Holiday Challenge ODBDSLC217

     UPDATE: Just found out that my black and silver Christmas card won the challenge! So excited! Thanks so much to Our Daily Bread Designs for picking my card!

     I made this card for Our Daily Bread Designs' Holiday Challenge. I've always enjoyed using non-traditional colors for my Christmas cards. For this one, I used black and silver to get a more elegant look. I think black and white would also look good. Or, what about black and green!?! I guess I will be spending more time in my studio today.

     The patterned paper (DVWV Silver Script) already had the silver script on it. I used ODBD's Sparkling Snowflakes stamps (ECS08) to stamp all the snowflakes in silver and added a "diamond" to the center of each. I used ODBD snowflake dies to die-cut the big snowflake which I adhered with foam tape.
     For the sentiment, I used ODBD's Snowflake Sentiment stamps (ECS06). I stamped "Christmas Blessings" with black ink onto silver, satin ribbon. The whole stamp reads Snowy Christmas Greetings. But, since I only have this size of silver ribbon, I used just part of the stamp. This two words that I did use fit perfectly on my ribbon. I've been experimenting with stamping onto things other than paper. I'm pleased with how the stamp looks on this ribbon.
     There is still time if you want to play along with us. You can find all the details on Our Daily Bread Designs blog at: http://www.ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Shining%20the%20Light%20Challenge
     Hope you will try some non-traditional colors on your cards this year. Hope you have a wonderful day!    

Our Daily Bread Designs Guest Designer - Week 2

ETA: Some of asked what the trim is behind the main panel of this card. It is a sheet of patterned paper that came with the collection. It has small, thin chevrons running across the paper. I just let a little edge peak out the sides to get this affect.
     Thanks so much for stopping in on my second week as a guest designer for Our Daily Bread Designs.

     I know we are headed into winter now, but I love this paper and the flowers on it. So, here you have my next card with pretty flowers, but they are in fall colors. That must count for something, no?

     I started this card by making a 5.5 x 4.25 card base. I cut a panel to fit the front and another panel about .25" smaller on each side. Then, I cut  a panel from a fence-and-flowers sheet as shown - I call it an envelope edge because it reminds me of the back flap on an envelope. I matted it with the same paper as my largest rectangular panel and adhered it with foam tape. The flowers were already printed on the paper. I added my own pearls and ribbon.

     I stamped the sentiment with ColorBox chalk in Wisteria which matches perfectly. Again, I used the same paper to mat the sentiment tag as the other panels. I fussy-cut flowers, added more pearls and adhered the flowers to the sentiment tag.

     To add balance to the design, I added pearls in graduated sizes in the upper left corner.

 

     Our Daily Bread Designs products used:

 

          Papers: Rustic Beauty Collection

          Stamps: No Words #F515

 

     I'm so excited to show you next week's card! It turned out really nice, but I'll have to keep you waiting and just say I created it with the winter season in mind.

     Thanks again for stopping in.

 

     My card on ODBD is here: http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com/

Our Daily Bread Designs - Guest Designer Week 1

     I am so excited to tell you that Our Daily Bread Designs has asked me to be a guest designer for the month of November. Each Wednesday during November, I will create and share a card on their blog and mine.

     I have never cried over a card before, but this one brought tears.  I'll get to that later, but first I have to tell you how I made the flowers on my card. I so love how they turned out!



     I began by making a 5.5 x 5.5 card base. I cut a same-size panel and adhered it. Then, I matted a matching panel with black. The rebel in me made me scoot it off to one side. I kind of like my cards being a little different from others. I cut and matted a tag shape and stamped the sentiment in black. I used foam tape to adhere the tag.
    Now for the flowers! Again, the rebel rises up in me. I used the Fancy Foliage leaf die to make my flower petals. I love making my dies / stamps / embellishments work differently than for that which they were intended. I die-cut but did not emboss seven large leaves in purple and seven more in black. In the same manner, I die-cut seven small purple leaves and seven more in black. To give shape to the petals, I rolled them gently around a pencil. I glued one black petal to the back of each purple petal allowing the black to show just a little on one side to create shadow and depth. Then, I overlapped the petals and glued them in place. I found it was easier to first glue all the petals to a piece of scrap and then adhere it to my tag. I added a blue gem to the center of each flower and tucked a Fancy Foliage vine which I cut in half around the flowers. Now, for the tears.

     As I was looking through the papers in the ODBD Christian Faith Collection, I found a sheet that had stakes like those used to nail our Savior to the cross. I was so moved by the image of the stakes lashed together and the sentiment I chose to use with it. I made a point to cut each petal with an image of the stakes showing. I've been a Christian my whole life, and to be reminded of the sacrifice of our Lord just hit me in an unexpected way. I love our Lord so much. I tear up again as I write about it now. I will be keeping this card. I'll frame it and hang it over my desk so I am reminded every day of the sacrifice made on my behalf.

     Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. You can see more about my cards each Wednesday in November at http://ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com/.

    

     Our Daily Bread Design supplies used:

 

          Papers - Christian Faith Collection

          Stamps - Earth Verses #F494

          Die - Fancy Foliage CSBD33

 

Scripture Inspiration Challenge - ODBDSLC216

     Hello my friends, so nice of you to stop by. Today, I have a card for Our Daily Bread Designs bi-weekly challenge.

     The challenge this time was to create a card that is inspired from this scripture:

        Ecclesiastes 3:1 - To everything there is a season and a purpose for every time under Heaven.

     One could go in a lot of directions with this inspirational scripture. I love the changing of the season from summer to fall when the morning air is crisp and leaves begin to change. I used ODBD's Birch Background (#D213) stamp for my card. And, for the inside sentiment, I used their Friendship (#B52) stamp set. 

     The deadline for this challenge is Sunday so you have a little while to get your card ready. Here's a link to the details if you want to join in the fun: http://www.ourdailybreaddesignsblog.blogspot.com/2014/10/odbdslc216-scripture-inspiration_28.html
     Have a wonderful day and be sure and check back here and on ODBD's blog on Wednesday to see the card I designed for them.
      Love and hugs coming your way, Pamela

Other stamps used: birch leaves - Martha Stewart Leaf and Branches MA331036

DCWV October Stack-a-holic Card Challenge

Update:  So exited to find out my card made it to the winner's list at DCWV!
     Thanks so much for popping in. I really love your visits. Today, I have a card for the DCWV Stack-a-holic Challenge which I am getting in at the very last moment. Not like me, but I've been super busy this month.

     I used DCWV's Heirloom Stack to make my card for this month's challenge. I bought this stack just for the sheet of paper you see under my card. I have still not been able to cut it! You now how that goes - right!?! It can't just be me.

    I love using unexpected colors for my Christmas cards. Teal and taupe/tan/dark ivory. Let's go with taupe because it's fun to say teal and taupe!  

     If you have an idea for this challenge, you might still have time to get it in. The deadline is today! Here's a copy of the sketch we had to work with and the address for all the details.

     Thanks again for stopping in. I wish you a fun and meaningful holiday season. http://dcwvinc.blogspot.com/2014/10/october-stack-holic-challenge.html

I also used La Petites stickers (the Paper Studio) and sentiment stamps from Hero Arts #CL469.