WMS Christmas Card Challenge Part 1

With the best intentions I started out on this challenge but of course, left everything till the last minute.  So here are my contributions for each month.

January - Night or Day

I have used this wonderful October Afternoon paper again as there was no stamping inspiration going on in my head.  The heart, cut using my Fiskars template, could be used as quite a nice tag.

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February - Inspiration Photo  

Again October Afternoon paper, this time from last Christmas.  

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March - Blue and Brown

Now, this one was my favourite.  I wanted to do a masculine and feminine version of this colour combination and I can't remember which one I have entered but both utilise retired SU DSP whose name escapes me which is an all time favourite.  

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April - Birds

Hmmm, birds....  Not something that really features in many of my cards. Had one on the go on purple cardstock which I spilt a glass of wine over (waste of wine),  so I have scrapped that and tried to think outside the box using Asian Gardens as baubles.

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May - Woodchip pieces

Used a PTI die for this one I coloured with SU Cherry Cobbler reinker, possibly a little over the top and then covered with distress stickles.  I ran into trouble with what stamp could go with this very busy paper and in the end went with holly leaves.

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June - Stitching

Yes you guessed it, this  is the one that got almost no planning time.  I would have liked the stitching to be something a bit more challenging, but my wise man got some colour instead.

PTI June 2012 Blog Hop

Completely forgot that this blog hop was coming up,  we have had visitors over the weekend, interspersed with practice for my daughter's ballet exam this afternoon.  So while the weather has been very ordinary, it has been nice to grab a few moments to create.

I don't have a minty green (that's what it looks like to me) so went with Aqua Mist, the pleating proved a bit of a challenge to me - never done it and probably needs some practice.

What you need
Cardstock - PTI white
Patterned paper - PTI Aqua Mist Leaves
Stamps - PTI Round and Round, Mat Stack 3 Collection
Ink - SU Pool Party, Daffodil Delight, Close to Cocoa
Gems and flourish - Kaisercraft
Twine - The Twinery (Buttercream)

Hooray for school holidays!!!

My daughter started school holidays on Friday, much anticipated,  as I think she is quite tired.  But of course, activities didn't end there, last night she sang in the winter concert for the Queensland branch of the Australian Girls Choir.  It is her first year and she is loving it, a very enjoyable concert for the audience too.  Today she is dancing all day at a charity concert, we were up early doing makeup (at which I am hopeless and my nervousness shows) and hair.  We will see the final show this afternoon.  These holidays are never quiet though as she has ballet and jazz workshops and exams.

Anyway enough chat, onto a few cards I have had on the go for a couple of days, as there was no chance of any craft time the past 2 days.  One of my favourite colour combinations this and just happens to have Authentique's Loyal to match.  This is a past MFT sketch but I don't seem to get to them when they are live.

Love this little stamp set from Jane's Doodles - I have come late to liking clouds and gumboots and adore them in these colours.

What you need

Cardstock - BB blue;  SU Night of Navy, Lucky Limeade, white

Patterned paper - Authentique Loyal

Stamps - Jane's Doodles Raindrops;  PTI Flower Fusion (sentiment)

Ink - SU Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Lucky Limeade

Die - MFT Fishtail Flags Stax

Eyelet - SU

Punch - Fiskars

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I decided to combine 2 WMS challenges into one.  I struggles abit to incorporate the orange, but am happy with the results.  Wish that setting was in my house!

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white;  SU Taken with Teal, Pool Party

Stamps - WMS Fancy Phrases

Ink - SU Pumpkin Pie, Taken with Teal, Pool Party

Die - PTI Edgers

Ribbon - SU Pumpkin Pie satin

Pearls and Flowers - Prima grey

Gems - Kaisercraft

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Case Study #95

I had been fiddling around with this die before Joy's card came up in Case Study.  It didn't want to cooperate with my Big Shot, but it is amazing what a bit of tape on the back of the die can do.

What you need

Cardstock - HA long cards (white);  SU Real Red, white

Stamp - PTI Think Big Favourites

Ink - Memento Tuxedo Black

Die - Memory Box Piestre Tile

Flowers and Gems - Kaisercraft

Brad - ?

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Hero Arts latest challenge

It is a very sad state of affairs that my stamp collection is so lacking in important HA stamps as sentiments and flowers.  I have remedied the sentiment situation with the trip to the Craft Show last weekend, but no flowers did I get.  No problem with background stamps though.  Tricky technique to do but love the effect.

