November 2026 Monthly Challenge

 

Happy November, everyone! How many of you have started your Christmas cards?

For my November project, I chose a winter scene with a snowman! I love snowmen and Art Impressions has so many cute ones to choose from. I started with a scene that I’ve used for simple Christmas cards in the past as my background. I cut a hill and a 1.5” circle out of scrap paper for a mask. Using my mask, I traced the hill in pencil on my watercolor paper (approx. 4.5” wide x 3” tall) and then positioned the circle for my sun and traced that in pencil as well. Using a small paintbrush, I traced the line for the hill in African Violet (#86) for my snow line. I then painted the sun in Brilliant Yellow (#43), keeping the darker color near the bottom. Once that had dried, I erased my pencil lines. Next, I added my sky using Sky Blue (#75), keeping the color along my snow line and around the sun.

Next, I added the trees using Pine Green (#72). For this, I used the mask I had created to protect the area below my hill. I wanted a group of them in the valley I had created, so I stamped them in repeat, inking once and stamping twice for light and dark. I used a stamp positioner for placement, but you could just stamp them randomly. You want to stamp them different heights. On the opposite side, I only stamped three trees and then positioned one lone tree on the hill in front of the sun. I then touched my brush to each bough to bring out the color.

I had stamped a few snowmen on mixed media paper using Pumice Stone Distress ink. I then used my dies and a mask to line it up and cut them out. I started by adding the shadows on the snowman around the edges of his face with Brownish Grey (#40). I continued under the bottom of his jacket and along the edges of his legs and feet. On the very bottom of his left foot, I used a little African violet for the shadow. Next, I added color to his carrot nose with Pumpkin #87). I used the fine tip to carefully darken along the bottom. I also added really faint cheeks with Bubble Gum (#67).

I painted the jacket next in Pine Green (#72) and used Taupe (#84) for the buttons. For the scarf and ear muffs, I used Steel Blue (#17). I decided to make the gloves headband for the ear muffs Taupe (#84) as well. The ornaments were next using Cherry (#65) and I try to save red for last when I paint. I painted the top of the ornament Brownish Grey (#40) so they would look silver and darkened the top for a shadow with my fine tip. It didn’t look silver enough, so I then painted it again with “Oyster” Radiant Pearls to give it some shimmer. I painted the antlers with a mixture of Burnt Umber(#54) and Sepia (#45).

Once everything was dry, I used Dr PH Martin’s Bleed Proof White to add snow along my hill line above the blue shadow I had painted at the beginning. I then added snow to the trees and dots in the sky for snowflakes. I added a highlight to each of the red ornaments and stripes to the bottom of the scarf. With my fine point, I added polka dots to the mittens in Taupe (#84) and plaid to the pocket of the coat in Pine Green (#72). I darkened the band on the gloves in Taupe (#84) with my fine point and added detail for the buttons. I also darkened the eyes and eyebrows with the fine tip in Brownish Grey (#40).

Next, I die cut my background with a rectangle die from the Journal Template Set. I added “Winter Wonderland” by stamping it in VersaMark ink with my Stamp Platform and heat embossing it with Ranger Liquid Platinum embossing powder. I framed it with some grey blue card stock and then mounted it on a dark blue snowflake embossed panel. All of this was then glued to a white card base. The last step was to position and glue my snowman in the foreground. I wanted him to be slightly in front of the scene. Once he was glued in place, I then added foreground with white dots using Dr PH Martin’s Bleed Proof White.

I still use Marvy Le Plume markers for my projects.  Most of these can be converted to Tombow colors, but choose colors that work for you. These just happen to be some of my go-to colors for any project I work on. (Here is the link for the Tombow conversion chart: https://www.artimpressions.com/shop/art-impressions-most-loved-color-conversion-chart/)

If you don’t have this snowman set, you really should consider it. Each of the three snowmen are truly “Joyful.” As always, I hope you will give this project a try! Don’t forget to enter the Monthly Challenge for a chance to win a free stamp set of your choice!

I am truly thankful for my family, friends, and the blessings that surround us. I hope that each of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families!

Accessories:

Pumice Stone Distress Ink

Marvy Markers

VersaMark Ink Pad

Ranger Platinum Embossing Powder

Radiant Pearls – Oyster

Tonic Studios Stamping Platform

What a fun, festive Christmas card!

Thank you Debbie.

Now let's see who won our October Monthly challenge.

#4 came up first so Ginger Mc. wins a free stamp set from Art Impressions

# 9 and 12 were next so Kathy R. and Kathy K. win a freebie from me.

Ginger:
Please contact Leah at
Feedback@artimpressions.com
to claim your free stamp set.

