Blue Christmas...

The closer we get to Christmas, the more ideas I get for Christmas cards, but time seems to be slipping away so fast...

For today's card I used some of my new supplies that arrived in the post this week. I had taken advantage of some online Black Friday sales and it really felt like Christmas (or rather, St. Nicholas Day) to me when all the parcels arrived in a time span of 2 days, although my orders had been placed in various parts of the world and on different days.

Anyhow, here's my card:

And here's the sketch I used:

I absolutely love the papers of my new Signature Christmas 6x6 paper pad by My Mind's Eye. Can you believe I  picked this up for only $4 in the sale? I stamped the sentiment (from Christmas in the Air stamp set by Verve Stamps) in Memento Rich Cocao ink and cut out the label with my new Lifestyle Crafts die (nesting freame 3). I traced around the inside of the die with a Promarker pen in a matching colour. The scalloped border was made with a Spellbinder's die and the ribbon was cut with a new Die'sire die (Lace Border 7). The lace border is actually 4 rows wide, but I cut the strip of paper to size before die cutting. The poinsettia die is by Marianne Design and I got the lush felt from Ladybug Crafts Ink. I finished the card off with a pearlescent button from my friend's big old button box and a few Kaisercraft pearls.

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges::

Mojo Monday - Sketch 270

Charisma Cardz - #48 Christmas!

Paperplay - #49 Christmas is coming

Fussy and Fancy - #77 I love Christmas (2nd entry)

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - #23 Button or bow

Top Tip Tuesday - #91 Christmas

Aud Sentiments - #69 Anything goes + holiday sentiment

Dutch Dare - #Non-traditional Christmas colours

Oh Christmas tree

Today's card was created with a freebie digital image that I downloaded from Paulette's blog at Create with TLC. I thought it was a perfect image for a CAS design.

I started out with the following sketch but in retrospect I think I've taken some creative liberties here, but at least I have another Christmas card done LOL.

I printed the image twice and then cut out the tree from one of the printed images. The pattern on the tree was created with a Sizzix embossing folder that I inked on the inside with distress ink. The trunk was coloured with Flexmarkers. I added Aleene's true snow on the lines below the tree to add a snowy effect.

Materials used:

Digital image - TLC Creations freebie

Embossing folder - Sizzix

Ink - Ranger's disstress ink

Colouring - Flexmarkers

Snow - Aleene's true snow

Ribbon - from stash

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Papertake Weekly - #74 Any PTW sketch (#34)

Allsorts challenge - #183 Advent

Stamping Sensations - Treemendous

Simon Says Stamp - Anything goes

Jingle Belles - Anything Holiday goes

Fussy and Fancy - #77 I love Christmas

Joy to the World

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only a little over a month away. We're still experiencing extremely mild weather over here, which means we still have not turned on the central heating. The nights are getting colder, though, and on rainy days it can be a little chilly inside, so my husband is now lighting a fire in the living room to keep us warm and cosy tonight. Maybe I'll even manage to create some more Christmas cards.

Below is the card I created this week. Most of the materials are relatively new and are being used for the first time (PPs, stamps). The pearls and lace are from my old(er) stash.

The layout is based on the following sketch.

Materials used:

Kraft cardstock
Circle die - Lifestycrafts

PP - Marianne Design, Warm Winter Wishes

Lace - Marianne Design

Snowflake wreath - Verve, Christmas in the Air set

stamped in clear distress ink (Ranger) and heat embossed with

Twinkle embossing powder (white, Crafter's Companion)

Sentiment - Verve, Glad Tidings set, 

stamped in red Versamark ink and heat embossed with

Frosted Crystal embossing powder (Ranger)

Pearls - Kaisercraft

I'd like to enter this card into the following challenges:

Sketch N Stash - #100 Use any SNS sketch

Catch the Bug - Bingo, middle row: Glitter, starts with T? (Twinkle ep), emboss
Christmas Card Challenges - #51 Double embossing (theme always optional)
CHNC - #99 Use sth. over 6 months old (lace, pearls)
Holly Jolly Christmas - Inspired by a carol (Joy to the world)
Paper Creator's Craft - #1 All about Christmas
Crafty Catz - #159 Let's have sparkle
Polka Doodles - #46 Square card with round element
Great Impressions - Holidays