Challenge - Card with No Greeting

I made this card for the challenge at CST which is a card with no greeting. 
I found the hexagon shapes on my desk left over from this card from club card. I mounted it on a script background left over from this card from my All Occasion Stack Class.  The script background is glued to the green card front. The hexagon shapes were cut with Spellbinder Nestabilities.  I glued 5 hexagon shapes along the right hand side.  I placed a brown ribbon along the left hand side of the hexagons and taped the ends to the inside of the card.  I got the butterflies in an exchange so I don't know how they were created.  I layered a brown one onto a larger white butterfly. 

R2G Card Kit - For You Scallop

Here's another card kit.  In the past, I always kept these elements together on the Stampin Up! Punch Bunch For You Flower scallop punchie.  I have seen several examples of separating them and I like the look much better.  I combined different flower colors with Kiwi Kiss for the stems and centers.  This card is in Pretty in Pink.  The card, the scallop punchie and the flowers are the same color.  The white layer was embossed with the Stampin Up Vintage Wallpaper folder to about 3/4 of the layer.  I added 1/4 in grosgrain ribbon in Pretty in Pink just above the embossing and taped the ends to the back.  This was then glued to the card front.  The scallop accent is the For You punched with the 1.25" circle, Kiwi Kiss in 1 3/8" and the scallop matches the card color.
The kit includes Pretty in Pink and Perfect Plum.

Challege - Holiday Sweets

I had decided I could not enter this challenge at Holly Jolly because I did not have any images that would fit the category.  This morning I was going through old Christmas cards for another project and saw this wonderful cake!  That's it, I will upcycle this card into a new one.  I quickly cut it to size with my new Spellbinder A2 Basics Matting Nestabilities. Once cut, I rubbed it's edges with a Chocolate Chip ink pad.  I layered it onto red then green and the onto the white card.  I printed my sentiment in Chocolate Chip above the Christmas Cake  image. 

Christmas Stack Class - Winter Deer

 Here's a nice peaceful card for the last set. I bought the chipboard deer during the last Christmas season.  The background paper is Little Yellow Bicycle - Winterings on the beige background.  I printed the narrow frame onto the card stock. The blue background I found here.  I colored the deer with Tim Holtz Distress Stain - Gathered Twig on the beige background and Walnut on the blue background.  The deer is  adhered to the right hand side with his feet placed very near the border. The snowflake is created with a Martha Steward snowflake punch with the same card stock as the card and held in place with a tiny white brad.  I color printed the greetings in a coordinating color and cut into a snow bank with my Creative Memories wavy cutter. It is mounted to the background being trimmed to be inside the frame.  It is adhered with 3D foam tape to accommodate the legs of the deer.

Christmas Card Stack - Ornament

I made these sets with green and red cards.  I printed the greeting and the string bow for the ornament on a white layer.  The white layer is cut to leave a small border of card color. The ornament was cut with one of the Spellbinder 2012 Heirloom Ornament Nestabilities. The red and white spotted paper is by Pinecone Press Papers - Rudolph. The black ornament hanger was cut with the Sizzix Ornament die and trimmed straight across. The white snowflake in the ornament centre was cut with the Stampin Up! Northern Snow Flurry Bigz die.  It is held in place with a small crystal brad.  I punched a evergreen garland with a Martha Stewart Double Edge Pine Needles Trim punch. The paper I used was by the AC Kringle & Co Lighting Department.  I punched it wider than I needed and placed it so that string is somewhat covered.  I adhered it down and trimmed it to the card edges.

Christmas Stack Class - Candle

I put black, blue, green and burgundy cards in this set.  The cream script background with a flocked bow came from a set of note cards I bought a while back.  To create the candle I embossed some pearl card stock. The embossing folders I used are the Cuttlebug D'vine Swirl and Season's Greetings.  I backed the rectangle with a piece of card stock which matched the card color leaving a tiny border.  To get the candle behind the bow I made a slit just along the top edge with an e-xacto knife.  Then I slipped the end of the candle through the slit. Now, I know where the flame needs to go. The outside frame is adhered first then the yellow center is glued in the middle of the frame  The flame is created with a QuicKutz die. I washed some of the same pearl card stock with yellow liquid acrylic paint.  Now I positioned the candle to overlap the wick.  I adhered the candle in place and taped the end through the slit to the back of the background.

