Thursday, November 30, 2017

Birthday & CTMH Gift Card Class 11/28/17

Oh my!  I've been so busy making Christmas cards, and I just realized I needed to get a birthday card and an anniversary card in the mail TODAY!
The birthday card is for my sister-in-law who has a little wiener dog named Holly. 
*Challenges for this card are at the bottom of the post.

inside

The anniversary card is for my brother and his wife (different sister-in-law).
 And, I promised to post the gift card holders we made at Joyce's CTMH card class on Tuesday....



This is a cute little box for when you aren't mailing the gift card.

This view shows the unique shape.

Now I am going to quickly enter the birthday card in a few challenges and then go clean up the mess on my craft table.

Challenges:
Seize the Birthday Challenge -  Monochromatic

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Monochrome Magic Challenge #7 - Monochrome, twist: blue 

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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Day #30 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

For the final day of Beccy's Place November Challenge 
the theme is Do What You Love.
I love playing with paper, especially if it is using up leftovers, Beccy's digital images, lots of layers, and cards with unique folds and styles.


 My goal for this month of daily challenges was to complete and post all 30 cards, and to use one of Beccy's fabulous digi images on each one.  
Mission complete.
Thanks so much, Beccy!

Challenges:
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day #30 - Do What You Love
The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #20 - Anything Christmas Goes 
The Merry Christmas Challenge #45 - Anything Christmas Goes 

Yesterday was gift card day at the CTMH card class I attend.  We made 4 different ones.  Check back tomorrow to see them.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Day #29 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

By my calculations, we have reached the end of the alphabet at Beccy's Place November Challenge.
For this "Z" challenge, I have made a Zipper card.
I'm not sure if I've ever made one of these before.
 I used a zigzag patterned scissors to cut the tear or zipper strip.
The colored digi image is from Beccy's Nativity set.
 The sentiment under the strip is a CTMH stamp.
 The papers are from CTMH, also.
I used a 2 way glue (also available from CTMH) on the strip.  If you let the glue dry on the paper before putting it on your card, it becomes repositionable.  So even though I have unzipped the strip for the photo, I can place it back in position and it will stick.

Challenges:

Monday, November 27, 2017

Day #28 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Yellow was the only thing that I could think of for "Y" day at Beccy's Holiday Card Challenge.
Well, there's yak, yule, yule log, yam, yarn, yacht.  But, so far, I've used one of Beccy's digital stamps every day and yellow definitely worked with this one.
That's Bea Bird from the Cool Chicks set.
Challenges:
QKR Stampede Challenge #271 - Anything Goes 
Di's Digi Challenge - Things with wings, tails, and or feathers 
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge #361 - Anything Goes, Doily optional 
Always Fun Challenge #34 - Anything Goes 
Pile It On Challenge #136 - Large Sentiment and/or Things with Wings 
Crafting with Dragonflies Challenge - Non-traditional Christmas Colors

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Day #27 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

We are coming to the end of the month and alphabet at 
I decided to use some of CTMH's Silver and Gold paper today because it is perfect for an "X" theme.
The digi image, which I colored with markers, is from Beccy's Place.  I also colored some clear gems with a yellow Promarker for in the center of the flowers. The sentiment stamp and silver and gold foil tapes are also from CTMH.  And, finally, I added a green and gold edged bow, which looks like an "X".
Challenges:
Jingle Belles Challenge - Baby It's Gold Outside 
Star Stampz Challenge - Add Some Sparkle 
ABC Christmas Challenge - W for White or X for X marks the spot 
Crafty Girlz November Challenge - Anything Goes option Christmas 
 

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Day #26 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

The letter for Day #26 of 
Behind one of Beccy's digi images, Berry Wreath, is a White piece of cs embossed with Christmas and holiday Words.  At the bottom of the card is a piece of gold dotted Washi tape.



