"Merry Little Christmas" Carolers

I'm getting a jump on my Christmas cards for this year!!  Thanks to some great challenges.
For the Thursday Sketch Challenge 10/28/10 on StampTV: 

I used the carolers and one of the small snowflakes (I thought it could pass for a star reminiscent of the Star of Bethlehem) from GinaK's Funky Christmas set. In addition to adding some platinum, lilac, and blue ink to the sky, I added some Sakura glitter pen to the star and Liquid Applique to the ground as snow. The paper is several years old, but one of my favorite Christmas lines by BoBunny.


Here's a close-up of the liquid applique and the sparkle on the star:

A couple cards for challenges

For the Viva la Verve! October Week 4 challenge: 

Amber provided a beautiful sketch, but left inspiration up to us. I happened to have lunch with some friends at a quaint Mexican restaurant this week. The color scheme was warm fall colors, deep brown and orange and yellow. But the surprising color twist was a bright, deep blue. It totally called to me. I just recently bought these Recollection paper roses on clearance at Michael's, and remembered there was a beautiful blue one just that color! So that was my starting point. I found this perfect sentiment in my new un-inked Verve set, Beautiful You (the set is actually from 2008, but new to me, and I'm thrilled to have found it. It has my favorite verse from a poem by Robert Frost in it). 
The papers are Basic Grey Pyrus and MME (the tan background). I used a Cuttlebug embossing plate, a Spellbinders Nestability, and a Sizzix leafy vine die. A little Antique Linen Distress ink around the sentiment and on the embossed leafy background to make the embossing stand out a little more.




And for the Thursday Sketch Challenge over on StampTV's forum: 

I used Melanie's beautiful poinsettia from Year of Flowers, and layered portions from three separate stampings with dimensionals. The lower layer is also a little darker red/burgundy, to mimic the colors in the papers. Topped it with some topaz rhinestones. The sentiment is from another of her sets, Festive Frame. Papers are Basic Grey Jovial and Boxer (the green).

"Little Something" Harvest Birds

For the Viva la Verve! October week 3 challenge...

This week we were to CASE something from Jackie Pedro's gallery (Congrats to Jackie, one of the newest members of the Dirty Dozen).
There were so many great cards to choose from, but when I saw this super cute one from LAST October, I knew I had to use my brand new Verve Harvest Birds stamp!
I used the Inside Pinking Border Cut Ups die from TCP, and layered the negative side of the cut over the main die cut to represent grass.
The sentiment and frame around it are GinaK's Fanciful Tags set by Nina Bracket.  They are sitting on a tag from the Spellbinders Ribbons Tags Trio dies, and strung onto the brown grosgrain.
October Afternoon papers, the green and brown leaf the same as Jackie's; and GinaK Pure Luxury Chocolate cardstock.
On the inside I silhouette cut two of the leaves from the paper and put them in the corner of a green panel.

Autumn Beauty Wheelbarrow

For the Thursday Sketch Challenge for GinaK Designs on StampTV:

I used the GKD set by Theresa Momber, Autumn Beauty (so love these images for Fall). I stamped the wheelbarrow and pumpkins twice each, cut out the two front pumpkins from one of the images, and the front, side, front leg and front handle (as one piece) from one of the wheelbarrow images. I trimmed the pumpkins to "fit" inside the wheelbarrow, popped up the two front ones, and the front of the wheelbarrow. 
The whole scalloped circle panel is also popped. Some 2mm, 3mm, and 4mm flat backed pearls from Pizazzaplenty. Dp is Cosmo Cricket's Wanted line. And, of course, Gina K brown cardstock (I so need more...my favorite go-to color).


Here's a close up of the main image popped up:

Thanks for looking!

Love Machine for MFT's October WSC

For My Favorite Things' WSC Challenge for the second half of October: 

This challenge was to create a masculine or boy-themed card. Uggh. I suck at masculine cards. I just NEED to use ribbon and flowers and bling! LOL. But I gave it my best shot. 

I chose the sweet robot from the Love Machine set, and applied SU's Crystal Effects over him to make him shiny.  I used some old space-themed paper from Inque Boutique (sure miss them!). I also wrapped aluminum foil over the two small panels and embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder. Some screw brads, and I think he'll work out nicely for a birthday for one of my young son's friends.

A Witchy Halloween with MFT

For the My Favorite Things WSC October challenge: 








Just in time for Halloween, I had to pull out MFT's Totally Witchin' set. Basic Grey Eerie papers. 
The potion ingredient bottles and the little spider (he's from a Studio G mini set...the one in Totally Witchin' was just a little too big for my scale) are popped. Otherwise, pretty simple. I managed not to use any of the dies and punches and other tools I have accumulated. Just let the papers and bold Halloween colors stand out.

