Joy to the World

Christmas is just around the corner.  It's time to amp up my cardmaking game!  First up is this card colored with Zig Clean Color real brush markers.  Of all the coloring mediums I have tried, I think I like these best.  My only wish is that I had more colors! 

To bring a little more highlight to certain areas, I used a white gel pen.  After coloring them in I did a wash of wink of stella to add some sparkle, then used yellow stickles to help make them stamen pop. If you click on the picture to see the close up, you'll notice the embossed die cut of the Merry Label Die.  I just love that double line embossed detail. 

Stamps: Hello Gorgeous (Altenew) Snowy Sayings (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps) Candy Cane Lane (Catherine Pooler Designs)

Ink: Midnight, (Catherine Pooler Designs) Real Red, Tranquil Tide (SU)Versamark

Paper: Bristol Vellum (Strathmore) Lost Lagoon (SU) Fairy Dust, Silver Bells 6x6 (Kaiser Craft)

Accessories: 024, 029 (Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers) Clear Embossing Powder (WOW) Merry Label Die (CAS-ual Fridays Stamps) Yellow Stickles

Hello Gorgeous, Altenew Stamp & Die Bundle

Hello Gorgeous, Altenew Clear Stamp Set

Hello Gorgeous, Altenew Dies

My Sweet Petunia Mini MISTI Laser Etched Stamping Tool (6-1/8 X 7)

Catherine Pooler Ink Pad, Midnight

Midnight, Catherine Pooler Mini Ink Pad

Neenah Cardstock, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White, 25 pk

ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Marker 024, Wine Red

ZIG Clean Color Real Brush Marker 029, Geranium Red

Zig Wink of Stella Glitter Brush Tip Marker, Clear

Catherine Pooler Ink Pad, Rockin Red

Foundations, Catherine Pooler Mini Ink Pads

VersaMark Ink Pad

WOW Embossing Powder, Regular - Clear Sparkle

Silver Brush Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes, Short Round 8

Uni-ball Impact Gel Pen, White

Strathmore Bristol Pad 9x12

Scotch Foam Mounting Tape

Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, 0.88 oz.

Ranger Multi Medium, Matte Mini, 1/2 oz.

Quilled Creations Precision Tip Glue Applicator Bottle 0.5 oz.

Ranger Stickles, Yellow

My Sweet Petunia MISTI Laser Etched Stamping Tool (8-1/8 X 10-1/2)

Unscripted Holidays

Are  you ready for an easy, clean and simple holiday card?  This one was so quick to put together.  If you are wanting to mass produce some Christmas cards, this design is a great one.  You can use whatever Christmas sentiment you have and pair it with scraps of paper from your holiday stash.

The Old Olive button and white Candy Dots add a nice touch, don't you think?  The button is retired and so is the ribbon, but they still work beautiully.  I was happy for a chance to use both of them.

The chance to win has ended, but the link is still open to play along with Unscripted Sketches.  They put a new sketch out every Saturday.  I think this sketch would work for so many cards.  Can you picture it with a birthday sentiment?  How about hearts instead of circles for Valentine's day?  This one is a keeper!

Unscripted #233

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Stamps: Joy to the World
Paper: Seasons of Style DSP, Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Accessories: Candy Dots Nuetrals, Brights Buttons (retired), Ribbon (retired), Corner Rounder (Creative Memories)

Joy to the World

Candy Dots (Neutrals)

Joy to the World

Don't you love when you find the perfect sentiment for your stamps?  This globe ornament stamp was a gift from a friend.  I paired it with "Joy to the World".  What sentiment would you use?

The sketch for this card comes from Retro Sketches.  Not only am I on a roll with my Christmas cards, I've actually been finishing challenges before they end.  Woot woot!  That's a good crafty week.

The globe was stamped on some paper from My Mind's Eye paper stack that I've been hoarding since last summer.  It's a subtle look to stamp on DSP instead of just plain cardstock, but I just love the detail it adds to this stamp.   I stamped it with Versmark and then embossed it with black embossing powder.  To color the image I used Copics as well as SU markers and blender pen.  Copics are so much easier to color with, but I only own a handful of markers.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Supplies (SU unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Joy to the World, Globe Ornament (unknown maker)
Ink: Blender Pen, Copic YG63, Copic YG67, Marina Mist, Versamark,
Paper: Cowboy Paper Pack (MME), Epic Day DSP, Seasons of Style DSP
Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Circle Framelits,  Silver Ribbon

Joy to the World

Silver 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon

Merry Monday Love

Christmas Mojo is definitely in the house.  I've been piling up the Christmas cards and having so much fun entering challenges.  The big turning point for me came when I realized I could make different cards for each person/family and I didn't have to mass produce Christmas.  What gave me the change of heart?  My friend, Kristie, has been posting Christmas cards on her blog all year long.  Each one is wonderfully unique.  It's fun to try out new things, and Christmas cards are no exception.  I get bored doing the same card more than 3 times.  So, I'm giving myself the freedom to make as many different Christmas cards as my heart desires.  And, you know what?  I'm loving every minute of it!  The cards are coming faster and I can't wait for "play time" every day in the stamp room.  

