Tree Skirt Tic-Tac-Toe

This fortnight, we're playing Tree Skirt Tic-Tac-Toe, which is kind of like "Beach Blanket Bingo"... but Christmassy... and with a lot more embellishments! ;) We'd love for you to join us; all you have to do is pick a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) and create a lovely new holiday card featuring all three elements in that row. There are *lots* of possibilities, so let's get started!

Here's how we scored this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I went with the line straight across the top ... Santa, Bling & Stamping.  I stamped three different Tim Holtz Santas using a combination of Fired Brick, Festive Berry and Gathered Twigs Distress Ink.  I added circles of bling to highlight the Santa face in each design.  The layout is this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "I went with the center vertical column: Bling, Die Cuts, Snow, because... BLING!!! :) I've fulfilled those criteria with a rhinestone flourish, the use of a large Spellbinders' snowflake die, and a snowy-themed Anna Aspnes digital overlay printed on an inkjet transparency. I've used The Paper Players' PP259 sketch to guide my layout."

And now it's your turn! Link up your gorgeous Tic-Tac-Toe creations right here before 6pm (EST) on Wednesday, September 9th. Keyword for galleries or Flickr is JB:15:18.

An InLinkz Link-up

Priority Mail

Lots of cool postage-based awesomeness in the "Special Delivery" gallery! Many thanks to everyone who shared their inspired-- and inspiring-- holiday cards with us! Here are a few we especially loved:

Deborah Frings of Deborah's Gems

... beautifully colored a super-cute bear image and framed it in stacked postage-edged mats; those soft colors really make this particular gem stand out!

Diane of Lydia's Post

...totally *rocked* the vintage vibe with this gorgeous postcard and all the right trimmings!

Robyn Oliver of Waterlily Cards

...made several very cool cards featuring real stamps she has (cleverly!) saved from Christmas past; this one-- with a b+w background that allows the colorful postage to shine-- just miiiiiight be our favorite!

We'll be back at midnight with some brand new holiday fun and games we hope will inspire you! ♥

Going Postal

We're still celebrating all things postal this week.  That means we're making cards that include faux or real  postage or postal images (mailboxes, postcards, stamps, etc).  Another option is to create a holiday postcard or make a holiday card with a matching decorated envelope.

Here's what we created this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I started out with a totally different idea in mind, but when I found the fabulous postal cancellation paper in Pebbles' "Home for Christmas" collection, my card instantly morphed into something else entirely. (For the record, I kinda love it when that happens!) :) I was inspired by Retrosketch #177, though again, despite every intention of being quite faithful to the sketch, my finished card is a bit of a loose version. (But hopefully in a good way, lol.)"

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "I broke out my postage stamp die cuts this week and created my own postage stamp ... wouldn't you buy Christmas stamps featuring Rudolph the Red Nose Christmas Owl? ... I would.*"

Make sure you link-up your cards by by 6pm (EST) on Wednesday, August 26th. Keyword for galleries and Flickr is JB:15:17.

*For the record, I (Lauren) would be first in line at the Post Office on the day these went on sale! ♥♥♥

Special Delivery

What do we do with all of those holiday cards we make?  If you're like us, a large number of them get sent through the mail.  So this week we're celebrating all things POSTAL.

That means we're making cards that include faux or real  postage or postal images (mailboxes, postcards, stamps, etc).  Another option is to create a holiday postcard or make a holiday card with a matching decorated envelope.

Here's what we created:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "Since my husband is a postal carrier, I find myself collecting postal images.  I centered this card around Rudolph the Red Nosed Mail Deer using the USPS colors and this week's Sweet Sunday Sketch."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "One of the very first digital items I ever bought was a set of Katie Pertiet's 'Christmas Postcard Journalers' and I have used the heck out of those things. As the name suggests, they're perfect for journaling, but I also like them as package tags, as address labels, and... especially... as the centerpiece of a postal-themed holiday card!"

Link up your perfectly "Postal" creations right here by 6pm (EST) on Wednesday, August 26th. Keyword for galleries and Flickr is JB:15:17.

An InLinkz Link-up

Sweet, Indeed!

There were sooooo many fabulous cards based on our "Cookies 4 Santa" inspiration photo this fortnight; but like the big guy himself, we never get tired of yummy sweets! Here are a few cards that made us especially happy:

Tinz of Craft, Animals and Growing Veggies

...used the colors of the inspiration photo, as well as an uber-cute reindeer cleverly stamped multiple times to suggest that Santa's whole crew is ready to roll... jusssssssst off the edge of her adorable mini-card! :)

Lisa J of Snowy Moose Creations

...managed to capture the entire vibe of the inspiration picture with just a few perfectly chosen products... a card that would make absolutely anyone's day a little brighter!

Electra of Wishin' I Knew How to Blog

...really has a gift for doing her very own thing in a way that's guaranteed to delight, as this card illustrates perfectly: giftwrap background, broken cookie embellishments and the best stamp ever sum up the spirit of the prompt in a way we never saw coming. (and we still haven't stopped smiling!) ♥

Many thanks to everyone who participated, we ♥LOVE♥ to see what you'll create! We'll be back at midnight to reveal a post with the most! :)

More Cookies, Please!

We're still making holiday cards based on this super-fun, totally drool-worthy Christmas cookie inspiration photo... won't you join us? Link your cards at the "Cookies 4 Santa" post, directly below this one.

Meanwhile, here's what we made this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I focused a little more on the cookie aspect this week, because hey... COOKIES, lol! Having found the super-fun vintage-inspired recipe card in an older October Afternoon miscellany packet, I decided to build my card around it. I wasn't able to make the gorgeous teal from the inspo pic work, but I brought in lots of the red, kraft and white, which I think looks pretty good."

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "The red glittery snowflake reminded me of a poinsettia, so that is where my design began ... I also incorporated the colors ... because I love them.  I sponged peacock ink through punchinella for my background and then added sentiment stamping.  The poinsettia was stamped twice and embossed.  I cut out the center from the second stamp and attached with foam tape for dimension.  I used the lobster ink and water to *paint* my flower."

Remember, you have until Wednesday, August 12th at 6pm EST to link-up your inspired creations.