Christmas Fairy Ellie Time over at Paper Nest Dolls

 Using a New Release from August over at Paper Nest Dolls called "Christmas Fairy Ellie" , I'm asking that you all join in our monthly challenge!  You too could win a prize from the extensive digital library that our resident artist, Christine, brings to us each month! 
I haven't made a 5x7 card in a long time but I didn't want to make her smaller-she's so gorgeous I wanted to show her all off.  I usually use card blanks for my base, but this time it was a shimmery cardstock for the base.  Picturing a golden angel, I used plum for an accent color. The plum berries have a "frost" of clear Wink of Stella" as does her wings.  after coloring her coat and dress ruffle, I used some gold WOS for that highlight and for the bells on her toes.  I also added some "fur" around her coat collar and edges by using some white flower soft.  The snowfall she is standing in is flower soft but I added some Shaved Ice to it from Frantage/Stampendous.  Hope the mini fringe I put on the side looks like snowballs!  On the inside, I used the Ornament Background paper along with a KKS Christmas stamp.  I'm so happy that designers are all putting out their Christmas goodies-helps a working gal get her cards done early!
Please come and participate in our Challenge and get inspired like we all do when we see your creations!  Come back real soon!

The Last Month for the Come and Get It Challenges--join us in the last Hurrah!

This is a beautiful time of the year for us to share our creations with you from Come and Get It Challenge Family...but this month it's a little bit different for us on the Design Team.

You will notice on the Challenge site we are joined on the 3rd and on the 17th by past DT members also, to celebrate the Final hurrah of this Great blog site.  Yes, this month will be our last month sharing with all of our followers.  Due to unforeseen  circumstances, the 2 great leaders of our group, Cindy and Julie, have to close the website.  I know that all of us will see each other again in this crafty world-they have been wonderful to work with for all of us.

So this is my first contribution, using Polkadoodles' Hollybobs Mistletoe.  He was delightful to color and create with, as have been all the Polkadoodle images I've been thrilled to receive in the past.  I liked coloring him with copics in some "boyish" colors like grays, burgundy, navy, and greens and browns. Paired with an accent of red plaid paper, a chipboard sentiment and white dimensional poinsettia, I loved using the vintage red sentiment papers with this square card. 
For the inside, I used a pattern of dots-reminded me of snow but in colors of grays, white and burgundy.  Another Chipboard saying is perfect for Christmas.
Remember there are lots of prizes to be won because of the multiple sponsors this month--We would love you to join us for our challenge.  We have all appreciated the loyalty to our site and have loved seeing all your beautiful creations.  Be sure and participate in the Challenge on the 13th also.  We want you ALL to be there with us.  Thank you one and all.

Reminder: ATG Sherri Ann Baldy's Month long Challenge over at Color It, Create It, Show it Off

 There are so many Christmas images in Sherri Ann Baldy's shop, and many have made it onto MY cards this year, that you will have trouble deciding which is your favorite!  I created this one for Color It, Create It, Show it Off  using  "Img 454" and it is perfect with her deer antlers headband!  I used some double-sided papers from my stash and then wrapped the pretty card in a rich red organza ribbon and attached a silver Christmas Tree charm.  I also used a beautiful holly leaf swirl die cut from a dear friend in New Zealand-what a treat!
When I looked at this image, I thought-black velvet dress so hopefully I achieved that look.  I felt like she would be dressy, going to a party or a Christmas Concert.  Some white flower soft sprinkled on the fur on her dress give some dimension.
On the inside liner, I used another  Graphic 45 paper-I think it was meant to be cut apart and used separately but I like the look of it all together.  A wonderful sentiment stamped for the inside from the great group KKS finishes it off. 
As a reminder, there is still a Challenge here.  Our challenge runs from the 1st day of the Month and ends the end of the day on the 29th, and our winners are announced on the last day of the month. You can check the prizes out -the images are amazing.

Always Anything Goes at Craft Your Passion-ALL Dressed Up is our Great Sponsor!

 Such a Festive Christmas Deer we have for this weeks' Challenge at Craft Your Passion!  It's Always Anything Goes and this image was provided for us to use by All Dressed Up.  Isn't it so perfect!
I colored it up with Copics, gave it a Christmas red mat, and then used my favorite "go to" snow-maker, White Chunky Frantage.  I used a great heavy holly paper and the reverse side, a distressed red, for the horizontal banner.  The sentiment is from a set from KKS- so love the script lettering.  A friend from New Zealand sent me the gorgeous holly die cut w/ swirls and I used some red Dew Drops as holly berries.
On the inside liner, I used the reverse distressed cardstock and again stamped the Holiday Greeting from KKS.  A perfect sentiment for the Holidays.  We hope to see your Christmas or Festive creations on this Challenge but anything you create will be wonderful!  Hope to see you soon!

A Christmas card with a Sweet image from Sherri Baldy!

