CCNS65 Music Shaker Card

Did you get something good for Christmas?   The challenge this week at Classy Cards 'n Such is to use something new.  I actually got this die a month ago but haven't gotten a chance to use it so it's new to me!  I'm combining a couple of techniques here for a very fun card:  in-laid die-cutting and a shaker card.  The first thing I did was use the large stitched rectangle in MFT Blueprint 13.  I then die-cut a smaller rectangle using a die from Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A.  After removing the rectangle, I placed the Memory Box Virtuoso Music where I wanted to go inside the opening, making sure it went over the edge of the opening.  Make sure you keep the extra little pieces to glue back in!  I then die-cut the same music from both black and white card stock.  I cut a piece of acetate ( I used the packaging from my Spellbinder dies) bigger than the opening.  To make sure my shaker card will hold up being handled and not fall apart, I used Scor-tape (my favorite strong adhesive) to adhere the acetate to the back of front panel.  I then glued the black music die-cut back into the front and then the white just a bit off on top of the black for a shadow effect.

I then glued the black music die-cut back into the front and then the white just a bit off on top of the black for a shadow effect.  After everything dried, I flipped it over, added large foam tabs all around the opening, added a variety of bling and then sealed it with a sheet of card stock that I had colored with Distress Stains Picked Raspberry, Peacock Feathers, and Broken China.

Hope you like it and get a chance to try your hand at one!  

Challenges I am playing in:

Simon Says Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday

CCNS: God is... and all is well

Do you find masculine cards hard to make?  I certainly do - which is a bit ironic since I'm the lone female in our chaotic household.  I like to keep my colors for masculine cards neutral and without too many embellishments.  However, I can't resist a bit of twine.  

I die-cut a rectangle using Spellbinders A2 Matting Basics A and then colored it with Distress Stains Broken China, Squeezed Lemonade and Spiced Marmalade.  I then stamped the swinging image from Sweet n Sassy God is stamp set in Versafine black ink.  I also cut another layer out of Kraft card stock with the large stitched rectangle die from MFT Blueprint 13.  After stamping the sentiment on a die cut from Spellbinders Label 8, I popped it up with small Joy! foam pads.  Using my white gel pen, I added some stars to complete my card.  Thank you so much for looking!

Merry Christmas

I wanted to drop by and wish you a 

Merry Christmas

 and to share one of my favorite songs this time of year.

O Come O Come Emmanuel

I love this arrangement and hope you have time to listen to all of the verses.  They are quite wonderful and meaningful.  

Have a beautiful and safe Christmas. May the true meaning of Christmas shine and warm your homes and wherever you go.  I know many of my friends and their loved ones are having health issues right now so I'm sending up prayers for you especially.

In His keeping,

Star Shaker card

Shaker cards are very popular right now and I do love to make them. I thought I'd try a different shape from the usual circles and rectangles with this star die from ODBD Splendorous Stars set.  I first used distress inks and perfect pearls to make my night sky; the paper from the Winter Collection fits perfectly inside the die.  I added an assortment of beads and sequins inside my shaker card and a little tag for my Merry Christmas sentiment.  

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends and may the light of His love shine on you!

Recipe:

Stamps: ODBD Mini Tag Sentiments

Dies:  ODBD Splendorous Stars and Mini Tag Dies

Paper:  ODBD Winter Collection 2014

Inks:  DI Seedless Preservers, Broken China, and Picked Raspberry

Accessories:  Glass beads, sequins, and silver floss

And make sure you check out my fellow CT sisters for more wonderful inspiration:

  Chris Olsen, Linda Carson,  Elizabeth Whisson, 

Cheryl Scrivens, DJ Rants, and Robin Clendenning

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.  You have until December 30, 2014 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to be placed in a monthly drawing to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on the first challenge of each month.We would love to see your creations.

Challenges I am playing in:

Word Art Wednesday

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Quietfire Blog Hop Winner

Happy Saturday morning!  Are you running around trying to get everything done in time for Christmas?!  I certainly am but I'm popping in to announce the winner from my comments for the Quietfire Design's Winter Wonderland Blog Hop.

And the winner is:

#16

Beth GibsonDecember 15, 2014 at 8:55 AM

So pretty, Diana! I think the use of texture is especially important with the use of the HK quote. :)

Congratulations, Beth!  I'll send along your info to Suzanne!

CCNS Watercolor Chickadee

Here's another card I made with no-line watercoloring.  This image just works so well!   Starting with the base layer which was cut with the large stitched die from MFT Blueprint 13, I used Tim Holtz Harlequin stencil with Dreamweaver's white embossing paste to stencil in just a corner of the layer.  While that was drying, I stamped the chickadee image from Our Daily Bread Design You will find Refuge set in Distress Ink Tea Dye on watercolor paper. Then I used my Koi watercolors to color it in.  Since Distress Inks are water soluble, it blends right in with the watercoloring.  After that was dry, I die cut out the image with a die from MFT Blueprint 13.  To mat the tag, I traced the die on dark brown card stock and fussy cut it out.  I popped up the tag with small Joy! foam pads and added a mini tag using the Thank You from ODBD Ornate Frame Sentiments in Versafine vintage sepia ink.

