Oh Christmas Tree

I was given the opportunity to be the guest designer for Double Trouble Challenge for the month of July.  Today begins the second challenge of the month.  Here are the details:

WELCOME to Challenge #221 - Let the Troubles Begin!

Challenge runs from Monday, July 20th thru Sunday, Aug 2nd

Here is Thing 1's 3-2-1 Recipe - "Christmas in July"
Servings - Unlimited Portions of Fun
Specific information is available by clicking on each ingredient.
        3 Colors of Your Choice (Neutrals Do Not Count as one of the three choices, but neutrals can be used in addition to the colors of choice) 

        2 Layers (Card Base does not count) 

        1 Holiday Sentiment

Directions: You MUST include at least the required minimum of each ingredient for successful results and a chance in our random drawing... but you may enhance your project by using more than the ingredients stipulated.

THING 1: Trouble Maker says, "We had snow much fun with our previous 3-2-1 'Christmas in July' recipe. If you participated, you already have a head start on your holiday crafting. Let’s celebrate, stir up some more trouble in the kitchen, and create another project using all the ingredients from our 3-2-1 recipe above!

"Let me give you a heads-up: Twisted Sister is changing the optional twist for this challenge, but Double Dare is still giving you a choice of two sketches."

You can stop here...
OR
play along with Thing 3's Optional Twist and/or Thing 2's Optional Dare and earn additional chances in our random drawing. 

THING 3: Twisted Sister 

says, "'Wow, Double Trouble. How simple is that? I'm ready to take on snow much more fun.

"I'm craving a change from traditional red and green. The Jingle Belles Unicorn Christmas color palette to the left looks way more fun. So, my optional twist is to use at least three non-traditional Christmas colors (your choice) in our recipe above. OR, select three colors from the Jingle Belles palette to earn another chance in our random drawing." 

Optional Twist: If you included non-traditional colors in your project, then you have earned another chance in our Random Drawing. If you use three colors from the Jingle Belles Unicorn Color Palette instead, then you will earn another random drawing chance.

THING 2: Double Dare
says, "Double Wow!! Repeat: Click the clipart to the left for another peek at sketches #699 and #700 from our sister challenge, Try a Sketch On Tuesday. My optional dare is to combine your choice of either sketch with the Double Trouble 3-2-1 recipe for Christmas in July.

To prevent backlinking, please ensure your project is not posted, published, or entered anywhere before July 21st. Following this guideline will earn you TWO additional chances in our random drawing!

Want to earn another chance in our random drawing? If your project includes at least three colors from the Unicorn Color Palette, with or without using TSOT sketch, you can also link it up at the Jingle Belles Urnicorn Color Challenge until Aug 2nd.

Here is my card:

I chose three of the colors from the unicorn color palette: light pink, turquoise, and the pale green.  I added some fun patterned paper that pulled in some of my colors to the right hand side of the card.  And the pink card stock looked much too plain, so I found a text background stamp and stamped that in a slightly darker pink, and I think it gave just the right amount of interest.  I decided to have a lot of fun with the sketch I chose and made it a fun fold card:

And for even more fun, I turned the Christmas tree element of the sketch into a shaker element!

I used some sequins in colors that matched my color scheme--both inside the shaker element and on the front of the card.  The little star was backed with gold glitter paper, and I die cut the "merry" out of gold card stock and backed it with a white die cut layer for a little more stability before adding it to the card.

As always, there was a lot of doing first and THEN thinking about it, so I probably put in more effort than I really needed to, but I am quite pleased with the results, if I do say so myself.  

I hope you will come and play with us.  I can't wait to see what non-traditional color schemes you come up with!

Supplies:

Stamps: Papertrey Ink "Just Sentiments: Be Merry" I masked off the "merry" so I could just add "Christmas" to go with my die cut sentiment; MFT "Typewriter text" background stamp

Dies: Picket Fence Studio "Merry Christmas Die Set"; MFT "Christmas Tree Window"

Challenges:

Christmas Cards All Year 'Round--M, N, O (m is for merry)

Cards Galore #149--anything goes

Crafter's Cafe--Anything goes with the optional twist: Christmas in July

Die Cut Divas--Christmas in July

Try A Sketch on Tuesday #670--sketch

613 Avenue--anything goes with the optional twist: any holiday

Creative Creases #117--anything goes with a fun fold

Pearly Sparkles #121--Christmas in July

Fab 'n' Funky #641--Christmas in July

Alphabet Challenge--F is for festivities

Make My Monday #282--Christmas in July

Little Red Wagon #867--pink

Crafty Catz #718--anything goes

Creative Fingers #326--anything goes

Jingle Belles--unicorn holiday color palette

Inkspirational Challenge #372--Christmas in July

Lil' Patch of Crafty Friends #282--anything goes