Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

If you haven't checked out the 365 Cards blog, you've got to check it out!  It's full of must-see challenges ... rather must-participate challenges!!!  Today's challenge was a sketch challenge. 

365 Cards:  Day 253 Challenge - Super Sketchy Sunday
Isn't this sketch adorable? 

Since I'm still in leftover Christmas spirit, it's no surprise that today's card also has a holiday theme. 
Sentiment: 
Rockin' around the Christmas Tree (outside)
... have a Happy Holiday (inside)
Now try not to have this song running through your head all day! 

Yesterday's challenge at DCRU was the challenge that keeps on giving for me.  It inspired me to get out my die-cuts and play around today.  And then die-cuts transitioned into using my blind embossing folders too.  I think my favorite part of this card is the tiny polka dot embossing on the tree and the swirl-embossed background that I tied into the paper design.

Ingredients:
Cardstock:  Bazzill
Patterned Paper:  Imaginisce (Snowy Jo)
Stamp:  My Sentiments Exactly
Die-cuts:  nestibilities; Quickutz (Tree)
Embossing:  Cuttlebug (Swirls and Polka Dots)
Ink:  Colorbox (Chestnut Roan, Terra Cotta, Olive Pastel and Lime Pastel)
Other:  gems

Thanks for checking out today's challenge!  As always, happy crafting!

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Let it Snow!

Today I went to the Sterling Inc. Holiday warehouse sale ... you know the kind of place ... imagine a huge warehouse filled with ornaments, Santas and snowmen with holiday music blasting on the overhead speakers.  It was like a winter wonderland dream!  I was truly in the holiday spirit after being in there for 2 hours.  And once I got home, I spent some much needed crafty time in my new craft room.  What a way to spend a Saturday afternoon!   

I thought it would be fun to tackle a couple of challenges I found on the Cupcakes Craft Challenges and Diecuts R Us blogs (DCRU).  I've only recently discovered their blogs and let me tell you ... I'm hooked!  Here are the two challenges:

Cupcake Craft Challenge 64 - Sketch -- Update:  Awarded Top 3 Badge
BTW ... I love, love, LOVE this sketch!!!! 

DCRU Challenge 14 - Nest Something

Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:
Paper:  Basic Grey (Figgy Pudding); Archivers (Sky); CTMH (Chocolate, Colonial White)
Die-Cuts:  Nestibilities
Stamps:  Penny Black (Warm & Cold); Paper Studio (Let it Snow from Snowflakes)
Ink:  Stazon Black
Embellishment:  CTMH (Heartfelt Wonder Die-cuts)
Other:  Prisma Pencils and Gamsol

On the nestibilities challenge, notice I used 3 die-cuts and turned them different directions to create a different look.  Also, this is the first time I ever really experimented with the Gamsol and Prisma pencils and I simply had a blast!  I was actually surprised as by the end of the project I used 21 colors on this card! 

What a fun Saturday afternoon project ... creating a card for my favorite season with my favorite colors, blue and brown.

Happy crafting!

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