Spirit of Peace

This card was all about experimenting with texture and shine for me. I started with a snowflake embossing folder, which I highlighted with several snowflakes punched and then colored. On one, i used my new snow marker, and heated it for the puffy effect. On another I used a clear Sakura sparkle gel pen, and on another: wink of Stella clear.  I also added a little more bling with Stickles star dust & ice blue. Finally, I white embossed my Odbd "Snowflake Sentiments" stamp. This is part of the ODBD Inspiration Challenge ODBDSLC259.

Shocker!

Y'All will never believe this, but I finally made a good one. Sweet Beverly at CCNS said so! So here you have it:

Was awarded to my Harvest Blessings card.

Harvest Blessings

This is my third card this week for the  CCNS Challenge - #106 Colors of Fall -I used some of my "French" dies -- love that wheat -- to signify fall, harvest, and thanksgiving.

I started with a wheat stamp from Hero Arts, which I stamped repeatedly between inkings (Versafine brown) to get different shades. After giving it a bit of time to truly set, I spritzed my page with water and added a little Color burst lemon yellow to evoke the golden hues of harvest time. While that was drying, I cut my panel from MFT Blueprints 12, which is stitched at the top. I love that little detail. I added my sentiment from the Stampin Up Trust God set using Versamark and white embossing powder. I adhered the layers with Scor-Tape, as the watercolor layer in the middle was warped.

Next, I cut out my IO wheat die from paper I had colored with Holtz distress inks, and adhered it with a combo of glue (stems) and Joy! extra small foam pads (wheat fronds). Last, I added some bling with copper Stickles. Hope y'all like it!

Fall Birthday Wishes

This week for the  CCNS Challenge - #106 Colors of Fall - I went with a second card as well. My college roommate and one of my best friends is an October kind of girl, so I am always on the lookout for the perfect card for her. If only I had an owl and an idea how to work it in -- this would have been final in my eyes. All the same, I like how it came out. 

The stamps are from Stampin' Up, which I stamped (lightly in the case of the wreath) with chocolate ink before coloring with my markers. The papers (some from the Authentique paper pack) I trimmed and tore to make strips. I embossed one of those strips, plus a punched circle, in a burlap-feeling pattern. After adding the little bow paperclip to my wreath, I popped the whole thing up with Joy! foam pads.

Floral Fall Gratitude

This week for the  CCNS Challenge - #106 Colors of Fall - I went with another clean and simple design -- my personal preference. Of course it ended up a thank you -- as the mom of a young family, I find myself with a lot to be thankful for, and a whole team of people I need to thank early and often from Team Mom!

I started with a chocolate card base, then used Tim Holtz distress inks to make a fall oranges and golds panel. I ran that through with a Spellbinders floral background die. Next, I popped up (with Joy! foam pads) an embossed panel with flourishes that seemed to tie my floral backer and swirly sentiment together, plus add depth and visual interest. Finally, I added some orange bling (texture, pattern, color, shine isn't just "What to Wear!)... and I was done.

The inside seemed a little plain, so I die cut a flower out of it and added a tiny bit more bling...

Blooming Poinsettias

This week I'm playing in CCNS Challenge #105 Holly Days. I've been making all kinds of different Christmas cards already, so I was excited for a new idea. Last year I made the same card over and over for everyone-- and that lost ALL the fun of crafting, so this year I'm doing it differently. I just hope I don't run out of ideas in only one year!

For this CAS card, I started with some fun red and green patterned papers, used the Blooming Poinsettia die by Poppy Stamps, plus some leaves from the "Layered Poinsettia." I used Joy! foam squares to pop them up, then added my sentiment inside. Quick and simple.