My blog is called "Creative Smiles" because my designs are the result of incorporating mistakes. With fumble fingers that drop whatever they are holding - repeatedly, it takes a lot of giggles, smiles and creative patience during my crafting process. xx

Showing posts with label The Merry Christmas Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Merry Christmas Challenge. Show all posts

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

The Merry Christmas Challenge

Good Morning, dear blogging friends!
Whew! Just one month before the end of 2017. Is it possible? We are again enjoying the typical Florida "Autumn" weather, that many of my northeastern friends in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine would consider to be summer.



I'm happy to share:
Today begins a challenge #45 at the Merry Christmas Challenge Group!

The theme is always ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES. This can include any type of crafting at all, so work on those decorations, tags, wreaths, sweaters, gifts, cards -- Anything Christmas Goes! Every week begins a new challenge.



I'm somewhat discouraged with the newer cameras - they capture every flaw and little particles of light that the human eye cannot see. So these photos were taken in two places.
One has artificial light (where the camera captures no sparkle), and the other is bright and sparkly, but the colors look darker than they are in real life.

Here is what I made:


White and chocolate brown cardstocks were used:



Check out the "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" frame:



Apply Tonic Nuvo Mother of Pearl Embellishment Mousse (on white cardstock):



Makes a big difference transforming the card stock:



Stamp on top of the moussed cardstock. My VIRGINAL stamp was purchased at a convention in 2011 - and is happy now that she has been stamped:



Me and Carrie Lou "Poinsettia" was stamped with Versafine Sepia Brown ink, and heat embossed with SNS Log Cabin Cosmic Embossing Powder (it's a combination of elements to create a "detail" EP but still sparkle with glitter). This luscious EP is both creamy and sparkly.


TIP:

to color the leaves:

Spritz a little water in the Embellishment Mousse to keep it moist AND use a water color brush on top of porous and NON porous surfaces:



The first layer of poinsettias was stamped and heat embossed on a large section of cardstock pre-embellished with Nuvo Mother of Pearl Embellishment Mousse.
Then only one delicate section of the die set was used to frame it.

On another scrap piece of paper, also prepared with Nuvo Mother of Pearl Embellishment Mousse, the poinsettia was stamped and embossed again, then fussy cut some of the petals out:



While the next step could be done with white cardstock, I used brown, just in case I missed any sections. SNS Copper Dreams Detail EP was massively dredged on a precut square that was liberally inked with VersaMark (This EP is extremely Sparkly but great on details, and coordinates well with Log Cabin Cosmic Embossing Powder).

I die cut the Tonic Poinsettia Wreath Die, smooshed VersaMark on it, and heat set with SNS Copper Dreams Detail EP so it would match the background. The die cut was cut up into pieces, with one adhered to the moussed background, and another popped up on the bow.


It really is shiny, shimmery, and sparkly all over!
The color values are truer in the photo below, but it just does not show off the shimmer of the mousse, or the sparkle of the embossing powders:


Ribbon is from DLArt "Coffee House Bundle Two".

Now for the inside:

All the white cardstock was again prepared with Nuvo Mother of Pearl Embellishment Mousse, and the brown was prepared with Copper Dreams Detail EP:


The inside is just as pretty as the outside.

Here it is with the shimmer and sparkle showing:


Thanks for stopping by! Don't forget to play in our Christmas Challenge!



Sparkle N Sprinkle Products Used:
Other Products Used:
  • Images: Me and Carrie Lou "Poinsettia" H180, Heartfelt Creations HCPC3552 "Bright Christmas"
  • Ribbon: DLArt "Coffee House Bundle Two"
  • Martha Stewart "Cherish" Punch (edge inside)
  • Memory Box Pinpoint Scallop Circles (inside)
  • Pearl Brad

Challenges I would like to support by playing in them:

  1. Crafting with Dragonflies #94 Christmas Card in non-traditional Colors 12/2 (sep post)
  2. Christmas at Sweet Stampin Challenge Nov 8 Anything Christmas Goes 12/14 (sep post)
  3. Kerst-Christmas FB Challenge #11 November Anything Christmas 12/2
  4. Monochrome Magic #7 Monochrome 12/15
  5. Retro Rubber #76 Anything Goes 12/6 (my VIRGINAL stamp is from a convention purchased in 2011)
  6. Scrapy Land Challenge #78 Anything Goes with A Die SL Sells 12/6
  7. The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge #20 Anything Christmas Goes 12/12
  8. Use Your Stuff #290 Heat Embossing 12/3 (sep post)
  9. World Wide Open DT Challenge "Anything DT Goes" 12/15 (sep post)

Warm and Cozy Christmas Hugs,











Wednesday, November 15, 2017

The Merry Christmas Challenge #43 - My Besties Penny with Penguins

Good Morning, dear blogging friends!
Whew! Less than 2 months before the end of 2017. Is it possible?

