Ingenious Inkling

No Stamping Christmas

Instead of a Hard Candy Christmas, we're having a NO Stamping Christmas at jingle Belles this week.  Have fun pulling out your embossing folders, die cuts, Cricut cuts, stamps and stickers to create your holiday card design.

I started with one of my Gel Press prints in colors from the Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

 

 

I die cut the Penny Black Merry Christmas & the ornaments from Penny Black Ornament Kit from the Gel Press Print.  I die cut the ornament tops & ornament string from the inside of a Kleenex with cooling lotion box (such great silver cardstock inside, so make sure you save them).

 

I attached them all to a piece of Lawn Fawn Let it Shine Snowflake patterned paper.  I was a bit frustrated that I couldn't seem to capture the foil sparkle of the designer paper (my studio including my photo box is currently dismantled waiting on window installers to finally show-up to replace some windows ... why is it when you're not ready they want to come that day, and when you get ready the day they say you should, it is weeks before they arrive??).   I'm linking-up at the Penny Black Saturday Challenge to use patterned paper in your design.

 

I finished with a few enamel dots to decorate one of the ornaments.

Daisy Mother's Day

When I saw the gorgeous colors in the marbled inspiration board at the Lawnfawnatics Challenge, I wondered if I could do something similar with my Gel Press and my Catherine Pooler inks (because honestly, I always go through a bit of a withdrawal after the #marchprintingchallenge ends).

 

 

It turned out to be a bit trickier than first envisioned, primarily because of the yellow.  By the time I got all of the other colors into the print, I kept losing the yellow in the layers.  The one I used for my card base was the one I kept the most yellow on.  It also got darker than the marble inspiration, so I went back in heavy with white paint splatter to lighten-up the design.  I also die cut it with the Lawn Fawn Stitched Woodgrain Backdrop to add back in the movement of the marbleized design.

 

 

I used the Lawn Fawn Stitched Circle Die on one of my clean-up prints that was pulled with white paint.  I used another print reject (I actually dug it out of my trash can) to die cut the Lawn Fawn Delightful Daisy Die base adding a bit more yellow inking to the flower center.

I finished with a Mother's Day sentiment from the Lawn Fawn You GOAT This stamp set and added a few clear drops to finish.

Gelli Print Happy Birthday

I think when I bought this Giant Lawn Fawn Outlined Happy Birthday Die Cut, somehow I thought it would be a nice single cut to use with Gelli Prints.  I didn't realize it really cuts in three different designs in the background die.  For my cards, I used 2 of the three designs allowing the background to be the third (rather than trying to piece in all of those little bits.

I cut the die from two different Gelli Prints on cardstock and die cut a blue rectangle to attach them to.  I'm linking-up at the NBUS (Never Before Used Schtuff) Challenge with my cards.

This one was my favorite ... I think the colors pop the most.

 

 

I like the reverse of the colors, but feel like I should have used a yellow card base for more contrast (sometimes I don't see it until I photograph).  However, now that I look at the photograph of the card, I think I pretty much like them both the same.

 

 

I'm also linking-up at the Crafty Calendar Die Cut Challenge, which is sponsored by Lawn Fawn.  

 

 

I'm also joining the Lawnfawnatics Challenge with my card inspired by the song that played every year on my birthday throughout my childhood - Birthday by The Beatles.

Peppermint Peace, Love & Joy

Today I made a card for the Peace on Earth Christmas Challenge.

 

 

I loved the pop of red in the various candy cane images, so I die cut the Taylored Expressions Beauty Lies Within 3 Cardinal Die from red cardstock.

 

 

I die cut the Lawn Fawn Let It Shine silver snowflake paper (that was inspired by the carpet in front of the Christmas tree) with a Taylored Expressions Stitched Mini Slim Stacklets die before adding it to a red card base.

I finished with a Simon Says Stamp Reverse Holiday sentiment and some Taylored Expressions Drip Drops.

Jingle All the Way

We're still creating with Bells at Jingle Belles this week.  

I started with salted and painted paper for the card base & a stitched die cut circle.

 

I die cut the Cottage Cut Bells from Lawn Fawn's Iridescent Silver Cardstock and layered it with one cut from white cardstock for dimension.

I finished with a Remnant Rub Rub-on Sentiment.

