Aloha, all!
As I mentioned I have been whisked away for a mini-vacation by my husband as my Christmas gift this year. But despite the fact that we were madly packing for our little getaway, I just had to jump in and participate in this week's Diva Coffee Break Design Team challenge. It was a sketch challenge, and you who check on me regularly know that I far prefer the sketch challenges to those that require a certain set of colors. (And I have to tell you I haven't even peeked to see what next week's colors are. I can always hope for some Christmas colors, can't I???)
There are quite a few Stampin' Up! stamp sets that I could have used for this sketch challenge. But I decided to focus on the Stampin' Up! 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog. I found two great products that really help to make a fun Christmas card (as well as other projects): the Sizzix Scallop Square Duo Die and the fun little (well, maybe not "little" with 24 stamps!) stamp set, Jolly Bingo Bits. The idea with the stamp set is for us to make bingo cards for Christmas Play – and, yes, there is a Bingo Card to go with it! I can only hope that there are Bingo Bits for other seasons! But (as often happens), I digress.
First I cut a piece of Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive Card stock using the Scallop Square Duo Die, then I ran them back through my Sizzix Big Shot with the Petals A Plenty embossing folder. I layered them up according to the sketch challenge on a piece of striped paper from the Jolly Holiday Designer Paper set. Remember that I already mentioned last week that this paper really isn't stuck in one season just because it has a "holiday" name to it! I stamped the Poinsettia Stamp from the Jolly Bingo Bits set on some Very Vanilla Card Stock, then sponged a bit of Old Olive Classic Ink on the edges before adding a gold brad to the center of each.
I stamped a strip of Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon with a stamp from the set Many Merry Messages. I've been wanting to use this stamp, and finally found the perfect place for it! Just to add a bit more color, I added a strip of Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon on top of the Very Vanilla Strip, mounted the whole card front onto a card of Old Olive Card Stock, and I was done!
So now I have yet another Christmas card for my card writing session this coming weekend! Fun!
I'll be back in town later this week and will post another card using one of the layouts in my new book! Don't forget that I'll be giving away two copies of the book to someone who posts a comment on my blog before Christmas letting me know that she or he would like to win the book! It will be for sale after the first of the year, so don't lose a chance to get a copy for FREE!!
Hope you're having a great week – and I'll share some photos with you when I get back!
I like how you used the scallop square duo die on this card. Stamping the greeting on the ribbon is a nice touch too. Thanks for sharing. jmniffer
What a sweet thing for your husband to do. The "mystery trip" as we like to refer to them, are always such fun. Great payback for sitting by his side during his time of need. Have a Merry Christmas.