Merry Monday with Stampin' Celebration Challenge

It's time for another sketch challenge with Stampin' Celebration.  

To say I was inspired by this sketch would be a HUGE understatement.  First up is my design team submission.

I made a few more cards using this sketch to quickly put out several Christmas cards.  This was a great way to play with the Trim the Tree DSP stack from Stampin' UP!  

Did I mention I love this sketch?  It was so great I used it last week for my StampNation challenge card too. Instead of long rounded strips, I made banners and put the panels on a slant.  I'll share my sneak peek here for you since I didn't have a chance to share it last week.

Now it's time to check out Stampin' Celebration to see how the rest of the design team was inspired.  Be sure to leave them some love and then go play with the sketch and share your creations with us!  I always love seeing what you come up with.

Supplies- Stampin' UP! unless otherwise noted

1st Card

Stamps: Christmas Bliss 

Paper: All Is Calm DSP, Vellum Cardstock, Whisper White

Ink: Lost Lagoon

Accessories: Frosted Sequins, Stitched Rectangles Die (Lil' Inker Designs)

2nd Card
Paper: Trim the Tree DSP Stack, Crumb Cake, Garden Green
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine; Merry Mini Punch Pack; Corner Rounder (Creative Memories); Stitched Rectangles Die (Lil' Inker Designs)

Merry & Bright ~ Fusion Challenge

Every year, when I was a child, the magic of Christmas was felt in my room nightly.  My dad would put up his large bulb, multi-colored lights on the front of the house and little multi-colored lights around each window.  My room was in the front of the house, along with my brother's, so we would go to sleep in the soft glow of Christmas lights all through December.

After taking the A Very Trendy Holiday 2.0 class I had to re-create Catherine Pooler's string of lights card.  I created a similar background using supplies I had on hand and purchased the string of lights die from Penny Black so I could make lights of my own.  They are a great reminder of my childhood Christmas.  (even though I insist of having white icicle lights on my own home)

My lights were colored with Copics, then wink of stella pen, and finally covered in glossy accents.  Then my background and lights sat on my table for a few weeks waiting for the perfect challenge or sketch to pull it all together.  The new Fusion Card Challenge seemed perfect to me!

When I saw the big circle in the sketch I knew I could use some yellow ink to create a nice glow.  To add just a bit more sparkle I used some Iridescent Ice embossing powder on my banner.  The lights were already sparkly and bright. Thank you Fusion Card Challenge for helping me create the card that will go to my parents this Christmas!

Stamps: Christmas Bliss (Stampin' UP!)
Ink: Black Onyx (Versafine); Festive Berries, Fired Brick, Salty Ocean, Squeezed Lemonade (Distress)
Copics: B02, B04, B05, G02, G05, YG41, RV25, R29, R59, Y11, Y08, Y19, YR65, YR68, R24
Paper: Neenah Solar White, Whisper White (SU)
Accessories: Translucent Embossing Paste (Wendy Vecchi), Zig Zag Stencil (SimonSaysStamp) , Sparkle String (Penny Black)

Negative Space with a Positive Outcome

Have you ever missed a deadline because you were in the wrong week in your planner?  Yes? No?  Just me?  I did that this week.  On Tuesday I missed my dog's grooming appointment in the morning because I thought it was the day I was supposed to be at the dentist.  On Wednesday I didn't have a card ready to go for the current challenge at StampNation because I thought it was our sponsor week, (that card was done weeks ago) when in fact that is next week as well.  Aye yi yi.  Some weeks I truly wonder about myself.

All is well, and I am back on track with my days.  Thankfully Maureen is very understanding and let me slide for this week.  Our groomer was also accommodating and Bella will be getting "pretty" next week.  Unfortunately I still have another week to dread going to the dentist.  On the bright side, I get to share my Design Team cards with YOU because I didn't get them posted in time for the challenge at StampNation.  How is that for turning negative into positive?

Did I mention the challenge this week (for real) is to use Negative Space on your cards?  Fitting isn't it?   Thankfully the challenges at StampNation never close, so I can go add them to the challenge thread after I post here.

As you can see I was super inspired by this theme.  I chose blue ornaments so I could keep up with my personal 6 week Merry Monday challenge.   For each of these cards I die cut my ornament/circle out of white cardstock, then layered the ornament stamp/glitter paper behind.  The die cut piece was embossed then popped up using dimensionals over the ornament paper.

