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Sunday, December 31, 2017

*New Years Eve*

Here it is, the end of 2017.... the older I get, the faster each year seems to fly by.  I'm truly amazed that with every thing I've had to deal with this year, that it's gone by as fast as it has.  I'm looking forward to about 7 weeks from now, when I am facing the end of my chemo treatments and can get back to living my life and regaining my energy levels.  I've been feeling pretty good the last two rounds, but still find myself wanting to crawl in to bed at 9pm most nights.  Some days I want a nap too.

The best thing to come from my cancer diagnosis has been the desire and time to create again.  I hope that this continues on in to the new year and past when I go back to work.  Fingers are crossed!

I stopped making Christmas cards early in the month and made a couple of birthday cards.  My sister is here visiting from Ontario and we spent yesterday creating (and we're back in the craft basement today too!).  She's working on her December daily album and I'm trying to get the non-Christmas mojo flowing....

I created this card a few days ago... I stamped the floral background on white cardstock and embossed it in white.  Once it was cool, I used my new Tim Holtz ink blending tools and some Distress Inks to create the background.  I stamped the sentiment on the bottom of the panel and layered it all on to some blue cardstock before putting it back on a white card (I used my Perfect Layers Tools to get that perfect 1/16" border).  I added a few sequins to finish it off.


Friday, December 29, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #58*

Back in September when my sister was visiting she was showing me the ins and outs of my Silhouette (that I've had for like 2 years and hardly used).  I created this Frosty word and cut it out while we were playing.  It sat on my desk for several weeks.  I then picked it up, put a layer of Versamark ink on the front and embossed it three times with Stampin' Up! Iridescent Ice embossing powder (did you know that if the embossing powder is melted and still hot, you can dip it back in the powder for a second layer?).

The piece then sat on my table again for many weeks.

Once again I used some very old patterned paper to create a layer with my Perfect Layers Tools to frame out the Stampin' Up snowflake that was embossed on white.  I layered it all on to a white card and added the shimmering Frosty word across the front.

This card uses some glitter paper and a die set from Catherine Pooler... and a little red sparkle too!


Thursday, December 28, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #57*

I love how both of these cards turned out...  I used this great holographic shimmer cardstock to cut out the snowflake border.  I used the same die to cut the patterned paper to create the same edge as was on the snowflakes.  I added this great Stampabilities  sentiment to the front in black ink.
For this card, I sponged three shades of Catherine Pooler inks on to white card to create the blue panel.  I added a little silver Encore Metallic ink to it as well.  I cut out the snowflake background by Impression Obsession and added the clear Wink of Stella all over the snowflakes.  Again I used the Stampabilities sentiment and layered it on to a piece of silver glitter paper using my Perfect Layers Tools.

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #56*

I am totally in love with the clean lines of this card...  I used some old old patterned paper (it's stuff I got back when I worked at the scrapbook store like 8 or 9 years ago) and the Stampin' Up tree punch, added the stitched rectangle layer from MFT and a sentiment from Lawn Fawn.

This card sparkles like you wouldn't believe...  the dies are all MFT and a sentiment from A Muse.




Tuesday, December 26, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #55*

Two cards for you on Boxing Day (what we call December 26th here in Canada).  I still have a few more cards to share with you... I'm thinking we might still be looking at Christmas cards on New Years Eve!

The upside to being off work because of my chemo treatments is that I have had a lot of time to create... lots of crocheting and even more time for cards!  And since I LOVE making Christmas cards, this is a good thing!

This first card is a take on the Bokeh Technique, but with a Christmas theme instead of just circles.  The cards I've seen done this was have mostly been on watercolour paper with a watercoloured background however I sponged Catherine Pooler inks on to a piece of white cardstock.  I then stamped some Stampin' Up! snowflakes in white pigment ink on top.  I added the Simon Says Stamp believe die cut out of silver glitter paper and a small snowflake from white glitter paper.
 This card came together pretty quickly...  a white card base, a layer of candycane striped glitter paper and then a panel with the Stampin' Up snowflake embossed on it.  I cut out a red snowflake and layered it on top of the embossed snowflake.  I added some bling bling to the snowflakes to finish it off.

Monday, December 25, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #54*

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  It has been a quiet morning in our house, with just the four of us opening a few presents around the tree.  We made a big brunch and the turkey and the trimmings are all ready to be cooked.  We will have some family joining us for games, dinner and more games later on this afternoon.  I'm looking forward to my Christmas Day walk in the neighbourhood... a chance to think of the family I am missing and to be thankful for all that surrounds me.