I just Loved working on this digital image from Sherri Ann Baldy, #924 found in her store here.  It's so festive and perfect for the Christmas Season.  This is one of those dream cards that from the coloring and the papers and construction, the creative juices are just flowing and it's truly a joy to produce.
With this card, I wanted to use a design I often did years ago where you slip tags into pockets for messages or sentiments.  This image is matted in red velvet and shimmery gold cardstock and then onto some Holly print design paper.  I my mind the coloring on her dress reminds me of red velvet also so hope that comes across.  The background paper on the front is actually a Christmas song-perfect to use!  I added white flower soft and white chunky Frantage for the snow.
The tags I used were some that came on a 12x12 sheet all seasonal, with and without sentiments.  I put a brushed gold eyelet at the top and used some festive fibers for the pull tags.  Like a secret message for the recipient.
On the inside liner, I used the Holly paper again and a Stamped sentiment from KKS.
There are so many Challenges out there, especially for Sherri Baldy images, and some great Christmas ones also.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges:
My Besties International- ATG w/ Winter theme
Scrapbook Stamp Society Challenge Blog-ATG 
My Besties Aussie Challenge-Christmas, Bling or Glitter 
Pattie's Creations Design Challenge-Christmas or Winter 
Crafty Calendar Challenge-Christmas Time 
Hiding in my Craft Room-Christmas colors 
Fab N Funky Challenge-Christmas 
The Paper Shelter-A Christmas Card

It's SKETCH time at the Come and Get It Challenge! Sponsor is A Day for Daisies!!

 This week at Come and Get It Challenge, we are using a sketch for our creations.  Aren't they great when you just get stuck?  Our images are furnished by A Day for Daisies, Sami has just great images for you to use-check the site out soon!  This one is called Candy Elf and it makes a great Christmas card! 
Background is a kraft toned Christmas word paper, with a rusty red plaid mat around the oval image.  I used silver bell brads on this stocking cap and added Chunky white Frantage with a touch of glitter for a snowy effect.  I took liberties with the wide horizontal bank, instead electing to use 2 red glittered rick rac in it's place.  On the inside,I again used the plaid and added coordinated cardstock stickers spelling out JOY and a matching tag with a red jewel.  Think it's a Festive card for our challenge this week!
The Winner of the Challenge will receive a $12 Gift certificate (3 Images) Come and join us for all the fun ~

Christmas in July at Lacy Sunshine-Come Beat the Heat!

I just couldn't resist posting another Lacy Sunshine image  for our monthly "Theme" Christmas in July".  We started off the month with Team A challenge using the digital images from Lacy Sunshine called the "Whimsie's" with a Christmas theme.  Well, there are SO many Wintery/Christmas images that Heather has created in the Lacy Sunshine Store that we were encouraged to use a variety!
This image called Coco's Santas' Hot Chocolate and it's just what I would recommend on a Cold Winter's day!  Love it and Love this image.  I made it a 6x6 card with a pink mat under a Chocolate swirled design paper.  I added a chocolate sheer ribbon, a foil sentiment sticker and a love of mine, raspberry baby buttons.
Come join us for all the fun-Beat the Heat and Humidity and get some Christmas cards done while you're at it!  See you there!

I'd like to enter this in the following Challenge:

Crafty Sentiments Designs Challenge Blog
Holly Jolly Christmas Challenge-Winter Wonderland 
Digi Choosday-Christmas in July 
Kitty Bee Designs-Aloha Friday Challenge #51 Christmas 

So Long to All our Friends from Seems a Little Sketchy! It's been a great Ride~

                                                 For me..32 Sketches, many papers/designs/copic colored images and countless embellishments later...we are seeing the end of  a great site full of Sketch Ideas for several crafters.  The owner and DT members of Seems a Little Sketchy have decided to close the SALS site down, going the way of many online creative sites.  Who can really say if it's because of today's hectic schedules or just a change in the creative juices of followers.  But, it takes endless hours and devotion for Mari, the owner, to put together the sketches and sponsorships for all of us and you the public to use and at some point, you just have to choose your battles.  To you, all of our devoted followers or even the ones that just use the sketches for their personal use, we thank you for following us and leaving sweet comments behind.  We have loved seeing each and every one of your designs and creations and hope to see you somewhere else on the net!

This week, our final 2 week challenge is sponsored by Stamping Dragon Designs and I'm using the Winter Beauty image.  I've turned the sketch, of course lol, and just love these bumpy, sparkly crystal clear buttons for the accents.   Inside I split the design paper to cover the seam in the ribbon and have used the sentiment from a Doodle Pantry set.
It has been fun and rewarding to belong to this great team and I will miss the friendships I've formed.  We hope that it has been a good ride for you as well.  Please support Mari's other design site called Creative Card Crew.  I'm sure she would love to see you all again at that location!

Sharing Christmas Card Marathon crafting session!

Every evening when I come home from work, I'm usually found making cards.  Normally, it's to showcase a creation for one of the Design Teams that I'm on.  But occasionally, the Love of the Christmas season lifts me up from a tired day and fills me with the Spirit of the Season. 

I'm just here tonight to share the love of the creations I'm inspired to make.  Just thought I'd just display them to bring a smile to your face and maybe give you some ideas and put your fingers to work to make your own creations.

Thank you for taking the time to look them over.  I will say that all of the sentiments, if not stamped, are digital sayings from Doodle Pantry.  That being said, here are many of those cards: