Winter Wonderland

Ok, here is another blue and white card.  I love these colors for Christmas/Winter.  Sometimes they can get a bit dark so I tried to keep this on the lighter side with a bit more white.  Our Daily Bread Designs Blog had the theme of "quilts" for their Stamping in Time: On Assignment Challenge.  This is so fitting for a cold, Winter scene, since I love to curl up in a blanket or quilt.  Some of my family members do some quilting, but I have not tried that yet.  I love the look so decided to try it on my card.  It was a bit of a challenge - hopefully I would do better with actually quilting but this did come out pretty good.  I used an embossing folder from Cuttlebug that I thought looked like a quilted pattern for the main white background.  I rubbed dark blue ink over it, then layered it on dark blue cardstock, then on a white base.  The horizontal strip down the center is made from dark blue cardstock with small squares and triangles cut out of some leftover embossed white cardstock and some lighter blue.  These were layed out based off of a quilted pattern I had seen.

The main image is from Our Daily Bread Designs.  I won a previous challenge and was able to get this stamp as part of a set.  I stamped it in dark blue on white and it came out feeling very wintery.  I layered it on dark blue cardstock, then on top of a square of lighter blue snowflake paper that was layered on white.  I added some punched snowflakes (partially to cover some butterflies on the stamp - don't worry, we will let them show in a future card), adding gemstones and glitter.  If you have been following my blog I know you are relieved that I finally have more stamps from Our Daily Bread so you don't have to see another card with sunflowers on them.  They are beautiful sunflowers and I am sure they will show up again, but for now I might return them to their actual owner so she can have a chance to use them.

We recently had a class for our club members and had a wonderful instructor, Ellen, come teach us four different Christmas cards.  On one of them she showed us how to make an origami tree.  This was perfect to add to this card so I made one out of white paper and then added light blue glitter dots for ornaments and topped it with a snowflake gem for the star.  I added more glitter to any other snowflakes on the card to give it a beautiful sparkle, like the sun reflecting off the snow.

This card was entered into the following challenges:
Our Daily Bread Designs Blog Stamping In Time: On Assignment #22 - Quilts
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC94) - Sketch

Our Daily Bread Designs Shining Light Challenge 39 - Snowflakes
Top Tip Tuesday: Top Tip #11 - Paper Piecing & 'Layer upon Layer' Challenge
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge
Sketches In Thyme: Tuesday Take 1 - Sketch- Christmas with no red or green

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge 69 - Blue and White

Simon Says Challenge - Let It Snow

Stamp and Create Challenge 7 - Tis the Season
Totally Gorjuss: Challenge 58 - Oh, Christmas Tree
The Creative Cottage Challenge #28 - Untraditional Christmas, No reds, greens, or golds
Stamping Vacation: Lots of Paper Challenge - Paper with Snowflakes on it
Stamping Vacation: Watch This! Challenge - It's a Wonderful Life
Stamping Vacation: Get Music In You Challenge - Winter Wonderland
Stamping Vacation: Name That Card Challenge - Snowy Christmas Wishes
Crafts and Me Challenges - Dreaming of a White Christmas (snowflakes)

Bah Humbug - Christmas and Shades of Blue

Crafty Pad - Snowflakes

Crafty Calendar - Winter Snowflakes

Plant a Little Love

I had this cute little container that was left over from some flowers I bought from the $1 Spot at Target awhile back.  I was using it to store some small items on my craft table while I was working on my little tea light cake.  I was thinking it would be nice to make the cake a little bigger so you could put a little gift inside.  Then I spotted my little round container and got to work.

Once again, I covered the side with a strip of decorative paper.  I used my new Martha Stewart border punch to add a little "frosting" decor.  The top and bottom are made from a scalloped circle cut out with a sizzix die.  My nesties were not quite large enough.  Guess it is time to invest in some of those "grand" nesties.

I stamped the top with stamps from JustRite.  Then I added some flowers that I made for it. I added some purple Stickles to give it a little more pizzaz, along with two cute butterflies.  Then I used some bead trim to the top edge and also around the bottom.

I added some small layers of foam tape to the bottom of the tea light so it would stand up as high as the container but did not stick it to the bottom. 

Then you can simply lift the lid off with the top of the tea light where you could add any type of treat.  These make great gifts, but also could be fun favors at a party or wedding.

This project is entered into the following challenges:
JustRite Friday Challenge 044 -  Make a wedding, holiday, or other celebration project, card, gift, or scrapbook page
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #86 - A Time for Giving
Cute Card Thursday Challenge 140 - Blast from the Past (I used challenge 133 - Make your own and made my own flowers)
Top Tip Tuesday: Top Tip #11 - Paper Piecing & 'Layer upon Layer' Challenge

Time to Give

Here is another little gift idea I was working on today.  These are perfect for so many special times.

My friend, Cheryl, showed me this on her last visit.  I think she referred to hers as a "no calorie" birthday cake.  I purchased the tea lights from Walgreens (2 for $1 with coupon from this week's flyer).  I wrapped decorative paper around it and then add a white strip punched with a MS border punch.  I used a small scalloped circle Nestability for the top and bottom. 

The top is stamped with a JustRite circle border stamp.  I used my tiny letters from JustRite to add the words "Thank You".  Then I added some mini prima roses that I made.




This is entered into the following challenges:
JustRite Friday Challenge 044 -  Make a wedding, holiday, or other celebration project, card, gift, or scrapbook page
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #86 - A Time for Giving

Give Thanks for the Little Things

Today, in between eating all that turkey, I played in my room making some fun little gifts.  I had made some turkeys for each of the children in my kindergarten class and then taught one of my stamp clubs how to make them.  I decided I need to make some for my family, too.

This idea was given to me by my sister but I think there are some sites that have different versions of this same project.  The tail was made by cutting out different colors with a scalloped circle nestie.  They were layered and then trimmed off at the bottom to give a straight, horizontal edge.  The body was cut from a larger scalloped circle.  The beak and waddle were made from the petals on a flower punch. 

To give a rememberance of being thankful, I stamped the tail feathers with a JustRite stamp that says, "Be Thankful for The Little Things."  I also used a border stamp from JustRite to add the feathery look to the the body of the one turkey.  The tail and the body are glued on the ends of a Hershey Nugget, covered with a strip of cardstock. 

My kindergarteners loved theirs.  We used them as decoration on their tables for their Thanksgiving Feast.

This project was entered in the following challenges:
JustRite Friday Challenge 044 -  Make a wedding, holiday, or other celebration project, card, gift, or scrapbook page
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #86 - A Time for Giving
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Holiday

Happy Holidays

One more Christmas card for the season.  Wanted more of a Winter look so I stamped a new background stamp I bought from Heartfelt Creations.  I used dark blue Adirondek ink on white.  I cut apart the snowflake rectangular backgrounds and layered them on dark blue on a white base.  The white border across the middle is from a new snowflake border punch I got from guess who!!  She gets me all the time.  The message in the middle is from JustRite Stamps, stamped in dark blue on white, and cut out with a Spellbinder die.  This is popdotted onto of a die from Nellie Snellen.  The die was a bit too long so I used a snowflake corner punch on each end.  I added light blue chrystals around the circle die and on the punched snowflake layered on top of the dark blue bow.

This was entered in the following challenges:
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #139 - Sketch

Crazy 4 Challenges - Add circles to your card

Incy Wincy Designs Challenge 69 - Blue and White

Simon Says Challenge - Let It Snow

JustRite Friday Challenge 045 -  Make a wedding, holiday, or other celebration project, card, gift, or scrapbook page 

Mark's Finest Papers: Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge #30 - Have a circle on your card

Our Daily Bread Designs Blog ODBDSLC37 - any holiday card
Stamping Vacation: Get Music In You Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Stamp and Create Challenge 7 - Tis the Season

Totally Gorjust Challenge 57 - not quite so traditional colors
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - Christmas with no red or green

