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Showing posts with label 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 52 Christmas Card Throwdown. Show all posts

52 CCT January Technique "Sewing"



Todays card is made for the January technique challenge over at 52CCT.   It looks so simple, but it was quite the challenge.   The sentiment is from Jan's DIgis and cut with an SU stitched circle die.   I did a back stitch of sorts in red and added a bow with the red thread.  I used the needle to punch holes in the center of the small rectangle sticthes around the edges of the circle.    Thanks for stopping by and head on over to 52 CCT for a new challenge tomorrow.     Smiles,   Kathy

 

52 CCT Jan Theme (Wreath)

 



I hope today is one and done for this month.   All I can say is whew.   I along with quite a few other card makers am participating in this weeks challenge over at 52 CCT.   Wreaths are such an iconic symbol of Christmas and I really enjoyed making this card.   I used the sketch I created when I was hostess in July 2023 at 52 CCT.  For this card I used a panel of designer paper, die cut 2 wreaths and overlaid them, stamped a sentiment from a retired SU set.  Made a metallic silver bow, fussy cut some ornaments from carte bella paper, die cut some holly from the trees in the carta bella paper and after placing the holly on the box and the ornaments finished it off with some small red jewels for the holly berries.   It came together quite easitly.   It's just there were so many interruptions this week.   Thanks  for dropping in!    Kathy  


52 CCT January Color Challenge


 


Hi friends--welcome to my blog.   It's time for another card using the 52 CCT card color challenge from Andreja L.  I must say that I've never made a Christmas card using these colors.  I'm pretty traditional for the most part.   However I decided to give it a go!  A very nice hotel in the down town area where I live, sponsors a parade of Christmas trees every year.   The trees are decorated by businesses, schools, churches and lots of other groups and it doesn't cost to view them and they are always so interesting!  It's an anything goes type of event!  My neighbor's tree is gorgeous, she uses all red and clear on this tree each year that's displayed in her front window.   Every Christmas season it is beautifully ablaze for all the local traffic to enjoy.    So I decided to use these colors and create a card with trees using Honey Bee die cuts and paper from a Honey Bee  Honey Bee Autumn collection.   To add texture to the trees I used a crackle embossing folder.     The CS is cherry cobbler from SU, and it's embellished with red sequins from a thrift store.    I ended up with a glitch,  the top of the center tree came off because of the texturing and when I cut another tree, I grabbed the wrong die cut and it was a lot bigger and some of the original tree shows behind it, but while card makers will notice, most other people won't.      It was fun to make, the colors worked beautifully for my whimsical look!    Thanks for stopping by!         Smiles,   Kathy 


December Technique/Stash Challenge 52 CCT



For the last challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown in December and 2023, Fabiola has chosen clean and simple for the technique.  I really think this card may be one of my favorites that I have made this year.   I chose to do a white panel on white card.   I embossed the panel with evergreen trees EF and used the smallest tree die cut in a collection from Honey Bee using light greenish designer paper with Christmas music on it.  I stamped Merry Christmas on the panel and added  small clear rhinestones...and done for a serene and calm look!       Thank all of you for your faithfulness to drop by this past year and leave comments.   It's been such a joy and "challenging" year designing with the team at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, and I have enjoyed doing this so much.    They are all such talented cardmakers!   But this his is my last card as part of the team, although I plan to continue  participating in as many challenges as possible in 2024.  Thanks to all of you who have shared your creations with us this year.   You all are also so talented and it's so fun getting to know you through your blogs etc.  It's a busy time so "clean and simple" is a good challenge to end the year and I would love to see what you create.   Be sure and check out the design team's beautiful creations and may your Christmas be peaceful, joyous and safe.    Smiles and Hugs to all,     Kathy


Thanks to Maxine of Kiwime's Kreations for suggesting that I link my card to Can You handle the pressure.     Anything goes with a twist "winter."

Vellum Poinsettia Card...