Challenges
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day # 26 "W
Crafty Hazelnut's Charistmas Challenge #361 - Anything Goes 
Polkadoodles Challenge Week 47 - Anything Goes
ABC Christmas Challenge - W for White and X for X Marks the Spot
Crazy 4 Challenges C4C313 - Christmas or Winter
Jingle Belles Challenge - Baby It's Gold Outside

Friday, November 24, 2017

Day #25 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Do you like Freebies?   
Click on the Freebie tab at the top of Beccy's Place blog and you'll find a whole list of free images.  For today's Beccy's Place November Challenge everyone must use one of her fabulous freebies.  
My card features Margie's Christmas Freebie,
washi tape, 3 stick on ornaments and a few brads.
Challenges:
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day # 25 - Freebie 
 
Winter Wonderland Challenge - Traditional Christmas Colours, Red & Green 

 

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Day #24 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

I love the Violet Vase on my card for Day #24 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge.  It has a coating of CTMH Liquid Glass on it for a Very shiny look.  
You'll find both the digi image and sentiment in Beccy's Digital Stamp set Blessings of the Season



Challenges

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

Day #23 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

My friend, Mickey, has been helping me brainstorm to come up with something beginning with a "U" for Day #23 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Card Challenge.  It's an unbelievably difficult letter.  Our list included Underwear, Unicorn, Ugly Christmas Sweater, Uneven, Under the Mistletoe, Up on the Rooftop.  Then, as I looked through the digital images I have from Beccy's Place, I came across the perfect "U".
Utensils,
a wooden spatula and spoon in the

I put a SU doily Under the image and used a wood stamp I purchased, maybe 10 years ago, at my very first stamp show for the sentiment.    The patterned paper is from CTMH and is the flip side of the tree paper I used on yesterday's card.  I picked up the paper glitter tape at My Favorite Things last winter.  It's kind of an Unusual shade, but I think it works fine here.
Thanks, Mickey, for all your help.

Challenges:
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day #23 "U" 
Allsorts Challenge Week #442 - Glitter
Cards in Envy Challenge - It's Only Paper 
Retro Rubber Challenge #76 - Anything Goes
The Merry Christmas Challenge #44 - Anything Christmas Goes 
The Paper Shelter Challenge #319 - A Christmas Card
The House That Stamps Built Challenge N2217 - Anything Goes
Crafty Creations Challenge #355 - Anything Goes
Crafting by Designs November Challenge - Get Ready for Christmas

Time to get my kitchen utensils busy making some desserts for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.

 



 
 

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Day #22 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

It's Tuesday and time for another Alphabet Challenge at Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards, the letter "T".
Today I put a Tag with Twine on my card. 
This cute Beccy's Place snowman digital image is holding Two poinsettias.  The Tag is made from Tan Tree paper from CTMH.
I stamped a Tiny sentiment on a punched circle.  And everything is mounted on a piece of shiny green paper, embossed with Trees and snowflakes.
Challenges
Dream Valley Challenge #168 - Add Texture (flocking, baker's twine and embossing) 
Winter Wonderland Challenge - Tag You're It 

Monday, November 20, 2017

Day #21 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

After a night of much needed Slumber, my day started with one of my least favorite "S" words.  After breakfast I started Scrubbing the kitchen floor.  There are plenty of chores to take care of before my family descends on Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner.  But I am still going to sneak in the cards for Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge.  If you haven't figured it out, today's card must include something beginning with a "S".  
 Meet this fun family of Snowpeople.  It's one of Beccy's digital images.  Using markers I colored it in Shades of brown and red, then fussy cut with Scissors.
For Sparkle I added 3 cricut cut glitter paper Snowflakes,  clear Wink of Stella on the bodies, glitter around the girls' coats, and flocking on the Snowbanks.  The Sentiment is a CTMH Stamp from my Stash.
Challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge #193 - Anything Goes + a Sentiment
4 Crafty Chicks Challenge #377 - recipe: 1 bow, 2 colors, 3 snowflakes 
Simon Says Monday Challenge - Tear It Up  (I tore a piece of white cs in 2 pieces to make the snow banks, adding glitter and flocking to the torn edges for definition.)

 

 

Sunday, November 19, 2017

Day #20 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards


Dasher sure doesn't look like he's ready to dash anywhere.
He's a digi image from the Beccy's Place
He is also a Reindeer, which starts with "R",
the letter of the day for Beccy's November Challenge
The card also features a lot of Red, a Ribbon knot, and some tiny Round Red Gems.  And I almost forgot the Ribbing in the embossed knit pattern.
Challenges:
Craft Rocket Challenge #43 - Christmas is Coming 
Catch the Bug Challenge - Bingo (I chose the diagonal line of Sentiment, Embossing and Sparkle)

 
 

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Day #19 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Considering the fact that the letter of the day at
I believe a Quick post is in order.
I've created a Quarter Fold Card 
and used a Quilted embossing folder. 
Digi sentiment and image are from Beccy's Place Tied Up With String Digital Set.