MM#134

 If you have ever mixed up your weeks like this, I would love to hear about it in the comments below.  If you never have, then please share your organized secret!

If you would like more information on StampNation, and/or to join the fastest growing online community of passionate paper crafters, clicky here.

Fancy Stamped Ornament
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes (SU); Seasonal Flourishes (WMS)

Ink: Night of Navy, Versamark (SU)

Paper: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Night of Navy
Accessories: Holiday Ornament Framelits (SU),;Liquid Platinum Embossing Powder (Ranger); Wink of Stella Glitter Pen

Glitter Ornament  (all Stampin' UP!)
Stamps: Christmas Bliss 

Ink: Lost Lagoon 

Paper: Various Glimmer Papers, Whisper White
Accessories: Circle Framelits, Early Espresso 1/8" Tafffeta Ribbon, Silver 1/8" Ribbon, Decorative Dots Embossing Folder

Washi Tape Christmas ~ Video

Now that the weather is colder, I am super inspired to get caught up on my Christmas card making.  It is my second week in a row entering the Merry Monday challenge.  My new goal is to participate each week in the Merry Monday challenge for the next 6 weeks.   By then I should probably be sending out my cards.

These were the first cards I made for the challenge.  Then I took a closer look at the challenge photo and realized I was supposed to do dry embossing, not heat embossing.

#132

Ooops.... It was an easy fix though.  I just pulled off the top layer and embossed over the sentiment.  The second take is even better than the first.

The gold card has an elegant look to it.   This time I die cut my sentiment instead of stamping it.

eta:  Last night I was looking in my inbox and discovered the new Virginia's View Challenge.  My card is right on trend with her metallics challenge, so I have to link it up there too.  Check out the AWESOME inspiration at her challenge site!

This simple design was so fabulous I decided to make it in another color scheme, and film a video for you.

Note-  If you are reading this post in an email or reader you may need to visit my blog to see the video below.

It was fun to play around with different colored cardstock and washi tape to achieve different looks.

At this point I'm not sure which one is my favorite?  Which one do you like the best?

Now I have 4 cards to add to my pile.  I'm not even tired of the design yet.   Perhaps I should pull out my red and green washi tapes and try for a couple more.  At this rate, perhaps I will be done with my cards early this year.  (ya, right, even I don't believe that one!)

Before I go...

If you haven't yet signed up for A Very Trendy Holiday 2.0 you will want to sign up this weekend.  The coupon code for StampNation members ends soon, and the BONUS Sketches PDF will only be available for those who sign up by Monday.

Click here to learn more about the Very Trendy Holiday card class

Click here to sign up for StampNation and grab your coupon code.

Be sure to check out Merry Monday Challenges and say goodbye to LeAnne Pugliese.   I'm so grateful to her for starting the Merry Monday Challenge blog and inspiring me throughout the year.  Without this challenge I doubt I would make any Christmas cards "out of season".  Her challenges and the design team's creation keep me motivated all year long.

Stampin' Supplies:

Gold Card:
Paper: Gold Foil, Very Vanilla Cardstock (Stampin' UP!)
Accesories:  Eliza Snowflake Die (Simon Says Stamp), Merry Script (Memory Box), Watercolor Wonder Washi Tape (SU)

Crumb Cake Card:
Stamps: Christmas Bliss (Stampin' UP!)
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Crumb Cake (Stampin' UP!)
Accessories: Early Espresso Embossing Powder, Delicate Designs Embossing Folder, Watercolor Wonder Washi Tape (SU)

Lost Lagoon Card:
Stamps: Merry Christmas Message (Hero Arts)
Ink: Lost Lagoon (Stampin' UP!)
Paper: Lost Lagoon, Whisper White (SU)
Accessories: All Is Calm Washi Tape (SU), Eliza Snowflake Die (Simon Says Stamp)

White Card:
Stamps: Merry Christmas Message (Hero Arts)
Ink: Lost Lagoon (Stampin' UP!)
Paper: Silver Foil, Whisper White (SU)
Accessories: All Is Calm Washi Tape (SU), Eliza Snowflake Die (Simon Says Stamp)