Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas ~ June 2021 Edition

 Hello there crafty friend!

I am super excited to be back guesting with the fantastic Crafty Elves! Last month I was just a quick fill in for another guest who wasn't able to participate at the last minute. But this month, I am a full on guest and that means that I've been getting inky and I've made four cards to share with you all today!!

Woohoo! I'm SO excited! 

I promise though, I'll keep the chit chat down so you can get moving right on through to all the wonderful creations from the Crafty Elves!

Of course, I just HAD to use the {BYSHC} Sketch 11 for my first card! I made a similar card at the beginning of the month and since I already had the papers cut, I decided to make a second card which was perfect for today's hop! I used the adorable Heart Warming Itty Bitty stamp from Unity along with the cute Santa's Workshop papers from Carta Bella.

Here's a look at Sketch 11. I'd love to invite you to join us over at Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group and start building your stash of holiday cards now rather than stressing out later in the year!

Isn't that just the cutest snowman stamp!? So much fun to color!

Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Snow ~ C00, C2

Scarf / Hat / Mittens ~ BG10, BG01, R000, R14, R27, C00, C2

Bear ~ E21, E23, E27, G21, G24, G46

Background ~ B0000, B00

My second card using the sweet Miss Anya Hello Winter from The Greeting Farm along with the Really Rainbow Christmas papers from Lawn Fawn. Such a fun card! The sentiment is from the adorable Little Elves stamp set also from The Greeting Farm.

I usually do brown or blond hair when I'm coloring, but I've been trying to get out of my comfort zone. I did black hair a bit ago... but I got to thinking pink hair would be perfect for this girl and it's so cute with the rainbow colors in the papers. Here's a quick list of the Copic markers I used:

Skin ~ E000, E00, E11, R01, R20

Hair ~ RV02, RV04, RV19

Hat / Boots ~ BV000, BV01, C00, C2, C3

Coat ~ BV000, BV01

Dress ~ B0000, B00, B02

Snowman ~ C00, C2, YR15, YR68

My third card is one that I have worked on and struggled with for quite some time. It's amazing how a card can be so stubborn! LOL! I had these snowmen from the fun Snow Way stamp set by Unity all colored up and I even had a background ready, but the layout never seemed right. I started working on this background (which was actually supposed to be for the fairies in my next card) and something about it made me think it'll work better with these snowmen. And it does! The background is ink smooshed with Wilted Violet and Kitsch Flamingo Distress Oxide inks and the snowflake border is the Bold Borders: Flurries die from Papertrey Ink. The sentiment is from the cute Cuddlebug Frog stamp set from Unity that I stamped with Wilted Violet Distress Oxide ink.

I used the following Copic markers for these cute snowmen:

Snowmen ~ R00, R01, R14, R27, YR15, YR68

Snowman #1 ~ G0000, G00, Y000, Y02

Snowman #2 ~ Y000, Y02, C00, C2

Snowman #3 ~ V000, V12, C00, C2, Y000, Y02

Snowman #4 ~ B0000, B00, V000, V12, Y000, Y02

My fourth card is a sweet mini slimline scene card that I created using the adorable Frosty Fairy Friends stamp set from Lawn Fawn. I mentioned above how I struggled with the snowmen in my third card... well, this background is the one that I was struggling to use with those snowmen. I think the colors were just off a bit, but it works perfectly with these adorable fairies. I used Worn Lipstick, Tattered Rose, and Wilted Violet Distress Oxide inks to blend the background. I die cut the snowy hills using the Slimline Stitched Hillside Borders dies, also from Lawn Fawn.

I adhered all the elements of my little scene on the card, popping up the little fairies. I was going to leave it as a 3 x 6" panel but then my new mini slimline dies arrived from Gina Marie Design sooo... I ended up trimming my panel just a tad to 2-7/8 x 5-7/8" and adhered it to a Pleated Lace Mini Slimline die cut from white card stock. I used the following Copic markers for this sweet card:

Skin ~ E000, E00, E11

Dresses ~ B0000, B00, B02

Fairy #1 ~ YR24, YR30, E33 {hair}, RV000, RV10, RV52 {wings}, C00, C2 {scarf}

Fairy #2 ~ E08, E09, E21 {hair}, BV0000, BV000, BV01 {wings}, C00, C2 {scarf}

Snow ~ C00, C2

Mushrooms ~ R000, R14, R46, C00, C2, W00, W1, W2

Fairy House ~E37, E51, E55, E59, N0, N3, R000, R14, R46, Y0000, Y02, Y06, Y15, B000, B00, B02

Trees ~ C00, C2, E37, E55

Well, that's it for me... which means my time as a guest of the Crafty Elves has come to an end. *Sigh* But I hope you've been inspired to get a head start on your holiday cards! Be sure to stop by The Crafty Elves' blogs to see their fantastic creations this month:

Lisa

Debra

Michael

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 11 ~ Bounty of Wreaths ~ Brutus Monroe

 Hello there crafty friend!

I seem to be on a bit of a roll with the exclusive Simon Says Stamp STAMPtember stamp sets... so why not share one more?! The Bounty of Wreaths stamp set by Brutus Monroe isn't just a Christmas set, it actually has a Halloween, a Fall, and a Christmas wreath and a bunch of coordinating sentiments. Such an awesome stamp set and I'm so happy to finally make a card with it. 

