*Scraps Only Instagram Hop*

 My bin of extras was a wonderful treasure trove of items to play with for the Scraps Only Instagram Hop...  the only thing that didn't come from the bin (other than the card base) was the black panel.  These two fabulous snowflakes were cut sometime last year and were left overs from other projects.

Card Info

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

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Impression Obsessions Snowflakes; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Embellishments:  Nuvo Shimmer

*Mini Slimline Instagram Hop*

 Today I am sharing my card for the Mini Slimline Instagram Hop.  I've been having fun playing with this large embossing folder that I received last Christmas.  It's an open frame with a bunch of pointsettias around it.  It's been fun figuring out different ways to use.

For this card, I put my white cardstock in to the top portion of the folder only, creating a partial panel that is flat for stamping.  I added some gold gems and a simple sentiments to finish it off.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler

*Stamps:  Concord & 9th Winter Greenery

*Embossing:  Spellbinders Notched Corner Pointsettia

*Embellishments:  HAI Supply
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*My Favourite Instagram Hop*

 This week for the My Favourite Instagram Hop, we are playing with our favourite image or die of a leaf.  I'm deep in to my Christas stash so I decided to play with this fabulous wreath for my card. 

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler; Spellbinders Gold Foil
*Dies:  Scrapbook.com Cozy Wreath; MFT Filled with Joy

*{BYSHC} Sketch #75*

 Happy November, my friends!!  I hope you had a fabulous Halloween and that you're reading to face the holiday season that's coming!!!  I don't know where this fall has gone already... time sure goes by fast, the older I get!

It's time for a fabulous new sketch at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers...

I stared at this sketch for a long time before I came up with an idea.  The first thing that came to my head was a striped element along the right hand side.  Then came the idea of the embossed panel... and the rest just came together... but it took forever!

Card Info

*Paper:  Carta Bella Merry & Bright

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Blessings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Spellbinders Christmas Blooms

*Embossing:  Gina K Flora & Fauna

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Sketch #75

*CAS on Friday #346*

 Happy Friday, creative friends!  It's time for a new challenge at CAS on Friday.  Our challenge #346 is to use an embossed background. 

Now, I struggled with this because in my view of a true clean and simple card, an embossed background is a no-no.  I almost skipped this challenge...  but I had these scraps in my bin of extras and while I didn't emboss the entire background, I do have an embossed background!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold glitter;  Stampin' Up! Handsome Hunter

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas; MFT Christmas Wishes

*Embossing:  Gina K Christmas Flora

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS on Friday #346

*This or That Instagram Hop*

 The choices this week for the This or That Instagram Hop were Halloween of Christmas... this was a no brainer for me!  Yes, I have a little Halloween themed product but I don't send Halloween cards, so of course I went with Christmas!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown sparkle

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Tidings & Trimmings; Hero Arts Nesting Tags; MFT Christmas Wishes

*Etc:  gold cord

*Rainbow Connection Instagram Hop*

 Every month, I play along with some friends on Instagram and we do a hop that focuses on the colours of the rainbow.  We also try to keep our creations clean and simple, but that doesn't happen nearly as often LOL

I managed to follow both directives with my card for today!  I did some simple ink blending on a panel that I then put behind my front panel with the die cut tree window.  I added a simple stamped and die cut sentiment and then put that panel on my card front with foam adhesive.

Card Info

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Candied Apple, Mustard Seed, Salty Ocean

*Dies:  MFT Christmas Tree Window; The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*etc:  foam adhesive

*CAS Colours & Sketches #597*

 I'm here today to share my design team card for the latest sketch at CAS Colours & Sketches!  First, here's the sketch...

I had an idea for this card as soon as I saw the sketch, but I had to change it up a bit.  My first thought was to cut five circles in to the white panel, but I struggled to get them lined up and straight.  So instead, I cut the circles out of the blue shimmer cardstock and put them on top of the white panel.

Card Info

*Cardstock: Shimmer cardstock

*Stamps:  The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles; Impression Obsession Small SnowflakeSet

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  CAS Colours & Sketches #597

Embossing Folder Instagram Hop*

 Good morning... how is it the last week of October already?  My Christmas cards are in full swing but I haven't gotten past the idea of thinking about Christmas shopping.  Every year I plan to be different with the shopping and every year it seems to get later!  GAH!

I'm here with you this morning to share my creation for the Embossing Folder Instagram Hop...  this month our theme is "pattern party".  I chose to play with some 1" squares and two different embossing folders.  I cut the squares before embossing and then placed them where I wanted them in the embossing folder.  I used a little tape to keep the squares in place, but that sort of backfired on me for one of them (and you can see a tape mark across it if you look closely enough.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Spellbinders Windy

*Stamps:  Penguin Palace Magical Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Soft Waves; Simon Says Stamp Snowflake Visions

*Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge #705*

 It's time for a wonderful new sketch at Atlantic Hearts...