The Creative Cottage Challenge #28 - Untraditional Christmas, No reds, greens, or golds
Fourishes Bring Back the Beautiful #4 - bow/ribbon
Paper Pretties Wednesday Challenge (PWC 129) - clean and simple
Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Holiday

Sparkle Butterfly

It was suppose to get colder today (which it did) so I was digging out a few of my sweaters and came across one that was actually more Springish (is that a word?) with butterflies on it.  It made me think how Winter is on the way and how I wish Spring was coming instead (I hate being cold).  When I sat down to work on some more Christmas cards, I pulled out my glitter and then remembered a technique I had been shown at one of the conventions.  As I was looking at different images to use, the butterfly just popped out at me (my subconcious?). 

So much for Christmas cards.  The butterfly is stamped and then using Art Quest glue, I added glitter.  I added one color, flipped it off, then added another.  I cut it out and, using popdots, adhered it to a piece of black cardstock with a butterfly image stamped all over in gold.  This is layered on a piece of doublestick paper.  I added glitter to the sticky border around the black cardstock.  This is than layered on another piece of black that I punched with my new Martha Stewart border punch, then aqua on a black card base.  I sure wish that woman would quit making more of those punches - I think I am obsessed and going broke.  Martha have mercy!!

This was entered in the following challenge:

Simon Says Stamp Challenge - Sparkle

Top Tip Tuesday: Top Tip #11 - Paper Piecing & 'Layer upon Layer' Challenge

Old Timer Pie

The holidays always make me think of traditions.  A few years ago my family put together a cookbook with all our favorite recipes in honor of my parents' 60th Wedding Anniversary.  There were so many recipes from my childhood.  One of these was my mom's Old Timer Pie which was perfect for my pie recipe swap.

It was made with purple plums so I new that was what I wanted to hi-lite on my page.  My problem was I did not have a plum stamp.  I really wanted the plum to be on the background, too, so I decided to get creative.  I downloaded a dingbat font for fruit, then opened the plum in Make The Cut.  I had to make a few adjustments  because the original did not have the stem connected to the top of the plum.  Then I cut my own stamp using the Cricut Stamping Kit.  This way I was able to stamp it with Versamark ink onto the dark purple background, layered onto a lighter purple base.

Now I needed the actual plum so I used the same cut I used for the stamp to cut out plums from the dark purple carstock.  Then to bring out the detail, I overstamped the cut out plum with my stamp and the Versamark ink.  I mounted it next to the recipe, making it appear to be attached to a leafy branch that I also cut out with my Cricut.

I have entered this in the following challenge:

Cooking With Criciut Challenge #5 - Baking

Holiday Recipe

I do a lot of swaps with two different stamp clubs and we have been doing some recipe swaps.  These are always fun to see what each one comes up with , plus you get some really great new recipes to try.  With Christmas coming, you can always use some appetizers.  One of my favorites is crab stuffed mushrooms, so I decided to use this for one of my swaps. 

I used my cricut on this one, instead of stamping.  I cut out a border of small crabs out of light blue cardstock, layered this onto some decorative paper, then on a white 6 x 6 card base.  On the front I placed a darker blue wave border, along with a smiling crab to hold out my wonderul appetizer recipe.

This was entered in the following challenge:
Cooking With Criciut Challenge #5 - Baking

Prince of Peace

I love Christmas cards with a manger scene.  I have purchased so many stamps with a manger scene on it.  After I use them I think I should give them away since I won't want to use the same stamp the next year, but somehow I just can't.  There is just something so precious about that little baby in the manger.  Maybe it is the knowledge that this was all for me - amazing!

I stamped on green cardstock and embossed in gold.  I stamped and embossed again on white cardstock, cut out the saying, and layered it with popdots.  This is all layered on top of a gold layer, then onto the white card base.  Very simple but what a message.

