Happy New Year ! And finally... Round II Cards 48, 49 and 50 Phew!

Hope you all have a special evening tonight as we ring in the New Year. Seems 2014 flew by!

Checked my ticker goals at the top header of my blog,  and I sure failed miserably on the plan to use up 365 flowers. Well, actually I guess I did use up even more than that...cuz I gave about one third of my flower stash away to the thrift shop! Not sure that counts though...lol

Today, I am showing 3 snippets cards that I made this summer for the  aquafit instructors up at the resort. They are all volunteers and do a fabulous job, giving up their mornings to keep us fit...well...fitter anyways!

Rain or shine, they are up at the adult pool, willing to encourage us to keep up with our workouts. They drag all the weights and pool noodles out for us, as they come early to set up their music. We all try to pitch in and put everything away for them...but still, it is a lot of work,  day in and day out. I really appreciate their dedication and made up these cards for them.

We had a potluck luncheon to thank them so I made these cards for us all to sign.

Very simple cards. Just a  couple of snippets of card stock, a Memory Box Thank You and butterfly die stuck onto some prefolded VOS card sets (from my stash). The navy flourish cards are a few years old and the black and white is so old, I can't remember!

I added a generous lick of stardust stickles to highlight areas of the Thank You die, but completely covered the butterflies so they really sparkle! Added a die cut Memory Box butterfly to each envelope, just to finish them off.  This last green trimmed card was for a fellow so I left off the sparkle and tried to make the colours a touch more masculine...no trim on his envelope either!

These three cards finished my goal to make an additional 50 cards using my stash,  while on a consumables spending spree. I did allow myself to buy adhesives and cardstock. Non consumables were fair game so I did have dies and stamps to choose from.

Altogether, I made 100 cards or projects while on the freeze. I felt good and was actually easy to do !

I am entering these cards in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets.

Rudolph Days Challenge Rules 2015

As many of you already know, Sarn at Stamping For Pleasure wanted to step back from sponsoring the Rudolph Day challenge. We all have had so much fun there creating Christmas cards every month We were really able to be prepared for the Christmas season.

I offered to take over the challenge as I did not want to see it end. I have made so many lovely friends there and wanted to keep those friendships blooming.

So Rudolph Days will continue on this blog, much the same as it was in the past on Sarn's...with one exception. I am going to return to the one card rule Sarn originally used. You will only have to make one card to enter and of course only one entry per person!

I have collected some lovely Xmas stamps, and even some Memory Box Xmas dies, for prizes this year. We will start off the January challenge with this Memory Box Die, MERRY.

Here is a brief recap of the rules:

1. Rudolph Days will start monthly on the 25th and will close on the last day of the month.
2. The theme is always Anything Goes, as long as it is Christmas.
3. One entry per person and you just need to make one Christmas card.
4. You may combine your entry with other challenges (maximum of 10 in total).
4. Prizes will be shipped anywhere in the world.
5. The winner will be selected by random draw and announced on the first day of the following month.

I am hoping Rudolph Days keeps the friendly atmosphere it has so enjoyed in the past. I do not want it to become that type of challenge where you drop off your card and flee. I envision it remaining the type of challenge where you meander through the other entries, leaving some comments for them when possible.

I can tell you that in most cases, the blogger you leave a comment for eventually returns a comment on your post too. Rudolph Days is just that kind of challenge!

You can submit your January entry between Jan25th and Jan31st. Winner will be announced Feb 1st .
Here is a photo of the January prize.

Off to figure out how to load the linky tool to my blog! See you all on the 25th...

Wise Men Still Seek Him - Round II Card 46 and 47

As it gets closer to Christmas Day, I thought I would try to refocus on the main reason we celebrate Christmas. Our family honours the Christmas Season right up to and including Epiphany.

This is such a season of giving and refocusing on what is really important. Our youngest daughter has been busy making up hampers for two Christmas families who needed some help this year. The grankids have a hand in this as well and each also make up a box for the Shoebox campaign. This is something we usually take part in too, but have stepped back this year due to the move. We are living vicariously through our girls this year and will make up for it next year!

Our eldest just posted the most heartwarming story about how she made up a stocking for a homeless fellow who had the added burden of being wheelchair bound. She found him on the street and stopped to chat casually with him, as he opened his gifts.  Once he was done, she wished him Merry Christmas and set off and he called after her to thank her for stopping long enough to chat with him! She makes up the gifts during the year and stores them in her car. Then when she spies a likely candidate or two, she is prepared. She focusses on things like candy, wool socks, toques and gloves as it can get very cold here in the midst of winter..

My card today showcases my new Taylored Expressions Nativity Border. I had to use a very dark charcoal textured paper for it as I have already packed my black cardstock! The sky is a snippet of aqua glitter paper and the sand dunes are snippets of beige pearlescent textured card.

I chalked the edges of the dunes to create some depth and used a black Momento Ink to stamp a Hobby Art Small Parts, Wise Men sentiment. I wish I had a small jewel in the shape of a star to place over the star above the diecut stable...I actually do have one, but it is packed as well! Oh my!

