Poinsettia Perfection

This fortnight's Poinsettia Perfection prompt is asking you to create a card that features a Poinsettia or other holiday blooms; plants or greenery like Mistletoe or Holly; or even a Pine Branch wreath.

Here are the blooms we're sharing this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "This was the perfect opportunity to break out my never-before-used Hero Arts Color Layering Poinsettia Window Stencils.  I used four colors of Distress Ink - Candied Apple, Fired Brick, Distress Oxide Mowed Lawn and Rustic Wilderness.  I die cut the blooms with the Hero Arts Nesting Rounded Rectangle Infinity Die and finished with a sentiment in the window from Hero Arts Comfort and Joy Messages."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "I have a few choices for holiday foliage and flowers, but one of my favorite options is the Christmas Add-On set for Wendy Vecchi's Essential Envelope dies from Spellbinders. I used the triple holly leaf die on two shades of glimmery yellow/gold cardstock to build double-layer poinsettias, which the set's  feathery foliage die complements beautifully. I broke out Wendy's Studio 490 Perfectly Plaid stamp to use as the background (embossed in Ranger's Vintage Pearl powder) and again on a Statements Chippie (in Marigold powder). A sage green mat and some WV Washi Tape complete the design of my 5.5" square card."

♥♥♥

Link your own poinsettia-centric masterpieces right here, by 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, July 16th. Keyword for galleries and socials is JB2514. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Fa-La-La-La Frames!

It turns out there really is NO bad way to use a frame... especially in the hands of our expert cardmaking Jingle Belles! Here are a few that especially caught our eye this time:

Brenda B of Brenda's Scraps of Life

...framed her lovely vintage-style sentiment with an elegant and intricate white frame, thus making her bold and beautiful blooms stand out even more!

Cindy Major aka @encrepapierciseaux on Instagram

...set off her adorable Santa in the perfect fancy frame; he's the perfect star of her wonderfully vibrant and festive card!

Chris of And Here's One I Made Earlier

...chose a bold plaid frame in black and red to highlight the perfection of her coloring on the lovely lady image! 

♥♥♥

Many thanks to all who participated, we loved seeing all of your beautiful and inspiring cards. We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt and we hope you'll see the "point" of it and join in the fun once more! ;) 

Feliz Navidad Frames

We're still creating with Festive Frames this week ... include at least one frame in your card design.

Here's how we got framed this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "A few years ago I purchased a set of holiday postcards that were not in good condition, but since I wanted to use them on Christmas cards, that was fine with me. This one was the most battered of the lot:  it had several very large creases and was entirely missing its lower righthand corner. But luckily, by finding two frame dies of just the right size, I was able to select the nicest bits, frame them up, and showcase them in a collage of Tim Holtz/Idea-ology Pocket Cards, 7 Gypsies velvet holly leaves and assorted festive washi tape in coordinating colors."

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "My frame for this week's card is a chipboard polaroid shaped frame from Crate Paper's Mittens and Mistletoe Collection.  I positioned it over one of the stars in paper from the same collection and then filled it with another chipboard sticker.  I finished with a couple of postage stamp stickers over the other two stars."

Remember, you have until 6pm EST on Wednesday to link-up!

Festive Frames

This fortnight we'd like to see cards that incorporate at least one frame as part of the design. Here's how we got festively frame-y this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "To make my frame, I used two Nested Ovals Double Stich Dies from Pinkfresh Studio and silver glitter cardstock.  I used this week's Sketch Saturday layout together with a tree from Fancy Pants Cookies for Kringle Ephemera, a vintage Memory Box sentiment and an edge die cut from Tim Holtz Sizzix Vault Edges Thinlets."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "One of my favorite ways to make frames is using a set of nesting shape dies... of which I have an (almost) embarrassing variety! With my Hero Arts Circle Infinity Dies, it was simple to make four different sizes of circle frames (I used the smallest twice); I then used the same circle dies on some very fun Photoplay Holiday Gnomes journal cards. I clustered the framed gnomes, added a sentiment, scattered a few (ancient) coordinating circle brads, and my 5.5" square card was complete."

♥♥♥

Link up your own Framed masterpieces right here! JB2513: Festive Frames runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, July 2nd.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Fa-La-La-La-Lovely!

Holiday music, Christmas carols, and other sounds of the season are always inspiring and there are some lovely cards for you to check out in the Fa-La-La-La-La Readers' Gallery. But first, here are a few that especially caught out eye... or, in the case, ear! ;)

Shani of Paperesse

... not only built her adorable and beautifully colored card around holiday song lyrics, she made them PUNNY! Be still our hearts!