Here is the card when opened.  The sentiment is also a Beccy's Place digi.

This close up shows some of the details of the embossing folder.  The card front is also embossed.
All papers are from CTMH.
The tutorial for the Quarter Fold Card 
can be found on Beccy's blog. 

Challenges:
Christmas Cards All Year Round November Challenge -  Candies, Cookies or Gingerbread


 

Day #18 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Beccy switch things up and, instead of the progressive alphabet challenges, gave us a sketch challenge for Day #18.   Not a problem, Beccy.  I did a little turning, twisting, and shaking of the sketch and like the final result.  
The coordinating papers are from CTMH, but the sentiment and image are Beccy's Place digital stamps.
Here's the sketch:


Challenges:
The Three Muses Challenge - Fruit and/or vegetables 
Star Stampz Challenge - Use a Digi
Aud Sentiments Design Challenge - Anything Goes + a sentiment 
Scribbles Design Challenge #59 - A Tree-mendous Time of Year
Crafty Girls November Challenge - AG option of Christmas 
Hiding in My Craft Room Challenge #397 - Use 3 different Designer Papers 
Crafty Friends Challenge #71 - Add a sentiment


 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

Day #17 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Beccy has been wonderfully thoughtful in supplying inspiration words for the alphabetical challenges in her Month of Holiday Cards.  But, I didn't have to do a lot of thinking to come up with a "P" theme.  


I tilted this for the photo so you wouldn't see my reflection in the foil Paper.
I love using Wink of Stella to blend my watercolor Pencils. It looks like he has snow on his feathers.
This Popped Penguin, another of Beccy's digis, is Peering up at that 3 layer glittery star, with foam tape Popping each layer.  I colored him with Pencils and markers.  And, quite obviously, I used Paper, white cs, Patterned foil background Paper, glitter Paper and velum.  I also used a Piercing tool to Punch the holes for the brads. 

Challenges:
The 12 Months of Christmas Challenge #35- Anything Goes; optional Star Struck 
Naughty or Nice Challenge #45 - Walking in a Winter Wonderland 
2 Crafty Critter Crazies Challenge #8 - Anything Goes with a critter 
 
 

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

Day #16 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Using the CTMH Art Philosophy Cricut Cartridge, I've created a shaped card with an Oval aperture frame to show off the lovely poinsettia and sentiment from Beccy's Spirit of Christmas digital stamp set.

 The red frames look like they are different shades in the photos but they aren't.  For the first photo I used a flash so the clear Wink of Stella showed on the flower and leaves.  The second photo was taken without the flash, making it easier to read the quote inside the card.
Besides the Oval shape, I used two pairs of Opposites.  Red and green are opposite each other on the color wheel.  And black and white are opposites.  Did you notice that one of the leaves and the the flower tips extend Outside the frame?
Challenges:
The Holly and Ivy Challenge #19 - Anything Christmas Goes
Crafty Catz Challenge - Anything Goes, no patterned paper 

Now that I used a poinsettia today, I'll have to come up with something else beginning with "P" for tomorrow's challenge.
 

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Day #15 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Nine and Navy are the two "N" words that relate to my card for today's "N" Challenge at Beccy's Place.

The cute bunny is from Beccy's digital stamp set
Snow Bunnies.   The glitter doily is a cut on the first CTMH cricut Art Philosophy cartridge.  The sentiment is a CTMH stamp.
This little guy was colored with Navy, Gray and Tan markers with some clear Wink of Stella adding some sparkle to his hat brim and cuffs and pink glitter pen on his Nose  Finally, I added a knotted ribbon and placed Nine clear gems at the top of the card.


Challenges

Monday, November 13, 2017

Day #14 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Here is a super easy CAS Christmas card, my 14th card for Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge.  The colored Mistletoe image is from Beccy's Tied Up With String digital stamp set.  For a quick card, you can't beat the digi images that are already colored.


Challenges:
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day #14 "M"
Crafting From the Heart Challenge #183 - Anything Goes
Kitty Bee Designs Challenge - Use at least 2 colors (brown & green)
Polka Doodles Challenge #45 - Anything Goes





Sunday, November 12, 2017

Day #13 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

The letter for today's challenge is "L".  
Beccy's free digital image Christmas Lantern will be perfect.
I also used some Light green background paper, a piece I found already stamped in last year's Leftover box, and CTMH Liquid Glass to give the appearance of actual glass in the lantern. 
The sentiment is a CTMH stamp.
The image was colored with markers, watercolor pencils, and gold Wink of Stella.

