On the 23rd Day of Christmas Crafting...

 

I think I've finally pulled myself of my card-making rut. I've made seven cards this month alone. There were two last month, and I made a wedding card in May. I haven't been making cards for quite a while now, but Pat got her groove back (mostly because she recovered all her hundreds of digital images that were backed up in the Cloud but couldn't access until recently).

This holiday card uses designer paper, two die cuts and a few snowflake stickers on dimensional dots.  I just reached my hand into my magic bag of die cuts for the holidays (eyes closed) and pulled him out. This time I matched the papers and embellishments to the snowman die cut...

Do you draw out or plan your cards ahead of time?  Do you base them on the images, the papers, the embellishments, or does it just come together as you're playing with your crafting supplies? I have to admit when I make a card I have no plan, no diagram, no sample to work off of. Often, an image will inspire a greeting or quote (usually funny or punny). Other times, I will search for the right image for a particular quote. Unless  I'm challenged to create something with specific parameters, it's like trying to catch a fish in your hands at the local creek. Whatever I catch shows me how to cook it.

Now that the craft fairs are a thing of the past (month), I'm tapering off new crafts so that I can pack away items to sell at next year's fairs. I'm also planning on decluttering my stash, in order reclaim my basement as a family area (mostly for entertainment). Once it's clean, organized and uncluttered, I plan on hosting a brunch for neighbors and friends. Maybe make the theme a "Board Meeting", as in everybody bring their favorite Charcuterie board to share. There are plenty of Pinterest posts to inspire a few friends to try something new...

On the First Day of Christmas Crafting...

 

Good morning crafters! Since my holiday card supply is running low, I decided to make a few cards for family and friends. Today's card features an image called  Vintage Christmas Sticker Sheet from Conjuror of Dreams for the base or background. It's a  beautiful grove of pine trees, which works perfectly with the images I colored and fussy-cut to pop into the winter scene.

I wanted some dimension on the card, so my Simply Betty images were colored with Copics, then adhered onto the card with dimensional tape. After framing the paper layers, I popped a shiny star up top and my first Christmas card of the season is finished. 

 Challenges I am Entering :

 

All I Want for Christmas...

 

So many friends, so many Christmas cards needed. Here's another card, this one destined for my letter carrier. I had to use Stella from Bugaboo Designs with the sentiment inside reading:

"...is Santa's naughty Boy list"

I am still diligently using up my stash, although the temptation to run to Michael's is almost irresistible. However, I need to use up before I buy up. That's what keeps a craft room from becoming a crap room...

You can find "Stella Christmas - Boy List" digi at the Bugaboo Store HERE.   Now to get back to my Christmas card making. Happy crafting!

Challenges I am Entering:

Catch the Bug Awkward Holiday Chaos Day 1 - Snow

International Art & Soul - Funny Christmas

Card Mania - Christmas

Merry Little Christmas - AG (Christmas)

*Don't forget Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog's 12 Days of Christmas Raise the Hoof celebration. Here's a clue to Day 1's question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0byH9h1ClBY

Shhh! It's our secret! See you there!

Trying to Keep Cool

Hello, crafters! Now that we have reached the dog days of summer, I thought to create a cooling card for you. I used two digital images from Scribbles Designs: Snow Kisses and Melting for You. The papers are from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. My collection of winter and holiday cards is almost complete. I feel so good about that! And I love creating 100% digital cards, because they are completely flat and mail out with just one regular stamp! LOL

Here are the details of this card:

Digital card using:

Scribbles Designs Snow Kisses Image & Melting For sentiment

DDD Momie Dearest Textured Papers Texture 7 & August Pools Paper

DDD Tag Grab Bag 1, Staple 2

Meanwhile, don't forget to link up your card or project for this month's challenge at Scribbles Designs. The theme is the Power of Words, as in use a sentiment as your focal point on your project. Good luck and happy crafting!

