*{BYSHC} Sketch #74 Take 2*

I'm here today sharing my second (and final) card using the October sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers... first, here's the sketch

Most months I end up making one card that I absolutely LOVE and one card that I really don't like  at all... this month, I ended up with two cards that I LOVE!  For my second card, I decided to play with textured pattern instead of pattern paper.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Stamps:  Alex Syberia Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Versamark

*Dies:  Alex Syberia Christmas Sentiments
*Embossing Folder:  Gina K Holiday Flora; Spellbinders Peppermint Stripes

*Embossing:  WOW White

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHC #74; BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holiday Linky Party*

 This is the time of year that I usually start making more Christmas cards than everyday occasions... and I LOVE it!  I love the items in my Christmas stash so much!  I have a lot, but tend to use the same things over and over again.  Maybe I need to hide some of my go-tos for a while LOL!

Today I created a card with a gorgeous embossing folder and a simple sentiment...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; unknown gold foil

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Spellbinders Scalloped Circles
*Embossing:  Tonic Studio Bountiful Baubles
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:   Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party*

It feels like we just finished the summer linky party and here it is time for the fall one already!  It's easier to make a bunch of Christmas cards at this time of year though... the cooler weather helps for sure!

Head over to the BYSHC Blog to see all of the fantastic sponsors (and the prizes they are providing)!!!  So many chances to win... and all you have to do is link up your holiday makes!!!

I always enjoy looking through my bins of Christmas supplies...  and I found this old red rubber stamp in my bin and decided to play with it.  The shape and size of it seemed perfect for a mini slimline card!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Perfectly Plaid
*Stamps:  High Hopes Snowpile
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*CAS on Friday #345*

 The current challenge at CAS on Friday is "use a tag"... so I pulled out these great ATC printed pieces from Stamplorations and cut a small tag out of one of them.  I matted it in black, added a simple strip of cardstock and a die cut sentiment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Mossy Meadow

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Hero Arts Nesting Tags; Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips; The Ton Easy Expressions

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #345

*AAA Colourful #33*

 It's the middle of the month which means it's time for a new colour challenge at AAA Colourful.  Take a look at this interesting colourboard we are challenged with this month...

I will admit I was STUMPED (LOL) on this one, until I looked at the colours broken out of the image.  That was so helpful for me this month!  I know someone who's recently moved and thought I'd make a card for her as she transitions from her home of almost 60 years to a new apartment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Hanging With My Gnomies

*Dies:  MFT Hanging With My Gnomies
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Challenges:  AAA Colourful #33

*Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop*

 Good morning, creative friends... I'm here today with my card for the current Card Clubhouse Instagram Hop... we are playing with the theme of Opposites Attract.

I chose to do a couple of opposites... first of all, black and white is the most basic opposite out there.  And then, all of those black and white strips are layers... so lots of layers on a clean and simple card.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Be Bold Blooms, Floral Spray; Stampin' Up! Pierced Blooms; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS Colours & Sketches #596*

 Hello friends... it's time for a new challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches.  Challenge #596 is a colour challenge that is totally fall-inspired.

These are not colours that are in my wheelhouse.  But you know what?  I love how my card turned out!  I guess it was good for me to step out of my comfort zone for a minute or two LOL!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Mossy Meadow, Golden Glow, Cajun Craze

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips; Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #596

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #703*

 There's a gorgeous new sketch at Atlantic Hearts that starts today... I hope it will inspire your creativity!!!

I sat with this sketch for a while, trying to decide how to make it in a style I am more comfortable with.  I tried a few elements (nothing adhered down) and then I came up with this... and I am in love!  What you can't see very well in the photo is that my two white panels are embossed with a soft wave pattern...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Something for Everything; Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles
*Embossing:  Altenew Soft Waves

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  Stamplorations Blushing Blooms ATCs

*Challenges:  AHSC#703

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 This week on the My Favourite Instagram Hop, we are playing with our favourite fall colours.  I chose to do this floral card with some oranges and yellows and added in a dusty blue for some fun.  I decided after I coloured it that I wanted to add some deep red, so I did a thin matt in red.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Stamps:  Spellbinders Stylish Oval Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CASE It Instagram Hop*

More often than not, the cards you see me post have been inspired by something I've seen... I try to change them up and put my own spin on them, but sometimes I just need help with a jumping off point.  And that's why I created this Instagram Hop!  Each month, a group of friends and I all look for inspiration on Instagram and each of us chooses something to create something of our own.

This month, I CASEd my friend Denise.  I saved this card of hers a few months ago...