Entered in the following challenges:

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC93) - "Just Do It" (Get those Christmas cards done) 

Our Daily Bread Designs Blog ODBDSLC37 - any holiday card

Lexi's Creations:  Challenge 27 - traditional Christmas colors

Stamp and Create Challenge 7 - Tis the Season

Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Holiday

Poinsettia with Pink

Last year I moved in mid October so I was totally unprepared for Christmas and sadly had to send out Christmas cards that I bought in a store.  Christmas is the one time of the year that I always definitely send my friends and family cards that I have made.  I had this idea last year so decided to pursue it this year.  I wanted to do something a bit different than standard Christmas colors, yet very elegant.  The following card was really what I wanted to create.

 Once again I can't quite gt the color to show quite right.  This card is made with a beautiful rose color.  I embossed it with a Cuttlebug folder and sanded it to bring out the white core.  The saying is mounted onto a decorative label from Spellbinders, with pearls added on the ends.  The poinsettia is also a Spellbinder die with pearls in the center.  I love how this came out.

This is entered in the following challenges:

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC93) - "Just Do It" (Get those Christmas cards done)

Totally Gorjust Challenge 57 - not quite so traditional colors

Our Daily Bread Designs Blog ODBDSLC37 - any holiday card

Stamp and Create Challenge 7 - Tis the Season

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - Christmas with no red or green

Whoopsi Daisy Challenge - Holiday

Christmas Angel

Trying to get a few Christmas cards going.  I really prefer to do a more religious theme to my cards since I believe that Christ is the whole reason we celebrate Christmas.  This beautiful angel is from InkaDinkaDo.  Since she already had the snowflakes as part of her design, I decided that a cool blue would be a good color for this card.  She is layered onto a dark blue scalloped rectangle Nestability.  I then used a Cuttlebug embossing folder to create the next layer, and rubbed across the design with the dark blue ink.  Layered this onto another scalloped rectangle Nestie and placed all pieces onto a white layer on top of a dark blue card base.

This is entered in the following challenges:

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC93) - "Just Do It" (Get those Christmas cards done)

Flutter By Wednesday #131 - open theme with butterfly, fairy or angel

Totally Gorjust Challenge 57 - not quite so traditional colors

Our Daily Bread Designs Blog ODBDSLC37 - any holiday card

Stamp and Create Challenge 7 - Tis the Season

Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge - Christmas with no red or green

A Little Christmas Treat



No, this is not just another Christmas card!!  This is actually a treat bag made from an envelope.  The technique was a shoebox project that someone brought to a weekend get together and I absolutely loved it.  It is made from an envelope.

  

You take an envelope and seal it.  Then you cut of one side at 11/2".  This becomes the top.  I trimmed mine with a decorative scissors and ran a stip of decorative cardstock around it.  You could use ribbon, also.  Then I ran the rest of the envelope through a crimper from side to side.  This shrinks it just enough the the section you cut off will now slide over the top.  I then made a decorative front.  The snowflake circles are layered onto scalloped circles that were cut out with a nestie and then I used popdots to attach them.  Then I added the silver ribbon to make them look like ornaments. 

 Now for the surprise!!  Inside is a small package of hot chocolate mix.  I created a small topper and put it on top.  This is a great little gift for teachers and also makes a great stocking stuffer.  Hot chocolate was great for a Christmas or Winter treat, but remember that you can put other things in here for other occasions.  You can also just insert a card.

This has been entered in the following challenge:

Our Daily Bread Designs #37 - Anything but a card

Stamping Vacation: Lots of Paper Challenge - Paper with Snowflakes on it

Lexi's Creations Challenge #27 - Traditional Christmas Colors

Fall Masculine

I wanted to make a more masculine card.  This card could be used for almost any occasion for a man.  I stamped an image from InkaDinkaDo onto a Spellbinder label in dark green.  I used the die as a stencil and sponged green around the edges, creating the affect of a white border.  This was layered onto a dark green label.  This was then layered onto a lighter green cardstock that I embossed with a Cuttlebug embossing folder and rubbed dark green ink over it, bringing out the design of branches.  This was layered on more dark green and then on a white base.

