Melonheadz Challenge - Use a digi

Digital scrapping has grown more popular over the past couple of years and, while I don't do digital pages myself, I do love adorable digi images. Such are those by Melonheadz Illustrating, which, of course,  I use on all my Melonheadz Friends projects! Check out these super cute digis:

This wreath is part of the Christmas Stuff image set. I use the print and cut option on my Cricut Explore to cut these and it saves so much time. Not to mention, you can cut them any size you wish. If you've been on the fence about digis, jump off and go look around in the etsy store. Nikki has so many super sweet, adorably cute images and you can get most of them in black and white so you can color them yourself, already colored, as these are that I used today, or even both sets.

For the wreath I heat embossed with clear powder and added some bling for the berries, and bam - done! The sentiment is by Technique Tuesday and is also heat embossed.

For my second project, I used the Christmas Bobbleheadz set. This little elf and frame couldn't be any more perfect for gift tags. I used a small alphabet stamp to add the kids' names, then heat embossed with clear powder, punched a hole with my crop-o-dile and added twine. I just love them!

If you have any questions, please ask in the comments or shoot me an email (see link, right sidebar). :)

Day 11, One stamp five ways

Well, I couldn't decide which style to choose for today, so I did all five. For my one stamp, I chose one of the scribbly trees from Tim Holtz Scribbly Christmas set. Which is why my post is so late today. It was a really busy day in the studio today, so let's get started.

Clean & Simple
I used a color wash background and heat embossed the tree in green and the shadow in silver. Sentiment is also from the Scribbly Christmas set.

Classic & Elegant
Here I used the tree to make a subtle background. Because I wanted to use silver for the mat and embossing, I used a light gray shade of ink for the background trees. The ink, Grout Gray, and the sentiment are by My Favorite Things.

Cute & Whimsical
For this one I went with a non-traditional color scheme to create a whimsical feel. Stripe stamps are by Technique Tuesday; ink colors are Distress Picked Raspberry and My Favorite Things SnoCone, and embossing powder by Zing in aqua.

Shimmer & Shine
Simple card with gold cardstock, gold foiling, and black heat embossed sentiment by My Creative Time.

Soft & Subtle
White embossing powder for the tree and snow, inked over the top (I've forgotten the color I used, sorry), then gently wiped off the tree and snow. Sentiment again from the Scribbly Christmas set.

Hope you've enjoyed my class projects. I've had such a great time creating them, and discovered I have finished over half the number I need for my card list for this year so... BONUS! :)

Day 10, OCC Soft and Subtle Inspiration

For today's card I decided to try something I hadn't really done before. It's sort of a no-line technique with watercolor. Let's just say I have a lot of practice ahead of me to get this one down, but I do like the finished result for a first attempt. And how could you not, with these adorable images from My Favorite Things!

My Favorite Things, Jingle All The Way
My Creative Time, Rectangle Frames
Distress Inks, black soot, festive berries, wild honey, antique linen, forest moss, gathered twigs, tattered rose
Wink of Stella, Copic multi-liner

Day 9, OCC Soft & Subtle

When I logged in to class this morning, I have to say I was slightly intimidated at first. But once I got started I was oohhing and aahhhing. I love it!!!

This awesome die by Memory Box is quickly becoming a favorite. I love the window affect and used clear acetate behind it.

I used watercolor paper for the background piece starting with a wash of evergreen bough Distress ink for the sky, then fading into the lower part of the scene using pumice stone to give the snowy areas and distance some depth. But then, before I adhered the top piece, I decided it needed some "real" snow, so instead of just gluing it down to the card base, I used foam tape on the back, then added microbeads!! Perfect snow.

The sentiment is stamped in pumice stone and hand cut. From the Hand Lettered Holiday set by My Favorite Things.

Thanks for checking in today. I hope you've been inspired by these class projects. If you are interested in taking any of the Online Card Classes, you can register any time and take them at your leisure! Details here.