I made two the same...well almost the same. I never have enough religious ones made and sometimes run short as I am mailing my cards off. Thought I would be better prepared this year! These have been happily mailed out to some friends from church.

Off to the hospital in the city today for a spinal nerve root block. Fingers crossed it gives some pain relief as it will be easier to finish the packing with a bit less of an ouchy back! lol  It sometimes leaves me a bit under the weather for a couple of days, so if I am a wee bit late responding to comments this time, I hope you will understand.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
2. Loves Rubber Stamps Challenge - Anything Goes Holiday Blitz, Challenge 131
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Christmas Card Club - Non Traditional Colours Round II Card 45

It is time for the last 2014 fortnightly challenge for the Christmas Card Club.
GranMargaret chose the theme of Non Traditional colours. This worked out to be a great choice for me as I needed to make a card for my friend, who loves purple.

I used a card topper from a card class at my local scrapbook/card store. I am not sure the stamp manufacturer...perhaps a Woodware...alhough I am not sure at all.

I mounted it an a snippet of silver glitter card and then placed that off center on a background of Maja pale purple DP.

The DP is from the Maja stacks I won last year. I so love their papers. They have a lovely heavy weight and a wonderful distressed feel to them.

I added a bit of silver fine stretchy cord looped round twice, and tied in a bow. I had planned on running a trailing row of snowflakes down that left side but they looked awfull.  Still feel this card needs something more...may add a silver die cut sentiment on the top edge...sort of over towards the right...still undecided.

I hope she will like it...she does her Christmas tree  and her house, all decorated in purples and whites for Christmas. This card should fit right in!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Christmas Card Club - Non Traditional Colours
2.  Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets

Holiday Season - Round II Card 44

I've been digging in the card kit boxes again...and found a partially finished card from about 10 years ago.
You are going to have a chuckle as the tag part of this card was made many, many years ago, at a mini class on "how to emboss".  I had never used versamark ink and embossing powder before, and I remember being so impressed! Oh...those were the days. We tried several different inks in that class...think this one might be black ink with iridescent powder.

I made a pocket to slide the sentiment tag into and then mounted that onto a 5x7 card base I cut from some heavy weight card. The ivory/greige card base does not quite match the tag...but C'est la vie".

I was lucky enough to have a snippet of matching ribbon to the one they used in class on the tag.  I guess the stapled ribbon would help date the tag as you all probably remember when staples were in style...lol
I added a Memory Box Bianca snowflake...just sort of tucked it behind the knot of the ribbon border.

Here is a photo showing all the sentiment words...

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty |Workshop - must use snippets.

PS  The word verification can be ignored methinks. Try ignoring it as I have been told that works.
I did not add it. Blogger is really playing up for me the past couple of days!

Embossed Duet - Round II Card 42 and 43

I was invited to join a group of card makers on the first Wednesday of each month.  They meet up in the morning and make a card or two...then all head out for a nice lunch. The group rotates through designing a card and making up card kits for the others.

Today was Joyce's turn. She kindly had 2 cards for each of us to make...same design but different colours. This was a quick and fairly easy card to make. A couple of embossing folders provided the textures, and the gold gilded edges  and silver edges were done with metallic felt pens.

Once I got home, I wiped a wee bit of Silver coloured Viva Gold over the embossed image on the blue card. I got a wee bit smeared off the edges of the embossed image so I wet a paintbrush and wiped off the excess. I then sort of painted over thewhole surface of the blue rectangle, thereby watering down the smeared bit and blending it about the whole surface. It worked like a charm and gave a lovely very light difference in shading to the rectangle!

Problem averted. Hopefully, you can see the faint shimmer here...

I also pulled out my stickles and painted it over the burgundy embossed present too. I usually only like to use the Stardust stickles but tried out Diamond instead as it gives a gold shimmer which seemed appropriate to the gold pen detailing on the black mat.

I plan to use these cards to give a gift of a wee bit of cash.  Hopefully the family members involved will see the significance of the present tied with heartstrings!

No challenges for these cards as they are not my designs, nor my snippets! lol

Waste not, want not - Round II Card 41

This Marjoleine Bastin image has been lying in my garden themed drawer for years. My girlfriend gave me this image on a card and I loved it so much, I cut it out and saved it,.

I decided to pull it out and make up a simple card with it. The image was already edged with a gilded edge. I added a snippet of pearlescent navy for a mat and stickled the butterfly wings and some of the flowers with Stardust stickles. Set that onto a kraft card base and left it at that.

A very simple card but one that I will be happy to give to a friend...I need to remember more often that they do not always have to be detailed to still be enjoyed! Hopefully you can see the shimmer of the stickles...

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets

Scrippity Scrappity - Round II Card 40

Here is another card made from those bits and bobs I made up into card kits. This one features a tag that I had originally bought for a series of Dora scrapbook layouts.  I think the colours in the tag matched the outfit Little Miss C had been wearing.

