The Grinch Game

Join in the fun with Laura at Creative Vision, beginning December 2.  We had a lot of fun last year and I'm sure Laura's come up with more creative fun this year!

One more day in Texas and then I'll be headed back home to Mexico!

Betty

I'm in Texas!

Just a quick note to let you all know that I arrived in Texas safely, and my luggage did too! My daughter and grandkids were there to pick me up at the airport and it was so wonderful to see them again! Looking forward to a couple of weeks of visiting with friends and family!

Betty

Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy

Yes, friends, it's definitely an addiction! I said in my last post that I probably wouldn't be posting any more cards until I returned from my trip to the States but I just couldn't stand it -- had to make another card!!

I was doing some organizing and got to looking in a box with leftover Christmas stuff from last year. Saw this little round piece of "joy" which brought to mind the song -- I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, down in my heart, down in my heart.... Couldn't get it out of my head so I figured it was calling me to make a card with it! Found a little punch out image that fit right in the middle and a sentiment that I had cut from a card that we received last year. The gold cardstock was even already embossed and waiting. I really like the look of the gold line underneath the sentiment. I cut it from the embossed panel so it would fit onto the white card base. It looks so much better on this card than it would have looked in the trash can!!

I'll enter this card in three challenges:
Weekly Christmas Card Challenge #50 -- Deck the Halls -- holly or wreaths (do you see the tiny sprigs of holly on the circular image?)
Stamps R Us Challenges -- Bling It On! (gold panel, red pearls)
Hooked on Craft Challenges #12 -- Something Punched! (scalloped mat and image)

Who knows -- I may be back with another card-- I have two more days before I have to get on the plane in Guadalajara!

Betty

A Santa for Brianna

Here's a card I made to take to my granddaughter, Brianna. I'll get to see her and her brother Ashton on Thursday when they come to pick me up at the airport! Can't wait to see those two rascals again, and my sweet daughter too!

I want to enter this card into the following challenges:
Dutch Dare Card Challenge -- use punches or dies
Crafty Hazel Nuts Christmas Challenge  -- use bright colors and/or sparkle
  edited to add:  oops, missed the deadline for Hazel Nuts!

Santa is a Flourishes stamp; the sentiment and banner are from Layers of Color. Cut out my image with a Nestabilities die and cut another slightly bigger by tracing around the outside of the die that I used and fussy cutting it. I added the red rhinestones to the doily borders and then thought that they would be cute as the holly berries. Sure glad I thought about it because I think it's my favorite feature of this card!

Did you see that I won one of Flourishes new releases this week? The First Noel is a beautiful set and is sure to be enjoyed by my church stamping group when I return on Dec. 1; our group will be meeting on the 3rd and I bet one or two of them are going to want to get this set inky!

I may not have any more cards to post for a bit -- will be trying to clean up my craft area so it will be neat and tidy while I'm away and then I have to decide what to put in my suitcase -- probably should take some winter clothes with me and leave the sandals behind!!

Will be trying to get in a few posts while I'm away so you all don't forget me!! Till then, be happy!
Betty

Christmas Blessings

This card has been sitting on my desk for several days now -- I wonder how many deadlines have come and gone on these challenges????

Midnight Madness Sketch Challenge #129 sketch
Really Reasonable Ribbon #35 Christmas theme with a ribbon
Jellypark Friends non-traditional Christmas colors
Crimbo Crackers anything goes Christmas challenge
Crafter's Companion celebrate a holiday
Christmas Stampin' All Year Long use your favorite sketch challenge (Midnight Madness)

This is the first card I've made with this stamp that I got shortly before we moved to Mexico. We've had several cats in the past who loved sleeping under our Christmas tree and the tree lights usually ended up hanging quite close to the floor many mornings!! Sure do miss our kitties but love remembering all their personality "quirks" and the joy they gave us over the years! Anyhow, I'm sure they never had a mouse napping atop their heads!

Hope you're all close to getting your cards done ..... mine are all done, sealed and addressed, ready to go into my suitcase when I head to Houston soon; then my daughter can mail them for me once December arrives!

So long for now,
Betty

A Flourishes Color Challenge

Here's a card I made this afternoon after we got back from a quick trip to Costco in Guadalajara. After we unloaded and put away groceries I headed to my computer to see what the Flourishes noon time challenge would be today.

It is a color challenge using Red, White and Soft Green. I used a stamp with four Christmas trees from Stubby Stampers and the sentiment is from Layers of Color, Glad Tidings.  If you use Flourishes' stamps you are entered into the challenge twice but using other stamps is allowed on this challenge. As a part of their November release, Flourishes revealed a terrific snowglobe stamp today with three cute scenes that can be stamped inside the globe.

