Sketch 37 is on it's last days.....

 {BYSHC} Sketch 37 will be finished tomorrow night at Midnight! Winners for this sketch will be announced on October 1st!

Today's card is a special one because it's something I don't create often......a shaker card! I was asked to be a guest designer for the month of September for SpiegelMom Scraps. SMS is an online store that sells mostly sequins and sparkly things! I discovered these little bags of joy by accident! What I love about them is the variety in each bag! They all go together and are different shapes and sizes!

As you can probably tell, the sequin packet I chose (Capture Today) has LOTS of colors! I only pulled out the dark blue, light blue and ivory. I started with a white cardbase and measured and cut the patterned paper according to the sketch. The snowflake paper and the sentiment(s) are all from Unity Stamp Co.  I cut the shaker panel from white cardstock and then cut another for the frame. The acetate sheet was also cut with the same measurements. I added some foam adhesive to make the "pocket" for the shaker elements. I used the three colors of sequins and some micro beads. The circle was cut with the scallops and circles nesting die set from Unity Stamp Co. and ink blended with some distress oxides. The snowflake was cut using my cricut. The sentiment was stamped with versafine clair in nocturne, embossed with some WOW! Neutral Ultra Shimmer Embossing Glitter and then cut apart. Not one of my best shaker elements, but practice makes perfect!

Sketch 37 still going strong!

 Mid-September and Sketch 37 is still going strong! {BYSHC} are working hard to keep the year long process of Christmas card creating fun and exciting! 

Today's card (much like the last one) felt somewhat like a cheat! But.....it's perfectly ok to let the paper and embellishments do all the work!!

Started with a white card base, measured and cut the patterned paper according to the sketch! All papers and chipboard embellishment are from Carta Bella Home for Christmas. I used the scallops and squares nesting dies from Unity Stamp Co to cut out the sentiment and I also added some red foil enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs.

Doesn't need to be hard to be beautiful! And your family and friends will appreciate it either way! :)

Welcome to August!

 New month, means new {BYSHC} Sketch!! Challenge #36 is live!! This sketch runs through the end of August! 

My card today feels somewhat like a "cheat." LOL Sometimes they feel like that! 

Papers are from Echo Park Gnome for Christmas 6x6 paper pack. The red strip is a piece of scrap from Stampin Up and the gold is washi tape! I added some glossy accents to the word "Believe" and the berries. Red enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs to finish it off!

It doesn't need to be hard to be beautiful! :)

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - ONE MORE CARD!!

 ONE MORE CARD!! {BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party ends in a few hours! I had a few minutes so I made one more! :)

I had stamped two of these images to take with me to my daughter's dance studio this morning, but only used one.....so had one left over and ready to color!

Started with a white card base. Played with SEVERAL sketches and layouts and nothing looked right. Glued down, pulled it back up, glued again, moved stuff around.....sometimes it just takes a little while and some adjustments! Papers are scraps from Stampin Up. Colored with Tombow ABT Water based markers, sequins from unknown. Snowman is from Unity Stamp Co. Snow Day Like Today. Sentiment is from Lawn Fawn from Ho-Ho-Holidays. Foam tape, washi tape, thrown together and it works! :)

When you finish a card at 6pm and it's raining....you get a dark picture! 

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - All Is Bright

 Here it is!! The last day to link your cards! The {BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party ends at midnight!

Today's card was a lightbulb moment late last night! I am not at home this morning so had to load up all my supplies and finish it at my daughter's dance studio! LOL

Started with a white cardstock panel that I ink blended faded jeans, broken china and speckled egg onto. Next I watered down some white acrylic paint and splattered it everywhere (including my glasses, my hands, the desktop, etc.)!  Stamped the snowman (from Unity Stamp Co. called Snow Day Like Today) onto a plain white scrap of regular cardstock. Colored with Tombow ABT Waterbased markers and then fussy cut him out! The ink blended panel was die cut using Tim Holtz Deckle Edge nesting dies and then glued down onto kraft. Burlap twine is from May Arts Ribbons and was tied around the panel. The sentiment was a second-hand purchase so I am unsure of which set it was from. The snowman and the sentiment were both mounted with foam adhesive for added dimension and the clear sequins were also from Unity but part of a Whit Kit and do not appear to be available on their own.

