2023 Year In Review Blog Hop

 Once again I am participating in the 2023 Year In Review blog hop

started by Ellie at Ellibelle's Corner.
This is a fun hop where each participant shows her
favorite cards of 2023.
I invite you to join along and get some fabulous inspiration 
from the designers!!

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Here is a list of the blog hop participants:

Alicia - Golden Goddess Designs

Debbie  - Secrets to Stamping

Diane - Nellie's Nest

Ellie - Ellibelle's Corner

Francesca - Percorsi di Fantasia

Helen - Made by Helen

Joanne - My Slices of Life

Kate - Cards a la Kate

Tee - The Paper Layer

Want to share your own favorites?
Then just link up HERE.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you have enjoyed our
Year In Review as much as I have!!

Warmest Wishes

Our last challenge for the year at 
Can You Handle The Pressure
where we are all about using embossing folders, 
You can use embossing powders too, but an Embossing folder MUST be used! 
We also have a 'twist' up to you or not to  use it
and this time our twist is WINTER.

I had this panel already stamped and embossed
and decided I might as well use it, just added a bit of color
here and there.
The embossing folder is falling snow, I 'painted' on
some diamond Stickles  to winterize it even more,
which can be seen in the photo below this one.
It is much prettier IRL with all the sparkle.
Of course you all know the image is Stampin Up
Noble Deer which I think everyone owns!

Be sure to stop on by Can You Handle  The Pressure,
the only totally embossing challenge I know of!!

Winter Snow Scene

It's snowing and blowing over at Double D
and that is our theme for our challenge
WINTER / SNOW SCENE!

We have a snowy picture perfect mood board for inspiration
but you can create anything as long as you stay within our
winter/snow scene theme.

I created a winter scene using several fun products.
First I die cut a circle from my base card stock, then ran it thru
my big shot with a snowflake embossing folder, probably one of
the first EB folders I had acquired!  I did a little inking under the
circle, then stamped my image from a
Nellie Snellen Snowy Christmas Scene Stamp.
I added some diamond stickles to the scene which looks a bit pink
but it is just picking up that color from my room.
I added a die cut deer and a tree to finish!

Make sure to pop on over to Double D and see all the beautiful scenes

from our fabulous design team, they never disappoint!!

Peace On Earth Challenge #54

Our last challenge of the year at Peace On Earth
and we have a snowy cold mood board for inspiration
but you can create anything as long as it is Christmas themed!

I embossed white embossing powder on a navy blue card stock
a Stampendous Snowy Postcard scene.  I have used this stamp before
but it is long long ago, feels pretty good to pull out an older stamp again!
To add a pop of color I added a Spellbinders poinsettia flower that I
already had made up!

Some pretty and snowy scenes over at Peace On Earth,
come on over and check them out, dress warm!!

Entering the following challenges:

Allsorts .... Flowers~Wreaths 

At Sketch Saturday #741

This is our last sketch of the year for Sketch Saturday
and will be taking a break until January.
This challenge will remain open until January 12th 
along with another link opening on December 25th
with all the links to past challenges that you can pick one (or more)
and enter those as well!
The challenge also has a 'twist' if you want to include it and it is
to make it a birthday card, I did not use the twist!

I have to admit this challenge sketch threw me a bit
but in the end decided to make it my own and used a
Spellbinders Color Block Southwest die for my card
and papers from Simple Stories Mix & A Mingle 6x8 paper pad.

I have to say this die was the first time I have used it and is a very
interesting die.  I hope to have more time to play with it later!
I added a bit of bling for some sparkle.

If you want to have some fun and be challenged, then head on over to
Sketch Saturday, I for one would love to see YOUR take on the sketch!!

TOB December Mid Month Reminder

 We are halfway through our December challenge at
TWO OLD BATS
and yes we make Halloween in December, actually ALL year round.
It gives you a nice opportunity to get out those spooky fun
Halloween stamps and join in with us!
We, as always have an inspiration board but you can create
anything as long as it is Halloween themed!

Inspiration Board

 

Letting the bottom left corner inspire me I made a spooky
ornament card but combining an IO ornament die and a Prickly Pear
stamp set.  I added a bone that was floating around on my work desk (really)
a Halloween strip sentiment and a few sequins!

Hope to see YOU over at Two Old Bats!!

Beautiful Blossoms December Challenge

It's winter time at Beautiful Blossoms and we want to see all
your pretty Winter Blooms!!
Below is a mood board for inspiration but you can create anything
as long as blooms are your focal point on your card!