Challenges
QKR Stampede Challenge #269 - Touch of Gold 
Addicted to Stamps Challenge #157 - Use more than 1 stamp (I've used 2; a digital and an acrylic.)






I discovered why that piece of background paper was in the leftover box when I took the picture.  It is hard to see because the design is so faint, but either the sentiment or the music itself is upside down.  Oops!

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Day #12 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

When you were a kid, did you ever hear the alternate lyrics to 
We Three Kings?  I can remember singing it, but not within earshot of my mother or the choir director.
It went something like this:
We Three Kings of Orient Far
Smoking on a rubber cigar
It was loaded, it exploded.
and I just can't remember the last line.
But I think I'll always remember the words of the traditional Christmas carol. It is one of my favorites.
You might be wondering what brought this to mind.
Today I've made a card with The Three Kings and a Nativity, to satisfy the "k" requirement for Day # 12 of Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge.
 The colored digi images are from Beccy's Digital Stamp Set The Nativity.  The stamped sentiment is a CTMH stamp.

Challenges:
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day #12 "K" 

Path of Positivity Challenge #53 -  Anything Positive Goes, option: surround yourself with music
City Crafter Challenge #387 - Love and Peace, Man
QKR Stampede Challenge #269 - Touch of Gold (I used gold foil tape and gold and white ribbon.)
Crafty Catz Challenge #392 - No patterned paper


I'll be back tomorrow with a card featuring something beginning with "L".


Friday, November 10, 2017

Day #11 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

I am eleven cards closer to having my Christmas cards done thanks to Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge.  The letter of the day is "j".  My card features a digital sentiment from Beccy's Place Tied Up with String digital stamp set.




Challenges:
Beccy's Place November Challenge - Day 11 "J"
The Male Room Challenge #73 - Paper Piecing
CCEE Stampers Challenge 1745 - Masculine Cards
Colour Carzy Challenge Week 45 - Anything Goes
Pile It On Challenge #136 - Large Sentiment
My Time to Craft Challenge #358 - Paper Piecing

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Joyful Stars Close To My Heart November Blog Hop

Welcome to the November
Close to My Heart Joyful Stars Blog Hop.

Have some fun hopping between the blogs of this group of talented Close to My Heart consultants, and me, where we share creative projects using CTMH products.

I decided to make a few masculine cards using a few Picture Your Life Cards from the CTMH Silver and Gold Paper Pack.
The glitter banner and word Noel are cricut cuts on the CTMH Flower Market cartridge.



The Little Santa is a CTMH stamp.  I colored the edge with a red marker.  The strip at the bottom was the zip strip on one of the papers in the pack.

 Doesn't the CTMH chalkboard starred paper make a good background?
 I really like a bit of red on Christmas cards.
Now, since this is a blog hop, 

you might have arrived here from Betty Locco's blog.
Your next stop is  Michelle Loncar's blog.   The hop is circular.  So if you are just starting here, simply continue hopping until you find your way back, making the full circle.  If you get lost, the complete list of participants is on Joyce's blog 


Challenges:

Day #10 of Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

The letter of the day is "I". 
The easiest item to use today is Ink. 
But, I also decided to use one of the digital Images from Beccy's Peace and Joy digital stamp set...
Ice Skates. 



Today I used the uncolored version of the digital Image and did the coloring myself with markers and watercolor pencils.  Instead of blending the pencils with water, I used a glitter brush.  It does the job and adds glitter at the same time.  I always like the poinsettias that have the splotches of colors on the flowers, so I tried to replicate that.  I colored the ornaments Indigo blue and added a coating of Glossy Accents to them and also the Ice skate blades.  The background paper is also Indigo blue.  Finally, I added layers of  Indigo blue and deep pink card stock behind the sentiment, another Image from the Peace and Joy digital set, to decorate the Inside of the card.

Challenges:
Aud Sentiments Challenge #192 - Bingo + a Sentiment (I used the top row: Flowers, Patterned Paper and Pink)
 
CCC Digi Creations Challenge #84 - Must Use Flowers