SPARKLES CHRISTMAS CHALLENGE - ADD A TREE

Another new month which means another Christmas card for Sparkles Christmas Challenge - the challenge this month is to add a tree.

I've used a set from Stampin Up which is think is actually still current - it's called Winter Woods.  

I started off by masking the top and bottom and sides of some white card stock.  I then used some Tim Holtz inks for the background - including Chipped Sapphire, Aged Mahogany, Fossilized Amber and Black Soot.  I also masked off a moon.  The tree was simply stamped in Memento Tuxedo black ink.  I added some glue with a glue pen and covered the card in Dazzling Diamonds.  I added a strip of some lovely glitter white ribbon and two sparkly glitter dots. The sentiment is from a Gina K Designs set called Season of Joy.

I'm looking forward to seeing all your Christmas cards in July! 


 

ADDICTED TO CAS - BIRDS #152

The challenge over at Addicted to Cas #152 this week is birds.  I had just received this lovely little stamp set from Clearly Besotted with these super cute bird images on and just had to ink them up.  The set is called You're So Tweet II.

I started with a background stamp using SU's Winter Woods and those lovely birch trees inked in Early Espresso.  I then used some dimensionals to add an extra layer of white card stock as a frame.  The little birds were stamped in SU Pacific Point.  I then used a Spectrum Noir pen to colour them in - the pen picks up the ink but adds a shimmer to it as you colour them.  The sentiment is from the same set.  I used a circle punch to punch out the birds.  A few shiny embellishments finish the card.  



 

STAMPIN UP ONLY CHALLENGE SUOC214 WINTER - NEW DESIGN TEAM MEMBER

2019 is starting off with a bang for me - I'm delighted to have been asked to join the Stampin Up Only challenge blog.  Although I am no longer a Stampin Up Demonstrator I still feel the love for the stamps, especially the retired ones which was why I set up my very popular Joy of Sets Facebook Group where we enjoy still using retired product.

The theme for the first challenge of 2019 is Winter.

I used the wonderful Winter Woods for this card - I loved this set as I will be able to use it not just for Christmas cards - trees stamps are just so versatile.

I started off with a piece of retired DSP from the Naturally Eclectic set.  I then used the same colour of the Night of Navy to sponge my background for the trees.  I also used an old retired colour Bordering Blue and a touch of Crushed Curry just to give it a dimension of light and a wintery feel.    I added the birds from High Tide and the sentiment is from Thankful Thoughts.  I used a retired punch and inked it in the Night of Navy.  A touch of Crushed Curry twine for the bow and some Wink of Stella over the branches of the trees finishes off the card.






 

CHRISTMAS REINDEER

I found a different style of card on my travels round blogland and You Tube. It seems this style of card was popular a few years ago - so I thought I'd have another go at trying it out and I love it - I've done a few so far with different themes. I think it's known as an envelope card but I'm not sure.

I've done mine as Christmas cards as Christmas is on my mind at the moment and it's my most favourite type of card to make.

The papers I've used for my card are from Marianne Designs called Artic Winter - probably a few years old now.  The Reindeer is from Stampin Up' Merry Patterns - now retired.  I sponged the edges of the Very Vanilla cardstock with More Mustard (an old SU colour) and Early Espresso to give it a soft vintage look. I stamped the deer in Early Espresso and then coloured in his sweater with More Mustard and Night of Navy marker pens and then added some glitter.  

The little snowflake was made using SU Seasonal Thinlets and the dazzling embellishments in that gorgeous gold are non SU.  The Merry Christmas sentiment is also from an old Set and I've added a touch of More Mustard twine.

I'm adding this into the challenge over at Cards In Envy - they ask for your favourite Holiday cards - in the UK we don't know Christmas as the holidays and Hallowe'en is not considered a holiday over here and we don't have Thanksgiving - holidays to us are vacations to the US.

Here's another similar card but this was done with one of my favourite retired SU Sets for Christmas, Winter Post.   I sponged the background and did some reflection inking for the trees from Winter Woods and the skaters.  The papers are Artic Winter again and this time a slightly larger snowflake.  I can see I will be making a few more of these type of cards.

 

JOY OF SETS WINTER CATALOGUE BLOG HOP - WINTER WOODS

It's time for another Joy of Sets Blog Hop. Joy of Sets is my Facebook group where we celebrate all things Stampin Up both retired and current. We also celebrate other stamp companies and products also.  Everyone shares their cards and their scrapbook pages and it's a wonderful resource.  If you're on Facebook and not a member then come and join - we have loads going on with monthly sponsored challenges, worldwide RAK, swaps, blog hops!  We even have a Secret Santa, worldwide, arranged for this Christmas. Just click on the logo above to request to join the group.

So for this Blog Hop we are celebrating Stampin Up's Winter Catalogue. I am no longer a Stampin Up Demonstrator so I must admit I have limited supplies for my own challenge!  In fact I only have Winter Woods.  Such a lovely set that I could see being used far beyond just Christmas.

I decided to go all out glitter for my card - I started with a base of Night of Navy card stock.  I then took a piece of Whisper White and stamped the two trees in Night of Navy - I added a mask for the moon and then sponged the card with the same coloured ink.

I then took some Heat and Stick powder - I have had this years and hardly ever used it but decided it was time it had an outing.

To use it you cover your project with Versamark ink.  You then apply the Heat and Stick Powder and, using your heat tool, heat it until it gets shiny.  Don't overheat or it will loose its glue affect.  Then add Dazzling Diamonds - all over it!  They will stick like magic.  Then just run your heat tool over them again to help them stick.  I kept the mask in place so that they didn't go over the moon.

I then used the Versamark again for the sentiment and heat embossed it in Silver Embossing Powder.  I added some silver twine to the top. 

For the inside I half stamped the tree and added a touch of Wink of Stella.  I used the sentiment from an old set Warmth and Wonder - although I love the greeting which goes well with this card I really don't like when SU add full stops (periods) to the end of sentiments.  It's one of my pet hates and once you notice it you see it done quite a lot!  So I added a little silver dot to hide it and added a few more for good measure.

I hope you like my very glittery card.  Do pop along on the hop to see what great inspiration the girls have for you.  Don't forget if you would like to join in our next hop just come and join us at Joy of Sets.

Click on the button below to move forward in the hop to Jackie Lawless' blog

If you want to go backwards click on the Previous button to be taken to Rebecca-Jo Unwin's blog

 

BACK TO BASICS

As You See It Challenge #184 has asked us to go back to basics this week  - stamps, inks, paper, ribbon.

I have just been using my new set from Stampin Up Called Winter Woods - although this is meant to be a Christmas set I bought it for its versatility - I love tree sets and they can be used for any season - not just for Christmas.  I've had a great time here inking up my trees in all sorts of different colours - greens, golds, rusts, brown to give them an autumnal feel.  There is a touch of Wink of Stella over them just to give them a bit of a sparkle - then I tore the edges and sponged - one of my favourite things to do.  A simple bit of ribbon on the bottom with the sentiment and a leaf brad from my stash finished off this card.