I used for the first time an Altenew set I purchased last year
Holiday Flower Stamps and Die colored with Copics
then die cut out with the matching die and then popped up.
For my background I stenciled it using
Pretty Pink Posh Layered Winter Foliage stencils.

I think it made the perfect background for my poinsettias!

I hope to see you at Beautiful Blossoms with YOUR
winter blooms and check out all the beautiful 'blooms' from the design team while there!!

Entering the following challenges:

Crafty Calendar .... Christmas Themed

Magic of Christmas

 Another year has almost passed by and we have our last
challenge for 2023 at
The Sisterhood of Crafters
 and it is Christmas themed!

For my card I used another half of the Spellbinders
Holiday Floral Swag 3D embossing folder
and I have to say it is my favorite embossing folder of all!
It is absolutely gorgeous when embossed!!

All I added to my card was a sentiment from
an old set of JustRite Christmas Inner Thoughts stamp set.
Well, their inner thoughts work just as well outside as in!

I hope you will join us for our last challenge of the year at 
The Sisterhood and always beautiful inspiration from my 'sistahs'!!

Entering the following challenges:
Krafty Chicks .... Christmas
Cardz For Galz .... A Christmas Card
Little Red Wagon .... Merry Christmas

Stitched Joy Card

It's time for a new challenge at
Can You Handle The Pressure and our OPTIONAL theme is HOLLY!

Our challenges are always anything goes as long as you use an
EMBOSSING FOLDER.

Wet embossing s permitted but you have to use an embossing folder too!

I used a new to me 3D embossing folder from Nellies Choice
Holly Leaves With Berries.  I love the pretty detail of this folder.
Then I used Spellbinders Stitched Ornament die, I was stitching these
dies all summer while at the lake house, makes an easy project to do
while watching TV!
The JOY is a cottage Cutz die, I hit their huge sales a couple times a year!

We would love to have YOU join us at Can You Handle The Pressure
using your favorites embossing folders!!

Entering the following challenges:
The Holly and Ivy .... ATG Christmas
Aud Sentiments .... EB Folder & Sentiment
Simon Says Mondays .... Use Dies

Christmas Animal

We have a super fun theme at Double D and it is
CHRISTMAS ANIMALS

(don't have a Christmas animal?  just create a Santa hat
and place on any animal, bird etc, let the mood board I created inspire you!!)

Isn't that just the cutest and fun mood board?

I had so many cute animal stamps and dies for Christmas it was a hard choice,

but in the end I settled for these never been used before 
Cottage Cutz Festive Elephant dies.
There are two in the set, the one I have used and the other one is a
standing elephant holding a tree, I need to create one of him too!
I had a die cute stitched circle already sitting on my desk so

I embossed it with a snowflake embossing folder
which I placed on a pretty piece of Simple Stories 6x8 Make It Merry
paper.  I added a Memory Box die Frosty Border and a sentiment from
my new Christmas Messages stamps from Hero Arts!

I think this card will go to my sister this year as she was
always a fan of the Dumbo book and felt quite sorry for him

so think she will get a kick out of this card!

Make sure to visit at Double D and see plenty more
'cute' Christmas animals but the design teams,

they are certain to make you smile and brighten up your day!!

Entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday ... Use Craft Dies
Christmas Kickstart .... Christmassy

Little Red Wagon ....Animal or Human
NBUS .... Never Before Used Schtuff...(My Elephant in stocking)
Elliebelle's Crafty Wednesday .... ATG
Critter Crazy .... ATG With A Critter

Christmas Challenge At Stencil Fun

 At Stencil Fun we have an OPTIONAL theme of
Christmas
but you can use any stencil you want as we
are an anything goes challenge.

I used a pretty stencil I got at scrapbook.com and if I remember right
it was one of their free items with a purchase.
It is from Pink Fresh Studios called Happy Holidays Circle Frame.
The sentiment is also from scrapbook.com and is their Big and Bold
Christmas sentiments!  I added little holly pieces die cut from Impression Obsession.

Anything Goes
For my anything goes card I used a Catherine Pooler
Snowfall stencil, stenciled in a monochromatic
of pink colors!
I added Nuvo Pink Champaign Glitter drops
to the center of each snowflake and a winter sentiment
from Pretty Pink Posh Holiday Sentiments
stamped on a Honey Bee banner die.

