December 2021 Card Chain Reveal

Hi crafty friends - hope you had a wonderful New Year's Eve & Day! Crazy to be in 2022 already and I hope it brings great things to you! We're revealing cards that 18 people sent around the world in the December Card Chain Challenge. You can see the entire chain HERE.

My card went to the delightful Gail (Crafty Nomad) in Norway, one of the administrators of the challenge, who loves cardinals (I didn't know this ahead of time).

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Paper Studio Gifts of Gold, 

Christmas Basics & glitter card;

BoBunny Merry & Bright; Spellbinders white A2 card

Stamps - Hero Arts Vintage Post (retired)

Dies - A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Hero Arts Tag Frames Infinity Dies & Vintage Post to 

match the bird stamp (Frantic Stamper has that die set HERE);

Impression Obsession Pine Branch;

Other - Copic markers; Hero Arts gems

December's challenge offered a 5x5 tic-tac-toe board! I chose the bottom row. For gold, I have gold gems and foil lines in the patterned label paper, plus my glitter cardstock is gold. My stamp is the cardinal which also met the bird requirement and I have red snowflake paper as the background.

I received this fabulous card from dear Jo (Just a Dotty Pudding), the other challenge administrator. Poor Jo was left wondering over Christmas if I'd rec'd her card. I was visiting my parents for the holidays and came home on December 30th to a lovely stack of holiday mail, including her card! I just love that cute Santa & the fun tag - thanks Jo!! Sorry for the dark photo but you can see it in better light on Jo's blog HERE.

I thank Gail and Jo for all their hard work in 2021 on this fun card chain challenge!! Want to play? You have until 1/6/22 to sign up for the January chain HERE. It's wonderful to send and receive a handmade card each month! I especially love reveal day because I enjoy seeing all the different ways people go with their creations - so inspiring!!

Thanks for stopping and have a crafty day!

Last Day of December 2021

Happy New Year's Eve everyone!! You can still play along with our Die Cut Divas December Challenge to do a Winter/Christmas project - just link up by 9pm Pacific time today!! I'm part of the end of month team with inspiration at DCD here, sharing the card below. Frantic Stamper (FS) is our fabulous sponsor this month - see all the prize details at DCD (US only - sorry!).

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white & Paper Studio Holiday;

Spellbinders white A2 card; designer snowflake paper by unk

Dies - Frantic Stamper Slimline Frames;

Sunny Studio Santas Stocking (available at FS here);

Birch Press Design Big Thanks Sugar Script (available at FS here);

A Jillian Vance Design Stitched Dot Rectangle Backdrop Set;

Art Impressions Large Snowflakes

Other - white gel pen; foam tape

I originally started creating my holiday thank yous with the first slimline shown below. I decided to lead with the snowflake & bow card instead. I fell in love with it, especially the snowflake designer paper sent by friend and Diva teamie Dawn (Dawn's World). The bow had been cut when I made the stocking card for my Dec 21st post - ended up not using it. It sat on the craft table crying to be used so I popped it atop a snowflake & added to a fun frame from Frantic Stamper. I just love the slimline set which includes this frame and use it often, including for the cards below!

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; Core'dinations black;

Tim Holtz 2020 Holiday; Paper Studio Holiday

Dies - Frantic Stamper Slimline Frames & Snowflake Trio;

Art Impressions Large Snowflakes;

Poppystamps Spectacular Thank You (available at FS here)

Other - white gel pen; SSS sentiment strip; Park Lane stars

I die cut the black frame & backed it with some TH holiday paper from last year. Added to a slimline card along with some snowflakes and the sentiment & star gems. Next I created a second version using a green frame and a jumbo (retired) snowflake from Hero Arts. I'd be interested in hearing which version you prefer... I'm tipping toward the second one.

