"MERRY" - Pinecone Spotlight (DTC #197)

How I enjoyed creating my card for this challenge! It's been a few years since I used the Spotlight Technique. (Click here to see it.) There are several styles considered to be spotlight cards, so I just picked the one I preferred. 

This was going to be an Autumn card, but it developed into a Christmas card. I used red and gold glitter cardstock to achieve that. I get too many ideas cooking in my head when I make cards for challenges, and the result is usually quite different than the original vision.

Double Trouble Challenge #197 is live today and will run through Sunday, August 17, 2025. Following is a summary of the challenge titled "You're in the Spotlight," and what I did to play along. 

Trouble Maker is ready to stir up trouble with her 3-2-1 Recipe:

Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun

Use AT LEAST

3 - Colors of your choice

My card includes gold foiled paper, gold and red glitter paper, and several shades of green. Neutrals include black, white, and shades of brown.

2 - Layers

There are five layers, excluding the card base.

1 - Spotlight Technique

This technique is included. The pinecone image was colored with Copic markers. The Ruby Red gems were added for color.

Twisted Sister wants to recognize that August is "Happiness Happens" month. Happiness is contagious, so let's promote happiness by using at least one of the following or any combination of birds, butterflies and/or blooms ... it's your choice. (My card was completed, photographed, and posted before I realized that I had overlooked the optional twist.)

Double Dare: Take a look at the Triple B Challenge. It's all about Birds, Butterflies, and Blooms and fits perfectly with our spotlight challenge. The challenge began on Sunday, August 3, 2025, and ends on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at 8:00 PM (ET).

The inside of my card was decorated with a small, stamped, colored, and fussy-cut pinecone image and a die-cut bow in red glitter paper.

Thanks for visiting my blog.

Melanie

Materials

Stamps: Colorado Craft Co. "Pinecone Branch" (BB264)

Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black & Copic Alcohol Markers

Cardstock: Stampin' Up! Basic White, Basic Black, Foiled (gold), Glimmer (gold), and from my stash, pearlescent green and red glitter cardstock

Dies: Whimsy (stitched circle), SBC word die "Merry"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (2 mm); Honey Bee red gems