November Challenge Winner and Highlights

Last month's gallery has got to be one of the most beautiful Christmas-themed galleries around! So many beautiful Christmas-themed mixed media cards were entered -- thank you, everyone, for playing!

Here's the mixed media card that the design team voted as the winner:

#54 Julie B

Congratulations, Julie! Your mixed media card is a work of art! Grab your winner badge below to display proudly on your blog.

Before we show the highlight entries, here are the winners of the random drawing sponsored by STAMPlorations. We used Random.org to draw the winners.

Randomly drawn from all the entries:

#29 Nikki Acton

Prize: choice of 3" by 5" stamp set available here

Randomly drawn from the entries with the optional element (bells):

#15 Paper Talk With Samra

Prize: $15 gift certificate to the STAMPlorations shop

Congratulations, Nikki and Samra. Please send an email to sheryruss@gmail.com to claim your prize.

And now here are the highlights. Each of us in the design team picked an entry to highlight. It's the entry that uniquely impacted us in some way -- a specific technique that was used, the colors, the creativity, or something in it that touched or impacted us.

Loll's Highlight: #54 Julie B

Loll says, "Julie's watercolored card is elegant and sophisticated. Her masking and layering of the poinsettias creates such depth, even though it is one layer. The raised design of the white embossed word background adds more visual interest and depth. Amazing card, Jules!"

Sanna's Highlight: #50 WeiWei

Sanna says, "I really liked this card alot. The stamped background is cheerful and happy and the stenciled bells match the challenge theme perfectly. The idea of adding a shaker inside the wreath makes the card extra interesting. Such lovely work and a beautiful outcome, Wei Wei!"

Kripa's and Shery's Highlight: #49 Samra

Kripa says, "Samra had two very beautiful entries this month and I had a tough time picking one to highlight. Entry #49 felt like the prefect Christmas card. Rustic and traditional yet interesting with many textures and details - combination of red and green against a woodgrain background, the wreath and bow and the beautiful glittery bells. Beautiful work Samra!"

Shery says, "Samra's card is stunning -- the layers, texture, and traditional Christmas colors. I fell in love with its rustic/shabby feel!"

Jenny's Highlight: #23 Karen D

Jenny says, "Karen had lots of gorgeous entries of various colours. I loved them all, but I've chosen this one because I love the technique and the amazing pop of the white snowflake on the bright Copic background!"

Lyndal's Highlight: #42 Pamellia

Lyndal says, "The mixed media detail in this just takes my breath away - right down to those gorgeous bells as the centre of the poinsettia - just FABULOUS!"

Deepti's Highlight: #3 Maura

Deepti says, "The inking in Maura's card is flawless and silhouette adds a perfect touch of elegance."

Jan's Highlight: #39 Karen D

Jan says, "Karen used 3 non-traditional colors and several techniques to create a beautiful holiday card with lots of depth. Awesome use of the salt technique!"

Elina's and Maria F.'s Highlight: #43 Yvonne Yam

Elina says, "Love the simplicity of the design. Carefully selected elements on a gorgeous background. Less is more!"

Maria F. says, "What can I say, I'm a CAS-loving gal and this card has so much dimension and texture but still so much wonderful white space."

Maria L.'s Highlight: #25 Barb Housner

Maria L. says, "I just love all the layers and texture she used on this amazing snowman card! LOVE LOVE IT!"

Congratulations, ladies! Grab your badge below to display proudly on your blog.

Get ready because tomorrow, we've got a brand new challenge for December! Get your artsy supplies together and check back in at 6 a.m. PST (GMT -800) to see what we've cooked up for the December challenge!

Be artsy. Be messy. Be creative! :o)

Challenge #5 One More Dose of Inspiration Cards

The current challenge ends in just a little over 4 days. Have you played yet? We've got one more dose of Christmas-themed mixed media cards to inspire. Check them out and then link up your mixed media Christmas cards here!

This month's challenge is sponsored by STAMPlorations. Create a mixed media card with the optional element (bells) and you'll get a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to use towards products in the STAMPlorations shop. Or create a mixed media Christmas card and you get a chance to win your choice of (3x5) stamp set.

SANNA

*****

LYNDAL

Gold stamping, embossing and splatter, patterned paper, foam backed die-cut tag and gold twine bow.

*****

LYNDAL

Silver embossed stamping, jingle bells, metallic cord, die cut window and glitter paper die cut sentiment.

*****

MARIA L.

Distressed pattern papers using distress inks and tool. Number stencil and light modeling paste with gold flakes sprinkled while wet to create the 25. Stamps: Bells and sentiment.

*****

SHERY

Embossed card base inked with Distress and chalk inks, bells stamped and colored with alcohol markers, vellum and textured cardstock for the layered panel, and sticker sentiment make for a CAS mixed media card.

Challenge #5 More Inspiration Cards

The month's almost over and pretty soon, Christmas will be upon us. How's your Christmas card stack going? Our theme this month ought to help you get a few (or many) done! There's a little over 10 days left to play along. We have a few more more mixed media cards below to inspire. Check them out and then link up your mixed media Christmas cards here!

