Happy Belated Christmas!!!

Hi Stamping Friends!!!

My cousin married an Englishman and I love how they say Happy Christmas!!!  Since it finally stopped raining and all the holiday hoopla has died down, I finally had a chance to take a picture of our Christmas card.

I made and sent out 108 of these.  Of course it was half way through the assembly process that I figured out I needed more like 145 cards!  So My Digital Studio to the rescue!

Here's the card I made using MDS components.  The hardest part was trying to figure out who was going to get the handmade card and who was going to get the photo card!

I hope you and your family enjoyed a beautiful Christmas together.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

ColourQ Tuesday #60

Just a quick post today, as I'm feeling a little under the weather.  But since I finally had a chance to do my ColourQ Design Team work, I wanted to share it with you!

CHRIST IS BORN

It was fun to finally get out a Christmas stamp set.  I really starting to look forward to the holiday season.  After stamping this card, I decided to use this set for my own personal Christmas card.  I'll post it after I send it out.  This sketch comes from a new-to-me sketch blog called Sketch Frenzy Friday.  I added a few elements to the original sketch.  I hope they don't mind!

I hope you can play with us at the ColourQ this week!

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Stamping!

Color Throwdown #71

Hi Stamping Friends!

Surprisingly enough, today's card is for only one challenge.  I know!  What happened?!  Well, I've been trying to finish up my Christmas cards and haven't had a lot of extra time for "fun" stamping.  But I really loved the colors form the Color Throwdown blog CTD71.  Here are the colors:

I just LOVE these colors!  They would be FABULOUS for Valentine's Day, but since I have Christmas on the brain, I used them to make this Christmas card:

It's hard to see in this photo, but I used the Faux Linen technique on the pointsettia and the leaves.  Looks so soft, almost like real petals!  I first inked up the flower image with Pretty in Pink.  Then using my sponge daubers, I inked up the edges with Real Red.  Then I stamped it on tissue paper.  After a minute to make sure it was dry, I crumpled it all up, and then un-crumpled it.  I glued it to a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and cut it out.  I did the leaves the same way, using Old Olive ink.  This is such a classic color combo.  I could use it year round.

Make sure you stop by Saturday or Sunday, as I will be participating in my very first blog hop!  Some demo friends (and I!) from my favorite Stampin' Up! online hangout, Stampin' Addicts, are having a Dormant Retiring Hop.  If you haven't bought some of these stamp sets, you better do it before January 4th, because after that they will be gone!  I will be showcasing one of my favorite sets, Grand Soiree.   So if you want to see what sets are retiring, come to our blog hop!

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!

It's a K.I.S.S.... maybe!

Hi Stamping Friends!

Well today's card is for a few different challenges.  Four to be exact!  Not very often that I get four challenges into one, but this time I did.  I've seen cards where people say they did like 15,000 challenges with that one card.  I don't have time to write down that many challenges, let alone post to all of them!  So four is my max... I think!

The first challenge comes from my favorite online Stampin' Up! hangout, Stampin' Addicts.  If you love Stampin' Up! products, you should come visit SA.  We are always looking for other SU! lovers to join in on the fun!  Friday is always the Color Challenge.  This challenge SACC40 calls for So Saffron, Always Artichoke, and Rich Razzleberry.  The sketch comes from the Clean & Simple blog.  This is their Fall To Layout FTL70.  Here's a pic of the layout:

I also played along in the Pals Paper Arts challenge PPA18 which is to Keep It Simple Stamper, aka a K.I.S.S. card.  A K.I.S.S. card has:

-- Lots of "white" space

-- Simple designs

-- Minimum time to create

-- Limited layers and embellishments

My 11yo DD and I spent some time getting out Christmas decorations yesterday.  I'm tryng to get ready for my Stampin' Up! Holiday Open House on Sunday Dec. 13th.  If you live in the Hanford/Visalia/Tulare area, you should stop by!  This has put me in the Christmas spirit already, so I just had to make a Christmas card.  Which was perfect for the fourth and final challenge.  It comes from a great SA friend, Cindy, on her blog Heart's Delight.  She put out a challenge to use non-traditional colors on your Christmas cards.  I have a few of those planned this week, so I may be linking to her blog quite a few times!  Here's the card I came up with for all four challenges:

Now I know what some of you are thinking... that's not very "simple".  Well, I beg to differ.  :)  This is simple for me!  There's lot of unused or "white" space.  It's a simple layout (thanks to the Clean & Simple blog!).  It took hardly no time to make.  And it only has three layers and two embellishments.  And if you still don't believe me, check this out:

This is the same card after I gussied it up.  I put it on a Whisper White card base.  Stamped another pointsettia in Always Artichoke and then used it for some "leaves".  I added another ribbon, plus some paper piercing under the sentiment.  I also added a bunch of Always Artichoke brads to the So Saffron textured layer.  Now this card is NOT simple!  :)  And these are NOT traditional Christmas colors... perfect for Cindy's challenge!

I love how the Christ Is Born pointsettia perfectly matches the Petal-A-Plenty Impressions Folder.  It's like the were meant for each other!  Expect to see more of this pair throughtout the Christmas season.

Remember to check out the HUGE SALE going on at MY STAMPIN' UP! WEBSITE.  The sale only lasts through Monday, so SHOP NOW for some great savings!

CHRIST IS BORN   #111612   $20.95

PETALS-A-PLENTY IMPRESSIONS FOLDER   #116824   $7.95

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stamping!