Christmas Stack Class - Felt Christmas Tree

This is one of the cards in my Christmas Stack class today.  I put black, red, green, and white cards in this set. 
 The card color is matched to the color of the felt tree. I cut the gold embossed Merry Christmas background paper with a Spellbinder A2 Matting Basics Nestabilities.  I placed the tree aligning it along the bottom edge of the background.  The tree had a hole in the top so I used a push pin to create a hole through the centre of the sequin star and the card front.  I placed the tiny brad through the round sequin, the star, the tree then the card front.  I spread the prongs on the inside of the card. 

Card - Farewell - Pink Lily

Another card for those leaving our office this month.  I chose the Designer Paper by Kaiser Craft - Tigerlilly Collection - Blossom.  Love this paper!  I layered a piece of the paper onto a large half sheet pink card.  It's double sided paper so I chose to add a band across the top 1/3 with the small dots side.  I added borders top and bottom punched from black card stock with the Martha Stewart daisy border punch.  I added another strip of the Tigerlily paper in the center. I fussy cut a pink lily from the leftover paper.  I mounted that onto a black smooth oval cut with Spellbinder Nestabilities then onto a step larger oval in white.  This accent was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape. 

Card - Farewell - Blue Floral

Another card for the farewells at work.  I started with a large half sheet leaf green card.  I added the designer paper, which I ripped at about 1/3 down from the top.  I added a strip of blue card stock down the center at 8.25" tall onto which I added a length of bright green grosgrain ribbon. The ends of the ribbon were taped to the back of the DP.  This layer was then adhered to the card front.  I cut a scallop oval in an off white card stock with Spellbinder Nestabilities, then layered a smooth oval of the same blue as the strip, then a punched some sprigs of green leaves from some green card stock with the Martha Stewart punch.  I added 3 off white silk hydrangea flowers to the center held in place with a large blue brad.

Card - Farewell - Taupe Orchids

I made this half sheet card for a couple leaving our office.  I started with a taupe card onto which I layered a piece of Designer Paper by LilyBeeDesign - Buttercup - Puddles.  I trimmed the paper to center the paisley like design on the card front. I cut a Spellbinders Nestabilities Label 13 from the same cardstock and spattered it with white acrylic paint.  I punched holes in the top and bottom with the Stampin Up! slot punch.  I pulled 3/8` grosgrain ribbon through and taped the ends to the back of the DP.  I chose one of my photos of orchids and applied a sepia filter to it and printed it on white card stock. I cut it with a Spellbinders Oval Nestabilities and then cut a white oval in the next increment.  These were layered and adhered with 3D foam tape to the center of the label.  I placed a taupe brad through the ribbon and card front just above and below the oval center. 

Card - Father's Day

I made this card for my Dad. It turned out funkier than I wanted.  I chose my designer paper then the green card.  I wanted to use these large metal brads.  I cut a blue piece with a framelit from the Stampin Up! Apothecary set. I like the way the brad fits the curvy end of the diecut so well. I punched the left hand side with a Fiskars Notebook border die and I ripped the right hand edge.  I evenly spaced the brads on the blue piece which I rubbed with Chocolate Chip ink pad. I tucked the left end of my acetate greeting under the blue diecut. 