I absolutely love how this card turned out....  I used blue shimmer paper and white glitter paper with an Impression Obsession snowflake background die.  I love that sentiment stamp I used... I stamped it in blue Encore Metallic Ink and embossed it with Blue Pearl embossing powder.  I used my Perfect Layers Tool to create a matte around the sentiment.
 This second card was an idea I saw on Pinterest.  I used all MFT dies, some Stampin' Up! silver cardstock and some blue glitter paper.  The sentiment is by A Muse

Sunday, December 24, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #53*

As a little holiday treat for you, I'm going to share a couple of cards today...  I still have several left to share so the Christmas cards will continue until the end of the month.

I hope that this Christmas Eve finds you doing what you love to do...  whether it be spending some quiet time alone or spending time with friends and family, I hope that you have a smile in your heart.

This first photo is four cards I made at a Stampin' Up! workshop a few weeks ago.  They are a lot more involved than most of the cards I come up with, but I had a blast with a few friends (and some strangers) creating these cards.  I really do like how they all turned out!

This second card was created after seeing one just like it on Pinterest.  I used a few of the MFT snowflakes cut out of white glitter paper.  I used Stick It adhesive on the back before I put it all through my Big Shot so that they were easier to adhere to the card.  I used my Perfect Layers Tool to create the white matte and an old A Muse stamp embossed with white powder for the sentiment.  I added a little bling to the centre of the snowflake to finish it off.


Saturday, December 23, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #52*

Here we are, just a few days before Christmas....  I'm having a bit of trouble feeling 100% festive with a lack of energy and missing my family.  My inlaws are all great, but I sure do miss those who have passed and those who aren't able to be here for the holidays.

This card was pretty quick and easy...  a piece of patterned paper put on a diagonal, MFT snowflakes layered together and a little sentiment stamped with Catherine Pooler ink.


Friday, December 22, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #51*

I wish you could see the sparkle on this card....  I used a snowflake embossing folder on the base of the card and then used iridescent Glitter Kiss over top of it ... the glitter paste mostly hit the high spots.  I then coloured up the penguin with some Copics, used my Perfect Layers Tools to create a red matte and put it all together.

Thursday, December 21, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #50*

I can't believe it's only a few days before Christmas....  as always some last minute things to finish up, but since the family (I have a hubby and two adult sons who still live at home) moved to the idea of drawing names last Christmas, my work is a lot less.  I still do stockings for everyone and do most of the baking myself, but at least I am only buying gifts (and wrapping) for one person.  Takes a huge bite out of what used to be on my to do list every Christmas!

I have one friend in mind for this card... she's just the type to really appreciate the non-traditional colours for Christmas.  I borrowed the idea from a card I saw on Pinterest.  A bunch of My Favorite Things Snowflake Splendor snowflakes cut out in three colours and put together.  I put them on a white panel, trimmed it in silver glitter paper and then on to a white card.  I topped it all off with a sentiment from A Muse.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #49*

I haven't spent this much time on a card in forever....

I used some Honeybee stamps and dies (More Flakey Friends) as well as a tag die from My Favorite Things.  I coloured everything with my Copics.  I added some Stampendous Chunky White Deep Impression Embossing Enamel on the front of a kraft panel and heated it from the bottom to create the look of snow.  I put it all on to a red panel and then finally on to a kraft card.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #48*

I'm not sure about this card... perhaps too much white space.  I cut out the My Favorite Things PEACE in a candy cane striped glitter paper and layered it on to three more layers of white.  I put it on a white card and wrote (by hand) the on earth as I didn't have a stamp to go with the word and I felt that the card needed something.  I layered it on to a red card.

Monday, December 18, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #47*

I wish you could see how much this card sparkles...  I LOVE this Simon Says Stamp "believe" die...  to make it stand out a bit more, I cut it out three times (once in the blue sparkle, twice in white cardstock) and layered it all up. 

*Birthday Amongst the Christmas*

Amongst all the Christmas card making I needed to put all the snowflakes and glitter aside so I could make a birthday card for a friend.

I found an idea like this on Pinterest, making a non-Christmas wreath shape with floral images.  I used all Catherine Pooler inks.

