*Foil Peace*

I'm way late to play along with the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches but I saw sketch #411 and wanted to play along.  It's a great clean and simple sketch and a great way to use a little patterned paper.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110 lb; unknown blue shimmer
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Feels Like Frost
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas; Simon Says Stamp Lea Snowflake
*Tools:  Big Shot

*Silent Night Snowflake*

A handful of days ago I shared with you a card that is similar to this one.  When I was making that card, I first cut the largest snowflake out of Stampin' Up! Ballet Blue cardstock but decided it needed to be changed... and I left that Ballet Blue snowflake on my desk.

Here am I using yet another "scrap" from my stamp desk.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar White 110 lb; Stampin' Up! Ballet Blue
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Ballet Blue
*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas; Birch Press Glitz Snowflake
*Tools:  Big Shot
*Embellishments:  clear gems; white gel pen

*Make Snow Angels*

I can not believe we are at the end of November already.  Life has truly flown by for me in the last 8 weeks or so.  I've been thrown a curve ball and I'm doing my best to roll with it.

On October 1st I saw my doctor with some discomfort I was feeling, October 2nd I had an ultrasound that showed a 12cm (4 3/4") mass on my left ovary.  Since then I've had some drs appointments, had surgery on October 25th to remove the mass and do a complete hysterectomy.  Sadly, tests confirmed that the mass is my colon cancer back again... Stage IV metastatic colon cancer to be exact.  On November 19th I met with my oncologist (the same one who treated me in 2017) and we formed a game plan.  On November 26th I had a port-o-cath inserted and on December 3rd I start my first round of Chemo.  I will be doing chemo in the hospital as well as taking it home with me for a few days and will be doing this every 2 weeks for 6 months.

I don't know what this will mean for my day to life, let alone card making.  I am busy scheduling posts for all of the cards I have done so far and will be here when I can to post some more.

I really and truly thought I had beaten colon cancer...  the only thing I know for sure is that colon cancer won't beat me!

So now that you're updated on my life at the moment, let's move on to the card.  I thought that sharing my news went well with this card as the sentiment is so much like "if life gives you lemons"... and I am doing my best to make lemonade (or snow angels).

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar Crest 110lb
*Inks:  Catherine Pooler Suede Shoes; Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Image:  Simon Says Stamp Frozen Fractals
*Tools:  Big Shot; Life Changing Blending Brushes; Pretty Pink Posh Whimsical Christmas Stencil
*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Marie Snowflake
*Embellishments:  Nuvo Glimmer Paste in Moonstone

*Merry Little Christmas*

Another card that was difficult to photograph....  this Feels Like Frost paper from Stampin' Up has a wonderful shine to it, however it makes it really difficult to photograph.

For this card, instead of punching the tree out of the patterned paper and layering it on top, I punched the tree out of the white square and let the paper from the layer before show through.  I really wish I could have gotten a better photo for you all...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Feels Like Frost
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Tools:  Perfect Layers Tool; Stampin' Up! tree punch

*Calm & Bright*

My apologies for the photo quality on this card... as I said a few days ago, I am a card maker, not a photographer.  I tried a few different things and honestly, this is the best I could do.  Photographing white on white (with a hint of silver) is a tough thing to do!

This card came about after a failed attempt at something different with the snowflake.  I had this snowflake attached to a piece of patterned paper and it just got lost.  I had it sitting on my desk for a few days until inspiration hit.  And this is what I came up with...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Silver Encore Metallic
*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Snowfall; MFT Stitched rectangle
*Etc:  silver sparkle embossing powder

*Big Snowflake Greetings*

One more month, kids!  One month from today is Christmas Day.  I have no idea where 2019 has gone... I feel like I blinked and here we are at the end of November!  The older I get, the faster it all goes by....

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Stampin' Up! Glimmer, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Birch Press Glitz Snowflake; Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Embellishments:  clear gems

*AAA #154*

It's time for another fun challenge with the team at AAA Cards!  For the next two weeks, we are challenging to you create a "card in minutes" with a twist of using ink blending.  For a card in minutes, we understand that the first time you make the card it might take more than a few minutes... but it should be a card you could recreate in only minutes.  Be sure to link up your creation for your chance to win a great prize from our sponsor this week as well as to be featured as a guest designer in an upcoming challenge!

Our sponsor for this week is Uniko... and you could win your choice an in stock stamp set!!  Head over to the AAA Cards blog to see what the design team has created as well as to see what our Guest Designer Angie dreamed up!

I had a lot of ideas in my head for this challenge but ended up grabbing a new stamp and die set from Pretty Pink Posh.

