Saturday 25 April 2020

April Rudolph Days Challenge

Hi there. Once again, it is time for the Rudolph Days Challenge. Here are the rules for your perusal...

1. The Rudolph Days Challenge will start each month (January to November) on the 25th, and will close at midnight PST, on the last day of that month.
2. The theme is always Anything Goes, as long as it is Christmas.
3. One entry per person and you just need to enter one Christmas card or Christmas project.
4. You may combine your entry with other challenges (maximum of 10 in total).
5. Your card (or Christmas project) should not have been previously posted to your blog. It should be posted to your blog during the current months Rudolph Days Challenge, (between the 25th and last day of the current month)
6. Please link back to or at least mention, the Rudolph Days Challenge.
7. Please leave a comment on the challenge post.
8. The winner will be selected by random draw and announced on the first day of the following month. Prizes will be mailed anywhere in the world.

9. A special draw will be held at the end of the year, in December,  for all those who submitted a card or project every month that year, January to November.

I must mention that I have agonized over whether to continue mailing out prizes during this pandemic. I worry about spreading any virus, etc. I have decided to continue offering the prize but whether it can actually be mailed right away will depend on where you live. Canada Post has a huge list of countries that they no longer offer mail service to. If you live in one of those countries, I will notify you and hold your prize until mail delivery opens up again. If you are on the approved list that Canada Post still ships to, then I will give you a choice of whether you wish me to mail it, or whether you wish to wait it out till safer times. Also. please keep in mind that we are over 66 so I am not leaving the house now and Al is not venturing out very often. For those that request mailing, your prize will be mailed with a couple of weeks time period. If I could just use my scale to determine the mailing costs and place the stamps on and drop it into the mail slot at the end of my street, it would be so easy.  Instead,  I have to do a customs declaration (which I have at home now) but they require a trip to the actual Post Office for their official postal stamp and signature.

 Our design team ladies have been busy creating lots of inspiration for you! Sue T of Sues Crafty Corner blog has made up this beautiful gold framed scene.  The gold fancy frame die cut is amazing! I love the glittery look of the stag in the forest scene, and I am looking forward to popping over to Sue's to see just how she accomplished that look. Hope you will pop over too...just follow the hyperlink around her blog name. I think that matching gold sentiment looks fabulous...


Next up is Sam at Whisper's Cards blog. Sam has made us this vintage Sunbonnet Sue image card.  Love the way she is trailing the gingerbread cookies and how Sam has repeated the cookie theme down the left side


Sam has made a second card for our inspiration. Sam's belly band style card features this pretty button wreath. I am loving that DP with all the Christmas phrases!


The card opens from each side to reveal a lovely sentiment...

Hope you will pop over to Sam's blog to leave her some love.

My card is made from an image I stamped a couple of years ago and coloured while on a cruise. I took about 20 images and my pencil crayons and set to work in the open area beside the pool.  It was amazing how many people stopped by my table to ask what I was working on!

As I have been cleaning and organizing my craft room during quarantine, I have disposed of this stamp as I decided that it was just not my look. Since I cannot waste an coloured image, I have made it up into a card...hope you like the non traditional colours!


The DP starry, snowy background paper is Fancy Pants Tradition and sadly I never thought to write down the stamp name before I got rid. The frame bright turquise teal scalloped frame is Lawn Fawn and the dark teal mat was a snippet. A few different sized mauve rhinestones added here and there finished up this card.

Our prizes this month are a choice of this Paper Roses Merry and Bright die


or this  Find It Media, Precious Marieke Poinsettia border die.


Once again,  I am using Mr Linky...so you know what to do...

52 comments:

Sandra H said...

Beautiful cards and lovely designs too! stay safe xx

mamapez5 said...

I love all the little gingerbread men on Sam's card, and would have held on to your snowmen. They are not what I use very often either, but every now and then I do.
I quite understand your postal dilemma, and I am sure everyone else will too. If nothing else we are learning patience with the lock-down. Kate x

mamapez5 said...

I love all the little gingerbread men on Sam's card, and would have held on to your snowmen. They are not what I use very often either, but every now and then I do.
I quite understand your postal dilemma, and I am sure everyone else will too. If nothing else we are learning patience with the lock-down. Kate x

Carol L said...

Your snowman card is so cute with the tilted panels and framed image! I think those snowmen are adorable! I've purged many images through the years and wish now I'd kept them, but that's just me :) I completely understand your anguish over distributing prizes and I'm sure everyone else will agree - it's just not worth the risk right now, so don't worry about it! We're all here for fun anyway :) Take care and stay well!

Bunny said...

Great cards, Mo. I like the non traditional colors you used. I left the rest of the girls a message on their own blog.

You can wait on mailing packages. No one will care. What we do care about is safety for everyone. That's the most important thing. [Bunny]

Marianne said...