I'm happy to share:
Today begins a new challenge at the Merry Christmas Challenge Group!




The theme is always ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES. This can include any type of crafting at all, so work on those decorations, tags, wreaths, sweaters, cards -- Anything Christmas Goes! Every week begins a new challenge.



My card features My Besties "Penny With Penguins"

Penny is penguin crazy, and enjoys basking in their company, and dressing them up to match her own outfits!

The light "snow-laden" frame (popped up with dimensionals) was created with two die sets, and then passed through an embossing folder. The embossed snowfall was lightly sanded.



I couldn't let this one go by without glitter, so I've used three kinds. The microfine glitter graces the strings holding the ornaments. Ultrafine glitter was adhered to the greenery, with more glitter tinsel applied on top of that. The tinsel sparkles lots in real life!


Penny was colored with Copic Markers.
The ornament die and greenery are pieces cut from the Tattered Lace Art Deco Baubles.


Products:

  • Sherri Baldy's My Besties "Penny With Penguins"
  • MISC: Copic Markers, Stampin Up! Elegant Cheer sentiment, SU punch, MS Stars Edge Punch, 
  • Dies: SB Mega Curved Rectangles Nestabilities, SW Double Pierced Rectangles, Tattered Lace Art Deco Baubles
  • Embossing Folder: Craftwell Delicate Dots
  • Sparkle N Sprinkle: Waterfall Ultrafine Glitter, Sonic Silver Mircofine Glitter, Moonrise Glitter Tinsel, Tonic Deluxe Adhesive, Tear-ific Tape

Challenges I'm entering:
  1. Classic Design Team Open Challenge #19 Anything Goes for a DT 12/1
  2. Coloring in Scrapland "Winter is Coming" 12/1 (sep post)
  3. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Nov 1 Anything Christmas 12/1 (sep post)
  4. Kerst/Christmas - Dec #12 - Anything Christmas 12/1
  5. My Besties Aussie Challenge #11 Layer It Up 12/1
  6. My Besties Colour It! Create It! Show it Off! (Nov) thank you or Anything Goes 12/1
  7. My Besties International Challenge (Nov 15) Anything Goes option Fall 12/1
  8. My Besties Spanish Challenge Blog (#41) Anything Goes 12/3
  9. Pammie's Inky Pinkies #1746 Anything Goes 11/19 (sep post)
  10. Scrapbook Stamp Society #129 Anything Goes 11/20 (sep post)

Lots of Hugs for you!

Wednesday, November 01, 2017

The Merry Christmas Challenge #41 Anna Griffin

Hello, sweet blogging friends!
It's getting to be that time of year!
Do you have your holiday cards made?

I'm happy to say this is my first post as a Designer for the Merry Christmas Challenge Group! This ought to help me keep on schedule for making Christmas cards in 2018.




The theme is always ANYTHING CHRISTMAS GOES. This can include any type of crafting at all, so work on those decorations, tags, wreaths, sweaters, cards -- Anything Christmas Goes! Every fortnight begins a new challenge.



Some years ago I purchased an Anna Griffin Christmas Card kit for making 40 cards. I was a little disappointed and set it aside. But today, I've decided to start using some of the goodies in the box and mix it up a little with die cuts and other papers.


Products Used:
Dies: Sue Wilson Pierced Nobel Dies, Pierced Flags, SB Christmas Tree, Anna Griffin Santa Clause Face, Memory Box Holly Flourish

Papers: Anna Griffin Christmas, KandCcompany

Challenges I'd like to play in please:
  1. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - Nov 1 Anything Christmas 12/1 (sep post)
  2. Kerst/Christmas - Dec #12 - Anything Christmas 12/1
  3. Delicious Doodles Challenges (Nov) Christmas - Traditional Colors or Image (I used both) 12/1



Stamping Hugs,