I started by ink blending green ink on to white cardstock, allowing there to be imperfections in the amount of colour.  I stamped the wreath image on top of the colour blended cardstock with black ink using my Misti so that I could stamp it a few times to get it nice and dark over the ink blended background.  I then coloured a few of the leaves and the flowers with Copic markers.  I also added some sparkle to the other leaves using the Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen.  I then lined up the die and cut out the wreath.  The red banner is embossed with the greeting and placed directly on to a white card and I used foam tape to adhere the wreath to the front of the card.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Solar Crest White 110lb; Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler
*Images:  Pretty Pink Posh Winter Wreath
*Ink:  VersaMark; GinaK Amalgam; Catherine Pooler Spruce; Copic markers
*Dies:  Pretty Pink Posh Winter Wreath
*Tools:  Misti; Big Shot; Heat Tool; Life Changing Blender Brushes
*Etc:  white embossing powder; Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen; Foam Tape

*Merry & Bright*

I have had this big Merry & Bright stamp in my stash for a few years now and honestly, I can't remember if I've ever inked it up before.  I wasn't even sure that the company that made it was still in business... but I googled them and they still pop up.

I feel like this card isn't quite right.... missing something?  Has too much?  I'm not sure what it is but it just doesn't feel right to me.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White;
*Paper:  Unknown
*Images:  Stampin' Up! Making Spirits Bright; Blue Fern Studio Holiday Greetings
*Inks:  Catherine Pooler Grass Skirt, Limoncello, Rockin' Red; Gina K Amalgam
*Tools:  Perfect Layers Tools; Misti
*Etc:  Copic Markers; white gel pen

*Single Plaid Tree*

More plaid, more tree punch, another clean and simple design.  I was on a roll the day I made this card (and the last two as well).  I love how you can use patterned paper to create an all over design or use just small bits of it to create a clean and simple card.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Wrapped in Plaid
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles
*Tools:  Stampin' Up! tree punch

*Plaid Trees*

I absolutely fell in love with the clean line stamps in a set by Cathy Zielske for Simon Says Stamp.  I will admit that I haven't yet used anything but the sentiment stamps in this set... but I sure do love these sentiments.  So very clean and simple in their design.

I also really love this retired Stampin' Up! tree punch... 

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Wrapped in Plaid
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clear Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles
*Tools:  Stampin' Up! tree punch; Big Shot

*If You Don't Believe*

I recently challenged myself to use some of the wonderful Christmas themed patterned papers that I have in my stash.  To that end, you'll be seeing a few cards here over the next couple of days, all featuring patterned paper.

For todays card, I broke out the Wrapped in Plaid 6X6 stack I purchased this fall...  The design itself is rather simple, but with all that plaid, it's not longer a clean and simple card (at least not by my description).  I love the lines of gold throughout the one side of these designs.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White; Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler
*Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up! Wrapped in Plaid
*Images:  Kraftin' Kimmie Christmas Cheer Sentiments
*Ink:  VersaFine Clair Nocturne
*Tools:  Perfect Layers Tool

*CASology #356*

It's time for a new challenge on the CASology Blog...  for this challenge, we want to see your Clean and Simple cards using the cue of "faith".  Our sponsor for this week is STAMPlorations.  Enter your card on the CASology blog for your chance to win a prize and to be a guest designer on an upcoming challenge!

For a lot of people, I know that this will evoke a more religious card... and, well, I'm not like those people.  I decided to do mine a little differently....

Ahhhh, yes.... have faith.... believe in the magic of Christmas!  My sons are now 24 and 22 and I told them long ago that they can always believe in Santa and in the magic of Christmas.  I am way past 24 and I still believe!

I tried to capture the shimmer of that wonderful red mirrored cardstock that I got at Michaels but let's face it... I'm a card maker, not a photographer LOL!  The red mirrored cardstock adds a little sparkle without adding more elements to the card.  I also like how the white on white layer has a little "something something" added by using foam tape to adhere the top panel to the card front.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Neenah Classic Crest Solar White 110lb (pretty much my go to); red mirror from Michaels
*Images:  Catherine Pooler Tis the Season; Simon Says Stamp Believe
*Inks: Catherine Pooler Lime Rickey, Grass Skirt, Rockin' Red; Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Believe
*Etc:  foam tape

*Blue Mirror Snowflakes*

Happy Monday all!  I hope you are enjoying the daily dose of Christmas Cards!  I know I've been enjoying making them.  Christmas cards are my favourite things to make... and I will admit that I have more Christmas papers, dies and stamps than I do everyday items.  Crazy, I know... but I just love it all so much!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  blue mirror
*Images:  Stampin' Up! Making Christmas Bright
*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Christmas Layers
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Tools:  Big Shot; Perfect Layers

*Peace*

Ok... this photo looks black and white, but I promise it is navy and white....  I saw a card recently that was white on navy and I loved how it looked... so I decided to try something.  I took some thinner cardstock and put double sided adhesive on the front and ran it through my big shot with this great snowflake die.  I then covered it in clear glitter to make it sparkle.  Glitter really does make a mess...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Night of Navy
*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas
*Ink:  Versamark
*Dies:  Impression Obsession
*Tools:  Big Shot; Heat Tool
*Etc:  white embossing powder; Glitter Ritz glitter

*Be Jolly*

I really love this Ho Ho Holidays set from Lawn Fawn.  Some great little sentiments as well a perfect little Santa. 

