AAA Christmas Card Challenges - Game 1 - Traditional Christmas - Season's Greetings Poinsettia (Chloe's Creative)

Hello,

Today is the launch of a brand new challenge - AAA Christmas Card Challenges - and I'm excited to announce that I'm on the design team! Such an honour to be invited to feature all things Christmas, year-round, with a group of talented card-makers. 

The details are simple: new prompt begins the 25th of each month (of course, right!) and runs until the 24th of the following month. You can draw inspiration from the wording of the prompt badge, the image on the badge or a combination of both. Cards, tags, journal pages...any form of paper crafting is welcome.

We start things off with Game 1: Traditional Christmas. Colours (red and green, most notably), iconic Christmas images...whatever speaks "traditional' to you works for us.

New challenge = new products. Making a debut are my BIG poinsettias, embossing folder and sentiment from Chloe's Creative Cards. This UK company has the most amazing collections and I tell you, they certainly make an impact on a card front. Simple to make: emboss the images, die cut, arrange. I'm smitten!

Please visit the main blog to meet my incredibly talented teammates, then join us for Game 1 with a make of your own. 

Excited to see what you'll be sharing in the gallery.

Thank you for dropping by!

AAA Cards Challenge #326 - Sketch Challenge - All is Calm; All is Bright (Deer Rub On)

Hello,

Welcome to AAA Cards Challenge #326 - Sketch Challenge. For the next two weeks, we invite you to draw inspiration from the sketch featured below. Do feel free to flip the card or move the sketch to the left or bottom right/left. As long as we can identify the sketch components, you are good to go! 

This elegant deer rub-on was my choice for the sketch; isn't he ever so handsome! And how wonderful that the image came with wonderful background components that imitate those in the photo. A Better Press sentiment finishes off my card. Another Christmas card for the stash.

Please visit the main blog to see my teammates' fabulous takes on the sketch.
Looking forward to seeing how it inspires you.

A reminder that we're looking for Clean and Simple designs; you can find the description of what that means here. 

Thank you for dropping by!

Inkspirational Challenge #379 - Visual Prompt - Fall Photo - Pumpkin Kisses and Autumn Wishes (LDRS)

Hello,

Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #379, where we invite you to draw inspiration from the autumn mood board below. Rich pumpkin, caramel, rust and golden hues. Water-colour pumpkins. Delicate pressed leaves. Elegant lettering. A fall 'vibe.' Whether your style is simple and sophisticated or cozy and charming - or somewhere in between - hopefully something here will capture your imagination and spark your creativity.

Sometimes, elements found in a card kit come together in the most delightful ways - and I'm lucky to have such a collection in my stash.  I’ve used an LDRS printed card base for the gorgeous leafy background and a tiny pumpkin rub on to dress up the pre-made tag. A trio of ephemera pumpkins along the bottom completes the look.  So wonderful when a company makes mixing-and-matching easy; I'm smitten with the results.

Please visit the main blog to see my talented teammates' take on this mood board, then join us in the gallery with your interpretations. Excited to see what you'll be sharing.

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #846 - Stencil Week - Boo To You Haunted Mansion (Better Press Society plate)

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #846 - Stencil Week where Bobby is our hostess. You know the routine: share your stencils with us.

Thank you to Carrie Sheridan our guest designer for October.  Carrie, you've been an inspiration both to us and to our players. So grateful for you sharing your talents with us.

I'm not quite ready to leave Halloween behind, so I'm keeping things delightfully spooky for this challenge. I'm featuring my Spellbinders BetterPress Society Haunted Mansion plate, with a little help from the coordinating stencil. The stencil casts the wonderfully eerie glow of the moon and the  mansion. A little mystery, a little moonlight, a little Halloween magic!

Please visit the main blog to see fabulous inspiration from Carrie and my talented teammates.

Looking forward to seeing your stencil sensations in the gallery.

Thank you for dropping by!

Color Hues Challenge #143 - Orange & Black - Halloween Ghost and Mansion (Scrapbook and Cards Today - Halloween Wishes Kit)

Hello,

Mid-October and time for Colour Hues Challenge #143 where our hostess,Tracey, has selected hues of Orange and Black as inspiration for the next two weeks. Definitely a combination that speaks to the time of year - Fall and Halloween - and beyond. 

We're delighted to have Annette joining us as our Guest Designer.

Once again, I'm playing with my favourite dies from the Halloween Wishes kit created by Scrapbook and Cards Today. I've created a 'bridge' style base (I think that's the name) for my little bespectacled, ready-to-party ghost; essentially, the top/bottom of the card are separated from one another, then rejoined by the center focal panel. 

Inside, you'll find a spooky mansion and stars (also from the kit), along with a sentiment strip from an old Doodlebug paper pad.

