SUO Challenge #86, Last Minute Christmas – Our Top 3!

12 / 30 / 13

Thanks to everyone who participated in our latest challenge. I wouldn't be surprised if quite a few of our blog followers didn't use some of those ideas for last minute Christmas Cards and Gifts! We loved them all – as usual!

Thanks especially to our Top 3 whom we felt did the best job of capturing our theme for the week! Click on the pictures of their projects to go to their blogs or galleries for more details.

Eva Bussom. This is just one of the set of note cards that Eva made. The whole set is so simple, but beautifully creative. And they look so easy to make – they could be used as a quick last-minute gift for so many occasions just by changing out the greetings!

Tricia Raineri, This is an especially wonderful little gift with the matching greeting card to go along with it! The whole design makes those polka dots look so very festive!

Lizy Bartaby. The tea lights inside the Stampin' Up! Milk Cartons make such a festive glow! This is a great hostess gift for the hard-to-shop for person – especially as they can sit or be hung as a banner. So creative!

SUO Challenge #86 – It’s Almost the “Last Minute”!

12 / 17 / 1312 / 17 / 13

Christmas is NEXT WEEK! Did you just get a Christmas Card from someone who wasn't on your list? What if someone calls at the last minute and asks to come over for a visit?? Yikes! This week our challenge is to make a card or other project to give us all an idea about what to make for that "last minute" need. Once you have your project done, post a photograph of it on your blog or in any other open online gallery, and then add a link to our Link Tool at the bottom of this post. If you have any questions about linking your project or problems in creating the link, be sure to let the challenge coordinator, Robin Messenheimer, know. We cheerfully help crafters out just about every challenge, so don't be bashful about asking for help!

Of course we have guidelines and they are detailed at the left and summarized below,, including the dates that this challenge is open.

Please remember this is an SUO (Stampin' Up! Only) challenge. Cards using non-SU! images, paper, embellishments, etc., will be removed. We also ask that you do not have advertisements for products (e.g., classes and subscription services) in your post. Please respect our criteria.

And now on to some inspiration from our talented design team for this week's challenge!

Pam Staples

To participate in our challenge, make a card or other paper-crafted project and post a photo of it to your blog or a gallery on the internet. Then come back here and use our link tool at the bottom of this post to share the photo with us.

PLEASE remember this: We’re looking for projects posted to the internet AFTER December 16, 2013. This is a NEW challenge! AND please mention/link to the SUO Challenge Blog in your post!

And, of course, your projects should be made with Stampin’ Up! products only. The products may be those that are in current catalogs, or they may be retired products. But (as our blog title says) SUO – Stampin’ Up! Only! This means that products from other papercrafting, rubber stamp, die-making or other companies may not be included in your project or in any other project included in your blog post if Stampin’ Up! sells a like product. For example, Stampin’ Up! does not sell sewing thread. So use of sewing thread from another company is just fine. Stampin’ Up! does sell the Sizzix Big Shot, so use of die-cuts, texture plates or other such products from another company is not fine. If you have a question, please send an e-mail to our Coordinator, Robin Messenheimer, and she’ll be glad to answer it!

Challenge Dates: December 17, 2013 (3 am USA Eastern Time) –

December 28, 2013 (6 am USA Eastern Time)

SUO Challenge #85, Non-Traditional Christmas – Our Top 3!

12 / 16 / 1312 / 16 / 13

Thanks to everyone who participated in our latest challenge. Lots of gorgeous ideas for non-traditional Christmas projects – colors and images alike! We loved them all – as usual!

Thanks especially to our Top 3 whom we felt did the best job of capturing our theme for the week! Click on the pictures of their projects to go to their blogs or galleries for more details.

Alyson M. The beautiful translucent pink Poinsettia is so festive, especially with the background made with My Digital Studio, and the Holly Jolly and scalloped edges picking up the background colors. Not Christmas colors, but it's definitely a Christmas card – and a gorgeous one at that!

Amy Kunkle. This is definitely a "Merry and Bright" card! This is about as non-traditional as you could get, colorwise, but it, too, is unquestionably a Christmas card!

Donna Centamore (Butternut Sage). These snow "shovels" are arranged just perfectly for this lovely Christmas scene. The colors are traditional, but the beautifully decorated gardener's spades are certainly not – but a great card for a gardener!

SUO Challenges #85 – Something Non-Traditional for Christmas

12 / 3 / 1312 / 2 / 13

Usually about this time of the year I'm pretty tired of Christmas cards using red and green or red and white or blue and silver – well, you get the picture! You, too? Then this week's challenge is for you! The challenge is to make a Christmas card card or other project that includes non-traditional colors or images – or both! Once you have your project done, post a photograph of it on your blog or in any other open online gallery, and then add a link to our Link Tool at the bottom of this post. If you have any questions about linking your project or problems in creating the link, be sure to let the challenge coordinator, Robin Messenheimer, know. We cheerfully help crafters out just about every challenge, so don't be bashful about asking for help!