Saint Nick-Tac-Toe

We're still playing crafty Tic-Tac-Toe this week, so here's another look at the board with all its inspiring possibilities:

And here's how we played the game:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "This week I chose the diagonal that runs from top left to bottom right, which gave me Snowman + Red or Green + Tree(s), mostly because I was gifted Lawn Fawn's "Snowball Fight" stamps and dies, and I couldn't wait to use them. Technically I've got a snow-mouse rather than a SNOWMAN, but I am unrepentant about this minor example of cheating, lol! My GREEN comes in the form of said snowrodent's scarf as well as the TREES which I punched from scraps of LF's Spiffier Speckles. I'd planned on making this into a shaker card, and thus created the raised heart aperture, but in the end I felt like the shaker sequins would've obscured the adorable details of the stamps, so I opted for the slightly simpler design you see here."

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "This week I played vertically straight down the center with Embossing, Green & Die Cuts.  I started by die cutting the Impression Obsession Layered TreeImpression Obsession Layered Tree from Core'dinations Cardstock.  Next I embossed a lighter shade of green cardstock with the Simon Says Stamp Streaming Embossing Folder.  I used the Sketch from The Paper Players and cut the embossed panel in two.  I added a horizontal piece of brown woodgrain embossed cardstock and then used foam tape on every other bough of my tree for some dimension.  I die cut the stitched star from Impression Obsession Patchwork Tree from Gold Glitter Cardstock & decorated my tree with golden ivory gems.  I finished with a sentiment from Impression Obsession Holiday Words."

♥♥♥

JB2411: Tree Skirt Tic-Tac-Toe runs until next Wednesday evening, June 5th; scroll down to the original post for the linky tool and Readers' Gallery!

Tree Skirt Tic-Tac-Toe

This fortnight, we're playing a game of Tree Skirt Tic-Tac-Toe, which is kind of like "Beach Blanket Bingo" but... you know... more Christmassy; and with LOTS more embellishments!

We'd love for you to join the fun ... all you have to do is pick a row (horizontal, vertical or diagonal) and a create a lovely new holiday card featuring all three elements in that row. There are loads of possibilities, so let's get started.

Here's how we played the game:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I went Vertical down the left side with Snowman, Glitter/Bling and Silver.  I inked-up a much loved woodblock Inkadinkado snowman with two shades of blue ink.  I die cut using stitched Hexagon die cuts using the next two sizes for blue cardstock and Silver Glitter Paper.  I stacked them together and used foam tape to attach them to Lawn Fawn silver foiled snowflake designer paper.  I finished with a scattering of bling and a sentiment from Taylored Expressions Sentiment Strips - Christmas."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "I chose the center column and thus had Embossing + Red or Green + Diecuts to work with. I broke out the Big Box of Bits and Bobs and lucked into the grocer's kraft panel (Simon Hurley Evergreens embossed in a combination of Ranger's Lime Tinsel and matte Green Embossing Powders, with a couple of Raspberry Liquid Pearl hearts on top); the glossy mat with the green stamped foliage from Wendy Vecchi's Doodle Holiday set, and all of those diecut Penny Black Layered Poinsettias to which I've added green Eyelet Outlet Snowflake Bling."

JB2411: Tree Skirt Tic-Tac-Toe runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday evening, June 5th; so put on your thinking cap and start planning what you'll link up with us! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Cavalcade of Cardstock

We thought (ok at least Lauren thought, lol!) the No Patterned Paper challenge was going to be a tough one but every single one of you ROCKED it! If you haven't already checked out the Readers' Gallery, we highly recommend that inspiring trip; meanwhile here are three cardstock-centric cards that especially caught our eye:

Helen of Helen's Craft Haven

...pieced together four embossed cardstock squares in two vivid shades to create a background perfectly matched for her stylishly stamped and colored snowperson! 

Wies of Wies Creablog

...cleverly used the Bargello Technique with brightly colored scraps set off by a dramatic black frame which makes that gorgeous diecut poinsettia stand out even more!

Jan R of Huh. So This Is A Blog.

...not only met the brief, she exceeded it with a one-layer CAS masterpiece for which only WHITE cardstock, a couple of stamps and coloring implements were needed!

We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new challenge that we hope you'll think is (Tic-Tac-)TOE-tally awesome! ;)

The 12 Days of Cardstock

We're still celebrating a Cardstock Christmas at Jingle Belles (no designer papers allowed).  You can die cut it, stamp on it, tear it... just make cardstock the star of the show.

