ABC Christmas Challenge: Y and Z

It's December - not exactly sure how that happened, but the calendar tells me it is - and so we are onto the last two letters of the alphabet at ABC Christmas Challenge! And sadly, it is also my last post as part of the design team. The past three years have been a delight, and I will miss the great team there, but life has been getting a little hectic lately and I had to let some things go. We are also saying goodbye to one of the founders of the challenge, Samantha. Samantha gave me the opportunity to become part of the team, and is an inspiration both with her cards and her behind-the-scenes work. 

The loss of some team members means there is a design team call! I highly recommend this as a great way to build up your stash of holiday cards through the year. All the details are on the ABC blag. 

At last, onto this month's challenge! Our first theme is Y for YUMMY. I made a card with the yumminess implied: 

Of course anything from Mrs. Claus herself is going to be yummy! She and her bakery are stamped, embossed, coloured with Copics and die cut. For the background, I stamped the chimney smoke in grey ink, plus a second one onto a sticky note to cut out and use as a mask. I blended distress oxide ink for the sky and spritzed it with water for a little extra interest. I adhered the bakery directly to the background then popped up the frame and Mrs Claus. 

And finally, at the end of the alphabet, we have Z for Zigzags. 

For this card, I went for a vintage look with a minimum of stamping. The zigzag paper and the fishtail banner are from a patterned paper pad, while the other ephemera are from a Tim Holtz pack. I'm sure I could have found a pre-printed sentiment as well, but I do like to add a little stamping, so embossed the sentiment on the same kraft cardstock as the card base. I also added a trio of enamel dots. 

I hope the letter prompts, and the great inspiration from my ABC teammates, will help get those December holiday cards made! 

Supplies: (sweet Christmas) Neenah white cardstock, Heffy Doodle Santa's Village stamps & dies, Pink & Main Sweet Christmas sentiment stamp, Versafine onyx black & mermaid lagoon distress oxide ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Copic markers, MFT diagonal stitched rectangle die, foam tape; (Christmas greetings) Neenah desert storm cardstock,  My Mind's Eye All is Bright patterned paper, Cavallini Vintage Christmas stamp, Versamark & Catherine Pooler rouge ink, Wow clear gloss embossing powder, Tim Holtz/Idea-ology Christmas Ephemera, FT diagonal stitched rectangle die, My Mind's Eye Lost & Found Christmas enamel dots