Pastels Only (CD #684)

Welcome! Color Dare Challenge #684 is a harbinger of spring, featuring a variety of pastel colors. This biweekly challenge runs through Thursday, January 1, 2026. 

Being busy during the holiday season sent me to my paper stash for pastels. Rather than creating a watercolor background, a page from a 6x6 pad was used to achieve the sketch's colors. After matting it with a layer of dark cardstock, a floral cut-apart from another paper collection was matted and adhered with foam tape. This was added to a pastel pink card base.

To finish the card, I resisted the urge to add gems and purposely excluded a sentiment. The interior was lined with white cardstock and decorated with leftover patterned paper.

You are invited to participate in Challenge #684. Visit the Blog to enjoy the Design Team's cards and read our guidelines for joining. 

Thank you!

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Basic Gray & Bubble Bath

Patterned Paper: Refined "Colorful Days"

Ephemera (cut-apart): SBC scrap

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (2 mm)

Size: A2

Merry Christmas! (AHSC #660)

As Christmas approaches, I feel a bit of pressure about completing tasks, but in reality, matters are in fairly good shape. This has left me with the opportunity to make a few cards and tidy my craft space. Almost every week, I check out the sketch at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge, but this week I played along. 

This weekly challenge began on Monday, December 15, 2025, and runs through Sunday, December 21, 2025. Following is Sketch #660:

The card came together when cardstock and glimmer paper were adhered to a white card base, then patterned paper was added.  The trees were die-cut from a scrap of silver metallic paper and adhered to a green cardstock square. This square was mounted onto silver metallic paper. Using scrap cardstock and foam tape, this was added to the card base. 

Next, the sentiment was stamped and adhered with foam tape. To finish the card, silver gem stickers were affixed around the trees. The inside was decorated with additional smaller trees from the same die set and coordinating patterned paper. 

Be sure to visit the Atlantic Hearts Blog for guidelines and to view the Design Team's cards. 

Thank you for dropping by.

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: SU "Curvy Christmas" (sentiment)

Ink: SU Basic Gray

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Just Jade

Specialty Paper: SU Silver Metallic & Silver Glimmer

Patterned Paper: Ink 'n Splatter "Whispers of Winter"

Dies: UNB "Seven Trees in a Row"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape, Honey Bee Gem Stickers

Size: A2

For You (CD #682)

Color Dare #682 is up on the Blog and ready for your beautiful ideas! This biweekly challenge will run through Thursday, December 25, 2025. 

Below is the color board for CD #682. I shopped my paper stash and found a small collection of Hubbell-inspired 6x6 paper and dark berry-colored cardstock that somewhat coordinated with it. Vanilla cardstock, rather than white, was used for a neutral because of the patterned paper's lighter color. The vanilla cardstock appears in three places: the stacked sentiment shadow, the mat behind the patterned paper, and the interior of the dark card base. 

My additional color of choice is the bright-pink metallic cardstock I used for the die-cut sentiment. To finish my card, I added five very small silver metallic pyramids. I found the shapes interesting, but they aren't as shiny as I had hoped. 

The Design Team invites you to join our color challenge. Guidelines are available at CD Blog #682. There is also a collection of cards created by our Design Team that will inspire you to play along.

Merry Christmas!

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Very Vanilla and a berry scrap; Hobby Lobby metallic (pink)

Patterned Paper: Panalisa "Starry Sky"

Dies: UNB "For You" with shadow

Misc.: Jolee's Boutique Bling (adhesive metallic gems)

Size: A2

Happy Holidays (TSOT #685)

Happy Holidays to you! Try a Sketch on Tuesday Challenge #685 is now open through Sunday, December 21, 2025, at noon. This biweekly challenge is simple. Just show us your interpretation of the sketch, and it can be for any occasion. 

Having a large supply of "cut-aparts" from previous years, I decided to use two of them along with patterned paper from my scrap stash. Because of the size of these cut-aparts, I used an A7 size to keep the image's scale appropriate.

Because the card base is black, the inside of the card was lined with a white cardstock panel, decorated with coordinating paper. The second cut-apart was adhered with a phrase from a traditional carol, "Although it's been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to all."

The Design Team at TSOT welcomes you to this challenge. Their inspirational cards are on display at the TSOT Blog.

Double Trouble Challenge #206 is also open. If you use the TSOT sketch above and enter your work at Double Trouble, you will earn a chance in the random drawing.

Thank you for stopping by.

Melanie

Materials

Cardstock: SU Basic White & Basic Black

Patterned Paper: Honey Bee "Pinstripes & Polka Dots" & "Holiday Wishes", Carta Bella "A Wonderful Christmas"

Ephemera (two cut-aparts): Echo Park "The Magic of Christmas"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm); SU "Real Red" 1/4 inch Sheer Ribbon; Honey Bee Gem Stickers

Size: A7  (5" x 7")

Merry Christmas (DTC #206)

It's time for another 3-2-1 Recipe at Double Trouble Challenge #206. This biweekly challenge began on Monday, December 8, 2025, and will end on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

There will not be a new challenge beginning on December 22, 2025. Our next challenge will begin on Monday, January 5, 2026.

Because this is the third challenge of the month, we are enjoying a Some Thing, Any Thing, Every Thing theme, meaning it's Anything Goes. I chose to use:

AT LEAST

3  -  Layers (I have six.)

2  -  Patterns (There are three.) 

1  -  Sentiment ("Merry Christmas")

Twisted Sister is asking for a ribbon, bow, string, twine, etc. A 1/4 inch silver ribbon was selected. In addition, Double Dare is reminding us to use the sketch provided by Try a Sketch on Tuesday #685. The card represents my interpretation of that sketch (below).

We hope to see your project in Challenge #206. The Design Team has provided an array of cards to inspire you.

Thank you,

Melanie

Materials

Stamp: SU "Curvy Christmas" (sentiments)

Ink: SU Just Jade

Cardstock: SU Basic White, Just Jade, & Petal Pink

Patterned Paper: Ink n' Splatter "Whispers of Winter"

Misc.: SBC Foam Tape (1 mm), Spellbinders Gems, Offray Silver Metallic Ribbon