Creativity is a central source of meaning in our lives---when we are involved in it, we feel that we are living more fully than during the rest of life.

Friday, December 10, 2010

CSS Sketch Challenge Hop

Welcome to the CSS Alumni blog hop. You should have arrived here from Karen Knegten's blog but if you didn't and would like to start the hop from the top, go back to Stamp TV where you can start at the beginning.

Tonight's hop is a sketch challenge using this sketch.

Sketches are always fun to use because you can just jump straight to picking paper and colors and images instead of taking time to figure out what the design is going to be.  That always seems to take me the longest so it's nice when I have that part already decided for me!

Here is the card I made for tonight's hop. It is a very literal interpretation of the sketch but there are many different ways this design could have been used; I just like it as is and went with it!


This card has a lot going on in terms of shimmer! I used Pure Luxury Good as Gold and Mother of Pearl layers and for the snowflakes and label. The trees were stamped in Versamark and embossed with SU Iridescent Ice EP. Then I lightly spritzed the red background with some SU shimmer paint in Champagne. So, needless to say, the card is sparkly and shimmery IRL, which made it very hard to photograph. I love using shimmer and sparkle but I have to remember that photos don't turn out very well when using it. My disclaimer is that this card is much prettier IRL! LOL!

The recipe for the card is listed below. Now jump on along to Lori McAree's blog to see how she used the sketch to create something beautiful.

Thanks for stopping by!

Card ingredients:
Paper: Gina K Designs Pure Luxury - Cranberry Tart, Good as Gold, Mother of Pearl, White and        Stampin' Up Designer Series Paper.
Stamps: Gina K Designs Blessed is the Season (trees) and A Very Merry Christmas (sentiment)
Dies: Nestabilities Scalloped and Plain Ovals, Fancy Tags, and Create a Snowflake
Ink: SU Cherry Cobbler and Versamark


97 comments:

Carla S. said...

Gorgeous card, Kay! Love the rich color combo and all the shimmer!

Karen (TLgirl353) said...

Kay- this is gorgeous! I can see some of the shimmer, but I bet it really sparkles in person!

Miss Boo (a.k.a. jen70) said...

Beautiful card! Great details.

Cheri said...

Fabulous card, Kay. That shimmer is perfect. It takes the depth of the rich color and brings it right up front.

Melissa said...

Wow, your card is beautiful Kay. I love the colors and the shimmer (yep, I can see it)

Theresa Momber said...

Beautiful! Love the red/gold combo!

Carolina said...

What an elegant card Kay - love the rich colors and the embossed trees are such a nice touch.

Miesje said...

Very, very pretty! I love the colors you chose, so rich and elegant.

Sue VanDeVusse said...

Kay, I am loving all of that shimmer! Great color combo.

Deb said...

What a shimmering beauty! I love the sparkling, icy/snowy trees. So lovely! This sentiment is theeeee perfect Christmas sentiment! Gorgeous!

Sharri said...

Kay, Such a beautiful Christmas card! I love the sparkle on the trees and you did a fabulous job with the sketch!

Lori said...

I can see a lot of shimmer and I think your card is gorgeous Kay!!

buggin2stamp said...

Beautiful card! I love shimmer too.

Lagene said...

Gorgeous card! Love the gold & red!

peggy wainman said...

Beautiful, love the colors!

stampqueen said...

Beautiful card - love the colors with the gold paper and I bet the glimmer mist really makes it shimmer IRL!!

Melanie said...

those snowflake dies are really pretty!

joy said...

Love the background words! Beautiful card, love how you have done the trees.

Kary said...

Lovely card, I can see a bit of shimmer on the photo, but I'm sure it's super gorgeous in real life.

Janet L. said...

Pretty, pretty card, Kay. I love the shimmer and shine and the sentiment, too.

De said...

Very pretty colours

Holly said...

Very pretty...the red trees really stand out!

Unknown said...

Love the monotone with the trees and the background. Very classy.

Julie said...

very pretty card, a classic.

Tricia T said...

How pretty! I bet it's just gorgeous in real life with all that shimmer!!!

Virginia Wingo said...

Yes Kay, I know what you mean about the shimmer and shine coming through the camera's eye. I have the same problem, unless I can catch the light just right. No matter, this card is still very pretty.

Marsha said...

Very pretty. Love that fancy tag.

Nana Griffin said...

This is very pretty.

Tami B. said...

I know what you mean about "sparkles" not showing up well in photos. I would love to see this in real life, as pretty as it is here I'm sure it really shines.

Unknown said...

Love it so pretty, and in different colors than most expect. :o)

Shirley said...

What a lovely card. I'm sure you can really see the sparkle up close. It's so elegant and some one will be lucky to receive it.
Shirley L.
Roseville, CA

Cynthia said...

Love the warm color combo!

Kelly said...

Your card is pretty in "virtual life" too!

Melody (lacyquilter) said...

Lovely card.

Peggysue said...