Those layouts were finished years ago and this tag languished in my kid themed embellishment drawer. It feels good to finally use it up. The Smile sentiment is from a 12 x 12 chipboard sheet of sentiment tags...from the Dollar store. The pink seemed the right shade and the tag had come loose from the chipboard sheet. Waste not, want not. I think the chipboard pieces are a couple of years old at least...VOS for sure!

Background DP are from my snippet files.The upper is First Edition and the bottom rosecoloured dotted piece is unknown.  I made a 5x7 card base from some kraft card and used a left over scrap for the border strip. I went over all the edges with a Prima Invilde Bolme ivory chalk ink...just to soften the edges.

I was going to use some fine jute twine but once I got the edges inked, I remembered this ivory fine string I picked up last year at a yard sale. I like the soft colour of it on this card. I made a loopy bow and pushed the knot into the hole of the tag. Popped a jewel over the center and let the edges dangle.

The tag has a secret fold which I will use to add a few hidden words. I propped it open with a wooden stamp so you could see the hidden inside of the tag...

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets

November Rudolph Day - Cards 38 and Card 39 Round II - Silver Bells

It is the final Rudolph Day challenge on Sarn's blog at Stamping for Pleasure. Sarn has done a fabulous job of keeping us on our toes all year, and inspiring us to get a head start on our Christmas cards.
She is stepping down from this role and I have volunteered to take over the Rudolph Day challenge starting on January 25, 2015.

So from the 25th and running through till the end of each month, you can submit your Rudolph Day challenge cards on this blog. Like Sarn has done, I will post a reminder a couple of days ahead and add the all important Mr Linky...perhaps I will even give you a peek of that months prize!

Here are my two cards for November's Rudolph Day. I made them to fit the theme of "Silver Bells", which is the theme chosen by Asha at Sunny Summer Crafts for the Christmas Card Challenge.  I seem to be falling a bit behind with my card commitments lately, so I am trying to meet the requirements of both challenges with these cards!

Card 38 - Gold background
I used my NBUS Tattered Lace Bell die and cut it from some DCWV  silver paper. I layered that onto a piece of DCWV Glitzy Glimmer Gold card and added a little  greenery with my Tattered Lace Lavish Winter Foliage fir die.
Added a Crafty Cutts NOEL sentiment and recut the bow, the ornament top,  and the bell clapper from the same aqua Glitzy Glitter paper.

Card 39 - White background
Didn't have any more gold card so I just let the white card base be the background. I do think it lets the bell's intricate cut work shine through a little better. This time I used my Tattered Lace Holly Flourish die for the foliage, and added a little Shabby Blue frantage around the corners. That was a bit of a nightmare as the heat gun bubbled the Noel diecut.
Ran a second NOELthrough the Big Shot and layered it over the first on...problem solved...whew!

These were fun cards to make. The glittery papers put me in the Christmas spirit and I even cut a few "extra" Christmassy dies from the scraps!

I am entering these cards in the following challenges:

1. Rudolph Days @ Stamping For Pleasure - must be 2 Christmas cards
2. Pixies Crafty  Workshop - must use snippets
3. Christmas Card Club - Silver Bells

Beautiful - Round II Card 37

Funny how sometimes when you see something, you just know you just have to have it. This stamp was like that.  I must confess though, I have been hoarding it! Thought it was time to let it out of the cupboard.

I am not very good at shading but used my copics to colour and added some green peeking through the peach petals. I say a Dahlia at a flower show that was similar, so tried to copy that idea. Added a little Stardust stickles to the curved up edges of the petals, just to add some sparkle.

The background papers here are from a 6x6 pad I picked up a while back, at my local dollar store. I really did not need any more paper but I am trying to make a few more vibrant cards so threw caution to the wind and bought it anyway. The colour is off slightly in the first photo...the closeup above is closer to the true colours! Sorry about that...love making cards...hate taking photos!!!

The jute mat is a DCWV jute 6x6 sheet that I cut to fit. I fringed the edges for a bit more texture and added another of the fine ivory cord bows.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
2. Word Art Wednesday - Anything goes

Using up some scraps! Round II Card 36

My last couple of posts have mentioned that I am sort of kitting up my scrap images, along with some bits and bobs to go with them. I have been placing them into Michael's organizational shoeboxes, and employing the careful use of an index card in between each kit.

They are very simple kits but I thought they would come in handy once I have packed up my room. I will still be able to make cards even though I might be surrounded by a sea of boxes as I am working.
Once we are at the new house, I will still try to work from the kit boxes as we will be busy unpacking, and organizing the new place. (new to me at least)

Today I am sharing a card that I made from those boxes. It is a simple fishing card, but will come in handy for a birthday card for DH or my Son-In-Law..

