*Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop*

 Today, I am participating in the Sending Sunshine Instagram Hop.  Each month, we share cards of encouragement that we could send to someone who needs a little extra sunshine.   As I'm still deep in Christmas card mode, I made a Christmas card that might bring a little extra love to the person who gets it.  I used mirror cardstock for my light bulbs to make it extra cheery!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  assorted mirror carddstock:  Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Merry & Bright

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  MFT Christmas Lights

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*CAS on Friday #324*

 We are here today with the last challenge of 2025 with CAS on Friday...  you have a few weeks to play along with our SNOWFLAKE theme!

I used some super skinny glitter paper strips and some holographic cardstock to create my card for this challenge...

Card Info

*Cardstock;  Lawn Fawn Holographic, unknown silver sparkle

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  unknown snowflake

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops
*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #324

*Clean and Simple Instagram Hop*

 Hello and welcome to the first ever Clean and Simple Instagram Hop (CAS Instagram Hop for short!)

Each month, a group of creative friends will gather on Instagram to share a clean and simple card.  We have some guidelines for our cards, not no one is going to be too uptight about them!  Some of our guidelines are:
*minimal layers
*white space can be any colour
*minimal coverage of the card front
*keep elements close together
*use pattern paper, embossing, ink blending and bling sparingly

Many people don't realize that Clean and Simple is more than a card making style.. it's also a design style that has strict rules.

Anyway...  our theme for our first ever hop is SNOW

I created a rectangular space on my front panel with some low tack tape and I did a little ink blending to create a little more interest for my card.  I did some shading, making it darkest at the bottom, blending lighter and lighter as I got to the top of my rectangle.  I did a simple die cut JOY using a snowflake for the O and added a bold stamped sentiment to finish it off.

Card Info

*Stamps:  MFT Filled With Joy
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide Salty Ocean

*Dies:  MFT Filled With Joy

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 For the month of December, the This or That Instagram Hop has one theme...  Holiday Treats or Holiday Drinks.  My card this week looks an awful lot like one someone else shared last week (but I made it before I saw hers).  I used this fabulous sugar cookie embossing folder from Simon Says Stamp and highlighted the raised icing with some white ink.  

Card Info

*Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Merry Messages

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Hero Arts Unicorn Pigment Ink

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Cookies

*Embellishments:  Glossy Accents

*White on White Instagram Hop*

 We have a Christmas theme for the White on White Instagram Hop this month...  I played with my Spellbinders Glimmer and some white foil on white cardstock and fell in instant love with the panel I created.  to make the word JOY stand out, I cut three pieces and layered them up.  I managed a true white on white card this time!  No extra colour!

Card Info

*Dies:  Hero Arts Joy

*Hot Foil Plate:  Spellbinders Pine Sprays

*Foil:  Spellbinders Opal

*Challenges:  AAA#305

*CAS Colours & Sketches #575*

 As is our tradition at CAS Colours and Sketches, our last challenge of the year runs for an entire month... and you get to go back to any of our challenges this past year and make a seasonal card!

I might have cheated a little bit, as I chose one of my own sketches...  sketch #568.

I had fun with some different foiled elements to make my card...

Card Info

*Cardstock:  assorted foil/mirror cardstock

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Sounds of the Season

*Hot Foil Plate:  Spellbinders Plaid Tidings

*Hot Foil:  Spellbinders Red

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #575

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch #659*

 A week in to December and I have a pretty good handle on my Christmas preparations.  The only package I need to get in the mail will be sent this afternoon, the baking is about half done, the Christmas cards are in the process of being written (the envelopes are addressed), the house is decorated...  I still have some shopping and wrapping to do, but I'll get there (I always do).

Today I am sharing a card following the new sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenges... I used texture and pattern to turn the sketch in to a mostly white on white card.

First, the sketch...

And here's my take on the sketch...

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Pinkfresh Studio Snowflakes; Stampin' Up! Banners; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday; MFT Stitched Rectangles

*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp Faceted Snowflakes

*Hot Foil Plate:  Pinkfresh Studio Snowflakes

*Foil:  Spellbinders holographic

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts Sketch #659

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 For the entire month of December, the choice on the This or That Instagram Hop is Holiday Treats or Holiday Drinks.  This will be a tough one for me as I don't have a lot of food or drink stamps... I think most of mine will be Holiday Treats... or at least todays is!

Card Info

*Stamps:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black; Versafine Clair Nocturne; Copics

*Dies:  Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Peppermint Stripes

*Embellishments:  Liquid Pearls

*Time Out Challenges#303*

 Today we start the last challenge of 2025 at Time Out Challenges.  We will be back in the new year to hopefully inspired your creativity!

We have an awesome photo challenge for this last challenge... be sure to tell us in your post how you were inspired by the photo below.

I find photo inspiration challenges difficult... but here's my tip for how I approached this one.  I looked at the photo as individual elements...  colours, locations, shapes... so I was inspired by the red and gold I saw in the photo as well as these friends together making memories.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery; Mama Elephant Merry Greetings
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Gina K Cherry Red and Grass Green

*Stencils:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery

*Foil Plate:  Spellbinders Plaid Tidings

*Foil:  Spellbinders gold

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  Time Out #303

*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 Hello creative friends... it's time for the Mini Slimline Instagram Hop!  Each month, a group of my creative friends join me in sharing a mini slimline card.  There are no rules other than the card has to be a mini slimline.

