Oh Christmas Stencil, Oh Christmas Stencil

If you haven't already guessed from the post title, we're asking you to create cards with stencils for the current Jingle Belles prompt. If you don't have any stencils, you use one of your craft punches or dies on a scrap of cardstock (like Lauren did, below) or use an electronic cutting machine to create your own custom stencil.  

Here's how we stenciled this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I used the three partial stencils from Simon Says Stamp Christmas Foliage to create this background (there's a fourth stencil included in the set that is the entire background design).  I added a wrap of coordinating ribbon to my slimline card & die cut sentiments from Simon Says Stamp Coolest Yulest." 

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "I made my own super-easy version of a Bokeh "Stencil" by using my four smallest circle punches (pretty far apart) on a scrap of glossy white cardstock, and applying light shades of Distress Oxide inks through the punched circles onto a darker Oxide background; details on my blog. My layered snowflakes were created with Tim Holtz's Stacked Snowflakes die; sentiments are Elizabeth Craft Designs' "Winter Wishes" word set; and the mats are various offcuts of coordinating cardstock. This design was so easy, I made TWO cards from my funky bokeh background!"

Link your stencil-centric cards right here by 6pm (EST) on Wednesday, March 9th. Keyword for galleries and Flickr is JB-22-05.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Photo Inspiration Mojo!

So many fun and clever cards inspired by our beautiful Christmas Stocking photo, if you haven't scrolled through the gallery, we highly recommend doing so, it's definitely worth the trip. Meanwhile, here are a few cards that especially caught our eye:

ArtMBR

...created an entire room based around a pretty fireplace, complete with stockings, mantle decor and more. We especially love the fabulously artful, inky background!

Fabiola of Mon P'tit Monde

...loved the stockings and chose a similar image from which to make not one, but two lovely and appealing cards! 

Bonnie Lynn of Stamping in the Light

...was inspired by the colors and designs of one of the stockings, as well as the flowers and greenery, and used those elements to inspire her card!

♥♥♥

Many thanks to everyone who participated this fortnight, we loved seeing all of your amazing ideas! We'll be back at midnight with some brand new inspiration, we hope you'll join us again!

The Stockings Were Hung

Another week of Stocking Inspiration for our card making.

(source)

Here's how we were inspired for our second cards:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "This week I was inspired by the colors and patterns on the stocking furthest to the right in the photo. I love the combination of pale green, creamsicle orange and bright blue (with little hits of white and pink); as well as the way the simple shapes have been stacked and arranged to create an all-over pattern. I compressed and overlapped the layers to fit my 6" square card, but found that by using some of my favorite border punches and a bunch of (non-holiday) patterned papers, I was able to achieve a similar effect. A Lawn Fawn Journal Card, some Eyelet Outlet Enamel Dots and a bit of machine stitching complete the design." 

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "I took my design a bit more literal this week inspired by stocking number five.  

I embossed brick again framed by a blue background inspired by the wall.  

The hand-cut my stocking from Concord & 9th Stardust cardstock and 

decorated it with Eyelet Outlet Swirl Bling and flowers.  

I used ribbon for the hanger

and pom pom fringe for those cool dangling balls.

I finished with a scattering of sticker sentiments."

Remember, you have until 6pm EST on Wednesday February 23rd to link-up your design.

Stocking Holiday

For the next Jingle Belles prompt we're bringing you a photo from French Knot to inspire your card designs ... you might make a stocking-themed card ... or instead you could focus on the bricks and greenery ... or you might pick the colors and designs from the individual stockings to inspire you.

(source)

Here is how our first cards were inspired.

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I took my inspiration from the whole picture by starting with the fireplace and creating a brick background with anembossing folder and direct-to-paper inking.  The rest of the card's inspiration came from the colors and patterns from the third stocking from the left, which resulted in a very modern feel.  The Diamond Dies are from Simon Says Stamp, and the Snowflake is a Tim Holtz Christmas Cookie Die.  I finished with sentiments from The Ink Blot Shop Mixed Holiday Greetings."

Lauren's Card(s)

Lauren says, "I especially love the rich brick of the fireplace, paired with the abundant greens, so those are the elements I chose to use in my card. I used Tim Holtz's Holiday Greens and Mini Holiday Greens Thinlits die sets from Sizzix on several different shades and textures of green cardstock to try to achieve the texture and depth of the foliage in the photo. I added all of my diecuts to two mini slimline cards featuring Eyelet Outlet's Wide Brick Washi and added Pine Cone Brads to one and Poinsettias to the other. Ancient sticker sentiments of "Peace" and "Joy" complete the design."

♥♥♥

Link your cards inspired by this lovely photo right here, by 6pm (EST) on Wednesday, February 23rd. Keyword for galleries and Flickr is JB-22-04.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

12 days of Winners

So many awesome cards uploaded for our Twelve Days of Christmas / True Love prompt.

Here are a few of our favorites.

Crafting Junkie

absolutely rocked the True Love/Heart option of this prompt.  

Those snowflakes and white accents are just magical.

Sandy J at Adventures of a StampingWriter

combined wonderful coloring with that fabulous glittery red drum for a 

perfect Twelfth Day of Christmas Card.

A Deena's Card

created a card for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas 

(click through to see the other 10 days)

using a variation on a theme in her design to make each one

slightly different ... we loved the red hearts to.

Now drumroll please for our prize winner ... 

Lucky #1 - Bev of Bev's Creative Path and her two turtle doves.

E-mail us your address & we'll get your stamp set on the way.

And join us back at midnight for some Inspirational fun.

My True Love Gave to Me

We're still celebrating the fun categories from that old holiday favorite, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" (a reminder of those is below) OR you can choose to make an extra-special holiday card for your True Love OR you can make a holiday card that features hearts. Lots of choices, we hope you'll find something to inspire you!

Here's what we made this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I've done a bit of a tangential version of "Five Gold Rings"! I used my classic Nestie Circle Dies to cut five round frames from gold Idea-Ology cardstock; then cut circles of red patterned papers to frame up, and arranged them in a design that also incorporates some ancient Prima poinsettias as well as an Echo Park sentiment; and still fits nicely inside my 6" square card."

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "There are a lot of animals in the 12 days of Christmas, but I don't remember any Bunny Rabbits.  However, the cute Lawn Fawn Snow Day Collection has some True Love and Hearts going on in the snowy woods.  I added a few tiny enamel hearts between the sentiments on the paper strip and blinged out the holiday tree to finish the design."

♥♥♥

Link your cards within the original post; which happens to be located directly below this one ... remember there's an Impression Obsession Stamp Set for one lucky participant.