FFC45 - Mid-challenge Inspiration

This is a reminder that there are only 5 more days to play along with Festive Friday for 2014! That's right, the final challenge will close at midnight, Wednesday, December 3. Then we'll have a break until the new year.

Here's the inspiration:

I focused on the colours - using Mellow Moss and Raspberry Fizz ink, along with White and Stone cardstock. I used 3 Creatiate stamps to form a tree shape. The gold stars are actually off-cuts from the centres of some snowflakes I used on another project.

I hope you'll get a chance to play along with us!

FFC45 - Merry, Merry, Merry

Time to start the final Festive Friday Challenge of 2014! Here's the inspiration:

I focused on the colour scheme of dark green bright pink, gold and white, using a WPlus9 "Merry" die and a Waffleflower "Christmas" stamped in Mossy Meadow.

I hope you'll get a chance to play along with us - this challenge ends at midnight, Wednesday, December 3.

FFC44 - Mid-challenge Inspiration

Time for some mid-challenge inspiration for Festive Friday Challenge #44. Here's the inspiration:

This time, I focused on that huge red ribbon. I used a 'ribbony' sentiment from Simon Says Stamp. And I know you're saying "What, again?!" about that wreath from Stampin' Up! I really got my money's worth with this set didn't I? I stamped it in Mossy Meadow (another excellent Stampin' Up purchase) and the sentiment in MFT Electric Red. I layered it with craft to incorporate all the wood and wicker in the photo.

FFC44, CTS99, Merry Christmas

It's November folks, and if you haven't joined us at Festive Friday this year, now is definitely the time!

Here's our inspiration for our new challenge:

I made a one-layer card (easy to mail!) and focused on the wreath (Stampin' Up Wondrouse Wreath stamped in Lucky Limeade, Mossy Meadow and Red Royal) and the bench, by incorporating sponged stripes on one side. The sentiment is from Verve and drops down like the ribbon in the inspiration.

I used Michelle's sketch from this week's CAS(E) This Sketch challenge:

This Festive Friday challenge will run until midnight on Wednesday, November 19. Hope to see you there!

FFC43 - Merry Christmas

Time for some mid-challenge inspiration for the current Festive Friday challenge! Our inspiration is:

I love the hand-drawn/hand-written feel of this - I used an old Michael's present stamp, inked in my new favourite red - MFT Electric Red, and a Stampabilities sentiment in Versafine Grey.

The deadline for this challenge is midnight on Wednesday, November 5. Hope to see you there!

FFC43 - Merry Christmas

Time for FFC43! This time we have a fun pile of presents for inspiration:

I focused on the lines of the chair seat by stamping an old Impression Obsession background stamp on craft cardstock. I then used my brand new dies from the Papertrey Tinsel and Tags kit to make this red and white scene. I finished it off with a Kaisercraft sentiment stamped in Granite (I meant for it to be Charcoal (ie darker), but I had put the wrong lids on a couple of my stamp pads. Kudos to Stampin Up and Versafine for lids that are attached and keep people like me from doing dumb things like that! lol!

This challenge runs until Wednesday November 4 - hope to see you there!

FFC42 - Mid Challenge Inspiration(s)

Time for some mid-challenge inspiration for the current Festive Friday Challenge! 

Remember our inspiration is this:

I made three cards for this week. (did I mention that I love this photo!)

 The first one, like last week's, focuses on the chairs. All that white space, shimmery red ribbon and some pops of brown and green. I used a Savvy die in Early Espresso sponged in white, a Victorine Originals Pinebranch stamped off once in Mossy Meadow and an unknown (but oh-so-useful) 'to the world'.

My next card focuses on the candles in the jars on the table. I love the layered look of the white, dark red and sand all contained in the glass, so I incorporated those elements into my card made out of a transparency sheet. I used a Stampin' Up die which I think looks a lot like ribbon, and which also works for this inspiration photo!

Finally, I went ultra-CAS. One layer, two colours, 5 stamps. The sentiment is Gina K Designs, and the holly and berries came from the PTI Tinsel and Tags kit.

