Wednesday 25 September 2019

September Rudolph Days Challenge

Once again, it is time for the Rudolph Days Challenge. Here are the rules for your perusal...

1. The Rudolph Days Challenge will start each month (January to November) on the 25th, and will close at midnight PST, on the last day of that month.
2. The theme is always Anything Goes, as long as it is Christmas.
3. One entry per person and you just need to enter one Christmas card or Christmas project.
4. You may combine your entry with other challenges (maximum of 10 in total).
5. Your card (or Christmas project) should not have been previously posted to your blog. It should be posted to your blog during the current months Rudolph Days Challenge, (between the 25th and last day of the current month)
6. Please link back to or at least mention, the Rudolph Days Challenge.
7. Please leave a comment on the challenge post.
8. The winner will be selected by random draw and announced on the first day of the following month. Prizes will be mailed anywhere in the world.

9. A special draw will be held at the end of the year, in December,  for all those who submitted a card or project every month that year, January to November.

Our design team ladies have been busy creating lots of inspiration for you!


Sue has made a gorgeous Christmas Bauble themed card. Love the beautiful turquoise colour used here. I think I spy a little mirri card here too! When I was a kid my Mum always had this style of ornaments (baubles) on the tree. I used to love their "pushed in" beauty. Now, I go around the thrift shops looking for this style for myself. I have them displayed in a crystal bowl, to showcase their old fashioned charm. 
If you pop over to Sue's blog, you can read about how she made it and leave her some love!


Next up is Jenny at Cardsarus blog.

Jenny has made a fabulous Red Truck and Christmas Tree card. I love the look of these truck themed stamps. They have an old fashioned charm that many of us remember from having old trucks like these...or at least our parents did!
I think Jenny has done a fabulous jopb of creating the snow. If you pop over to her blog, you can read just how she made it, methinks! Be sure to leave her some love while you are there.



My card is Christmas tree themed as well. A bit more modern and not sure that I will do it again. I have been trying to use some of my unstamped stash and this card is one of those...

This card is a series of three Christmas tree images by My Minds Eye, the Winter Wonderland stamp.  As I stamped it off , I decided that it was not a keeper. I am going to donate this stamp to the thrift shop (with a small warning note inside the stamp)  as it was hard to align the center tree so that all the trees were straight.  The tallest tree in particular is sort of tilted at the top and no matter how many times I straightened it on the block, it still tilts so that the stamped star is off kilter. I hid this with the red star topper, but truly it is not worth the agro to use again. I was so wrapped up in correcting that issue, that I missed the fact that the other trees are not quite sitting level either,,,but that is due to operator error!  

The colours and choices of the DP and even the theme of this card, were made with the envelope in mind. A while back, I purchased some preprinted envelopes, mostly 5x7 but a few other sizes as well, at our local thrift shop. If my memory is correct, they were only a dollar for a fairly large bag!  Wherever possible this year, I plan to use up some of these envelopes.

The background DP is Here Comes Santa Claus, by Doodlebug. I used a strip of Carta Bella, Merry and Bright,  for the central border. The wee presents that run along the border strip have a bit of aqua  in their packaging, so I matted the image with Joanne's aqua blue glittered paper. A second mat of red glitter paper was added as well, for just a bit more sparkle.

I randomly scattered the smallest green diamonds on the images and also used pale gold teensier diamonds to accent the tree stars. These are Scottish diamonds as they were bought in Inverness on our last visit to Britain! They are a long narrow sheet of individual diamonds and I bought silver as well as gold. It is hard to get the really teensy ones like these over here, without paying a fortune.

The sentiment is Elizabeth Craft, cut from a Joanne's green glittered card snippet and glued on top of  second cut of a green mirri card snippet, for some added depth. A couple of green diamonds balanced out the design.

I used a snippet of blue card for the inside of the card and stamped my favourite generic Christmas  sentiment by Inkadinkado.


Our presents this month are a choice of this Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Christmas Blueprint 2 stamp, CMS168


or this Creative Expressions Festive - Industrial Chic Gear Flower Die

  

59 comments:

Liz said...

Three super cards from you and your DT. Sounds like you had a frustrating time with your stamp, Maureen, but your card turned out beautifully. xx

Jenny L said...

Hi Maureen,
Happy Rudolf Days.
What a very fab card and I wouldn't have noticed the top of the centre tree if you hadn't mentioned it.
I try to stay clear of such projects for the same reason you have stated, but your card is very lovely and the the colours are so fab and such a lovely design.
Love the printed envelope it goes so lovely with the card alsmost as if you had stamped it so.
A great find I think.
Lots of ctrafty love. Jenny L.