#482 Layers



For this weeks challenge at 52 CCT I stamped and embossed two poinsettias and after coloring with markers on the non embossed side of the vellum, I trimmed and layered the poinsettia. on a simple stiped panel.  . The panel is a paper that  I downloaded  from Etsy  I had a specific look in mind for my background, and these lovely papers from Azure and Jade Art  were just what I wanted.   I've had this SU poinsettia stamp set a very long time and I still love to use at Christmas. The sentiment on my card is "Merry Christmas."  It  is clean and simple and I really like how it turned out.  This technique of embossing and using markers on the opposite side is called "stained glass."    In thinking further, I guess Vellum Embossing actually refers to dry embossing using Vellum.  I should have lookedd it up!     Check out all the design teams wonderful examples!   I'm also linking my card tp use your stuff.   Thanks for stopping in and I hope you play along with us this week!    Smiles,  Kathy



Santa Claus is Coming to town...

 



This post published at 1:00 AM today and I disccovered a few minutes ago that I had misspelled Claus on my card ( I had put Clause).   Anyway I corrected it and added the new photo above.   It's theme week over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and I'm using a special die cut by Tim Holtz "Santa and Sleigh."   I received this "die cut" as a freebie with purchase from Simon Says Stamp, Christmas before last I think    I decided now was the perfect time to use it and when I went looking for ideas (to CASE) so imagine my surprise when I ran across this.      In the search ,  I ran across cards with elaborate sky/earth backgrounds (that were gorgeous).    But in the end, I decided to use a "bauble ornament" from Etsy to mimic a globe and just see how it all came together.   Just being honest,  "flying by the seat of pants" is my cardmaking method most of the time--Sometimes  I'm  pleasantly surprised and sometimes I'm mortified (probably exaggerating--and actually just not as pleased)   To make this card and all cards where I use digital imagery I use the "word" label program ( for this card I used 4 on 1 with the 5 1/2 inch vertical.  See screenshot below
(corrected spelling of Santa Clause to Claus)

After copying and pasting the image, I typed in the sentiment  (centering it and choosing font, size and hex code for color (SU razzleberry - to match card base (it is retiring in a couple of weeks and I wanted to use it up)   I then print ever how many of these pages I need to use as the panel on my card base.   When cut, each page makes 4 pieces of 5 1/2 x 4 1/4 panels.  I decided to make several of these and share with my Stamping Club swap group.   Since I also planned to emboss these panels.   I copied and pasted just the image on another word page so I could die cut the ornament with a round stitched die cut.   I didn't want the actual ornament  to be embossed.   When you click on the card this will make sense.    The sentiment reads  'Santa Claus' is Coming to Town, which is a fun Christmas song that's been around for most if not all of my life.   The sentiment on the inside that I actually stamped, is  A happy Christmas to all and to all a good night (SU)...which is similar to " A merry Christmas to all and to all a good night, which is the last line from the Night before Chirstmas poem.   

I'm sharing my card over at:
the center vertical line (die cut, free, embossing)
starts with a B (bauble ornament)
Christmas theme
Thanks for stopping by and I sure hope you will join the fun this week over at 52 CCT, we would enjoy seeing what you create~           Smiles,  Kathy
  
PS   for those who came early to check it all out,    it should be Santa Claus   not Santa Clause   (oops)   didn't quite research it thoroughly...