In My Thoughts for Viva la Verve! October challenges

For Viva la Verve! October Week 2 challenge: 
 





This week, in addition to the sketch, was a color challenge to use brown, white, orange, and turquoise. I think my blue is probably a bit too light to be called turquoise, but hey, I liked it. I also used the main panel for my sentiment and included a ribbon and bow detail instead for the horizontal element. 

Used a GinaK Lovely Labels 2 with sentiment from Verve's Always on My Mind set. Paper is (what else?) October Afternoon. Cardstock is Papertrey Ink's Orange Zest. Ribbon from My Favorite Things.

Very simple card. I let the patterned paper and shape of the label stamp do the work. 

Thanks for looking!

Autumn Blessings for Viva la Verve! challenge

For the Viva la Verve! October Week 1 challenge:




Stamps- Gina K Designs: Image and sentiment from Autumn Beauty, and frame around sentiment from Fanciful Tags.
Papers- October Afternoon
Cream cardstock embossed with Sizzix embossing folder.
Rhinestones- K&Co

I used the third photo as my inspiration.
I liked the softer colors (kind of peachy and yellow) along with the swirly details on the cake, and thought my yellow sunflower could take the place of the big yellow flower on the top of the cake.

Mojo Mondy 159th Sketch Challenge

For Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge 159:
http://mojomonday.blogspot.com/2010/10/mojo-monday-159-contest.html



Uses a sentiment (and circle) from Verve's Happy Hello set, and the vine/leaf image from Gina K Designs Autumn Beauty set.
The yellow dp is DCWV. The other patterned papers are both sides of October Afternoon's WeatherVane New Pencils. And fall always does make me think of going back to school, new pencils and notebooks....
So I used some notebook style paper from Scenic Route for the sentiment, and trimmed the scalloped edge off for the bottom.

Verve's Autumn Release Week Challenges

Verve is getting ready for their Autumn release, this Friday, October 8th!

In true Verve form, they hosted a release week sketch challenge (5 total sketches):

http://vervestamps.blogspot.com/2010/10/world-card-making-day-release-week.html.

Completing a sketch gets an entry for a stamp set...and get this...completing all 5 gets a chance at the whole Autumn release!! Woohoo!! Who wouldn't love all the Verve goodness?

Here are my entries:

Sketch #1

Uses a sentiment from Verve's American Hero set.
Crate Paper's Restoration line papers.
Some yummy wired ribbon from Michael's.
Large pearl brad from MME's Lost and Found collections, and small pearls from Pizzazzaplenty.
A bit of stitching.

Sketch #2

Uses My Favorite Things sentiment and die combo.
DCWV Linen Closet papers, and Prima shimmer cardstock.
Don't recall whose ribbon that is.
2mm pearls from Pizzazzaplenty.

Sketch #3

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, I made this all-pink card using My Favorite Things' Think Pink stamp set. I used papers from Making Memories, Basic Grey, and DCWV, and paper pieced the clothes. 2mm and 3mm pink rhinestones from Pizzazzaplenty. Simple card, not much to it, but the meaning is priceless.

Sketch #4

Used a sentiment from Verve's Kind Words set inside a stamped frame from Gina K Designs, cut with the Nestabilities.
Then went old school on the rest: Nothing special as far as paper goes. Black cardstock and a gold paper from an old pack of 4x6 paper (I think they may have been the early paper sets from Sizzix to use with the original die cutter!--The gold doesn't pick up well in the photo, but it has a nice shimmer to it IRL). I used some Queen & Co felt fusion and Heidi Swapp bling frame that I have had FOREVER--never wanted to part with them before. But I busted out of my box. The gold-edged black ribbon I picked up from Michael's on a recent shopping trip. And the small red rhinestones to match the bling frame are from Pizzazzaplenty (thanks for turning me on to Judy's site, Julee!)

Sketch #5

And a close up of the chipboard, so you can hopefully see the embossing better:

Uses Verve stamp set Kind Words. New Cosmo Cricket Wanted papers. Chipboard embellie old MME Bohemia, pearl brad from new MME Lost and Found, smaller flat back pearls from Pizzazzaplenty. Suede ribbon (thick brown) from My Favorite Things.

Thanks so much for looking. I'm trying to get back into posting here, but I find this site difficult to use. I can never tell how my font will turn out (doesn't look like it does in the preview/compose screens), and my pictures always end up at the top of the post, even when I insert them after text, and I have to cut and paste. Sure helps to think anyone is actually looking! So please post if you visit!