The deadline for this challenge is Wednesday Oct 22 at midnight - hope to see you there!

FFC42 - Merry Christmas

Time for Festive Friday Challenge #42! Here's the inspiration photo:

I love all the white space, the shimmery ribbon and the pop of green. I made a very graphic card using Clearly Besotted's Christmas Sparkle triangle die and Elizabeth Crafts Mylar Shimmer Sheets in red and green. I finished it off with a Savvy sentiment and popped it up on white.

This challenge will run until midnight on Wednesday, October 22 - hope to see you there!

FC41 - Midchallenge Inspiration

Here's my midchallenge card for the current Festive Friday challenge, where our inspiration comes from this rustic photo:

I used the same Stampin' Up wreath as I did for my card last week, but this time stamped it tone-on-tone (Mossy Meadow) to get the rich colour and dimension in the photo. I used the matching dies to cut it out. Then I chose various little sentiments that would fit down the side and finished with cherry die-cut dots (from a dot border die), coated in glossy accents.

The deadline for this challenge is Wednesday at midnight - hope to see you there!

ETA: Whoops! I posted a little early! The rest of the DT and the Festive Friday blog will be up after midnight.

FFC41 - Merry Christmas

Link up to Bev's birthday party here.

I'm back with my card for the next Festive Friday challenge. I've noticed that the number of entries for each challenge is increasing proportionately to the proximity of Christmas! Coincidence? I think not! :-)

Here's our inspiration for this challenge:

I focused on the colours and the wreath. I used the new Stampin' Up Wondrous Wreath that everyone seems to have (and why not - it's graphic and classic and so versatile!) I used a red copic tip to create my little berries.  I used silver embossing for my Kaisercraft sentiment to represent the skate blades.

Now it's your turn. In addition to our regular DT members, we've got a Guest Designer for this challenge and you're going to love her interpretation!

This challenge will run until midnight on Wednesday October 8.

FFC40 - Merry Christmas

We have got a 'pretty in pink' inspiration for you for the new Festive Friday Challenge!

So shimmery and feminine and so many little details! I started with Papertrey's shimmery pink cardstock and added a Smoky Slate panel with an inlaid Lil Inkers die. I embossed a Clearly Besotted sentiment in white and added some pearl ornaments to my little tree.

This challenge runs until midnight on Wednesday, September 24 (which is 3 months before Christmas Eve!!). Hope to see you playing along!

FFC39 - Joy to the World

Some mid-challenge inspiration for FFC39.

I went pretty literal with this one - grey ribbed (Cuttlebug ef) background, Martha Stewart wreath (from a punch) and a Cheery Lynn die cut sentiment. I smeared a bit of gold Stickles on the wreath for some sparkle.

Don't forget the deadline for this challenge is Wednesday, September 10 at midnight - hope to see you there!

FFC39 - Merry Christmas

Another Festive Friday challenge! Here's the inspiration photo:

I focused on the green foliage and gold (I think that's a gold ornament under there), the scripty font and slanted placement of the sentiment. I used an Old Island Stamp Company branch and Stampin' Up's Endless Wishes (Christmas) photopolymer set.

Now it's your turn - this challenge will run until midnight on Wednesday, September 10. Hope to see you there!

FFC38 - Mid-Challenge Inspiration - Peace

Time for some mid-challenge Festive Friday inspiration! Here's our inspiration:

I admit that I first thought that black and white would be tough for a Christmas card, but in the end, I'm happy with the cards I've made for this challenge and I've been so impressed with the entries so far!

Again, I focused on the colour scheme and used those Tim Holtz trees, along with a 'handwritten' Verve sentiment. It was feeling a little too stark at that point, so I covered the panel in Versamark ink and then embossed it with iridescent ep. This is a quick, easy way to add a lot of sparkle!

I hope you'll get a chance to play along with us, don't forget that the deadline is Wednesday, August 27.

FFC38 - Merry Christmas!

Time for a new Festive Friday Challenge! Here's the inspiration photo!

