*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

 This week on the My Favorite Instagram Hop, we are playing with our favourite hair or clothing fad. I wasn't going to play with this one because nothing popped in to my head.  Then, this past weekend, I had an idea and I ran with it!

I LOVE that ugly Christmas sweaters have made a comeback.  I love that people host parties, that people make their own, that my office has us wear them on the Friday before Christmas.  They are just so much fun!

I bought a few sheets of this 12X12 paper from Photoplay a few years ago and used my Brother Scan 'n Cut to cut out all of the sweaters... sadly, I'm down to my last handful.  I'll be sad when they're gone!

I decided to showcase three of them on a fun embossed background on a mini slimline card.

Card Info

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Lisa Horten Layered Bubbles
*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Challenges:  Inkspirational #355

*{BYSHC} Sketch #63 Take 2*

I love the simplicity of this months' sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers. You can choose to make a more detailed card, but it totally fits in with my clean and simple vibe!

For this card, I did go a little less clean and simple by using an all over patterned paper for my biggest layer.  I love using papers from a paper pack because they always coordinate so well!  The elf elements were in my bin of extras, already coloured up and ready to go!

Card Info

*Paper:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays

*Stamps:  Catherine Pooler Nice List; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

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

*Dies:  Catherine Pooler Nice List

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers  #63

*Time to Play*

 I've had a lot of creative time lately, but not a lot of time to just play with other challenges or my own ideas.  I've been busy with all of my design team obligations.  Last weekend, I finished off all of my design team creations for November so I have some time on my hands to just create this weekend.  I needed to get ahead of the curve because we have new windows being installed in our house later this week and at some point (Tuesday or Wednesday) I will have to move everything from near the window in my craft room... and lord knows how long it will take me to get things back together.

So yesterday was a day off for me (I get one Saturday off a month) and after running a few errands (and before heading to the pub to watch my football team win the Western Final), I created a few cards...

Today I am sharing one that I'm entering in to the challenges at Just Add Ink and Inkspirational.

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up!

*Dies;  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Challenges:  Just Add Ink #773; Inkspirational #354

*Build Your Stash Falling for the Holidays Linky Party*

 I'm here this morning with another Christmas card for the BYSHCardmarkers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party.  I love these little gnomes from PhotoPlay... so cute and easy to colour!

Card Info

*Paper:  DCWV December 25th

*Stamps:  Photo Play Gnome for the Holidays; Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas

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

*Dies:  Photo Play Gnome for the Holidays; Simon Stays Stamp Clean Line Christmas

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*Addicted to CAS #293*

 Good morning, friends... I'm slowly transitioning in to making more and more Christmas cards... and today is one of those days!  I LOVE making Christmas cards.  Today I'm sharing a card for the current challenge at Addicted to CAS.

The only sweater stuff I have in my stash are these great ugly Christmas Sweaters.  I bought a few sheets of this great pattern paper a few years ago and used my Brother Scan 'n Cut to cut them all out.  I'm getting low on them now LOL!

Card Info

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  The Ton Easy Expressions Christmas; Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #293

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 This week on the My Favourite Instagram Hop, we are celebrating Mom.  We each have used a favourite Mom themed stamp or die set.

I have been LOVING all of the Pinkfresh Studio washi tape that I have in my stash. I use the washi with the dies way more often than I use the stamps!  So that's what I went with today...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Photoplay Mom & Dad Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Vines & Roses; Photoplay Mom & Dad Sentiments
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges: Simply Clean and Simple

*My Favourite Hop - Christmas Movie*

I'm back with another card with the My Favourite Instagram Hop.... this week we are sharing our favourite Christmas movie!

Once again, I took a little creative license with my card.  I am one of those people who loves watching Hallmark Christmas movies.  I love that they always have a happy ending.  I like that they are simple in their storyline because it makes them perfect to watch while I am crafting.

Now, how does my card represent Hallmark Christmas movies?  Well, to start I used a shiny gold cardstock for the word die cut, emulating the gold Hallmark logo.  The sentiment refers to their always being a nod towards "Christmas magic" in these movies.  And finally, if you've ever played Hallmark Christmas Movie Bingo, then you know that an ugly Christmas sweater shows up in almost every single movie.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black; Spellbinders gold foil

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Believe

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Believe

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  The Paper Players #716

*Time Out Challenges #276*

It's time for a new challenge at Time Out Challenges... and for the next two weeks we are encouraging you to show us your cozy cards!  You can interpret this however you'd like, as long as we can see how your card is "cozy".