To add to the outdoor feeling, I cut/embossed a pinecone from another Spellbinder die in brown.  I smeared metallic rub-on over the top.  I had a silver leaf charm but wanted a more Fall look, so I used gold and red metallic rub-on over it.  I topped this with a raffia bow.

This card was entered in the following challenge:

Simon Says Challenge - Prince Charming/Any card or creation for a Male and add a charm

AiFactory Challenge - use diecut or punch

Cute Card Thursday #138 - Anything goes

Stamping Vacation: Embellish It Challenge - Corner Adornment

Fall Window Card

This card was made using the colors  Navy, Rust, and Gold.  I used a JustRite stamp on the front, along with a border.   I colored these with metallic watercolors on the watering can, Tombow markers on the flowers and leaves, and gold Smooch on the flower centers and the acorns.  I also painted the Smooch aroung the edge of the oval, then layered onto a navy blue scalloped oval.  This was layered on top of a rust piece that was embossed with a cuttlebug embossing folder and Versamark ink rubbed over it.  The flowers are quilled out of gold paper with a rust center.  The butterfly is from a punch, with gold smooch for the body.  All of this is layered onto gold and than a navy blue base card.

When the card is opened a window/tunnel is revealed with a JustRite saying inside.  The saying is stamped in navy blue onto a rust scalloped oval, with distress ink sponged onto the edges to darken them.  Then is is layered onto a gold scalloped oval. 

The window is created by cutting a rectangle out of the rust cardstock and layering gold behind it with a smaller rectangle window cut out so you see a small edge of gold around the window.  The navy blue frame is cut from a Spellbinder die and sponged with Versamark ink to bring out the design.  I also used a Cuttlebug embossing border folder to create the leaves and swirls on each side and once again brought the design out with Versamark.  All of this is layered onto the inside of the navy blue card.  It came out very pretty, but a bit bulky.  Next time I might need to use lighter weight cardstock or paper if I am going to do so many layers.

This has been entered into the following challenges:
Flutter By Wednesday #129 - create a window card
JustRite Friday Challenge #044 - Color (Navy, Rust, and Gold)
The Shabby Tea Room#36 - What are you thankful for

I Believe In Santa

One of my stamp clubs has a group that participate in a swap of "fat pages".  These are 6 x 6 pages that can then be put together into a book or used as on a card.  Our theme this month is "I Believe In Santa".  This was a bit harder for me because few of my Christmas cards have a Santa on them, since I prefer to bring out the spiritual meaning of Christmas in my cards.  I had recently purchased an InkaDinkaDo stamp set that had a very nice Santa included and decide this was perfect for my design.

I stamped the Santa image in dark green onto cream carstock.  I added some color with chalks and layered on red.  I embossed another cream piece with a sizzix embossing folder with presents on it, then rubbed the dark green ink over the top to bring out the design.  This was layered onto a piece of dark green cut out with a Nellie Snellen scalloped rectangle die.  The Santa was mounted on top of this.  I had some decorative paper that was different Christmas postage stamps so I cut out the ones I wanted and layered them on decorative green paper, then layered this onto more dark green cardstock.  This was edged with lace, then layered onto some decorative red paper, which was layered onto a dark green base.  I embossed a border along the bottom and rubbed on ink to bring out the design.  On top I placed a rectangle of cream, stamped with another Inka stamp in green, and sponged the edges with green ink.  I stamped the word "Believe" in green on cream, rubbed edges with red ink, and layered onto a Spellbinder die.  I punched out different size snowflakes, layered, and attached, adding a jewel in the middle of each to enhance them.  I also added some additional punched reindeer.  I attached the Santa/Gift rectangle and the "Believe" with popdots.

I entered this in the following challenges:

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #136 - Anything Goes

Blog Hop Recipe Challenge with

      Sassy Lil' Sketches (use a sketch),

                                        
      ScrapFIT (use 3 of the same thing - used snowflakes and jewels),
      Crop Suey (get a little messy, use some ink, paint or mist or
                         combination of all 3 - I used chalk, which I had
                         everywhere, especially after I dropped it, and ink),
      ScrapTiffany (use lace) and
     Cuttlebug Spot (some texture or embossing).

Ellephantastic Challenge #19 - Butterfly &/or Xmas

Cooking With Cricut Holiday Blog Hop - Create Christmas Project with at least one cut/die on it.

Crafty Cardmakers - Dry Embossing

Crazy 4 Challenges - Create a Christmas card/prjoject

Paper Pretties - Embossing

Stamping Vacation - Pick 3 - I chose Green Paper, Popdot, and Corner Punch(small snowflake came from a corner punch and I used a corner rounder on the "Believe" message

Totally Gorjuss Challenge #56 - Traditional Christmas Colors

Caardvarks - Christmas with a diecut

Stamp and Create Challenge 7 - Tis the Season

Speedy the Cat's Friends Challenge #29 - Snowflake

Stamping Vacation:  Get the Music In You - Winter Wonderland

Stamping Vacation:  Name That Card Challenge - Wish You Could See The Smile On My Face!

Winter Blues

The name of my blog makes winter sound depressing, but it is really meant to describe the colors of the card.  This card is made up of 5 different shades of blue.  The longer, narrow designs down the center of the card are created using Cuttlebug embossing borders.  Then I inked them with denim Adirondak ink. The middle strip is layered on dark blue cardstock, then all 3 border strips are on top of a medium blue, layered onto the dark blue again.  The middle border is popdotted to stand out more.  This entire middle section is then layered onto a light blue that has been embossed with a snowflake embossing folder and inked with the same Adirondak ink.  This is layered onto dark blue cardstock that has been punched across the top and bottom with a Martha Stewart border punch.  All of this is layered onto a medium blue layer, then on a card base that is a slightly lighter shade of blue.

The large snowflake is made using a stamp from Sparkle N Sprinkle.  I stamped it with denim Adirondak ink onto 4 different shades of blue.  I cut out different layers from the different shades and layered them in an ABCD pattern (can you tell I work with kindergarten students?).  Then I added dark blue glitter to the snowflake, along with a few other areas on the card to give it a little sparkle!!

This card is entered in the following challenges:

Sparkle N Sprinkle November Card Contest - Create a winter theme card

Flourishes Boutique Warm Winter Wishes Challenge - Shades of winter blue

Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge(FTTC92) - Glitter

Cute Card Thursday Challenge #138 - Anything Goes

Lexi's Creations Challenge 26 - Anything Goes

Stamping Vacation: Embellish It Challenge - Corner Adornment

Stamping Vacation: Get The Music In You Challenge - Winter Wonderland

Sympathy

I love cards that are all white but had not made one for awhile.  I had the perfect challenges to do this for so decided it was time make one.

This card is made with different layers of white cardstock made with Martha Stewart corner/border punches, Spellbinder dies, Cuttlebug folders, Nellie Snellen dies, and JustRite stamps.  Each layer is attached with popdots to give it more dimension.






My camera doesn't always take the best pictures and I am still learning to edit them so I am posting a 2nd picture that hopefully shows more details

The challenge allowed all images to have color so I stamped the sayings in red.  For the center oval I colored the border leaves with red Smooch ink and added the swirl dots with gold Smooch.  I threaded white, polkadot ribbon around the oval, ending with a double bow.  The add a bit more elegance, I added small pearls.

The "Thinking of You" is also from a Justrite oval stamp but I masked the flower on it so that only the saying was inked and stamped.  It is layered on a Spellbinder die and small flowers from a Martha Stewart border punch are added to the sides.  The small butterflies are from a punch and I added more pearls.

