CASE Me A Christmas Card 2025

Blogging friend Michelle Lupton kindly invited me to join CASE Me a Christmas 

Card 2025. A few years ago, her invitation was to CASE her card. This year there's 

a new twist. She's invited several card maker friends and we're CASE-ing

each other in an Instagram hop. And there are prizes from generous sponsors.

 

My assignment was to CASE (Copy And Selectively Edit) a card by Heather Ruwe

from her Instagram feed. I took quite a while to pick a card to CASE and finally

chose this one. I went with "cute critter" and "wreath",

And here's my CASE of her card with a Christmas theme.

 

My critter of choice was the Nordic Bundled Bunny from Poppystamps and

putting its outfit together was like playing paper dolls. Such a cutie! I have several

wreath stamps and dies but chose Altenew's Sweet Blooms Die Set and fashioned

my own wreath. I added the flowers from the set to mimic the sequins on 

Heather's card. A Spellbinders sentiment finished off the card.

 

 Visit Michelle Lupton's IG page for a list of the hop participants and all the details

 on how you can score some awesome prizes!

Inspired by Challenge #355 -- ACORN

 

A new die that arrived from Simon Says Stamp prompted me to enter the latest 

Inspired by Challenge #355 with the cue word ACORN.

I used the current sketch as a starting point for my card.

A Papertrey Ink wood slice was the base for the acorns and leaves. A kraft card base

was run through an embossing folder and inked with white pigment ink. I adhered

the acorn bundle and added the sentiment. White spatters finished off the card.

I'm off to link this up. Thanks for stopping by!

 

Freshly Made Sketches #705

 

Narelle brings us Freshly Made Sketches #705 and it looks like this.

 

 

I brought out a die that's at least 12 years old that was a favorite back then.

  

 

 

The Memory Box die is called Modern Landscape and I used my surgical skills

to cut the landscape apart and taper off some hills. All the pieces were inked

 then colored with Zig markers and I couldn't resist some water spatter.

I stamped the sentiment on the bottom strip then adhered the three pieces

on a dot embossed card base.

Apologies for using "old" supplies but they were well loved and still are.

Thanks for stopping by!

Inspired by Challenge #354 -- AUTUMN

 

I'm joining the latest Inspired by Challenge #354 with the cue word AUTUMN.

I love those pumpkins and found some in my stash that were already colored. Yay!

I don't remember what I was going to use them for but they're at least a year old.

Some extra leaves and swirly vines were cut and colored and I decided to just

add them to a card base because they were too large for the sketch.

I stamped the sentiment before running the card through an embossing folder

then adhered the pumpkins. Now that I look at the card, those plum colored ones

look more like eggplants.......Oh well.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Guest Designer for Freshly Made Sketches #704

 

I have the pleasure of guesting with this week's Freshly Made Sketches #704

when my card was chosen as the winner for their milestone 700th sketch.

 

Here's the fun sketch, designed by DT member Michele. 

 

Bubbly fun, right? I had so many ideas but finally settled on this.

 

 

I love the round leaves of the Berry Branches from The Stamp Market and that

there are two sizes to play with. I went neutral with a kraft embossed panel

and left the branches white. A Waffle Flower sentiment finished off the card.

I can't wait to see how the team members interpreted Michele's sketch, each

in their own distinctive style. We'd love to see your card(s) in the gallery. 

You have until Monday, Sept 22nd at 3pm EST to link up your card.

 

Thanks to Jen and the team for the guest invitation 💗

JUGS Word Week #792 -- CONTAINER

 

I'm squeezing in a card for JUGS Word Week #792 and the word is CONTAINER.

 

My container of choice is a teapot because I wanted something different

to hold a bunch of flowers.

The flowers and teapot were colored with Zigs and a waterbrush, then

adhered to an embossed card base. A Waffle Flower sentiment finished

off the card.

That's it for today. I believe I have a whole 48 hours before the deadline

which is "early" for me.

 

Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

* * *

Edited to add: I'm proud to display this badge for my card that received a shout out 

from JUGS and Carol Mc! Thank you so much!

Freshly Made Sketches #703 and Color Hues #117

 Once again I'm entering one card into two challenges.

 Freshly Made Sketches #703 is brought to us by Karren and it looks like this.

 

Over at Color Hues Color Challenge, another Karen chose these autumnal colors

for Challenge #117 -- ORANGE and GREEN.

 

Here's my card. 

I had several leaves colored but I didn't have a card design in mind until I saw

Freshly Made Sketches #703. See the yummy texture on the leaf? It's made possible

by running the leaf through a 3D embossing folder. Isn't it amazing?

I framed it in the arch opening and adhered it to a 3D embossed card front. An 

Altenew sentiment finished off the card.

 

Ok, I'm off to link this up. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

The Flower Challenge #106 -- Use the Sketch

 

This month's cue word at The Flower Challenge #106 is Use the Sketch.

Here's the sketch.

 

 

And here's my take on the sketch. I went rogue and flipped it because 

I wanted to use cherry blossoms and have them fluttering downwards.

Several colors of card stock were die cut and some flowers were inked to give

them dimension. I ran them through the embossing folder for the cherry 

blossom details. I cut a few from green card stock and cut the petals apart 

for leaves. They were adhered to a card base per the sketch.

I added a flower and leaf that appears to be falling from the rest. I stamped

the sentiment and used a corner rounder to round off one corner.

I'll link this and maybe make another card using the sketch the "right" way.

Thanks for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #702 and JUGS Challenge #791

 

 Cécile introduces a brand new sketch at this week's Freshly Made Sketches #702. 

 

 

Here's my take on it and I'm proud to say that, except for the gold topper, I used

scraps of alcohol ink papers for the entire ornament, greenery, and tag!

 

A panel of white card stock was embossed with a folder that had a "flat" area 

on which I wanted to adhere the ornament. The details of the folder are a little off 

but I was able to stick the ornament on better than if it were fully embossed.

* * *

I'm also linking this up to this week's JUGS Challenge #791--Anything Goes with Dies

because it's the first time in a while that I've used ALL dies, including the sentiment.

That was the quickest card I've made in a while, thanks to alcohol ink scraps.

Off to link this up to both challenges. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #701

 

Jen B brings us Freshly Made Sketches #701. I love a simple sketch!

 

 

At first I saw candles but didn't want to go hunting for the dies, so I went 

with a different set of leaves. And this time I used them as leaves.

 

I cut out three leaves from scrap pieces of card stock, along with the "veins" 

of each leaf. A panel was embossed with Altenew's Arched Foliage 3D

embossing folder and the leaves were adhered on top. I finished off the

card with a white embossed sentiment.

Off to link this up--it's been a while since I've been early! 

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was chosen as the Queen of Clean this week!

Thanks to Jen B and the rest of the FMS team!

Inspired by Challenge #350 -- FISH

 

I hemmed and hawed about sharing this card for Inspired by Challenge #350.

 

 

 Those fish plates caught my eye--aren't they pretty? Even though IB team member

Amy used The Stamp Market's Fintastic set, I was determined to use it, too. 

Small problem: I couldn't find the set.

On to plan B, something that resembled fish and it was Altenew's leaves to the rescue.

My second favorite set of leaves and I was pleasantly surprised that some of them

actually looked like fish!

 

To add to the fishy experience I used a new embossing folder (Underwater Waltz)

from Spellbinders that was waiting for this moment to be used. I colored the leaves in 

blues and even added some seaweed for good measure. An Altenew sentiment 

finished off the card.

P.S. Eventually I found the Fintastic set but I got attached to the faux fish so I'll 

save it for another challenge.

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #700

 

It's a celebration over at Freshly Made Sketches as they've reached their milestone

700th challenge in 14 years! I just had to make some time to join the fun.

 

 A super fun sketch, right? Visit Freshly Made Sketches and be inspired by their

design team and take a look back at each past and present member's first project.

Here's how I was inspired.

Spellbinders' Sunflower Die just arrived a few days ago after being OOS for quite

sometime. I die cut several layers from light yellow card stock and inked them

to create multi colored sunflowers. 

I cut a square card base from cream colored card stock and ran the front through

an embossing folder. I wanted to frame the flowers so I cut MFT's Square Frame

then placed the flowers inside.

I added the single leaf, following the sketch, and chose a long script sentiment

to finish off the card.

 

Happy 700th, Freshly Made Sketches! Thanks for all the fun and inspiration

you bring week after week and here's to #800!

 

 

* * * 

Edited to add: Completely surprised and honored that my card was chosen as the

Queen of Clean for the 700th Sketch! Thank you so much, Freshly Made Sketches!

 

 

 

The Flower Challenge #105 -- Add Embellishments

 This month's theme over at The Flower Challenge #105 is to Add Embellishments.

 

I'm not as embellishment crazy as I used to be. I'd buy sequins and enamel dots in 

every color and size--not to mention buttons and ribbons. For my card, I went with 

my favorite clear enamel dots that I like to use, especially on florals.

 

I used the new Honeycomb Cover Plate and was inspired by the colors on a card by 

Kelly Lunceford. Flowers and leaves were cut from Altenew's Zero Waste Chocolate

Flowers Cover Plate and arranged over the panel.

I added the gold embossed sentiment and of course, the clear enamel dots that

remind me of water droplets.

Okay I'm off to link up my card. Thanks so much for stopping by!

JUGS Word Week #788 -- BIRTHDAY

 

It's Word Week over at Just Us Girls Challenge #788 and the word is BIRTHDAY.

 

 

 

Here's how I was inspired.

 

  I thought that the birthday mug with candles inside was the cutest image and 

I know several caffeine drinkers who would appreciate it.

 I cut and colored the mug and candles and added some Stickles to the flames.

I used the new Numbers embossing folder for the background, trimmed to show

the diagonal stripes after adhering the paper to a card base. 

I adhered the mug and a white embossed sentiment. Some glittery enamel dots

finished off the card.

I'm also linking this up to Simon Says Stamp Flickr Challenge--Anything Goes--

since I used several SSS products.

Off to link this up. Thanks for stopping by!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #699

 

Verena is hosting the current Freshly Made Sketches $699 with this fun sketch.

 

 Since any shape can be substituted for the circular element, I went with a wood slice.

 

A birch wood slice was assembled and a few blooms were added on the side. 

A panel was embossed then trimmed and adhered to a card base. The wood

slice was adhered to the card and finished off with a script sentiment.

I hope that I haven't strayed too far from Verena's sketch. Thanks so much 

for stopping by!

* * * 

Edited to add: Many thanks to Karren for the Princess status for my card!

JUGS Die Week #787 -- FLORALS

 

It's Die Week over at JUGS Challenge and Elizabeth requests using FLORAL dies

on our project. 

 

 

 

She must have heard me squeal while using Pinkfresh Studio's Floral Field stencil  

and die set. Here's my card.

I don't remember when this set came out but I've had it for a while and finally, after

watching a zillion how to videos, I summoned up the courage to create a card. 

There are SEVEN stencils and having those triangles as guides for cutting out 

the image without any white border is genius! I felt like a fussy cutter!

I embossed a card base with a dotty embossing folder and tripled up the image for

dimension. I splattered white paint and added some clear drops. A PFS ready made 

foiled sentiment finished off the card.

Off to link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

Freshly Made Sketches #698

 

Kim brings us a color blocked Freshly Made Sketches #698.

But I didn't go that route. I got reacquainted with Tim Holtz's Leaf Fragment dies 

this past weekend and was inspired by Tim and some of his makers after watching 

his latest video. 

I was going to get inky and color the leaves but reached for a pad of patterned

paper with autumnal colors. After cutting out several leaves I inked around 

the edges with brown ink and gold watercolor ink and spattered some, too.

I embossed a panel with a 3D embossing folder and placed the leaves on top.

It was a little challenging to follow the sketch with such abstract shapes

but I did my best. An Altenew sentiment finished off the card.

Is it me or does the orange leaf on the right resemble a chunky carrot? 

Maybe I should have used another paper. Oh well....

Thanks for stopping by!

* * *

Edited to add: My card was given a Princess honor by Cécile! Thanks so much!

 

 

Freshly Made Sketches #696

 

Jen M brings us Freshly Made Sketches #696.

I kept seeing a beach towel and sunbather, but I wanted the background piece to be 

a bit more "transparent". In the end I used a Tim Holtz set from the Vault with 

a honeycomb embossing folder plus wildflowers.

My inspiration came from one of Tim's makers--Kulbir Kirkland (@luv2papercraft).

Her card had a "chain link fence" feel with the flowers scattered over top. I tried to

arrange the blooms but in the end it looks like I pulled out a bunch of flowers

from the ground and stuck them on the card. Oh well.

 

I'm off to link this up. Thanks, always, for stopping by!

 

 

 

JUGS Anything Goes Stencil Week#785

 

It's my last week as a Guest Designer over at JUGS Challenge #785 and the challenge

theme is Anything Goes Stencil Week.

 

 

Truthfully, this took me the longest because I couldn't decide on which stencil to use. 

Stencils have come a long way over the past few years and I pored over my 50+ 

inventory (yes, I own a ton of stencils) then decided to use some floral ones from

 Pinkfresh Studio. (This one, Citrus Bloom, is sadly discontinued.)

 

I chose Reverse Wonky Rectangles as the base of the card and ran the front

panel through a dotted embossing folder and scored the back piece to form a hinge.

I stenciled several sets of blooms, die cut them and adhered them to the card.

Pinkfresh gave out some sentiments as a "gift with purchase" and I found one

that fit perfectly in the space on the card. Done!

Grab your stencils and join this week's challenge. Visit the JUGS website for all the

details and deadline and we hope to see you in the gallery!

 

* * *

 

Thanks so much, Vicki, and to the rest of the team for allowing me to join you this

month. It's been a fun ride!