Please visit the main blog to see fabulous inspiration from our guest and my talented teammates.
Looking forward to a gallery filled to bursting with your Orange and Black creations.

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #845 - Moodboard - Happy Boo Day (SCT Halloween Wishes, TE Ghost EF)

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #845 where, as hostess, I've selected the following photo as inspiration this week.

Plenty of possibilities Here: Fall/Halloween, cozy vibes, textures, colours, 'clean and simple' design...and more. I'm sure that your creativity with this rather 'simple' image will dazzle us completely.

Once again, we're delighted to have Carrie Sheridan joining us as our October Guest Designer.

I'm still in Halloween mode so that's the direction I've gone. My "Happy BOO Day" card draws inspiration from: the knit background = embossed ghosts background, single leaf = single balloon, ghost mug = little ghost. A sprinkle of stars and sentiment - which could be used for Halloween or someone with a Halloween birthday - finishes it off. 

This ghost from Scrapbook and Cards Today Halloween Wishes kit has certainly been making the rounds on my cards of late. Just too cute to resist! 

Please visit the main blog to see fabulous inspiration from Carrie and my talented teammates.

Looking forward to seeing how the photo captures your imagination.

Thank you for dropping by!

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #115 - Gothic Christmas - REMINDER POST - Merry Christmas Poinsettia

Hello,

Popping in once again - as a Guest Elf - with a reminder post and a card for Christmas Kickstart Challenge #115.

For this month, the theme is Gothic Christmas:

We even have a photo for you just in case, like me, you need an inroad to the challenge.

For my reminder card, once again I - as Jo so aptly put it - leaned into "darker colours, ornate images and a degree of ‘elegance." Similar to my first card for the challenge, I've continued with a traditional colour combination, plaid trim. I've added a 'stylized' poinsettia, an embossed background and, as with the previous card, a Spellbinders better press sentiment.

Looking forward to seeing your Gothic Christmas cards in the gallery; you still have plenty of time to share your interpretations with us!

Thank you for dropping by!

AAA Colourful Challenge - Colourboard #33 - Thanks Today and Always Pumpkins (Better Press Society)

Hello,

Mid-October already - and time to welcome you to AAA Colourful Colourboard #33 where we're drawing inspiration from the mottled hues of orange, coral and black featured in the colourboard below.

 15th October - 14th November

We're delighted to have Stephanie L joining us as our Guest Designer.

My Better Press Society pumpkins plate came out for a play; it's one of my favourites for the Fall season.

Please visit the main blog to see how this colourboard inspired our guest designer and the rest of my talented team.

Looking forward to seeing your cards/projects in the gallery. 

Thank you for dropping by!

AAA Cards Challenge #325 - Colour Challenge - That Was So Sweet of You Sunflowers

Hello,

Welcome to AAA Cards Challenge #325 - Colour Challenge. For the next two weeks, we invite you to draw inspiration from the colours featured below.

I brought out my sunflower dies from Paper Smooches, die cutting them in two hues of dusty pink. Centers are deep green and the leaves...well, I made a bit of a substitution as I don't have this particular artichoke green in my stash. Ooops...but I tried!

Please visit the main blog to see my teammates' fabulous takes on the colours.
Looking forward to seeing how it inspires you.

A reminder that we're looking for Clean and Simple designs; you can find the description of what that means here. 

Thank you for dropping by!

Inkspirational Challenge #378 - Word Prompt - CAS - Optional Twist: Plaid - Season's Greetings (Graphic 45)

Hello,

Welcome to Inkspirational Challenge #378.

For the next two weeks (Oct. 10 - 23), we invite you to play along in our Clean and Simple (CAS) Challenge with the optional twist of PLAID.

When Graphic 45's new Merry-ful Collection, along with their Postage Stamp Collage dies  released a few weeks back, I told myself I didn't need any of it. Nope. Uh uh. No way.

That stance lasted all of a minute before I dived right in: collection + dies + a card-making class (which I LOVED!). 

My clean and simple card (not from the class) is exactly that: clean and simple Two sheets of paper - one with plaid - and one focal image. I used the dies for both the background and the snowman. Easy-peasy.

Please visit the main blog to see fabulous inspiration from my awesome team.

Then, bring your CAS creations to the gallery.

To help you out, here's what we'll be looking for on your Clean and Simple designs:

✅ One main focal point

✅ Lots of OPEN space (doesn't 'have' to be white)

✅ Minimal Layers

✅ Minimal Embellishments

****

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #844 - Word Week: Move - Merry Christmas Z-Fold with Pop-Out Panels

Hello,

Welcome to Just Us Girls Challenge #844 where our hostess, Carol Mc - has selected MOVE as our Word Week inspiration. 

She's inviting you - and us - to create a card where something must physically move, shake, slide, open, etc. 