The image is a rub on...not sure of the manufacturer any more. It is my VOS item...many, many years old. The background DP's are snippets from my VOS snippets box . Glad I got this one made up as Rubons are so fragile and I didn't want to damage it in the move. The plastic cover was long gone, so it is amazing that it lasted unscathed this long...and transferred like a dream!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixies Crafty |Workshop - must use snippets

More forgotten treasure - Round II Cards 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35

Quite some time ago I altered this little dollar store lunch pail. I planned to fill it with Thank You cards and use it for a gift. It was originally a Bart Simpson image on the front so I Mod Podged some black floral DP over it. I used a black background paper as I thought the Bart image might show through anything lighter in colour. Luckily the raised edges at the font and back as well as the sides of the lunch pail, were already just plain black, so I was able to leave those as is.  It only took the one rectangle of black floral DP and a snippet of glittery card to finnish the front. I then added some flowers that were left over from a scrapbook project...what luck.

I used matte Mod Podge but did not think to swirl my brush as I applied the top coasts. I think it would have given a nicer texture. Mine is a bit boring as I evenly ran my brush across in straight lines. Boring, I know...sigh...

As I was dusting it to pack away, I heard a funny "thunk". I opened it to find that I had already made 6 of the cards and had the bits inside to made 4 more. Could not fit all the cards in the photo so you will have to take my word that there are 6 finished!

I managed to find envelopes at the scrapbook shop that fit the pail. I then cut the cards to match that size. They are smaller than the standard...I think they are around 3 1/2 x 5.

 I made the flower on the front left card. I used a snippet of glittered paper and did not like that the pattern did not seem even.  I found some VOS premade flowers in my stash, and stuck them onto some snippets punched with Stampin' Up's scalloped circle. I like that they are all similar yet slightly different! This project lets me cross 12 flowers off my flower ticker for the year. I think my challenge to use up 365 flowers this year has been a dismall failure. Unless I can dream up a way to use up 247 flowers in the next 6 weeks, Well, I guess there is the hundred or more that I donated tot he thrift shop...perhaps I should have taken a photo of those...ahahahaha

 The Thank You cards on the left are for the gift tin. It will be a set of ten in all.  The  Follow Your Heart card is for my finished card box.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets.

Grey Ghost - Round II Card 29

I'm still uncovering forgotten treasures as I sort through more of my room. You will never guess what the circular fish hook image is, on today's card. It is a coaster, kindly given to me by my sister!  A couple of years ago, she sent me a large assortment of fishing and water themed tags, coasters, and other doodads  I tucked them away into one of my shoebox storage units and forgot all about them.

When I was sorting through and filing my precut dies I realized that the largest cog from my Spellbinders cog set, would work for a sort of frame around the coaster. I even had one left over from a previous project.  Presto...suddenly my card design was crystal clear.

A few more snippets, a bit of jute twine, and another masculine card for my finished cards box. I have left it sentiment free as it is more versatile that way. I will add an insert with an appropriate verse, when I finally use it.

Little update on the moving preparations. The movers are booked for Jan 23 and although I had decided not to start packing till well into December, DH has asked me to start now. He suggested I start by packing what I don't routinely use, in the craft room. That way, he can stack a few boxes each day rather than flat out packing and stacking towards the end.  He reminded me that we are both over 60 and it is so easy to get a muscle strain etc if we work flat out.

So today I packed up 18 boxes...all my 8x8 paper and albums, most of my glass jars of flowers etc, and all my shoeboxes of prefolded card and envelopes. I am quite embarrassed to say I have 6 shoeboxes full of the prefolded notecards! I did think about getting rid of those folded cards as the weight is so flimsy, but then decided that if they are cut in half they make great coordinating papers for building card designs. I am such a packrat! lol

He carried all the packed boxes upstairs to the dining room as we will not be hosting any big suppers till we move. I personally do not like the look of boxes all over the house, so may just take the leaves out of the dining table to shrink it down, and try to stack all the packed boxes in that room alone.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets...I think the fish scale paper might be Basic Grey but it is so old I am not sure...VOS for sure!

Rejoice - Round II Card 28

I am still working on using up that envelope of card kits I made up. Hope you are not getting too bored with them...

I want to get them all finished and put away in the finished cards boxes, as if I do not, then it is just one more thing that is a weird size to move. Although I do not need to start packing for a couple of months, I have started collecting boxes for the craft room. I need small boxes as everything in there is so darn heavy! Paper weighs so much as you all know!

So I have cleared a little spot and there is a tower of smallish boxes in varying sizes to suit my paper stash sizes. Bad enough needing so many different ones to fit 12x12 and 8x8 scrapbookpapers, 81/2 x 11 cardstock and the litany of embellies, flowers, brad, etc, etc. I have decided there will be no room for weird, odd sized things.

I sent a few days sorting everything this month and put all the wee odd bits into cardboard boxes from Michaels. They are shoebox sized and I tried to create more card kits from them. I had lots of dividers so set it up as one kit per divider. Anything not already filed in those shoeboxes needs made up of given away by January!

