Snowman Merry Christmas

I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are going by. It is the start of all the year end holiday season. Halloween is only two days away, and then before we know it, Thanksgiving will be over and Christmas well be in full swing (unless you are one of my followers to the north who has already celebrated Thanksgiving or from across the pond where Thanksgiving isn't celebrated at all). 

This week's sketch is really a nice one. Here it is:

It was really fun seeing how each member of the design team used this sketch. It never ceases to amaze me just how different each of our cards turn out each week. Even when they are similar (like last week when several of us used a snowflake theme), they always look so different.

I didn't plan on making my Christmas cards this year. The pressure I place on myself each year to make enough cards to send out just adds unnecessary stress to the holidays. I always tell myself I am going to take a couple weeks in the summer and just make all the cards then, but it doesn't seem to happen that way. However, when I saw this week's sketch, the snowman and snowflakes just seemed to be the right combination.

I have used a white card base (5 x 7"), and I've used a pattern paper from We Are 3 digital designs. It has been a little while since I've used a We Are 3 digital paper so I felt it was about time I pull a little weight and actually do a card with some digital paper. This piece is from a 4-paper set called "Howdy." 

The snowman is from a clip art file. I think it may have been a Provo Craft design, but I am not sure, so don't quote me. The image is actually a full snowman, but I needed the circle shape, so I have eliminated the lower part of the guy's body.

The patterned paper from which I cut the red dotty circle is by Michael's Crafts. It was from one of their yearly Christmas 8.5 x 11" paper packs (purchased last year). The two fish tail banners are cut from solid blue and solid white using a Memory Crafts die. I stamped the sentiment onto the white fishtail using a stamp from My Perfect Expression using SU's Real Red ink.

I punched two large snowflakes and three smaller one (Martha Stewart punches) and placed them around the bottom right portion of the circles. I then spread Stickles on top of the snowflakes to add some shimmer (sorry you cannot see that in the above photo, but it is pretty -- just enough glitter without being overdone).

And speaking of snowmen (yes, I know that it is incorrect to start a sentence or a paragraph with the word and, but just overlook it this time, OK?), check out the darling prize that some lucky winner will get to receive this week. Are you ready? Here it is:

Is that embossing folder cute or what? Just remember to make a card using this week's sketch and post it to the Tuesday Morning Sketches blog to have a chance to win that adorable prize.