Kathy and Kathy (LOL!)

Please contact me at Renee@artimpressions.com

and I'll send you a photo of the freebies that I have available.

Here are the rules...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation using either stamps, dies and or designer paper from Art Impressions. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.

✻Lucky Random Winner will receive a free 

stamp set from Art Impressions

 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission. You may include your entire last name, but it's not necessary.

✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.

✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!

✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!

✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.

✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.

✻ Good luck and happy stamping! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

He's the ghost with the most! by Reneé Matarese

 Hello Ai fans!

Today I'm sharing my card for the Glitter all the Way challenge.

When I made this card a week ago, I didn't realize that several of these sets are
retiring. Though our warehouse sale has ended, the remaining stamps are still available at a
nice, discounted price. You can visit the website to SHOP SALE ITEMS.

The challenge is to use something glittery on your project. (It doesn't have to be a card.)

I used glitter paper for the glasses, spider, ghosts and BOO!
After all, who doesn't love a little sparkle!

I freehand cut the big ghost. All of the other dies are
from Art Impressions and are linked below.

Glitter all the Way #439 Week #1

Hello Ai fans, and welcome to our new challenge...

GLITTER ALL THE WAY!

We're looking for your crafty projects using something glittery.

Glittery paper, embellishments, gel pens, gems...whatever.

These don't need to be cards either. Whatever crafty 

project you create is just fine, as long as you use something from Art Impressions.

Our Featured Designer this week is Janet and you're going to LOVE her
sparkly Frankenstein Puppet card.

After you check out her card, be sure to scroll down to see who won our
 Bats in the Belfry challenge.

Hi Ai fans. It's my turn to make the feature card for Ai's latest blog challenge. It's #439, Glitter All The Way. This one is certainly up my alley as I love putting shine into my creations. The challenge gives me a legit reason to do what I love doing anyway! My project features the adorable 6120-Frankenstein Puppet Set and it's perfect for a youngster in your life.

I enjoy making interactive cards. This one has a pop and twist interior. When opened, four panels pop out with four Halloween scenes and sentiments! The top and bottom panels can be used to write your message to your lucky recipient. Overall, it's a lot of creepy fun.

To start the card, I first created the Frankenstein puppet. The die set includes all the pieces shown on the back of the package. It's easy to put him together because the packaging clearly explains each die and what part of Franky it is. I used green and black cardstock for his face, hands, and boots. His clothing is made from 5605-Halloween Journal Paper Pack. I used a touch of black glitter paper for his jacket lapels. I used an acrylic paint pen to draw his eyebrows, nose and mouth following the sample shown on Frankie's packaging. You can either draw his eyes or use googly eyes like I did. I also added some some green chalk to his cheeks.

The next step was to cut a 4" x 10" piece of purple metallic cardstock. I scored the long side at the 5" mark to create a 4" x 5" top fold card base. 

The next thing was creating the pop-up mechanism for the inside. This is the piece that makes the panels lay flat when the card is closed and pop up and out when it's opened.   

Place glue on the triangle shaped on both sides of the mechanism. Glue one side in first with the point flush and centered with the card fold. Apply glue to the remaining triangle as shown and close the card and hold until the glue sets. Give this a little time as it needs to be fully set before you try to open and close the card and the mechanism.

The result will look like this when the card is opened.

Next, cut another piece of metallic cardstock 2 1/4" x 5 1/4." Fold it in half, then fold each half again to create four folded panels in a valley, mountain, valley, mountain formation. This will be glued on to the mechanism after it's decorated.

To make the panels, I used a few die sets. I utilized 5604-Halloween Journal Die Set (pictured) and 5769-Halloween FB Fence Set. I also used a tag die from 5543-Journal Template Dies Set and cut four tags out of patterned papers from the Halloween paper pack.

Below you can see the four tags I decorated using the Halloween die sets. Once done, I added bakers twine in the tag loops and glued each of them to one of the four pop-up panels. Then I applied glue to the mechanism in the areas as shown and attached the pop-up panel to it. Do not apply glue in any other places on the mechanism or it won't open or shut correctly.

Hold the pieces in place until the glue sets. Make sure you've given time for the glue to fully adhere because there is a lot of pressure on the glued areas when folding and unfolding the card and you don't want it to release because the glue hasn't dried enough.

The next step was using dies to create the black and white panels that I glued on the top and bottom interior of the card. These look like they were torn but they are created with a die in the 5769-Halloween FB Fence Set.

