I seem to have been on a 3-week July hiatus from cardmaking! I've been really busy with family needs after the first week! As usual, I have lots of cardmaking events that passed me by!
One thing that has been passing me by quite regularly is getting started on my Christmas card stash this year. I have been worrying about it, and since we've seen "Christmas in July" come and almost go, I was pleased to be motivated by my first card sketch (by Lisa Swarm) as a new member of the Sketch Sample Team and some free paper from the Stampin' Up Sale-A-Bration event going on in July and August. The paper is the Silver and Gold Specialty dsp, white glossy with gold foil stripes and snow (or silver foil). It seemed the perfect paper to get my mojo going as ideas began popping in my head!
I had a lot of Splitcoaststampers incentives from other SCS challenges (new and old) as well. I found 16 challenges to enter, and they are listed below:
2) TSBT22 - Twisted Sisters Bus Tour #7 Challenge/ A Mitered Background Christmas Card! - 8/3/22. A monthly challenge created by fellow bus passengers to hone their crafting skills as they chat and support one another on their journey. Challenge: make a Christmas in the style of the SC917 sketch by Lisa Swarm where the oval can be any geometric shape.
3) WT907 - Ways to Use It Challenge/ I Live HERE! - 7/28/22. Challenge: find out about your town or region. Be inspired by what you know or learn. I live in the western foothills of the Cascade Mts. about 45 min. from Seattle...not in a town. Washington state in the Pacific Northwest is full of beautiful mountains that are filled with majestic evergreen trees; most common are cedars and firs. The forests are full of picture-perfect, snow-embellished "Christmas" trees, which you'll see on a wintry drive across the state from Seattle to Spokane!
4) AOCC22 - All Occasion Card Challenge/ July 2022 - 7/1/22. An ongoing/monthly challenge that encourages you to set goals ahead for each month to help you complete your cards more timely! Made in July, this is a much needed Christmas card for my 2022 stash.
5) USEIT2022 - Use It Challenge/ July 2022 - 7/1/22. An ongoing/ annual challenge that requires you to use OLD/ DUSTY and long unused items and/or OLD/NEW items purchased, never used, and seemingly forgotten! OLD items: SU: Into the Woods dies (2018 Holiday Mini); NEW/OLD: Reverse Confetti Cuts-Winter Words "peace" (purchase of 2016) & Spellbinders Elegant Twist Etched Ovals (purchase of 2017)...it was time to use both these sets of dies!
6) ABC16X24 - Alphabet Challenge/ X for X-Pattern - 4/27/22. My X-pattern is in the background with the two patterns of paper. It forms an "X" with the two paper pattern background beneath the oval Christmas tree focal point.
7) CCC22APR - Christmas Card Challenge/ Peace on Earth - 4/1/22. "Peace" comes to my card in the form of its sentiment!
SCSCCFEB22 - Fan Club Christmas Challenge/ It's A Wonderful Life! - 2/1/22. Be inspired by movie...suggested: PEACE.
9) F4A617 - Free 4 All Challenge/ Think Snow - 12/17/21. Add some snow to your creation.
10) DINSP1121 - Fan Club Monthly Themes--November 2021/ Window on the World - 11/15/21. A window makes it possible to see out and see other parts of the world. Suggested: use an image with a window or doorway opening. I was inspired by the window with a view of the snowy trees outside. My card uses an oval window/opening to view the snowy winter tree decorated for Christmas, possibly out in the front yard!
11) IC789 - Inspiration Challenge/ Tim Holtz's Sizzix Board - 1/16/21. Challenge: Browse Pinterest site and find a card to inspire you. I chose this card...I love the white and gold: Peace At Christmas! I kept the Christmas tree theme and the white & gold colors. I changed the BG to a mitered patterned paper design, used no embossing, and kept the gold foil sentiment. I did not use the same tree die and mounted mine on a popped framing. I also used more layering panels to arrive at my card front.
12) MIX414 - Mix-ability Challenge/ Snowy Day - 1/1/21. My card is definitely a "picture" of a snowy day. Mediums: Wink of Stella: Gold; computer ink--inside verse. foil and shimmer papers.
13) MMTPT643 - Teapot Challenge/ Good Books - 11/17/20. Challenge: The recipient for this challenge was a man who loved to read. Make a card about a book...its theme, message, etc. I'm late to the party, so my card is a Christmas card about a Christmas tree and "peace." I chose The Christmas Tree by Jennifer Johnson for my book inspiration. The Christmas Tree! My card depicts a beautiful Christmas tree, though the character in the book only wanted a small tree to see as she approaches death.
14) FS701 - Featured Stamper/ karensallen aka Karen - 7/12/20. Challenge: browse her gallery and find a card to CASE; change at least two things & tell us what. Karen has a lovely gallery, and I was inspired by this card: Classy Christmas! I kept the Christmas theme, tree and gem ornaments, and white cardstock. Changes: white is a metallic white shimmer cardstock, my trees are gold foil (not brown), I have only one tree, which is 3D, and my ornaments are gold. I used no ribbon and no embossing folder. I added a die-cut sentiment and a patterned paper background.
15) CAS570 - Clean & Simple Challenge/ Go for the Gold - 1/27/20. Challenge: Use GOLD on your card.
16) CC663 - Color Challenge / One is Silver and the Others Gold - 11/28/17. Challenge: make your card either white & silver OR white & gold. I chose white & gold.
Ingredients: Papers--White Metallic Shimmer cs (Amazon), Recollections-Gold Foil, SU-Silver & Gold Specialty dsp (Jul-Aug 2022 SAB). Dies--Spellbinders-Elegant Twist Etched Ovals, Ovals-Large; SU-Into the Woods (tree/ 2018 Holiday--2019-20 AC); Reverse Confetti Cuts-Winter Words (Oct.2015). Studio 112-Metallic Gems. Wink of Stella-Gold (3 of 4 peace layers colorized). Chatterbox verse-inside. 4-3/4 x 6 inches.