Walking in a Whimsical Wonderland

Whimsical describes something playfully quaint, fanciful, imaginative and slightly odd … often suggesting a lighthearted, unpredictable or charmingly unusual quality not based on strict logic. 

We're asking you to use that definition and make a Whimsical holiday card … it might be mice decorating the holiday tree, a modern wreath, some fun little holiday gnomes, or whatever says whimsical to you.

Here is how we walked through a whimsical wonderland this week.

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I got the Spellbinders Fragmented Gaze Dies by Jaycee Gaspar this week, and I thought it would be "whimsical" to try to turn her into a sassy version of Mrs. Claus (I guess you could say I went with the imaginative and perhaps slightly odd).  I started by using Mirror Ball Luxe Silver Glitter paper as the base (not realizing it would give her a rather creepy glittery eyeball, which I solved with a few cardstock scraps).  I had fun combining some designer papers with cardstock in a holiday palette.  I finished by hand-cutting her Santa Hat that I adorned with some jeweled holly and attaching her to a de-bossed minty card base.  I finished with what seemed like the perfect holiday sentiment from My Favorite Things Sassy Pants Holiday."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "My friend Gina wrapped my holiday gifts in super-cute Hello Kitty holiday paper; which of course I saved carefully and backed with cardstock. Then I cut out alllllll of those presents, trees and Kitties. (Yes, I am indeed nuts; thank you for asking.) I wanted my whole background to be that pale green snowflake paper, but alas there wasn't enough. As it turns out, I think that was a good thing, because it completely changed how I used the tiny cut out houses and trees... for the better! The pine tree background is ancient Pebbles; the scrap of plaid is, I believe, Echo Park; and also quite elderly."

♥♥♥

JB2607: Walking in a Whimsical Wonderland will run until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, April 8th. Link your wonderful, whimsical greetings right here:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Thrice as Nice

Creating with trios is fun and satisfying, as everyone who linked up this ofrtnight has proven pretty conclusively! If you haven't scrolled through the Readers' Gallery, we highly recommend the trip. In the meantime, here are (coincidenally!) three cards that especially caught our eye:

Helen of Helen's Craft Haven

...notes humorously in her post that she realized we did not *literally* ask for cards with Three Kings, but when she realized she could do that, it was impossible to resist. We couldn't agree more!

Robyn Oliver of Waterlily Cards

...made this trio of elegant baubles by dipping an empty bathroom tissue roll in watercolor paint, then filling in the circles with sparkly shimmering color!

Jolanda Johnstone of The Inque Spot Studio

...went all in with glorious gold: gold paper, gold foil, gold embossing; this card is most definitely "good as gold"! 

♥♥♥

Many thanks to all who participated. We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt we hope will warm your whimsical heart!

Tinsel Trios

We're still creating in threes this week ... asking you to include 3 of something on your card design.

Here are our Tinsel Trios:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I have about half a sheet left of PhotoPlay's Ugly Sweater Party patterned paper, and I must confess that I've never used it in any other way than I've done here; I really only want to cut out the cute little sweaters and put them on cards. So much so, that I had cut out four or five sweaters to make my THREE-centric card before remembering I either had to put some aside or make two cards with three sweaters. Obviously, I chose the latter course. I used my Elizabethcraft Planner Filmstrip die to hold the sweater trios and I computer-generated my silly sentiment, Don we now our ugly sweaters."

 

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie says, "This week's card is an homage to my grandma ... she had a desk in her living room that she filled with all sorts of papers and stickers for her grandkids to play with.  I remember these National Wildlife Association and other charity stickers and stamps.  I also spent hours filling S&H Green Stamp books and choosing what I wanted to buy with them (we saved them up to get my first Black & Decker Teflon Iron for me to take to collage).  I finished with two trios of enamel dots and a three-word Tim Holtz Label sticker sentiment on a kraft card base.  She would have loved it."

We THREE Kings

The next Jingle Belles prompt is asking you to create a card with THREE of one element: three circles, three reindeer, three packages under the Christmas Tree ... you get the picture.

Here are our THREE point shots for this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I started with three vintage chipboard ornament stickers from my stash that I topped with three chipboard snowflake stickers.  For my background, I stamped Simon Says Stamp White Christmas Text on the background in white ink and embossed with white embossing powder for subtle texture.  I finished with a sentiment from Hero Arts Holiday Borders and Icons.  I attached all of the pieces with foam tape on the white-on-white background."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "My card was inspired by three vintage kittens, as you can see. In addition my A6 card has a few more threes: three torn patterned paper pieces and three pieces of doily. I kept trying to add "one more thing" but nothing really seemed right, so I attached the sentiment, did a bit of machine stitching and called it good."