Red/Green Christmas Card




Since this is the 2nd Saturday of April, we are having a color challenge over at 52CCT.   The  card at the top was not the first card I made.  On the first one  I decided to use a sentiment from the Winter Snowbirds from Jan's Digitals.    I bought this set awhile back and decided to make it the centerpiece of my card.   I bought some digital Christmas sets last fall when they were on sale.   Right now she has lovely Spring-Summer digital stamp sets on sale.    The sentiment is in black script and I copied it to Word, changed the size and then changed it to red (it matches SU Cherry Cobbler).  I also had a  Hobby Lobby Paper Studio Christmas set that had some clear stickers in it, so I took one of the stickers and placed it on white Cardstock and fussy cut it out!    The grey plaid paper is from this same set and the base of the card is SU smokey slate.  I'm not sure if you can see it, but I used the SU Buffalo Embossing Pad to add texture to the grey plaid panel before adhering it to the card base.   The green enamels are SU and have been in my stash for quite awhile.   I then linked it to the 52CCT challenge for today.    But after looking at all the designer's cards that were already linked up, I kept thinking I wanted to make a card that stayed closer to the green and red challenge...I just wasn't sure if I still had time.  My mojo seemed to be on the fritz after traveling to Texas last Monday to visit with my precious older sister (86).   She was 16 years old when I was born!        She is having some memory problems and is going to be living with her children from now on.   My daughter went with me and we helped my sister pick out clothing to donate and filled tubs with things that she said she wanted.   It was so hard to see my precious sister struggling and I was tired so I wanted to keep this challenge very simple...so to make my second card I pulled out my stash drawer and picked the wreath that I used on the Sketch challenge in January (I had one left over)  I then picked a left over die cut from a Paper Pumpkin set from sometime last fall-Christmas theme, trimmed it slightly added a bakers twine bow, made a tag "celebrate" on white for some relief from the green/red and then added petite rhinestones to the wreath for an ice look (I hope)  The Merry Christmas Paper is from a different Paper Studio Chirstmas set, and since the wreath was already stamped in Evening Evergreen I used that color CS for the base and separated it from the red panel (which looks like SU Cherry Cobler) with SU Olive which is in the die cut...I really like the way it turned out.and it was just as simple as the other one to make!   So thank you fellow designers for being my inspiration this week.  I invite all of you who are visiting me, to head on over to 52 CCT, I'm sure you will be inspired and we would love to see your work show up in our gallery this week.        Thanks for dropping by and to all of you   who never fail to leave encouraging remarks, thank you for being a friend (theme from Golden Girls TV).  Smiles,     Kathy 

Trees and Snowflakes Card



As I have often said "my favorite challenge is a sketch."   Over at 52 CCT we are starting the month of April with an awesome sketch....and we sure hope you will play along with us this week.    Thanks for stopping by.   Smiles,   Kathy



 

Mixed Media Christmas Card





Today is Technique Saturday at 52 CCT and this is my first attempt at creating a mixed media card and it has been quite the challenge.   I started researching and trying to figure it out weeks ago.   A friend, Vicki, "Stamped Smiles" sent me an email with step by step directions and still I struggled.   I decided to try and bypass doing collage (just wasn't sure I could do that yet).     I  ended up gluing a vellum piece to a piece of designer paper, which I then trimmed to fit on the cherry cobbler base and  to smooth it out I embossed it.  I then added a diagnol strip of plaid tiding SU DSP  with cream cotton lace on both sides of this.  Using a dotted stencil I added SU Glittered embossing paste, I stamped poinsettia outline stamps on DSP and die cut them, layered them and then topping with gold sequins in center and backing with linen thread.  I added a folded doily with the sentiment using a silver clip. I added wink of stella to the poinsettia and leaves.    Thanks for stopping by and check out the beautiful work by the design team this week!   Then take the challenge, we would love to see your creations!        Smiles,   Kathy

     (the pretrimmed -pre embossed piece)    





 

Deer and Snowman Card....

 





It's theme Saturday at 52 CCT and Branka has chosen a Snowman and Deer theme.    I found a precolored scene on ETSY with individual pieces that could be cut and layered over the main scene.. I colored over  some of the images with colored pencils and added wink of stella to the leaves around the little deer.  It's very simple but I like the way it turned out.  It kind of has an organic feel.    Thanks for stopping in and hope you will share your creation this week with us!    Smiles,   Kathy





Black and Silver Chirstmas cards...






This week is Color Challenge over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown...I made 2 cards, and decided I personally liked the card at the top better than the second card.    I used some paper from an SU Christmas pack that I decided to consider "matte silver" paper. on both cards.    The second card was a little formal, so for the second card (at top)  I went with a more organic approach using the SU trees embossing folder for the base and using the Christmas Season die cut since pine cones are natural.   I did use metallic silver paper for this.  I finished it off with a sentiment on vellum that I adhered to white cs and then die cut with a stitched oval.  Using black I stamped the holly and dies from Christmas Season and then added shiny black enamels for the holly berries.  This card was simple to make and while I like them both, I can see this as a card for a guy, which I never have enough of.  Thanks for stopping by and I hope you play along this week...The design team would love to see your work!         Smiles,   Kathy

52 CCT March Sketch




It's the first Saturday of March and that means sketch time over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.  ...Branka is our hostess this month and we're off to a great start.  While I don't often make square cards, I enjoyed using this sketch and making one.   The pre-colored artwork is from Carolyn's Musings on ETSY.   I love fussy cutting part of an image and popping  it over the base image.   I colored with colored pencils slightly (watercolor will not work with my printer ink.   I hope you join this fun sketch challenge and be sure and take a look at the beautiful Design Team Creations.    Smiles,   Kathy

SU   soft succulent, Evening Evergreen and Evening Evergreen Ink pad (all current)
watercolor paper for printed images and base of card
Retired x embossing stitch (SU)
square stitched dies ? source 
embellishments Soft Succulent SU (retired I think)
linen thread ? source



 

Picture frame using acetate Christmas Card....



This week is Stash challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.    This has proved to be a learning exercise for me.  I have only used acetate once on a simple card at a friends house.  I looked on Pinterest and saw some great cards,  but I just couldn't figure out how to make sure the backside of the acetate looked as good as the front.  So for this card I chose not to show the back side. I do like what I came up with, and it is much prettier than it looks in the photo!   Hopefully in the future I will be more adventurous.   You will find that the Design Team has created some beautiful cards for this challenge.     

The image that I used is a precolored download from Musings by Carolyn  on ETSY.  Carolyn has been a joy to work with when I have needed something different.  Her style appeals to me.   So you will continue to see her artwork on my cards in the coming months.  

I love making cards that a combination of digital and traditional stamping and other activities associated with cardmaking.   Some bloggers use the term "hybrid" for these cards.  For the digital I use "Paint" (factory installed on computer) and Microsoft Word.    I tried a "specific" program for using digital and just couldn't get the knack of it it, to be honest.

Thank you for stopping by and as always I would love to see what you create in our 52 CCT Gallery.   Also, be sure to check out Carolyn's shop to see her beautiful creations!        Smiles,  Kathy   





 

Christmas Tissue Paper Masculine Card...






Today is the third Satuarday in February and at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown it is time for a theme.   For some time I've been wanting to make a card using some tissue paper with trees on it that I bought this past Christmas at my Dollar Tree.    I had seen lovely cards made from napkins at Maxine's blog, and I thought tissue would work just as well.    I went online for directions on adhering it to cardstock for my card panel.    I found several videos from Modge Podge to placing plastic wrap between the cut piece of tissue and white cardstock and sandwiching this between two pieces of parchment paper and iroining it with a dry iron on a wooden board.   The parchment must be bigger than the plastic wrap and when you take it out you cut away the plastic wrap.  You also have to iron the tissue before you iron it on the plastic on the cs...well I looking and found where you could use Wonder Under.   It's a fusible lining that I have used before in sewing...When I went back on you tube, I couldn't find it again...But here is what I did

1.   USE a DRY iron

2.  Fold and cut a piece of parchment creating the exterior protective sandwich to use over and over again,

4.   Cut my tissue and white cardstock about 1/2 bigger on each side than I wanted the panel to be.

5.   Cut the Wonder Under about 1/8 inch smaller than the tissue and white cardstock all the way around.

6.    Get some kind of wood to place on ironing board for a firm service.   One lady suggested a wooden picture from dollar tree (which I bought)

7.  Put the empty parchment sandwich on top of this.,

8.  Place the tissue paper on top of all this and Iron with a DRY iron.

9...Then move the tissue to the side and place the cs with the wonder under on top making sure the"scratchy side" is facing down on the cs and then iron this onto the cs.  (remember it is slightly smaller)

10.  When it cools (not long)pull off the paper that was backing  the scratchy side and what you have left on the CS   is now a sticky side.

