Ingenious Inkling

We Three Snowmen

The theme at Jingle Belles is still We Three Kings this week ... creating cards that feature THREE of something.  I'm a sucker for stickers ... I like them as much now as I did when I was 8.  I found a big un-opened book of Christmas Stickers that I picked-up at the after-holidays sale, so I used it to make this week's card.

 

I started with snowflake paper and die cut my landscape using Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts Stitched Hillside Borders.  I positioned three slightly different snowmen in the snow and then added lots of sticker snowflakes and bling.  I finished with a sticker sentiment from the same book.

We Three Beers

The theme at Jingle Belles is We Three Kings ... make a card that features THREE of something.  For my card, I chose the fabulous Reinbeer from Your Next Stamp.

 

It's a loose interpretation of the Sketch at The Paper Players (inspired by Designer Laurie Schmidt's Gnome Card) ... the googly eyes are the top three ... and the Christmas Trees are the bottom three.

 

I'm also linking-up at the Share the Love Challenge at Your Next Stamp ... I realize that too is a bit of a stretch, but hear me out.  My husband's love language is Beer ... each week I go on the hunt for the perfect beer for him to have with the meals I'm making.   I also love to find ways to use Beer in my cooking as well.  I don't drink it ... but he says I'm the Best Beer Buyer because I always buy beers he wouldn't choose for himself ... but that he loves.  So for us, Reinbeer Time is Sharing the Love.

 

And it's Anything Christmas at The Holly and Ivy Challenge.

We hope you'll share your trio with us at Jingle Belles.

 

Retro Winter Adventure

When I saw the theme at the Retro Rubber Challenge was Winter, I knew it was time to pull out what I believe is likely the oldest stamp in my stash ... the Large Snowboarder from Stampington & Company circa 1997 (yes, 23 years old).

 

I bought this stamp because it reminded me of my brother and the joy he has told me about from his snowboarding adventures.  I've made several cards for him over the years featuring this image (here's one from 2018 and another from 2016).  This time I stamped it in Versafine Clair Twilight and added some monochromatic color with Spectrum Noir markers ... where I'm linking-up for the Spectrum Noir January Winter Challenge.

 

I used textured white cardstock to attach my snowy mountain and then die cut it with a hexagon die.  The layout is this week's CAS Colours & Sketch layout.  I kept it CAS, but had to add a few iridescent sequins to cover a little ink smudge (aka an embellishment opportunity).  I finished with what I thought was the perfect sticker sentiment.

 

Brilliant Blue Snowflake

My crafty friends and I have been talking about how our rate of acquiring art supplies the past few months has well exceeded our rate of using them.  My friend Sam threw down a Use My stuff Challenge to use those products to make a some birthday cards, so you have them ready to send in the upcoming months.  

I also wanted to join the CAS Stencil Challenge to use a new Stencil. 

 

I picked up several new Gina K. Designs Stencils and new colors of Glitz Glitter Gel, so I wanted to break them out.  Seriously, how gorgeous is that Brilliant Blue Glitz Glitter Gel with the Stellar Snowflake Stencil.  I like to use watercolor paper as my base, because for me the sturdier paper works better for stenciling the gel.

 

Since it was a CAS challenge, I resisted the urge to add a big more bling and just let the snowflake shine.

I wanted a vertical sentiment and I didn't have a Gina K. Birthday sentiment that was thin enough to let the Snowflake be the star of the show ... so I used Winter Wishes from the Gina K. Designs Seasonal Greetings Set and I'll stamp the birthday sentiment on the inside (that way the recipient can display it for a longer time if they want to).

 

 

It's also Snowflakes at the Just Us Girls Challenge this week (and their graphic is even a similar blue).

 

Lastly, the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge is also about Something New.

Work It Snowflakes

I just discovered the Simon Says Stamp Work it Wednesday Challenge, which for December is Snowflakes.

I thought this lovely metallic Gel Press print would be the perfect background for a snowflake card.  I die cut the Gel Press Print with the Simon Says Stamp Stitched Rectangles Die.

 

 

I die cut two Simon Says Stamp Bliss Snowflakes from Silver Metallic Cardstock.  The Simon Says Stamp Stay Strong Die (from STAMPtember 2017) was cut from glittery teal cardstock.

 

I added some Eyelet Outlet Snowflake Bling and silvery glitter enamel dots to the center of the snowflakes.

Holly Jolly

I love the colors in the Butterfly Reflections Ink December Mood Board.

 

The My Mind's Eye Holly Jolly Collection has three of the colors ... so all I had to do was add in some Aquamarine.

 

The Penguin Cutie is from American Crafts ... I framed him in Aquamarine and then added coordinating enamel dots to decorate his scarf.   This card just makes me happy.

Happy Winter

I love the beautiful colors in the current Lawn Fawnatics Challenge Inspiration Board.

 

The movement of the lines reminded me of the Lawn Fawn Lawn Cuts - Stitched Woodgrain Backdrop ... I used it on the lightest blue of the color combination.

 

 

I die cut the Lawn Fawn Stitched Snowflakes from the other four colors and stacked them using 3-D glue dots for dimension.  I put some Bumpy Bling in the centers.

 

The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn Say What Christmas Critters.

Snow Time

The current Impression Obsession Challenge is Snow Time!

 

I started by die cutting Impression Obsession Snowflakes Die Set from Silver Glitter Foam ... I used two of the three snowflakes on my card.  

 

I attached them to the Impression Obsession Plaid Tag cut from a blue shimmer cardstock.  I finished with a peace sentiment from Impression Obsession Express Yourself.

 

I added some Eyelet Outlet Bumpy Bling to the center of the snowflakes and some silver & blue ribbon at the top of the tag to finish the design.

Dashing Through the Snow

Day 9 of the 12 Tags of Christmas was to make a tag inspired by the song Sleigh Ride.  Ardyth's Belly Flopping Penguin made me smile.

 

 

I die cut two Essentials by Ellen Shipping Tags ... one from a scrap of blue snowflake paper and a second from white cardstock to create my snowy landscape.  I decided my penguin needed a friend to cheer him on, so I stamped & die cut two of the Penguins from Essentials by Ellen Arctic Pals ... I used a sentiment from the set too.

 

I finished with some navy and yellow ribbon and a little yellow marker highlights on the Penguin beaks and bellies ... these little guys are just so cute.

Bringing Sexy Sweaters Back

I knew I had to break out the don we now our ugly sweater stamps from Simon Says Stamp for this week's Baby It's Cold Outside Jingle Belles card.

 

I did an oops when I scored my card base and scored the front too short ... I decided to work with it and trimmed it even shorter, so I could attach several rows of washi tape to the inside of the card (like I did last weekend on one of my Christmas tags) ... and I loved the effect.

I colored my sweater with markers and then added some gems for embellishments.  Such a fun card to make.