Of course, I am sharing another Christmas card today (it is going to be SO hard to get out of Christmas card mode!).  I used a new to me die set to create my card for today.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; Bazzill gold mirror

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Vintage Layered Ornaments; The Ton Easy Expressions Holidays

*Challenges:  Addicted to Stamps & More #507

*{BYSHC} Sketch #64*

 Happy December, creative friends!  I am in SHOCK that we are flipping the page on to the last month of 2025!  

A new month means a new sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Card Makers...

I chose some papers from one paper pack... the easiest way to make sure they all go together!  I like to try to choose two papers that have a white base and two that are a colourful base.

Card Info

*Cardstock  Stampin' Up! Granny Apple Green

*Paper:  American Crafts

*Stamps:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Etc:  foam adhesive

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers #64

*My Favorite Instagram Hop*

 This week on the My Favorite Instagram Hop, we are playing with our favourite hair or clothing fad. I wasn't going to play with this one because nothing popped in to my head.  Then, this past weekend, I had an idea and I ran with it!

I LOVE that ugly Christmas sweaters have made a comeback.  I love that people host parties, that people make their own, that my office has us wear them on the Friday before Christmas.  They are just so much fun!

I bought a few sheets of this 12X12 paper from Photoplay a few years ago and used my Brother Scan 'n Cut to cut out all of the sweaters... sadly, I'm down to my last handful.  I'll be sad when they're gone!

I decided to showcase three of them on a fun embossed background on a mini slimline card.

Card Info

*Paper:  Photoplay Tulla & Norbert's Christmas Party

*Stamps:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Lisa Horten Layered Bubbles
*Tools:  Brother Scan 'n Cut

*Challenges:  Inkspirational #355

*Addicted to CAS #297*

 This week, I am hosting the challenge at Addicted to CAS....  this is the prompt that I chose...

Of course, metallics, to me, are perfect at Christmas, but I know that some of my design team friends went a completely different way!  I can't wait to see what you create!

I decided on a metallic snowflake... backed with a little black to make it pop!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up Basic Black; Lawn Fawn Holographic

*Stamps:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Dies:  Impression Obsession Snowflakes; Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  Addicted to CAS #297

*CAS on Friday #323*

The CAS on Friday challenge that starts today is Christmas themed... super easy for me to do!  In case you haven't figured it out already, I LOVE making Christmas cards!

I kept my card pretty simple, using some texture along with only white and gold (and a little black in my sentiment).

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold glitter

*Stamps:  the Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Catherine Pooler Jolly Trees; Ellen Hutson Essential Circles; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves

*Challengs:  CAS on Friday #323

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 As soon as I saw the choices for the This or That Instagram Hop for this week, I knew what I wanted to do!  For this week, it's "no words" or "only words".  I chose an only words theme for my card.

I started with a stitched rectangle layer and cut a bunch of the letters to create the word JOY several times over.  In fact, I layered each of the letters in white twice, except the centre word that I layered in gold instead.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Bazill gold mirror

*Dies:  MFT Stiched Rectangles, Filled With Joy

*Challenges:  Just Add Ink #774

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 Another month, another clean and simple rainbow coloured card for the Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop!  For my card today, I used three colours of Distress Oxide ink and let them overlap to create a full rainbow.  I then cut a snowflake swirl out of the panel I ink blended.  I cut a small white panel for the front of my card and added a bit of the blended panel behind it on one side for a little something extra.  I added some pearls and a sentiment to finish it off.

Card Info

*Stamps: The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Distress Oxide in Picked Raspberry, Salty Ocean, Mustard Seed

*Dies:  Hero Arts Snowflake Cluster; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Embellishments:  Studio Katia Arctic Breeze Pearls

*Birthday Bounce Instagram Hop*

 This month on the Birthday Bounce Instagram Hop, we are playing with the theme of "animals".  We gather each month on Instagram to share birthday cards following this common theme.

I am deep in to my Christmas card making stash these days so I pulled out a Christmas set and added a cold birthday greeting!

To create my snowy sky, I used a chunk embossing powder that I sprinkled on the front of my panel and then I heated it from below so it would melt without blowing away.  I created my snowy hill by simply tearing a piece of cardstock.

Card Info
*Stamps:  Kraftin' Kimmie It's Penguining to Look a Lot Like Christmas; MFT Polar Penguins

*Ink: Versafine Clair Nocturne; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics

*Etc:  Stampendous Chunky White embossing powder; foam adhesive

*CAS Colours & Sketches #574*

 The current challenge at CAS Colours & Sketches is a sketch... 

I decided to go super clean and simple with my card using this sketch.  I dug out this gorgeous ornament flourish die and cut it out of gold mirror cardstock.  I added a matted layer (because that's just my style) and a simple sentiment.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Bazzil gold mirror; Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  Paper Trey Ink Signature Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Birch Press Laskett Ornament

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #574; Just Add Ink #774