This month's challenge is sponsored by STAMPlorations. Create a mixed media card with the optional element (bells) and you'll get a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to use towards products in the STAMPlorations shop. Or create a mixed media Christmas card and you get a chance to win your choice of (3x5) stamp set.

SANNA

SHIRLEY

JAN

SHERY

Challenge #5 Inspiration Cards

Have you played in this month's challenge? We've got some more mixed media cards below to inspire. Check them out and then link up your mixed media Christmas cards here!

This month's challenge is sponsored by STAMPlorations. Create a mixed media card with the optional element (bells) and you'll get a chance to win a $15 gift certificate to use towards products in the STAMPlorations shop. Or create a mixed media Christmas card and you get a chance to win your choice of (3x5) stamp set.

SANNA

SANNA

JENNY

Coloured Christmas bells image with Twinkling H2Os; masked image and then stamped and silver embossed the background; added splatters and twine.

The Mixed Media Card Challenge #5 {Christmas}

It's a brand new month, which means a brand new challenge here at The Mixed Media Card Challenge blog! Ready for the November challenge? "Christmas" is our theme this month. Pretty easy, huh? Our optional element: "bells". Go beyond your inks and stamps, be as messy or clean as your creative muse tells you (or lets you!), and just have fun!

HOW TO PLAY
1. Create a mixed media CARD based on the theme, with or without the optional element.
2. Display the challenge graphic on your blog post and link back to this challenge post.
3. You may enter as many times as you want, as long as each entry is different.
4. You may combine a maximum of 7 challenges (6 other challenges plus ours).
5. Submit your projects by November 25, 11:55 p.m. PST (GMT -800).
6. We'll announce the winner and highlights on November 30.

This month's challenge is extra special because we have a sponsor: STAMPlorations! [In the interest of disclosure, STAMPlorations is a company that I (Shery, the creator of this challenge blog), own.]

"California-based STAMPlorations is owned and managed by husband-and-wife team, David & Shery Russ. Shery is an avid paper crafter and loves graphic design so in June 2013, she and her husband opened shop and began selling stamps that Shery designed and/or illustrated. Proudly made in the USA, our clear stamps are manufactured from the finest, non-yellowing photopolymer resin. Our stamps are sized primarily for A2 (and smaller) cards and ATCs and have a graphic/mixed media feel. (Shery is a mixed media girl who has fallen in love with card-making.) We release at least 2 new stamp sets (in our standard size 3" by 5") every other month. In June 2014, we started releasing one 5" by 7" stamp set for the STAMPlorations bi-monthly stamp club in between official releases."

STAMPlorations is offering two prizes:

* $15 gift certificate to use towards products in the STAMPlorations shop

The winner will be randomly drawn from entries with the optional element (bells)

*choice of 1 stamp set (3" by 5")

The winner will be randomly drawn from all entries

So simply play this month and you get a shot at winning a prize.

How did we interpret the theme? Take a look below. Our mixed media cards feature the Christmas bells stamps provided by the sponsor.

LOLL

Distress inks, silver foil heat embossed in black and fussy-cut, Copic colored ribbon with wink of stella for shine

*****

CHAR

Embossing and colored with Distress ink in various colors. Added gold leaf to bells

*****

MARIA F.

Dry and heat embossing, acrylic paint, distress inking, die cutting, gems.

*****

LYNDAL

Stamping, heat embossing in metallic finish on pearlised paper, fussy cutting and layering with foam dots

*****

SHIRLEY

Dry and heat embossing, acrylic paints, gel pen, marker, staples

*****

JENNY

Stamping and heat embossing, distress markers and ink pads, silver paint pen and gold glitter pen, die cutting and rhinestones.

*****

SANNA

Misted and stamped background, melted wax crayon silver splodges with white ink splatters, hand drawn faux stitching with black and white pen, Christmas bells coloured with Wink of Stella silver brush pen and Copics and detailed with glitter glue.

*****

JULIA

Silver embossing paste over Check Mate Stencil on die cut arch, embossed stamping colored with silver Wink of Stella, enamel dot berries and silver pearls for dimension.

*****

MARIA L.

*****

DEEPTI

Embossing paste for snow and creating your own wood grain panel makes for my mixed media card.

*****

KRIPA

Gesso + sand texture + glitter through stencil and watercolours in the background. Embossed and watercolour bells

*****

JAN

Stamp and heat emboss bells on metallic textured paper. Color with sharpies and accent with pearl pen. Add pop dots. Stamp 2nd generation image for background and stencil.

*****

ELINA

Bells stamped on heavy watercolor paper, and coloured with grey and gold watercolors. Ribbon stamped twice on white cardstock, embossed with golden embossing powder, cut out, and pieces layered using 3D stickers. Masked circle dabbed with white acrylic paint, frame pierced with a sewing needle. Leaves die-cut from green cardstock.

*****

SHERY

Bells stamped on gift wrapping paper with newsprint design; ribbon and berries stamped on white cardstock, colored with alcohol markers, fussy cut, and layered onto newsprint bells. Panel watercolored with Distress inks, water-soluble oil pastels, and Twinkling H2Os, with the edges sponged with Distress ink and Gelatos. Card base stamped and spattered with Distress inks. [Video tutorial on blog.]

*****