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 Hi and Happy Wednesday,

I'm super excited, and delighted, to be posting as this week's Guest Star Stamper for the Color Throwdown Challenge. My Halloween card, here, was the randomly selected card winner for challenge #615 two week's ago. Each week's "winner" is invited to be a Guest Star Stamper on an upcoming challenge, and this week it's me!

The colors for Challenge #617 are kraft, red, green and chartreuse. Clearly, these are great colors for Holiday Cards, and since I still need to make quite a few, that's where I went. Using two of this year's C&9th Christmas release stamp sets, combined with the Gina K Designs Wreath Builder system, I made this card.

To make the gift boxes wreath, I stamped the small present stamp from the C&9th Festive Friends stamp set using the Wreath  Builder system going around the entire circle. I made a couple of masks, placed them over two presents, repositioned the stamp and stamped the present stamp again, moving the masks with each rotation. This resulted in a double layer gift boxes wreath. I colored them using green (G07, G09) and chartreuse (YG00, YG01) Copic markers shading one side, the same side on each box, a little darker. On this darker side, I used my Nuvo clear glitter pen to brush on some sparkle, although in the picture it's hard to see. The present bows are colored with the R46 Copic marker. The red glimmer paper larger bow is cut with a C&9th die and the small kraft tag die is from a Taylored Expressions die.

I cut slightly larger red and green squares from SU Real Red and Call Me Clover card stock and angled them behind the white stamped panel. The card base is Neenah Desert Storm card stock stamped with the C&9th Candy Cane Background stamp using Gina K Kraft ink. The card base measures 5.25 inches square.

For the inside of my card, and I always finish the insides of all my cards prior to photographing them for my blog posts, I used a couple of the greetings from the Festive Friends stamp set.

I'd like to than the ladies on the Color Throwdown DT for inviting me as this week's Guest Star Stamper. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's cards this week.

Thanks for looking, and have a great day!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Festive Friends set and Candy Cane Background stamp both from Concord & 9th

Paper: Neenah Desert Storm and Solar White, SU Real Red and Call Me Clover card stocks, SU Red Glimmer paper

Ink: Gina K Black Onyx, Kraft and Cherry Red ink, Copic Markers

Other: Gina K Wreath Builder System, Misti, C&9th Mistletoe Messages bow die, TE Tag die, Nuvo clear glitter pen, Gemini Jr, foam tape

'Tis the Season

 Hello all,

If you're like me, you probably have enough patterned paper, or DSP, to last many lifetimes. Even though I have all of this beautiful paper, lately I don't seem to be using it. I've quit buying it for the most part because of this, and also the area where I have it stored is pretty full. I'm going to try to start using it more again when I make cards and I'm thinking that Holiday cards will be a good time.

With that in mind, last night after dinner I sat down to make my Paper Players Challenge card for this week. Jaydee is our hostess with the monthly sketch challenge. 

I may have gone overboard with the DSP doing all the work on this card, but I think it turned out pretty cute, and festive.

The papers are SU retired DSP called Nordic Noel. I love these cute Victorian style houses. In the papers, they are in several colors. I fussy cut 3 of the styles going for all red. The background paper is part of the same DSP suite. I matted it with Real Red card stock and the card base is Crumb Cake. The snow hills are cut using some MFT Stitched Hill dies. The front one is popped up with Dimensionals. After cutting out the houses, I glued them to some red card stock to make them stronger and also popped them up some.

Finally, I added some red Baker's twine at the top and several small clear and a couple of white rhinestones for embellishments.

On the inside I added a nice holiday greeting.

Great sketches can be used in so many ways and looking through the gallery so far, that is certainly the case.

Have a good rest of your week, and thanks for looking!

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: SU sets Still Scenes, Tidings All Around, Snowman Season

Paper: SU Crumb Cake, Real Red, Whisper White card stock and Nordic Noel DSP

Ink: SU Real Red and Spiced Spruce

Other: Die-namics Stitched Hill Border dies, Pretty Pink Posh rhinestones, Baker's twine, Dimensionals, Gemini Jr

Take Care

 Hi again peeps,

I have one more card inspired by Kim's Freshly Made Sketch. I was in the mood to do some simple ink blending and this rainbow colored panel is the result. I used one of Gina K.'s recent incentive stamp sets for all of the images. I made this one a Slimline card. 

 The inks used are all Gina K. From L to R, Peach Bellini, Sweet Corn, Key Lime, Sea Glass and Plum Punch. I stamped the images using an acrylic block and Gina K. Black Onyx. The white card stock is also Gina K. I found a package of rainbow colored sequins in my stash from SSS and popped a few around the panel.

The inside is simple and uses another greeting and flower image from the same small stamp set.

Enjoy your day and thanks,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Take Care Incentive set by Gina K Designs

Paper: Gina K Designs white card stock, SU black card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs Black Onyx, Peach Bellini, Sweet Corn, Key Lime, Sea Glass and Plum Punch

Other: Blending brushes, Simon Says Stamp sequins

Warm Wishes

 Happy Sunday to all,

I'm starting to work in some Holiday cards, finally! I should have started months, or at least weeks ago. Especially because this year, I think they should probably get mailed earlier than in past years. I'm basing this on the fact that the last two times I mailed cards to my nephews in Portland, OR from Southern CA, they took 3.5 weeks to arrive.