Sunday, December 17, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #46*

This is another clean and simple card... a strip of sparkly patterned paper, a few Impression Obsession snowflakes, a little ribbon and a Lawn Fawn sentiment.

Saturday, December 16, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #45*

For this card, I used the Stamping Up! snowflake embossing folder on the front of a card and then layered a My Favorite Things Snowflake Splendour snowflake on top.  So quick and easy!

Friday, December 15, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #44*

I like how this card turned out... I used three colours of Catherine Pooler ink and sponged them on to a white card.  I left it to dry overnight and then stamped the My Favourite Things merry & bright on the front and embossed it in white.  I cut down the panel and used my Perfect Layers Tool to create a border with a holographic silver cardstock and then layered it all on to a white card.  I added some white Impression Obsession snowflakes and a few little gems.

Thursday, December 14, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #43*

I borrowed this Impression Obsession snowflake background die from my sister.  I cut it out of white shimmer cardstock and layered it on to a white card.  I used the Lawn Fawn Let it snow stamp and die and put it across the bottom.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #42*

Are you surprised to find more snowflakes on my blog today?????  You really shouldn't be LOL!

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #41*

I fully admit I have a problem with snowflakes... I just love them, so much!!

This is another card made with the My Favorite Things snowflakes... I added some blue shimmer paper and some layers and voila!


Monday, December 11, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #40*

Yup... surprise!  Another card with those My Favorite Things snowflakes....  I cut them out of several different colours and types of papers and layered them together randomly to create a bunch of snowflakes...  I just LOVE them!

I added them to the front of a white card and stamped a Lawn Fawn sentiment in silver ink and embossed it in Stampin' Up! Iridescent Ice embossing powder.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #39*

I stamped this Christmas ball image from the stamp of the month set from Close To My Heart and embossed it in white on blue cardstock.  I added a white line with a gel pen and added a white layer using my Perfect Layers tool before adding it all to a blue card.

Quick and easy!

Saturday, December 09, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #38*

I played with the Concord & 9th double banner die again... this time I cut it out in white and light blue and layered the light blue one behind the white one, just a little off-set.  I used an embossing folder on the white layer and added some patterned paper on the bottom.  I added a blue band where the two papers met and then put this cute little snowman brad on the band.

Friday, December 08, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #37*

Another very quick card using those snowflakes I cut from the Snowflake Splendour die set from My Favorite Things.  I used my Perfect Layers tool to create a border of blue sparkle paper and put it all on a white card.

I'm trying to decide if I should add something more to the white space...

Thursday, December 07, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #36*

This card went together so fast... Lawn Fawn stamp, patterned shimmer paper and the Stampin' Up! tree punch.

Wednesday, December 06, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #35*

More of those beautiful Snowflake Splendour snowflakes from My Favourite things...  added a greeting stamped in black and it was too stark, so I covered it with silver Wink of Stella to try to dull it down again.

Tuesday, December 05, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #34*

I got this stamp set from Close To My Heart ... it was the stamp of the month when I placed an order and I honestly didn't even know I'd be getting it.  I stamped it in Catherine Pooler ink and cut it out (I wish I could have packed my Brother Scan n Cut to take to my sisters!).  I put it on top of a dry embossed layer and on to a light blue card.  I added some silver Stickles to the base and went over the snowglobe with my Wink of Stella pen.  Sadly, that made the ink run just a little bit.

Monday, December 04, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #33*

Another card created with the Snowflake Splendour dies by My Favourite Things.  I added a sentiment from Lawn Fawn stamped in Encore Metallic ink

Sunday, December 03, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #32*

This was pretty quick and easy...  a kraft coloured card, some gold glitter paper, a few embossing dies and an embossing folder.  Voila!

Saturday, December 02, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #31*

I sat and cut out several different colours of all of the Snowflake Splendour snowflakes from My Favorite Things and spent some time putting together different ideas for snowflakes... and then spent time putting them on cards in different ways.

For this card I used more My Favourite Things dies (the ornament as well as the stitched rectangle, used my perfect layers for the glittery layer and a little ribbon to finish it off.

I really do have a thing for snowflakes....

Friday, December 01, 2017

*2017 Christmas Cards #30*

I loved THIS card on Pinterest and had to try it for myself... so quick and simply with Stampin' Up! trees, Catherine Pooler inks and the sentiment from My Favorite Things.  I added Wink of Stella over top of the words.