Buffalo Plaid Pinecone Joy ~ CCMC486, GDP115, ATSM270

Hey there stampers!  Create with Connie and Mary Sketch Challenge #486 is here!  I combined my sketch with Global Design Project #115 Christmas Joy Theme and Addicted to Stamps and more #270 Photo inspiration.  

This is probably one of my most favorite cards I've done yet this Christmas.  Number one, I'm a huge, huge fan of Buffalo Plaid anything and when I saw someone else somewhere take the black and white plaid paper from Merry Little Christmas DSP pack and sponge it with Real Red I fell in love and HAD to try it myself!  I LOVE the results!!! I mixed it with some Always Artichoke, tones of brown for the pinecones and a touch of gold for a little Christmas shine.  

Favorite reason number two is the Pretty Pines.  I was thrilled when I saw they brought this stamp and thinlit set into the annual catalog.  It's one of the best Christmas sets ever, I think.  And It doesn't just have to be Christmas either.  It can just be woodsy.

I cut one of each of the pinecone thinlits from Pretty Pines in Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, and Early Espresso and then layered them together.  I like the solid, substantial look it gave them.  Once I had them glued on I gave them a brush of Wink of Stella for a bit of shimmer.  Everything was topped off with a couple of bows and a gold gem.  

The JOY diecut is from the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits set.  It originally said ENJOY but I cut the EN off.  

I certainly hope you'll join us this week!  Just share your card in on the Create with Connie and Mary Facebook page.

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny

Pretty Pines Wreath ~ CCMC432

It's Thursday and that means a new challenge at Create and Connie and Mary!  This week we have a handsome color trio for you.  

I chose to use the Mint as a wreath and built my own out of Pretty Pines die cuts.  I added in some copper die cut accents from the same set.  Copper is pretty hard to photograph.  It looks kinda gold, but it's really striking in real life.  

For the background, I applied Night of Navy ink directly to my Sparkle embossing folder, carefully laid the navy cardstock on top and ran it through the big shot.  I like the effect it gave.  I gives much more depth to the embossed piece.  

I fussy cut the sentiment banner and adhered it with dimensionals to compensate for the bulk of the wreath.  Lastly, I added little bunches of pearls to the wreath and scattered pearls around the background.

I hope you get a chance to play along with us!  

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny

Season of Joy Winter Scene ~ CCMC429, ATSM216

Happy Thursday fellow stampers!  Create with Connie and Mary time again!  This is sketch week.  

The ladies at CCMC have come up with some wonderful designs of this sketch, so make sure you hop over to the blog and check them out....and leave some comments.  We always love to hear your feedback!  I know I sure do appreciate the comments!

I'm also entering my card in Addicted to Stamps and More anything goes challenge! 

I used a technique called triple time stamping (mine is only doubled though).  I thought it would be cool to carry out the tree row over the whole card but still be a focus on the main panel.  I used the Pretty Pines stamps and dies again for the accessory on the side.  I chose to go with softer, wintery, rustic colors.  I really like the Soft Sky, Pool Party and Crumb Cake against the darker Chocolate Chip and black.  

The last thing I did was splatter the whole card with Wink of Stella.  It adds a nice subtle sparkle!

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny

Cozy Flourished Pumpkin ~ CCMC425, CQC360

Hello fellow stampers!  It's time again for another Create with Connie and Mary Challenge.....sketch challenge #425.  

I also used the color scheme from Colour Q #360.  Instead of Ruby Red I used the similar color of Watermelon Wonder and instead of Hello Honey I used Delightful Dijon.

I only used two stamps on this card....Hardwood for the background and Timeless Textures for a bit of flourish on the pumpkin.  The rest of the card is put together from dies, embossing folder, and dsp.  I cannot tell you again how much I LOVE the Cable Knit EF.  I absolutely adore it!!!!  In fact, I could probably use it on every single card from now until whenever!  I'm not sure I'd ever get sick of it!  I probably won't do that, but I could!

Here's a list of my supplies.....

Stamps: Timeless Textures, Hardwood

Ink: Watermelon Wonder, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede, Delightful Dijon, So Saffron, Peekaboo Peach

Paper: Delightful Dijon, Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Watermelon Wonder, Pumpkin Pie, Gold Glimmer, Warmth and Cheer DSP

Accessories: Oval Framelits, Pretty Pines Thinlits, Metallic Sequins, Cable Knit EF

Hop over to our CCMC blog and take a look at the other amazing cards made by my fellow designers.  You won't be disappointed!!!

We hope you'll find time to play along with us this week!

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny

Pine Blessings ~ CCMC424

It's Thursday and that means it's time for another Create With Connie and Mary challenge!  It happens to be color week.  Look at these vibrant, rich colors we have for you to play with!  

I had a totally different idea using the {Christmas Pines} and {Pretty Pines Thinlits} as a pineapple. I did make that card (which I'll show at the bottom of the post) and it turned out okay, but man, did I have ink ALL OVER.  I had smears everywhere on my cardstock.  I halfway salvaged it but I did not think it was CCMC post worthy! 

After I scrapped the first card I decided to use the die and stamp set the way it was intended and made pine-cones and pine branches.  Plus, I've been itching to use the cable knit sweater EF as well as some of the cozy paper from the warmth and cheer designer paper stack.  I'm so, so, so pleased with the way this card turned out!!!  I can't get enough of the sweater texture! 

My card does contain one retired item.....the glimmer brad on the Christmas Blessings banner.  I'm not very current on my embellishments and it needed something, so I pulled out this oldie but a goodie sparkly brad.

Now, onto my discarded card.....

For this card I wanted to make one pineapple that was not like the others.  When it came to the gold pineapples I felt like they were too bright, so I sponged on some Delightful Dijon ink to darken them a bit.  The ink just would not dry on the glimmer paper and it ended up all over my hands.  I tried to salvage the card by adding the Soft Suede speckles to hide the smudges, but they it just didn't work.  I still like the design, I just don't like the smudges.  :(

I hope you find time to play along with us in this weeks challenge at Create with Connie and Mary!

Thanks for taking a peek and have a blessed day!

Jenny