Simple Christmas Wishes

Hi there.  I was so excited to combine 2 challenges for today's card.  I'll start with the sketch from CAS(E) this Sketch!, it was perfect for showcasing a textured paper as the base.  I chose to use a new embossing folder that I hadn't even taken out of the package called Cable Knit.  I lightly misted the cardstock with water before I ran it through my Big Shot, the paper is deeply embossed with a sweater pattern with no cracking of the cardstock.  

Since I used the Cable Knit dynamic folder, I decided to combine the sketch with this weeks Merry Monday Christmas Challenge to use red, green, and white.  I cut the New England Ivy with my new die set from Papertrey Ink, I love the stitched border it adds.  I stamped the sentiment with Versamark and heat embossed it with Real Red Glitter Embossing Powder for some color and sparkle.  

I had a hard time capturing the sentiment, so here is a close up:

On a different note, I'm surprised how much of a difference cameras made in these photos.  I have an older point and shoot Canon that I keep in my craft desk for taking pictures for my blog.  I was having a hard time with it focusing on the sentiment, so I switched the memory card to my new camera that my husband got me for Christmas.  What a huge difference in photo quality.  I'm going to retire the Canon and let the girls use it when they go to church camp this summer.  

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Cozy Christmas - Stampin' Up!

Ink:  Versamark

Real Red Glitter Embossing Powder, Real Red Cardstock, Cable Knit Dynamic - Stampin' Up!

New England Ivy Cardstock - Close to My Heart

Neenah Solar White Cardstock

Double Ups: Rectangle Die Collection - Papertrey Ink

Peace on Earth

I joined two challenges for today's creation.  At Merry Monday Christmas Challenge #239, it was a color challenge.  We were to use gold, copper, and turquoise.  I have to admit, I had to dig deep to find something copper in my craft room.  Gold, no problem.  Copper, ummm let me check.  I did end up buying some copper stickles today at a craft store (which I ended up not using).  I decided that I wanted to emboss the image of the Holy Family with gold embossing powder.  While I was trying to pull this card together, I really wanted to use the star stamp that was in the stamp set.  I remembered that I had a whole collection of Martha Stewart glitter in the bottom of a drawer.  So I pulled that out, and there it was, copper colored glitter.  I stamped the stars with Versamark, added a little heat and stick power, heat it, poured the glitter over, and heat set it.  Viola, copper colored glittery stars.

The second challenge I took was the "Just Us Girls" Challenge # 384.  This week was to use a stencil.  I had one from the glimmer mist that I haven't used in years, so I was excited to pull that out and use it.  I used it with some Iridescent Gold Glimmer Mist.  It created a very soft, shimmery background.  I had a hard time photographing it, but in real life it's very pretty.

Supplies Used:
Stamps:  Glory to God - Close to My Heart
Inks:  Versamark, Tuxedo Black - Memento
Cardstock - Lagoon - Close to My Heart
Glitter - Martha Stewart
Glimmer mist and Stencil - Tattered Angels
Gold Cording and Heat and Stick Powder - Stampin' Up!

Season's Greetings Stocking

I just love sending out my homemade Christmas cards.  However, I have a confession, for the past year or two (maybe 3, I can't remember), November rolls around and I give up.  I have great intentions of sitting down and making a stack of Christmas cards, some matching, some not, it depends of my mood.  That time never comes.  So, November comes and I decide to order picture cards online.  Not this year.  I'm starting early.  I'm going to participate in a few Christmas card challenges to get a head start.  Today, this card is for the Merry Monday challenge, we had to have a stocking on our card.  I'm also participating in the Split Coast Stampers 2017 Christmas Card Challenge.  They have it for 11 months, with December being off.  The months and themes are posted on the forum, we can work on them through out the year.  My goal is 1 Christmas card per month (I'm starting slow).  April's card needs to have a creature on it.

I thought this little reindeer stocking from Stampin Up's Gift Givers set was adorable.  I decided that instead of coloring the stocking in, I was going to paper piece it.  So I stamped the stocking image on Cherry Cobbler cardstock, Kraft cardstock, and a patterned paper from October Afternoon's Good Cheer Paper pad.  Then I did some fussy cutting and glued the little pieces to the main stocking.  I'm very pleased with how it turned out.  I decided to make a hanger for it by folding a piece of Cherry Cobbler seam binding in half the long ways and folding it over to create a loop.  

Supplies Used:

Stamp set - Gift Givers and Happy Scenes - Stampin Up!

Ink - Tuxedo Black - Memento

Paper - Cherry Cobbler, Kraft - Stampin Up!, Good Cheer Paper Pad - October Afternoon

Seam Binding - Cherry Cobbler - Stampin Up!