Product list:
Memory Box, Woodland Oval die
My Creative Time, Rectangle frames die
My Creative Time, Boughs of Holly stamps
Jaded Blossom, Christmas Panels stamps
My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday sentiment stamps
Tim Holtz Distress inks; evergreen bough, forest moss, pumice stone, gathered twigs
Watercolor paper, clear acetate, foam tape, microbeads

Day 8, OCC Shimmer and Shine Inspiration

It's inspiration day in class, and while it is not a holiday card, per se, it's sort of a holiday and it is shimmery and sparkly, so here you go. Littlest grandgirl, Emmy, will be 8 next week and she LOVES all things Hello Kitty. And sparkles.

Hello Kitty is a cut file. I used the Birthday Wishes and Balloons sentiment set by My Favorite Things for the sentiment, and personalized the card and envelope by masking off and stamping her name. The "M" is actually the "W" in sweet. The balloons and sweet outline hearts are also part of this stamp set.

Little better view of the stickles on Hello Kitty's outfit.

 ....and SHE WOBBLES!!

Thanks for coming by! :)

Day 7, Shimmer & Shine

Ohhhh shiny!!! :) In today's class we are focusing on shimmer and shine. I decided to keep with the gold that I used on Day 3, Classic & Elegant. I made two cards so far today and I do like them both. That doesn't always happen. LOL Which is your favorite?

Gold foiling using the stripey background stamp by My Creative Time.

The deer die is cut from gold cardstock, and the sentiment is heat embossed in black. 

On this card, the snowflakes are gold foiled.

 

Product list:
My Creative Time, Stripey Background stamp
My Creative Time, Rectangle Frames
My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday sentiment stamps
Tim Holtz, Retro Christmas sentiment stamp and die
Ellen Hutson, Savvy deer head die
Thermoweb gold foil, gold cardstock, embossing powders, laminator, snowflake stamp

Day 6, Cute & Whimsical Inspiration

What a great class this is! I'm really enjoying all the inspiring designs. I love these crazy birds from Tim Holtz and decided this day was the perfect time to use them. This card is inspired by Nichole Magourik. Isn't he fun!?

The hat and candy cane are from the coordinating Crazy Things stamp and dies set. I love that it comes with dies that allow you to cut pieces to layer.

I added glossy accents to the eyes, heat embossed with clear powder for the candy cane, added Wink of Stella glitter pen to the hat, and for the fluff, used liquid applique. Totally love - he's even cuter in real life!

Tim Holtz Bird Crazy stamps and dies
Tim Holtz Crazy Things stamps and dies
Tim Holtz Bubble layering stencil
Technique Tuesday, Everything Jolly stamp
My Creative Time, Pretty Spring Wreaths stamps
My Creative Time, Rectangle Frames die
My Creative Time, Fun Stitched Edges die
Copic markers, liquid applique, glossy accents, foam tape, clear, white and black embossing powders, Wink of Stella glitter pen

Day 5, Cute & Whimsical

Today's class theme is cute and whimsical cards. I have lots of super cute stamps to play with. For this one, I used the My Favorite Things, Jingle All The Way set. The Santas in this set are all so sweet.

I colored with copics then heat embossed with clear powder and placed him on a wobble!!

Look at him go! LOL He's as excited for Christmas as I am, I think. :)

My Favorite Things, Jingle All The Way
My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday
My Favorite Things, Grout Gray hybrid ink
My Favorite Things, Diagonal Inside and Out Rectangles
Tim Holtz Scribbly Christmas stamps
Red, gold, white and clear embossing powders
copic markers, versamark ink, wobble, foam tape

Day 4, Classic & Elegant Inspiration

Welcome to Day 4 of Holiday Style card class. I love wreaths. A simple wreath image on a card is so classic. I loved how this one turned out. Instead of placing my sentiment along the bottom, I decided I liked the white space below and stamped it over the center of the wreath and embossed in gold. Love!