Recipe:

Stamps: ODBD You Will Find Refuge and ODBD Ornate Frame Sentiments

Inks:  Distress Ink Tea Dye and Versafine Vintage Sepia

Dies:  MFT Blueprint 13 and ODBD Mini Tag Dies

Accessories:  Tim Holtz Harlequin stencil, Dreamweaver's white embossing paste, Koi watercolors, and  twine

Good friends are like snowflakes

Hello!  I'm still playing with some of my new Quietfire stamps.  I love this one!  I thought it would be  great with some golden snowflakes because good friends are worth more than gold.  :)

I used a strip of paper from Recollection Rustic Luxe on the side and a row of snowflakes die cut from Golden Glimmer Metal Sheet.

Thanks for looking!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Quietfire Design Good Friends are like Snowflakes

Dies:  Impression Obsession Small Snowflake Set

Paper:  Rustic Collection Rustic Luxe

Don't forget that the Winter Wonderland Hop is still happening!  Today we are highlighting Wanda's and Teresa's  blogs!

All Quietfire rubber stamps are on sale 25% off the regular price during this event!

Challenges I am playing in:

Casology Snow

Word Art Wednesday

Add A little Dazzle Diva Challenge #56

Simon Says Winter Inspiration

CCNS63 And the Stockings were hung

Hello!  Today I'm sharing a card I made for this week's The Night Before Christmas challenge at Classy Cards 'n Such.  Would you believe that I started out with a very clean and simple design - just some stockings on one of my favorite simple layout?  But then I wanted to add a fireplace - but didn't have the die for it.  I die-cut Poppy Stamps Grand Madison Window out four times, trimmed off the window lines, stacked them up, and cut off the bottom.  Voila - I now have a fireplace!  But then my fireplace needed a wall - and I do love wainscoting.  The Darice Stripe background embossing folder is perfect for that.  Added some black card stock in the fireplace, hung up some stockings using Poppy Stamps cute stockings (using a bit of felt for die-cutting the top of the stocking).  I love having a wreath over my own fireplace so I had to add one here also using Martha Stewart pine branch punch.  And what Christmas scene would be complete without a little tree.  I fussy cut out a tree from Verve's Holiday Greetings, colored with copics, added some white dots with my gel pen, and then brushed over the tree with my  Wink of Stella Glitter Pen.  I also cut a little bit of gold foil from my stash of SB Precious Metals Craft Foil for my star and pot at the bottom of the fireplace. 

 Since I have little kids, I used Memory Box rounded fence as my fireplace covering (I know there is a name for that but I am drawing a total blank as to what it's called!) after I cut some logs inside the fireplace.  I also added a little signage on top of the mantel to fill up the space.  The card is no longer clean and simple but it was a whole lot of fun to make!  Hope you find new ways to use your dies also!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Pinecone Christmas and Holiday Greetings

Dies:  Poppy Stamps Grand Madison Window and Rounded Fence, Poppy Stamps cute stockings

Accessories:  Ribbon, Martha Stewart pine branch punch, gold foil,  felt, Wink of Stella Glitter Pen, Darice Stripe background embossing folder

The Gate

Hi!  Today I am sharing a card with one of ODBD's new release this month The Gate.  I think the image goes perfectly with the Blushing Rose Papers.  Combined with the last challenge this year of a sketch, I came up with this card.  I also added a couple of tags cut from metal craft sheets - so cute and such a nice touch.  I hope you like it! 

Recipe:

Stamps: ODBD The Gate

Dies:  ODBD Mini Tag Dies

Ink: Versafine black and SU Old Olive

Paper: ODBD Blushing Rose Paper Collection

Accessories:  Twine, Metal Craft Sheets

And make sure you check out my fellow CT sisters for more wonderful inspiration:

  Chris Olsen, Linda Carson,  Elizabeth Whisson, 

Cheryl Scrivens, DJ Rants, and Robin Clendenning

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.  You have until December 30, 2014 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to be placed in a monthly drawing to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on the first challenge of each month.We would love to see your creations.

ODBD is also running a special on gift certificates right now until December 20, 2014, 11:00 PM EST!  

FREE $5.00 ODBD Gift Certificate with every $50.00 in ODBD Gift Certificates purchased! 

Please note that the redemption of ODBD Gift certificates are only valid for purchases made on our website.

Click here to purchase your ODBD Gift Certificates!

Challenges I am playing in:

Word Art Wednesday

Quietfire Hop: Blessed by the Christmas Sunshine

Welcome to Quietfire Design's Winter Wonderland Blog hop!  And what would be a hop without some prizes?!  

We’ll be giving away a stamp or set on each of our designers’ blogs. All you have to do to enter is leave a sweet comment on each of the designers' Winter Wonderland Blog Hop post! 

Have all your comments in by midnight on Friday December 19, 2014 to be eligible. The winners will be announced on Quietfire Creations on the weekend.  Happy hopping and Merry Good Luck!

