Dreaming of a green Christmas...

Playing along with two challenges, the Jingle Belles Holly & Ivy challenge, to make a card featuring foliage and the Christmas Kickstart Green Christmas challenge. I pulled out a a Spellbinders poinsettia die that I've barely used and green patterned papers from a coordinating set. The green papers have an olive hue and I love non-traditional colors on Christmas cards so this is right up my alley. 
 

Merry Sketchmas

I need to get some Christmas cards completed and always love a sketch because it establishes some boundaries. The Jingle Belles challenge is to make a card using Stephanie's sketch below.

For the background I used a leftover page that I made for Wanderlust 2021, a mixed media art journaling course. The paper is watercolor paint on a paper bag, with salt sprinkled on the wet page. It was really fun to see how the pages turned out and I would definitely use this technique again. The rest are scraps of Christmas patterned paper and a gift tag from Michaels. 

 

Hello Friend

 

This weekend I made a card for the Shopping our Stash I need a cup of coffee challenge. I've had this Tim Holtz Coffee Time stamp, die and embossing folder for years but I think I've only used it once. So it was time to put it to use. Pretty much copied the version on the back of the package so it's not very original but I like it.

Hello Sugar

I don't make many Christmas cards for children because, sadly, most of my friends are grown-ups. But I found an organization that solicits handmade cards and bookmarks for hospitalized children throughout the world so this year I am planning to make a bunch. I've already made about a dozen bookmarks. 

The inspiration for this card comes from the Winter Wonderland Christmas Sweet Treats prompt and the Jingle Belles Inchies prompt to make a card featuring one inch or two inch squares or whatever size or shape (it's pretty much a free-for-all).  

Here's the front of my card. 

And I decided to decorate the back of the card with a fun page from the coordinated papers.

I am also submitting to CraftyHazelnuts Christmas Challenge CHNC 526, anything goes, as long as it's Christmas and CraftyHazelnuts Patterned Paper Challenge January 2021.

What does Ombre even mean?

OK, I know Ombre means "shaded" because I am totally fluent in French. Or maybe I looked it up on Wikipedia. I forget. Anyhoo, second card for the Jingle Belles Something Old, Something New challenge. The stamp is from the Simon Says Stamp Abstract Holidays from preferred travel buddy Stephanie. I finally broke out the Hero Arts Ombre inks I bought on sale at least a year ago but didn't even take them out of the wrap until last week. Took a little practice to figure out the little cha-cha movement to blend them but now I'm a fan. 

Well, that was interesting...

And that is all I have to say about 2020.

Starting off this year I'm getting back into card challenges after a 7 month hiatus. I had to make over 40 cards in late November so I am definitely getting a jumpstart this year. For my first Christmas card of 2021 I used the Jingle Belles Something Old Something New challenge to make a card combining something received or bought for Christmas and something I've had for a while. Something new is the fun Simon Says Stamp Abstract Holiday stamp set from my friend Stephanie and something old is scraps of card stock I've had for at least 5 years. The reindeer and the sentiment are mounted on foam tape but the I-Phone photo doesn't show it. 

Yes, I know that there should only be one red-nosed reindeer, but in my world Rudolph has an evil twin.

Also submitting to:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #45

CHNC #523

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper January 2021 Challenge