Here's how we created with Cardstock this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I stamped half a dozen poinsettias from Wendy Vecchi's Doodle Christmas Stamp Set and a bunch of holly leaves from the Doodle Holiday set, embossing them in Ranger Lilac Pearl and White Embossing Powders, respectively. I colored them with Petunia, Peat Moss and English Ivy Archival Inks, then did a bit of fussy-cutting before adding Sunflower Liquid Pearls to the centers. I stamped the large swag of greenery from Doodle Holiday in English Ivy across the chunky chipboard "Joy" from Wendy's Statements Chippies; then mounted all of the above on a cardstock panel to which I gave quite an impressive bit of dimension with Spellbinders' Flowers & Foliage 3D Embossing Folder. One skinny Petunia mat later, my 5.5" square card was complete!"

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "I can't think about cardstock without thinking about the fun ways you can use Core'dinations Cardstock.  This time I chose to tear two shades of blue cardstock exposing the coordinating color of the core and layered it on my card base.  I paired it with a puffy hot chocolate mug that a topped with puffy poinsettia for the Caffeinated Christmas Flower Challenge.  I finished with some Eyelet Outlet Glitter Enamel Dots and a sentiment from Impress."

Make sure you link-up your Cardstock Christmas creations by 6pm EST on Wednesday, May 22nd.

Cardstock Christmas

This fortnight at Jingle Belles we're asking you to step away from the designer paper … yes, put it away … none allowed … not even a scrap … because this time the assignment is to create a holiday card using only cardstock. You can tear it, ink it, stamp it, spray it, emboss it, die cut it … but stick to only cardstock for your holiday card design.

Here's how we "took stock" this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I used Waffle Flower Skinny Strips die cut with the colors from the current Color Hues Challenge - Lilac & Lime.  I added a perfectly coordinated Lime Mini Doily with a die cut, sentiment & Enamel Dots from Waffle Flower to finish the design."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "My name is Lauren and I'm a scrap-hoarder! I confess that it's difficult for me to throw away scraps and off-cuts, so a few times a year, I make quilty or, in this case, stripy backgrounds to use them up. This version features various shades and textures of red, white and green cardstock; from smooth and glossy to chunky and glittery; arranged to resemble peppermint candies. Fabric poinsettias, plastic leaves and holiday flair complete the design. There's a bit more about the technique on my personal blog, in case you'd like to try your own version of this easy/flexible idea."

Link your own Christmassy Cardstock Creations, right here. This challenge runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, May 22nd. Keyword for galleries and Flickr is JB2410.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town!

Everybody loves Santa, and, if you've already had a look at the Readers' Gallery, you can plainly see that not only does every holiday cardmaker seemingly have at least a few supplies which feature Santa; they've also got a clever idea or two on how to use them extra-creatively! Here are three examples which especially caught our eye:

Marianne of Marianne's Cards 'n Stuff

...hand-colored all of the elements of her super-cute Santa die not once, not twice, but FOUR times (so you should definitely check out her second post as well!) and one of her brilliant secrets for completing a bunch of designs quickly is to use holiday journal cards as backgrounds!

Diane H of Nellie's Nest

...dressed her sweet Santa --all the other elements of her card from the tree ,to the sentiment, to the Christmas candies-- IN PINK which (in our humble opinion!) automatically makes this adorable card even more fun and festive!

Denise Bryant who posts on Split Coast Stampers

...cleverly used silhouette-style die cuts in realistic colors of plain cardstock to create this simple-but-fantastic scene of Santa's sleigh, soaring above the rooftops on a snowy Christmas Eve!

 ♥♥♥

Many thanks to everyone who played along, we loved seeing all of your super-star Santa cards! We'll be back at midnight with a brand new prompt that we hope will help you take STOCK of your Christmas supplies!

Hey, Santa Claus!

We're continuing our celebration of "The Man With the Bag" (aka Santa Claus!) and so without further ado, here's what we made this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I recently treated myself to a couple of 49 and Market paper packs, including Christmas Spectacular 2023, from which came all of the papers above. The frame around the Authentique Santa journal card is from a set of Tim Holtz Idea-ology Vignette Covers which I bought specifically to use as frames on cards. The burlap poinsettia is the last of a pack from Petaloo several years ago. At first I thought I might have gone a teeny bit overboard in terms of both distressing and machine stitching but... nahhhhhhh... I love it!"

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "My card was designed around this cute little 3-D Santa Sticker from my stash using a Sketch from The Paper Players.  I used 1 1/4" designer paper squires and added a 3-D Candy Cane and a cluster of bling before finishing with the perfect Santa sentiment sticker ... certainly a clean & simple  contrast to Lauren's amazing stitching and distressing."

This challenge runs through next Wednesday, May 8th, so you still have time to join our Santa-centric fun, which we hope you will!