11.  On top of the sticky side place the "ironed tissue" which is cut the same size as the cardstock and iron inside the parchment sandwich.

12.   I then used  my cutter to cut the panel 1/2 all the way around and you have a piece where the tissue is stuck permanently to the cs all the way to the edges.  .

13.    To give texture to the panel I used the SU embossing folder "Timeworn" type.

I finished it all off by adhering the tissue panel to a Cajun Craze card base (SU)

and then attached the tag with the deer!   

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll make your way over to 52 CCT and create a card with a "masculine" theme and join the fun with us.            Smiles,   Kathy

PS   My online friend Vicki is a design team member at   Sparkles Monthly Challenge where the #161 challenge is also masculine.



 

White Christmas Card...



 




The February Color Challenge for this week at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown is to make an all white Christmas Card, which I have never done before and yet I enjoyed this challenge immensely and the other members of the design team have created some beautiful cards to inspire you.  I made several cards with this snowflake die before I decided to use the Easy Cut Adhesive (which I have had forever)to back the panel  that I die cut the snowflake out of.  and then attached the sticky part to the solid white glitter panel.       I decided not to put a sentiment on the front.   The Bible verse Isaiah 1.18 kept coming to my mind as I worked on this card.   So in a Word label program I typed and printed it and then added the Luke 2.11 verse in red ink on the other side folded it and glued it inside the card..    Thanks for stopping in,    Smiles,   Kathy 

Isaiah 1.18    "Come now let us reason together, Says the Lord.  Though your sins are like scarlet,  They shall be as white as snow.   Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool."





Playful Snowflake card....







Good first Saturday of the month to you!     That means it's time for another fun sketch at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.  I say it all the time, sketches are among my favorite challenges to do.    With any challenge it's always fun to see how everyone is inspired to create uniquely and this month's sketch at 52CCT  is a fun one.   I went "looking" on Etsy for snowflake ideas and ran across some snowflakes that looked similar to the ones on today's card, but weren't quite what I had in mind, but got the snowball rolling in my brain.   For a future 52 CCT challenge, my SU demonstrator friend Pam Driggers had loaned me some retired SU die cut snowflakes and stamp sets and I got them back out and found this cute set...not sure of it's name, since it wasn't in a regular SU case.  But nothing I borrowed was current!  Anyway,  I decided to print off some notebook paper from an ETSY digital Paper Pack that I bought years ago as the background for my snowflakes.  I remember kids in school who doodled on their papers.  .  Full disclosure,    I not only don't doodle, I can't even draw stick figures...I love doing artsy things so I'm glad I discovered stamps and papers etc.   As always, I invite you to show the 52 CCT design team your creation using this sketch...One artist will be chosen to join as a guest designer and it could just be you, perhaps!   But no matter what, it is a great place to get ideas and get a head start on making your Christmas cards,  rather than waiting until the last minute (like I always did in the past).    So thanks for stopping in today!  

For quite awhile now, maybe years I have wanted to share some of what has composed my life journey through blogging.  The blog really is not about me, it's about God's grace and mercy and is HIS story in my life..  I have known for a very long time what the blog name would be....I hope you come visit me there and let me know what you are thinking these days!    Smiles, Kathy







Poinsettia Paper Piecing Card




After spending almost a week in the hospital, I was so happy to get home, take a shower on Tuesday and sleep in my bed.   The staff at Greenville Memorial 3 B were awesome and took such great care of me!  Today's card is a paper pieced poinsettia    My mother loved poinsettias and I guess she passed it down to me!    This is my 4th week as Design Team member at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown and I'm enjoying see my stash for next Christmas grow!     As I always I invite you to take part in our challenges.   I think this one is a fun for sure and is such a great way to use up all that designer paper we are hoarding!  Because I chose pink monotonefor the flower, you will have to look close to see the patterns are different!   Thanks for stopping in today!
Smiles,  Kathy