To see more stencil inspiration, head on over to the
Stencil Fun blog, join in and have some fun with us!

Peace On Earth Challenge #53

 We are at challenge #53 at Peace On Earth
and have a fun mood board to draw inspiration from,
lots to inspire here!!
It's for inspiration and you can create anything you want as 
long as it is Christmas themed!!

I was inspired by the bottom left photo of the doggie in the mailbox
but instead I have a kitty in the mailbox.  She is a bit naughty as most kittens
are by pushing all the mail out into the snow and climbing in herself,
typical kitten antics!!

I used a Cottage Cutz Kitty Love Mail die and turned it into a
Christmas card by adding a sparkle-y tiny star to the mailbox
and a bit of holly too.
Snow drifts were cut with Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Border dies.
The tree is Impression Obsession Fir Tree.
The sentiment is from a new to me Hero Arts Christmas Messages,
I figured it was about time I had some new Christmas sentiments!!
Silver half pearls were added to the tree.

The design team has some fabulous inspiration too,
won't you join us at Peace On Earth??

Entering the following challenges:

Critter Crazy ..... ATG With A Critter
Dragonfly Dreams .... Christmas

December 2023 Triple B Challenge

Hello December!!
We are at a new challenge at Triple B for December and have a
mood board just for inspiration, but remember Triple B
is all about Blooms~Birds~Butterflies and you can use one, two or all three. 

Inspiration Board

I let the mostly black and white inspire me and went with this
new holiday Spellbinders Betterpress die Joyeux Noel for my card!
I kept it simple using a black and white designer paper and a few silver half pearls.

Hope to see YOU over at Triple B with birds, blooms, or butterflies of your own!

Sketch 740

 Hello all and welcome to another sketch challenge by
Sketch Saturday.  I think this one is a pretty easy one and
other then the added sentiment, I pretty much stuck to the sketch as is!
The 'optional' twist for this challenge is to
create a 2nd card with a mirror image of the sketch.

I used a pretty paper from the Simple Stories 6x8 paper pad Mix & A Mingle.
Getting in my scrap bags of papers I die cut 5 strips from the 
Pretty Pink Posh Stitched Strips dies.
I added a sentiment from The Ton's Easy Expressions stamps and dies.

Come have some 'sketchy' fun with us....
see ya' at Sketch Saturday!!!

Silver & Gold Color Challenge

 Colorful Options has there last challenge for this year and it is
SILVER & GOLD
thinking more in the line of METALLICS!!
Here is the inspiration board in those metallic colors:

I used silver and gold metallic for my card
not two metallic colors I would  normally combine
but it actually works pretty good!
I pulled a scrap piece of designer paper from my stash
and topped it with a silver metallic snowflake die cut from Tonic's Winter Snowflake die.
The sentiment was die cut with an Impression Obsession die in a gold metallic.

If you aren't fond of this color combo
then there is always the option to use rainbow colors.
Be sure to check out all the Design Team has to offer for inspiration too at

Colorful Options!!!!

Entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Wednesday .... Anything Goes

TOB December Halloween Challenge

We are feeling a little bit 'Christmas-y at 
TWO OLD BATS
and have a fun holiday inspiration board
but yet Halloween themed for you! 
But, you are welcome to create anything
as long as it is Halloween themed!

Inspiration Board

 

I let the fun bat in the upper right corner inspire me.
I have this fun Tutti Designs bat die for quite sometime and finally
put it to good use.  I swiped borrowed the hat from another die set.

Though he looks glittery, my bat was cut from a metallic black paper scrap.
For some Halloween fun in December, head on over to
TWO OLD BATS
and see all the fun creations from the design team!
The background paper was also a scrap piece.

Four Seasons December Winter

Yikes, it's winter already and Christmas will soon be upon us!
WE have changed seasons at The Four Seasons and are
headed right into winter!  I don't mind creating winter cards
but I sure am NOT ready for that cold 'stuff' we have to put up with,
give me summer anytime!!

We have a fun mood board for inspiration but you can use anything
you want as long as it is WINTER themed!

Anything Winter

 I let the pretty bottom right corner inspire me as I had a new stencil from
Pink Fresh studios Winter Berries, this is a 3 layer stencil and does have a
matching stamp set and die neither of which I have.  A lot of these stencils look
great alone but some look even better when using the matching stamp set.
I think this one honestly could of used the stamp for adding more detail
but I used a stardust gelly roll  pen on the leaves to add a few lines.

The sentiment is from Woodware and the Poinsettia is one I made from JustRite.

The sentiment was embossed with Sparkle N Sprinkle embossing powder in silver
to tie it together with the Stardust pen.  I had an extra Poinsettia so I added it to the inside.

We would love to have you join in our WINTER challenge at
The Four Seasons!!

Entering the following challenges:
Simon Says Wednesday .... Anything Goes

Simply Clean & Simple December Challenge

It's the first Friday of the month and that means the start of a new
challenge at Simply Clean & Simple with an 'OPTIONAL' theme of RED and GREEN. 
I went with the option and made my CAS card by first embossing a 4"x5 1/4"
panel with a TH Snowfall EB folder. 
I die cut a TH Woodland tree and had a cute little red cardinal brad to use.
That's it, clean and simple, I can always add a sentiment to the inside
or even to the front if I prefer!

Want some more clean and simple inspiration?
Then head on over to Simply Clean & Simple and
check out all the pretties from the team, join in with us too!

Pink And Blue Stitched Joy Card

Can You Handle The Pressure has a new optional theme going and it is
CHRISTMAS, our themes are always optional and you can enter anything
you want as long as an EMBOSSING FOLDER  is used.
Wet embossing is okay too, but you MUST use an embossing folder too!! 

For my card rather then using a Christmas embossing folder I used a Christmas
die to create my card.  The embossing folder is a favorite of mine
WeR Memory Keepers Quilted.

The ornament is a Stitched Ornament die from Spellbinders!
The greenery comes with this die.

 I also used a JOY sentiment from Cottage Cutz as it fits perfectly
on my card front!

I hope you will join us at Can You Handle The Pressure!
Make sure to stop by and see all the beautiful designs from the team!
This is a perfect challenge to get those embossing folders out and USE them!!

Sweater Weather

 It's Autumn and with much cooler weather we are all in need
of warmer clothes or in the theme at The Sisterhood of Crafters
better known as SWEATER WEATHER!

What could be cuter then a small kitty in a sweater?
Though I don't think I could get any of MY cats
in a sweater without a lot of struggling, meowing and scratching!
Good thing we have stamps of such cute things
thanks to Simon Says Stamps.
I used their Christmas Kitties stamp set.
The background is a metallic paper which when tilted
you can see a bit of pretty shimmer.
I used a Blanket Stitched Oval die cut from
Pink Fresh studios thinking the blanket stitch would work well 
with the sweater!

Once my card was put together I noticed a bit of black marks
on the red metallic paper so I added Emerald City Pops of Color
which I received free with a scrapbook.com order!!

Make sure to visit The Sisterhood for more pretty 
sweater' cards by my 'sistahs'!!

Peace On Earth Challenge #52

Peace On Earth has a new challenge beginning today
and we have a pretty mood board to inspire if you wish
but you can create anything as long as it is Christmas themed. 

I always tend to let the  mood boards inspire me
and as soon as I saw this board I knew I had the perfect
designer paper for it from Recollections A Winters Night.
The tag is part of the paper pack.  I added a few gems for some sparkle
but other then that, the card is complete!
This time of year when the holidays are fast
approaching, it is always good to be able to create
 a simple and easy card that still looks beautiful!!

Make sure to visit Peace On Earth as the teams always have

more beautiful inspiration!!

Sketch 739

Hello and welcome to our second Sketch Saturday for November.
The optional twist is to add a stamp featuring a person.
I chose to not use the option! 

One great thing about sketches is that you can 'make them your own'
as long as the sketch can be recognized and that is what I did with my card!
After a sleepless night in bed for some crazy reason I thought about the cards I

had left to do for the year for design teams and this sketch was one of them!

I remembered I had some dies from Impression Obsession that I thought
would work perfect for this sketch and had never used.  Well, they did, sort of!

When cutting the dies they don't cut out completely but cut 'into' the paper
but I wanted them to cut out, so die cut each one with a circle die, I tried a
circle punch first but it was either too small or too big!

But had I lined them up as the sketch shows I would of had perfect circles
with designs cut into the paper, just wasn't thinking I guess!
I thought about starting over but had already put too much work into
this card and decided this one was perfectly fine!!
Like I said, a sketch is a starting point that you just make into your own!

Hope to see you at Sketch Saturday and see YOUR interpretation of our sketch!!