I'm so excited to start off my first hop with Quietfire today and share one of Suzanne's amazing stamps. I love this quote by Helen Keller.  I remember learning about her and her amazing teacher Anne Sullivan.  As I grow older, the more incredible and inspiring they became.  I knew I wanted to do a card with texture in it - to feel as pretty as it looks.  First, I stamped with black pigment ink and then clear embossed it.  This is a great way to emboss if you don't have super fine embossing powders.  You still get the beautifully elegant raised lettering and not lose the crispness of the stamped lettering.

I then threaded some glass beads with a very thin gauge wire - much easier than using thread!  Now here's a quiz for the observant... can you guess the pattern for the beads I used?   I like my cards' embellishments to go with the sentiments - even if I'm the only one to "get" the connection.

 It's Morse code for the words "love" and "Christmas" where the rounded beads are the dots and the longer cylinder are the dashes.  And yes, I totally googled Morse code!  :)  Hope you like it!

Please leave a comment for a chance to win!  Thank you so much for stopping by and hope you have a wonderful week.  Only 10 more days until Christmas!

Recipe:

Stamps:  Blessed by the Christmas Sunshine

Dies:  Spellbinders Matting Basics A

Accessories:  Darise Damask embossing folder, glass and silver beads, and wire

The rest of the design team will be hopping throughout the week.  Here is our schedule starting today... I hope you have a chance to visit everyone!

All Quietfire rubber stamps are on sale 25% off the regular price during this event!

Monday: Diana (that's me!)

Tuesday: Robyn,  Yvonne  

Wednesday: Wanda,  Teresa  

Thursday: Kathy Jo, Suzanne  

Friday: Sherry,  Yogi

Challenges I am playing in also:

Simon Says Bling It On

Word Art Wednesday
CASology:  Silver

December VLV Sketches and OSW

I tried starting really early thinking of teacher gifts... like at the beginning of summer but even then, I find myself behind on the execution of said gifts.  It's a lot of teachers... I used to have a spreadsheet to keep it all organized.  (4 boys) x (Sunday School teachers) x (2 services) x (Awanas) x (school)... It's a good thing we don't really do much for sports!  And there is only one piano teacher (whew!)  So when Julee shared her One Sheet Wonder for the December Viva La Verve Challenge, it was like rays of sunshine bursting through the clouds.  Haha!  I think these would make great set of notecards for gifts and I like how they coordinate.  I try not to give the same cards - even in a set.

Recipe:

Stamps:  Verve Scripture Medley 1, Happy Hello, and Sip and Savor 

Paper:  Simple Stories Documented and ODBD Patriotic Collection 

Acessories:  Copics, embossing folders (Chevron, Courtyard, Flourishes, and Damask), 2 1/4 circle punch

Challenges I am playing in:

Word Art Wednesday

December Viva La Verve Challenge

What's on your list?

So what's on your Christmas list? Mine is pretty simple: craft goodies.  :)  I don't like shopping for Christmas presents (that's an understatement)  but I do love wrapping them.  It's fun for me to tie the perfect bow with big fat ribbons and adding a pick to just make it special.  So in my bout of productivity, I saw the title to next week's Classy Cards 'n Such wrapping challenge and came up with this card...and then I actually red the description to use designer paper and ribbon!  If that's not a sign of rushing around in December, I don't know what is!  

This is a very easy card to make - instead of using embossing folders, you could easily use some of your favorite designer paper.  Here I used Cuttlebug Swiss Dots, Darice Stripe background, and Darice plaid background embossing folder.  I cut different sized rectangles and added some red twine.  The white gift is popped up with small Joy! foam pads.  I then die cut out my Impression Obsession Merry Christmas sentiment out of white card stock.  I then embossed the entire die cut with silver detail embossing powder.  All of these I had placed on a stitched layer from 

MFT Blueprint 13.

ODBD Peace on Earth

I think this is the first year we did not buy poinsettias for the house - but I can still put them on cards.  They last longer!  Here I place a couple along a curved edge with some beautiful paper from the Winter Collection peaking out.  After I stamped and embossed this sentiment (LOVE this scripty Peace) in silver, there was this awkward white space.  So I added strings of rhinestones down.  Hope your Christmas season thus far has been beautiful and meaningful.

Recipe:

Stamps:  ODBD Christmas Mini Set

Paper: ODBD Winter Collection 2014

Dies:  ODBD Peaceful Poinsettia and Fancy Foliage, SB Curvy Borders

Accessories:  Rhinestones, silver embossing powder

And make sure you check out my fellow CT sisters for more wonderful inspiration:

  Chris Olsen, Linda Carson,  Elizabeth Whisson, 

Cheryl Scrivens, DJ Rants, and Robin Clendenning

To see all the creations in one place or join the challenge, click here.  You have until December 14, 2014 at 8:00pm EDT to join us. By participating in the challenge, you have a chance to be placed in a monthly drawing to win a $15 ODBD Gift Certificate good towards the purchase of stamps in the “stamps column” on the ODBD website, or to be spotlighted on the ODBD Blog at our next challenge. The random prize winner will be posted on the first challenge of each month.We would love to see your creations.

Challenges I am playing in:

Simon Says Christmas

Word Art Wednesday