In honor of the inspiration Kristie brings and the announcement on her blog yesterday (clicky) I participated in this weeks Merry Monday challenge.  My plan is to participate in many more of the Merry Monday challenges in 2014 than I did in 2013.  

MM#86

As you can see I was all kinds of inspired by the picture as well as the chalkboard technique.  I pulled in crumb cake and used my Woodgrain Embossing Folder to mimic the wood above the mantle.  Yes, I said I used an embossing folder to stamp.  :)   It's pretty easy to do.

I just inked up one side of the embossing folder with my white craft ink, stuck my paper inside and then pressed down with my hands to transfer the ink to the paper.  If you have a brayer you can run that over the EF and it would work even better.  Why haven't I invested in that handy tool yet?

Before I go I want to share with you the sweet card we got in the mail.  At first I thought I had another super early Christmas card, but I opened it to find this delightful card from Kristie.  Yes, the same Kristie I've been talking about in this entire post.  <3

Today my husband and I celebrate our anniversary.  It was such a nice surprise to get a card celebrating our love.  Thank you Kristie.  I plan to CASE this card as soon as I finish up my Christmas cards.  :)

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Stamps: Joy to the World, Warmth & Wonder (Hostess)
Paper: Basic Black, Crumb Cake
Ink: White Craft Ink
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Labels Framelits, White Embossing Powder

Clean and Bling

Back to more Christmas cards today.  Time is running short for me to get them all done.  This card would be so easy to mass produce, but the weight of the embellishment I used would add extra postage.  I suggest replacing it with some brads, snowflakes or paper buttons if you want to send out a pile of these cards.

My week of participating in challenges continues today.  When I saw this week's sketch at Unscripted Sketches I knew I had finally found the perfect card to use this pretty striped foil paper on.

US#232

One of the reasons I bought the Winter Frost paper pack was because of the shiny papers, but I haven't used them yet.  I really need to stop hoarding the pretty stuff and USE IT more often.  Perhaps that should be my New Year's Resolution.

It's hard to capture the shimmer in a photo, but you can see how it catches the light in the top right corner.  The little piece of Bermuda Bay/Pool Party ribbon sticking out the side of my greeting panel comes from a scrap that I had leftover fromm the Christmas Banner kit.

This sketch would be a great one to add to your collection to use over and over again.  Thank you Unscripted Sketches for inspiring me yet again.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

Supplies (Stampin' UP! unless otherwise noted)
Stamps: Joy to the World
Paper: Winter Frost DSP, Island Indigo, Whisper White
Ink: Bermuda Bay
Accessories: Frosted Finishes, Christmas Banner Simply Created Kit

Frosted Finishes

Winter Frost DSP

Christmas Banner Simply Created Kit

Spreading Holiday Cheer

The cold weather has really put me in a Christmas card making mood.  :)   Good thing too because I still need to make another 30 cards in the next few weeks.

Thanks to Try Stamping On Tuesday I was able to make this card fairly quickly.  It uses up a lot of random supplies I had hanging out on my craft table.

TSOT #145

Something about the Holidays makes me want to use glitter.   This card is no exception.  It's hard to see in the picture, but I made a little snowbank with my C1 Copic pen and then added little dots of falling snow all around the tree.  Of course I covered up the perfect snowbank with my banner, but glitter trumps coloring every time!  :)

If you will notice the sketch used a flower, but my card uses a circle.  The beauty of sketches is that they are a starting point.  Let you imagination and creativity take over and see what you can make using the inspiration of the sketch.  Sometimes it will match pretty closely.  Other times it will take on a life of its own and look noting like the original.   This time I came pretty close.

Creative Blessings,
Heather North

The supply list is long, but remember I was using stuff that was out on my table.  I love to "use it up" so I can buy more.  ;)

Supplies Used (Stampin' UP! unless otherwise noted)

Stamps: Warmth and Wonder (hostess), Christmas Tagables, Joy to the World (inside greeting)
Ink:  C1 Copic Marker, Gumball Green, Marina Mist, Raspberry Ripple
Paper: Crumb Cake Early Espresso, Bronze Glimmer Paper, Gumball Green, Marina Mist, Snow Festival DSP (retired), Whisper White
Accessories: Circle Framelits, 2.5" Circle Punch, Star Punch, Word Window Punch, Small Glittery Brad (non SU)

P.S.  The Circle Framelits are included in the Holiday Sale going on right now at Stampin' UP!  Click here if you would like to see what else is on sale.