Supplies: Paper - Neenah white; 

Tim Holtz 2020 Holiday; Paper Studio Holiday

Dies - Frantic Stamper Slimline Frames;

Art Impressions Large Snowflakes; Hero Arts snowflake (retired)

Poppystamps Spectacular Thank You (available at FS here)

Other - white gel pen; SSS sentiment strip; Park Lane stars

I can't say enough about Frantic Stamper and the great customer service! I was enabled by Lisa's (My Paper Tales) adorable sElfie card to order the stamp set she used - not in stock at MFT but found at FS and already received!! Of course I ordered a few other things... I'm sure Fran was hoping I could use my recent purchases before the end of the month but I was away for Christmas. Just got my huge stack of lovely mail yesterday, including my FS goodies. With such a variety of brands, I always find more than what I need at Frantic Stamper! Thanks again to FS for being such a great sponsor this month!

If you're still with me, I did more variations of the lead card. I was up at 2:30am the other day - called by my mom who couldn't sleep. Of course, I couldn't sleep after that and made good use of the time! I used some fun patterns from My Mind's Eye, BoBunny & Tim Holtz. I used a Concord & 9th Turnabout Stamp (Christmas Cheer) for the background at bottom left.

 

Thanks for visiting!! Hope to see you in the Diva gallery - just remember to use the theme plus a die cut or embossing folder and link up by 9pm Pacific time today.

Merry Christmas Wishes!!

Merry Christmas to everyone celebrating today!! 

Wishing you happy times with family and friends and a fabulous year in 2022! 

I often decorate multiple Christmas trees but with Mom's broken leg, I only managed one this year.

I decided to bring one of my slim trees tomy parents' house. Sister Tami came to MN from AZ for a few days during one of the worst snowstorms we've had this year. She helped me decorate so Mom had a nice homecoming from rehab. Mom loves the angel topper and granny square tree skirt crocheted by one of her friends.

We celebrated with my brother and his wife on Thursday - Donna made a delicious ham dinner, then we played Phase 10 (a card game). I won!! Here I am with my parents - we're wearing holiday headbands gifted to us from friends, Connie and Doug. They've been giving us an Advent box for several years - my mom loves opening the daily "prize" from December 1st through the 25th. Today we'll have lutefisk and lefse in honor of my dad's Norwegian heritage.

We're still doing Winter/Christmas themed projects at Die Cut Divas until 9pm on 12/31 so check it out if you have some time left to play this month! Thanks for visiting and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! 

Embossed masculine card

Hey crafty friends - ready for Christmas? I never did manage to make cookes but was lucky to have a friend share some of hers!

I'm popping in with a masculine card for an upcoming January birthday, making sure to include elements to fit at Let's Squash It (challenge #15 - Your Call).

Supplies: Paper - Basic Grey Bowties;

Paper Studio silver; Co'redinations black; Neenah white

Stamps - Divinity Designs Hat's Off

Embossing folder - Taylored Expressions Brick

Ink - Black Soot Distress Oxide

Other - Copic Markers T1, E00 & E11;

Park Lane stars

Besides using an embossing folder, we're supposed to incorporate a past technique from Let's Squash It. I went with the simple, but effective, technique of inking the raised areas. Sponging Black Soot DI ink lightly over the embossed silver cardstock really gave the background a weathered look.

That's it for today - thanks for stopping!!

A Hero Arts Fans Scramble Group Christmas Exchange

Hi all - over on our private Hero Arts Fans Scramble Group in Facebook we held a Christmas card exchange. My card went to Nina S. in Wisconsin so it didn't have to travel far! We've had our reveal so I'm able to post here now.

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card;

BoBunny Merry and Bright; Paper Studio red and 

Dies - Hero Arts DI656 Paper Layering Poinsettia &

Tag Frames Infinity Dies

Stamps - Hero Arts Color Layering Dimensional Bird

Other - Park Lane gems; Memento Rhubarb Stalk ink

I couldn't resist using my favorite Hero Arts die, new in 2019. I've used it oodles of times over the past 3 years! I love the detail on the petals and leaves, plus it cuts like a dream! The label die set was a recent purchase and I've used it several times already. I fussy cut the sentiment in the style we're seeing lately with dies - love those but, of course, older stamp sets don't have them... The sentiment came with the Color Layering Dimensional Bird set - I linked to Frantic Stamper who had 4 of them when I last checked (retired at Hero Arts). Frantic Stamper is the sponsor at Die Cut Divas this month so pop over and check it out!