Don't you hate it when the camera lets you down? I'm sure its a beautiful card IRL.

sghay said...

Love that stamped background.

Jan said...

Lovely card!!!!!

St. Petersburg CutUp (Veronika) said...

Just great and inspiring!

Susan said...

I love the fancy tags embellishment. I'm sure this card just glistens!

golightly said...

What a wonderful color combo...love all the red and golds I am seeing. I especially love the fancy tag. Thanks for sharing!

Carole said...

I like the embossed trees.

Creative Genie said...

Very pretty card; especially love the embossed trees.

Judy McMullen said...

Kay, your card is beautiful! Love all the texture and layers and the beautifully embossed trees! TFS

Betty Neville said...

Beautiful card Kay! Gorgeous colors and love all the shimmer!

Anonymous said...

Stunning!!!!!!!

Susie said...

Such a pretty card. Love the colors and the trees.
Susie
susies@twcny.rr.com

Lynne in NI said...

ohhhh gorgeous card! LOVE your colour combo and all the shimmer!

joy said...

Love this card! The shimmer does show and I love glitz, so this card is a winner in my book!

DottyA Cards & Things said...

So simple and beautiful at the same time!

Dawn said...

love the shimmer

dj21470 said...

Beautiful card ! i love the tag accents.. I have to try that technique. Thanks for sharing.

Mary Anne / MA54K said...

The holiday is all about the sparkle and shine, and you have certainly achieved that! Beautiful!

saraskid said...

I like your use of the elegant label to enclose the message. A very lovely card.

luvhymns said...

Shimmer's are wonderful and so is your photograph of the hydrangeas!

Anonymous said...

I love red, gold and GLITTER! Very pretty.

CJ said...

I love the shimmer. Fantastic card.

CJ

Karen said...

Pretty embossed trees!

Unknown said...

Pretty card, wonderful sentiment!

Unknown said...

Love the sparkle - very pretty card.

Garnet said...

Love the colors and the added sparkle give the card the extra touch to make it special.

Rhonda said...

Very pretty! I agree with you .. this sketch is good as is. You did a wonderful job with it.

Marlene said...

You make me want to get right into my craft area and try to duplicate this. Hw lovely.

Jerry and Bobbie said...

awesome card and great blog..thank you for being a apart of the blog hop

Laraine R said...

very pretty card!! Thanks for sharing!!

whitneymaryann said...

Great card, especially the shimmering trees.

L8ybug2 said...

Beautiful! I love the colors you chose.

Unknown said...

Beautiful work! Thank you for sharing!

Blessings!

~§hawnie® Bartron
http://cardsbyshawnie.blogspot.com/

--Marcy said...

Shimmer and shine for the season!

StampinCatMom said...

Lovely and elegant card!

Maggie Minnich
maminnich@wowway.com

Sandy said...

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Love that gold paper--gotta order me some:)

SueB said...

I'm lovin' the sketch and seeing what you gals have done w it - TFS!

nancy t said...

soooooooooo creative

KathyE said...

OMG I love your card. So beautiful. I always love cards that are heat embossed. Just adds something "special" to them.

Unknown said...

wow this is beautiful like the color and the embossing is very pretty
thank for showing

Lynne said...

Love the sparkle on the trees. I am sure the rest is just as glitsy.

Connie C said...

Wonderful card, Kay. I really like the shimmer and shine for a holiday card. Excellent use of the sketch!

LorraineB said...

Beautiful card and I love the colors used.

Jennie said...

Oh I see the shimmer, just lovely and nice job on the sketch :)

Jeanne H said...

Oh my, what a beautiful card - you can tell even with the shimmer making the colors dim. Love gold!

Daphney Barrett said...

Wow! Absolutely awesome!

The Vannoy Family said...

Lovely card! Great way to say Merry Christmas! Thanks for sharing!

marie said...

Understated elegance. I like the layering.

Debby said...

Very, very nice card...

Christine Macneil said...

Stunning! Very rich!

Lina said...

Very nice card!

Shirleo said...

Absolutely gorgeous! Love the shimmer!

Sharon Peele said...

Kay, What a wonderful job you did!! I love the glitter silhouette you created on your card!!
Very pretty!

Jodi said...

Gorgous card...very nice.

Crafty Math Chick said...

Oooh - LOVE the sparkly trees! They look terrific against the red background too!

JulieAS6078 said...

Wow! Beautiful card - I love the shimmer of the trees!

Sue D said...

Very pretty--I like your iridescent trees.

Lindy said...

I love shimmer. I have been using glitter and perfect pearls a lot lately. :)

DebbieM said...

Very beautiful! :)

Debbie Meijer

Patricia said...

Loving this card. I like the way you brought the trees out with the glittter. Great choices on this card. Thank You for sharing with me!

Susan said...

Fantastic cards. I love the embossed trees.

Susan

gltinnola said...

I really like the snowflakes you did here.

Neesey said...

The more sparkle the better. Very pretty card. Great choice of papers.