A Christmas Hello

I was surprised recently to realize I didn't have any embossing folders with trees. I immediately remedied that when I found this Christmas Tree 2D folder by Chloe's Creative. I wanted to use it right away by adding a trio of bright and graphic trees in front of that forest of white, snowy trees!

I want to give credit to last week's 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. Had my order arrived in my mailbox before the challenge ended, I had intended to play along with their sketch. When it didn't come in time, I changed my card up a bit from the sketch - but still wanted to give credit as due.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: The Stamp Market Heaps of Holiday Words
Dies: Neat & Tangled Scandinavian Prints Christmas, My Favorite Things Mountain High (the snowy ground)
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green, Summer Splash, Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight, Michaels glittery white
Other: Chloe's Creative Christmas Tree 2D embossing folder, Memory Box Fairy Jewels

The Paper Players: Spooktacular Halloween

Just after last Halloween, I got a set of dies specifically for a card for my son and girlfriend. After a year, they were buried in the stash, so a big thank you to the challenge at The Paper Players as it helped me remember that I had the perfect Halloween costumes for the challenge and for my son, girlfriend AND their cat!

I found some Halloween paper that wasn't too somber and then added a starry sky and a big sentiment. Easy peasy! I love it when the real fun on the card is all about a great die set.

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Photoplay Trick or Treat Halloween
Dies: Simon Says Stamp Trick or Treat Ghosts, Photoplay Trick or Treat Halloween
Paper: Catherine Pooler Sweet-n-Spooky, Taylored Expressions Mushroom, Stampin' Up Berry Burst and Pumpkin Pie
Other: Simon Says Stamp Shimmering Starfall Embossing Folder, Stamp Market Silver Glitter Stars

Freshly Made Sketches: Sweater Weather

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

I knew right away that this would be fall-focused card but I planned to use fall patterned paper in the squares for a cozy quilt look. Before I started I was looking through my fall stash and saw this sentiment. It's perfect for my son and his girlfriend. I plan to use this as a Thankgiving card with the "Happy Thanksgiving" on the inside and I'll add something like "We're so thankful you found each other"! With that idea coming together, I stepped away from patterned paper and just added sweater-like stripes and a cable knit embossing folder.

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

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Papertrey Ink Just Sentiments: Happy Fall
Dies: Taylored Expressions Sentiment Stackers, Sweet & Sassy Hearts
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Darling Duckling, Timid Tiger, Pear Pizzazz, Lost Lagoon, Crumb Cake
Ink: Stampin' Up Pecan Pie
Other: Sunny Studio Cable Knit embossing folder, Stampin' Up 2025-27 In Color Flat Pearls

The Paper Players: To You and Yours

I have been doing a better job this year at using new products within a week or two of their arrival into my stash. I actually don't have a lot of new stuff coming in right now because before I implemented that requirement, my not-yet-used stash got out of control and I'm having a wonderful time rediscovering that stash. But I did recently get the Christmas tags in the new Stampin' Up mini catalog. The idea was that I would use them as true tags (I love simple gift wrapping paper with gorgeous tags and bows) but I saw this week's challenge at The Paper Players and the sketch made me imagine two of the patterned tags layered up on a card.

Thank you to the team at The Paper Players for helping me stick to my goal of actually using products!

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Stampin' Up Brightest Glow
Dies: Stampin' Up Patterned Tags
Cardstock: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green, Crumb Cake
Other: Stampin' Up Tasteful Textiles, Champagne Rhinestone Basic Jewels

Freshly Made Sketches: Autumn Blessings

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!

It hasn't quite cooled off enough here to be perfect fall weather (although any drop in temperature from the horribly hot summer is welcome). But the huge red maple outside my craft room window is showing signs. Each leaf stem is red and the tips of many of the leaves are starting to turn. Throughout the neighborhood, there's a few leaves that I have fallen that I can crunch through in my walks. Autumn is by far my favorite season. I'd make autumn cards all year long - but have you ever noticed that no one raises an eyebrow when you put up a Christmas card in the spring, but it looks wrong when you pull out fall colors in the spring. So I'm jumping on my fall cards now. 

I had planned on a big leaf for the circle but I didn't have a big leaf that came with the detail that I also wanted so I pulled out the Hero Arts Autumn Leaves which are smaller, but have the detail, and an acorn! I love the cut-outs throughout each die cut; it just took a trio of leaves/acorns to fill the space. I love how it turned out. The back panel was giving me a bit of a headache until the lighbulb came on and I knew I wanted a warm quilt. I found a simple quilt die cut and filled it with fall colors and a pop of blue. Then in a nod to the sketch, I added the edge with scallops.

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

SUPPLY LIST
Stamps: Pretty Pink Posh Sentiment Strips - Fall
Dies: Hero Arts Autumn Leaves, WPlus9 Quilt Cuts 2, Pretty Pink Posh Sentiment Strips, My Favorite Things Mini Scallop
Paper: Stampin' Up Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, Pecan Pie, Lucky Limeade, Crumb Cake plus miscellaneous small prints
Other: Stampin' Up Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder, Cajun Craze & Gold Dots