Challenges I  am Entering:

Digitally Made Challenges - Animals/Pets

It's Still Cold at Scribbles Challenge Blog

Today is the MIDPOINT of the BABY IT'S COLD OUT THERE challenge at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog. I created a card using Scribbles' Snow Kisses. I love the snowmen and penguin characters that Sandy has created for her store. 
I also love the color teal, which is featured on my card by the light teal glitter paper, ric rac paper and my Copic coloring. The patterned paper is from a new paper kit from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. The set is called Angelic Nature.
I finished off my card with some glittery alphas to spell out Brrr (which happens to be the penguin's trade name if you go to Scribbles Designs). A spray of silver and a snowflake bow dipped in glitter and my card looks, well, like winter! ...which Chicago has returned to, after enjoying an unseasonable week of T-shirt weather.
This challenge runs through the 14th of March, so pull out your winter embellishments and come join the fun at Scribbles Designs Challenge Blog.

Challenges I am Entering:

It's Snowing Cupcakes (I wish!)

Here is my midway DT project for this month's 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up challenge. I got to play with a sweet digi image from Imagine That! Digis by Kris. It's called Cupcake Snowman. The blog offers us an optional theme of Kids' Christmas cards. In order to have a chance to win the prize from our wonderful guest sponsor this month, they want to see a Christmas or other holiday card, meant for a child between the ages of 0 & 12. I can't wait to see how it turns out! If you do follow the optional theme, be sure to add FT after your name so that they include you in the draw for the prize.
Remember, you don't need to follow the theme to link up your cards, earn a free paper each month, and have your name thrown into the year-end draw for some extra digital goodies. You only need to follow the theme if you want a chance to win this month's sponsored prize of a $10 gift certificate to Imagine That! Digis by Kris store.

Here's a little about this month's sponsor:

 Imagine That! Digis by Kris™ is a mother/daughter team bringing you our cutest hand-drawn images that you can flip, re-size, re-color, print & use in your crafting creations!  Almost all our digi sets include both color & outline formats & include sentiments for a great value.  In addition to carrying family-friendly digi stamps, we also offer digital papers and KD-Kits, all available as instant downloads!  You may want to check out our Free blog Wear category, as well as find freebies on our Facebook Page and join in our monthly progressive challenge where everyone who plays, Wins!  You can read more about us here on our 'About the Artists' page.

Okay, crafters, it's your turn! You have until October 31st to link up your card(s) at the 12 Months of Christmas Link-Up blog. If you link up at least 2 cards, you will receive a free digital Christmas-themed paper from Decosse's Dynamite Doodles. If you create using the theme of Kids' Christmas, make sure you add the letters FT after your name for that prize draw.
And as always, crafters, have fun!!

First Squigglefly Challenge of the New Year

The first challenge of the year has a THANK YOU theme.  Gets you started on all those Thank You cards you need to send out for those fabulous presents!  My card features a Cheryl Alger image called "Blinkie's Snowday Dreaming", and was just released by Squigglefly on January 5!!
I colored my image with Copics, tore some glitter paper for a few banks of snow, and hung a star for Blinkie to ficus on.  Some handmade white "flowersoft" adds a little dimension, even blowing across my framed snowman.  A simple Thank You sentiment finishes off my first card of the year.
So, now that the holidays are 'round the corner, what are you working on?  I had to ruthlessly clean out my craft closet, packing up two bags for trash, 1 bag for Goodwill and a nice container of goodies to swap on my Yahoo Group, Your Scrapbook Place.  And my room is still not finished!!  But I am a lot more organized now, and I can see the top of my desk!
So I am working on two 2013 calendars with a layout for each month (one for me and one for a gift).  I also have a Recipe book that I want to fill up and embellish, to give to my new daughter-in-law, with all my son's fave foods.
Well, I hope you like my card.  Check out all the new Squigglefly releases HERE!  Then go to the Squigglefly Challenge Blog and play for a chance to win free digi's.  And Happy crafting in the new year!!
p.s. (Did you know that Squigglefly has a reward program that is free to join and is a great way to earn free images?  For every $15. you spend you will earn a free image. You can use the free image immediately, or save up and go for a big splurge one day. They never expire. And!!  if you are just now finding out about the rewards program, and you've already purchased images - Squigglefly will credit you any money spent in the current month! Just click the "My Squigglefly" at the top right of the Squigglefly home page).