Creative Crew Challenges for December

Today I will be posting a LOT of pictures because I'd like to show you all of the creations I made for the December Creative Crew monthly challenge.  ***If you think you came to this blog by mistake looking for another card or project just keep on reading and scrolling it will probably be on this post somewhere.***  Anyway, it's been a fun journey, but my time is up and there will be new designers starting in January.  This month started out with 

"Art begins in imitation and ends in innovation" - Mason Cooley

As we end 2013, let's CASE someone else's work and give them credit for inspiring us.

CASE someone else's work?!  Hmm...I not sure about that.  I just don't usually do it, but for this...OK!  There are some ladies...(and guys too!) that do some pretty great cards out there, and I had an excuse to copy their cards! :)  **Just a side note...I did ask permission to copy and post these cards.  Remember to always respect other people's work and give them credit when you CASE their work.**

Here is the first challenge:  DSP/Color Focus: Modern Medley or basic black and very vanilla. Check out the gorgeous cards on SCS or Pinterest that only use black and vanilla. CASE someone you admire.  

I found my first card to CASE while I was checking out the colors Basic Black and Very Vanilla on Pinterest...  This CASE'd card is from LeAnne Pugliese. I didn't know it was her card at first until I checked out the watermark, and guess what?  I know her from the Paper Players blog challenge.  Maybe some of you know her from there too, or or you follow her blog.  As soon as I saw her card I knew it was the one to CASE.  No more looking for me! lol  I have to admit I didn't case it 100% because I didn't have the DSP she used or the embossing folder, but I came as close as I could.  If you'd like to check out her card click HERE.  Thanks for the inspiration LeAnne! :)  Now I'm going to have to wait until Father's Day to use it. ;)

Now on to the second part of the challenge...

Catalog Focus: candy dots

Copy someone's artwork that loves brads or candy dots. Use candy dots generously on your project.

Candy dots, huh?  I use them every now and then and really like them, but who do I know that uses them?  One of the blogs I follow is Michelle Zindorf's.  She makes amazing cards using the brayer a lot, and I remembered she uses candy dots and brads.  I glanced through a bunch of cards on her blog to find one that had dots on it AND that I had all of the things I needed to make it.  I was only missing one thing for this card and that was a stamp.  I just used an embossing folder instead.  Now I must say I did NOT use the brayer for the scene on my card.  The brayer and I do NOT get along! lol  I'm a sponging girl and my sponges and I get along just fine, so that's what I used instead to create these cards.  If you'd like to see Michelle's card and her very distinctive work check out her blog HERE.  Thanks for the inspiration Michelle!

I opened this card and turned it to the side so you could see a hint of the inside, then totally forgot to take a pic of the inside. :(

Yes, I made two of them. I figured if I was getting everything out for one I'd do two.  I always think it's pretty interesting how two of the same cards that are sponged can turn out differently.  I guess you can't see as much of a difference in the pic, but one scene is a lot darker than the other in person.  

Believe it or not, I didn't copy anything for the third part of the December challenge.  So on to the third challenge...Holiday Focus: December 24th is National Chocolate Day.

While eating the best chocolate you can find, make a card using chocolate chip on it. If you CASEd someone fabulous, give credit to this wonderful stamper.

My first pic had to be some chocolate! lol  I have a large bag of Ghirardelli chocolates waiting for my December stamp a stacks.  I always have these on the table for the last sas of the year. :) Notice the chocolate chips...yup, they are one of my favorites too.  I'm sure many of you have a stash of chocolate chips handy somewhere when you get a craving for chocolate! lol

Since I had to use chocolate chip card stock I decided to make flowers out of them.  Have you ever seen an all chocolate covered cake with chocolate flowers on it?  I have and they look pretty cool!  I decided to let that inspire me for my next card...

Chocolate chip roses. :)  

This card took a little time to make since I needed to make the flowers, then let them dry overnight.  I put dazzling diamonds in the center since I used crystal effects to hold the flowers together.  The "dazzle"  looks great in person, but boy was it hard to get a good pic with the flash on.  That's all you could see was the dazzle! lol

I couldn't put a rose on the inside, so I just went with the leaves.

I also HAD to make an envelope using the envelope punch board.

The little strip along the back is so the envelope will close without needing to tape or glue it.

And finally the last project for December...

Scrapbook and More Focus: Make a calendar, to do list, booklet or journal for a friend to use in 2014.

My plan was to make a one page calendar with all of 2014 on it.  Nope, didn't happen since my printer decided to go wacko!  It sounds like it's printing, shoots out the paper like it printed, but nothing.  Just a blank page...err!  And yes, it has plenty of ink!  So on to plan B.  I needed a birthday card for me niece and decided to make her a little booklet/journal and slide the birthday card inside the folder.  I got the idea for this from Steph at the SU! Convention back in July.  It was one of the pillow gifts she made for me and the other ladies.  You can check out what she made on her blog HERE.  I just downsized it and made it the perfect size for a little girl. :)  I quickly snapped a few pics of it and decided I'd get her sister's made too!  Whoa!  I'm ahead on one thing!  Amazing! 

I still need to put crayons in it, but I managed to get a pic of the birthday card with this one. :)

I've added the dimensions for this mini journal/booklet and pocket.  The score lines are marked too.  Hope this helps if you want to make one yourself. :) 

I hope you enjoyed my Creative Crew Designs for December!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!

Sara

First Card

Stamp Sets:  The Open Sea, World Map & Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock:  Basic Black & Very Vanilla

Ink:  StazOn Black

Embossing Folder:  Woodgrain

Punches:  1 1/4" Circle & 1 3/8" Circle

Black Brads

Baker's Twine:  Whisper White

Second Card

Stamp Set:  Wetlands

Card Stock:  Chocolate Chip, 

Crumb Cake & Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Old Olive, Soft Suede,

Soft Sky & Pacific Point

Embossing Folders:  Modern Mosaic & Woodgrain

Framelits:  Deco Labels

Candy Dots:  Neutrals (Soft Suede & Chocolate Chip)

Sponges

Third Card & Box

Stamp Sets:  Perfectly Penned, Everything Eleanor

& Teeny Tiny Wishes

Card Stock:  Chocolate Chip & Very Vanilla

Classic Stampin' Pad:  Chocolate Chip

Punches:  2 3/8 Scallop Circle & 1 3/4" Scallop Circle (for roses)

Sizzlit:  Little Leaves

Embossing Folder:  Delicate Designs

Ribbon:  1/2" Seam Binding in Very Vanilla

Envelope Punch Board

Crystal Effects

Stampin' Glitter:  Dazzling Diamonds

Sponges

Fourth Card & Journal/Booklet

Stamp Sets:  Too Kind, Loving Thoughts

& Apothecary Art

Card Stock:  Strawberry Slush, Wisteria Wonder

& Whisper White

Classic Stampin' Pads:  Strawberry Slush, 

Wisteria Wonder & Pistachio Pudding

Ribbon: 3/8" Tafetta in Whisper White

Sponges