The red mat brings out the berries in the wreath perfectly. Nothing fancy or overdone, just enough! Thanks for looking. :)

Product list:
My Creative Time, Pretty Spring Wreaths stamp set
My Creative Time, Boughs of Holly stamp and die set
My Creative Time, Rectangle Frames dies
My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday sentiment stamps
Distress inks, Bundled Sage, Forest Moss, Ground Espresso, Festive Berries
Stampendous Gold Embossing powder, Versamark ink

Day 3, Classic and Elegant

I love the way my card turned out for today's class assignment. The "window" die is by Memory Box, and the sentiment and ornaments are from Tim Holtz Retro Christmas stamp and die set.

Inside: Tree boughs stamps by My Creative Time.

Here's a better shot of the awesome gold and white embossing on the ornaments. I just love it!

Oval window/tree die, Memory Box
Tim Holtz, Retro Christmas stamps and die set
My Creative Time, Boughs of Holly stamp and die set
Stampendous white and gold embossing powders
Distress ink, Forest Moss for tree boughs
Tiny holly stamp and die by My Favorite Things

Day 2, Inspiration Day

For today's class I used a fall card as inspiration. I was inspired by the water splotched background and simple die cuts in fall colors and elements, and decided to use the idea for my Christmas themed card.

Ink colors are Distress Inks Fired Brick and Forest Moss. Sentiment from My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday stamp set.

Distress Inks, Fired Brick and Forest Moss
My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday sentiment
Circut Explore, foam tape, copic multi-liner pen

Day 1, Holiday Style Card Class

If you haven't yet taken a class by Online Card Classes, this is a great time to try it! Get a start on, or finish up (if you are so ahead of the game!) on your holiday cards in this class. So anyway, here's what I finished in class today. Hope you like. I've linked products where I can, but if you have any questions, leave them in the comments and I'll answer as best I can.

My first card is a design by Laurie Willison. I love the simple embossed lines. Super quick and easy to mass produce if you're looking for a quick card for everyone on your list.

The adorable hot cocoa image and sentiment are by My Favorite Things from the new release, Merry Christmoose. Colored with copics, clear heat embossed, and attached with foam tape. Ink colors are Distress Festive Berries and Cracked Pistachio.

Another card in the same style as the first, this time scoring vertically. Same ink colors as the first card, and also using the Merry Christmoose stamp and die sets by My Favorite Things.

Again, colored with copic markers, clear heat embossed and attached with foam tape. On his little hat, I used Liquid Applique for added texture. It looks just like fluff in person. Wish it photographed better, but you get the idea. The gift is from another My Favorite Things set called Santa's Elves.

The next card is a design by Debby Hughes. I had to improvise for this one and used single snowflake die cuts (by My Favorite Things) and a wave edge die to create the silver wavy border. The stamped/embossed snowflakes and sentiment are also by My Favorite Things from the Snowflake Flurry and Hand Lettered Holiday stamp sets.

Ink colors for the watercolor background are Distress Wilted Violet, Mermaid Lagoon, and for the splatters, Blueprint Sketch.

For my last card, I was inspired by the first design that Laurie shared. I like the look of the embossed lines so in keeping with that idea, I used my paper crimper. That poor paper crafting tool is so underrated! I love it and don't use it nearly enough. The sentiment is from My Favorite Things, Hand Lettered Holiday sentiment set.

The Christmas tree is from the Stamper's Anonymous Scribbly Christmas set. I stamped it a couple of times and I love how it looks. Then I added gold stickles and decided that was all it needed. This one is the fastest of all my cards and can be made in just a couple of minutes. Thinking this just may be the one I'll do for my whole card list this year.... we shall see. ;)

That's it for today. I hope you'll be inspired to try these ideas for your Christmas cards, or any cards for that matter. And I challenge you to get out your paper crimper and use it this week! Happy crafting!