhered to the card base.  The iridescent ribbon across the middle was a scrap on my desk.  For the sentiment, I inked a scrap of cardstock with the Broken China oxide and die cut the "believe" sentiment several times from Honey Bee Stamps Bitty Buzzwords:  Holiday Honey Cuts, and also cut the shadow layer from a scrap of vellum to provide some definition from the stenciled panel.  As a last-minute addition of sparkle, I adhered some A Colorful Life Designs card bling in Opalescent Maui to the 6 whole snowflakes on the panel.  I love how this card came out!

The BYSHC Linky Party starts today, October 18, and runs thru Oct 25...plenty of time to make a bunch of cards for your stash, and possibly win a prize from one of the linky party sponsors!  WOOT, WOOT!  Thanks so much for stopping by today!

~ Marie