Today's post has a holiday card. I've used this week's colors from the Color Throwdown Challenge. They are Cranberry, Cream and Kraft. The stamps are from the Lawn Fawn set called Thanks a Latte. It's got some really cute beverage images. The layout is inspired by Kim's Freshly Made Sketches sketch. 

The images are stamped onto Taylored Expressions Cream card stock with Gina K Black Onyx ink and colored with Copics, then cut out with their corresponding dies. The cream and Cranberry panels are cut using SU Stitched Rectangle dies, and the greeting is stamped in Gina K Kraft ink.

Here's the inside:

Hope your Sunday is relaxing! Thanks for looking,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Thanks a Latte set by Lawn Fawn

Paper: TE Cream, Neenah Desert Storm and Concord & 9th Cranberry card stocks

Ink: Gina K Black Onyx and Kraft, Concord & 9th Cranberry, Copics

Other: Lawn Fawn set dies, SU Stitched Rectangle dies, Misti, Gemini Jr., Dimensionals

Birthday Wishes

 Good Evening peeps,

The Color Hues challenge #4 is orange and blue. I pulled out some newish Gina K flower stamps and a stencil and used blending brushes to color them. I've had short periods of time to stamp this week, so this card took a few days to complete. 

I started with the Harvest Flourish stencil and blended Peach Bellini and Sweet Mango ink over a white panel. This and a mat were cut using the Master Layouts 1 die set. 

The flowers and leaves are stamped with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with white EP, colored using various Gina K blue and orange inks with blending brushes, cut out with the set dies and layered on the stenciled panel.

For the inside, I stamped the small flower including the stem and leaves in Black Onyx ink and colored them with Copics. The greeting is  from the Gina K Bitty Blossoms set.

TGIF tomorrow! 

Thanks for looking,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Zenflowers and Bitty Blossoms sets by Gina K Designs

Paper: Neenah Solar white and SU Blueberry Bushel card stocks

Ink: Gina K Designs Peach Bellini, Sweet Mango, Powder Blue, Blue Raspberry, In the Navy, VersaMark, Black Onyx, Copics

Other: Gina K Harvest Flourish stencil, Zenflower dies, Master Layout dies, Misti, blending brushes, heat tool, white EP, Gemini Jr, Dimensionals

Ghoul's Night Out

 Hi peeps,

I have one more Halloween card to share. I really liked the way the stripes on the card in my last post looked so I made another, only this time I added some patterned paper scraps to the top and bottom of the stripes. The ghosty ghouls and the sentiments are from the Lawn Fawn set Ghoul's Night Out. The images are colored with Copics, cut out with the corresponding set dies and popped up with foam tape.

The inside images are from another older Lawn Fawn set called Happy Haunting.

I love making these Slimline cards! 

Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Lawn Fawn sets Ghoul's Night Out and Happy Haunting

Paper: SU Whisper White Thick and scraps of pattern paper

Ink: Gina K Amalgam black, Copics, Gina K Tangerine Twist

Other: Lawn Fawn set dies, SU horizontal lines stencil, blending brushes, Misti, Gemini Jr, SU Dimensionals

Boo To You

Hello again,

Laurie has a fun and sweet theme for us this week at the Paper Players Challenge. It's also Clean and Simple week. As I'm needing a few more Halloween cards to send to family and friends, I thought I'd make my card fit both. The theme is Cupcakes/Cake/Cookies and I've got a cute bear bearing a sweet treat for Halloween. The colors fit this week's Color Throwdown Challenge of orange, black, and kraft.

 

I started with a white card base cut to slimline dimensions, 8.5 x 3.5 inches. Using a horizontal line stencil, I added black and orange stripes using a blending brush and Gina K inks. I planned to stamp the bear, mask him, and then do the stripes to make this a totally one layer card, then I realized that I had to use the die so that his hands could hold the cupcake. His witche's hat is also die cut, and the cupcake is fussy cut. I brushed Nuvo glitter over the cupcake then added Crystal Effects. The small bat used as decoration on the cupcake is from Reverse Confetti.

Here's the inside:

I hope everyone has a nice work week. Stay safe and thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: All Inside set by Ellen Hutson, Bad Kitty set by Avery Elle, Spooky Sentiments and Spooky Cuties by Reverse Confetti

Paper: Whisper White Thick

Ink: Gina K Black Onyx, Tangerine Twist, Kraft, Copics

Other: SU horizontal lines stencil, Bad Kitty dies, All Inside dies, blending brushes, Misti, Gemini Jr, Nuvo glitter pen, SU Crystal Effects 

Happy Birthday and Today Is All About You

Hi peeps,

Our friends that we visit in MA for our yearly week on Cape Cod (we skipped this year for obvious reasons) kids, twins, have a birthday on Halloween. We've known Kyle and Kaylie since they were around 1.5 years old. They will turn 24 this year! 

