Addicted to CAS: Birthday Blessings

In the middle of all of the Christmas crafting, people actually have birthdays!!  I have multiples around Thanksgiving and around Christmas - how dare they!!!  (Of course, two of them are my kids who have birthdays immediately after Christmas so I supposed it's my fault too that I have birthday cards to make during the holiday season.)

For this friend, as soon as I saw the challenge at Addicted to CAS: Blessings - I pulled out the Blessings die from Paper Smooches and then I just had to find a background.


I found the Poppystamps Floral Clusters die in my not-yet-used stash.  I cut it an angle and then inlaid it with some cheerful colors.  I cut one extra little flower as an accent.  I like the concept.  If it weren't the busy holiday season - I think I would have done it again either moving the sentiment down or the whole panel up.  Right now, nothing is in a sweet spot - it's not centered, nor is it the rule of thirds. Sometimes (often) I have to sit back and remember that my obsession over these things is for this blog, but my heart was with the recipient as I made the card and that's the only thing that really matters.

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Paper Smooches Blessings, Poppystamps Floral Cluster
Paper: Doodlebug Design Dot-Grid-Daisy-Stripe Rainbow Petite Prints, Stampin' Up Mango Melody and Granny Apple Green

Paper Players: Filled with Joy

The challenge at The Paper Players this week is Frosty the Snowman with a sweet little snowman in blue.  I have so many snowmen in my stash, I couldn't miss this one!


My use of blue came directly from the inspiration photo as did the snowy background. But I had to use the cute little top hat instead of a blue beanie like the photo.  FYI - the holly on his hat isn't in the die set - I found it in a border die. 

This guy is so cute I made four of these.  Shhh...don't tell anyone...but when December comes and I'm not done yet, I do start making multiples!!  It's not my favorite thing to do.  Especially right now when my mojo has made a comeback after having been gone all fall.  I have SO many ideas and I'm excited to be crafting but if I made every card I'm picturing in my head, I'd be mailing Christmas cards in March!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: My Favorite Things Filled with Joy
Paper: Taylored Expressions Gumball, Sunny Studio Dots & Stripes Pastels, Bazzill Basics Licorice
Other: Stampin' Up Embossing Folder

Freshly Made Sketches: A Classic Christmas

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Karren.

I hadn't made any truly classic Christmas cards yet - so this sketch just called out for Christmas plaid and a tall tree!


The tree is a set of two dies from Frantic Stamper.  The big tree was absolutely the right size, then I put that trio in the background.  Of course, I had to decorate it so pulled out my favorite Christmas pearls - Little Things Glossy Berry Mixed Pearls. They have a golden sheen - so the golden stars fit in perfectly.  Then I had all of that wonderful open space to add a fun Merry Christmas die!  
I hope to see you playing along with us this week.
SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Frantic Stamper Tall Pine Trees, Echo Park Merry Christmas
Patterned Paper: Echo Park Christmas This & That
Other: Pretty Pink Posh Metallic Stars Confetti, Little Things Glossy Berry Mixed Pearls

Inspired by...Pink Joy

I've had red, green and gold out on my desk for a while now and wanted a change so I was inspired when saw the challenge at Inspired By...Pink Christmas.


I pulled out my favorite cover plate die with the sweet Christmas foliage.  It has room for an oval but I had another die set out on my desk (more on that on Thursday and Saturday!) that included "JOY".  I added a poinsettia for the "O" to coordinate with the background.

I'm making so many cards right now, I'm not taking time for great photography.  The above picture doesn't show the detail in the poinsettia and I had specifically picked that poinsettia die for the fun detail that tied it into the background.  Here's another photo that shows the detail - but the natural lighting on a winter day turned the card peachy instead of pink!


And here's the challenge that inspired me!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Taylored Expressions Blooming Holiday Cover Plate, My Favorite Things Filled with Joy (the "J" and the "Y", Flora and Fauna Poinsettia Flower
Paper: Taylored Expressions Cupcake and Pink Champagne (just the flower center and the small leaves), Echo Park Dots & Stripes Candy Shoppe Collection
Other: May Arts ribbon

CAS Colours & Sketches: Joyful Snowflake

On a ziploc bag on my desk are big glittered snowflakes that I had made months ago but not used.  By the time these dainty things were die cut, then heat 'n stick powder applied, then dipped in glitter (with the very annoying side effect of glitter everywhere - including eyebrows), I wasn't going to toss them out.   Then I had cut out "joyful" for another card but it was too big.  Finally - I saw the sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches and I knew what I was going to do!


I pulled out some sequins to give the background the more unique shape that is in the sketch.  These are sequins I was so excited to get - but I'm just not thrilled with.  No offense to the company - but the sequins are much bigger than I usually like and the snowflakes are smaller.  But they work for this so I should stop complaining!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Simon Says Stamp Joyful, Tim Holtz Flurry #2, Lil' Inker Designs Cover Up Die: Stitched Woodgrain
Other: Hero Arts Snow and Berry Sequins, Stampin' Up Heat 'n Stick Powder, Martha Stewart Fine Crystal Glitter

Color Throwdown: Joy Wreath

I fell in love with the colors at the Color Throwdown particularly since one of my remaining Christmas-cards-to-make is for my niece.  She's growing up quickly and cutesy doesn't work any more - but feminine and fun is good.  So the colors plus my new Honey Bee Stamps Joy Noel Wreath are just right!

This was my first Thanksgiving holiday as an empty-nester.  Neither son was home.  The oldest is only 90 miles a way but the weather was a problem. The youngest went with his roommate to visit his family in Chicago.  My husband works retail - over Thanksgiving (at a store that didn't close) and Black Friday - so I didn't see much of him either.  

I should say that I was sad and lonely - but I've had a wonderful holiday!  Lots and lots of Christmas cards made!  I'm almost done with Christmas shopping. The house is decorated.  The tree looks fabulous vs. all those years when I required all of the men in my life to help which then required me accepting however the lights and ornaments looked!  If that sounds terrible there are two things you need to know.  All my guys are well over 6' tall so guess where all the ornaments ended up.  And my boys have gotten an ornament a year representing their life.  Of course, their ornaments are the most important ornament so they all cluster right in front!  

I'm actually going into December without stress!!!  I definitely gave thanks for this long weekend.  

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Honey Bee Stamps Joy Noel Wreath
Paper: Sunny Studio Gingham Pastels and Dots & Stripes Pastels, Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green
Other: Taylored Expressions Winter Flurries Embossing Folder, misc enamel dots from Your Next Stamp and Doodlebug

The Rainbow Card Challenge: Blessings

Every month I swear I'm going to play along with The Rainbow Challenge but time flies and I seem to realize belatedly that the month is gone.  But how could I not play along with their metallic challenge during the Christmas seasons - and I'm squeaking this one in on the closing day of the challenge.


If you have any doubt that this is metallic - here it is with a direct light on it.

In real life, it's in the middle of these pictures.  It's definitely not an in-your-face, glowing blue like the second picture but it has a lot more shine than the first.  It's a wonderful, rich royal blue - I wish I were a talented enough photographer to show it off!

SUPPLY LIST
Dies: Simon Says Stamp Holy Stars, Christmas Blessings, Reverse Confetti Stitched Rays Cover Panel, Simon Says Stamp Frames
Paper: Wausau Paper Creative Collection Metallic Cardstock
Other: Sparkletz Crystal Stars