Southern Scraps

I'm popping in with a card I made for a couple of challenges. I am not playing with the challenges nearly as much as I used to be but I am working on my Christmas cards and I'm incorporating a challenge here and there when I can. Charisma Cardz and Critter Sketch both issued challenges for Christmas cards. I made this  Christmas card  using MFT stamps ( Santa Baby) and Basic Grey papers. It's a fun little card for your special guy- the inside reads "All I Want for Christmas is you." Papers: BasicGrey Eskimo kisses Stamps: MFT Tools: Nestibilities label, Copics Accents: ribbon, flower, button

I started working on some Christmas card and tag designs this weekend. (I'm really behind the curve on this.) Sketches are always a great inspiration for me. I almost always reach for a sketch when designing a card. I used this sketch from Jen at i{heart}tostamp for my cards.  One of my cards does not follow the sketch EXACTLY because I only have one embellishment/flower instead of two. But that's the beauty of a sketch- you are free to use your own interpretation. Here are my cards: I used BasicGrey Wassail papers and some vintage digital images from VintageHolidayCrafts. When I finished the cards, I used the scraps to make some tags. The next time you need some inspiration, turn to a sketch and your scraps. 

I did get to make cards today on World Card Making Day. I actually started on Christmas cards! Here are the two cards that I completed: The first one is for a release challenge at StampTV to make a 2 3/4 x 4 1/4 card. I've never made this size but I like it. I'm thinking that it would make a cute place card for a dinner table with the right image and words. The sentiment and image are from GKD Simple Pleasures . I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and OMS. The second one is the Christmas card. It's also for a StampTV release challenge to use two sets from one set. I used two different ones from A Very Merry Christmas . I stamped the one on the background and heat embossed it using Stampendous jeweled gold. I love how it sparkles. The picture does not do it justice. Sometimes embossing doesn't turn out so well for me, but this did beautifully on the Gina K cardstock , so I embossed enough for a set of six and also embossed the tree from this stamp ...

Sharing some cards I made for the family. These will be hand delivered. I made this first one using Mercy's Tuesday sketch and a digi image from Sweet N Sassy stamps. I used some snowflakes for the Digital Tuesday challenge and OCC. It also fits the Dare U 2 digi stamp "last minute cards" as it's almost last minute for the challenge too. This one was made using the Sketch Saturday sketch . I used a Sarah Kay stamped image that I colored with pencils and markers. Thanks for looking and have a Merry Christmas! I'm off to have dinner and exchange gifts with my hubby!

I'm still trying to squeeze in a few cards and challenges here before Christmas. This one was made to fit four challenges. First I used the sketch from Friday Sketchers as my layout. The colors were inspired by Stampin for the weekend's color challenge - blue and brown. The Stamp Something challenge is for winter wonderland and Crazy4challenges is looking for snow or snowflakes. When I think of winter wonderland, I think of everything glistening so I added some stickles to my snowflakes. Here it is: Stamp :Digi stamp Ildi Co . Paper : Deja views; Bazzill Tools: Poseabilities snowflake die Accents: Stickles, crystal brads

This is a fairly quick and easy card. It had to be for me to make the Mojo Monday deadline for sketch 116. Here I am at the last minute again, due to all the holiday shopping and decorating. I used a digi stamp from Whimsie Doodles and my nestabilities to cut the circles. I used Bo Bunny St. Nick paper and deliberatly chose to cut those Santas into the circles so they would peek out from the sentiment. This digi stamp is one of those "must haves" the minute I saw it. I've got a nephew and a friend who says the magic of Christmas is gone as an adult that this will be perfect for. I'm also using this card for the Dare U to Digi Stamp challenge to use red, green, and a neutral. I've pretty much shared the details of the card. Just cut and paste. I could have done some more embellishing on the circles but I like it the way it is. The paper itself add a lot. Thanks for looking.

Right on the heels of Halloween and Thanksgiving will be Christmas. Flourishes is gearing up for a season that sparkles and issued a release challenge to make a card in that theme. Here's mine using the sketch from OCC's sketch challenge . Stamp: Flourishes All Wrapped Up Paper: DCWV Accents: Stickles I didn't get to participate in many challenges this week. There were some awesome prizes up for grabs but I missed playing because I went on a weekend getaway with my hubby for our anniversary (totally worth the stamping sacrifice) and as soon as I returned I had to go to work and worked three full days of overtime! I did get in one more challenge. Here is my card for the Sketch Saturday sketch. I left off one strip but I think it still follows the sketch. The deets: Stamp: VC digi stamp Paper: Making Memories Tools: Cuttlebug embossing folder Accents: flowers, brad

The digitgal Tuesday challenge this week was to make a card based on a music theme. I chose to use these cute carolers and make it a Christmas card. I based the layout on Mercy's Tuesday sketch . Since I went with nontraditional Christmas colors, this one fits the Little Paper Shop challenge too. Stamp : Digi image from Squigglefly; sentiment Inkadinkado Paper : BasicGrey Eskimo Kisses Accents: Acrylic gems (Walmart); Stickles Tools : Nestabilities

I made another challenge card today. This one combines four challenges. I love to make cards and I'm not trying to slack on the challenges, but I love it when they work together. Simon Says is asking for Red and Green and ASpoonfull of Sugar has challenged us to make Christmas cards. What better colors for Christmas than red and green? I used Mercy's sketch because I wanted to make my card a money/gift certificate holder and the sketch fit that perfectly. I added a little gold for the StampTV Potluck Challenge . Here is my card: I put a punched border and some of the patterned paper inside too, but I forgot to take a picture of the inside. Stamp : GinaK Designs A year of flowers Paper : DCWV Christmas glitter stack Accents: Brads, glitter dots, sentiment rub on MLYB, DCWV rub on stitches Tools : Nestabilities, border punch

Some of my favorite and most admired card makers have started another challenge blog- Crazy4 Challenges ! And the first challenge was a sketch and just the inspiration I needed for the StampTV out of the lines challenge. Here is my card that I made to fit these two challenges: I stamped the poinsettia from A Year of Flowers set by GinaK Designs and colored them with Marvy Markers. I cut them out and layered them on a circle that I cut with my Nestabilities. I actually cut a ring with the Nesties by cutting a circle and then the next smaller one within it. Stamp: A Year of Flowers (GinaK) Paper: Bazzill Cardstock, Anna Griffin patterned paper Accents : Ribbon; Rub-on sentiment; Stickles Tools : Nestabilities: Marvy Markers

I have been busy working on Christmas cards again. I've been using my favorite sketch sites. Here is this week's sketch from 2sketches4you . Here's my take on it. It is a money holder. I'm giving my Dad money for Christmas, so it's for his gift. Next is the challenge from Our Creative Corner I just loved Jen's sketch this week at i{heart}2stamp I liked it so much, I made two cards with it. Last, is my card for the sketch from Paper Craft Planet (you'll have to see the sketch here , I had trouble loading it on my blog.)I also had trouble with lighting this afternoon, so I apologize for the washed out pictures. The cards look much better in person.

I'm sliding in on the last day again with my 2sketches4you card. Here is this week's sketch Here's my take. I stamped the background with a swirls stamp and then embossed it in gold. I'm really loving gold for Christmas cards this year. The die cut frame is from the Basic Grey Wassail kit.

It's here- World Card Making Day! What is it? A day for paper crafters and card makers to unite and officially kickoff Christmas card making. Yep, Christmas will be here before you know it. Visit the World Card Making Day website to learn more and find ways to celebrate. I'll be working on my Christmas cards and some for Mission Soldier Support ! Here's one I'll be adding to the shop a little later-