I pulled out some ugly Christmas sweaters and a cable knit embossing folder to make my card.  These sweaters were a 12x12 piece of paper from Photoplay... I bought a couple of them and used my Brother Scan 'n Cut to cut them all out.  

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Shaded Spruce

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Cable Knit

*Tools: Perfect Layers; Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #276

*Scrap 'n Stamp Instagram Hop*

 I'm participating in an Instagram Hop today with some other designers at Scrap 'n Stamp Canada.  Be sure to head over to my Instagram to go visit the other players as well!

We were asked to make Dad themed cards for this hop... so I chose some Dad colours (I remember my Dad having suits in these colours way back in the 70s and 80s)... I wish I could send him this card.

Card Info

*Cardstock: Gina K Stormy Sky, Black Onyx, In the Navy

*Images:  Spellbinders Sentiments for You

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; white gel pen

*Die:  Photoplay Mom & Dad; Pinkfresh Studio Slim Strips

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Embellishments:  Picket Fence Studio Day & Night Gem Mix

*Time Out Challenges #265*

We have an Inspired by Words challenge at Time Out Challenges...  how are you inspired by "there are always flowers for those who want to see them"?

I LOVE working with florals when I'm making cards... and then you add rainbow colours and I'm all in!  This was the card I made for my husband to send to his Mom for Mother's Day.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders gold foil; Stampin' Up! Basic Black
*Images:  MFT Essential Sentiments

*Ink:  Verafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Photoplay Mom & Dad Sentiments; Pinkfresh Studio Rainbow Floral

*Washi:  Pinkfresh Studio Rainbow Floral

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Time Out #265

*AAAColourful Challenge #1*

 WELCOME to the first ever challenge with the AAAColourful team!  We are going to be a monthly colour challenge and we are excited to have you join us!  Each month we will come to you on the 15th with a colour inspiration and we challenge you to link up your NEW creations to our challenge!  Any style goes, so come have some fun with us!

As our first challenge, we decided to make it easy...  Do your best at creating something with the rainbow of colours!

We all know I love a good rainbow card...  so I chose some basic colours and a sute birthday gnome and went for it...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Poppy Parade, Mango Melody, Pacific Point

*Images:  Photoplay Norbert's Birthday Party; MFT Bitty Birthday Wishes

*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Dies:  Photoplay Norbert's Birthday Party; Pink Fresh Studio Slim Strips

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  AAAColourful #1

*Christmas Craft Creations November*

There is still time to play along with the November challenge at Christmas Craft Creations...  the challenge for this month is "add a hat".

I went through all of my Christmas images and dies to find anything that had a hate and decided to use this cute little gnome.  I added some sparkly snow behind him with a stencil and some stencil paste.  I like the black accents to tie it all together

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Images:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays Christmas; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Stencil:  MFT Snowfall

*Dies:  MFT Stitched Rectangles; Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays Christmas; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Etc:  Nuvo Glimmer Paste Moonstone; Frosted Lace Stickles

*{BYSHC} Sketch #37*

We have another great sketch for you over at Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers... we want to help you build your stash of holiday cards.  I love these sketches because they can be clean and simple or they can be super intricate... you get to decide!

This card leans a little more to the clean and simple that I truly love... it's still pretty busy by my clean and simple standards, but a lot less busy than it could be.  I love using patterned paper on my Christmas cards and I've been waiting for an excuse to cut in to this great ho ho ho paper!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Gumball Green

*Paper:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Circles

*Embossing Folder:  Gina K Holiday Flora

*Tools:  Corner Chomper; Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  {BYSHC}#37; Peace on Earth #47

*Create It 3 Ways Instagram Hop*

I am excited to be joining a brand new Instagram Hop that starts today...  this is a monthly hop that will run on the 3rd Saturday of each month.  The overall theme is a fun one....  it's a create it 3 ways theme!  Each month we will have a different theme to play with... and each member of the team will create three projects in that theme using something from their craft rooms in three ways.  A team member could use the same stamp, the same layout, the same technique, the same colour combination (or anything else you think of).... but use it for three different projects following the monthly theme.

For May, our theme is Father's Day or Celebrating a male figure in your life.

If you head to my Intstagram Profile you'll be able to find more information about this hop and see all of the other links!

I decided to play with the same Patterned Paper for my cards... and in that, I guess I also have three cards in the same colour palette.

Can you see the idea of the hop now?  Three cards celebrating Dad.... all using the same colour palette/patterned paper.  I based my cards using that striped paper.

