Cardstock Christmas with The Jingle Belles...

 

It's Cardstock Only this fortnight over at Jingle Belles! 

Here's what Stef and Lauren require for their current challenge:

"This fortnight at Jingle Belles we're asking you to step away from the designer paper … yes, put it away … none allowed … not even a scrap … because this time the assignment is to create a holiday card using only cardstock. You can tear it, ink it, stamp it, spray it, emboss it, die cut it … but stick to only cardstock for your holiday card design."

Mmmmm, this one took me a few days to ponder, and then I hit upon this idea:

I do love kraft and white together, and when you go for such a simple design you just HAVE to add some texture. The cute trees are from Sizzix/Tim Holtz Festive Things (On Sale!) and the sentiment is from Creative Expressions Craft Dies by Lisa Horton. 

Thanks for the fun, guys, I really did enjoy the challenge of ditching the design paper! 

Happy crafting, everyone! 

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #78 - Reminder

 

Hi guys, it's Reminder time over at Christmas Kickstart where we're in the mad-talented company of Kimberly W from Wienerhoneymooners.

 

Our theme for this month is:

Challenge #78 - Chillin' with my Snowmies

and here's a reminder of Kimberley's adorable card: 

I always like to create my Reminder card by taking some inspiration from the card created by our elfin guest and here's what I came up with...

One of the things I really like about Kimberley's card is the way your eye is invited to move around the card to 'read' the full story of her creation. I used Scene Builder from Mama Elephant and a Jane's Doodles Snowman from Winter Icons to make my card. 

I also made this fun little number...

My card ingredients for this one are as follows: Penny Black - Skate all the Way, Creative Expressions - Starry Night from the Borderline Collection and Sizzix - Tim Holtz Treeline.

Rudolph has a lovely prize for his Random Raffle for this challenge.

Kimberley and I both hope you'll come and play along!

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #45 - If It's Christmassy, Link it Up!

Well, we've finally reached the last Christmas Kickstart Challenge of 2020! This really has been one of the strangest and most difficult years that many of us will ever have lived through. I don't know about you but during this time I've been so glad to have the love of my family and friends, plus this crazy cardmaking hobby to keep me going!

We've a new elf on board for this challenge. I don't always introduce our elf here on my blog but this time things are a little different as this elf doesn't have her own blog or Instagram account.  For Challenge #45 I'm delighted to welcome Alice, or as I like to call her, Mom!

After much persuasion my mom has finally agreed to join the fun and inspire us with her beautiful cards at Christmas Kickstart.

Our theme is:

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #45 - If it's Christmassy, Link it Up!

We'd like to see your final Christmas cards of the year or your first cards of 2021 - the choice is yours!

Here's what my mom made:

As you can see she loves to die cut and has combined dies from Creative Expressions The Holly and the Ivy  with others from the Sue Wilson Range.

And here's her second card featuring beautiful die cuts from Creative Expressions All is Calm and a sweet edger die (also from Sue Wilson) that I'm having trouble tracking down to include a link!

Here's what I made. 

Don't you just LOVE that little gnome from Jane's Doodles? I gknow I do! 

I was very lucky to win a voucher for Jane's shop during Janis W's Cat Lovers Hop (thanks, Janis) and couldn't resist this gorgeous, fun set. A little leftover paper and an embossing folder and the card was finished.

Here's Rudolph with his final Random Raffle prize of 2020. He's chosen a gorgeous die cut Santa from Creative Expressions.

Mom and I both hope you'll come and join this fun challenge. 

Keep safe and keep crafting, everyone. 

Seize the Birthday!

 

I noticed that Challenge #202 at Seize the Birthday has 'Texture' as the toppings! 

Since joining forces with Gail to start our new venture (Let's Squash It!), I'm all about the texture you get from embossing folders and knew I wanted to play along.

I created a base by embossing plain, white card with Distressed Lines by Creative Expression and then stencilled a small background panel in Victorian Velvet Distress Ink. I love this stencil from MFT (Moroccan Mosaics) and have to stop myself using it on everything I make. The image is Cup of Java from Penny Black. 

Thanks for dropping by!