Enough waffle...here is my card for today. Used a vanilla tent fold base and added another of the red damask embossed card pieces. The green card is a swiss dot look EF and your probably remember the cream embossed snowflakes from my last post.

I went over the embossed design again with clear Wink of Stella and it has given that two toned faded shimmery look again. The Rejoice sentiment is a rub on...Bo Bunny methinks. It was from a huge kit of Bo Bunny supplies that my local scrapobook store had on an amazing special offer at the Xmas Open House last year. First time I have used it so a NBUS for sure!

It was hard to get a decent photo as I foolishly took the photo at night! Here is a bit of a closeup of the WOS on the cream embossed card. I know the photo is a bit blown, but i think you can still see the WOS shimmer...

A few gems from my stash to hilight the snowflake,s and a snippet of candy cane twine makes another Christmas card finished today!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
.

Christmas Card Club - Snowmen - Round II Card 27

Once again it is time for a Christmas Card Club Challenge.  Lorraine at Rainey's Craft Room  chose our Snowman theme this fortnight..

I am still working on using up that card kit I found.  I used my last prefolded brown card base and another of the already embossed, red damask card mats. You probably recall the kraft scalloped square, and you can just see the edge of another Swiss Dots brown embossed square, peeking out from behind the image.

The image is a precoloured Sassy Cheryl and I went over the snow with a Martha Stewart glue pen and sprinkled some sparkly WOW embossing powder. Here is a close up of that sparkle...

I punched the sentiment (I think it is a Stampin' Up sentiment) with a Stampin' Up Window Word punch and layered it onto a snippet of brown card using their Modern  Labels punch. The brown card does not match the rest of the browns,  but seems close enough that only you and I will know for sure!

What I do notice though, is the difference in the white of the image and the white of the sentiment. I broke my usual rule of stamping the sentiment onto the offcuts of the image. Instead I used up a sentiment that I had stamped out long ago and had stored in my Xmas bits drawer. Not happy with myself as it seems rather glaringly at odds, to me.

If you would like to have a peek at the other cards, I have hyperlinks to all the members cards on my right sidebar. You will not be disappointed as there are always wonderful cards there!!!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop  - must use snippets.

A tad late - Round II Card 26

To be honest, I am much more than a tad late with my Winters Wonderland  card for my Christmas Card Club. Over three weeks late, in fact!

I found this Stampin' Up Welcome Christmas image when I was sorting out my room. It is another one of the precut kits I made long ago. They may even be from a crop evening! The image was already stamped, and even matted on the brown card with some iridescent glitter to finish it off.

 I decided that to a child...this was the definition of a winter wonderland! I love the feeling of excitement and  movement that is contained in this playful image.

I rifled through the rest of the precut snippets in that envelope, and put together this card. I have had these elements sitting ready to finish for so long and somehow lost the original sketched idea. Not sure what the card was supposed to look like originally, but I just added bits and bobs till I thought it looked finished.

I went over the ivory embossed snowflake card with my Wink of Stella clear pen. It has a subtle sparkle but also has that faded look that WOS creates on any coloured card. I liked the look of the fading so I swirled a bit on the dark brown card mat around the image...I hope it gives the look of snow!

Here is a bit of a closer look at that faded effect.

The card stock, the DP, and the border punch are from Stampin' Up. I think the snowflake embossing folder is from Cuttlebug...not sure about the kraft card EF...maybe an old Stampin' Up one.  The ivory snowflake is a Martha Stewart punch and the bling, and  twine were added from my stash.

Feels good to finally get this envelope of old stash actually made up into a card!

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
2. Marks Finest Papers Speedy TV Inspirational Challenge - Vintage Girls -  I chose images 2 and 3. The background ivory shades on 2 reminded me of the faded look of the WOS pen on coloured card. 3 as it reminded me of snowballs fights and sledding are a kids version of a Winter Wonderland.
3. Christmas Card Club - Winter Wonderland

October Rudolph Day - Found Treasures - Cards 22, 23, 24 and 25

I have almost finished sorting out my craft room.  I am working on filling the last box of older supplies for the thrift shop. I think I have pared everything down enough to fit into the new room, which is about 3/4 the size of the one I have now.

I scrapbook 12x12 as well as 8x8,, so a zillion pieces of DP as well as cardstock in those sizes keeps my stash very full. I managed to donate all my 6x6 books and page protectors, but probably should do the same with the 8x8! That would free up a lot more space...but I sort of like working with that size...sigh...

One of the bonuses about going through stash to purge and then organize the rest, is that you find hidden treasures. Treasures you ferretted away in years past and then forgot about! I was delighted to find a 12x12 file pocket full of card kits that I made up a couple of years ago (or maybe even longer).

There were enough precut designs for three different card designs and several of each style. What fun that was to find!  Perfect for Rudolph Day which runs on Sarn's blog Stamping For Pleasure. You have from the 25 till the end of each month to make 2 Christmas cards, the same design or different designs, whatever you chose. Show them both on the same blogpost and link up to her challenge...easy peasy!

I made 4 cards this month, for Rudolph Days. It was easy as I had the design right there in that found treasure chest. I did vary the card bases though, as I am trying to use up the prescored and folded bases I have already made up.

I tried a cream, green and a brown card base,Which do you like best? I think my fave is the brown...have to do the inserts still, but should probably just use a simple white or cream insert.

Recipe
Card base - prescored and folded bases I made from stash a long, long time ago
Cardstock - Kraft, Bown. Red, Green and Cream card
Punches - Stampin' Up Curly Label punch; Stampin Up ornament punch and square punch as well
Stamps - Stampin' Up Delightful Decorations Ornament Stamp
Martha Stewart glue pen and
Stampin' Up iredescent glitter hilighting the swirls on the stamped image
EF - not sure the make but the burgundy card is a damask embossing folder and the brown square is i think, a Stampin' Up version of Swiss Dots.

I am entering these cards in the following challenges:

1. Stamping For Pleasure Oct  Rudolph Days - must be 2 or more Xmas cards
2. Pixies Crafty Workshop -must use snippets

Christmas Card Club - Christmas Reindeer - Round II Card 21

I finally managed to make a card. It seems so long since I spent a little time with card stock and paper.
Last night I went to a crop at my friend Gloria's house and managed to make 8 cards...so finally have something to share...lol  Gloria puts on a lovely crop once a month, from 4 till 10 pm...sometimes even later! She always has a wonderful meal prepared and we all take turns bringing desert and side dishes. It is so much fun to spend time with other crafters and all the creativity in the room is inspiring.

This fortnight was Rita from RMG Creations turn to chose the theme for the Christmas Card Club and she chose Christmas  Reindeer. I decided to use my Wild Rose Studio deer topper for this theme, as I just love their reindeer toppers

I kept my card fairly simple as  I made up card kits for the crop, and they were fairly basic kits at that.
My theory was to get as many cards made as possible and then take them home to add any extra embellishments, if necessary

The scalloped card base is from England,, and the patterned paper is a snippet from a RAK I won last year from Ali Wynn @ Two Peas. The snippet of red card, as well as the snippet of beige embossed card, were found when sorting and organizing my room in preparation for the upcoming move. I just had two teensy pieces of the beige, but slid them under the main image and hoped for the best.

The bit of 3D ivy at the top left corner is K and Co as well as the wee presents in the bottom right corner. The sentiment is a rub on...BoBunny I think.

I am entering this card in the following challenges:

1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
2. Christmas Card Club  - Christmas Reindeer
3. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - always anything Christmas
4. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Use something forgotten or unused (I used the beige embossed cardstock which had been packed up in an old kit bag, and forgotten  for a couple of years)

Sold in Four Days!

It has been nearly four weeks since I last posted. Four very busy weeks that have kept us  busy, getting our house sold!

Rather than having fun creating cards, I have been busy helping DH get the house in showhome shape. We weeded, pruned and deadheaded the gardens...and dug up pieces of a few treasured perennials to take with us. Ordered a huge load of lovely black bark mulch, and my daughter and DH spread it through the front and back gardens.

It is common here to stage the house for the photos and videos. So we staged the porch for Fall and gave the house a good declutter. I even packed up our out of season clothes into our suitcases, so the closets did not look so full!
Here is a peak at the porch. Not as fancy as some, but we like how it turned out...

Found the Nest pillow a while back, and having been waiting to use it...

Here is the other side of the door...I managed to break the birdhouse support post in the planter, trying to straighten it for the photo...lol

Rugs were cleaned and a few little careful painting touch ups were done with one of my craft paintbrushes. Most were the size of a freckle...but they looked so much better after that careful dot of paint was added. Ground floor windows were given the once over and we all pitched in with the most dreaded task of all...washing the wood blinds. Uggh...how I hate that job!

The other big job was my craft room.  As you can imagine, I have not been able to do much creating in the craft room. Instead I have been going through each drawer and box, one at a time, and purging some of my stash. My new craft room will be smaller than the one I have now, so purging is a necessity. I did as much as I could till the house  photos and video day, but then  I had to just tidy (errrr...shove) what was left, into the cupboards and drawers.

We had about 5 viewings a day and got an offer on the fourth day. The offer is now finalized, and we breathe a sigh of relief that it is all over. Till all paperwork was finalized and the subjects removed, the realtor still had viewings continue throughout, so it has been a busy time....
In Canada, once the inspection report, mortgage etc are done and subjects are signed to remove, there is no going back on the deal. Earnest money is fairly hefty, so we feel blessed.

Everything purged has gone the Hospice Thrift Shop. It makes it easier to part with my supplies, knowing that the Hospice can use the funds. I think we managed to donate about 40 boxes of gardening supplies, garden hoses, sprinklers, tools, craft supplies, Halloween decorations, Xmas decorations, Xmas lights and so on.

