I recently went on a five-day crafting retreat with my group of 10 to 12 crafty lady friends. There were only nine of us attending this time, which is the smallest number we've ever been in the last seven years since we've been going and sometimes twice a year, due to different health issues from colds to surgery recovery for two of our friends. We really missed the four ladies who planned to attend, but were unable to as time drew closer to departure. The bulk of us are cardmakers, but we have one lady who was making fabric bags, zippered pouches, and starting a quilt and another was making a paper-crafting Halloween mini album for a niece.
I was making a Christmas card for Splitcoaststamper (SCS) challenges, plus four alternative Christmas kit cards. Each week, I check out all the challenges left on my list that I have not yet entered. I try to adjust my card design so as many will fit as is allowed and I am able. I'm usually able to enter 10 to 15 challenges each week. It will be the higher number if it is a Christmas card as that opens up at least two additional challenge categories involving the Christmas theme. Because this is a Christmas card, I was able to fit 15 challenges. These challenges are listed below:
1) SC924 - Sketch Challenge - 9/21/22. Tweak: I've substituted a Christmas tree shape for the Oval and moved the sentiment rectangle up on my tree and centered with fishtail flag end.
2) AOCC - All Occasions Card Challenge/ September 2022 - 9/1/22. An ongoing/monthly challenge that encourages you to set goals ahead for each month to help you complete and mail your cards more timely! This is a much needed Christmas card for my 2022 Christmas card stash.
3) USEIT2022 - Use It Challenge/ September 2022 - 9/1/22. An ongoing/ annual challenge that requires you to use OLD/ DUSTY and long unused items and/or OLD/NEW items purchased, never used, and seemingly forgotten! OLD/DUSTY: MFT 2012 Photo Corner Die-namics.
4) CCC22MAY - Christmas Card Challenge/ Sparkle & Bling - 5/1/22. Challenge: Add sparkle and bling to your card. I've used distressed gold metallic paper and red rhinestones.
5) WT893 - Ways to Use It Challenge/ All Stars - 4/21/22. Challenge: Let's see stars on your card.
6) SCSCCJAN22 - Fan Club Christmas Challenge/ Casing Stacy - 1/1/2022. Challenge: A tribute to Stacy Morgan. Browse her gallery and be inspired by one of her winter cards. Stacy has led this challenge for 10 years since the beginning and is stepping down. I chose this card: Oh Christmas Tree! for its traditional Christmas colors and the Christmas tree. Kept traditional colors, corner die idea, plus Christmas tree. My colors are traditional but a deeper shade. I added gold with corner die placement and my layout different.
7) F4A610 - Free 4 All Challenge/ Light It Up - 10/29/21. Challenge: It's all about lighting up the night, e.g., fireworks, stars, candles, lanterns, bonfire, campfire, etc. I chose stars for my night lights.
MMTPT692 - Teapot Challenge/ A Reflection of Your Collection - 10/26/21. Challenge: base your card on something you collection...Extra cookies: paper piercing. I'm a longtime collector of Christmas decorations. I have a collection of Christmas snow globes; last year's addition was a Christmas tree/ music box that rotates in the moving snow flurries. Thus, my card is all about a Christmas tree! I have die-cut paper piercing to let the metallic distress gold peek through as Christmas tensile rope.
9) ABC15Y25 - Alphabet Challenge/ Your Favorite - 10/20/21. Challenge: Your Favorite = choose any technique, theme, etc. For me "your favorite" is die-cutting. My card is a Christmas theme using lots of die-cutting.
10) IC784 - Inspiration Challenge/ Bath House Soapery & Caldarium - 12/12/20. Challenge: Find inspiration in theme, color, shape, subject in this wonderful world of textures in soap and bath supplies. I chose this inspiration to guide me on colors for my Christmas card...traditional colors won out: Watermelon Slush Lip Scrub!
11) FS710 - Featured Stamper Challenge/ Icela523 (aka MaryJo) - 9/13/20. I chose this card to inspire me for several reasons: the Christmas Tree reminded me how much I needed to build my Christmas stash and it featured vertical strips in keeping with my sketch challenge and the colors I wanted to use from various other challenge ideas: Wish you a merry Christmas Tree!
12) CC748 - Color Challenge/ Eating Cobbler in the Garden under the Golden Sun - 7/16/19. Dessert: Stars. I've used Cherry Cobbler, Evening Evergreen, and Distressed Gold with Stars for dessert.
13) MIX336 - Mix-ability Challenge/ Stars and Stripes - 7/5/19. Challenge: patriotic is not necessary, but include stripes or paper strips and at least one star. My card jas vertical gold and patterned paper strips and more than one star in keeping with my sketch challenge and the Featured Stamper challenge. Mediums: Distressed gold metallic dsp, stamping ink, Copic marker (gem coloring), and rhinestones.
14) CAS500 - Clean & Simple/ Milestones - 9/24/18. Challenge: use gold or silver or both on your card; theme = your choice. I chose a Christmas theme and used gold.
15) WORD1217 - Fan Club Christmas Challenge/ Snow, Sand & Stars - 12/15/17. Challenge: Explore Christmas around the world. My card meets the Christmas theme and is for the WORD Challenge for first letter elements in STAR. My elements are: S=stars, sentiment; T=tree ; A=angle, adhesives; R=rhinestones.
Registered: October 13, 2006 Location: North Attleboro, MA Posts: 7463
Tue, Sep 20, 2022 @ 3:04 PM
I am always in awe at the number of challenges you can fit into one card. This is so pretty. I have an annual craft weekend twice a year and one of the gals got covid and couldn't attend. Disappointing so I get it.
Registered: August 21, 2007 Location: Wayland MA Posts: 105271
Wed, Sep 21, 2022 @ 7:34 AM
All that gold is wonderful!
------------------------------ Anne HarmonFS154, QFTD58, PROUD FAN CLUB MEMBER (photo of our Great Granddaughter Elise, just 6 months old) and me, even older.
Registered: May 9, 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 8704
Wed, Sep 21, 2022 @ 1:52 PM
Nothing like red, green and gold for a Christmas Card. It's lovely. My husband would love it. He thinks all Christmas cards need to be red and green!!
------------------------------ Mary ~~ QFTD #152, FS#514CC Guest Design Team 2012, 2013, 2017 & 2022 2014 CAS Spring Design Team MemberSC Guest Design Team 2015 & 2022 Dirty Dozen Alumni SU Consultant "Life's greatest adventure is finding your place in the Circle of Life" - Lion King
Registered: July 9, 2008 Location: Stars Fell on Alabama Posts: 74983
Thu, Sep 22, 2022 @ 6:03 AM
I love all the gold you added to the red and green. I love stars, too, so you know I think you made a beautiful card. Wow...so many challenges....I am amazed.
------------------------------ My Blog---My Gallery---My PinterestI'm a Punchkateer! (Prez) FOREVERDirty Dozen Alumni2014 CAS Spring DT--- Inspiration Challenge Co- Hostess 12/02/17-12/28/19 Watercolor Wednesday Design Team Hebrews 13:2Brenda