Now, this wreath was actually stamped out sometime around last Christmas. I even colored the pine cones... but it's been sitting on my side table just waiting for me to finish it up. I saw it the other day and thought it would be perfect for the {BYSHC} Sketch 11... and I think it works. I did alter the sketch a bit by not cutting the edge off of my 'circle' image but... I couldn't cut the wreath!! It's too pretty! I paired up the pretty wreath with a more rustic paper pad but it's also from Brutus Monroe... the Winter Cabin paper collection. This paper pad isn't necessarily just for Christmas... it would be great for Masculine cards, but I think it works really nicely with this wreath stamp.

I colored all the fun elements of this wreath and then got to the ornaments and I was stumped so I asked my daughter what color to use. She came over to my Copic marker collection and picked B04... a beautiful bright blue. Not what I was leaning towards but I used it and I love how it turned out.

Here's a list of the Copic markers I used:

Pinecones ~ E51, E55, E57

Bells ~ YR21, YR24, E15, E18

Bows ~ R000, R14, R27

Berries ~ C00, C2

Candy Canes ~ C00, C2, R000, R14, R27

Stars ~ Y06, Y15, Y35, Y38

Ornaments ~ B00, B04, B12

Wreath ~ G21, G24, G46 

Here's another look at {BYSHC} Sketch 11.

I hope you'll join in the fun start building your stash along with us in the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group. If you're interested in seeing more inspiration using this sketch, stop by the {BYSH} Cardmakers blog.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 11 ~ Gifts Galore {Snowpeep Nicholas} ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

These weeks are just flying by! I'm back with another cute Christmas card and this time I've used the adorable Gifts Galore {Snowpeep Nicholas} from Unity Stamp Co. I've collected all of the adorable snowpeeps from Unity but other than maybe a tag that I made a couple years ago, I haven't inked up these cuties... that ends today with this fun card!

I paired up this adorable snowpeep with the Santa's Workshop papers by Carta Bella. I actually had the stitched partial circle in my scraps for this paper so I decided to use it. I used a 4-1/4 x 5-1/2" piece of Real Red card stock for my card front and adhered my layers of paper directly to it. I mat the colored image with the scrap circle and adhered it to the card front. I stamped the sentiment with Memento Tuxedo black ink, trimmed it and mat it with a scrap of Real Red card stock. I adhered a scrap of card stock under the 'tis the season to' portion of the sentiment to make it level on the card and then I adhered the sentiment to the card front. All that was left was to adhere the card front to a white A2 top fold card base. Done!

Here's a list of the Copic markers I used for this card:

Snow ~ C00, C2

Nose ~ YR15, YR68

Buttons ~ R000, R14, R27

Hat / Scarf ~ BG10, BG01, C00, C2

Gifts ~ BG10, C00, C2, R000, R14, R27, G21, G24, G46

Background ~ B0000, B00

Here's another look at {BYSHC} Sketch 11.

 I am really loving this sketch! I hope that you are inspired to get a start on your holiday cards if you aren't already working on them. For more inspiration for this sketch check out the {BYSH} Cardmaker's Blog!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 11 ~ Ornate Joy ~ Unity Stamp Co.

 Hello there crafty friend!

I am back with my weekly Christmas card and this time I've used a sweet Itty Bitty set from Unity Stamp Co. called Ornate Joy! I just love this beautiful stamp and it's another one that I just haven't inked up until now.

I stamped the Ornate Joy stamp with Memento Tuxedo black ink, but before I colored it I actually looked for a pretty paper to use for my card and decided to use the lovely Snowy Winter Greetings from a past Whit Kit. Of course, I gravitated to the blue papers... love these!! 

I colored up the ornaments with the following Copic markers:

Snowflake Ornaments ~ BG70, BG72

Red Ornament ~ R000, R14, R27, Y15

Tree Ornament ~ BG70, BG72, YG11, G24, G46, R27, Y15, B00, E55, E57

Noel Ornament ~ C00, C2, R000, R14, R27

Here's another look at {BYSHC} Sketch 11.

I sure hope that you're inspired to pull out your holiday stamps and papers and get a jump on your holiday cards! If you'd like to see more inspiration for this sketch check out the {BYSH} Cardmaker's Blog!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky Hugs,

Crystal

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{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge 11 ~ Snow Bunnies ~ Lawn Fawn

 Hello there crafty friend!

It's the first day of June which means it's time for a new sketch challenge over at the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers Facebook group!! I have a sweet card using the adorable Snow Bunnies... a STAMPtember exclusive from Lawn Fawn and Simon Says Stamp!! Another one that I HAD to HAVE and finally inked up! Woohoo!

I paired it up with the adorable Snow Day Remix papers also from Lawn Fawn. This sweet card will be for my daughter who just adores all things BUNNY!! I think she'll love it!

I created a little scene by adding some white stitched hillsides to a circle die cut of the sheet music papers. I stamped all the images with Memento Tuxedo black ink and colored them with Copic markers. I then used the coordinating dies to cut each of them out. I thought it would be fun for the bunnies to use carrots as ornaments on their tree... it just makes sense! I adhered the carrots and tree topper to the larger tree and then adhered both trees directly to the scene. I adhered the one carrot to the bunny's paw and then popped up both bunnies with foam squares. I stamped the sentiment and then popped it up on the card too.

Here's a list of the Copic markers I used to color up these cuties:

Carrots ~ YR15, YR21, YR68, YG11, G14

Trees ~ YG11, G14, E55, E57

Star Topper ~ Y06, Y15, Y28, Y35

Bunnies ~ W00, W2, W3, C00, C2, R00, R14, R20, R46, YG11, G14

Here's a look at the fun {BYSHC} Sketch 11 for the month of June!

I hope you'll join us and play along with the sketch! If you're interested in seeing a bit more inspiration, check out the {BYSH} Cardmakers blog!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

See ya next time.

Inky hugs,

Crystal

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