Fabiola of Mon P'tit Monde

...built her vibrant and festive card around an adorable trio of singing mice; a concept guaranteed to make us smile!

LeAnne Pugliese of Wee Inklings

...set all of our Joy Bells ringing with this elegant, sophisticated card; and we're not just saying that because those bell dies were part of the prize she won last month right here at Jingle Belles, but it is especially impressive that she's already making awesomeness! 

♥♥♥

Much appreciation to everyone who played along, we loved seeing all of your clever and creative cards. We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt we we think is deserving of the hall of frame! 

A Caroling We Will Go

This week at Jingle Belles the theme remains Fa-la-la-la-la ... We're asking you to create a card that incorporates music, a musical instrument, or a holiday song title or lyrics.

Here's our tune this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "This week I raided my stash of vintage sheet music and I chose a nicely patina-ed page to coordinate with this fun (ancient!) Basic Grey flower sticker. I added a few strips of washi tape, some inked edges, a chipboard sentiment and a shimmery red mat... et voila!"

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "I found music for a Christmas Carol in a children's song book that happened to be perfectly card-sized.  I used the original music adding a stitched oval cut from a vintage holiday card and finishing with a 2002 Stampin' Up wood block stamped sentiment."

Remember, you have until 6pm EST on June 18th to link-up your Fa-la-la-la-la creations.

Fa-La-La-La-La

This fortnight we're celebrating one of our favorite things at Jingle Belles ... Christmas Music. 

We're asking you to create a card that incorporates music, a musical instrument, or a holiday song title or lyrics.

Here's how we're singing for you this week.

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I started by scanning some holiday sheet music from my collection and printing it out sized for a card front.  I chose this song because it made me smile when I thought about learning to sing it as a child.  I added a couple of designer papers for layers and curled one edge of the sheet music.  I added two stickers, a stamped sentiment from Flora & Fauna Bottle Brush Snow Globe set, and some adhesive gems."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "Having decided I wanted to use musical patterned paper for this card, I was pretty excited to find a few half-sheets of absolutely ancient Love Elsie holiday papers from American Crafts! It turns out they paired really well with my fave Doodlebug character stickers and a chipboard sentiment I found in the Big Box of Miscellaneous Items!"

♥♥♥

JB2512: Fa-La-La-La-La runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, June 18th. Link your Musical Masterpiece card(s) right here:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Beautiful Beasties

Christmas Critter Cards come in all shapes, sizes and styles. Here are three that especially caught our eye this time.

Helen of Helen's Craft Haven

...not only displays her mind-blowing level of coloring skills with this sweet image, she's added the perfect snowy background and a skinny red mat that ties everything together! 

Helen of Made by Helen

...made us wonder WHAT could be cuuuuuter than an adorable scarf-wearing reindeer, framed in silver and pink? Bonus shout-out to the cool gems in the four corners!

Silke of Karten Kram

...made this adorable image even more charming by adding whimsical red, green and neutral elements to complete a fab and festive card design!

♥♥♥

Many thanks to everyone who played along, we loved seeing all of your wonderful and inspiring cards! We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt we hope will have you singing along! ;)

Critter Christmas

We're back again this week with cards that include Animal Antics ... because even animals know when Santa is on his way.

Here's what we made this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "Lawn Fawn's Critters in the Arctic set is probably ten years old and yet, I still find it every bit as adorable and whimsical as the first time I saw it; I'm guessing others do too as it's still available. I love coloring or (as in this case) paper-piecing those happy arctic pals; and I'm especially happy with the floral moose! I went a little more wintery than xmas, with a neutral diecut sentiment from Elizabeth Craft Designs' Winter Wishes set (also ancient and I believe out of print) since not everyone celebrates Christmas and it's nice to have a selection of cards on hand in December."

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie Says, "I knew my Taylored Expressions Big Grumpy needed to make an appearance for this prompt.  This time I added mittens on his paws and reindeer antlers from Big Grumpy Christmas together with the Ho Ho ... No. sentiment.  I finished with a silver embossed snowflake from Taylored Expressions Flip the Snowflake."

♥♥♥

JB2511: Animal Antics runs until next Wednesday evening, June 4th. Link your card(s) on the original post... directly below this one!

Animal Antics

The next prompt at Jingle Belles is Animal Antics.  

We're asking you to create a holiday card featuring an animal having some Christmas fun (and yes, in the Jingle Belles work, a Yeti would qualify as an animal).