Happy Rudolph Days!
Fabulous creations by the DT, as always. I have never tried a belly band card but it looks amazing. Also love your non-traditional colours (as well as the image BTW). Looking forward to play along.
Marianne x

KarinsArtScrap said...

what beautiful cards DT

gr karin

Verna Angerhofer said...

So glad my computer is back and that I could enter my card into the challenge. I always love to do this one as it is an incentive to make Christmas cards ahead of the need.

Kath said...

Fabulous cards from the DT. I can't believe it's the fourth RD this year - where is the time going?
Kath x

Loll said...

Wonderful inspiration from the Design Team. Thanks for all you do running this challenge Maureen. Stay safe! xx

Darnell said...

I love the nontraditional colors on your cute snowmen, Mo! I do the same thing with my stamps, knowing someone will be delighted with a stamp that I feel meh about! You sure made a pretty design with it! I hope to play later, just for fun, but wanted to comment now in case I don't make it back. Take care and keep safe! Hugs, Darnell

Kathleen said...

Some really great creations from your and the team. I have to say that I was shocked to see this post as RD had totally gone out of my head, normally enter on the first day, must be going stir crazy.

Kath x

Karenladd said...

The non-traditional colors on your snowman card give it a modern, fresh look that I love. I also really like the way that Sam picked up the colors in her paper to color the sweet button wreath. It's nearly 80 degrees hot today so I'll have to use my imagination to get into the Christmas mood.

Jules said...

Hi Mo

Beautiful inspiration cards. I love your cute snowmen and Sam's brilliant belly-band card.

Have actually made it to play this month .. yay!!!. Lock down does have some advantages for me! LOL!!

I am just playing for fun Mo and to add another Christmas card to my collection.

Take care and stay safe.

Love Jules xx

Sally H said...

Your snowmen are wonderful and I love the DTs cards too. Such a wonderful range of inspiration! Brilliant cards x

My Paper Cat said...

Always a fun challenge

cotnob said...

Thank you for hosting another great challenge, fabulous inspiration cards.
Pauline - Crafting with Cotnob
x

Mrs A. said...

Yay, managed to join in this month and not left it to the last minute either. Hugs Mrs A.

Vicky Hayes said...

I think that any posting you do Mo should be when it is absolutely safe to do so, regardless of how long that is. Please don't take any risks!

I love your snowmen and most definitely wouldn't have got rid of them! Just goes to show that what is one man's poison is another man's meat! I love the colours you used too :)

Take care and stay safe

Vicky x

Becca Yahrling said...

I can't believe you got rid of those adorable snowmen!!! Soooo cute! Love your card, Mo, and the non-traditional colors. As well as the DT - Wonderful inspiration.

Helen said...

Fabulous DT cards - wonderful inspiration!
Thanks for another fun challenge!
Helen x

Donna said...

So bright and colorful. I love the design team cards. My cards aren't so cheerful this time but great male cards. Thanks for the fun challenge!

Eemeli said...

Wonderful and inspirational creations -- all of them. Love the non-traditional colors on your cute snowmen.

I am just finishing up my card for the challenge. Will see if I have time to take photos today (or if the weather stays bright and sunny 'til that) or will it be later this week.

Hugs,
Eemeli

Robyn Oliver said...

End of another month, they're flying by even when we are restricted by isolation - lucky we have our card making to keep our creative minds busy. Wonderful cards from you three ladies, especially love Sam's belly band card - thanks for keeping us on track Maureen, stay safe Robyn

SHartl said...

Your snowman card is so cute that it's hard to believe you gave that stamp away, but I'm glad you shared this design with us. Please don't take any risks when it comes to sending prizes out...we can all wait until it's safe. I'm just happy that this challenge keeps me on track with my holiday card making all year round.

Jackie T said...

Hi all the cards are gorgeous. Thank you for this challenge. Take care. Hugs Jackie

Lynne said...

Super cards from yourself and the team and the colours of your snowmen are so pretty. Thank you for the challenge x

Swissie said...

Great inspiration cards! Thank you for another fun challenge!
Hugs, Liv
l.frische@valaiscom.ch

Words and Pictures said...

They're all great cards - but it's the beautiful forest on that first one which really captured my heart.
Alison x

cuilliesocks said...

Fabulous inspiration from the design team, and your card is just lovely, Kate x

cuilliesocks said...

Fabulous inspiration from the design team, and your card is just lovely, Kate x

Pat said...

Your snowmen are cute and prettily coloured too and the beautiful scalloped frame and twisted mat over the snowy background complete it perfectly. Like you they would not be my first choice for style of snowmen either, but they do go well with your design. I love the look of Sue's glittery silver deer within the gold die cut frame and Sam's sweet little lady and coordinating gingerbread men down the side, and then the gatefold with the beautifully coloured image on the band is a great design idea. Stay safe Mo and don't worry about the prizes, just post when it is safe to do so. Take care. x

Liz said...