♥♥♥

JB2606: We Three Kings runs until 6pm (Eastern) on Wednesday, March 25th. 

Link your card(s) right here:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Singing Along

How delightful to see so many Jingle Belles singing along with our "Fa-la-la-la-la" challenge to incorporate music, instruments or a holiday song title. If you haven't yet seen all the entries in the Readers' Gallery, we highly recommend a little scroll through all of the musical inspiration. In the meantime, here are three cards that especially caught our eye:

Brenda B of Brenda's Scraps of Life

...stamped a beautiful creche scene over the music for "Away in a Manger" using neutral tones with  touches of gold for a look that's soft, sweet and elegant. 

Susan B of Cardmaker's Garret

...made these bold copper-colored watercolor bells the centerpiece of her gorgeous CAS card which also features lots of background texture and a perfectly appropriate sentiment!

Jo from Jo Blogs

...chose a cute and comical caroling kitty to be the star of her charming and adorable greeting! (Bonus points for the super cool Fa-La-La-La-La sky!)

♥♥♥

And now let's find out who will be acquiring that very cool CUTplorations Doodled Christmas Bells Cover Plate Die from Stamplorations:

The Random Number Generator has chosen...

(drumroll, please)

Lucky Number 6!

which means that

Jolanda Johnstone of The Inque Spot Studio

is our Lucky Winner!

CONGRATS!

Please send your snail mail info to

llaurenb (at) hotmail (dot) com 

so we can get that on its way to you ASAP!

♥♥♥

Many thanks to all who participated. We'll be back at Midnight with a brand new prompt that's easy as one... two... three!

A Caroling We Will Go

We're still celebrating Christmas Music this week.  We're asking you to create a card (or tag, or gift card holder, or whatever else you'll be needing for the holidays) that incorporates music, musical instruments, or even the title of a favorite Christmas Carol.

Here's what we're singing:

Lauren's Other Card

Lauren says, "I used a vertical strip of real (torn) sheet music; some horizontal music-printed washi tape; and a tiny journal card with "Deck the Halls" on it, so I think I've covered all the bases. The background paper is from 49 & Market; the ancient slide mount frame is of unknown origin; and the foliage diecuts were leftover from another project... the dies were Tim Holtz for Sizzix Christmas Greenery. I cannot tell a lie: I love how this tuned out!"

Stephanie's Other Card

Stephanie said, "I flipped over the vintage sheet music I had used for last weeks card, and decided to scan the other side for this week's card.  I cut it into a square to use it with the BYSH Cardmakers Sketch.  I stamped three sets of Jingle Bells from Hero Arts Comfort and Joy Messages.  I finished with a sentiment from the same set."

And to celebrate the reopening of the STAMPlorations Store, we're sharing the CUTplorations Doodled Christmas Bells Cover Plate Die which one lucky (randomly chosen) participant will receive:

Fa-La-La-La-La

This fortnight we're celebrating one of our favorite aspects of the holidays at Jingle Belles... Christmas Music! 

We're asking you to create a card (or tag, or gift card holder, or whatever else you'll be needing for the holidays) that incorporates music, musical instruments, or even the title of a favorite Christmas Carol.

Here's how we're singing this week:

Stephanie's Card

Stephanie says, "I started by scanning a piece of sheet music from my stash and shrinking it down to work with my card front.  I added a strip of silver vellum down the left side.  Next I edged the lovely and peaceful scene from STAMPlorations Snowy Christmas Journal Cards in black ink to frame it for the musical background.  I added a sentiment from STAMPlorations Good Tidings Clear Stickers, attaching them both with foam tape for dimension."

Lauren's Card

Lauren says, "I used Ranger's White Embossing Powder with Simon Hurley's create. Sheet Music Background Stamp on white cardstock, then added a nice dark coat of Best Dressed Archival Ink on top; plus a little flick of Dina Wakley White Gloss Spray. The sweet chickadee image is an older Masterpieces Made Simple card from Penny Black, which I trimmed down just a tiny bit, and adorned with Eyelet Outlet Snowflake Brads. I matted both panels on gold cardstock, added a square of older Ciao Bella paper, a Tim Holtz Christmas Sticker Sentiment and a wrap of crinkly seambinding to complete this dramatic 5.5" square card."

♥♥♥

And to celebrate the reopening of the STAMPlorations Store, we're sharing the CUTplorations Doodled Christmas Bells Cover Plate Die which one lucky (randomly chosen) participant will receive:

JB2605: Fa-La-La-La-La runs until 6pm (Eastern) on the evening of Wednesday, March 11th. Link your music-centric card(s) right here:

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter