NEW DT and the February BYSHC - Sketch #19

 

I was recently asked to be on the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Design Team and am thrilled to be part of  this group of super talented folks.  A bonus for me is chipping away on my holiday cards throughout the year instead of waiting until December.

BYSHC has a private FB group for posting your makes, a presence on IG, and a blog where you can look for information, too.  The other fun thing is there are four hops with sponsors and prizes each year.  More incentive to get going with building your stash of holiday cards!

Sketch challenges are a favorite of mine, and Crystal has created a great one for February. It's got some fun diagonal lines and the center "any shape" allows for versatility when going through one's stash! My first card this month doesn't have any coloring. It uses some patterned paper and Chilly the Gnome die from Picket Fence Studios, and Charming Tags 1 die from Papertrey Ink.  The sentiment is part of the Snarky Cat Christmas collection of Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous stamps.  It's hard to tell from the photo, but the gnome's beards are glitter paper.  Hope you will join me in building up your stash of holiday cards this year!  Thanks for stopping by my blog.   

Challenges Entered:   Color Hues #34 red and black; NBUS #35 - (Chilly the Gnome die and the sentiment!);                                                                                                    

In kindness, Cathy

BYSHC - Sketch #18

 

I found myself working on another card using Sketch #18 for BYSHC again this weekend.  I pulled out some newer items from Taylored Expressions to create the card. The tree is a die called Festive Fir. I cut it from 110# cardstock (covered with clear mailing) to make a stencil out of it and sponged a variety of greens, some browns, and colored the red with colored pencils. The tree's background is old PTI paper from my stash.  The red die cut is TE's Noel Script die and the black paper sentiment is from TE's package of Simple Strips in Reverse- Christmas. I used TE's Burlap Background stamp for the brown panel.  

February brings a new BYSHC sketch, so I was glad to have time to try a different version of sketch #18.  I am excited to be starting as a BYSHC DT member in February.  Thanks for stopping by my blog.                                         In kindness, Cathy

  

PPC&F - All Dressed Up's Country Girl

 All Dressed Up has been sponsoring over at the PPC&F FB group the past couple of days - and it comes with a 20% off discount on her images!  I love coloring the sweet images Wendy Burns creates.  This one, called Country Girl, is available in her Etsy Shop.  

It's the middle of winter in MN, so it was a warm diversion to color this!  I sponged clouds in the background with Speckle Egg Distress inks and used a variety of G and YG Copics to create the grass.  Her hat is E50, 41, 42, 44; romper is YR 65, 68. She looks like the kind of girl who would have fun sneakers, so I made them three colors!  Cut into another 12x12 sheet of hoarded patterned paper for the bg of this card!  Going strong on my New Year's resolve to use, not hoard!

Hope you will stop by the Passionate Paper Creations & Friends FB page to see the DT's other creations and sale code.  All Dressed Up has a challenge blog and a FB Group.  I encourage you to check them out!

Challenges Entered:  Craft Hazelnuts Patterned Paper Jan. 2022 ;                                                       As You Like It Jan. 20- Favorite Coloring Medium (Copics because of the control and blending ability)

Thanks for stopping by my blog.  In kindness, Cathy

Dogs & Donuts!

 If you are my granddaughter, not much is better than dogs and donuts, so I made this card for her 11th birthday!!  It's a blend of new products on my craft desk.  The dog was purchased for this occasion and is Stamping Bella's Golden with A Sneaker; the die is Lawn Fawn's Giant Happy Birthday die. The background is from Taylored Expressions Donut Days release - I bought the whole package. . . Donut Days Cling & Clear Combination stamp and stencil; I also added two of the Mini Strips- Donut Worry.  If you look closely, you might see some sparkle on the happy birthday die cut - it's TE's Happy Medium Iridescent Gel.

Copics used:  E31, 35, 42, 44, YR31: BG 72, 32, 11: RV 55

Challenges Entered:  A Place to Start January- AG; Love To Craft #66- AG; NBUS#34; Watercooler Wednesday #333 - Occasions 

Thanks for stopping by my blog!  In kindness, Cathy

PPC&F and Dr. Digi

 

Dr. Digi is sponsoring the Passionate Paper Creations & Friends FB group January 13-16th and all of his images are 20% off with the code ppcaf20.