A great selection of Christmas cards, thanks for the inspiration. xx

Valerija said...

Wonderful DT cards. Love them all.
Thanks for the new challenge.
Valerija xx

Bonnie said...

Love your snowmen, Maureen! Such fun colors! Glad you kept some stampings of this stamp before you passed it on.

Tina Z. said...

thank you for the challenge and your inspirations are so beautiful!
stay safe.
hugs xx

Gloria said...

Hello Mo!
I hope you are doing very well!
The cards are stunning!
Thank you for great chance always!
Have a wonderful day!
Hugs, Gloria

KathyA. said...

So many amazing cards to inspire us again! And the prizes are both wonderful. (Also, the news that you and your hubby are staying in right now is also appreciated. Your health and safety are much more important that getting any postal item quickly. Thanks for taking care during this difficult time. It will one day be over!)

KT Fit Kitty said...

So grateful for your challenge, Maureen! This is the first Christmas card I've made all month and my goal is two each month. I guess I need to get cracking on my second card as there's only one day left in the month. Love all the inspiration cards - your non-traditional colours are gorgeous and this is one of my favourite colour combos for Christmas! Everyone's cards are beautiful - the one with the gingerbread cookies warms my heart - I'm a sucker for gingerbread people! Please continue your regimen of staying home. We are doing the same, venturing out only once a week for groceries. However, we do walk in our neighbourhood, weather permitting, as that's allowed here in Nova Scotia. We live out in the country so we rarely see other people walking. Hope you're doing well and remain healthy. Sending hugs and well wishes!

ShazInOzCardsCalligraphy said...

Thanks for running this wonderful challenges Mo, I'll say no thanks playing for fun thank you.. just want to enter every challenge this year! Now those colours are right up my alley, but agree re the stamp.. I rarely do snowmen. They're strange here. No snow where I live. Wonderful DT work too.
Thanks for sharing, and may God bless and keep you and all whom you love, in these changeable times. As Paul wrote: "We walk by faith, not by sight."
Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz.x

{Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
{Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

Chris said...

Lovely variety of inspiration cards from the DT, they're all fabulous!
Thanks for the Challenge.
xx

Janis said...

Fabulous cards by everyone!! I am in love with the gorgeous gold frame on Sue's card and I find your sweet snowmen and non-trad colors very sweet and appealing. How nice of you to continue with your prizes during this strange and crazy time. By all means stay safe and nobody minds waiting until things are more settled. You are always so generous...and we all appreciate you so much!!!
<3 J

jwoolbright at gmail dot com
HerPeacefulGarden.blogspot.com

Di said...

Wonderful DT cards Mo! And I made it once again to the RDs challenge, phew! Don't fret over prizes and not posting them for now - I have a pile building up here for Playground winners but they will all wait until it's OK to get to the Post Office. We don't even have a post box close to us for UK winners that doesn't need a drive, which would be deemed non-essential for sure! Stay safe.

Hugs

Di xx

Sue said...

Beautiful cards from the design team, and thank you so much for running this challenge, you are the one that's keeping me on track for Christmas! Take care, Sue xx

Sue said...

Sorry Mo, please ignore entry 49 I've used a random link! Entry 50's a bit closer to home. Take care, Sue xx

Jane Willis said...

Fabulous cards everybody.

Caroline said...

So many beautiful cards to see!
I just added mine.
Love Caroline

Jenny L said...

Hi Maureen,
just managed to scrape in this month.
Brillant makes by both yourself and Sam.
Will pop over to her blog soon.
Love your card and the wonderful colours used.
That stamped image is so lovely and it's coloured wonderfully.
I am really struggling at the mo to get everything done that needs doing.
I usually have a cleaner to help me with some of the jobs I find that my back won't take, so now I just have to pace myself.
Also the garden was always done by my Son and Daughter and that is another job for me too.
Just bought a window cleaning tool to clean my windows too.
Feeling a lot better now too.
Lots of crafty love. Jenny L.

Whisper said...

Oooo hun I'm loving the funky colours you have used and I have a soft spot for snowmen too,

Luv Sam x

Greta said...

Wow--what great cards by you 3 this month! The elegant gold frame for the beautiful scene is a show stopper, love the vintage PB image (I have several from that era) & the snowmen in their non-traditional colors are darling! Gorgeous prizes, too, Maureen! We're in quarantine, too. Just not worth the risk at our age, so we're only doing grocery pick up outside & no going into the post office. Stay safe! Sending hugs, Greta

Barbara Godden said...

Last minute again, but I love this challenge. Thanks for taking time every month to post it.

ionabunny said...

Happy Rudolf days everyone. Fabulous makes from the team and lovely to see so many entries. Hugz