Card - Birthday Flowers

I made this card for my sister.  I will be with her for her birthday this year which has not happened in years. She has moved closer so I anticipate it happening more often.  It is so good!
I think the card is Marina Mist. I layered onto it a Spellbinders A2 Fancy Ribbon Threader white layer.  I run a piece of blue seam binding through the bottom threader which matches the card really well.  I found a complimentary piece of designer paper trimmed it to not quite square and adhered it above the threader.  I layered onto it 3 flowers cut with Sizzix Flower Layers #10.  The large ones cut from pearl vellum and the small ones from matching card stock. After making holes through the flowers and the card front with a push pin I added a small white sequins to the tiny white brads which hold the flowers in place.

Challenge - Red and White

I made this card for a challenge at CST which was red and white inspired by the Canadian flag.  I started with a white card.  I added a piece of deep red 1" wide grosgrain ribbon which I glued down and flagged the bottom end.  I found a piece of gingham designer paper in red and white which I glued perpendicular to the ribbon and then trimmed the ends to the card edges. I added 3 handmade paper flowers evenly spaced across the card onto the gingham designer paper strip.  I then added 3 deep red buttons held in place with Zot.  I punched the greeting with the Stampin Up! Decorative label punch then punched another from the decorative paper, cut in half width wise and glued them behind the label just offset a bit.  The greeting was mounted to the card with 3D foam tape.

Challenge - Christmas Ornaments

I made this card for the Christmas Card Challenge at Holly Jolly this week.  The theme is Christmas Ornaments. I chose to upcycle an old Christmas card.  I punched the glittered snowflake out with the Stampin Up! Ornament punch.  I aligned the color printed greeting in Island Indigo with the hole already in the card.  Once printed, I glued the upcycled card onto the card front.  I tied the string to the ornament and then glued the ornament to the card front.  I then pulled the string up to the top fold.  I used a push pin to make a hole in the fold and pulled the string through and taped down the end on the inside of the card. 

Challenge - Lace

I made this card for the challenge at Weekly Christmas Card Challenges which was to use lace on the card.  I started with a white card onto which I adhered a piece of green paste paper I made a long time ago. I added a white & red color printed greeting I found in my stash, trimmed it to fit and stuck it down.  I decided to use this red self adhesive lace below the greeting but I had to decide what else was going on first.  I cut a Cuttlebug ornament from red card stock then embossed it with the matching folder.  I cut a hanger with the die again and glued that over the red.  I brushed the embossing with a black ink pad.  I hung the ornament with a gold ribbon which was pulled behind the greeting.  I added a bit of gold and ivory organza ribbon across the ornament then added 2 gold sequins held in place with black brads. Then the ornament was adhered to the card front with 3D foam tape.  Once that was done I added the red lace.

R2G Card Kits - 6 Blocks DSP

I started with a Stampin Up Green Galore card for the left one.  I used the Rainbow Sherbert DSP and cut it into 1.25" squares with my rotary cutter as it gives me more control.  I sorted out the squares into those with no Apricot Appeal and placed those on the green card and placed the others on the apricot card (right).  The greeting was color printed to match the elements then I flagged the right hand end and added buttons to the card front.  You will see that the kit offers different orientation of cards.

R2G Card Kits - HB Decorative Label

Another birthday card kit.  I used the Stampin Up Delicate Dots DSP in this kit.  I started with a Bashful Blue card and mounted a layer of DSP leaving a small border.  I added a vanilla grosgrain ribbon across the card determining placement based on my greeting.  I taped the ends to the inside of the card.  The Decorative Label is punched from the same card stock as the card. The greeting is color printed in Sahara Sand for all colors of cards. The greeting is cut with my CM oval cutter, then it is glued on the label and then it is adhered over the ribbon with 3D foam tape. The card colors in the kit are Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, So Saffron.

R2G Card Kits - Five Petal on DSP

I started with Stampin Up Apricot Appeal card stock.  I added a SU Top Note die in SU Rose Red DSP.  Once the Top Note was adhered I wrapped Apricot Appeal ribbon across the bottom part of the card ensuring that the placement of my flower.  I taped the ends of the ribbon to the inside of the card.  I then layered the large SU 5 Petal flower and the smaller one and placed them over the ribbon.  I made hole through the flowers, ribbon, top note and card front.  I placed the tiny gold brad through and spread the prongs on the inside of the card.  The sentiment was color printed to match the card and punched with the SU Modern Label punch.  It is mounted to the card front with 3D foam tape. This kit includes Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Close to Cocoa, and Almost Amethyst.

