Oh goody - CAS on Friday #171 has a fun theme - "winter!"  Love it!
I really can't yet separate "winter" from "Christmas," lol, but I tried!  I dug deep and pulled out my Peaceful Wishes set from 2006 - still love this gorgeous thing!  The images, the font - it's just beautiful.  I tried to go fairly ultra-clean here:  a couple pine fronds, a single frosty pinecone, and just a few glitter enamel dots.  So much white space - yikes!  I had to stop before I started pulling out ribbon and puff paint, lol.
Peaceful Wishes (retired 2006) Stamp Set; Whisper White & Early Espresso CS; Versamark, Old Olive & Early Espresso Inks; Shimmer White EP; Real Red Glitter Enamel Dots; #CASOF171.

Hooray!  Fusion Card Challenge is back for 2020 with this "winter" combo - so pretty!
I was really stumped for the sketch side for a while until I remembered my old Pattern Party Decorative Masks Pack, and the big circular stencil in there - it's even kind of snowflake looking, I think, lol.  I did it up in cool blues and grays, and laid a sparkly silver strip over that for the sketch, then added a sentiment from First Frost to seal the "winter" deal, hopefully.  I finished with a few silver sequins for a just a touch more sparkle.  Fun!  Gotta get back in the fusion groove!
First Frost Stamp Set; Whisper White, Pool Party & Silver Glimmer CS; Pool Party, Night of Navy & Gray Granite Inks; Pattern Party Decorative Masks; Layering Circles Dies; Silver Sequins; #FusionWinter.

Oo, there's a fun cue to kick off the New Year at CAS Christmas - "tag!"
I am thrilled that our new birthday set Bonanza Buddies has a gorgeous stitched tag die with it - and look how cute it works for Christmas, too!!  Lol.  Turns out that several elements from Perfectly Plaid fit wonderfully on this tag - and since I went with the plaid tree, I had to pull in the Wrapped in Plaid DSP, too.  Good - and cozy - times, lol.  Even found a scrap of Shaded Spruce ribbon to include - perfect!
Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set; Wrapped in Plaid DSP; Whisper White & Shaded Spruce CS; Shaded Spruce & Cherry Cobbler Inks; Bonanza Dies; Pine Tree Punch; Gold Glitter Enamel Dots; #CASChristmasTag.

Oh, excellent!  I have just enough time sneak in 52 Christmas Card Throwdown's first sketch of the year!  Woot!  Let's jump right on restocking that Christmas box!
For this one, the sketch made me think right away of featuring some festive papers, and I went back again to the amazing Night Before Christmas pack.  It's so funny, I used the heck out of this paper, but I didn't get anything else from the suite - I found it so easy to match with other stamp sets - like today!  This fun sheet of candy canes seemed just right for this fun sentiment from Cup of Christmas - and that stamp set also has a set of dies that includes a candy cane!  It's like Christmas kizmet!
Cup of Christmas Stamp Set; Night Before Christmas DSP; Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler & Champagne Glimmer CS; Cherry Cobbler Ink; Diagonal Stripe Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler; Layering Circles Dies; Gold Glitter Enamel Dots; #53CCT1-20.

Birthday Cards 2020 Class Jan 9 & 11!
OK, gang, time to stock up on our birthday cards for 2020 and get ready for biz!  Class will feature 6 cards with envelopes, all from the new Spring Occasions Catty and Sale-A-Bration brochure, just in time for another circle around the sun!  Are you ready??
Class includes all supplies needed (bring your fave snips and adhesive!) snacks, drinks and a special gift from me, all for $25.  Class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!  Class is still on for  Saturday, January 11 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to save your spot!

Ah, and the cycle starts again!  It's never too soon!  Here we are at Sparkles Christmas Challenge #108 - with our January "for a child" challenge!  Hope you can join us!
I don't know about you, but our all-time fave activity when I was a kid was sledding - like, giant slogging expeditions that earned you soaking wet jeans and feet, lol.  We used to dare each other to sit on the woodstove for longer and longer and watch the steam rise when we got home, lol - I may have scorched a few pairs that way, lol.  Anyway, this pretty sled brought back those fun days, and I knew I had to use it!  Good times!
So, what will YOU create?  I can't wait to see your creations, over at the challenge!
Alpine Adventure Stamp Set; Wrapped in Plaid DSP; Whisper White, Crumb Cake & Cherry Cobbler CS; Versamark Ink; Shimmer White EP; Alpine Sports Dies; Silver Sequins; Silver Cording; #SparklesForAChild.

Birthday Cards 2020 Class Jan 9 & 11!
OK, gang, time to stock up on our birthday cards for 2020 and get ready for biz!  Class will feature 6 cards with envelopes, all from the new Spring Occasions Catty and Sale-A-Bration brochure, just in time for another circle around the sun!  Are you ready??
Class includes all supplies needed (bring your fave snips and adhesive!) snacks, drinks and a special gift from me, all for $25.  Class can also be FREE with your order of $30 or more!  Class is on for Thursday, January 9 at 630 pm, or Saturday, January 11 at 3 pm.  RSVP today to save your spot!

Lol, no, you're not seeing things - we're going ultra neutral this week at Sunday Stamps #221!
With all this grayscale, I decided to try and build a black and white photo with the gorgeous Snow Front set - I'm loving all the landscape options we have - wait'll you see the Meadow set coming in our Spring Catty!  I just love them all, lol.  Anyway, I've found that I can really build lovely scenes when I just start from the cabin, or any focal point,  mask it off, and layer all the horizons around it - works so well, and it was actually easier than usual working in grayscale, lol.
So, what will YOU create?  I can't wait to see your projects, over at the challenge!
Snow Front & Itty Bitty Christmas Stamp Sets; Whisper White & Basic Gray CS; Memento Tuxedo Black, Basic Gray, Smoky Slate & Gray Granite Inks; Rectangle Stitched Dies; Silver Sequins; #SSC221.

Nice - loving this pretty color challenge from Global Design Project #221!  I think I see a little Christmas spirit hanging in there!
I have really fallen hard for this twiggy little tree in Perfectly Plaid - bring on the two-step stampin' - I love it!  I kept this one SUPER simple, but couldn't resist a touch of twine and Cherry Cobbler pearls I found in my embellie goodie box - they gotta be from some past Paper Pumpkin, lol.  Anyway, I can't believe how much this simple look has grown on me - so cute!
Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set; Whisper White & Early Espresso CS; Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler & Shaded Spruce Inks; Cherry Cobbler Twine; Cherry Cobbler Pearls; #GDP221.

Ooo!  LOVE the angles in this week's sketch from Case This Sketch #352!  (Did you think I meant "angels?" Bwahahaha!)
I KNEW this card had to be all about the DSP, lol - didn't you?  I even snuck in a third pattern with an all-over background sheet - not something I do too often!  I had mostly red scraps, except for my beloved mittens, lol, so I did my "merry" in Coastal Cabana - NO STAMPING at all!  Yikes!  Quick and fun, though, which is perfect, since the Christmas party goes on!
Let It Snow DSP; Whisper White & Coastal Cabana CS; Christmas Greetings Dies (retired 2015); Silver Sequins; #CTS352.

What a perfect challenge to fall on Christmas Day!  So glad for a chance to play along at In{k}spire Me #410's "White Christmas" theme!
Now, I'm usually a little leery of color-on-color challenges, especially white-on-white, sigh.  Today, though, I knew I had my Shimmer White EP in my pocket, and I figured that could help with the contrast!  I actually pulled this set out of my for-sale box - 2018's Flurry of Wishes has been such a favorite of mine, and I still love the punch that goes with, too, lol.  So pretty!  We don't get too many snowflakes here in the Valley of the Sun, so it's good to be able to bring them out once in while in the stamp studio!
Flurry of Wishes (retired 2018) Stamp Set; Whisper White CS; Versamark & Gray Granite Inks; Shimmer White EP; Stitched Shapes Dies; Snow Flurry Punch; Wite Sequins; #IM410.

How about that??  I get to play again at Freshly Made Sketch #416, that's two weeks in a row!
For this nice wide-open field, I knew I wanted another chance at featuring the gorgeous Feels Like Frost DSP - these snowy pines really remind me of some good times growing up - so much snow!  Just so pretty...  Anyway, I decided to really highlight the pine and match it with Shaded Spruce - I think it totally works!  I can almost smell the resin!  Everything else is simple and clean - this sketch just doesn't need any foo-foo!
Itty Bitty Christmas Stamp Set; Feels Like Frost DSP; Whisper White & Shaded Spruce CS; Versamark Ink; Shimmer White EP; Rectangle Stitched Dies; Silver Sequins; #FMS416.