Supplies,   SU Retired Joyful Christmas (Poinsettia) retired
                  SU Timeless Tidings (sentiment) retired
                   SU soft succulent cs (base)
                   SU Eden's Garden DSP  (bottom green panel and poinsettia leaves) retired
                   SU DSP ?    (poinsettia)     retired
                    Black Enamels  ?





Nutcracker "dance of a Sugar Plum Fairy"

 


  


The Nutcracker, a wonderful classic Christmas Ballet, is performed in my city every year at the Children's theatre.  So when I saw this weeks Challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown, I thought of the "Sugar Plum Fairies."  I found this precolored image of a Sugar Plum Fairy and Nutcracker on Etsy and using colored pencils went over parts of the image a bit to make the colors show up with greater vibrancy.     I have known several families over these years, whose children have danced in this ballet or been in the orchestra, so this card could definitely be sent to the entire family at Christmas if this was the case for that family.   Or it work for a young lady on her own who enjoys the arts.     So thanks for stopping by and always know your Christmas Card entries for our themes are so welcome and appreciated.     Smiles,   Kathy.   
Supplies:
Soft Succulent CS SU
pink enamels ?
gold ribbon (Joanne's Fabrics)
Etsy Precolored Image
Colored Pencils

If I didn't read it wrong the Design Team was invited to share our "fairy" cards over at the Fairy and Unicorn Challenge Blog    (a new challenge to me)...I'm not sure if I met any of the requirements but it's always fun to find new friends at new challenge sites so here it goes.)


Three Snowflakes Card...





A color challenge is a great way to "stretch"  artistically.    This week's color challenge over at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown  is a color combo  I definitely plan to use again in the future.  I like the way it looks on my card and the other Design team members showcased this color combo with awesome creations!       We would love to see your work in our gallery this week.   Thanks for stopping by.    Smiles   Kathy

Supplies 
SU Early Espresso CS and Ink for sentiment 
Turquoise Glitter CS (Michaels)
Silver Adhesive Ribbon (?)
Silver Cord on Tag (?)
Sentiment (Paper Pumpkin stamp set)
Snowflake Punch (EK)
Lace Panel  (Honey Bee Stamps  "Summer Stems")

Cottage Wreath Card.....







I am so thankful for the privilege and opportunity to be part of the 2023 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Design Team.   And since  I absolutely love sketch challenges, this sketch is a good place for me to to start!  I'm including a supply list below.   I belong to a monthly swap group co-ordinated by  my good friend Pam Driggers.   I am  looking forward to seeing what you do with this versatile sketch.  It is always so much fun seeing what others create, that's why I am a blog buddy enthusiast for sure!  I have met the nicest people from all over the world through blogging about my cardmaking and other crafts.  My goal is to make and send Christmas cards this year,  it's not a new goal--I say this every January.  and  perhaps you need encouragement to get moving on making your Christmas cards..   Well you've come to the right place so click your way on over to 52 CCT,  and get your Christmas mojo going today.   By making 1 or 2 cards a week ( I will probably make 2 of the same card each week-just as easy) and come Christmas you are going to need to have made your Christmas card list include almost everyone you know or you can give some of them  to friends and family for them to send.   My  sister, daughter and my daughter's sweet friend will gladly take some off my hands Thanks for stopping by!     Smiles and May the LORD bless and keep you and your loved ones in His care this New Year.,    Kathy

Supplies
SU Expresso CS and Ink (on wreath)
SU Soft Succulent Ink
SU Evening Evergreen CS
Eden's Garden DSP (SU retired)
Sweet Sorbet Seasonal Sequins (Fall 2022 SU Occasions)

CTMH  Intense Black permanent