The face on this digi, Snowman reflects my mixed feelings about winter! As I was coloring, I decided to color the face as though kids had made it out of cookies.  The center one is a sprinkle cookie and the others are chocolate chips (or mini-chips).  I know they wouldn't hold up in a snowstorm, but it gave me a chuckle to think about what kids would make out of supplies from the kitchen! The sentiment is from Concord & 9th and the embossed background is from Simon Says Stamp. I sprayed the card with Pickett Fence Distress Spray and added more snowflakes with a white gel pen.

Copics:  Sky- B99, 97, 95, 41; Snowman/snow- BV23, 20, B 60, B000, E50, 33, 35

Hope you will stop by the PPC&F FB group to see what others on the team have created. Have fun shopping with the Dr. Digi code! 

In kindness, Cathy

Starting Ahead with 2022 Christmas Cards

 Retiring last June made me think I would have plenty of time to make Christmas cards this year,  but I am not a planner, so it didn't quite work out that way.  I am determined to do better, so I have been watching for Christmas card challenges to motivate me to "chip away" at the task!  The Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Blog has monthly sketches, which is just what I am looking for!  

For this card,  I colored up my Stamping Bella Mini Oddballs on a Sled for the first time and cut into a fresh piece of 12x12 patterned paper for the background! (That is three since the new year started for anyone keeping track!!). I also used a scrap of white glitter paper for the snow, an already stamped and heat embossed FaLaLaLa stamp from Ellen Hutson, and the red banner was a discard in my scrap drawer.  I added three faceted jewels, three tiny hearts, and a sentiment from Papertrey Ink.

Copics: Skin- E35, 33, 31, 11, 00, R20; Clothes - E09,07, R24, BG72, 72; E04, N2, 0, BG72; Sled- E42, 41, N1 

Hope you feel inspired to join me in starting ahead on your Christmas cards.  Thanks for stopping by my blog!  In kindness, Cathy

Try Stampin' On Tuesdays -Sketch 538

This week's

 

Sketch 538

Try Stampin' on Tuesdays sketch #538:

Optional theme: Embossing

The challenge runs until January 23rd.

A fun sketch and some stamping supplies left out on my desk inspired my card for Try Stampin' On Tuesday's latest challenge.

I had been playing with Pinkfresh Studio goodies I received in November for their Create and Connect event.  The combination of stamps, stencils, and dies from the Celebrate in Style suite of products makes for an easy card.  I didn't use the stencil for the TSOT DT card, but here's another card I created over the weekend using some of the stencils.  The sentiment from this weekend card is from the stencil and die part of the set. I am entering this in the Pinkfresh Studio January Challenge - 2021 year in review April/Die Cuts.

I took a little liberty with the flags from the sketch to use up some of my ribbon stash.   The optional "embossing" theme is seen on the panel behind my cake image. The cake is all stamped (including the frosting detail and band) and then die cut. The flowers are colored until Copics and then die cut and the cake stand is from the die set.

I have been on a mission to cull through my patterned papers lately, either purging or using rather than hoarding it!  It's so hard to do, but the background paper is cut from a 12x12 sheet I have had in my collection for a while! (Gulp!!)

Hope you will join the TSOT challenge this week.  Thanks for stopping by my blog. 

In kindness, Cathy

Welcome New Baby!

 

My cousin just had her first granddaughter come into the world a week ago, so I made her a congratulations card using Cottontail Wishes, a stamp and die set from Taylored Expressions I bought a while back for just such an occasion!  

The background is sponged with Distress Inks.  The bunny is colored with Copics - N0,1, 2, 3 for the bunny, plus a little E41; flowers & tie are R11, 22, 20.  It's a mini slimline size card, thanks to the scalloped die I received in my Pinkfresh box of goodies from November's Create and Connect event.  The sentiment is from Right At Home Stamps.

I love how this one turned out and am certain I will get lots of use from this stamp! Thanks for stopping by my blog.   In kindness, Cathy

Challenges Entered:  NBUS #34;  Watercooler Wednesday #332 - All Things Feminine;   As You Like It 1/6 - Favorite way to wrap a gift and why (I love adding bows and sparkle using rolls of tulle - it's festive and the glitter bugs the heck out of the adult males in the family!!) 

Finally Breaking out the Pinkfresh Treasures!

I signed up for the Pinkfresh Studios Create & Connect Event and when the weekend came in November, I wasn't able to participate live.  The box of goodies was tucked away until this weekend, when I have had time to pull things out, watch the videos, and create.

This is the first card I made.  The background is debossed using Lush Vines Hot Foil Plate (LOVE this!!); the flowers are made with the Cosmos Bunch Layering Stencils, followed by stamping the outline with gold embossing powder and then die cutting. I popped on some Sparkling Champagne Metallic Pearls and one of their gold foiled sentiments and done!!   

My second card uses the same foil plate as a background (I can tell it is a new favorite!) with the Celebrate in Style suite of products. I had some cardstock splattered with Distress Spray on my desk for another card - which didn't work out.  I thought it would be perfect for this cake. I added some shading to the images and die cuts with colored pencils and Copics, finished with a few sequins, and am happy with how it turned out!  

New to Pinkfresh Studios, the products from the Create and Connect event gave me the chance to see how the sets of stencils, stamps, and dies work together.  I love to color, but had a blast inking up the stencils and adding the stamps.  It's such a well thought out product line.  

I still have a few more sets to ink up!  Thanks for stopping by my blog.

In kindness, Cathy 

Snowflake 2 - With a Little Christmas Cheer

My second post today; this it's time for the newly created Caffeinated Christmas Card Challenge. The first challenge theme is snowflakes.  I was working on snowflake cards last night and had a few unfinished.  I knew the perfect stamp for this challenge would be an oldie from MFT called Tea Time.  It's a classic and has survived many stamp purges! I stamped it twice; the woman's image is colored and mounted on foam.  The background is MFT's Punched Pattern stencil (retired). My card uses a layer of vellum with a SSS snowflake embossing folder and CCC's Big & Bold Snowflake Wishes stamp and its companion Big Bold Snowflake Die.  I finished the card off with a ribbon and three silver baubles from Pinkfresh studio.

I'm looking forward to playing along with more of these card challenges throughout the year.  Might help me get a jump start on my Christmas cards and use some of those uninked stamps I have been "collecting"! Thanks for stopping by my blog.

Other Challenges Entered:

Word Art Wednesday #523-24 - AG

Tuesday Morning Sketches (12/21) - AG

Four Seasons Jan. Challenge - Winter AG

Paper Funday Challenge 36 - AG/holidays

In kindness, Cathy

Snowflakes Everywhere!

 

Happy 2022!  New Year's Eve arrived; I got a message that the Big & Bold Snowflake Die from Colorado Craft Company I purchased to go with the stamp arrived . . . three days early!! Woo!  So, I spent the day making a batch of cards!

But before I go farther, I want to give credit to a FB Post from Traci Lynn Jenkins that inspired me. I PM'd her, saying hers was the kind of card I saw and wanted to buy every element to CASE her idea and make for myself, so after a couple of days of waiting, I did.  (I hope you can relate!) My biggest challenge was the embossing folder!  I scoured the internet for a snowflake embossing folder because I loved Traci's so much.  I'm not certain I have her folder, but I really like the pattern in the one I bought. 

Friday's delivery of the snowflake die was the final piece to my puzzle, so I got started!  I pulled out my Distress Inks and Distress Oxide Inks for the snowflakes, using a combination of Pumice Stone, Speckled Egg, and alternating Tumbled Glass, Salty Ocean, and Faded Jeans. My time quickly turned into a "playing around" session.  As I got going, my brain went to, "What if I do this?" and off I went deep into the creative process.  I made a combination of multi-layered cards and some one-layer cards.  Most of the snowflakes used the distress inks and then clear embossing powder on top.  Then I tried white embossing powder and sponged the background, which morphed into adding flicks of acrylic paints, and Distress stains!!  I finally had to rein in the play to get some cards finished.  What you see here is a sampling of my collection.  I still have to add some embellishments to this collection - likely sequins so I can mail them easily.  They are going to some folks I didn't get Christmas cards out to.  

By the way - this is the first CCC die I have purchased.  I've resisted because they were a little on the expensive side, but the dies cut out intricacies within the images and not just around the outside!  I can see why they are a little more money.

I hope you have some "play" time in the first month of 2022.  We all need it! Pop by Traci's FB post and leave her a little love.  I am grateful for her inspiration!

In kindness, Cathy