Friday, December 16, 2016

Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

 
I managed to squeak in just under the wire for the deadline today with the Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop! 




I used a couple of Verve digi images and resurrected an oldie but goodie holly border punch by Martha Stewart that paired up well with the image.  Papers are from Recollections' Christmas/Noel packet.  

It was another bone chilling day here in VA with temps only getting up to 25 degrees.  A cup of coffee was definitely how I started my day!  

Thanks for stopping by...

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Let It Snow!



Oh the weather outside is frightful...but the fire is so delightful! Well...it's actually too cold to snow and the wind has blown fiercely all day long with a high of 22 and wind chill much lower!  I had to venture outside for a doctor's appointment this morning then another run in the afternoon to the high school to pick up fresh oysters sold by the band students!  We don't have a working fireplace, so the closest thing I had to a fire was the warmth of my oven while making mock turtles!  I'll share this really easy Christmas treat at the end of my post.

I created this quick card for two challenges.  SCS Ways to Use It Challenge was to let a song inspire our card, so the old classic "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" was my inspiration.  I used the current layout for the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge...adding some leftover snowflakes that were die cut for previous projects.  They matched designer papers from Recollections' Blue Christmas 6x6 pad and I chose this gorgeous font in a sentiment stamp from Reverse Confetti's Christmas Blessings stamp set.  

 
Here are the ultra quick and easy pretzel bites I said I would share.  I have a hard time even calling it a “recipe”, when it only has three ingredients…Rolo (store bought chocolate/caramel candies), pretzels and pecan halves. 

Lay your pretzels on a baking sheet (I use parchment paper to line the pans to make clean up a breeze!) and top each one with an unwrapped Rolo.

Bake in the oven at 250*F for 4-5 minutes (no longer).
When you remove them from the oven, the Rolo will still be in the same shape as when it went in the oven. Place a pecan half on top of the Rolo and press down a bit.

Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer for about 5-7 minutes to allow the Rolo to cool.  Since it's so cold, my sun room is kept closed off during the winter and it's like having a second refrigerator.  I placed the cookie sheets on the table in the sun room until cooled. These are so delicious!  A great sweet-salty combo.

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Color Throwdown #423



Hello Wednesday and hello to a fun new color palette - thanks to our hostess, Broni - for the last Color Throwdown Challenge of 2016! Have no fear...we'll be back in 2017 after a small break for the holidays.  The inspiration photo has hot pink, red and lime green to inspire us!  Here is my take on these happy colors...




MFT's Plaid Patterns Merry and Bright 6x6 pad came to the rescue and was the perfect background for this Pure Innocence Season's Tweetings stamp set and Birch Trees Die-Namics!  I colored with Copics after die cutting then stamping with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on X-Press It Blending Card paper.  



I used last week's MFT Wednesday Sketch Challenge layout...a fun one!  Too bad I'm past the deadline for submitting my card.  :-(  

For more details on how to play along, head on over to the Color Throwdown Blog and you'll find the information on the right sidebar!  You can also visit the rest of the design team's creations for more inspiration (click on the links below):
Amy Rohl 

Amy Rysavy
Barbara Anders  
Broni Holcombe   
Jodi Collins 
Lisa Henke
Lori Tecler
Lynn Put  
Vickie Zimmer 
Wanda Cullen (you are here)  

Leigh Penner - December Guest Designer 
Kim Singdahlsen - December Guest Designer (yes, we have two this month!)


Hope to see you in the gallery...and have a very merry Christmas!




Monday, December 12, 2016

Sketch For You To Try


 A quick card that should pretty much finish up my Christmas card stash and it uses the fun layout for the December SFYTT Challenge on the Reverse Confetti blog. Every element is a product of Reverse Confetti, so I'll get right to my enabler's list:
STAMPS: Christmas Blessings.
PAPER: Very Merry 6x6 patterned paper; Lime Green, Avocado, Brick CS.
INK: Versafine Onyx Black.
CONFETTI CUTS: Scalloped circle; Wreaths; Holly.

Saturday, December 10, 2016

Inspired By...All The Little Things #36


December is marching on and the Inspired By...All the Little Things challenge has another fabulous Christmas photo to get your mojo going! I was inspired by the plaid table runner, the tree and the vintage feel of the truck...thus my rusty jingle bells and touch of red twine!

I immediately went to the Old World Winter 6x6 paper pad by The Paper Studio...perfect for any retro themed card!

I kept the layout very simple and popped up this die cut tree (Sizzix) with foam tape and embellished with sequins.  The sentiment is from Simon Says Stamp's Holiday Hellos - a great little 3x4" set that is a go-to for holiday time.  I added a strip of sticker stitches to the sentiment banner.

We're happy to have Anita Madden guesting with us this week!  Stop by her blog HERE and say hello!

So, we'd love to see how YOU are inspired by this photo!  Be sure and link up your creation to the challenge blog HERE and also check out the other talented designers' fabulous cards!

Friday, December 9, 2016

A Year in Review Inspiration Challenge



I combined two challenges for this softer, non-traditional take on images from Altenew's Poinsettia and Pine stamp set - a favorite of mine for this season! 
 I flipped the layout for the current Match the Sketch Challenge #154 and was inspired by the colors and soft florals in shades of yellow and
green in the A Year in Review Inspiration Challenge on the Altenew blog.  I chose the inspiration photo for June 2016.

I die cut three different sizes of stitched squares using Ranger watercolor CS and dies by Lil' Inker Designs.  I added a light watercolor wash with Squeezed Lemonade distress ink then splattered some Twisted Citron distress ink.  I white embossed the florals on a heavy weight vellum then die cut each one after coloring on the back side with Copic markers.  I also die cut each image from white cardstock then used spray adhesive to layer the vellum over the white CS. I guess I could have skipped the vellum, but I do like the more subtle coloring and the different texture it gives to the card.  This sentiment is one of many from Altenew's Holiday Wishes - a must have for many unique holiday messages!  

COPICS: YG00, Y02, YG13, YG95, YG67, YG63.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!



That classic Christmas song has been going through my head today as the US has hit a cold spell in many areas! The Paper Players challenge has a snowflake theme going on, so I combined that with the new CAS(E) This Sketch challenge for a simple card to add to my Christmas stash.  I used SU's Bigz Snow Flurry die and cut twice - once on metallic silver CS and secondly on heavy weight vellum.
I alternated the layers...popping only a couple of them with foam dots.  The patterned paper is from Bo Bunny's Altitude Collection.  The sentiment die is from the Winter Words Confetti Cuts by Reverse Confetti.  I thought the rounded corners softened up the card a bit.  

Thanks for stopping by...