This was the first card I came up with...  pretty simple, just showcasing that paper.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Basic Grey

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Well Suited

*Images:  Simon Says Stamp Big Old Birthday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Photoplay Mom & Dad Sentiments
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

This was my second card...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Grey, Night of Navy

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Well Suited

*Images:  Photoplay Mom & Dad Sentiments

*Dies:  MFT Impact Alphabet

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

And finally, my third card....  I always think of a tie my Dad wore when I see this paper...  I did a fun z-fold card for this one.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black, Night of Navy

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Well Suited

*Images:  Stampin' Up! Handsomely Suited

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Suit & Tie, Tasteful Labels

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*{BYSH}Cardmakers #32*

Out with the old and in with the new.... I was here yesterday with my second card for the March sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers and I'm here today with the first card I made for the April sketch!  Are you playing along with us each month?

Here is the sketch for April...

And here is my card...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Garden Green

*Paper:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays, Tulla & Norbet's Christmas Party

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  {BYSH}Cardmakers #32

*CAS Colours & Sketches #503*

It's time for a new challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches... and since we have an extra Tuesday of the month, we have a double challenge for you!  We want you to create a card using both the colours and the sketch below.

I used my Misti to help me stamp my sentiment evenly and decided a fun gnome would finish of this celebration card!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Rose Red

*Images:  Photoplay Norbert's Birthday Party; MFT Essential Sentiments

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

*Dies:  Photoplay Norbert's Birthday Party

*Tools:  Misti; Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #503

*The Last*

And here we are...  my last Christmas card creation of 2022.  And since I doubt I'll find my craft room before January 1st, my last card for 2022.  I was aiming for 365 different designs this year but I fell a little short.  The broken wrist in April slowed me down but I caught up... and then Covid slowed me down, but I caught up...  I entered December ahead of "schedule" and thought for sure I'd make it to 365.  And then the mojo took a vacation and I have created anything in about 3 weeks.  I made it to 343 different designs in 2022.

I've decided that instead of fighting it, I'd just busy myself with other things... I will enjoy some time in my craft room after I'm done work for the week (and the year)... 

So for today, you get one last Christmas card.  I needed a set of cards that was easy to replicate for a set of cards for a friend... they varied a little in the patterned papers I chose, but the design was all the same.  I love these ugly Christmas sweaters.... I bought a few 12x12 sheets of this Photoplay paper last year and cut out each sweater with my Scan 'n Cut.  So much fun!

Card Info

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party, Gnome for the Holidays
*Image:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings; MFT Stitched Circles, Stitched Rectangles

*Sweater Weather... again*

I'm playing with the {BYSHC} Sketch again... We love to see what others do with the sketch so please be sure to share with us!  If you are on Facebook you can share your creations in the correct album HERE.  If you're not on FB but what to share on other social media, please be sure to use #byshcsketchchallenge28

I wanted to have a little more fun with my second card so I decided to use one of those delightful Photoplay ugly sweaters as my focal point.  I bought this 12X12 paper last winter and used my Scan 'n Cut to cut out all of the sweaters.  I just love them!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown red glitter; Stampin' Up! Real Red

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Images:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips Christmas

*Dies:  Taylored Expressions Simple Strips, Simple Strips Backer

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Faceted Snowflakes

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Sweater Weather*

This card started and stopped and started and stopped before I came up with this design... and I really wanted it to work... and I don't think it did.  That patterned paper is just too much for my clean and simple leaning eye (I know not everything I made has to be clean and simple... and it's not... but this card is just too much)

Card Info

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party, Gnome for the Holidays

*BYSHC Linky Party!*

It's time for the {BYSHC} Falling for the Holidays Linky Party!!!  What is that you say?  It's easy!  For the next week, share your holiday cards with us and you'll be entered to win some fabulous prizes!!  The more entries you have, the better your chances at winning!  Grab your Christmas and winter holiday supplies and start building your stash of holiday cards!

Here are the details:

• Please use the graphic below and the hashtag #fallingfortheholidays2022byshclp in your social media posts
• Share your newly created and posted cards with us HERE
• No back linking please... only share new projects!
• All projects must be Christmas or winter holiday themed (all winter holidays are elibigle)

I can't wait to see all of the projects!!

The Design Team all got a chance to create a card to help advertise the Linky Party... I hope you'll head to the BLOG to see some wonderful winter holiday goodness!!!

Card info

*Paper:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays

*Images:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays; Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas

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

*Dies:  Photoplay Gnome for the Holidays; Pink Fresh Studio Slimline Strips

*Etc:  #fallingfortheholidays2022bshclp