This card was entered into the following challenges:
JustRite Friday Challenge 043 - Show your support/Sympathy or Friendship
Simon Says Stamps Challenge - All White/only color on any image
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge Week #23 A sketch
Fourishes Bring Back the Beautiful #4 - bow/ribbon
Lexi's Creations Challenge #26 - Anything Goes
Stamping Vacation:  White Space Challenge - Lots of white space on your card AND dry embossing, a ribbon, and a sentiment

Cafe Baudelaire Prints

This card was lots of fun but also a bit stressful.  I went to the Cafe Baudelaire Prints website and used the Paris Roses French Art Print Giclee Collage as the inspiration for this card.  I created the striped background and sponged a little black ink around the edges.  I then layered it on gold, green, and black.  The center was created by using a Spellbinder label die to cut out the center of the white and gold layers, allowing the green layer to show through.  The gold swirls are also a Spellbinder die, cut out of gold paper.

The larger flowers are from the Harvest Blessings Set at Our Daily Bread Designs.  I stamped the flowers 3 times each in black and used their great die cut to cut it out.  I cut off the flowers, cut out some of the petals on the top two layers, and layered them with popdots.  They are colored with pearlescent chalks (sorry my camera doesn't show more of the shimmer).  I did the same for the leaves.  The tiny white roses are hand made using two sizes of flowers that I punched out.  I used two small ones for the center and then two slightly larger ones to create the outer layers of petals. 

You might think that all those flowers were what made this card stressful, but that was not it.  One of my challenges was to use my favorite embellishment.  Picking my favorite was the hardest part of the whole card.  There are so many things I love to use on cards, but I really love the elegance flowers give.

Challenges I entered:
Flourishes Timeless Tuesday Challenge (FTTC91) - Be inspired by Cafe Baudelaire Prints
Our Daily Bread Designs Blog - Use your favorite embellishment
Stamping Vacation: Very Vintage - Anything with Rose, Moss, and/or Cream

Your Invited

I decided to do a larger version of the pop-up card.  This one has a Thanksgiving theme and is actually a hidden invite to to Thanksgiving Dinner.

I love my new cut/emboss die from Cuttlebug.  I used green cardstock and inked it with versamark to bring out the design.  I love using this technique because it is subtle yet really brings out any embossed design.  This is layered onto a cream card the has had the middle of the top layer cut out to allow to see through the window to the inside.

The turkey and the cornacopia were drawn and cut from my cricut onto cream cardstock and colored with Tombow markers.  I used popdots on the turkey body to bring it out a bit.  I also used popdots to attach the cornacopia so it was raised up enough to allow the window cover to slide underneath it.

The card is opened by pulling up the area where the bow is attached.  This lifts up a panel that I created using my cricut turkey and a Martha Stewart leaf corner/border punch.  I attached this to the bottom half of the actual middle that the embossing die cut out of the green cardstock.  I re-attached it at the top and folded it part way down and also along the bottom.  This way when I pull out the inserted cream card with the bow attached, it folds up the re-attached middle to reveal the invite inside.  Sure hope I have explained this in a way that make sense.  It is one of those cards that is better to see in action.

I stamped the inside of the card with a flower stamp from Our Daily Bread Designs.  Then I layered the invite, printed on vellum, over the top.  I sealed the sides and bottom of the card and the invite shows beautifully through the cut out window.  For the leaves, I used the direct to paper technique with 4 different distress inks on yellow carstock.  Then I used a cuttlebug die set to cut out the leaves.  To bring out a vein design, I wrapped gold metallic string around them.  It really adds a sparkle to the card.

I have entered this card in the following challenges:
The Cuttlebug Spot - create dinner invites/emboss
Stamptacular Sunday Challenge #83 - Hide and Seek!
Our Daily Bread Designs Blog #36 - Gold or silver cording, string or hemp
Cute Card Thursday Challenge #37 - Gently Does It (cards/projects that have vellum/parchment or tissue paper on them
The Creative Cottage Challenge Blog #26 - Embossing
Fourishes Bring Back the Beautiful #4 - bow/ribbon
Stamping Vacation: Pick 3 Challenge - Green Paper, An image that starts with "T", Popdot
Stamping Vacation:  Occasion Oasis Challenge - Thanksgiving