... and I chose to go Christmas for mine!  I used a simple pattern paper to cut some very simple trees as my focal point.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown gold sparkle

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Peaceful Prints

*Stamps:  Mama Elephant Jingle Greetings

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas

*Tools:  Perfect Layers; Stampin' Up! Scallop Border Punch

*Challenges:  Atlantic Hearts #705

*AAAChristmas Cards Challenge #1*

 I am so excited to have joined the design team for a brand new Christmas themed monthly challenge!  I love Christmas cards, I love challenges... and I love sharing my creations with others!  I hope you'll play along with us at AAA Christmas!

Each month, on the 25th, we will have a new challenge for you that will run for a full month.  Lots of time to play along!!

For our first challenge, we are keeping it traditional.

I honestly didn't know what I wanted to do for this theme.  Isn't it silly to be excited about a new challenge and then freeze because you can't think of what to do?!  I then pulled out some traditional items from my stash and this is the card I came up with.  Traditional red and green with a touch of gold, a very traditional looking sentiment and some gold embossing to finish it off.

Card Info

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

*Paper:  Stampin' Up! Tidings of Christmas

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Star Flakes

*Ink:  Versamark
*Embossing:  Stampin' Up! Gold 

*Dies:  Stampin' Up! Tasteful Labels

*Tools:  Perfect Layers
*Challenges:  AAA Christmas #1

*One Final Card for the Linky Party*

 I'm so sad that the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Falling for the Holiday Linky Party is almost over!  You have until the end of the day to share your creations!  It's been so much fun seeing the cards that everyone else is creating for the upcoming winter holidays.

I found a card similar to this on Pinterest and decided to make one for myself.  I used the negative piece from cutting a small white snowflake for the front panel of my card... and then cut the snowflake again in silver cardstock and put the inside pieces in as well.

Card Info

*Cardstock:  unknown silver mirror
*Paper:  DCWV Dec 25th

*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Clean Line Christmas

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Impression Obsession Snowflakes

*Embellishments:  Pinkfresh Studio Iridescent Clear Drops
*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*Another Linky Party Post*

 It has been so fun, diving in to my stash of holiday card supplies!  Part of me wants to run out and buy so much more, but I also enjoy playing with the items I already have.

For this card, I mixed a foil cardstock with a glitter cardstock and a simple tree die.

Card Info
*Cardstock: unknown brush gold foil; unknown gold glitter; Stampin' Up! Basic Black

*Stamps:  MFT Christmas Wishes

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Concord & 9th Iconic Christmas

*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party*

 Have you been over to the BYSHCardmakers blog yet to see all of the fantastic Christmas card inspiration??!!  I sure hope you've also been busy linking up your creations... there are so many fabulous prizes to be won and you can win by just playing along with us!

My card today is super simple with a light blue background, some white die cut snowflakes and a white embossed sentiment...  maybe I should have added some gems to the centres of my snowflakes!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  SpellbindersWindy

*Stamps:  Picket Fence Studio Fancy Christmas Sentiments

*Ink:  VersaMark
*Embossing:  WOW! White 

*Dies:  Memory Box Jolly Snowflake Trio

*Challenges: BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holiday

*Pattern Paper Party Instagram Hop*

 This month, the optional theme for the Pattern Paper Instagram Hop is purple and green...  I sort of followed it if you classify burgundy as a shade of purple.  I love this layout... especially since I found a cutting diagram with measurements on Pinterest!!!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Handsome Hunter; unknown brush gold foil
*Paper:  Stampin' Up (not sure of the name)
*Dies:  Hero Arts Joy Stamp 'n Cut

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop*

 It's time for the Crushing Christmas Instagram Hop... this month weare playing with the theme of Tree-tastic.  I LOVE this fabulous Sizzix embossing folder so very much!

Card Info

*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Peaceful Pine; Spellbinders gold foil
*Stamps:  Gina K Holiday Wreath Builder

*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne

*Dies:  Waffle Flower Nesting Circles, Additional Circles
*Embossing:  Sizzix Christmas Tree Pattern
*Tools:  Perfect Layers

*Challenges:  BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party

*Snow Many Kisses*

 I had fun playing with a gorgeous snowflake embossing folder and some ink blending for this card for the BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays Linky Party.

Card Info
*Stamps:  Simon Says Stamp Christmas Starflakes
*Ink:  Versafine Clair Nocturne; Tim Holtz Blueprint Sketch;Salty Ocean

*Dies: Simon Says Stamp Chrsitmas Starflakes; Waffle Flower Nesting Rectangles
*Embossing:  Simon Says Stamp SnowflakeVisions

*Challenges: BYSHCardmakers Falling for the Holidays