'tis the season (#christmasinjuly2017)

Today marks the end of my Christmas in July series. My goal was to get a  jump start on my Christmas cards and encourage you to do the same. I actually exceeded my goal of 20 by two so I am happy. Hopefully, if I do this again next year I can get a few more people to participate with me! A huge thank you to all who did.

After stamping Purple Onion Designs Icicle (polar bear), I colored with Copic markers and fussy cut out. I used several dies from the My Favorite Things Stylish Snowflakes set to cut three snowflakes. I backed the snowflake cutouts with patterned paper and then reinserted the die cuts. After attaching the stamped image, I added the Purple Onion Designs 'tis the season sentiment stamped in blue sky ink.

Products: Purple Onion Designs stamps, PTI dp and cs, MFT dies, MFT and PTI ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Bear-E50, E51, E53, R00, R20; Scarf/Hat-W00, E81, B41, B32, B34

I have enjoyed looking at your creations too. Today is the last day to post either here or on instagram using #christmasinjuly2017.

An InLinkz Link-up

Dashing Through the Snow (#christmasinjuly2017)

I am winding down the Christmas in July series. I have already met my goal of 20 but I did not really stress over meeting the goal. The point was to get a jump start on my Christmas cards while enjoying the process. See below on how to participate too.

Today's Christmas card features the Papertrey Ink In the Meadow stamp set which I have had for 6 years and managed to use exactly once. This one took some time to put together which is probably the reason why I've only used this set once. I started out by stamping the two birds in pure poppy and the sleigh in black and then cut out with the matching In the Meadow Silhouette dies. I cut a snow bank using the In the Meadow dies and after attaching together I stamped the sentiment with pure poppy ink. I used a cloud stencil and faded jeans distress ink to create a cloud background and then attached the snow bank piece. I cut the tree using a die from the In the Meadow Silhouette set, then cut in half and attached them to the background on each side. I cut a frame from pure poppy cardstock by nesting two stitched rectangle dies and attached with foam tape. Lastly I added the two birds in the trees and the sleigh which was also attached with foam tape.

Products: Papertrey Ink stamps and dies, PTI cs, MFT stencil, Simon Says dies, PTI, Ranger Distress and Simon Says ink

If you feel like joining me in the last two days of July in order to get a head start on your Christmas cards, please link up below. I will stop by to take a look and comment. If you post to instagram, use #christmasinjuly2017.

An InLinkz Link-up

Christ is Born (#christmasinjuly2017 and Faith Friday)

Summer is a wonderful time of the year but then again so is Christmas so I am doing a Christmas in July series. My goal is to make at least 20 cards this month but I am not going to stress over the goal. The point is to get a jump start on my Christmas cards while enjoying the process. See below on how to participate too.

After stamping all the images and sentment from the  Simons Says Nativity set directly onto the top fold card base,  I colored with Copic markers, using a gelly roll pen on the star for a bit of sparkle. I masked off the stable with sticky notes tape and also the Holy couple and repeated the sentiment inside the stable using soft stone ink. It is hard to see in the above photograph so here is a close up.

I am happy to say that this card meets my goal of 20 for the month! Honestly, I wasn't sure I could do it. However, I have at least one more for Monday which is the last day of the month. I am entering this in the Simon Says Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.


Products: Simon Says stamps, PTI cs, Sakura Gelly Roll pen, MFT and PTI ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Skin-E00, E01, E11; Clothing-W00, E81, B41, B95, B97, C1, C3, C5; Stable-W1, W2, W5

If you feel like joining me to get a head start on your Christmas cards, please link up below. I would love the inspiration and promise I will stop by to take a look and comment. If you post to instagram, use #christmasinjuly2017.

An InLinkz Link-up

Merry & Bright (#christmasinjuly2017)

Summer is a wonderful time of the year but then again so is Christmas so I am doing a Christmas in July series. My goal is to make at least 20 cards this month but I am not going to stress over the goal. The point is to get a jump start on my Christmas cards while enjoying the process. See below on how to participate too.

I stamped a border twice in pure poppy ink directly across the card base using a stamp from the Simon Says Holiday Borders set. I then stamped a couple of trees from the Merry Trees using green parakeet and black ink. I stamped the circle, sentiment and stars onto a circle panel using pure poppy and black ink and attached to the card front with a layer of craft foam. After stamping another tree from the Lawn Fawn Snow Day with green parakeet ink, I cut out with the matching die and attached to the sentiment circle. I am entering this in the Simon Says Anything Goes Wednesday Challenge.

