December 2023 Card Chain Reveal

Hello & welcome! Today we're sharing cards made for the December 2023 Card Chain Challenge. Despite December being a busy month, twenty-seven people participated - you can see the reveal chain HERE. My card went to the talented Julia (Create with Me) - first time for me to send to her - yay! 

Supplies: Paper - Spellbinders A2 card; BoBunny Winter Getaway;

Paper Studio bronze glitter cardstock; Neenah white

Stamps - Hampton Art Ellen Krans Penguin Holiday (c2008-retired)

Stamps with dies - Colorado Crafty Company Cozy Cat

(dies sold separately HERE)

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

My Favorite Things Fine Finish Edge (retired 

but found HERE at Frantic Stamper)

Other - Avery Elle Holiday ephemera (c2019-retired);

American Crafts jewel brads (c2011); embroidery floss DMC825;

paper ribbon & button by unk

The CCC offered a challenging 5x5 tic-tac-toe grid with a "B" words - yikes! I went with the bottom row BLUE-BRADs-BEAR-BUTTON-BRONZE.

Like other participants who shared their design process with me, I found one thing I wanted to include and went from there. I used one of my favorite BEAR stamps which has made several appearances in the Card Chain. Last December's chain he had a purple scarf; this year I gave him a BLUE one. 

Did you find the BUTTON?? I had the idea to give the knot in his scarf a button - isn't it cute? I thought I remembered a snowflake button in the jar & hoped it was small enough - perfect!! After stamping, coloring and fussy cutting Mr. Bear, I used embroidery floss to stitch the button to the scarf, knotting on top and trimming for a bit of fringe. Added him to an Avery Elle ephemera tag.

Next, the hunt for BRADs - an old fad but I knew I had some. Where?? Managed to find 3 packages, all unopened in an embellishment box and, thanks to my friend Heather (Stamping and Stitching) I had some with gem centers that looked BRONZE to me. To be on the safe side, though, I used some bronze glitter paper too, die cut with a zig zag edger. I remember there being some kind of tool to nip off the brad progs but I don't have one. I just arranged to fit them under the paper and tried to smash them as flat as possible! I used a sweet sentiment from a Colorado Craft Company set, stamped a holiday sentiment inside, assembled & done!

There you have it - all five items included - fun challenge! I was delighted to get a card this month from Ellie (Ellibelle's Corner) in IL - first time from her - yay! Don't you just love the delicate wreath & delicate blues? I do!! Thanks for the card, Ellie, and the wreath die cuts - I'll share what I make with them, promise!

Want to join in? You can sign up for the January chain HERE by 1/6/24 - just make and send one card, then receive one card - so simple!

Thanks for stopping & happy crafting!!