Winter Inspiration at Craft-Room Challenges

The lovely Debbie adores using pictures as inspiration, so she chose this one for challenge # 91 at the Craft-Room Challenge.  I am very sad to say that this will be the last challenge at the Craft-Room Challenge.  I had a lovely time as one of the design team members and I am going to miss each and every one of my teamies - hopefully I will get to work with them in the future ~ ok, on with the challenge!

The woman in the black dress inspired me to make this holiday card. I enjoy making holiday cards out of non-traditional colors so that was the route I went.

What I Used to make My Card
Martha Stewart Punches 
Corner Punch from Stampin' Up!
Sincere Salutations Stamp Set from Stampin' Up!
Ranger Archival Ink in Jet Black
A2 White card base
Black Cardstock
White Cardstock

I have seen so many lovely cards made with die cuts and Silhouette cuts, you

The punches I used

know those beautiful cards with layers and ribbon and flowers? Well, I am not much for flowers on my cards, I don't have the fancy dies to cut from yet and I need a new blade for my Silhouette so I decided to see what I could do with the punches I have. Honestly, I HAD to have the Martha Stewart punches and this is the first time I am using them.  I still can't get the hang of the coveted "punch around the page".
 

The layers (except the large black)

 I started out with a piece of black cardstock cut a 1/4" smaller than the card base and picked out some punches to decorate it.  I used the Martha Stewart "Swirly Corner" (I don't have names for the Martha Stewart punches, so I named them myself) in the corners and then used the "Scallop Dots" for the center of the panel.  I cut the white panel smaller than the black panel and used the same punches.  For the smallest black panel I used just the "Scallop Dots" since it was too small for the "Swirly Corner" punch.  The last white panel, after I stamped my sentiment, had the corners rounded using the Stampin' Up! corner rounder. I then layered the panels with pop dots (I'd used fairly low pop dots - I may want to mail the card) and that was it. 
 

Thought I'd show you the dimension of the card

I had a fabulous time coming up with different designs with the punches & I hope you like what I came up with! There are 2 full weeks for you to join us at the Craft-Room Challenge and we'd love to see how you interpret the inspiration photo and show some love for our last challenge. Blessings! Christi

I would like to enter my card in the following challenges:
C.R.A.F.T. Challenge - #288, Christmas
Craft Hoarders Anonymous - #21, Celebrate the Season (Martha Stewart punches are over a year old and this is the first time I have used them)
Crafty Card Makers and More - #129, Christmas
Fantasy Stampers Challenge - #25, CAS Christmas