Here are the antics of our animals this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I chose the drumming doggie from Penny Black's 12 Days of Christmas. I stamped him in black and colored him with alcohol ink markers.  I used the Penny Black Shimmering Tune Stick & Shine with gold foil for the background."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "This handsome bear is the star of Sunny Studio's Holiday Hugs Stamp Set and I smile whenever I see him. I added an Eyelet Outlet Polar Bear Cub Brad to his mug of cocoa and used a piece of tree-festooned patterned paper as well as a few diecut mats and some stray stickers to finish off my card design."

♥♥♥

Link your Christmas critter cards right here! 

JB2511: Animal Antics runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, June 4th.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Belles Are Ringing!

The bells and the Belles are ringing out with Christmas cheer as we survey the beautiful Readers' Gallery this fortnight. If you're looking for inspiration, be sure to have a scroll through all of the cards, we assure you it's worth the trip. In the meantime, here are three that especially caught our eye this time:

Carol of Inky Fingers

...added beautiful dimension and shading to her colorful red jingle bells, then added a coordinating sentiment and just enough stenciled background foliage to give them context.

Meghan Kennihan of Made by Meghan K

...made not one, not two, but THREE gorgeous cards using the same ingredients... but with unique sketches and colorways for each; what a beautiful bounty of bells!

Deb Horst of Sendable Sentiments

...added touches of red and green to her elegant neutral color palette and topped the whole thing off with textural twine and REAL jingle bells!

♥♥♥

And now to award that little Bell-centric prize:

The Random Number Generator has selected Lucky #2 which means that

LeAnne Pugliese is our Lucky Winner!

LeAnne, please send your snail mail info to llaurenb (at) hotmail (dot) com

and we'll get that prize in to you ASAP!

♥♥♥

We'll be back at midnight with a brand new prompt we hope will inspire you to cleverly corral some cute and Christmassy critters!

Ring the Bells for the Belles

We're still creating holiday cards featuring Bells this week, and we'd love for you to join us.

Here's how the Belles rang the Bells:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "This holiday bell sticker was the last in a pack from... ok, I confess it's so old I don't know WHERE it came from, but it was perfect to pair with this bell-themed Simple Stories journal card plus papers from Basic Grey and Authentique. There are some Eyelet Outlet Poinsettia and Holly Brads to add texture and interest; plus those golden mats are a bit shimmery in real life!"

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "This week I went with a little Jingle Belles snark using Unity Stamp Company Bells & Holly with a sentiment from Tim Holtz Snarky Cat Christmas." 

♥♥♥

Remember, you have until 6pm EST on Wednesday to link-up and join the fun. Everyone who does will have a shot at this sweet little Bell-centric prize! 

Christmas Bells those Christmas Bells

This fortnight we're asking you to break out your Bells for the Belles and create a card that includes some sort of bell.

Here's how the Belles used Bells this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I die cut lots of Impression Obsession Jingle Bells from silver metallic cardstock and used some foam tape under some to create dimension on my purple glitter paper card base.  I used a sentiment from Kristina Werner's Merry Trees stamp set to finish the design."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "I got out my Impression Obsession Retro Ornaments die set (because one of the ornaments is bell-shaped) as well as my tan/gold/neutral scraps folder and had a lot of fun putting together a set of sparkly ornaments, dangling from pearl bling. And what could be a better background for a bell-themed card than a re-sized color copy of the sheet music for "Jingle Bells"?!

♥♥♥

And now, how about an appropriately Bell-related prize that one lucky cardmaker is going to score, just for linking up with us this fortnight? It's Honey Bee's Layering Holiday Bells die set; Memory Box's 6x6 Madras Plaid paper pad and Spellbinders' Winter Wonderland Sentiment diecuts.

Link your Bell-centric creations right here. JB2510: Christmas Bells, Those Christmas Bells runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, May 21st.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

True Colors

It seems we were not the only ones who felt extra-inspired by that fun Ornamental Color Challenge, so if you haven't had a scroll through the Readers' Gallery we highly recommend the trip. In the meantime, here are three takes that especially caught our eye:

Liz Williams of Old Right Brain Madness

...found the PERFECT patterned paper to capture the colors and a very handsome reindeer portrait to be the focal point on this marvelously mailable design!

Tina Z of Treebug

...handcolored this bell-issima embossing folder with the perfect shades of Distress Inks and impressively combined several challenges flawlessly!

