a totally Pink Christmas adventure

 It's been nearly two years since I posted here, and I would be embarrassed, but I *have* actually been making cards and other crafty things and posting them on Instagram (so much quicker!) but I don't think this photo would have the same impact there: 

Two days ago, I was thinking about the annual Pink October challenge at Jingle Belles and wondered if I could combine it with Kendra's Card Challenge #20, using some of an old Recollections® Sugarblush paper pack I was gifted years ago.  It turned out that I can actually, but I'm not sure I know fifteen people who wouldn't be completely shocked to receive a pink (my LEAST favorite color) Christmas card from me...

a going-in-circles adventure (without circles)

There is a great sketch at Sunday Stamps, aptly called Going In Circles, but I've used a lot of circles lately and was looking for something different:

stamp set - Thoughtful Expressions; ink - Crumb Cake, Gorgeous Grape; card stock - Crumb Cake, Gorgeous Grape; designer series paper - Perennial Lavendar; punch - Heartfelt Hexagon; Stampin' emboss folder - Painted Texture

I really like it - it's nice to use a Crumb Cake base as a change-up now and then - and I'm thinking it will make a fun card for a Card Buffet choice.

A really red adventure

 I struggled a bit with the newest prompt at Jingle Belles - "primarily feature the color red."  I'm not sure why, but nothing inspired me until I watched someone sponge two colors onto a piece of foiled designer series paper.  I used one color, a different piece of paper, and a brayer instead of a sponge, but it was definitely the inspiration I needed:

stamp set - Brightest Glow; ink - Really Red, Versamark; Stampin' Emboss powder - Gold; designer series paper - Most Adored (Sale-A-Bration); card stock - Real Red; Stampin' Cut dies: Thoughtful Expressions

I can't decide whether I wish I'd worked harder to get the background color more even, or if I like the variegated look better - I stopped with a variegated look, so let's say that's my preferred look.  Either way, I really enjoyed the process with the newest Stampin' brayer!  I have both the softer rubber brayer and the sponge brayers we used to offer, but this one was much easier to work with.

Something old, something new adventure

 I was cleaning up a bit yesterday and found these die-cut letters I hadn't used last month.  They would have looked stunning on a white background if not for the hint of green peeking out from the underlayer.  The pine boughs die cut I've had for a few years provided some green for the background, but then I needed a "buffer" so the word didn't disappear.  I decided my newest dies would be exactly right for a vellum layer, pulling together something old and something new for the current Jingle Belles challenge:

stamp set - Brightest Glow; ink - Shaded Spruce; card stock - Basic White, Pecan Pie, Shaded Spruce, Vellum; specialty paper - Distressed Gold; Stampin' Cut dies - Alphabet a la Mode, Christmas Pinecones, Thoughtful Expressions

After painstakingly weeding out the pinecones and boughs, I remembered why I don't use that die set more often, but it's worth it for a special card

a sketchy snowflake wrapping adventure

 If you're new here, you may not know yet how much I love the Jingle Belles blog, where Stephanie and Lauren have inspired us for 14 years! "to prevent holiday mayhem" by making Christmas cards January through November.  For January they've prompted us to use wrapping paper.  Sometimes I find it easier to narrow down my creative choices if I have more direction, and over the years, I've found several other favorite sites that help me out with that.  The snowflake theme for my card today is from Christmas Crafts All Year 'Round and the sketch is #617 from Freshly Made Sketches:

stamp set - Ringed with Nature; ink - Versamark; Stampin' emboss powder - metallic silver; card stock - Shimmer White (retired), Brushed Gold (retired), Basic White; designer series paper - not really, it's tissue gift wrap I received from a friend a few years ago

All that white space tends to make me a little nervous, but it's got a sweet subtle shimmer in real life.