Jane Willis said...

Happy Rudolph Day - only 3 months to the big day now. Gorgeous cards as usual.

Sandra H said...

Lots of inspiration from the Dt's so pretty the cards are x

Swissie said...

Wonderful inspirations from the designers! Thank you for the great ideas!
Will post my card later.
Hugs, Liv

cotnob said...

Super inspiration and a fabulous choice of prizes Maureen.
Pauline - Crafting with Cotnob
x

Kath said...

Fabulous cards from the DT. Another Rudolph Day - I can't believe how quickly this year is going.
Kath x

Bunny said...

Happy Rudolph Days! Yay! It's always fun to play here. Thank you. [Bunny]``

Becca Yahrling said...

Fabulous cards by everyone! The ornament Sue used is so pretty and love the color choices. The snow on Jenny's card is so beautiful; love the dimension. And Mo, I'm amazed at how perfect your card matches the pre-printed envie - awesome job!

ionabunny said...

Happy Rudolph days everyone. Lovely inspiration from the team and fab prizes. Hugz

My Paper Cat said...

Great match of pre-printed envelope and card. They look great together.

My Paper Cat said...

Love how you have linked the pre-printed envelop to your card. Very clever.

mamapez5 said...

Hi. I love the way you have made cards to use up those envelopes. Splendid idea. The bauble is so elegant and I love Jenny's red truck.
I was so happy to see I won the challenge last month. I did email you with my address using your 'contact me' details on the blog, but I didn't hear back, so I hope my message reached you.
I was also pleased that my cards were made so early as I went to UK much sooner than expected. Now I can get some cards written ready to take with me when I return to my son in UK at the end of October.
Thank you again for your challenge. Kate x

Jackie T said...

Thank you for the challenge you really do keep me on track with my Christmas cards. Take care. Hugs Jackie

Pat said...

I love Sue's pretty bauble and Jenny's beautiful red truck and then your wonderful stylish trees Mo, so three lovely inspirational cards. I'm afraid I have not been good at making Christmas cards lately but must get a move on soon. I will try to enter this time and thank you for the wonderful choice of prize on offer too. x

Anonymous said...

beautiful cards from all! sue's bauble is so pretty, i have some vintage ones, jenny's truck is fabulous and i love the dimension of the snow, and your trio of trees is lovely, maureen, with such a variety of patterns and the little gems are the perfect touch.

Sally H said...

gorgeous inspiration from the DT. I love all three! Great prizes too. Thanks Maureen xxx

Michelle said...

Gorgeous cards by the DT - Michelle x

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

Fabulous samples! Thanks for another challenge :)

Bunny said...

Oh mercy. Now I can't remember if I left a comment since I don't see any. If I did you can delete this. If I didn't.........a big thank you for the challenge and the inspiration. [Bunny]``

Sue's Crafty Corner said...

I love the trees on your card Maureen and the super envelope too, what a great find.

Sue xx

Gail said...

Lovely cards - thank you for the new challenge I hope to enter - have a blessed week

KathyA. said...

It's hard to believe that September is almost over. But... that also means that I have one more Christmas card ready! Thanks so much for the challenge.

Greta said...

3 wonderfully inspiring cards for us this month! Love the beautiful ornament, the truck in the snow & your row of trees, Maureen! Christmas will be here before we know it!

Lia said...

I am so sorry: I enterd the challenge of this month with a wrong card (I participated in August). You can delete my name and I will take part again in october!! Have a great day,
Lia xx

SHartl said...

Oh, I love your card Maureen, and the tilted tree wasn't even noticeable. I know that we are always hardest on ourselves, and I do the same thing though. I slowed down on my card making this month but managed to make one for your challenge!

Gail said...

Thank you for the Rudolph Day challenge and the lovely work by the DT - it is an honor to enter. Have a blessed day.

Lia said...

I have noticed that I put the wrong link for this month challenge. So Sorry!
You can delete it!!
Best wishes,
Lia xx

Di said...

Wonderful DT cards Mo! I adore how your card goes so well with the lovely envelope. A great find! Just playing for fun thanks.

Hugs

Di xx

Carol L said...

We must both have trees and tiny stars on the brain! LOL GMTA Love this great little card and especially the fun matching envie with all those trees lined up! I don't see anything amiss with that center tree at all - it looks perfect to me! Great makes from your designers too - I'm always inspired by what I find here:) Happy September Rudolph Days!

Susan said...

Ramping up my Christmas card making as we're getting so close! So the Christmas challenges add extra inspiration - thanks for running yours!

Loll said...

Fabulous cards from the DT and Maureen! I'm so happy that I've played along all year so I built up my Christmas card stash! Thanks for a great challenge Maureen! xx

ionabunny said...

Happy Rudolf days everyone. Another chrimbo card for the stash. Thanks for this fab reminder to make more cards. Hugz

Karenladd said...

The DT cards are so pretty and I love that you designed your card to coordinate with those printed envelopes. I used to buy assorted stray envelopes from a stationary store near me and still have a lot of them to use up. Thanks for another fun challenge.

Darnell said...

Happy Rudolph Days! Love your cards, ladies! Great find with that envelope, Maureen! I cannot believe that we are whooshing into October already!! Playing just for fun! Hugs, Darnell

SHartl said...

I'm not seeing the comment that I left the other day so will leave another one. Your card is adorable Maureen, and the trees look just perfect to me!

jimlynn said...

Great showcase of cards! It's getting close to Christmas now!
Lynn

Heidi MyLittleStampingBlog said...

Lovely cards from the design team. I haven’t done so well with Christmas cards this year, but am happy to get 9 cards done this month for Rudolph days!

Helen said...

Fab DT inspiration!
Thanks for another fun challenge!
Helen x

Joan said...

Beautiful cards by the team, love the bauble cards and the red truck looks stunning in its snowy scene. The envelopes were a great find Maureen and your tree card is lovely.

Joan

Karenladd said...

Thanks for another Rudolph challenge, with beautiful card samples. Your card is so festive and love that it matches the envelopes!

Robyn Oliver said...

Fabulous cards ladies --- our Christmas card stash is growing nicely - love joining in each month, Robyn

Izzy Scrap said...

Thanks for the fabulous inspiration and for the great challenge, it helps me not rushing after cards in December !

Bonnie said...

Your stand of trees is so pretty, Maureen! Most trees don't grow perfectly straight so yours look right to me. I love how well the envelope matches your tree theme!

Alice (scrAPpamondo) said...

As Bunny said, it happens also to me: I put a comment but it wasn't published. So I re-write one.
Lovely inspirations as always by you and the Team!! Thanks for another challenge!

Mrs A. said...

I was determined to snuck in before the deadline. This year has just flown by. Hugs Mrs A.

cuilliesocks said...

A beautiful selection of cards Ladies, fabulous inspiration, thank you, Kate x

Swissie said...

Thank you for the inspiration cards!
Hugs, Liv

Elizabeth said...

Hi Maureen, lovely cards from you and the ladies this month - very inspirational. Many thanks for continuing to organising this challenge every month. Hugs, xx

Lynne said...

Three fab cards by the DT and your envelope is just perfect! Thank you for the challenge x

Lynne said...

Three fab cards by the DT and your envelope is just perfect! Thank you for the challenge x

Kathleen said...

Some super cards from you and the team, thanks once again for running the challenge and I am so sorry that I have been so late this month. Was in a-mad panic tonight when I realised that I had not entered. Hope all is well with you .

Kath x

Valerija said...

Thank you for the new challenge and for the wonderful inspiration.
Have a great day.
Valerija xx

Kathleen said...

A super collection of cards from you and the team, great images and designs.

Borqna said...

Thank you for the Rudolph Day challenge!
Beautiful cards by the team - bravo!!!
Blessings.

Shaz in Oz.CalligraphyCards said...

Hi Mo, thanks for running this challenge ... l love your DT entries too, must visit the other DT.
Sorry the stamp set was bad, I’ve a set with bad sentiment in them too no stamp right, very frustrating. Playing just for fun this time around, I’m grateful I’ve joined in each time this year, but still need to do some batch making not just single cards!
Thanks for being a blessing, and may God bless you too.
Hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

Tina Z. said...

I love your challenge and your inspirations are so beautiful!

Marianne said...

Fabulous cards from the three of you! Sue's bauble card is so pretty (love the colours), I love the look of the snow of Jenny's card and your own card is really pretty as well, with beautifully coordinated colours, including the matching envelope. I think we are often are own worst critics. I don't think the recipient will check if the trees are perfectly straight but will appreciate your attention to detail.
Marianne x

Janis said...

Beautiful cards, ladies!!! I love the gorgeous designs.
Thank you for another fun Rudolph Days Challenge!!
<3 J

jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com