Merry Monday #296 - RUSTIC

Hey Merry Monday fans...Nina is our hostess this week and she would like to see RUSTIC Christmas cards.

I went in a little different direction from the inspiration photo and created a rustic wreath that was inspired by a Melissa Phillips card HERE.

Rustic Wreath from PTI has long been a favorite of mine, and dressing it up with flowers, berries and snowflakes was a LOT of fun!  I used PTI's Farmer's Market Florals and Beautiful Berries: Winter stamp sets for my florals and PTI's Silver White Winters and Impression Obsessions small snowflake dies for the snowflakes that were colored with Vintage Photo Distress Ink to give the rustic look.  

You can see more inspiration from the DT and find all the info to play along right HERE.

**SPECIAL NOTE**  It is with a sad heart that I tell you that this will be the last Merry Monday challenge.  For many reasons, the creator of the Merry Monday challenge has decided to close it down, so I hope that for this last challenge, we can go out with a bang!  This has been a wonderful ride for me the past 2 years, and I have loved creating cards for this challenge every week!  I have made wonderful friends with the DT and with so many of you in the gallery who have played along!  I'll still be around in blogland (and Instagram), so don't be strangers and come by and visit...you know I love it when you do!  Change can be good and who knows where this will lead for all of us??  So keep making those Christmas cards and getting ahead before December arrives, especially with this last Merry Monday challenge!  Let's flood the gallery with RUSTIC Christmas cards!  Thanks for all the wonderful memories my friends!!  :0)  

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #295 - An Inspiration Challenge

Hey Merry Monday fans...I'm happy to be hosting the challenge this week and I have a simple but lovely inspiration photo for you.

This may be a simple photo, but there really is a LOT to be inspired by!  The woodgrain, the peppermint candies, the colors, the mason jars, the candle light, and the greenery...include a few or a lot of them onto your cards!

 I was inspired by the colors, the greenery, the mason jars, and the candies!  I love the paper in SU!'s Candy Cane Lane pack and 2 of the papers worked perfect for this challenge!  I just embossed in white the outline of the Pint and Quart size jars from PTI right onto the papers and my jars were filled with Christmas goodies!

I stamped a little bit of greenery behind the jars using PTI's Holiday Greens stamp set, and then added a frame in Real Red cardstock using Penny Blacks Snowflake Stitch Frames dies.  A few red and green sequins, some red & white bakers twine, and a Tiny Tag with my sentiment and some jute twine finished off my FUN and FESTIVE card.

We can't wait to see what YOU come up with this week using the inspiration photo.  Check out what the DT came up with and then play along...you will be so happy when December rolls around and you have a stash of Christmas cards already done!  You can find all the info you need to play along right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #294 - BARN

Hey Merry Monday fans...Leanne is our hostess this week and she would like to see a BARN on your Christmas cards.

I didn't have a single BARN stamp or die, but my dear friend Birgit helped me out with a die cut one and I came up with this card:

The BARN is an Elizabeth Craft Die (retired) and after getting all the trim glued on and the doors put on right side up (I had them upside down...they are meant to be sliding doors, but until Birgit showed me a picture, I didn't get how they went together.  Once I saw the picture it all clicked into place!!)it looked pretty good.

I lightly sponged the top 2/3rds of my background with Salty Ocean Distress Ink to look like a cold December day, and then started adding trees that I die cut from a couple different AliExpress sets.  I did ink up the edges of the trees and also added some Shabby White Embossing Enamel to make them look like snow had fallen on them.

My last steps were to add the black silhouette of the horse and sleigh from PTI's In The Meadow die set and a small wreath from a Bo Bunny Holly Jolly stamp set.

The DT has some absolutely GORGEOUS cards to inspire you this week, so check them out and then come play along with us.  We can't wait to see what YOU come up with this week using a BARN on your Christmas cards.  Check it all out right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #293 - ANGELS

Hey Merry Monday fans...Linda is our hostess this week and she would like to see ANGELS on your Christmas cards.

I don't have a lot of angel stamps and dies, but I did find one stamp that I don't think I've ever used from STAMPENDOUS called Manger.

I used my Copics and WOS to color it up and then die cut the scalloped circle from Gina Marie Designs around the image.  I love how the smallest angel is leaning over to give baby Jesus a kiss...so sweet!

Hard to see, but I WOS'd the angel wings twice for an extra shimmer, so it really shines IRL!  My sentiment is from CP's Winterhaven Collection.

We can't wait to see what you come up with this week using an ANGEL on your card.  The DT has some amazings cards to inspire you this week, so check them out and then play along with us right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #292 - PENGUINS

Hey Merry Monday fans...this week's challenge is all about adding a PENGUIN (or two or three!) to your Christmas cards!

I have quite a few FUN and FROLICKING PENGUIN stamps like the inspiration photo, but I chose to use some brand new (to me) PENGUIN dies from AliExpress to make my QACAS card this week.