I received this beauty from Karen K. (KCs Kards) in California - just love her merry snowpeople with the layered forest behind!! Thanks Karen!!

I will link my card to the current Christmas Kickstart Challenge for anything Christmassy. 

If you want to join the HA Fans Scramble Group, you need to be on Facebook and send a request to join. Cindy (Escape to Stamping) is our fearless leader. :)

Thanks for stopping and I hope you're having a happy holiday season!! 

A shaped Christmas card

Hey crafty friends - I'm sharing at Die Cut Divas today with my first card, plus I have a bonus card here for you!! Our Diva challenge this month requires a Winter/Christmas project with the option of making a shaped card. Frantic Stamper is sponsoring this challenge and generously donated a lovely Christmas die bundle! Be sure to check out the details at DCD - note: prize drawing is only for US-based participants.... Here's my shaped card:

Supplies: Paper - Sunny Studio Holiday Cheer;

Neenah Classic Crest Solar White

Dies - Sunny Studio Santa's Stocking (at FS here)

and Lacy Snowflakes (at FS here)

Spellbinder's Snowflake Splendor (at FS here)

Other - SSS Reverse sentiment, Parklane gems

I couldn't resist this darling stocking die set! I formed an A2 shaped card by not cutting the stocking through the top edge of a top fold card. Then I die cut & added the layers - such fun!!

Frantic Stamper carries a wonderful selection of brands, plus I love their brand's products! My intention was to make another shaped card with a beautiful vintage Santa (Believe in the Magic and Wonder) stamp using the coordinating die. I put the set somewhere and couldn't find it when it came time to create - does that happen to you? So I went with a simple yet effective Christmas coverplate die, not a shaped card, for my bonus. While both dies are new, I'll link the stocking card to Christmas Kickstart (If It's Christmassy) and the coverplate card to Darnell's NBUS Challenge.

Dies - Frantic Stamper Christmas Words Card Panel

& Snowflake Trio

That's it for today. Are you ready for Christmas? I got the last of my Christmas cards mailed yesterday but haven't baked a single cookie yet....maybe tomorrow? Thanks for the well wishes for my mom - she came home from rehab Thursday then had to get cast #4 on Friday. Luckily cast #5 can wait til the new year! She's so happy to be home for Christmas!!

The December Diva Challenge ends 12/31 at 9pm Pacific Time; hope to see you in the gallery!!

 

Quick and easy Christmas cards

Hey there - just popping in to post a project for the current Christmas Kickstart Challenge. You can link up anything Christmassy! Here's my little trio:

Supplies: Paper - Prefab foiled ornament card;

Paper Studio glitter; Neenah black

Dies - Michael's Recollections holiday words

My Favorite Things Blueprints 26 (retired)

Other - Simon Says Stamp Sentiment Strip

I found these darling foiled ornament cards (blank inside) a couple years ago. Can't remember if they were in the value bins at Target or Michaels. They are slightly smaller than A2 size & come in a set of three with envelopes. The cardstock texture looks like linen - so pretty! I thought they'd be perfect for some quick and easy cards! All I did was add a die cut bow (from an MFT birthday die set) and a sentiment. Two have the Michaels joy die cut in two different shades of green and one has an SSS sentiment strip with a black bow. I wanted to do a red one but was out of red glitter paper...

Hope this isn't "cheating" LOL!

Mom is coming along on her broken leg recovery - thanks for the get well wishes! She is on cast #3 and gets a new one Friday; they keep changing them so they can check her skin. Meanwhile I'm busily writing out cards and trying to make more - still a ways to go!!

I'll be back on 12/21 with a Die Cut Divas project. Until then, thanks for stopping and have a crafty day!!