We have bought a slightly smaller house than this one but it is on a much smaller lot.
All the back and forth to the lake takes its toll when you are 60! We have loved our garden here, but are looking forward to a life with only a postage stamp sized garden to maintain and a generous sized covered deck for outdoor enjoyment. No fuss and no muss!

Here is my new great room...it goes about 6 feet further past the charcoal chair...there is another 3 seater couch sitting in front of a bank of windows there. Think you can just manage to see those windows in the next photo...

We liked that it still seems to have separate areas even though is it supposed to be open concept. We liked the way the dining room is tucked into this area here...and yet still is part of the great room.

There is a living room too, just behind the kitchen fridge wall...just to the right when you walk in the front door. You can just see the doorway opening there and the window in that room off to the side of the door.

Here is a shot of the dining area. I have a bigger table though...with 8 chairs, so it will be a tighter squeeze. I might have to pop a leaf out of our table...

Our new front garden is nice, but nothing is done out back yet. We can sculpt it into what we would like. I am cruising Pinterest for water feature ideas! I quite fancy having no lawn out back...just the deck, patio and perhaps a water feature. One border of perennials and we will call it done!

Hope you enjoyed the wee tour...will try to get creating cards again soon!!!

Birthday Wishes Round II Card 20

This is another card made up at the lake. This little Penny Black image seemed so staid...I think it is the colours I used.  I decided that it needed a few brighter papers to liven it up and so set off on a mission to rescue it.

I coloured the hedgie image with my copics. Luckily, I had already  used  my Spellbinders Hexagon die to cut this image and mat, before we left home.  Managed to break my mitchy matchy habit and chose an acidy green for the mat. I can surprise myself sometimes! lol

I found the DP's in my snippets envelope. Don't gasp with shock...I did say envelope. I keep my snippets in 4 clear card sleeves and just group them loosely,  based on colours...very basic and very sparse! The two I found were just a fraction too short and did not meet on the card. I added a slice of blue dotted DP...it tied in the blues on the present and the bit of blue on the trees.

Diecuts are rolled off at home and stored in little photo albums from the dollar store. I bring those albums with me and only have what is in them to use up! Can be frustrating at times and I have wrestled with purchasing a Big Shot to leave up here. Space to store it though,  is the issue!

My card base is corrugated Kraft, so I used orange corners with green enamel dots, to brighten it up. It was an easy decision as when supplies are dwindling, it cuts down on the decision I need to make. lol   Found a white Wish diecut sentiment that I coloured up with a green copic marker. One last snippet of orange card to mount it on, a couple more enamel dots,  and my card was done.

My goodness the Wish looks so out of focus on my photo...here is a little close up of the sentiment  so you can see this really is a sweet die cut!

Recipe
Card Base and envelope - corrugated 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 card with matching kraft envelope, from my stash
DP - stripey one is Line Twist. trees and blue dots snippets are unknown from my stash
Card Stock - snippets of lime green orange and kraft from my stash. Cut with dies before leaving home
Image - Penny Black Critter Party (I think)
Dies - Tattered Lace Words - Wish


I am entering this card in the following challenges:
1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
2. Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - must cover card with paper

Christmas Card Club - Something Beginning With The Letter S Round II - Card 19

Once again it is time for the Christmas Card Club Challenge. This time it was Hazel at My Crafty Outlook's turn to chose the theme... The Letter S.

I chose "S" for showcasing a Stamped  Sentiment only card and "S" for Snowflake...two of them in fact.  It seems I stamped quite a few images to keep ahead, last year. This one was already stamped and die cut...what luck! I made this one up at the lake, without a big shot or dies, so this was a bonus!
I managed to slide in a couple of extra  "S" items ...Script paper for the lower background DP and Striped paper behind the washi border. Not sure if that was what Hazel had in mind though!

Used papers from my snippets files, and some K&Co 3D snowflakes and poinsettia. My VOS and also NBUS item is the washi tape. I have several rolls of washi and I have never even used it! I have cast my mind back trying to remember, but I truly think I have never used any of it at all. I was always worried that it would start to peel off before I could get the cards mailed! I read on pinterest somewhere that if you tuck the edges under (much like ribbon) then you do not have to worry about that issue...so tuck I did.

Here is close up of the sparkle...

Recipe
Card base - from my stash
DP - Black script is Heidi Swap Believe; Bright pink hounds tooth is Carta Bella Merry and Bright, green striped unknown snippet
Dies - Spellbinders Decorative Labels Eight
Washi - Dollar Store originally, but from my stash
Embellishments - K&Co snowflakes and poinsettia from my stash
Bling - 3 white pearls from my stash

I am entering this card in the following challenges
1, Christmas Card Club - The Letter S
2. Marks Finest Papers Christmas Card Challenge - must be Christmas
3. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
4.Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - must cover card with paper
5. Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge Extra - must be Christmas
6. Word Art Wednesday - uplifting,

Pixies and Poppies Round II - Card 18

Quite some time ago, I was very, very lucky and won this Spellbinders Poppy die at Pixies Crafty Workshop. This a very fun challenge run by the bubbly Di . The antics of the other guests who drop by each week, to play in the workshop and the adjoining playground, will keep you amused. If you decide to check them out, just make a card incorporating some scraps, or snippets, as the British crafters call them!