I just loved the idea of this layout!  What a fun idea!!!  My CASE of her card is a pretty close copy... I used a hot foil plate and stencils (instead of just stencils) and I created my floral in shades of purple.  Otherwise, it's pretty much a copy...  But it was SO beautiful, I had to play!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Wilted Violet and Mowed Grass

*Foil Plate:  Alex Syberia Lush Peony Bouquet

*Foil  Spellbinders Black

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Hello friends... I'm here today to share the card I made for the Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop. This hop is to make cards of encouragement for friends and family, to show them that we are here for them no matter what they are going through.  We hope that these cards will put a smile on someone's face or at least let them feel a hug from far away.

I had this larger scrap of paper sitting on my desk for a while now and decided to feature it in a card for this months' hop.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Mossy Meadow

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Moonlit Flora

*Stamps:  Honeybee Best of Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Honeybee Best of Everything
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS Instagram Hop*

 This month, the Clean and Simple Instagram Hop is playing with the theme of "Black & White"... one of my favourites!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Pattern Party

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Love From Lizi Stitched Rectangles; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday; Spellbinders Floral Spray

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 I had fun playing with the This or That themes this week and almost did a card that featured both stripes and dots... and I guess I kinda of did in the end since I did some ink blended stripes and then flicked some water on it to create some dots!

Card Info

*Stamps:  Pinkfresh Studio Simplest Gestures; Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*Ink;  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Shaded Lilac, Salty Ocean (oxides)
*Dies:  Waffle Flower Sweet Lattice Sentiments

*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 I'm here today with my card that I'm sharing along with the Mini Slimline Instagram Hop.  I really do think that this is my favourite shape to work with other than a standard quarter fold card.  It's a challenge to keep it CAS, but I do enjoy trying!

My card today is created from scraps that were in my bin of extras!  Don't you wish your bin of extras had stuff like this in it?

Card Info
*Cardstock:  gold mirror

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Modern Christmas, Pattern Party

*Stamps:   The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Foliage Shaker; The Ton Easy Expressions Birthday

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 This week, the My Favourite Instagram Hop challenge was chosen just for me!  We got to play with our favourite clean and simple card!  I took the challenge to mean "make a clean and simple card using favourite elements"....  So my card included a black circular frame, a die cut sentiment and one of those beautiful butterflies I'm so fond of using!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies
*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Fluttering Butterflies; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; The Ton Easy Expressions
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*World Cardmaking Instagram Hop*

 Happy World Cardmaking Day, creative friends!!  A day dedicated to my favourite hobby!  I love it!  A group of Instagram Friends and I have gotten together to celebrate this day by sharing some beautiful cards...

I decided to create a card that is based off of a few ideas I saw on my friend Toni's Instagram page... Toni passed away suddenly a few weeks ago and I sort of thought that this hop would be an excellent way for me to send a nod her way as a thank you to her for sharing her creativity with everyone.

I was inspired by one of her cards that had a rainbow theme as well as one that had a wonderful radiating embossed background.  I combined the two to create this card...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Ink in Picked Raspberry, Scattered Straw, Salty Ocean

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Sweet Birthday Sentiments

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Dotted Circles

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Addicted to CAS Challenge #318*

 It's kind of an oxymoron that the team is playing with a "happy" challenge after recently finding out that one of our creative friends has passed away.  I'm on a few design teams with Toni and have admired her work for a lot of years...  she will be missed.

I'm sure that Toni would want for us to continue creating and sharing, so that's what we'll do.  Today I am sharing the card I made for the current challenge at Addicted to CAS.

I think I've made a card similar to this before... but it was truly the first idea that popped in to my head (and let me tell you, my creativity has been struggling lately).

Card Info

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Pattern Party

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Big Happy; MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #318

*Build Your Stash Instagram Hop*

 Every month (or at least most months), I play along with an Instagram Hop where we are challenged to dig in to our stash to create 1 or more cards following a common theme.  This month, our theme was wedding, engagement or anniversary.

I decided to make a couple of anniversary cards...

My first card, I used these cute puffins and did a simple colouring on them...

Card Info

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Stud Puffins; MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Real Red; Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics
*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles

For my second card, I did some ink blending on my card front and then added a die cut panel on top of it.  I used only three colours of Distress Ink and was sure to overlap my colours to get my rainbow.

Card Info

*Stamps:  MFT Something for Everything

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Ink Picked Raspberry, Scattered Straw, Salty Ocean

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Floral Sparkle

*CAS on Friday Challenge #344*

The team at CAS on Friday is playing with a "shades of grey" theme for this weeks challenge.  Since I had so many ideas in my head for the splatter card I did the other day, I decided to play with the idea again.  Instead of multiple shades of ink, I used only black ink and did off stamping to get the different shades of grey.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin Up! Basic Black
*Stamps:  MFT Distressed Patterns; unknown sentiment

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #344