Well its another Senior Design Team challenge for the Papertrey Ink design team!

This month was a lot of fun! Nichole asked the team to create a Christmas/Holiday card that incorporates photos!

Well I ALWAYS do a photo card-ALWAYS! I love giving people a yearly photo update. This year I cringe at the thought that it may get tossed away after the holiday. So, my simple solution, I decided that this year I am going to do a magnetic photo calendar card!

Sending  You Happiness Through  the Year!

Instead of JUST a photo card, ours is a photo / calendar magnet card that you can stick right up on the fridge! Pretty cute huh?

This finished magnet is 5 3/4 X 4 1/2! The borders made it a bit larger than your standard A2 card. You could avoid the extra layers, or just change your own design.

I designed it so that while it represents the HOLIDAY, its not an obvious Christmas ONLY creation! Out on a limb was the PERFECT solution for this project! Given my children’s clothing colors-red & black, I went with that for my scheme. Now you could certainly use a black & white photo too, but I loved the POP the red “holly berries” (that what they are to me) brought to the project.

NOTE: This does use LAST years Christmas photo, so I will have to update with THIS year’s photo once I get them done. For the challenge I used what I had available. But I do really love this! Do you think people would notice if I used the same photo as last year?! LOL!

I did HOURS of hunting online for a FREE printable 2009 calendar. I have no clue how to make one, and found the PERFECT one! YEAH!!!

HEREis the one I used for my project!!! All my hunting will save YOU some time! LOL!

When I got the template I wanted, I then decreased the size by 50%, so it would fit on a card sized magnet. I didn’t want a very large calendar.

I  printed walllet size photos of  my children. Used my circle/tall /rectancle nestabilities to  create this. I cropped the photo with the circle, and then  the calendar with the rectangle. Using the next size up of the shape used, I made my scallop frames. For the large border I just used the tall scallop rectangles, using black cardstock, and I cut the scallop edges off, and adhered to the back of my white layer – Tip I found HERE! That was then layered onto a piece of Pure Poppy cardstock, that was sent through my Xyron 900, magnet maker!! So the entire back is magnetic! Pretty cool!

Now another part of our challenge was to create an envelope to match! I have a great system I came up with to create an envelope for ANY size card —>HERE!

So using that formula, I created my envelope for this project!

The ONLY difference was I decided to NOT put it together with adhesive, but rather make it a beautiful protective cover!

This is the cover opened. I decorated my inner panels by measuring each finished panel and subracting a 1/4 inch on the layering panel.

I then fold in the top/bottom flaps (what would have been my envelope sides if adhered) and fold closed.

I had some wide white grosgrain ribbon, that I stamped to match my card. I then used an image from the Papertrey Ink Anniversary set (not available for purchase-sorry :C) since I thought it was a nice match.

I felt the sentiment from Snowflake Serenade was PERFECT for sending such a calendar creation!

So there you have it. This is my fresh approach to sending a holiday card! Why not a yearly calendar? I know its perfect for those close to you. I honestly would not go through the trouble of making such a treasure for those on my “have to send a card to X” list, but would certainly do it for my most loved ones 😀 It’s actually more of a GIFT, than a card, don’t you think? You could replace a photo with an image for a general magnetic/card/calendar gift!

The holiday season is upon us, so have fun! I hope you let me know if this inspires your holiday card this year 😀 Oh and if this project didn’t do it for you there is so much more to come 😀

Be sure to check out all the Senior Design team member’s blogs for MORE great cards using photos! I am sure you will run out to the nearest photo place!

Don’t miss the post below!

Till tomorrow!

Wind down-or winding up for the release party!!

Well better LATE than never right? I promised this earlier and got REALLY busy. This is one of the CRAZIEST weeks for me in general. Throw in 3 birthday parties, and forget it.

Where does the time go? I still have peeks from LAST monthsMFT release to share. I make so much stuff, and often end up forgetting about most because something I create fits what I may want to share on my blog.

Anyway-I have to say I think this is by far my favorite release from MFT thus far! I don’t know what exactly it was, but I was a creating machine! I had my samples done weeks ago, which generally doesn’t happen.

I decided to share this particular card because I totally ADORED it. I love the layout, and the fun colors that I picked up from my Amy Butler paper. I love mixing patterns. That is the quilter in me. I always loved just doing THAT part, not really the sewing part so much! LOL!

Wait till you see what is to come!

 Window Shopping (OMW! Love this one to pieces)
Reading Flopsey
Chives – Annie LaPoint
Christmas Owls – Stephanie Fizer
Peppermint Cats – Stephanie Fizer
A Scarf for Three – Stephanie Fizer

My Favorite Things will be hosting a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday night (October 1) 9-11pm EST EASTERN time. PARTY STARTS HERE!!! This month there are SIX new sets being released, plus a new storage system that you are going to love! Stop by the release party to win prizes, see some MFTeasers of the new sets and find out how you can become MFT’s next Guest Designer! Hope to see you there!