R2G Card Kits - DSP Split - Manly Birthday

Another card kit.  I wanted to make some cards for men.  They seem harder at times.  On this card I started with Always Artichoke card and added DSP paper in stripes and a small pattern.  The top piece is 2" with the bottom being 3.25" T x 4"W.   I taped these together on the back then place the vanilla ribbon across the join and taped the ends to the back.  This whole piece was then glued to the card front.  I color printed my greetings to match the card then cut it with the Apothecary framelit. I added brushed silver screw brads on either end.  This kit include Soft Suede cards as well.
Another set of manly birthday cards is in the works, so keep an eye out.

Card - Trio of Flowers

I made this card for a friend who under went surgery recently.  I hope that the recovery goes well.
I used a note card I had printed last week that was off so I could not use it as it. I trimmed the flowers and layered them onto a piece of green. The flowers are from the Stampin Up! Sweet Summer set.  I cut the scallop edge with the SU Adorning Accents Scallop Edgelit.  I then mounted this to a pink card on which I printed my sentiment. 

Note Cards - Photo - Flower

I made these note cards for another family that I know where three members underwent surgery recently to save a life. I pray all goes well.
The photo is one I took a while back. I cropped it and sized to fit within the frame already on the card.  I adjusted the color to warm it up a bit as it was going on an ivory card with gold foil greeting.

Challenge - HJ - Lots of Layers

I made this card the challenge at Holly Jolly this week which is Lots of Layers.  I started with a navy card.  I chose white and light blue card stock and cut both at the same time with one of the Apothecary Dies.  I layered the white piece to the card front leave a small border all the way around.  Then I glued the light blue die cut into the hole in the white card stock. Then I cut the SU Snowflake #2 in the same navy card stock as the card.  I then cut and layered the largest snowflake from the SU! Snow Flurry Bigz die in white, the medium one from the same light blue card stock.  I added a 1/2" circle punchie in the card color in the center.  I punched a SU! Modern Label punchie and stamped my greeting in navy and punched it with the SU Word Window punch. Layered them and mounted to the card front with 3D tape.

Challenge - Food Tag

I made this tag for the Home Card Challenge on CST which was Food Tag.  I cut to tags with the Sizzix Scallop Tag die.  One black and the other a warm grey.  I cut the word Tea out of the black one with the Sizzix Lollipop Lower Case dies.  I then glued them together to have the letters grey.  I added a bit of a border with a white gel marker but it was too white to I applied some Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress Stain to bring it down a bit.  Worked great. I added a organza ribbon in the same warm grey color.  This would be great added to a box of tea for a friend in a basket of assorted beverages. 

Challenge - Vintage Christmas

I made this card for the June Christmas All Year Round Card Challenge which is Vintage.  I found this image of girl with snow falling down at the Old Design Shoppe.  The colors were less traditional with subdued greens, teal and rose pink.  I put it on a muted green card. I embossed a pink layer with a Cuttlebug snow folder from the Winter Set which does the top left hand side.  I printed the vintage card on white and ripped the edges.  I daubered the edges with Tim Holtz Antique Linen.  I added 3 coordinating buttons in the bottom left hand corner held in place with Zots.

Challenge - White on White

I made this card for the Weekly Christmas Card Challenge where it is White on White.  I started with a white card.  I embossed a quarter sheet of white with the Stampin Up! Northern Flurry folder. I chose three vintage pearlized buttons which convinced me to add a tiny bit of Tim Holtz Antique Linen on the snowflakes and around the word window punchie. I added a greeting with a color printed greeting punched with the SU Word Window the layered onto the Modern Label.  