For this card, I used my Stampin' Up tag punch with kraft cardstock. I added a Li'l Inkers snowflake (I cut this with Tracey's die when I met up with her a few weeks ago) that was stacked and embossed with iridescent ep. I used a Creatiate sentiment to complete my tag. For my card base, I tried to create a similar look to the black and white stripes from the photo, but less busy. I added 'smeared' Stickles to the edges of the white panel - this easy technique (ie put a thin line of Stickles down the edge of the cardstock and then pat/smear the Stickles with your finger), gives a pretty edge and subtle sparkle.

Now it's your turn - there's so much in this photo I know that the cards will be amazing! The deadline is Wednesday August 27 at midnight.

FFC37 - Mid-challenge Inspiration

Time for a reminder about our current Festive Friday challenge! Here's the inspiration:

Now, I'm not always really a Tim Holtz kind of girl. He's obviously talented but usually the style of his stamps is just 'more' than mine. But I fell in love with these trees as soon as I saw them! I stamped them several times, masking the bottom of the card. I then used a Gina K sentiment, stacking the words like the gifts are stacked on top of the car. Finally, I edged it in silver, to pick up the chrome of the car.

This challenge ends on Wednesday, August 13 at midnight. Don't forget to link up here!

FFC37 - Merry

And, it's Friday again! Time for the new Festive Friday challenge. Here's the inspiration photo:

For this one, I kind of blurred my eyes to see what I could see and I ended up with a colour-block made up of the green trees (I used Stampin' Up's new Mossy Meadow), the red presents (Poppy Parade) and the snow on the ground. I embossed the snow with a Cuttlebug folder and cut the sentiment with an MFT die.

This challenge runs until midnight on Wednesday, August 13;  I hope you'll get a chance to play along!

FFC36/Holiday Inspirations Group - Christmas in July

Hot summer days are the perfect time to stay indoors and focus on cooler days by making Christmas cards! And that's just what the Holiday Inspirations Group has done!

We're making projects we like, using products we like. Be sure to check out all the blogs. Some of the ladies are offering prizes!!

Donna Bowman 

Rachel Kleinman 

Lalo Ik 

Jen Cuthbertson 

Lynn Kopas 

Ardyth Percy-Robb (that's me!)

Susie Craft Happy 

Darnell Knauss 

Ceal Pritchett 

This card is also my mid-challenge inspiration card for the current Festive Friday challenge where our inspiration is this photo:

I focused on the grey-ribbon-wrapped gifts and the snowflake cookies. I created my ribbon with the MFT Grosgrain texture plate and nestled my little Stamps of Life sentiment in between the arms (is that right? arms?) of the stacked and glittered snowflake die cut.

The deadline for this challenge is Wednesday at midnight. Hope to see you there!

FFC36 - Joyeux Noel

Time for the next Festive Friday challenge! Here's the inspiration:

I combined a number of the elements in the photo - the silver frame (I created it with embossing powder so that it would match the rest of the card), the branch with silver ornaments (I used a Penny Black stamp) and the 'Noel' on the table. I popped up the sentiment to mimic the mantle shelf. 

ETA - the 'frame' is a separate layer of white cardstock. I smooshed my Versamark ink around the edges and then embossed it (twice) with silver ep. I adhered the white 'tree' panel on top, so the rough edges of the frame are hidden.

This is another one of those really amazing photos - it appears simple, but the more you look at it, the more inspiration comes to you! Meredith is really talented at finding these photos! I can't wait to see where this one takes you! The deadline is Wednesday July 30.

FFC35 - Mid Challenge Inspiration

Click to link up to Darnell's birthday party before July 16.

Time for some mid-challenge inspiration for the current Festive Friday challenge. Here's a reminder of our inspiration photo:

Again I focused on the plaid and this time I used a technique to add glitter to my Savvy die cut that I learned in this video from Jennifer McGuire (it's really one of those a-ha moments - you'll wonder why you didn't do this before) .

Don't forget to link up by midnight on Wednesday - hope to see you there!