HIMCR 383 challenge to keep it simple sweetie for Christmas or a December holiday

It is 3 1/2 days to Christmas and quick, easy greeting cards are just what I need in this busy week. My simple techniques for the challenge entry focus are using 'boxed' tags and an easy stand-up easel card format:

Keeping it simple (about 15 minutes to make from start to finish) also involved having scraps of different patterned papers, stapler/attacher, some gold gems and some decorative tapes ready to go with a few other essential tools.

The above photo shows 3 other gift tag styles made into easel cards.

This photo view is angled enough to really let the foil shine bright! I love this unexpected grouping of patterns and colors to be the setting for the poinsettia tag.

Bonus feature:
This cradle to the cross display was a group effort by almost all the regular attending members of our small Brethren church. We adopted and adapted a decorated tree and cross very similar to what several of us had seen on the internet. We used a tree, lights, ornaments, cradle, tree skirt (covering the cradle) and (spider) plants that the church already had. One member had the timbers and built the cross. Another member ordered the tulle and bought the poinsettia plants and half of the silk flowers on the tree. Many members helped set up the tree, lights, and ornaments. Others are watering the poinsettia and spider plants. And my husband and I donated half of the silk flowers. All of us have expressed delight in how this creative arrangement has filled this sanctuary corner.

HIMCR #383 challenge blog post and the link-up for participating (or for future weeks) can be found here: http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/12/himcr-383-kiss.html

*And I will share these in the Facebook group, 100 Pattern Papers Challenge, since several prints are ones I've had for a year or more (green zig-zag, white with large gray dots, green and white diagonal striped, medium gray with small white dot, and a light green marbled print).

Keeping my post fairly simple to fit the theme of the challenge,

Becca S

Merry Christmas!

So thankful card with bright yellow papers for HIMCR 379 challenge

So thankful card in sunny yellow...such a refreshing look after lots of gray overcast days with chilly 20-30 degree temps!

Isn't that fox such a darling addition to the card?!!! I can just imagine a young kit jumping around in a pile of leaves, batting or kicking out small pumpkins and gourds in someone's garden, and having a 'heyday' frolicking!

This card is being linked to HIMCR's #379 challenge theme "Thank You Card". I was on their design team for about 8 months and love to come back to it periodically as a participant. I've been trying to spend more crafting time visiting other challenge blog sites, do more scrapbooking, and making Bible art journal entries into my Bible purchased for that purpose. Here's the link for the #379 post:
http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/11/himcr-379-thank-you-card.html

This photo is showing about 1/3 of my November kit made for the CKC blog this month. It's not saying Autumn but I'm making it work--like with this wonderful mug digital image from Stamplorations! Color-wise I wanted to have lots of the traditional Autumn/Thanksgiving hues but to work in the dominant colors of the CKC inspiration kit for this month, I've had to add in lots of blues, purples, and pink tones:

This sunny yellow is part of a trio I made during the same crafting session. Most of the patterned papers were interchanged. They have the same 2 stamps, stick-ons, and those gorgeous pumpkin and leaves scenery mugs.

With an attitude of gratitude in the USA Midwest, Becca S

So thankful card with bright colors for HIMCR 379 challenge

So thankful...in bright colors

Card #1 of 3 made with interchangeable elements and layouts

Each card has the same muted lavender cardstock that is about the size of an ATC. They each have puffy fox and leaf stick-ons. They each have some patterned papers that have been swapped around. 2 of the 3 have the same decorative tape. All three have the same stamps used "so thankful" and "May the bounty of the season fill your heart and home." And the digital mug image is same just colored differently for each one. Overall dimension is 4" wide x 6" tall.

Challenge link is to this week's "thank you card" prompt at HIMCR for #379:

http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/11/himcr-379-thank-you-card.html

Also, shout outs/credits to CKC blog for this month's copy cat kit that I made and which the cards' papers and stickers were a part of. And to Stamplorations for the freebie digital mug image filled with a gorgeous pumpkin and leaves scene!!! Love freebies!!!

I just love how these card turned out, especially this bold vibrant purple base with rainbow striped border tape and background patterned paper!!!! My nieces and nephews would probably say this looks like an Aunt Becca card!!!

With an attitude of gratitude, Becca S

21 Nov 2018 Thankful home decor fits challenge at CKC and HIMCR blogs

Home décor--our cup of blessings

On display in our dining room: the base is light blue cardstock; the center panel is a lavender paper; there's a orchid with white dots paper across the middle; a colorful chevron zig-zag print paper behind the mug image that was filled in with colored pencils (freebie from Stamplorations); a bright spring sherbet diagonal print paper behind our photo; and the forgery made floral paper.

framed home décor layout stamped message was prompted by the hymn "Count Your Blessings" and the phrase "my cup runneth over"-- "Our Cup of Blessings" 

Challenges:

1. Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog (CKC or CKCB)= using the November kit that I made to copy cat their inspirational one picked by Lisa H from Citrus Twist, a curate kit called "Little Things".

   a. elements included from the kit are (1) colors like purple, yellow, orange, pink, blue & green; (2) motifs/shapes like butterflies, hearts, stars, arrow & large florals; (3) rainbows: 2 papers containing lots of hues and the coloring of the mug image (freebie from Stamplorations) 

   b. photo of the Citrus Twist kit= 

    c. papers included the forgery stamped flowers and bees onto black triangle print paper from The Paper Studio are from my November kit

    d. link for the monthly link-up= https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/p/monthly-link-up.html

2. Hiding In My Craft Room blog (HIMCR)= using the #379 theme of "thank you" 

    a. elements included on this home décor layout are (1) typed Happy Thanks Giving Day 2018; (2) stamped "so thankful"; and (3) stamped letters to write out "our cup of blessings"

    b. link for the weekly challenge #379= http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/11/himcr-379-thank-you-card.html

    c. Laurie has the challenge titled as thank you card but guidelines do indicate that all paper-crafted creations are accepted, so that's why I'm going to go ahead and link this to her blog

Some close-up photos:

With an attitude of gratitude, Becca S

9 November 2018 birthday card for young man using Sketchy Sat and CKC and HIMCR challenges

Happy Birthday to my best friend's son's #23

#1: CKC blog (Counterfeit Kit Challenges)
a. cardstock and papers shown are leftovers from my October kit that I'm rolling over into my November kit in order to get them used.
b. link= https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/november-2018-just-gist-of-it.html

#2: HIMCR blog (Hiding In My Craft Room)
a. this week's theme is fall colors= I've got different shades of browns (including that maple leaf ribbon), russets, and yellows to give this card a crisp bold autumn look
b. link= http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/11/himcr-377-fall-colors.html

#3: Sketchy Saturday from Laurel Seabrook Designs
a. this week's prompt will be shown below; since I chose to use the leaf shaped ribbon to separate each diagonal band, I didn't use an accent shape as a focal.
b. link= https://laurelseabrookdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/11/sketchy-saturday-with-tis-season.html

More to come either later tonight or tomorrow as I finally reveal my November kit (kits within kit)! :)

Becca S

9 Nov 2018 great niece bday card using SS by LSD and HIMCR and CKC

#8...wow!...can you remember those years or should I say quarters and halves of years to being thought of as older?

I'm using that type of pent-up joy to create a birthday card for one of our youngest great nieces.

Here are my challenges and criteria to meet:

a. Sketchy Saturday by Laurel Seabrook Designs current sketch challenge design

b. HIMCR for its current challenge with fall colors

c. CKC for its current copy cat kit challenge using Citrus Twist's curated kit "Little Things" to inspire our November kits for layouts and other paper-crafting

HB, Graci!!!!

I reversed the paper sections for this birthday card and used leaves instead of a star. Link for Sketchy Saturday challenge:https://laurelseabrookdesigns.blogspot.com/2018/11/sketchy-saturday-with-tis-season.html

Colors of mauve pinks, soft baby pinks, yellows, and sage greens are part of the color palette used in the inspirational kit from Citrus Twist that is showcased for November 2018 at CKC blog. 
Link for the color palette reveal photo for the CKC blog can be found here:
https://counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com/2018/11/november-2018-just-gist-of-it.html

The browns, greens, and yellows along with the burlap texture leaf and the cardstock patterned leaf shape reinforce the fall colors theme for this week at HIMCR blog. Link for the current HIMCR challenge week post is here: http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/11/himcr-377-fall-colors.html

More color craziness to come from my part of the USA heartland, Becca S

UYS and HIMCR and CCMWF combo challenges card project two

Three challenges meshed into a 2nd card project with this focus for church member's get well card:

for these three challenges: color prompt photo + autumn theme + Halloween colors

http://useyourstuff.blogspot.com/2018/10/challenge-333-autumnhalloween.html

http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/10/himcr-373-halloween-colors.html

Christian Card Makers Women's Fellowship (CCMWF), Facebook group, has current color challenge and a just ended sketch challenge (shown below the color prompt):

Above photo: inside panel stamped with "You Are Special"

This bold autumn get well card will be hand-delivered to a church member who is at a rehab unit after surviving double heart valve and double bypass surgery about 2 weeks ago!!! Prayers would be appreciated for this sister in Christ!