You may consider styles such as: Interactive, fun fold, a rocker card, pop-up, easel card, bridge card, shaker, wobbler, spinner, a tab to pull something, a sliding mechanism and so on. Talk about fun, right!

Once again, we're delighted to have Carrie Sheraton joining us as our October Guest Designer.

My Christmas card - created during an online class (Festive Little Things) - features a Z-fold and, when opened, pop-out panels appear. MOVE box ticked with this fun fold! 

Please visit the main blog to see fabulous inspiration from Carrie and my talented teammates.

Looking forward to seeing how this prompt will MOVE you!

Thank you for dropping by!

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #115 - Gothic Christmas - Guest Designer - Joy to One and All Gothic Christmas Tree (Tim Holtz Tree)

Hello,

I super excited to be joining Jo - as her Guest Elf - for Christmas Kickstart Challenge #115. What an honour! 

As you likely know, but just in case you're new here, the idea behind her challenge is that her guest designs a card which she, in turn, draws inspiration from in creating her card. Then, she invites everyone to join in the fun with their takes on the theme and/or cards shared. A great way to get a lead on those Christmas cards we'll be needing.

*****

For this month’s challenge, we’re embracing Gothic Christmas! 

Now, before you panic (I confess, I did at first!), Gothic Christmas doesn’t have to mean "Christmas meets Halloween," although it certainly can, if that’s your thing.

Instead, you might consider the challenge as: Create a Christmas card with a Gothic twist.

Think deep, moody colours - black, plum, burgundy, rich greens, gold - perhaps some candlelight, ornate details, vintage elegance...plenty of possibilities.

Your card should still feel Christmas first with Gothic coming through how you interpret it.

No Halloween imagery required — but absolutely allowed!

Isn't Snowy's Gothic Glowover fantastic! 

Jo has shared an inspiration photo, just in case, like me, you need an inroad to the challenge.

My take on Gothic Christmas, inspired by the photo:

Black + gold + plaid background; a black tree with deep green + red sparkle ornaments; a glimmered Spellbinders sentiment. Easy...once I wrapped my head around my gothic twist.

If I can do Gothic Christmas, guaranteed you can, too! 

Please head over to the Christmas Kickstart Challenge blog to see what Jo has created. Absolutely AWE-MAZING!

Looking forward to seeing how Gothic Christmas inspires you.

Thank you for dropping by!

Color Hues Challenge #142 - Amber and Burnt Red - Autumn Greetings (The Stamp Market Leaves, Honeybee Stamps)

Hello,

Welcome to Colour Hues Challenge #142, where Stef invites us to play with hues of Amber and Burnt Red for the next two week. Perfect colours to reflect the Fall season, right. 

We're delighted to have a wonderful guest designer joining us: Crystal. 

A simple make from me: two shades of 'amber' cardstock as placeholders for my burnt red leaves from The Stamp Market. The background is a Concord and 9th leaf coverplate. I drew inspiration from a beautiful card created by Kim S, that you can see here. I love her version! 

Please visit the main blog to see how Amber and Burnt Red inspired our guest and my talented teammates.
Looking forward to seeing how this combination inspires you! 

The challenge will be open until Oct. 14 @ 9:00am (EST).

The winners will be posted an hour before our next challenge and the overall

 winner will have the opportunity to be a future Guest Designer.

Thank you for dropping by!

Just Us Girls Challenge #843 - Use Dies Week - HALLOWEEN-Themed Dies - Halloween Wishes Cards (Scrapbook and Cards Today)

BOO! It’s time for a spook-tacular Just Us Girls  - Use Dies Week Challenge #843! 

With Halloween creeping closer, I'm inviting you to conjure up a Halloween card/project using one or more Halloween-themed dies — ghosts, witches, bats, pumpkins, spiders or whatever delightfully spooky designs you have hiding in your stash.  Cute, creepy, whimsical, wickedly elegant: whatever your Halloween style is, we're excited to see what you conjure up.

A new month also means a new Guest Designer; we're delighted to have Carrie Sheridan  joining us for October. Welcome, Carrie.

My cards feature some of the delightful products from the recent Scrapbook and Cards Today Halloween Wishes collection. We had classes taught by talented instructors: Cathy Z, Meghann Andrews, Justin Adkins, Nichol Spohr and Jennifer McGuire. I didn't follow all the class assignments, however, and went off in my own directions for several cards. One of my 'rogue' makes is below; the ghost is just too cute.

This card is my version of the one Nichol Spohr made; lots of die cutting happened here.

Please visit the main blog to see fabulous inspiration from our guest and my talented teammates.

Reminder: to be in the running for a Winner/Shout Out, we must see evidence of at least one (or more) HALLOWEEN-themed DIE on your card/project.  

Looking forward to a gallery filled with Halloween delights.

Thank you for dropping by!