Here's a close-up of the first two panels with the decorated tags.

And here are close-ups of the last two panels.

With the interior done, I worked on the front of the card. First I cut a piece of black cardstock 3 1/2" by 4 1/2." I cut strips of various heights from patterned cardstock in the 5605-Halloween Journal Paper Pack and in purple glitter cardstock. I glued them at an angle and then trimmed the edges flush with the cardstock edges. Then I glued the panel on to another mat of silver glitter cardstock sized 3 3/4" x 4 3/4." The layered panel was then adhered to the front of the purple card base shown on the left. Once that was complete, I glued Frankie to the finished card front. 

The final step was to stamp, color and cut out Frank's candy bucket and candies from 5601-Halloween Accessory Set. Then I staged them in Frankie's hands. Don't you love his googly eyes?

Thanks for joining me today for the Glitter All The Way Challenge. We love seeing all your cards and remember, all you need is something with glitter - a lot or a little meets the criteria. Please visit the Ai store to pick up your favorite stamps, dies, papers, accessories, and supplies, including all the supplies I used in this card. 

Happy Crafting!

Thank you so much Janet!!

That card is incredibly cute and the puppet series is so fun!

Now, let's see who won our Bats in the Belfry challenge.

Our Top Spot went to:

Dawn W.

How phenomenal is her version of Phil in a Halloween setting?!

Be sure to grab and share your Top Spot banner and then,

please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim your free stamp set.

Our Lucky Random Winner was #1
Cathlyn A.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim your free stamp set.

Congratulations to our winners!

Here are the rules...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation using either stamps, dies and or designer paper from Art Impressions. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.

✻Top Spot Winner and Lucky Random Winner each receive a free 

stamp set from Art Impressions

 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission. You may include your entire last name, but it's not necessary.

✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.

✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!

✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!

✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.

✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.

✻ Good luck and happy stamping!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Sweet As Can Be by Dori Mendiola

 Happy Wednesday AI Friends!

For the current blog challenge "Boy, Oh Boy", I couldn't resist using the #6103 - Baby Keepsake stamp set and the #6060 - Baby Boy Cover PP for my card today.  This stamp set has got to be the most darling set EVER!  Plus, the dies are included!!!  Yay!

I stamped the images onto copic friendly paper with Memento black ink and colored with my copic markers listed below.  I matted baby boy paper onto a blue piece of cardstock and die cut each of the images out.  I popped the images up with foam tape and placed within the windows of this slimline card.  Added the matted sentiments and a little piece of twine and the card is finished.

How fun and easy is that?  

Hope you enjoyed my card and it inspires you to join the blog challenge for a chance to win a free stamp set of your choice.  We love to see your creations!

Have a great day and keep creating!

Copics used:  N0, R20

E000, E21, E23, E25, E50, E51, E53, E55

Y11, Y13, Y19

G20, G21, G24, G40, G43, G46

B12, B14

Floral Frenzy Challenge #433

Hello Ai fans!

Welcome to our new challenge.

FLORAL FRENZY

Let's see your floral creations.

Remember, they don't have to be cards. You can create anything you like as long as you use something from Art Impressions. We'd love to see your gift card holders, gift tags, boxes and bags, bookmarks, place cards, cake picks, designer paper, framed art and more. Anything with flowers.

This week Janet is our Featured Artist and she took the theme to heart,
creating the most amazing floral card.
After you browse through her photos and picture tutorial,
be sure to see who the winners from our last challenge are.

Hi everyone! It's time for the newest Ai Challenge - Floral Frenzy. With so many floral stamps and dies to work with, this one is super easy to participate in. For inspiration I've created a card made almost entirely with dies. The only stampingare the two sentiments. Sometimes it's nice to take a break from coloring and with all the great die sets in the store, it's not hard to make something awesome out of imagination and cardstock! For my challenge project, I used 6041 - Flower and Bug Dies with a little help from some other Ai sets.

This card starts with a unique fancy fold. I learned about it from Tarabeth Stamps' blog. It folds flat for mailing but when open, the right front flap tucks under something, in my case buttons. When tucked, the card pops forward thanks to the scored folds in the front panel. When the card is open, there is lots of room to stamp a message and a strip of cardstock plus the buttons just makes it even more charming to open.

Here you can see the dimension of this card when it's opened for display. The center portions of the card front pop out to move the focal point of the card out. It's a little bit surprising as you don't necessarily expect that at first. Tuck the right edges of the card under the buttons and the magic happens!