When I saw the new release from Colorado Craft Company I wanted to buy a set or two. Unfortunately, I couldn't decide on which set or two, so I bought the whole release! Luckily, I'm still working, LOL.

I received my box early in the week and decided to use them to make the kid's birthday cards. I love Linda's Freshly Made Sketch this week and decided to use it for both.

 

To color the images I used the negative mask coloring technique that Jennifer McGuire shows us in this video blog post. It works wonderfully. I did go back in with Copics and do some shading. After coloring the stamped images, I used the image masks and some Scor Tape then blended in the grass and the sky. On the dog card, the images are not die cut. On the bunny card, they are. 

Here are the individual cards with their inside greetings.

I hope you're having a restful Sunday. Thanks all,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Anita Jeram sets Wishing You Happiness, Birthday Wishing, Snow Happy by Colorado Craft Company

Paper: SU Mint Macaron, Watermelon Wonder, Mango Melody, Whisper White card stock, SU Birthday Bonanza and Birthday Bouquet DSP

Ink: Gina K amalgam black, Slate, Kraft, Sandy Beach, Grass Green, Sea Glass, Red Hot, VersaMark, Copics

Other: Misti, white EP, heat tool, Gina K Masking Magic, blending brushes, Scor Tape, foam tape, Birthday Wishing set dies, Gina K Master Layouts 1 & 2 dies, Gemini  Jr, Nuvo clear glitter pen, SU Crystal Effects

Color Blocked Thanks

 Hi again,

The Gina K. October Monthly Challenge is Color Blocking. I made a really simple card using the emboss resist technique combined with ink blending.

I stamped the current freebie set, Thankful Greenery,  from Gina K in VersaMark and heat embossed the image with white EP. I divided the panel evenly in thirds and used Scor Tape to mask off each section then ink blended the three inks using blending brushes.

The panel is cut out using the Master Layouts 2 dies, matted with black card stock. The small sentiment strip is stamped with VersaMark ink on black card stock and heat embossed with white EP , trimmed and popped up using foam tape.

As this is a note card, I left the inside blank.

Thanks for stopping by,

Colleen

Supplies

Stamps: Thankful Greenery set by Gina K Designs

Paper: Gina K Designs white and black card stock

Ink: Gina K Designs Blue Raspberry, Passionate Pink and Wild Wisteria, VersaMark

Other: White EP, Misti, Gemini Jr, heat tool, foam tape

Happy Harvest and Warm and Cozy Wishes

 Hello peeps,

I hope all are doing well. It's been a little while since I've posted. Work has been very hectic and I've been working on weekends to get it done. That seriously cuts into my stamping time. But, this past weekend, I was all caught up with said work and spent both days in my craft room. It was awesome!

I've got a couple cards for a couple of my favorite weekly challenges. First up is my card for the  Paper Players. This week, Ann has a color challenge for us that's perfect for fall card making. Here's my card using two fun techniques, emboss resist and ink blending.

I started by stamping the leaves in Cinnamon Cider ink using my Misti, then stamping over the image with VersaMark. I sprinkled clear EP over them all and heat embossed. Next I blended the other three colors in the challenge over the embossed images using blending brushes. The panel was cut using the Gina K Master Layouts 1 dies cutting a mat in Cinnamon Cider card stock.The center focal panel image is from a different SU set with the image stamped in Cajun Craze ink. It is cut out using the Gina K Master Layouts 2 dies and again matted with Cinnamon Cider card stock. The sentiment is heat embossed with white EP on Mossy Meadow card stock and cut with another of the dies from the Master Layouts 2 set.

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For the inside, I used images from both SU sets, and stamped them in the challenge ink colors.

My second card is made using stamps and patterned papers from the SSS October kit. The layout is the current CASE this Sketch. I used various oval and circle dies to make the sketch elements. The images are colored using colored pencils then fussy cut and layered onto the ovals and circles in the corner.

Here's the inside of card 2.

Have a great Monday evening and rest of your week. Thanks for looking in,

Colleen

Supplies

Card 1: 

Stamps: Gently Falling and Country Home by by Stampin' Up

Paper: Whisper White thick, Cinnamon Cider and Mossy Meadow card stock

Ink: SU Cinnamon Cider, Mossy Meadow, Crushed Curry, Cajun Craze, VersaMark

Other: clear & white EP, heat tool, Misti, blending brushes, Gina K Master Layouts 1&2 dies, Gemini Jr, Dimensionals

Card 2:

Stamps: Happy Fall Y'all by Simon Says Stamp

Paper: SSS White, X-Press It Blending and SU Early Expresso, Really Rust, Hello Honey card stock, Simple Stories Cozy Daze patterned papers

Ink: Gina K Warm Cocoa and SU Hello Honey

Other: Spellbinders oval and circle dies, Gina K Master Layout 1 dies, Gemini Jr, Misti, SU Dimensionals