I started by using an older embossing folder from Quickutz to make my background and layered it onto a piece of Aqua Mist cardstock and then attached them to a white card base.  Then I simply used some pop dots to adhere the little penguin family to the center of my card.

A little bit of Caribbean baker's twine from The Twinery finished off this oh so simple and quick card.

We can't wait to see what YOU come up with using a PENGUIN on your cards!  Check out the rest of the inspiration from the DT and then play along.  I know Christmas seems like a looooong way off right now, but just making one card a week will help you be ready when it does get here, so play along with us each week...you'll be SO glad you did come December!!  Check it all out right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #291

Hey Merry Monday fans...Kelly has a FUN challenge for you this week adding CANDY CANES, COOKIES, or SWEET TREATS to your Christmas cards.

I had FUN letting DSP from SU!'s Candy Cane Lane package do most of the work for me:

This paper was just too sweet to resist with all the candy canes, gumdrops, peppermints, and gingerbread cookies on it!  And I'm such a sucker for kraft and red together too, so this was a win-win for me!!  I used PTI's Window Works Dies to die cut the little oval opening where I placed a little gingerbread man that I stamped and colored using SSS's Christmas Squad stamp set.  My sentiment is from CP's Candy Cane Lane stamp set and the little candy canes on my sentiment are 3D stickers from SSS.  A simple piece of white bakers twine at the top finished off my sweet little card.

We can't wait to see all of your SWEET cards flood our gallery this week!  Check out what the DT came up with this week to inspire you and then play along with us!  You can find it all right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #290 - Bells

Hey Merry Monday fans...JoAnn is our hostess this week and she would like to see BELLS on your Christmas cards.

I chose to use JINGLE BELLS rather than regular bells on my card.  Here's what I came up with:

I started with Merry Music DSP from SU!...I mean how perfect that there was Jingle Bells music in that paper pack to use!!

I stamped the pine branch from SU!'s Ornamental Pine in Smoky Slate ink and then used a shimmer pen over all the pine needles...IRL it really sparkles!  Next I added a couple die cut JINGLE BELLS from Lil Inker in Real Red cs and attached them to the pine branch.

The sentiment is from PTI's Season's Greetings and is embossed in black and then matted in red to match the layer under the DSP.  Some silver cording bows at the top of the bells and some heavy white baker's twine at the top finished off my card

We can't wait to see what you come up with using BELLS on your cards this week!  Take a look at what the DT came up with for some more inspiration, and then play along with us right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #289 - Use A STAR

Hey Merry Monday fans...Debbie is our hostess this week and she would like to see a STAR on our Christmas cards this week!

I bought a couple new dies last year from a new to me company called Tutti Designs and how perfect that one of them had a STAR in it!!

It's a pretty intricate die, but just perfect for this challenge!  It's called Nativity Shooting Star (Tutti - 342).

I started by blending Mermaid Lagoon, Faded Jeans, & Picked Raspberry DOX inks on some white cardstock and then splattered a bit with water to give the illusion of a starry sky.  Next I die cut the image and saved every tiny little piece.  I die cut the image a 2nd time in black and then inlaid all the tiny little pieces...a little bit time consuming but very worth it IMHO!!

I thought about adding some shimmer or shine, but in the end decided to leave it CAS and just add a sentiment, which came from SU!'s Wise Men From Afar.

What will YOU come up with this week using a STAR??  The sky's the limit!  Sorry, couldn't resist!!  Hope to see you in the gallery soon!  And if you need a little more inspiration, check out what the rest of the DT came up with and then play along right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #288 - NO STAMPING

Hello friends.  Deanne is our hostess this week at Merry Monday and she would like you to create a Christmas card with NO STAMPING!!

Yep, NO STAMPING!!  That means "dies" to me and I'm definitely OK with that!!  :0)  And I had just happened to receive two new dies from AliExpress that were perfect for this challenge, and I came up with this:

This was really a very easy CAS card to make!  I started with a white card base, and then added a white die cut plaid background...at least I think it's supposed to be a plaid background die!  Next I die cut the Merry Christmas from Cherry Cobbler cs and then die cut a 2nd time with Gumball Green cs for the holly leaves.  After attaching the leaves and berries on the inside of the circle, I added Glossy Accents to them to make them shine and really stand out!

After the leaves and berries dried, I finished my card by simply adding some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine (SU!) to the top.  Easy peasy and I love how it turned out!!

There is LOTS of FABULOUS inspiration from the DT to get you started this week, so check it all out and then play along with us...we can't wait to see what YOU come up with without using any stamping!  Check it all out right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #287

Hello friends.  Colleen is hosting this week's Merry Monday challenge and she has a fabulous inspiration photo to inspire us this week!

I just loved the colors from this photo and the sweet home-y feeling it brings, so that was my starting point for my card this week!