R is for Reindeer

I'm thrilled to be Guest Designing at the first Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers Challenge of 2023 - R is for Reindeer.

 

 

I decided to go with one of the cute little Reindeer from Lawn Fawn.  I used the one from Lawn Fawn Ugly and Bright and dressed him in a Snowman Sweater colored with my Graph'IT Markers.  The sentiments and speech bubble are from the same set.

 

The background is the Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflake Backdrop.  I used the Lawn Fawn Stitched Hillside Borders for a little pile of snow for my reindeer to stand on before attaching it all to a purple card base to coordinate with my tacky Christmas Sweater.

 

 

My partying reindeer is also linking-up at the Lawnfawnatics Let's Celebrate Challenge.

Snowflakes & Coffee

The first Caffeinated Christmas Challenge of 2023 is all about Snowflakes.

 

 

I had this Technique Tuesday snowman & sentiment that i stamped when we went to the crafty house last Spring.  I decided to use some Eyelet Outlet Brads to turn him into a Christmas card by adding his Holiday Coffee Cup Brad (decorated with tiny snowflakes) and a Merry Christmas Saying Bubble Brad.

 

 

I die cut him with a Lawn Fawn Stitched Rectangle Die and used the larger Rectangle for the base.  Then I die cut the Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflake Backdrop for a bit more snowflake texture.

I finished with some red snowflake Rub-ons from October Afternoon.

Five Favorite Holiday Cards - 2022

Since Lauren & I started Jingle Belles in 2010, I've been recapping my five favorite Christmas cards of the year (you can find 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 here) ... I always enjoy revisiting my creations for the year.

Here are this year's favorites in no particular order:

1.  This card was for our We Wish you a Plaid Christmas Prompt at Jingle Belles.  Paper Piecing and Yetis have been two of my favorite things for years, so it was fun to combine them with some of my favorite bright and happy colors for the holidays.

2.  This card was for the 12 Days of Christmas prompt at Jingle Belles to make a card for your true love that featured hearts.  I love the cool effect of the embossed metallic gel printed paper for the background combined with old-school detail cutting of my wintry scene.

 

 

3.  The Naughty Tag was my favorite from the 12 Tags of Christmas at Ellen Hutson inspired by Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.  And when my boss asked me if everyone got Naughty Cards for Christmas, I got to tell him it was a design specially reserved for him (he's a prankster who often exhibits what I would define as naughty behavior).

 

 

4.  Every year at least one Taylored Expressions Grumpling has to make an appearance in my year of card making, and I really loved how this one turned out ... the colors, dotty background, curled edge of the papers, and embellishments all worked together so well.  This one was for C is for Christmas (in July) at the Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers.

 

 

5.  My final card was a winner of the November Anything Goes Challenge at Jaded Blossom.  I was pretty proud of how I was able to turn my Coffee Gnome into a Grinch for the Caffeinated Christmas Holly Challenge, since I had the perfect sentiment.

 

 

As always, hard to pick favorites, but also fun re-visiting all the holiday cards I made (and gave) this year. 

Remember, if you'd like to have lots of holiday cards ready when December rolls around, you can join us for our 13th year of Jingle Belles Mayhem beginning January 1st

Jingle Bells

Day 11 of the 12 Tags of Christmas at Ellen Hutson is - Jingle Belles with Carly Miner.

 

 

I die cut my Jingle Bell from Silver Mirror cardstock with a bow made from Lawn Fawn Pink Lemonade Trimmings.

 

 

I paired it with a fun snarky sentiment from Sassy Christmas Peace on Earth.

I'm also linking-up at the Tag It! Challenge at Simon Says Challenge.

Baby It's Cold Outside

Day 5 of the 12 Tags of Christmas at Ellen Hutson is Baby It's Cold Outside with Julie Ebersole.

 

 

I started with the adorable Snowman Snow Globe by CZ Design.   I added a tiny Hero Arts Coffee Cup from Kelly's Coffee & Donuts to keep him warm & for him to join the Snowman + Coffee Challenge at Caffeinated Christmas.

 

 

I positioned him on Essentials by Ellen Tag Trio Die Cut Tag from Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes Rainbow designer paper.  I finished with a vintage Memory Box Wood Block sentiment.

 

 

Since Caffeinated Christmas needs to be a card, I mounted my tag on another piece of paper from the Lawn Fawn Watercolor Wishes Rainbow papers.