Becca Yahrling who posts on Flickr

...made two very cool cards, both of which are shout-out worthy, and almost too close to call, but the embossed orange mat on this one was what took it over the top, in our opinion! 

♥♥♥

And now we'd all like to know where this very fun die is heading, right?! 

Well, the Random Number Generator chose Lucky #3 which means that Liz Williams of Old Right Brain Madness is our Lucky Winner! Liz, please send your snail mail info to llaurenb (at) hotmail (dot) com and we'll get that headed out to you ASAP. Congrats and Yay, You! ♥

Many thanks to everyone who played along, we loved seeing all of your beautiful, festive cards. We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt we hope will get your creative bells-a-ringing! ;)

Colors of Christmas

We're still creating cards using our Ornamental Color Challenge this week.  We ask that you use at least three of the five colors to create your card.

Here is how we got colorful this week:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "This week, I was inspired by the inspiration photo itself, so I made an ink-blended background using Distress Oxide Inks in the shades closest (imo) to the top three colors in the palette: Uncharted Mariner, Broken China and Speckled Egg. Then I embossed the panel using Spellbinders' Forevergreen e/f and flicked some watered down Liquid Pearls (in White Opal and Gold Pearl) on top. I made a large snowflake stack to stand in for the fancy bauble in the photo and finished the whole thing with some clear gems that look a bit like the bokeh fairy lights."

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "Since I leaned heavier into the teal/blues last week, I decided to start with the darkest coppery/orange that I skipped last week.  I cut 3/8" strips from the next three colors and positioned them horizontally.  I'm joining Amy T for her Woodblock Wednesday using a one of my favorite woodblock Savvy Snowman paired with a woodblock Memory Box sentiment."

And remember, one lucky random participant will receive this fun Yay You Die Cut by CZ Design, so link-up by 6pm EST on Wednesday, May 7th.

Ornamental Color Challenge

We have a marvelous Ornamental Color Challenge for you this time. We're asking you to make a card featuring at least THREE of the five colors in the palette below.

Here's how we got colorful this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I used four of the five colors this week in my layout using this week's Sketch Saturday layout and Jolly Holiday Greetings from Concord & 9th.  Colors are Concord & 9th as well - Rainforest, Peacock, Powder & Sorbet."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "As I was puzzling over what I wanted to make, it suddenly occurred to me that one of the things I liked in the inspiration pic is the sidebar with the colors stacked together. I was pretty sure I had scraps of cardstock in all of those colors, and sure enough I did! I found the sentiment on a mini journal card and diecut a Hero Arts Snowflake Cluster from glossy white cardstock to emphasize the winter/holiday aspect."

♥♥♥

We will choose one lucky participant to win this fun little Yay You die cut by CZDesign for Simon Says Stamp.

Just a reminder, you needn't use ALL five colors of the palette, we'd just like to see three; though as you can tell, we both had fun using the entire set! JB2509: Ornamental Color Challenge runs until 6pm (Eastern) on the evening of Wednesday, May 7th. Link your cards right HERE:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Remarkable Recycling

There was not a huge turnout for our annual Earth Day Recycling Challenge, but the shortfall in quantity was more than made up for by the over-abundance of brilliant and beautiful ideas! To celebrate, here's a recap of all the fabulous entrants:

Susan B of Cardmaker's Garret

...took the ubiquitous and humble corrugated coffee sleeve, added a little shimmery white paint and instantly had the perfect snowy backdrop for her gorgeous neutral-palette greeting. 

Jolanda Johnstone of The Inque Spot Studio

...speaking of coffee, Jolanda upcycled a vibrant holiday card to make her holiday beverage SNOW much fun! Bonus points for that fabulous fancy fold, as well!

Deb of Sendable Sentiments

...saved the festive red ribbon from a floral arrangement and made it the star of her CAS (but infinitely textural!) card! Love that cool wooden snowflake, too!

Deanne of A Little Bit o' Paper

...rescued two amazing ornaments from a holiday card she received last year, then really set the scene of a Christmas tree by adding hangers, floral toppers and evergreen branches!

Gail L of What's Normal?

...got back a bunch of her own handmade cards when helping a loved one downsize, and thus was able to reuse and upcycle her own designs! How cool is THAT?! 

Fabiola of Mon P'tit Monde

...added lots of texture and detail to various paper scraps and even diecut that beautiful tree from the perfect "leftover" of festive holiday paper!

♥♥♥

Many thanks for playing along! We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt that we hope will suit your holiday cardmaking palette! ;)