Products: Simon Says stamps, Lawn Fawn stamp and die, PTI cs, MFT die, Simon Says and PTI ink

If you feel like joining me to get a head start on your Christmas cards, please link up below. I would love the inspiration and promise I will stop by to take a look and comment. If you post to instagram, use #christmasinjuly2017.

An InLinkz Link-up

Ho Ho Ho (#christmasinjuly2017 and SFYTT)

Summer is a wonderful time of the year but then again so is Christmas so I am doing a Christmas in July series. My goal is to make at least 20 cards this month but I am not going to stress over the goal. The point is to get a jump start on my Christmas cards while enjoying the process. See below on how to participate too.

I generally followed the July Sketch for You to Try for the layout of today's card. I stamped an image from the Reverse Confetti Elemental Stripes set diagonally three times alternating with pure poppy and green parakeet ink directly onto the card base front. I then stamped two of the images from the Jolly Holiday set, cut out with the matching dies and colored with Copic markers. A clear gelly roll pen added some sparkle to Santa. I cut the tag from white and green parakeet card stock using two dies from the Topped Off Tag die and the topper from pure poppy card stock using a die from the Hang Ups dies. The images were attached to the tag with foam tape and after adding twine to the tag topper and a couple of enamel dots the completed tag was attached to the card base also using foam tape.

Products: Reverse Confetti stamps and dies, PTI cs, Doodlebug enamel dots, Hemptique cord, Sukura Gelly Roll pen, MFT and PTI ink, Copic Markers
Copics: E00, E01, E11, W00, E81, R20, R22, R24, R27, C1, C3, C5, YG01, YG03, YG23

If you feel like joining me to get a head start on your Christmas cards, please link up below. I would love the inspiration and promise I will stop by to take a look and comment. If you post to instagram, use #christmasinjuly2017.

An InLinkz Link-up

The Cat's Pajamas New Release and Blog Hop (and TCP Tuesday)

It is release day for The Cat's Pajamas! Three new stamp sets, one new die set and two new cutables are now available in The Cat's Pajamas shop.

We are celebrating the release with a blog hop which also represents TCP Tuesday #338 with a theme of How Does Your Garden Grow? The full details on how you can participate are on The Cat's Pajamas blog.

If you came here from the very creative Deborah's blog then you are right on track. If not, then start at the beginning at Christine's blog.

Today's card features two more images from the new Big Blooms set. Using the two flowers as a guide, I first stamped an image from the Watercolor Basics set with yellow and aqua ink directly onto the card base. I then stamped the two flowers over the previous images with black. I stamped yet another image from the Watercolor Basics randomly in black as well as the sentiment from the Big Blooms set. I added a patterned paper and cardstock combo border at the bottom for a super simple card. 

Products: The Cat's Pajamas stamps, My Mind's Eye dp, PTI and SU cs, SU and Simon Says ink

I hope you have enjoyed all the sneak peeks over the past week! To continue the blog hop, head on over to the talented Wendy's blog.

Here is the full blog hop lineup:

Christine 

Julie 

Brenda 

Deborah

Nancy < -------- You are Here

Wendy

Alma@The Cat’s Pajamas

Beary Christmas (#christmasinjuly2017)

Summer is a wonderful time of the year but then again so is Christmas so I am doing a Christmas in July series. My goal is to make at least 20 cards this month but I am not going to stress over the goal. The point is to get a jump start on my Christmas cards while enjoying the process. See below on how to participate too.

Today's card features images from the Reverse Confetti Bearing Gifts set. I used a diagonal strip embossing folder on a background rectangle and then cut a frame from soft stone card stock by nesting two stitched dies together. I stamped the images, cut out with the matching dies and then colored with Copic markers. All were attached to the framed piece using foam tape. After cutting out the banner from pure poppy card stock using a die from The Cat's Pajamas Ribbon Banner CutUps, I stamped the sentiment curving to fit the banner usng  Versamark ink and then white heat embossed. I added a double snowflake cut from white and gold metallic card stock using a die from the Reverse Confetti Let it Snow set.

Products: Reverse Confetti stamps and dies, PTI and Recollection cs, Taylored Expressions embossing folder, Simon Says and The Cat's Pajamas dies, MFT and Versamark ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Bear-W00, E81, N1, N3. N5, E31, E33, E35, E39; Car-B41, B32, B34, C00, C1, C3, N1, N3, N5, R22, R24, R27; Trees-G40, G43, G46, R55, R57

If you feel like joining me to get a head start on your Christmas cards, please link up below. I would love the inspiration and promise I will stop by to take a look and comment. If you post to instagram, use #christmasinjuly2017.

An InLinkz Link-up