CAS Colours and Sketches - DT call

This afternoon, I held a technique class with a lovely group of ladies. I'd demonstrated how to make faux metallic paper for them before they made a piece and used it for a Christmas card. While I was packing up, I decided that the demo piece was too good to waste so I used some of it for this card for the sketch at CAS Colours and Sketches this week.

I spent quite a bit of time choosing between Garden Green and Old Olive holly leaves. I wanted to bring out the green in the faux metallic DSP. There's a bit of green in the inking to add a touch of verdigris which I wanted to accentuate. I think the right choice was made, in the end. 

Ingredients

Card: Very Vanilla, scraps of Old Olive, Gold foil card

Stamps: Holly Berry Happiness

Inks: Versamark, Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Tuxedo Black

Other: gold embossing powder, Holly embossing folder, Holly builder punch, Real Red enamel shapes, Pear Pizzazz stamp'n'write marker to highlight holly leaves.

Paper Players 318, LIM Acetate

I've had the most fabulous long weekend away with a friend while our respective husbands were off doing their own thing. The only negative to the scenario was the lack of card-making opportunities!

This morning, while checking out my feeds, I discovered two lovely and compatible challenges. The sketch at The Paper Players, one of my favourite challenges, was gorgeous - as usual.

Meanwhile, it was recipe week at Less is More and the recipe was to use acetate or vellum.

I recently purchased some magnificent foil acetate. Like many of my paper purchases, it seemed destined to end up suffering from "I-can't-use-you-you're-too-beautiful syndrome." Fortunately, I managed to overcome that for today's card...

I'm also still very much in the in-love phase with my new Altenew Peony Bouquet set. I'm still playing with it a lot, trying out new colours and uses. This is normally not a colourway I'd use but the apricots and oranges do seem to work well with black and gold.

Update: Delighted to be a Cut Above at The Paper Players this week.

Ingredients

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White, Foil acetate

Stamps: Altenew Peony Bouquet, SU Zoo Babies (retired for the sentiment)

Inks: Tuxedo Black, versamark, Peekaboo Peach, Calypso Coral, Tangelo Twist, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive

Other: gold embossing powder, Peony Bouquet dies

CAS Colours and Sketches 196 - DT call

This week's colour combo at CAS Colours and Sketches is almost my favourite Christmas combination. I think gold still tops copper as my favourite metallic but it's a near-run thing!

I've made a lot of cards using Garden Green and Cherry Cobbler recently but this morning, I put together this card for the challenge.

I like the way the Swirly Scribbles dies are so versatile that they also make fabulous Christmas wreaths in a variety of sizes. Layered, they look very pretty.

I'm feeling a little nostalgic because this is Challenge 196 and I think that the first time I discovered CAS Colours and Sketches was Challenge 96. It seemed a kind of sign that I should have a try for the Design Team call.

Update: Delighted to be a Weekly Winner at CAS Colours and Sketches.

Ingredients

Card: Very Vanilla, Copper Foil, Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler

Stamps: Oh What Fun!, Holly Berry Happiness

Inks: versamark, Tuxedo Black

Other: Swirly Scribbles dies, Cherry Cobbler enamel dots, Copper embossing powder, Holly builder punch and dimensionals for the bow.

All products Stampin' Up.

Merry Monday Christmas 218

An all year round site entirely devoted to Christmas Cards! That's the Merry Monday challenge, a site I've not played at before. This week's challenge is...

So, I had this idea of some tartan Christmas trees against a sponged background and some hills. Since Christmas for us is a summer event, I just couldn't do snowy hills so we've got a summery scene instead.

The front layer of hills is popped up on dimensionals. The hills were created with Simon Says Stamp Stitched Hills and Slopes dies, which are pretty much NBUS even though I've had them a while. I think I'll use them more, now.

The trees are varying numbers of layers thick in order to create more sense of depth.

Ingredients

Card: Garden Green, Whisper White, DSP from Warmth and Cheer stack and Trim this Christmas stack (retired)

Stamps: Oh What Fun!

Inks: Garden Green, Delightful Dijon, Crumb Cake

Other: Tree punch (retired), Simon Says Stamp Stitched Hills and Slopes dies, Metallics enamel shapes, dimensionals, sponges

Pals Paper Arts 322

I really should be spending my time doing other things but I so wanted to get a card done for the sketch at Pals Paper Arts because it's been nagging at me ever since I saw it to come play with it.

In fact, it took me a while because there were SO many possibilities and because I didn't find it an easy sketch to get balance with. Anyway, here's how it turned out.

Ingredients

Card: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Silver glimmer paper

Stamps: Holly Jolly Greetings

Inks: Night of Navy

Other: Delicate Ornaments thinlits, Floral Boutique washi tape, Silver trim cord (retired), dimensionals, Night of Navy marker

Freshly Made Flowers

Today's card is inspired by two challenges: the sketch at Freshly Made Sketches and the 'anything goes floral' theme at a brand new challenge, The Flower Challenge.

Update: Utterly delighted to be chosen as The Queen of Clean at Freshly Made Sketches.

Ingredients

Card: Basic Black, Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Blushing Bride DSP

Stamps: Altenew Peony Bouquet, W&W Big, Bold and Party

Inks: Tuxedo Black, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo, Rose Red

Other: Peony Bouquet die, Basic Gray marker to colour cut edges, sequins (unknown provenance), dimensionals

Case This Sketch 194

A thunderstorm struck with a vengeance this afternoon, so what's a girl to do but retreat to the craftroom where the latest sketch from Cas(e) This Sketch was waiting.

I've 'landscaped' the sketch and done something I seldom do - grabbed out the patterned paper. I'm often seduced by lovely paper and then leave it sitting in my drawer so today's wee challenge to myself was to use some!

I'm feeling pretty pleased with the bright and cheerful result.

Ingredients

Card: Basic Black, Melon Mambo, DSP from Pop of Pink suite.

Stamps: Wild About Flowers, Labeler Alphabet

Inks: Old Olive, Melon Mambo

Other: Little Letters thinlits (retired), dimensionals.