Still crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

UYS and HIMCR and CCMWF meshed challenges card project one

Three challenges meshed together for bold autumn birthday card!

Card one for these three challenges: color prompt photo + autumn theme + Halloween colors

http://useyourstuff.blogspot.com/2018/10/challenge-333-autumnhalloween.html

http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/10/himcr-373-halloween-colors.html


Christian Card Makers Women's Fellowship (CCMWF), Facebook group, has current color challenge:

This sketch was provided at CCMWF, Facebook group, and its challenge closed on Thursday night, 10/11/18, but I still used it for this bold autumn birthday card!

This card will also be shared at 100 pattern paper challenge, another Facebook group. These papers are old stock, not part of my October kit used for CKC blog's October challenges, so I'll post with 100 PPC.

Still busy crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

Second Saturday of the month at HIMCR 365 is always a scraps theme challenge

"I love you" says this lovely butterfly fairy....

HIMCR's second Saturday challenge #365 always is about using scraps. And this pretty card is loaded with scraps of patterned papers and cardstocks.

Except for the red-violet floral patterned paper, all other papers and the cardstocks were scrap pieces! Here's a photo to prove:

HIMCR's badge and link are:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/08/himcr-365-super-scraps-saturday.html

Prize sponsor and DT crew's images provider is: Oddball Art Stamps (image badges are above); HIMCR's blog post will have link for OAS. Thanks to OAS for the 3 digital images provided to the DT to feature this week! I got the butterfly fairy to be my focal!

More views of this terrific card:

This is my last Design Team inspirational card for HIMCR. I have so loved this opportunity to be sharing my crafting creations with a wider audience than my blog followers and to stretch my resourcefulness and creativity with the different companies' digital images and set weekly themes. My personal life has gotten crazier again and I just need some flex in my schedule and to be able to craft and blog when I can. Hope you will still visit HIMCR's blog posts regularly and come check on me once in awhile, too.

Until I post again from my crafting headquarters (aka garage work zone) in the USA heartland,
Becca S

First Saturday of the month means a color theme challenge at HIMCR post 364

What's summertime without some cute birds splishing and a splashing in a birdbath?

Hiding in My Craft Room has set up first Saturdays of each month to have a color theme challenge and for #364 August 4, Laurie (blog owner) would like our paper-crafted creations to use 3 colors. I'm going to stretch this a bit to have butterscotch and kraft brown to be 1 color plus grays and greens. HIMCR's badge and post link to get all the details about participating as a crafter, seeing the other DT crew's inspirational creations, get link to the prize sponsor/DT provider of images, and much more can be found here:

link:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/08/himcr-364-use-3-colors.html

The prize sponsor for #364 plus DT crew's images provider:

Design notes:

a. patterned papers are a combination of old (birdhouse print paper) and new (yellow, white, and gray diagonal striped paper)

b. inside sentiment stamp is Stampin' Up
c. cover's sentiment letter stamps were purposefully twisted to keep with the splish-splash messy theme!
d. digital image from Sweet n Sassy Stamps has been color-filled with a combination of markers and colored pencils with the sentiment stamping and doodling borders added by me
e. next week's HIMCR theme for 2nd Saturday will be scraps and this card would work for that if it wasn't for a DT crew card and having a different sponsored image to work with; inside=scrap gray cardstock and the birdhouse print paper; cover= birdhouse cut-outs and butterscotch marbled cardstock behind the image are scraps
f. I kept to the color scheme pretty well except blue for water & droplets and the cover's stamped letters. I can't have green water in the birdbath?!!!?! yucky! Had to have it as blue. :)

More photos:

Still crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S

HIMCR 363 any holiday theme for third Saturday will be Christmas in July challenge

A sign I give to you, Jesus

The DT crew for Hiding In My Craft Room was able to select what they wanted from the prize sponsor/provider of DT images, A Day For Daisies!

HIMCR badge and link for #363:  http://www.hidinginmycraftroom.com/2018/07/himcr-363-any-holiday-christmas-in-july.html

ADFD badge (provided the digital image I used in the card) and link to store: http://adayfordaisies.com/stamps/

Supply & design notes:
a. copper glitter paper was part of a 3 color set (Dollar Tree)
b. soft creamy yellow and soft pink cardstocks (Colorbok)
c. antique damask wallpaper-looking designer paper (The Paper Studio)
d. image A Sign I Give from A Day For Daisies
e. this is a design team inspiration card made for Hiding In My Craft Room challenge blog

Love this card! Love that God sent His only Son to earth to die for my sins! 

Still crafting in the USA heartland, Becca S