I also fell in love with a colour combination... I pulled the cardstock from my stash several days ago and I just kept staring at it, wondering what I wanted to do with it.  I knew I wanted to play with it but nothing was coming to my mind.  And then I saw sketch #403 at Freshly Made Sketches and I decided to try it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Call Me Clover, Real Red, Pool Party
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Ho Ho Holidays
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics
*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Everyday Sentiment Banner
*Tools:  Brother Scan n Cut; Perfect Layers; Big Shot
*Etc:  Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

*I Made a Scene*

Ok, a scene may be stretching it... but for this clean and simple girl, this is a lot of detail!  I saw a few cards in the last few weeks that used grey, red and white for Christmas cards so I thought I'd try my hand.  I'm not sure why the photo is so dark...  the mat is red but it doesn't look like it here. Also the tree is stamped on grey with red ink and clear embossed...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler, Basic Grey
*Images:  Stampin' Up Festival of Trees; Lawn Fawn Ho Ho Holidays
*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Rockin' Red, Blackjack; VersaMark; Stampin' Up! White; Gina K Amalgam
*Embellishments:  Nuvo Glimmer Paste Moonstone; Clear Embossing Powder
*Dies:  unknown
*Tools:  Big Shot; Brother Scan n Cut; Heat Tool; Perfect Layers; Stampin' Up! tree punch; Life Changing Blender Brushes
*Etc:  MFT Snowfall Stencil; Copics; Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

*Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays*

I saw an idea somewhere where the person who created the card used a second cut of the same die offset to show off a little colour... so I decided to try it too.  I did it with a beautiful shade of blue mirror cardstock...  I need to find more of this paper!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  silver glitter; blue mirror
*Images:  Lawn Fawn Ho Ho Holidays
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Dies:  MFT Snowflake Window
*Tools:  Big Shot; My Sweet Petunia Cut Alighn

*Another Scrap*

Welcome to another edition of The Scraps on Nancy's Desk...  if you've been here for a while you've seen me using scraps I've found on my desk to put together a new card.  I don't keep every scrap and piece, but I keep some things... especially this paper from a really old stack from Michaels.  I love love love this red and silver glitter striped paper and I don't want to waste any of it.  This small square was left after creating the frame on the snowman card from Nov 10th.  I knew I didn't want to throw it out but I didn't know what I should do with it.  Thanks to my friend Bonnie who suggested I made it in to a present...

Items Used:
*Paper:  glitter paper from an old Michael's stack; red mirror cardstock
*Images:  Poppy Stamps Art Deco Celebrate Christmas
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Die:  My Favorite Things Filled With Joy
*Tools:  Perfect Layers Tool

*Blizzard of Wishes*

I really really love snowflakes and snowmen....  but I hate snow.  I live in a part of the world where we see snow from fall until spring but I am thankful we get some warmer weather in there as well.  I think snowflakes are beautiful and snowmen are adorable... and while the snow makes everything look clean and bright, I still don't like it.  I'd love to live in a world where we have snow over Christmas and that's it!

I love the snowflake border I used on this card... it just feels perfect to me...

Items Used:
*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Feels Like Frost
*Dies:  Memory Box Frostyville Border
*Tools:  Big Shot
*Stamps:  Stampin' Up! Snow Is Glistening
*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Stone Blue

*Plaid Plaid Plaid*

I think I'm at the point where I need to start posting pretty much daily so that I'm not still showing you Christmas cards in January... although honestly, it might still happen!  I am about 1/3 of the way done my Christmas cards for 2019... I have some major work to do to get them all done!  I sat in my craft room yesterday and made 4 cards in more hours than I'd like to admit... but 4 cards is better than the no cards I made the day before LOL!

This card idea came from a card I saw on Pinterest.  Check out the card that snagged my eye HERE.  I love this plaid paper from Stampin' Up! and while I thought it was a little too busy at first, I think I like it....

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Shaded Spruce
*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Wrapped in Plaid
*Tools:  Stampin' Up! Tree Punch; Perfect Layers Tool
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! Gold Star

*AAA #153*

Welcome to challenge number 153 with AAA Cards!  For the next two weeks, we are challenging you to play along with us to create a clean and simple card.  The challenge for #153 is one image and the optional challenge is shimmer.  By linking up your creation, you have the change of winning a $15 gift certificate to Funky Fossil Designs!

For my card, I once again played with a scrap that was on my desk.  If you'll recall, a few days ago I posted a similar card and said I wasn't completely happy with it.  I still had a square of that wonderful patterned paper on my desk so I decided to try again.  This time instead of creating a layer behind my image, I used this great glitter paper to form a frame.

I really like this card a lot more than the last one.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; white from my stash
*Paper:  glitter paper from Michaels (from many years ago)
*Images:  Mama Elephant Little Snowmen Agenda
*Ink:  Gina K Amalgam; Copics
*Tools:  Memory Box Square Basics dies; Big Shot
*Embellishments:  Lawn Fawn Glitter Pen

*White on Grey Congrats*

The LPN at our Drs is truly fabulous...  she is kind, caring, funny, helpful.... I look at her like she's my little sister or something (by a lot of years... maybe my daughter).  She got engaged earlier this year and is getting married next week... I wanted to give her a little gift so of course I had to make a card to go along with it...

I have no idea what her bridal colours are (or if she's even doing that) so I wanted something neutral and clean.... so hello white on grey.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Grey, Shimmer
*Dies:  Pretty Pink Posh Congrats; My Favorite Things Stitched Blooms

For this card I arranged the flowers on the grey card how I wanted them and then picked it all up with some Press 'n Seal (yup, from the kitchen), flipped it over, applied some adhesive and placed it all on to my card front. 

*Warm Memories*

I absolutely fell in love with this patterned paper from Stampin' Up!  Each page is double sided... one side is a great snowy or frosty photograph and the other side is is a foiled design.  It's a 6x6 pad so the designs are shrunk down to fit on cards well.  I didn't know if I'd really be able to do anything with the frosty scenes since I tend towards clean and simple cards more than anything... but I saw an idea and decided to run with it.  And honestly, I love how it turned out!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  White; dark blue shimmer; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Paper:  Stampin Up! Frosted Foliage
*Images:  Kraftin' Kimmie Christmas Cheer Sentiments
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne
*Tools:  Perfect Layers Tool

*CASology #353*

Welcome to another challenge with CASology!  For challenge #353, we are looking to see your clean and simple cards of appreciation!

This cue came at the perfect time for me... I wanted to send a special friend a card of thanks at the end of October...  a card for someone who has stepped up to be a great friend to me, keeping my spirits up, helping me process information, letting me cry when I needed it.  I am truly blessed to have a couple of amazingly awesome friends in my circle....

I love the look of this black and white with a pop of colour card... Lots of white/unused space on this card and the stark black words seem to make the sentiment that much more important.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  White; Stampin' Up! Gorgeous Grape
*Images:  Simon Says Stamps Big Thanks; Gina K Wreath Builder
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Catherine Pooler Grape Crush
*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Misti
*Embellishments:  clear gems

*Deck The Halls*

A quick and easy card for you all today...  I stamped up some holly leaves from a Catherine Pooler set and cut them out with my Brother Scan 'n Cut.  I suppose I could have just stamped them on the white panel, but by stamping and cutting them out I had the ability to play with their placement.  this card could easily be replicated to do multiples of them... especially by using the Scan 'n Cut to cut out the holly leaves.

Items Used
*Cardstock:  White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Images:  Catherine Pooler Tis The Season; Stampin' Up! Beautiful Baubles
*Ink:  Versamark; Catherine Pooler Grass Skirt
*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut; Perfect Layers; My Sweet Petunia Cut Align
*Embellishments:  Candy Cane Stickles; white embossing powder

*Plaid Joy*

Welcome to November!!!  I am in full Christmas Card Making Mode now....  with the odd non-Christmas card still to make it in to the mix.  I absolutely love making Christmas cards.  The largest part of my crafting collection is Christmas themed... and I'm not at all ashamed by that LOL!

I love cards like this that come to be by using a scrap (or scraps) that are on my desk.  Last year, when I purchased the Concord & 9th Plaid Background stamp, I played around with a few black and red colour combinations.  I used two of them last year and had one left.  Instead of throwing it out, I kept it in a bin on my desk... and I pulled it out while playing the other day and decided to see what I could do with it.

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  White; Stampin' Up! Basic Black and Cherry Cobbler
*Images:  Catherine Pooler Tis the Season; Concord & 9th Plaid Background
*Ink:  Catherine Pooler Grass Skirt, Blackjack, Rockin' Red
*Dies:  MFT Filled With Joy
*Tools:  Perfecta Layers Tool; Brother Scan 'n Cut; Big Shot
*Embellishments:  red pearls