52 Christmas Card Throwdown: Pinecones

The 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Challenge theme for July is "pinecones".  It reminded me of a beautiful layered pinecone by Honey Bee Stamps that I had in my not-yet-used stash!

I cut each layer of the pinecone out of various browns. Then I dragged the edge across a Versamark pad, applied heat and stick powder, then added some clear glitter to the edges - just to give it a hint of frost. I made the card a mini slimline because I felt that the smaller size kept the pinecone dominant so it was the star of the card. 

Pinecones and forests and snow all make me feel peaceful so I was thrilled to find the large Joy die in my Honey Bee Stamps stash that also included the stamp "and peace". To tie it all together, I cut some snowflakes from glittery white paper.

As I type this, I can hear my family starting to get up.  We are heading out early today to spend the day in the world of pinecones and forests - unfortunately with heat instead of beautiful, peaceful snow - but it's still going to be wonderful!

Thank you to 52 Christmas Card Throwdown for the inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Honey Bee Stamps Joy

Dies: Honey Bee Stamps Joy Buzzword dies, Lovely Layers Pinecone and Layering Snowflakes

Paper: Honey Bee Stamps Holiday Cheer, white glitter from Michaels, Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow, and misc browns

Ink: Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow

Freshly Made Sketches: Funky Festive Christmas

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Amy and here’s what I did with it!

This was the ultimate scrap card. I had made those bitty poinsettias to add some decoration to the photo on this card.  Usually I have a few scrap diecuts to use in a photo but there weren't any on that card.  I tried taking photos without anything but it was just so white, so (not at all obsessively) I made the little poinsettias as decoration!  But it was clearly meant to be since the three little poinsettias worked for the three little circles on this card!

Since the poinsettias were by Sizzix (Tim Holtz), I looked through my stash and found this sentiment.  Because they were all a bit funky, the washi tape from Altenew seemed like a good fit.

The colors on this card were a bit of a leap for me. I have difficulty using discrete colors without some connection. It's hard to explain but typically if I use blue on the sentiment and coral on the flowers, I'd have some patterned paper or something to tie it together.  I know most people do not have that same difficulty and I love the results. So I went for it. I had tried a black sentiment but it was too heavy.  I tried a white sentiment but it got lost.  I even adhered the white to the black for a bit of a shadow - still not right.  Then I tried white glitter and it was pretty good - but next in my glitter stash was this blue.  I just kept thinking it looked right.  This card stretched my cardmaking skills (even if by accident!)

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Sizzix Funky Festive (poinsettias) and Christmas Ribbon (sentiment)

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Petal Pink, Groovy Guava

Other: Altenew Painted Grid Washi Tape

AAA Cards: Christmas in July with Twinchies

 I love to put together small little groupings of stamps and dies so when I saw the "twinchie" challenge at AAA Cards, I had to play along.  The "Christmas" part was optional but when I was creating this card, I had already stamped the tree from the stamp set (Stampin' Up's Tree Angle) that included red poinsettias and green leaves before I decided I didn't want any green on that card. That little tree was still sitting on my desk and happily it fit perfectly in a 2" space!!

I wanted something subtle in the background. I used an older embossing folder by Stampin' Up but it wasn't subtle enough.  After I embossed it, I ran it through again under the embossing folder (between the flat plate and the flat side of the folder) to press it out just a bit.  I actually do that quite often - I love the embossed look but as a background, I don't want it to take over. 

Everything on this card is from Stampin' Up except for the sentiment - I just didn't have anything small enough. I was thrilled to find this Christmas tree sentiment in a set by Hello Bluebird!

Thank you to AAA Cards for the inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Tree Angle, Hello Bluebird Typed Christmas

Dies: Stampin' Up Stitched Triangle dies, Layering Squares framelits

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Shaded Spruce, unknown yellow

Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Shaded Spruce

Other: Stampin' Up Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder, Stampin' Up Gold Glitter Enamel dots

Fab Friday: Stampin' Up Season's Blessings

The sketch at the Fab Friday challenge has three strips along the bottom.  I thought it would work perfectly as a base behind the gorgeous basket in the Stampin' Up Season's Blessings stamps and Seasonal Basket dies.

What's kind of funny about this card is that just on Monday I posted a clean and fresh Christmas card in white and corals and I strongly stated that I just wasn't ready for the bold greens and reds of Christmas even though I really need to star creating Christmas cards. So what do I do on this card? Reds and greens!!  I don't know what changed?!  But I toned them down by using the brighter Poppy, the muted Jade and a hint of Flamingo - that did help my mental outlook on Christmas colors. 

I also used these stamps and dies yesterday and mentioned that it's in the Christmas section of the catalog but it's fabulous all year-round.  Yesterday's card was in Mango and Granny Apple Green - very bright and cheerful and not at all Christmas.  I also used this set on this card using richer colors, but still not Christmas.  I adore this set - it might even be my favorite in the catalog - but I think because it's in the Christmas section, it's not getting much attention.  I've set out to give it some love! The two cards linked earlier are not Christmas, but it seemed time to use it for a Christmas card!

I'm not putting this set too far away because it's going to be wonderful for autumn cards!

Thank you to Fab Friday for the inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Season's Blessings

Dies: Stampin' Up Season Basket dies

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Just Jade, Flirty Flamingo, Crumb Cake

Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Just Jade, Flirty Flamingo

Other: Stampin' Up Dainty Diamonds Embossing Folder, Gold Glitter Enamel Dots and Frosted Sequins (retired)

Freshly Made Sketches: Stampin' Up Season's Blessings

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Narelle and here’s what I did with it!

This set has to have been one of my favorites in the current Stampin' Up catalog but I don't see it getting a lot of love across social media.  Maybe my tastes are different, but I'm guessing it's more so because it's hiding in the Christmas section.  Yes, it does have poinsettias and a Christmas saying (stop back tomorrow because while I had it out I used those too.)  But there are many other options with the set - the catalog has three amazing cards for various seasons.  I've already used the set on this post with darker greens and the amazing basket in the die set (which might be worth the price of the set alone!)  Today I went for brighter fresher colors.

The leaves come on one stamp but the die cuts them into two so I was able to squeeze them together into the little vertical window. (The window uses one of the Rectangle Stitched Framelits but I extended it by only cutting half way, then moving the die (making sure it "clicks" into place with the stitches already cut) and then cutting the other half.) The bouquet wasn't quite tall enough for the window so I used one of the other stems in the set and cut it for that very top flower. I found the "happy birthday" with the look and size that I wanted in an older set and it fit nicely inside a banner from Tasteful Labels. 

I hope to you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Season's Blessings, Sunshine Sayings (the sentiment)

Dies: Stampin' Up Seasonal Basket dies, Tasteful Labels (the banner), Rectangle Stitched Framelits (I extended the rectangle by cutting half, moving it being sure that the stitching "clicks" into place, then cutting the longer half)

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green, Melon Mambo, Crumb Cake

Ink: Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green, Melon Mambo, Crumb Cake

Other: Stampin' Up Brick & Mortar Embossing Folder

Just Add Ink: Stampin' Up Tree Angle

 I'm finally in the mood for Christmas cards and it's mostly due to all of the fun Christmas challenges out there including the current inspiration at Just Add Ink.  Here's my card.

And here's the inspiration.

The different patterns on those ornaments reminded me of a Stampin' Up set still sitting in my not-yet-used stash - Tree Angle.  I really just wanted the Stitched Triangle dies that cut them out but then it made little sense not buy the stamp set (I can justify any purchase!)  

Beside the patterns in the ornaments, I was also inspired by red and white, and even by the wooden stairs and vertical railings that translated to the embossed background I used.

Thank you to Just Add Ink for the inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Stampin' Up Tree Angle

Dies: Stampin' Up Stitched Triangle dies, Tasteful Labels dies

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, silver glitter paper from Michaels

Ink: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade

Poppystamps: Hey How Are You

 I'm on the Poppystamps blog today using brand new stamps and dies!  I adore alphabets and when the alphabet is very unique - all the better!!

I created a line of speech bubbles down the center.  I played around with flowers and with embossing folders but I though the speech bubbles were unique enough to stand with the alphabet.

Besides the alphabet, there's also a new set that uses the same alphabet in pre-made words with corresponding mini sentiments. Plus there's a separate stand-along alphabet die set with the same look.  I love all of them. I did this card for a girlfriend - but that alphabet is going to work just as well with the masculine cards that I do for my sons. 

Be sure to check out the Poppystamps blog for more details and pictures.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Poppystamps Marzipan Alphabet Outline and Background clear stamp and die set (or you can get just the stamp set), Poppystamps Word Balloons