In the mean time I have a GIVEWAY or as Kim would call it a MFTreat!! Courtesy of Kim from MFT 😀

You will have a chance to win:

One of the NEW! Fabulous storage boxes, and TWO of the retiring sets of Kim’s choosing, both of which (and then some) will fit inside this storage box!

I will draw a winner tonight during the release party- OCTOBER 1st!

All I need YOU to do is leave a comment here, telling me your favorite thing to use when stamping! Be it an tool, product, image whatever!

Now, it is my duty to keep you in the KNOW of what is going on on the first:

(I think this is everything. OK I HOPE this is everything)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my hubby Jason, who turns the BIG 31 TODAY!! Happy Birthday honey!

As stated above the MFT release!

Lizzie Anne Designs is beginning the countdown to their Fall release which will take place on the 4th! So check back in for peeks here this week on Wednesday and Friday!! Their release kicks of on WCMD! Great new sets.

Papertrey Ink design team challenge

Storage Units Ink & More is releasing all of their sets today too.

OK now I have lots to do to get ready for Jason’s birthday. Thanks for reading!

Later-
 

Thank you everyone for Alexa’s birthday wishes. I’ll have a smilebox of her party soon.

Her birthday is ALWAYS emotional for me. I usually cry every time we sing Happy Birthday. I know it sounds strange, and its hard to explain. You just don’t know what one year to the next can bring. Especially since the whole cancer thing, that really gets me now. Maybe thats it? Or how much she accomplishes each year? The unknown? I don’t know. But now I’m feeling better and ready to move forward in her 9th year. I really don’t feel OLD enough to have a 9 year old, I can tell you that. Really seems like yesterday that I was turning 9! Now I have a 9 year old. Unbelievable.

Many of you emailed asking “Where was Noah?” Well, he is on this kick of NOT being in photos! I don’t know why but he is. What is funny, like someone mentioned him being in the photo in the background, he actually said “No, I don’t want my picture taken. I won’t be happy. I want to take the picture.” I said but I want you IN th photo” then he said “I am in the photo, its behind you” That was pretty funny. He has been taking quite a few photos with the camera. Who knows maybe that will be his career path. A professional photographer, who can work with me someday when I get big! LOL! Maybe I’ll have my own line or a magazine? He can take all my photos! Anyway,It was nice to have a photo of me and my girls though. So I told him people were asking and wanted to see him, so he let me get this photo of him and I, and he still wasn’t too happy about it! LOL!

See-this is the best I could get. He refused to smile.

Oh well.

Yes, I know I look tired! Don’t say it. I cried a good part of the morning, especially writing Alexa’s post. Then she came home from school, and drove me crazy with her attitude! Gotta love that 😀 Im all emotional over her and she making me crazy.

OK moving on from my blah blah blah. I think I could talk a dog off a meat wagon.

Todays post is for a Challenge from Melissa at Pink Cat Studio. She gave us a sketch. Be sure to check in as she usually features all the designers creations and customer creations there as well!!

The best part is I actually followed it! LOL! Im so bad with stuff like that.

So here is her sketch

And here is my card

Howdy lil Buck-a-roo!

OK I totally love how I went ALL BOY with this 😀 Billy is the cutest boy set! I love him!! I actually made this to go in a care package for my friend Alicia’s son Ethan, who is also a little cowboy!! He has Cancer, and for his Make-a-wish they built him a barn, and got him some horses!! Make a wish is a fabulous organization!! You can read about him on her blog. He is going through his second round to treatment, and is such a brave boy! So I am gathering a few things to send to him and his sister for being so good 😀 I know so many amazing people sent things to Alexa and it really got her though some tough days.

As for the sketch-instead of scallops I did “fringe”, and in place of a flower, I have my star. I love it. I know I said that already, but I do.

Now the paper well that is a little “surprise”. Im not suppose to share that till tomorrow I believe (oops! SORRY! I couldn’t help but use it. It was perfect for my creation)

OK for Cowboy Billy Ethan, I colored him with Copic markers (of course) and used my circle nestabilities to mask the ground and sky that I sponged. I always love making Billy “dirty” so I smeared some ink on his face and pants as well, for a dusty desert look. Now I LOVE the lasso. I am a bit upset that I cut it a tad short :C. I totally eyeballed it and think its so cute. I love his hat that is 3D and overhands the border. Makes him pop out at you!

Well that is it my friends.

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Be sure to check out the peeks for Storage Units Ink & More-the release is tomorrow!

Mary Jo https://technostamper.blogspot.com/  

Dawn https://www.treasureoilerdesignz.blogspot.com/                        

Jen https://stampinspot.blogspot.com

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Tomorrow I have my Design Team Challenge for Papertrey! You won’t want to miss that one, and I will have peeks for My Favorite Things! As well as Lizzie Anne’s Fall Release peeks.

Be back in a few to share more today! The end of the month is always full of things to share!

Later!