Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2015 Challenge

Hi!  Look at me - two posts in one day.  I haven't even had two posts in a week much lately.  But I decided I just had to play along with Ellen Hutson's 12 Tags of Christmas with a Feminine Twist 2015 challenge.

If you know me, then you've probably heard me share that my nightly ritual before going to sleep is I'll read for a little while and then watch a crafty video.  Monday nights it is ALWAYS Hello Monday with Julie Ebersole and most other nights it'll be Jennifer McGuire (and others).  I feel like if I go to sleep with these ideas swimming in my head, I will wake up the next day feeling creative.

So part of the challenge is to tell which day inspired me the most.  It's day 6.  Snowflakes!!  They're a favorite right up there with my beloved snowman.  But I've also been wanting to play with clear shaker cards like Jennifer and Julie did on their blogs.  I was lucky enough to have stumbled onto a sale at JoAnn's.  All Heidi Swapp things were on sale for 70% off - I scored a fuse tool for under $9!!

I need to practice a wee bit more, but I am still pleased with the results.  I put a strip of glitter tape in the bottom portion of the pocket and sealed it in.  Then I took a piece of Neenah Solar white card stock and lightly inked the edges with Tumbled Glass ink and also stamped a few snowflakes with the same ink.  I stamped a couple of the snowflakes in Broken China.  I added a few snowflake sequins on top of that and sealed it up.  Then my top portion I filled with sequins and beads.  I finished off my tag with some pretty silver metallic ribbon and some pool colored seam binding.  The bow is from some pretty silver/gray satin ribbon.

That's it - it'll dress up my younger son's Christmas gift to my daughter.

Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #331

Good Morning!  The last sketch of the year is posted on TMS blog.  It's another great one by Nina.  I love the blocking!  This worked great with my idea for this week's card.  Our sponsor is DRS Designs.  I am featuring their stamps for the fun, whimsical card.

Isn't this a fun card?  The colors just scream Christmas cheer!  It's also a simple coloring job.  2 shades of red and 3 shades of cool gray Copics.  The paper is from a 6 x 6 paper pad by AC called Christmas.

I then covered the bells with crystal glaze and then sprinkled a bit of glitter on the wet glue.  Easy card and it's a single postage stamp.

Please head on over the TMS blog to join us!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #330

Hi friends!  Nina's sketch is up at TMS and DT member Kris is sponsoring.  She's giving away one fantastic prize!!

Today's card features oldies but goodies.  The paper has been in my stash for a couple of years now.  It's actually Echo Park paper, but I purchased it from Sweet n Sassy.  The stamps/dies are from one of my favorite Christmas sets ever called Warmest Wishes by There She Goes Stamps.  Jessica hasn't been in business for what 2 or 3 years now?  But the set was designed by Torico and she has a stamp line at MFT Stamps.

I created a quick winter scene - yes, I could have done a lot more to this scene, but I wanted this one quick and simple.  I love it!  The papers, as I said, are from a paper pack that I've had for a long time.  Most of them scraps.  I added the sentiment - which is actually glitter washi tape that I got at Michaels for half off and then I finished it with a star sequins and itty bitty teeny tiny star sequins on the trees and snowman.

Please join us at the TMS blog - you'll love what the girls created to share with you, too.  Thank you for stopping by.  And be sure to drop by Wednesday for Day of 2 of my ornaments share.

Christmas Ornament - Day 1

Hello friends!  I have a super easy tutorial for a beautiful ornament idea.  My ornament features the gorgeous poinsettia from Jamie's 3D Poinsettia Wreath.  This is day one of my 5 days of ornaments series that I'll be doing here on my blog.  I hope you come back everyday!

I wish I knew how to remove the glare so you can see just how pretty this is without my reflection in the photo!

Here's a quick tutorial - just click on the picture for a larger view.  But I started with a photograph ornament that I picked up at Michaels (with a 50% off coupon).  This is great, too, because you can make two from one ornament.  Then you cut out pieces for the flower.  I inked up the edges with various Distress Inks colors and then use my shaper tools to shape the petals and leaves.  Using my WRMK Heatwave tool, I added some gold foil doodles.  I wasn't looking for anything more than just adding touches of gold.  Then I built the flower.  I cut a circle of white card stock that was 3 1/4" which is a hair bigger than the ornament.  I used Glossy Accents to adhere the ornament to the backing and then weighted it down with some acrylic blocks.  After it was dry, I added ribbon around it and a bow.  Easy!

I hope this inspires you to create fun ornaments for your tree or to give as a gift.  Thank you for stopping by.  I'll  be back again tomorrow with another pretty ornament to share!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #328

Good Morning!  Thank you for stopping by.  The sketch is up at TMS and it's a great one by Debbie.  Our sponsor this week is Sami Stamps - I love Samantha's images.

My card is featuring Little Acorn Bird.  I colored it with Prismacolor pencils and gamsol.  I actually made this card one way, took it apart and then did this.  I was really out of my creative element but I do love how the leaf turned out.  It just needs a bit more something something.  I also really love the stitched mat - it's a svg cut from the Silhouette online store.  I just really needed ribbon or embellishments.

Please head on over to the TMS blog, the design team has created some really beautiful projects.  You can say "nice try Melissa" to this one.  Ha!

Cute Snowman Boxes!

Hi everyone!  I am sharing one of my favorite things in the whole wide world.  Snowmen!!!  I am such a sucker for a snowman, so much so that I usually dedicate an entire week on my blog to snowman projects.  I'll do that in December.

But today I'm featuring Samantha Walker's Snowman Nesting Boxes.  What a great idea!  These boxes will nest inside each other for easy storage and then stack up to the cutest display.  Tuck little treats inside each box to give to someone special.  Instead of the paper scarf that comes in the file, I used Kiwi Grosgrain ribbon.  I meant to put ribbon around the base of the hat but got too excited to put this together that I had already glued on the holly leaves and berry when I realized my little piece of ribbon was still sitting on my table.  He's still super cute!

There are so many wonderful sweet Christmas files available in the Digi Playground store and wonderful ribbons from Ribbons Unlimited to finish off those holiday projects and it's time to get those projects in the making.  Thank you for stopping by!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #326

Good Morning friends.  Thank you so much for stopping by.  I do appreciate you're visit.  The sketch is up at Tuesday Morning Sketches and it's pretty nice, even if I do say so myself.  You'll see just how versatile it is when you go to the TMS blog - Debbie used the sketch to make a box!

Our sponsor is Stitchy Bear Digi Outlet. I am not featuring their images this week on my card.  I really wanted to create a one layer card with stamps, but I ruined 3 cards.  I gave up.  I did purchase a grab bag from Heartfelt Creations - I didn't like the stamps they sent, not my style, but I love this die that I am featuring on the card.  It does have a cross in the center to create a window but I removed those to have an open frame.

Recently, I read on a post on Jessi's blog about "shopping your stash."  It got me to thinking.  It's high time to use what I've got.  So I created this card using Kraft card stock, sentiments from a stamp set by Sweet n Sassy, flowers from a bag of flowers from Stamping and Scrapping and burlap paper that I've had around for awhile.  Oh and I cut little circles for the flower centers from a die that I've had from Cuttlebug since I got a Cuttlebug about 10 years ago.

I'm really happy with how this card turned out.  I hope you like it, too.  We'll see you over at TMS.