I am trying hard to break my mad habit of hoarding new things. This die is my NBUS item for this post. It feels good to finally take it out of the package and put it to use.  As I was creating this for a sympathy card, I just lightly chalked the edges with a bit of pinky/brick coloured chalk, and then added a light touch of green chalk at the bottom, on the wee hilly bit.

I tucked that hilly bit behind a premade ivory oval frame that came with a scrapbook kit. I bought that kit about ten years ago!. This is my VOS item for this card. I did have to cut off part of the hilly side edges to get it to fit into the frame...hope you will forgive me Di!   lol
I hand cut a small snippet of black card into an oval mat. slightly smaller than the frame and tucked it underneath.
I pulled the poppies through the frame and let them overhang the inner edges. To add to the frame look, I pop dotted a few of the blossoms forward.

Pop Dotted the frame onto a soft pearelscent pink, Memory Box Debutant frame. I did not have any black DP with me but I did have a box of prefolded notecards 4 1/4 x 5 1/2. I cut the front off one of the notecards and glued the MB Debutante frame onto it. All of that was then glued onto a silver 5x7 prefolded glitter card.
At this point the card looked top heavy and I decided that I did not want to add a sentiment to the area I had left empty at the bottom.  So, I wacked some of the length off the glittered card and will make a custom sized envelope with my punch board.

Thanks to you,  Di,  for providing the die that inspired this Sympathy card. What fun I have found at the playground. I feel I have made such a lovely friend across the ocean, and so enjoyed meeting up with you last summer!

I am entering this card in the following challenges
1. Pixies Crafty Workshop - must use snippets
2. Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes

Some of you asked me just what is an RV.  It is a recreational vehicle...in our case a 5th wheel trailer. We do not drive and tow it about. Instead it is parked here in the Shuswap area of BC where we spend our vacations..
The guest bunkie I showed you all two days ago,  is the green vinyl sided building. The gazebo where I colour my images, is the tent structure. It has net curtain panels to keep out the wasps in Augus/.September and full heavy curtains if it rains and we still want to sit outside anyway and play cards or gamies.   Doesn't look all that inviting as we had already put the chair cushions away in the shed!  You can just see the edge of the RV to the right of the photo...

Here is a shot of the RV. We have neighbours behind and on the gazebo side. We are an end lot so have a dead end road to the right of the photo. There are fields on the other side of that road.

As you can see we have a few trees...thank goodness as it is nice to have the shade from them when it gets into the mid 30's.  One is particulaily messy and the leaves drop and stain the concrete. We mutter about it when we are bleaching the concrete each spring, but it has a valuable use to us as  our  insurance states the boat must be chained when not in a marina.

The lake is about a 5 minute walk from here. There is a dock and a nice beach with a great firepit area. I was too busy to walk over there for a photo though...too busy packing my summer stuff to take back home.

Just so you understand why I craft in the bunkie, here are some shots to show how space is a premium in an RV. These cupboards in the living room hold the linens, quilt and pillows for the hide-a-bed, as well as winterweight blankets for all the beds.

The couch and the table are situated in a bumpout or "slide out" as they are called here.  The area behind the beam slides out on motors to create extra room. We slide them back in for the winters

You can just see the edge of the dead end road through my roadside windows. There are some static caravans on that road (or Park Model trailers as we call them here). Some of the ladies that quilt, and the ones that make cards and also scrapbook, live steps away on that road.   The fields are just behind those Park Models and we have seen many deer in those fields this year!

See those dining chairs...they have a unique feature...lol

There is another slide across from the couch that you could see in the outdoor photo. It holds our       

media area. You can just see the upper cabinets of it beyond the coffee pot. The stovetop comes with a cover to help create extra prep space...same with the covers over the double sink!                                                     

The front closet is only 4 inches or so deep...it just holds 4 lightweight jackets or hoodies and then it is full! The fridge/freeezer  is the door with the black trim. I t is in an odd spot but really that is the only room for it!  The door at the top of the two stairs is to our bedroom and bathroom.

You can just see the bottom of the bedroom TV in that upper cabinet. I send DH up here if he wants to watch the golf or sports!  lol

Here is the shower...literally two steps from the bed! Space is a premioum!  There are two more windows in here...on each side of the head of the bed. They give a much needed cross breeze when it is hot. We  have a ceiling fan and ceiling vent here and another in the living room. We do have air conditioning, but try not to use it as we both hate the feel of the blasts of frreezing air. We try to just use the fans and those ceiling vent fans!  Once it gets into the high thirties though, the air has to go on!

 There is a bank of mirrored closet door across the back wall but I am not showing that as I look a fright from packing up to return home...and you will get my reflection!

Well, that's it for the tour. Now you all know what an RV looks like.  Blink and you would miss it! lol