What you need
Cardstock - SU white
Patterned paper - ? Making Memories
Stamps -  HA Dots and Flowers;  SU Petal Pizzazz; WMS Fancy Phrases
Ink - SU Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Rose Red
Gems - Kaisercraft

A rainy long weekend

This is a past MFT sketch that I really liked and I still wanted to use it.  These colours are so fresh and lovely and just screaming summer, which of course, it isn't here, it is rainy and grey.  But there is a remedy for that - going to the Craft Show - it is one of the very few we get, so I shall make the most of it.

What you need

Cardstock - SU white, Tempting Turquiose

Patterned paper - Jillibean Sourp Blossom Soup

Stamps - TE Oops a Daisy

Ink - SU Island Indigo, Real Red, Lucky Limeade

Dies - MFT file tab, Fishtail Flags Stax

Ribbon - Vandoros

Buttons - PTI

Twine - SU

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I am trying to incorporate more patterned paper into my cards, afterall, I have alot to use up.  So with the Hero Arts challenge in mind and the Jillibean Soup pad still out I came up with this design for the latest Sweet Sunday sketch.  I coloured the flowers with Memento markers, a trick Jennifer McGuire did a few months back.  Whilst it didn't give the crispness of Copics, I am happy with the results.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Kraft, white

Patterned paper - Jillibean Soup Blossom Soup

Stamps - HA Flower Background,  Tall Flower

Ink - Memento Pear Tart, Tuxedo Black

Various Memento Markers

Die - MFT Fishtail Flags Stax

Flowers - Kaisercraft

Brad - Laura Ashley

Finishing up from the weekend

Waltzingmouse #100 and Dynamic Duos #5

Time does go fast and already we are at the 100th Waltzingmouse challenge.  For this card I have restamped the label afew times to get a layered effect and very happy with the result.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

DSP - SU First Edition

Stamps - WMS Vintage Labels 18, Pic Nic Patterns, Cameos to Go (sentiment)

Ink - SU Real Red, Island Indigo;  Memento Tuxedo Black

Die - PTI Medium Scallop

Ribbon - Su Real Red grosgrain

Gems - Kaisercraft

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Retro Sketches #14 and Play Date Cafe #134

I thought I might not get the chance to finish my card for these challenges but a bit of unexpected time at home waiting for tradesmen allowed me to finish them.  

What you need

Cardstock - PTI Kraft

Stamps - Paper Smooches Hip to be Square;  WMS Asian Gardens (sentiment)

Ink - SU Poppy Parade;  Memento Rich Cocoa

Flowers and Gems - Kaisercraft

Brad - ?

Diamond Stickles

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And finally, not sure if I will enter this one for Just us Girls, it is possibly a bit too simple but in my latest mania to use my quite large collection of  12 x 12 patterned paper, I have used some glittery paper.   This could be for my father or husband, whichever is more in touch with their feminine side.

What you need
Cardstock - SU Early Espresso, Vanilla; vellum
Patterned paper - Chatterbox Fine Tinsel paper  in chocolate
Stamp - PTI Think Big Favourites
Ink - Versamark
Glitter - SU

A Melange of Challenges

But, before I get into my challenge cards, I just wanted to highlight one of my cards that was published in Paper Crafts 365 Cards, earlier this year.  I originally submitted it for Remembrance Day, which for the Commonwealth, is 11th November and the poppy a traditional symbol of WW1.

It was reprised earlier in the week for Memorial Day in the US on the Papercrafts blog and Facebook page.  It is one of my favourite CAS cards and all time favourite HA stamps.

So, onto the first challenge, I haven't had the chance to have a go at The Deconstructed Sketch so now is as good a time as any.  Love these colours together though it did take a bit of time to come up with my card design.  I took the opportunity to pull out some sadly neglected Hero Arts stamps for the A blog named Hero challenge

This card also fits in nicely with the latest Simon Says Stamp challenge of "Anything Goes" with twine.

What you need

Cardstock - SU white, Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Bashful Blue

Stamps - HA Line Dots, Flower?;  PTI Sending You (sentiment)

Ink - SU Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy, Crumb Cake (marker)

Dies - SB Classic Circles, Large Scallop Circles

Linen Thread - SU

Gems - Kaisercraft

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Case Study #93

I love the colour of the flowers but can't bring myself to spray paper - too messy for me, but I love the graduated effect.  This card is for a work colleague who is leaving to finish her studies to completely change her career - I admire her hard work and determination, but I will miss her a great deal.

What you need

Cardstock - PTI white

Patterned paper - SU First Edition;  Gingham?

Stamps - HA flowers?;  PTI Wishing You

Ink - Versacolor Turquoise;  SU Early Espresso

Die - MFT Fish Tail Flag Stax

Gems - Kaisercraft