Challenge Card - Holly Jolly - Add 3 Embellishments

I created this card for the challenge this week at Holly Jolly which is Add 3 Embellishments.   I started with a Real Red card.  I created the background with the Stampin Up! Print Pattern Background Stamp with real red on a piece of white card stock to which I had added Tim Holtz Antique Linen Distress stain.  I added a Sizzix Bigz Frame Back Ornate #8 cut from green designer paper. I color printed my greeting with Real Red onto the same Antique Linen card stock I made earlier. I cut the greeting with one of the SU! Apothecary Framelits and brushed it's edges with the ink pad.  I added a silver ornament cut with the Spellbinder 2011 Heirloom Ornament thin dies.  I added a Martha Stewart red glitter snowflake in the centre held with a silver brad. I drew a string for my ornament with a marker. My three embellishments - diecut, greeting and ornament.

Challenge - C4Cards - Summer

I created this card for the Crazy 4 Cards Challenge this week whose theme is summer.  Ferris wheels always appear in summer traveling with the fair or permanently installed at the amusement park.  I think the yellow and turquoise are also summer colors, yellow suns and turquoise water.  I printed the SU Feeling Sentimental Ferris Wheel on the Summer Sun yellow ink pad background.  Check out how to make these backgrounds here.  I added black thread wrapped three times around the layer at the base then tied a yellow button is the right shade into the thread.  I added the turquoise quarter circles to the left top and right bottom and trimmed to the edge of the white layer. I then added this layer to the turquoise layer.  The turquoise layer was added to the black card.  I added the final quarter circle in the top right hand corner which was trimmed to the edge of the card.

Challenge - C&S - FLT 243

I created this card for Clean and Simple Cards - FLT243 which is a sketch.  I chose a medium blue card and added my own large greeting onto white layer.  This was layered onto red leaving a tiny border.  I added a scallop border die cut in silver paper with the Die-namics thin dies.  It was adhered leaving enough room for the layered red velvet hydrangeas along with a white silk flower all held in place with a tiny white brad.

Challenge - Stitching

I make this card for this week`s challenge at Weekly Christmas Card Challenges - Sparkles which is stitching - real or faux.  I chose real which makes it good that I am only making one of these.  I started with this great red foil card stock which I upcycled from a really nice chocolate box at Christmas.  I cut a strip with the Stampin Up! Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punch.  I then stitched it with gold thread so I end up with this even pattern of up and down stitches.  I applied double sided tape on the back to keep the thread taut.  I printed the SU! Bunch of Backgrounds - Weathered in Always Artichoke on the cream card front.  I stamped my greeting three times across a strip of Always Artichoke with a small clear stamp.  I then adhered my stitching to it with Zots.  I cut three ornaments with the Spellbinder 2011 Heirloom dies in the same red foil card stock. I taped the gold threads on which the ornaments are hanging to the back of the Always Artichoke strip. I decided to leave the ornaments hang loose.

Christmas Card Challenge - June - Candles

Here's my card for my June Christmas Card Challenge.  The subject was candles.  I looked at stamped, diecut and then chose press embossed.  I used a embossing folder from  Craft Concepts - Holly Night.  I used white card stock onto which I chalked color.  I used a blue green color for the candles with a lighter shade on the body of the candle and a darker on the dripping wax.  A combination of yellow and orange on the flame and the traditional red and green on the holly.  What I like about chalk it gives you a watercolor feel and ability to blend colors.  I sprayed my layer with retouchable fixative because I could not handle the piece with out spreading color to the white areas.  I added an oval greeting in the top right hand corner cut with an oval SB Nestabililties and I smudged the edge with the darker tone in the blue green chalk.  I mounted it with 3D Foam tape. 
We are halfway through the year. Are you halfway to the number of cards you need?    I'm so glad I started doing a few every month instead of cramming the 100 or so I needed in early November when there a ton of other things that need to be done.  Have you started your Christmas cards?  Today is a great day to start.