The Christmas tree brads started out dark green but I embossed them with the challenge colors. Hope you enjoyed the card; I had lots of fun making it! Why don't you join me -- head over to Flourishes to get all the details. If you don't have any of Flourishes beautiful stamps, you may get lucky and win some!

Betty 

Flourishes Challenges

I have two creations to share with you today. The first one is for the Timeless Tuesday challenge at Flourishes. The challenge is to make a card where you emboss a portion of the card and leave a portion smooth for the image. Here is my card, made with my favorite Flourishes set, All That Glitters. The sentiment is from Christmas Music by Flourishes.

My next creation is for the Wednesday noon time challenge at Flourishes, Tag, You're It! As you might suspect, the challenge is to make a tag or use a tag on a card. This challenge celebrates their November release. Again, I used the All That Glitters set and made a Christmas gift tag. It looks like it could be the offspring of the card above -- they have very similar characteristics!

The shading on the front of the tag was done to cover up a boo-boo (but don't tell anyone, okay?) Unfortunately, I don't know the name of the set which includes the "to" and "from" stamps.

If you want a terrific Christmas set, All That Glitters would be a wonderful choice if you're like me and are really into Christmas ornaments. And Flourishes has even come up with a companion set this year titled Holiday Sparkle. Here's a picture --

Isn't this another set of beautiful vintage glass ornaments? Both of these sets take me right back to childhood and decorating the tree -- such beautiful memories!

Happy papercrafting dear friends! Hope you'll come back again tomorrow for some more Christmas goodies!

Betty

Birthday Card and a Sunset

This card almost didn't get posted. I made it yesterday and had to keep changing and adding till I finally got to where I "didn't hate it"! Today, I added the little bow and I think that's when I came around to liking it. Poor little card -- it just wanted some love!!

I'll be entering it in the following challenges:

My stamps are from AnnaBelle Stamps -- Sentimental Bluebells and Backgrounds by Design 2.

Lily Pad Color Challenge -- Blue, Mustard, Rust

Cupcake Inspirations Photo -- The colors in the photo can be seen in the designer paper from Gina K. Designs that I used on my card. 

I have to share another photo with you. Last evening we had the most glorious sunset! Now, we have beautiful sunsets almost every evening but this one was super spectacular. We walked out in the yard and looked straight up, then turned completely around in a circle. Everywere you looked you could see "fire" in the clouds! Not just over the back fence where the sun sets, but everywhere you looked! I tell you, it was a sight to behold -- God was really doing an awesome work with His paintbrush during the sunset last night!

Bye for now and happy crafting to all,
Betty

Make it Round Like a Wreath

I just love beautifully colored Christmas ornaments so this inspiration photo caught my eye immediately! It is for  Flourishes Christmas Spirit Challenge 19 which is to "make it round like a wreath." And here's my card:

Made use of my Circle and Scalloped Circle Nestabilities to fashion the card and cut out the layers. Stamps are from Flourishes -- Doves and Holly and Holly (background stamp). The holly was all that I colored on the center image and some shading was added around the inside of the die. (I also colored the red berries of the background stamp). Sentiment was also cut out with a Spellbinders die and little pearls added to all the outside scallops.

I'd really like to encourage you to join me (and Theresa P.) in this challenge if you have any Flourishes stamps (that is a requirement -- thanks, Patti, for bringing that to my attention). We've both been winners for the last two challenges -- how exciting is that?! The prize this month is the retired set Christmas Wreath. This set can no longer be purchased so this challenge is an excellent opportunity to have a chance to make it part of your collection. Christmas Wreath has an elaborated scrolled Merry Christmas sentiment that I used on two cards in my previous post. Hope to see you entering your round creations!

Betty

More Christmas Cards

This is my card for Flourishes' challenge -- Snowy Delights and for the Free for All Friday challenge at stampTV that Tina has named Blue Christmas.

I used a Cuttlebug folder from a set called Winter Wonderland on glossy card stock and then ran my Distress Ink Faded Jeans pad over the paper, followed by buffing it with a paper towel, creating a glassy effect on the glossy paper. Had a small piece left over after cutting out my panel and stamped the Gina K. Designs sentiment from Festive Frame in Night of Navy ink. Cut it out with a Nestabilities rectangle die and framed it with a piece of white glittered card stock cut out with a scalloped rectangle die. Tied a little bow to go at the bottom and I was done!

Our card making group met at church this morning and I showed them the fan fold wreath technique and we all a made a card or two. Here are a couple that I made -- the sentiment is from Flourishes' set Christmas Wreath and the little angel stamp is from Layers of Color Angelic.

And now, just so you'll know that I was at the beach in Puerto Vallerta this past week, here is a picture that shows you some of the scenery that I was enjoying from my hotel window!

Keep warm to those of you who aren't fortunate enough to have temps in the low 80's here at 4:30 in the afternoon,
Betty