Winter Holiday Cards in July Challenge, 2017

[stampwilly]

Wow! I just got online and saw all the discussion here! I always love this challenge and will get going on making some Christmas cards. I do not plan on making 93! LOL! But this will help with my collection so far. I hope to be using up some bits and bobs!

April

[djc]

That's great, April.  I always love seeing your Christmas cards.

Now that you mention it, I don't even need 93 cards, but if I realize how doable that is, just three cards a day, maybe I'll make as many as I do need; or maybe I'll have cards for next year.  lol.

Daria

[stampwilly]

I just finished 3 cards. They are all purple and blue. I did not plan it this way. Here they are.

April

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3381#top_display_media

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3382#top_display_media

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3383#top_display_media

[Nora S]

Here is my first Christmas Card for this year.  Thanks for this challenge.

Nora S

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3385#top_display_media

[djc]

April, these are three wonderful cards!  I love all of them.  It must have taken a lot of patience to use the Stamp Gear Tool to make that your frame.  I love the gentle peacefulness of that card.  After seeing the wonderful cat at the window card, I searched and searched for the image.  Repeat Impressions Peaceful Observation, 2001-M.  I'm tempted.  Your last card gives me hope for an image that I have and ruined when I colored it.  Yours is beautiful.  I also like the layout; I wasn't quite sure what to do with  that size image.  Thank you for playing.  I hope to see more during July.

[djc]

Well, I paid bills today and took my sister-in-law to the airport.  OK.  I looked at Pinterest too. 

It looks like I'll have to make six cards tomorrow.  Wait,  I'm going to my sister's tomorrow since I had to cancel today.  OK.  Nine cards on Friday?  Getting an oil change on Friday.  Well, that won't take all day.  Right?

Did I mention that I have ordered the prizes?  I think you will like them.

Daria

[djc]

Nora, I just saw your card!  It's darling.  I love the image; that is the cutest snowman.  Thank you for playing.

Daria

[Iring]

I did a little stamping and watercoloring with Tombow markers today ... hopefully I will have something ready to post tomorrow.  I stamped a few more of the same image, should have stamped even more but suddenly it was time to make supper! 

Daria, you looked at Pinterest, I spent too much time watching people use distress oxides on Youtube.  Ha!  And no one else mentions their oxide chalkiness rubbing off, humpf!  Finally forced myself to step away from the laptop and venture in to the craft room to look for the Christmas image I want to stamp.  At least you got your bills paid.  I only got as far as balancing the checkbook.  I'd better finish the bills tomorrow!

I'm loving the cards in the gallery so far!

[howdyheidi]

I made 4 cards yesterday.  It is really dark and dreary this morning.  I am hoping it will get bright enough to photograph at some point.

[djc]

Cindy, I also watch a lot of how-to videos.  Your comment about the oxide inks rubbing off had me out of my seat and rushing to the craft room.  I have several backgrounds I made using Distress Oxide Inks brushed or sponged through stencils.  I cautiously rubbed one finger in one corner of one background.  Nothing.  I tried a couple more.  Nothing.  I started rubbing in earnest.  Nothing.  I made these quite a while ago so they have definitely dried and cured.  Maybe you just need to let yours sit a while longer.  I remember reading about the difference between dry and cured when talking about some other product--don't remember which one, but I do remember the principle.  Actually, I don't remember them rubbing off even right after using them.  I'm pretty sure I touched them because they look so soft and lovely.  I'll stamp something later and try that out.  I'm headed out now to get the oil changed on my car.

Heidi, making four cards is great!  I'll look forward to seeing them.

I have my next card all made in my mind.  All I have to do is get to the craft room and start making them.  The longer I wait, the more of them I'll have to make to catch up with my quota.  At this rate, I'll have a dozen of each design!

Daria

[howdyheidi]

Alright, it is still very rainy, but it seemed a touch brighter so I took the photos.

All of my cards were made with things from the background or scrap box.  Half done things.  3 of them use the same non traditional Christmas paper pad, I have been working on using it up.

This one the sentiment panel has been sitting around a while:
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3390#top_display_media

This one, the card base has been sitting there with the patterned paper already on there. I can't remember what I originally was going to use it for.
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3389#top_display_media

This one uses a background from a previous fest:
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3387#top_display_media

This one uses a piece of embossed cardstock that has just been sitting there:
http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3386#top_display_media

[stampwilly]

Here are 3 more cards.

April

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3391#top_display_media

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3392#top_display_media

http://www.duhnproductions.com/Pics/displayimage.php?album=lastup&cat=0&pid=3393#top_display_media

[Iring]

I finally finished the card I wanted to make in honor of Daria!  It has only taken me a few years, ha! 

Merry Kiss-mas

Thanks again for this very cute stamp Daria!  You Rak'd it to me a few years ago.  I've used it before, but I don't think I had time then to go ahead and make a shaker card out of it.  If I did it again I don't think I would bother to dry emboss the acetate.  I followed your advice (read your comments from way back when you made this card in a marathon class) and used my embossing buddy to go around the inside of the foam tape that makes the shaker box but I wish I also ran it over the acetate.  I don't know if the shaved ice is sticking to the acetate due to static or if it's hung up on the embossing.  Oh well, it looks sparkly all the time instead of only when shaken!  Also, I probably should have gone around the inside of the frame with a black marker to hide where I didn't trim exactly ... but I think it looks ok because there are some white bits in the frame border anyway, so it matches, ha!

I stamped 4 more card fronts and insides but I think I am going to try a quicker coloring method and probably not make them shakers (feeling lazy).  I'll show you those when I finish. 

Time to go pay those bills I ignored yesterday.

Again, thank you so much for hostessing.  It is wonderful to see activity in the gallery and here in the forum again! 

[djc]

I stopped by just to check in, and I was amazed at all the Christmas cards!   You guys are rocking the gallery! 

Cindi, I love your card.  I couldn't believe it has been years since you won that stamp; it seems like yesterday.  I went to my gallery and searched and searched.  I couldn't find it.  I was beginning to think I was losing my mind because I could remember making it.  Thanks for reminding me that it was a Marathon Class card!  I finally found it, Marathon Class of 2015!  lol.

April, three more wonderful cards.  The Wisemen card is my favorite of this batch--love it! 

Heidi, I'm glad you were able to photograph your cards.  Four different cards; you're on a roll.  I'm going to pick the Peace cards as my favorites.  They just made me feel so peaceful when I saw them.  Lovely. 

Does anyone else always try to pick a favorite when faced with more than one card in a post?  It's automatic with me.  Sometimes, I just can't do it; but, usually, something stands out for me at that particular moment, and it's easy.

I took my car in for an oil change as planned.  Why do they always come up with more things to do to the car?  Oh, yeah.  Profit.

I still haven't made it into the craft room as planned.  Darn.

Daria

[Iring]

I still haven't paid the bills! 

I added more explanation in the comments of the Merry Kiss-mas card.  The card front is all one piece, the same size as the card base (A2).  I cut the inside out with a Fiskars Fingertip Craft Knife.  It might look like I mounted the frame to green but I think that is because of the way I watercolored.  I applied Tombow green marker all around the stamped frame and blended it out to the edges of the A2 piece with a wet watercolor brush. Clear as mud?  Just ask if I still haven't explained.

I just went to make Banana pudding ... warned DH (who said he's not crazy about bananas but keeps taking them in his lunch) to leave the last 2 bananas so I could make pudding.  Well, the bananas are there, but I have nowhere near enough vanilla wafers because apparently he's been snacking on those too!  I made mini cherry cheesecakes for the 4th and thought there would be plenty left for banana pudding.  I thought wrong!

Ok, now I need to pay the bills.