In my continual search for inspiration (color, color, color!), I popped on by the Color Throwdown blog to see what they had going on. Surprise, surprise! One of my favorite color combinations of all time was the challenge this week. I couldn’t believe it. Of course, I’m too late to play, but I wanted to make this fun little holiday card featuring that combination. How much fun are these colors for Christmas? Unusual yet borderline traditional.

I did all of the coloring with my trusty blender pen, though I think next time, I’ll stamp on watercolor paper. I inked the stamp using my Stampin’ Write markers so that each piece of the image would be outlined in just the right color.

The next color combo is one that I saw Kelly use over a month ago, but it really stuck with me. I was a little afraid to try it, but I’m so glad that I did! This is a masquerade-inspired Halloween card, embracing the glam side of that holiday.

Now, you’ll notice something about these cards. Yup. Same template. I wanted to see if I could get two different looks using the same basic layout, and I love the results. I always feel like my layouts have sort of the same look to them, but I’m going to just embrace that.

Holiday Wishes recipe: stamps: vintage picnic; card stock: whisper white; paper: cottage wall + thoroughly modern; ink: Chocolate Chip + Old Olive + Regal Rose + Rose Red + More Mustard marker + Old Olive marker + Positively Pink marker; fibers: berry sorbet twill; accessories: dark chocolate buttons; tools: blender pens + parisian edger punch

Halloween Glam recipe: stamps: 2009 halloween tags; card stock: kraft + whisper white; paper: night & day + razzleberry lemonade; ink: melon mambo; fibers: black satin; accessories: raspberry fizz buttons + rhinestones; tools: small corner rounder punch + 1-3/4" circle punch + parisian edger punch