Start with a 4 1/4" x 11" of cardstock and score 6 lines moving from right to left: 3/4", 2", 3 1/2", 4 3/4", and 5 1'2" as shown here.

Fold the scores so that you create a flat mountain shape in the center of the card front.

Then glue the last scored section and close the card. This creates a flat left edge to the card base.

Next come the mats. Since it's a floral challenge I naturally chose 6205 - Floral Shop Paper Pack. Pick three patterns that coordinate and cut them all at 4 1/8" high. Cut the strips in these widths in the order shown: 5/8", 1 1/8", 1 3/8", 1 1/8", 5/8", and 3/4". This is the same order the strips go on your folds moving from left to right.

Here are the first five strips. The sixth strip is used on the inside but will peak through when the card is tucked and displayed.

Next I created the mats where the flower and bugs will rest. For this I used a die from 6047 - Scalloped Square Dies and another square from 5061 -Square Double Stitched Dies which nests on top of the scallop square.

I cut all the cardstock shapes from the 6041 - Flower and Bug Dies set. I cut two of the flower pieces and once of everything else. I cut the gold cardstock circle for the flower but decided to use a brad instead at the last minute. For the bee's wings, I used vellum so they would be translucent.

I assembled the flower, the bee and the ladybug. I secured the two flowers together with a clear jewel brad and placed the pieces on the matted square. You might think my buttons are real but they're just cardstock! I used woodgrain paper from the 5812 - Christmas S2 Paper Pack. For this, I used a button die found in the 5543 - Journal Template Die Set. I cut two more buttons which I glued under the woodgrain button. One layer was brown to give the buttons a little more rigidity and I cut a round circle in blue cardstock which peaks through the button holes. For this I used the flower center in the Flower and Bugs set. I also cut the tag from a die in this set and matted it on green cardstock. I cut out the interior white piece 4 9/16" x 4 1/8" and glued the sixth paper strip on the right side. I stamped BFF and the inside sentiment using stamps from 5734 - Friend Sentiment Set.

To finish the card, I glued the finished focal point at a slight angle only to the striped center panel. Don't let your glue go beyond this because if you do, it'll stop the pop-out feature from working. Then I glued the inside sentiment piece. Just the right edges of each button on the inside strip of patterned cardstock are glued. Do not adhere the entire button down because you need room to slip the right front edge of the card under the buttons. Here's another look at the card in case you've forgotten after all the instructions!

This is a simple but unique fancy fold that I think is a fun presentation to someone. You can use anything for the tuck pieces. I used buttons but you could use hearts, stars, flower shapes - basically whatever your heart desires or will work with your theme.

I hope you enjoyed my creation for the Floral Frenzy challenge! I invite you to join in and enter your floral creation in this challenge. Just link it this post in the next two weeks to participate. Easy peasy! 

Thanks for stopping by and spending time with me and Art Impressions today. Please visit the Ai store to pick up your favorite stamps, dies, papers, accessories, and supplies. 

Happy Crafting!

 

This is such a pretty card and the fun fold just enhances its beauty.

Thank you Janet!

Now, let's see who won our Christmas in July challenge.

For our Top Spot we selected #5
Marianne H.
for her amazing spooky scene.

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim your free stamp set.

Our Lucky Random Winner was #13 Lynn C.
(which proves the #13 isn't always unlucky...lol!)

Please contact Leah at Feedback@artimpressions.com

to claim your free stamp set.

Congratulations to our winners!

Enjoy your new stamps.

Now, onto the details of our new challenge.

Please make a new project featuring any floral themed
stamps, dies or paper from Art Impressions.
We can't wait to see what your beautiful creations.

Here are the rules...

✻ Please make a new card or handmade crafty creation using either stamps, dies and or designer paper from Art Impressions. You can make any item you wish; this is not limited to cards! (unless specified)

✻ Limit two submissions per person.

✻Top Spot Winner and Lucky Random Winner each receive a free 

stamp set from Art Impressions

 ✻Please include your first name and last initial on your submission. You may include your entire last name, but it's not necessary.

✻We love to comment on your entries, but keep in mind if you use a private group or a platform that you need to sign up for, we probably won't be able to.

✻ The Ai Challenge is open to everyone, international submissions are welcome!

✻ Include a link back to the Ai Blog or grab our button on the top right of our sidebar!

✻ Share the Ai love if you can, by clicking and commenting on your fellow crafters.

✻ Make sure to get your link up by the deadline to enter your creations.

✻ Good luck and happy stamping! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter