Sketched Santas

Today is the 22nd and it is Double Duty Day!  This is the 60th month, so we are finishing our 5th year!

Each month, we get to pick a stamp set from a predetermined company. Then, we will use that one stamp set and make two cards from the set.  Different images and sentiments from the same set can be used, or use the same image two different ways—Double Duty either way!  But, as an added challenge, one item must be used on both cards—same color cardstock, same ribbon, same stencil, same something.  Double Duty Again!  We will post both cards on our blog on the the 22nd of each month.  See-Double Duty again!  We will be sure to have fun getting doubly inky each month with a different stamp company.  Let’s have fun!

For December, we picked Simon Hurley.  He is such a creative young man and he gives less than a half hour from me in Southeastern Wisconsin.

I picked a fun stamp and die set called Sketch Santas. I pick one of the Santas to use on both cards, but added a different sentiment from the same set on each card.

For both cards, I colored Santa with my Copic Sketch Markers and added some Wink of Stella on the fur on his hat, coat and pants.  I die cut Santa with the matching die from the set.  I picked an older Stampin' Up Designer Series Patterned Paper set called Festive Farmhouse. I used an embossing folder on both cards along with some Cherry Cobbler satin ribbon.  I also used some quite old embellishments from Stampin' Up called Candy Dots, without the brad backer. 

Please be sure to check out the other Double Duty cards. Here is a link to Jeanette's,  Darlene’s,  and Terry's blogs. I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of sets of great cards. 

Next month we are going to highlight Pinkfresh Studio. So be sure to check out our cards on January 22nd!    

Image/Sentiment: Simon Hurley Sketched Santas Stamps and Dies

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  Stampin' Up Mossy Meadow, Cherry Cobbler, Festive Farmhouse Designer Series Patterned Paper

Ink:  Hero Arts Intense Black

Accessories: Taylored Expressions Dotted Lattice Embossing Folder; Stampin' Up Cascading Ruffles Embossing Folder, Candy Dots, Cherry Cobbler Satin Ribbon; Copic Sketch Markers

Peerless Watercolors

 

These 3 colorful cards are from a fall The Paper Cut class which was held in September during the warehouse sale.  It is called Beautiful Backgrounds.  We were on vacation during the sale and virtual classes held the following week, so I am finally getting to them.

Reminder--these are not my own designs!  The cards are the designs of the other instructors from these classes.  I am just recreating the cards from the class. These creations are from Sarah and The Paper Cut in Appleton, WIS!

Sarah sent us a set of Peerless Watercolors in our kit that we used on the 3 backgrounds for these cards. We swiped the watercolors on the tree and safari cards with a water brush.  For the floral card, we put some watercolor on our glass mat and then picked up the colors with the hammered cardstock.  The flowers were also watercolored with the Peerless colors. I have 3 more cards from the same class, using Alcohol Inks, which will be posted on the 31st!

 

Sarah offers many different kinds of classes through the year and kits can be ordered from their website.  I hope you enjoyed my cards! 

Image/Sentiment:  All of the stamps and dies are from Brass & Bliss 

Cardstock:  All included in kit--all are available from The Paper Cut

Ink:  None  

Accessories: Various Colors of Peerless Watercolors; Water brush

Winter Frost

 

Today is the 15th and this is my card this month for our The Creative Crew!  We are a group of 6--Jeanette, Darlene, Lorraine, Terry, Tracie and me. Each month will be a new challenge posed by one of the members sending out a kit. Or in the case of this month, we post a sketch and color challenge.  That is what Jeanette and I did for December-Jeanette came up with a sketch and I pulled a random card for my Color Cube.

I really love the colors of the Color Card that I picked and yes, it was random!  And, then the sketch from Jeanette looked perfect for some snowflakes in the corner.  And, I knew I had an older Designer Series Paper Pack from Stampin Up called Winter Frost Speciality and it had the perfect colors to match!  I picked three different patterns for the sketch.  I then die cut the snowflakes with a brand new die set from Taylored Expressions that was in their Advent Calendar for 2025--love them! I die cut the snowflakes along with the layer behind the gray and the mini strip from The Paper Cut's white glitter cardstock.  The sentiment is also from The Paper Cut and was an extra in a kit and is printed on shiny white cardstock.  This was a very fun card to make and I really, really like it!

I hope all of The Creative Crew Gals enjoy my card this month.  Please be sure to stop in to see what fun crafty cards are posted this month.  All of the blogs can be found on my left sidebar.  Our teammate Lorraine does not have a blog, so please check out her card in her SCS gallery.   I am sure you will enjoy all of the fun cards!

We will be back in 2026 for another year! And--for those counting, it will be the start of the 16th year for three of the original members of this group.  We have had a few different names over the years, but Jeanette, Terry and I have been with this group since July of 2010!   For January, we will have another challenge that Jeanette and I will pose to the group.   Be sure to check in with us on the 15th to see what fun is planned!

Image/Sentiment: Sentiment is from my stash and The Paper Cut

Cardstock/Patterned Paper: The Paper Cut 100# White: Stampin' Up Smokey Slate, Coastal Cabana, Pool Party, Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: None

Accessories:  Taylored Expressions Snowflake Set

Christmas Snowflake

Today is the the 12th and it is time for another Hot Mess card. This card is #76, so we are into year #8. The idea of Hot Mess ~ Success is to Get Messy and you will have Success!  Messiness can be almost anything that we come up with--glitter, alcohol inks, glimmer glitz, sponged backgrounds, etc., anything that is a bit messy.  We are a very fun group and will post a card each month on the 12th.  The links to the other members are on my left side bar and I will also link them at the bottom at this post.

For my messiness this month, I went back to a favorite technique--Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks!  I bought  fun die a few months ago that I have not used yet and I wanted to make a couple of cards for Christmas.  The die is a Paper Rose called Christmas Snowflake Cover Plate. I wanted to colorful backgrounds that look a bit like sky for behind the snowflake.  I used Aquamarine, Cloudy Blue and Boysenberry Alcohol Inks along with Blending Solution on Yupo paper.  I also added some Silver Mixative to the background with the blue snowflake. The snowflakes were die cut from The Paper Cut's White and Blue Raspberry Glitter cardstock--lots of shimmer on these cards.  The sentiments are from a Simon Says Stamp sentiment pack.    

I really like the colors on both of these cards and hope you do too.  I also sure hope my fellow messy ladies like them too!  Here are the links to the other somewhat messy crafters: Darlene, Jeanette and Terry. I am sure you will enjoy seeing how everyone got messy this month and was successful in making some great cards!   Be sure to check back to see what we are up in January!

Image/Sentiment:  Paper Rose Christmas Snowflake Cover Plate Die; Sentiments are from a pre-printed Simon Says Stamp pack

Cardstock/Patterned Paper:  The Paper Cut White and Blue Raspberry Metallic, 100# Cougar Opaque White; Stampin' Up  Night of Navy, Highland Heather; Yupo

Ink: Tim Holtz Aquamarine, Cloudy Blue, Boysenberry Alcohol Inks, Silver Metative, Blending Solution

Accessories:  None

The Grinch!

 

Today is the 9th of the month and it is now time for another The Three Musketeers post. This round, Jeanette is the hostess and sent out a sweet Grinch image from Crackerbox.  She also sent along a coordinating sentiment. For December this is card #136 and we are now in year #12!  I cannot believe this trio has been going strong for 12 strong years!  AND--we will be continuing in 2026 for year #13!

I colored the Grinch image with my Copic Sketch Markers. I picked a Spellbinders Embossing Folder called Peppermint Stripes for my background.  The sentiment is very large, but I wanted it to be on the front of the card.  I fussy cut the Grinch and added dimensionals behind it and added toward the bottom of the sentiment.  I used Wink of Stella to add some glitter and shine on the fur on his hat and on the shirt.   I added some green enamel dots around the image.   I hope Jeanette and Kelly along with you enjoy my card!  

Please check out the other Musketeer's cards.  Here is the link to Jeanette's blog along with Kelly's blog.  I am sure you will not be disappointed and will see a couple of cute cards!  Jeanette is also up for our January challenge, so please be sure to join us again in 2026. 

Image/Sentiment:  Crackerbox Grinch and Saying stamps 

Cardstock/Patterned Paper: Accent 120# Opaque White; Stampin' Up Real Red, Parakeet Party

Ink: Hero Arts Intense Black

Accessories:  Copic Sketch Markers; Spellbinders Peppermint Stripes Embossing Folder; Green Enamel Dots; Wink of Stella

A Thanksgiving Prayer

 

Today is the day I post 2 cards for our challenge called Unused No More!  This is a monthly challenge to be posted on the 6th with a group of friends from my No Foolin' Retreat.  Some may post on their blog and I will note those with blogs at the end of this post.  And, some might post on other social media.  Those that participate each month will send a picture in the text thread we have between us, showing our creation.  The premise is to use a stamp set, stencil die, hot foil plate or press plate that is new and has never been used.  So--Unused No More!  

My plan is to pick a different company each month to highlight and maybe even a different product than the month before.  For December, I picked a Colorado Craft Company Set that I have not used called Thanksgiving Prayer.  I always need Thanksgiving cards for our mission team at church that sends Thanksgiving meals to 31 families at our sister church in Milwaukee.  So, I have a start on 2026!

For both card, I picked a background panel from a very old paper pack from Heritage Makers-Our Memories for Life called Thanksgiving!  I also cut another piece from the same pack for an additional rectangle.   I stamped the two sentiments with Taylored Expressions Chocolate Truffle Ink.  The die that comes with the stamp set cuts the large A Thanksgiving Prayer sentiment.  I did not add any bling or embellishments to the cards.

 

I am not sure who will post each month on their blog, but this is a list of the other ladies who do have blogs.  Links to the blogs of Jeanette, Terry, and Darlene.  Be sure to come back on January 6th to see another fun card from a set Unused No More.  I will start the year using a different company each month and see how far I can go!

Image/Sentiment:  Colorado Craft Company Thanksgiving Prayer Stamp Set and matching die

Cardstock:  The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque Ivory; Stampin' Up Pecan Pie, Early Espresso; Heritage Makers-Our Memories for Life-Thanksgiving

Ink:  Taylored Expressions Chocolate Truffle; 

Accessories:  Nothing

Final One + 12

 

Today is the day I am posting my last card for our One Plus Twelve challenge in 2025.  This is year number 7.  For this challenge, we are to use just one stamp, to make a card every month and post on the 3rd of each month.  For this year, I used a Gina K Designs set called Blooming Sunflower.  The set includes a sweet stamp set and matching dies for the image and all four of the sentiments.  

For my card this month, I stamped the image with Versamark and used Brutus Monroe Penny Embossing Powder.  I colored the embossed image with my Copic Sketch Markers.  I then die cut the image and embossed sentiment with the coordinating dies. die cut three layers of the Brass & bliss Offset Diamond Cover Plate and layered it over a panel of Flirty Flamingo.    I added some Glacier Jewels from Pinkfresh Studio in some of the open spots. 

 

Please be sure to check out the other One plus Twelve posts to see the final 2025 cards that Kelly and Jeanette have created for December!  Here is a link to both Jeanette's  and Kelly's blog.  Be sure to come back on January 3rd to see the sets we have picked for 2026.

Image/Sentiment:  Gina K Designs Blooming Sunflower stamp set

Cardstock:  The Paper Cut 100# Cougar Opaque White; Stampin' Up Flirty Flamingo

Ink: Versamark; Brutus Monroe Penny Embossing Powder

Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers; Brass & Bliss Offset Diamond Cover Plate; Pinkfresh Studio Glacier Jewels