I loved the pinks, reds, and greens in the inspiration photo, and used Catherine Poolers dies from the Winterhaven set to cut out my houses, church, and trees, and also the snowy slopes.  My background was blended using Salty Ocean, Faded Jeans, and Stormy Sky Distress Inks and then I splattered some water to add the look of snow falling.  My sentiment is from PTI's Think Big Favorites: #20.

What will YOU find to inspire you from this weeks inspiration photo??  Let us help you get a head start on those Christmas cards...just head on over to the Merry Monday blog and check out all the fabulous inspiration from the DT and then play along with us!  You can find all the info you need right HERE.

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #286 - Use A Verse On Your Card

Hello friends.  Sue is our hostess this week at Merry Monday and she would like to see you use a verse on your Christmas cards.

I used a sentiment/verse from Penny Black's Yuletide Wishes that I have always loved and stamped it as the focal point of my card.

  I started by blending Wilted Violet, Salty Ocean, & Faded Jeans DOX inks onto my cardstock (the Wilted Violet really is there...it's just not showing up too well in my photo!) and then used the ghosting technique where I spritzed my Memory Box stencil Winter Flurry Frame quite liberally with water and then laid it over my blended piece with a couple heavy books on top of it and then left it for about a half hour.  I love using this technique where the water soaks up the color and leaves a shadowed look from your stencil.  Next I used a Gina Marie Designs die to cut all the tiny stars out, and then after stamping my verse, backed this piece with a piece of gold mirror cardstock so all my stars would be gold and shiny.  A simple white card base finished off my card.

We can't wait to see what YOU come up with this week, so check through your stamps or even computer generate a verse or sentiment you really like to use at Christmas, and add it to your card.  There is LOTS of BEAUTIFUL inspiration from the rest of the DT to get you inspired, so check it out and play along with us!  You can find all the info you need right HERE.   

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #285 - Use A Ribbon On Your Card

Hello friends.  This week Nina is hosting our Merry Monday challenge, and she would like to see you use a RIBBON on your Christmas card.

There was a time in my stamping life where I added ribbon and bows to EVERY card I made...kind of gotten away from that, but every once in awhile it really does add a nice touch to a card!  

I've been kind of hooked on Lindy's Magicals and Finetec Pearls lately as I just LOVE the shimmer and shine they give, but I can't photograph them for the life of me!!  So anyway, try to imagine my card with LOTS of shimmer and shine!!

I started by embossing the image from PTI's Botanical Blocks III in silver onto Basic Gray (SU!) cardstock and then coloring the flower with Autumn Maple Crimson (Lindy's Magicals) and the leaves with green Finetec Pearls.  I mounted this layer to a layer of Smokey Slate cs that I stamped with SU!'s retired En Francais background stamp and a layer of white cs.  These were mounted to a piece of Cherry Cobbler cs that I dry embossed with a retired SU! Poinsettia ef.  I added a piece of seam binding ribbon along with a Tiny Tag from PTI.  LOT'S of layers on this card, but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out!

We hope you'll take time to play along with us this week...you will be so happy you did come Nov./Dec. when you have a stack of Christmas cards ready to go!  So add a RIBBON to your card this week and play along with us right HERE.  If you need more inspiration, just check out what the rest of the DT came up with HERE!   

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!

Merry Monday #284 - A Color Challenge With RED & WHITE

Hey Merry Monday fans...this week I'd like to challenge you with a color challenge using RED & WHITE on your Christmas cards.

I just LOVE red and white for Christmas cards...there's just something very CAS about that color combination!  I have a twofer for you today using a PB stamp (Ornately) that I've had for a billion years (or close!) and have never used.  I embossed the image first in WOW Metallic Red and decided I didn't like it because it looked a little pink to me, so re-stamped another one using Real Red ink.  After I finished the card, the embossed Metallic Red piece sat there staring at me, so I decided to finish it into a card and ended up liking it better than the other.  Here's the embossed WOW Metallic Red one:

I matted the card with Real Red cs and then the embossing didn't look so pink anymore.  I also added a layer of dry embossing using SU!'s Holly folder and then used the WOW Metallic Red embossing powder on vellum for my sentiment (PTI Think Big Favorites: #21).

And here's the one using Real Red ink:

This one is actually embossed too...SU! inks stay wet for a few seconds, so I added some clear embossing powder over the image and then heat set it...gives it a nice shine IRL.  I layered it with some Bitty Big DSP (Pure Poppy from PTI) and then added a few snowflakes using PTI's Fancy Flakes dies.  A few sequins, some bakers twine, and a Tiny Tag (PTI) finished off this card.

So what will YOU come up with this week using RED & WHITE??!!  We can't wait to see your cards in the gallery!!  Make sure you check out what the DT came up with using RED & WHITE for more inspiration and then play along with us right HERE.  We would LOVE to help you get those Christmas cards done on time this year!!  :0)

Thanks for stopping by today ... I love it when you do!