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

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CHAR

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

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MARIA F.

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

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LYNDAL

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

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SHIRLEY

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

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JENNY

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

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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.

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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.

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MARIA L.

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DEEPTI

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

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KRIPA

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

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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.

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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.

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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.]

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