Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator - Coldwater, Michigan - KatheD@gmail.com

Sunday, January 22, 2017

reindeer and stickers adventures

It's never too early for Christmas if you want to send unique and heartfelt, handmade cards, is it?  I missed a week at Jingle Belles, so I decided to make it up at Merry Monday, where Colleen requested reindeer.  I was stuck for few days, though, because my only vision was the reindeer from Santa's Sleigh (a Holiday catalog item that's still available!). With nothing in the vision for background or support, it was a terribly dull card.  The colors and design team inspiration at Christmas Card Throwdown got me unstuck:
stamp set - Holly Jolly Greetings; ink - Chocolate Chip; Pool Party; stampin' sponge; card stock - Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Chocolate Chip; Big Shot with Santa's Sleigh and Banners framelits and Woodlands embossing folder

Feeling successful with that effort, I decided to be brave and try the "stick-y & sweet" challenge from Jingle Belles.  It was a challenge for me - I'm pretty dependent on Stampin' Up! supplies for assurance that the colors and design elements work together, and they don't have stickers.  I knew I had some somewhere, though, so I went searching and found a whole package of Recollections sentiments. They seemed to match ok with the glitter-swirled die-cut trees that were in the same miscellaneous Christmas supplies box:
card stock - Bermuda Bay, Pear Pizzazz

I knew I had some EAD Designs stickers somewhere, too (because sweet Amy Tsuruta sent me some a few years ago!), but it took me a long time to find them; they were in a miscellaneous box of non-Christmas supplies.  While I was searching, I saw my old Dasher stamp and thought his elegant antlers would coordinate well with the flourishes in this sentiment:
stamp set - Dasher (retired); ink - Encore Silver (retired), Basic Black (on envelope); Stampin' Emboss powder - Silver; card stock - Old Olive; designer series paper - All is Calm (retired)

This one works for both Jingle Belles and Merry Monday, and now I'm one week ahead with Christmas cards instead of one week behind - bonus!

9 comments:

Deborah Frings said...

You've got off to a great start with these cards! I love the reindeer in the silver birch forest - so lovely. And a great use of the colours! Thanks so much for playing along with Christmas Card Throwdown. Deborah, DT.

Notes by Nina said...

Fabulous set of card, Thank you for playing along with Merry Monday.

Susan Joyce said...

Lovely group of cards Kathe, I like both reindeer cards. Thanks for joining us this week at Merry Monday.

lauren bergold said...

bonus indeed!!!!!! i love allllll of these, actually. and of course i heartily agree (as you know) that it's NEVER too early to build that xmas stash! thanks for "sticking with us" at JINGLE BELLES, miss kathe!!! <3

AlisonC said...

The background works beautifully with your little reindeer. The colourway makes it look a bit different (in a good way). I do like all the swirls on the last card too. Well done for getting ahead.
Thanks for playing along at Christmas Card Throwdown.

Lucinda said...

A great start to your 2017 Christmas card stash! I particularly love your birch forest, with the cute reindeer. And a lovely sentiment. Thanks for joining in with the Christmas Card Throwdown. Lucinda (DT)

SmilynStef said...

Love to see you finding things in your stash ... and giving them an awesome home ... I love both of your sticker-y creations ... so glad you got *sticky* with us at Jingle Belles.

Celeste Goff said...

Such pretty cards!!!

Lorraine said...

You're well on your way with three great designs. Looks like you're really having fun too.