Doubling Up - Jingle Belles and Merry Monday

Perhaps that title is a little misleading, I'm doubling up the number of Christmas cards I'm making this time, but not combining challenges.  

The first card is for the Jingle Belles challenge to use 3 or more patterned papers on your card.  I am a slacker when it comes to using patterned paper and there's no excuse for it because I have a separate box full of Christmas-themed paper that I keep right at my feet under my work table.  See, this is why I need challenges like this so I can delve into the box and see what comes of it.  Although I did have to get HWNSNBP involved this time because I couldn't pick up the box myself.  That's always a dangerous thing..... inviting him into the stamp cave.  Even more dangerous letting him look underneath the table.  Yikes!  I was  a bit sneaky though and pulled the box out from under the table with my foot, put a big post-it on it with a big X and left him a note on the kitchen counter to please put it on my chair when he got home from work while I was at physical therapy.  

There was a technique challenge recently on Splitcoast called Punch Strips, so I tried it out with these patterned papers and a punch that resembled an ornament.  I found some glittered star buttons that fit perfectly on the top of the "ornaments" and punched a couple other stars in gold foil and gold glitter paper for the top.  I took some red rick-rack and wrapped thin gold thread around it first, made a loopy mess out of the thread and added the stars over the top of it.  

The second card was done for the Merry Monday challenge - to use neon colors on your Christmas card.  I had seen this stamp set used with watercolored backgrounds and some alcohol ink backgrounds but this one is done with daubers.  

I embossed the images from SU's The Newborn King in white EP and then swirled on the colors with my daubers.  Then I did some detail work with my SU markers on the manger scene and star.  This is definitely one of those cards that looks much better IRL.  For whatever reason, it was very difficult to take a clear picture of it, or maybe it was just my eyes last night, but I'm pretty pleased with the way this turned out.  I'd love to hear what you think.

I'm off to visit the Jingle Belles and Merry Monday to see the other wonderful creations. Take a peak!