CAS(E) this Sketch: The Reason

This is my last Christmas card for 2017!!  I have a few more posts so there will be a few more on my blog - but this card is the last one that I made!


I used the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch. I have to admit that I almost didn't link up.  I definitely used the sketch but for reasons I can't explain, the card doesn't look CAS to me.  I think it's the darker colors.  I know that may not make sense!  I had a lot of false starts on this card and some early versions had lighter colors - those looked CAS to me; this one doesn't.  Isn't it odd how our brains perceive things? But I was so clearly using their sketch, I definitely wanted to give credit where it was due!

SUPPLY LIST

PTI Inspired: Jesus die	PTI Inspired: Jesus	PTI Bells & Boughs	SU Silver Glimmer Paper
PTI Scarlet Jewel CS	SSS Smoke CS	PTI Scarlet Jewel Ink	SSS Smoke Ink
PTI Summer Sunrise Ink	PPP 4mm Sparkling Clear Sequins

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Merry Monday: Christmas Fun

I'm down to needing five Christmas cards!!!  It's a bitter cold and snowy day here today, so I have the coffee brewed, the fireplace going, the tree lights on - and I'm going to finish!!

This first one is for a new office mate who gives us hourly updates as to whether it's going to snow on Christmas.  (If you are from the Denver, Colorado area you can relate given the weather forecast - and the weather - can change dramatically!)  Her two young nieces are coming from California.  They have been practicing playing in the snow by throwing their arms in the air and catching pretend snowflakes on their cheeks.  The pictures she shows us are absolutely charming.

And this is another reason that I love cardmaking - I had the perfect stamp and sentiment for her Christmas card!


I even threw some sequin snow in just in case there isn't real snow!!  (Don't worry - they already have plans to head to the mountains so her nieces won't miss snow even though the current Denver forecast shows sunshine every day - except today - through Christmas.)
FYI - I realized as I was writing this that, although I carefully saved the dot for the "i" that is part of the die - I never glued it on!
This is the perfect "winter fun" story and I was definitely inspired by the snowman and shaker cards at the Merry Monday Christmas Challenge.

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The snowman stamp is an old, old Penny Black stamp.  I couldn't find it to link it - but my search turned up the fact that Penny Black has a die in the same shape with the same smile - called Snowman Joy.  Here's a Penny Black blog post showing you just how cute it is!

The patterned paper is from Pink Paislee's 6x6 paper pad called Merry & Bright.  

Stamplorations Let It Snow

Lil' Inker Dual Dotted Rectangles Dies

TE Sequins - Snow Flurries

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Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge: Fa La La

It's time for a new challenge at the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge:

sisterssuitcaseblog.com

Curtain Call has a special guest designer this week.  Be sure to check out Bobby at Bits & Pieces. Inspiration from the design team along with Bobby's card can all be found at the  Curtain Call blog.

I pulled the colors and the little Christmas trees to come up with this card.


I had realized that I was lagging behind the trends because I didn't have any large sentiments.  I went shopping and saw this set at Ellen Hutson (linked below).  There are two other great sentiments, but I got it for this one and the funky trees and snowflakes. 
I hope to see you playing along! 
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The diagonal black stripe is from a scrap that I keep just for these types of borders!

Essentials by Ellen Holly Jolly	SSS Surf Blue Ink	SSS Duckling Ink	SSS Sunkist Ink
SSS Rosie Cheeks Ink	MFT Coral Crush CS	PPP 4mm Metallic Gold Sequins

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Freshly Made Sketches: Light the Candles

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

In the midst of all of the holiday colors and festivities - I needed a birthday card.  My brother just had a big birthday.  No comments on which one because as he is my younger brother, I would prefer not to think too hard about how old he is.

I hope to see you playing along!!
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The patterned paper is the Lawn Fawn Fall Plaid 6x6 stack.  The cardstocks are colors from a variety of companies that matched the plaid.
I used the Postage Stamp Stacklet and cut a side off for the border. 

Make a Wish Stamp & Die Combo

Bright Birthday

Postage Stamp Stacklets

Embossing Folder - Brick

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Color Throwdown: Hope Wish Believe

I love the color combinations at the Color Throwdown and this week is no exception.  I am thrilled to be guesting again for this bright and festive color combination!

I started out thinking that I'd go with drink inspiration from the photo, but I'm down to needing just a few more Christmas cards and "drinks" weren't right for anybody remaining on my list.  I recently got a set of three Christmas words from Lil' Inker Designs and as I looked at them, I thought they had great meaning used together.


I added a few strips of tone-on-tone patterned paper, a Christmas star and a few sparkles and bursts - I like it!  The little white bursts - next to "wish" and dotting the "i" in "believe" actually came from another Lil' Inker's set that I got at the same time - Baubled Christmas Wreath.  I added a couple of them to balance out the Christmas start at the top.

I hope you are inspired to play along - the colors are bright and cheerful and so fun to work with!

SUPPLY LIST

Lil' Inker Brush Script Christmas Words

Lil' Inker Baubled Christmas Wreath

TE Little Bits - North Star

PPP 4mm Sparkling Clear Sequins

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CAS(E) this Sketch: Angel Voices

I have just a handful of Christmas cards left to make!!  Early in the year, I make Christmas cards without a recipient in mind.  Then around October I sit down with those cards and figure out who they work for - Christian vs. cutesy, bright vs. elegant, etc.  Now that I'm down to a handful, I have a very focused group to work toward - two of which are my 8- and 11-year old nieces.  My brother and his wife have done an amazing job at raising their girls with a true understanding of Christmas, so I always make sure their cards are Christian but I still try to add a bit of cute.  I picked up the Verve set, Angel Voices, with them in mind.  Here's the first one!


I was inspired by the sketch at CAS(E) this Sketch in terms of the centered image with sentiment below, and also by the square present.  I wanted a bit more interest and I needed some more "girly" so I put the star on the stitched and scalloped squares.

I did start with a different sentiment and I like the way all of these elements tuck together.  But as I thought about an 8-year old, I felt like the main line of the carol (like the first card) would be better than this more subtle sentiment.

Now I need to get ready to go and head off to my nieces' Christmas piano recital!!  Last night I finished Christmas shopping (including my MIL whose gift I have struggled over for 25 years!)  Now I get to get festive and hear sweet little ones play Christmas carols.  I'm officially ready to celebrate Christmas!!
SUPPLY LIST

Verve Angel Voices	Verve Angelic Die Set	MFT Blueprints 13 Die	Stampin' Up Stitched Shape Framelits
SU Layering Squares	SU Pink Pirouette CS	PPP 4mm Sparkling Clear Sequins

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TE Release Day: Still the One

It's release day at Taylored Expressions!  Everything you have seen this week is now available!  And here's two more peeks at this release.

If you were here yesterday, I'm sure you could tell I was a little giddy about the combination of love song stamps and music dies.  Well...here's another one!!


Records - with Little Bits - Record!!  And heart-shaped music notes with Little Bits - Love Notes!! Plus another sentiment from All You Need is Love!


This was a quick and easy card.  I cut a circle mask just slightly bigger than the record die.  I cut the square from Build a Tag 2 - the corners are slightly rounded and there's some nice edge detail on it. Then I used the mask to sponge around the edges.  (From a retro stamping tutorial at Lime Doodle Design.)

Here is the supply list for this card and be sure to keep reading for one more card!

SUPPLY LIST

All You Need is Love	Little Bits - Record	Little Bits - Love Notes	Build a Tag 2
TE Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	TE Premium Cardstock - Poppy Seed	TE Premium Ink - Poppy Seed - Full Pad	TE Premium Cardstock - Granny Smith
TE Premium Ink - Granny Smith - Full Pad	TE Premium Cardstock - Sprinkles	TE Premium Ink - Sprinkles - Full Pad	TE Premium Cardstock - Candy Corn
TE Premium Ink - Candy Corn - Full Pad

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Another fun new die with this release is the Little Bits - Tandem Bike.  I used another heart from Stroke of Genius - Valentine to surround the cute little bike.  Then I found the perfect sentiment in the older set Bikes & Trikes.


It's only December 8th and I am already done with Valentines cards!!  This one is definitely for my husband.  We've ridden bikes for all of our years together - although not a tandem.  We were on a bike ride when he proposed.  In our first year, we rode a 150-miles in a weekend as a fundraiser for MS. He rode it again a few years later and was the #1 fundraiser - in an event that raises over $3 million each year in colorado alone!  He proudly wore the #1 jersey the next year. Now we take it a little easier.  Mountain bikes, cruising along old logging roads in the Colorado Rockies.  It's beautiful and it's romantic.  So this is the perfect card for my husband!



Don't forget to the head over to the TE Blog for links to all of the designers and to find out if you won a prize if you've been answering the Question of the Day!

SUPPLY LIST

Little Bits - Tandem Bike	Stroke of Genius Valentine	Bikes & Trikes	Stitched Rectangle Stacklets
TE Premium Cardstock - Sugar Cube	TE Premium Cardstock - Poppy Seed	TE Premium Cardstock - Cookie Monster	TE Premium Ink - Poppy Seed - Full Pad
TE Premium Ink - Cherry Pop - Full Pad	TE Premium Ink - Cookie Monster - Full Pad	TE Premium Ink - Granny Smith - Full Pad

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