Considering that I colored, cut, glued and tied everything together while NOT at home was definitely interesting but completely do-able!!!

Be sure to get your entries linked before midnight! The link will close and then we'll wait for the prize announcements!! 

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Merry Penguin

 One day to go! The final day to get your entries posted to the {BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party is tomorrow!! So many beautiful entries so far!

Today's card follows the latest sketch challenge at Tawny Owl Paperie! Also happens to be one of our sponsors!!

Today's card started with a piece of white cardstock that I glued all the strips to! Multiple scraps contributed to this! I cut the strips at a 1/2". After all the strips and corners were glued, I die cut with the scallops and rectangle nesting die set from Unity Stamp Co. The sweetly dressed penguin is an itty bitty stamp from Unity called hey there...wise guy. Stamped on white cardstock with versafine clair in nocturne and colored with my Tombow ABT water based markers. A couple wraps of twine from Timeless Twine by Bella Creationz and a few red enamel dots from Gina Marie Designs and he's ready to go!

Tomorrow is the last day for linking up your creations! 

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Snowflakes

 Another day.....another Christmas Card! {BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party is almost to the end! Friday at Midnight is the last chance to enter!

Today's card features  stamps and die sets from Unity Stamp Co. 

Started with a piece of plain white cardstock that I "ink smooshed" some winter looking colors onto. Ink smooshing is the technique where you smoosh some different ink colors onto a non-porous surface (acrylic block, acetate sheet, leftover plastic from a stamp set) then spritz with water. You then "smoosh" the paper into the ink or the ink onto the paper! I created the panel some time ago so I cannot remember the exact colors that I used. So as I am going through things looking for scraps and odds and ends to create with I came across this! I took a stamp set from Unity called Heart of Christmas and stamped it on one corner and then the other using white pigment ink by gina k designs. Embossed it with some white embossing powder also from gina k designs. Die cut it with the scallops and rectangle nesting dies set from Unity. The tan polka-dotted background was cut with the same die set. The Heart of Christmas set has a TON of sentiments and the large scripty words have matching dies!! :) I first die cut my word, then stamped Christmas using Villainous potion and then embossed it. Merry is part of another sentiment that says Merry Christmas....I only needed the Merry part! :) This strip was mounted with foam adhesive for added dimension. To add the sparkle....the sequins are from Spiegelmom Scraps (combo of country winter and autumn wonder).

Get those cards posted!!

{BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party - Snowmie

 Hello friends! Welcome to day 2 of the {BYSHC} Christmas in July Linky Party! 

Today's card, like yesterday's card, came about after I learned of a new-to-me technique! Pretty simple really.....two different background stamps used together! 

Started with a white cardstock base of 4.25" x 5.5". Both background stamps are from Unity Stamp Co. First I stamped the background called A Little Christmas Carol using vintage photo distress oxide, then I stamped the background called Christmas All Around using a combination of lumberjack plaid distress oxide and evergreen bough distress ink. I die cut the panel using Unity's scallop and rectangle nesting die set and distressed the edges by blending over more vintage photo. The snowman (called Snowmie) is a favorite of mine! I stamped him onto a piece of white cardstock using VersaFine Clair in Nocturne, colored with Tombow ABT water-based markers and fussy cut him out! Added some natural twine and foam tape and he's ready to go!

Can't wait to make more of these background panels!! So addicting, easy and fun getting combinations together and colors that all coordinate!!

Don't forget that the linky party goes until Midnight on the 28th! Fantastic list of sponsors with amazing prizes!! Get your entries in to be eligible!!