2015 Year in Review

It is hard to believe another year has whizzed by far too quickly, but here we are at the end of December. I'm enjoying seeing other card makers looking back on what they created this year and thought I would share a few of my favorite cards from 2015.

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It is a bit of an eclectic mix, but there are definite trends coming through: I love CAS designs, bold colors, dies and shaker boxes!

I hope you are finding a little creative time as things seem to slow down at the end of the year. Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Papertrey Ink December 2015 Blog Hop + Simon Says

Welcome to the Papertrey Ink December 2015 Blog Hop! I think I'm going to call 2015 the Year of the Shaker, because the inspiration photo provided this month immediately inspired a couple of last minute shaker gift tags.

The "joy" on the second plate in the inspiration photo made me think of my PTI One Liner Die, so I pulled that out along with PTI's Tag Sale #4 die to cut the layers for the shaker tag.  Ribbons, fiber, bells & sequins finish the tag off.

I'm also linking this tag to the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge Blog where the challenge this week is to Make It Sparkle.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CASology Week 178: Merry + Color Throwdown #373 + Simon Says

I've been working on a few last minute tags today, but they aren't quite ready for sharing, so I thought I'd share another holiday card as I wanted to post and wish everyone out there celebrating tomorrow a very, very Merry Christmas!

This super quick and easy card is made with the Savvy Deer Head die, a very old Stampendous jewel sticker, MFT sentiment and Delicata Gold ink.

The gold rimmed, red circle jewel turns my deer head into Rudolph. As always, it takes a few photos to try capture the shimmer & sparkle of the luscious Delicata Golden Glitz ink.

I am linking this card up to the CASology Week 178: Merry challenge, the Color Throwdown #373 to make any Christmas creation in any colors and Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge to Make It Sparkle.

We are having a quiet dinner at home this year. My son had his wisdom teeth out on Monday and we weren't sure how he'd be feeling by Christmas day but I'm happy to report after a day of pudding & yogurt he is doing fabulously and once again emptying the fridge & pantry. I am really looking forward to a quiet, relaxing weekend with the family.

Merry Christmas!

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

FMS #217 + CQC #321 + Simon Says: Die Crazy + HLS December CAS

A few challenges have been combined to create this holiday card.

The Freshly Made Sketch #217 is super versatile and I will be using it for a few more cards that need to get out in the mail today. The colors from Colour Q Challenge #321 were perfect for a holiday card and, with the Wednesday Stamp Challenge at Simon Says Stamp being Die Crazy and the Happy Little Stampers December CAS Challenge being to showcase a Favorite Technique, I am linking to these challenges too.

School is done at noon and then we are off to finish shopping, optometrist appointments and prepare Greek salad for 120+ for the company Christmas party tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

RIC#97 + HLS December CAS + Seize the Birthday

Today I managed to make a birthday card, just not sure it is suitable for the soon-to-be 17 year old boy who is supposed to be getting one tomorrow. I thought I missed the deadline for the Runway Inspired Challenge #97 and was pleasantly surprised to see I had a couple more hours to enter a card.

The trim on the Tory Burch dress instantly made me think of Mexican Papel Picado banners with their intricate cut-outs. I tried to replicate that idea with an MFT stitched flag die cut that was partially die cut with a MB Piestra Tile border die. The flags are inked with Spiced Marmalade Distress Ink and strung over a Salty Ocean inked panel. The sentiment is from PTI's Stylish Sentiments: Birthday stamp set.

I'm also linking this card to the Happy Little Stampers December CAS Challenge to use a favorite technique (partial die cutting) and Seize the Birthday in the Anything Goes category.

It looks like I will be heading back to my desk late tonight to work on something a little more masculine.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

CASology Week 176: Tree + HLS Favorite Technique

Every year I plan to have my Christmas cards in the mail by December 1st, the house decorated, shopping done and baking underway so I can relax and enjoy the season. It's good to have goals, right?

Today I was supposed to be making birthday cards for my son (yes, we also have a December birthday on the calendar) but somehow ended up with another Christmas card.

This card was inspired by the  CASology Week 176: Tree and the Happy Little Stampers December CAS Challege: Favorite Technique. I actually used two favorite techniques on this card. First the Poppystamps Boddington Tree Border is die cut from a white panel, the panel trimmed and the die cut inset back into place (favorite technique number one). Before this piece is mounted with foam adhesive on the aqua card base the sentiment from an older MFT Inspired By Christmas stamp set is selectively stamped in two colors (favorite technique number two).

        

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie

Craft Hoarders Anonymous December 2015 Blog Hop

Welcome to the 

Craft Hoarders Anonymous December 2015 Blog Hop!

You should be coming to my blog from Pam's blog, Scrapbook Flair. After visiting me, head over to Glenda's blog, MagPie's Corner. To start at the beginning of the Blog Hop, and for a full list of participants, head over to Gloria's Scraps of Life blog. 

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking a class from Paula Cheney at a local scrapbook store. I didn't have time to take her second class and was thrilled when I realized I could buy the kit. Paula's Merry & Bright project is full of wonderful bits & pieces that are used to create ornaments to hang on a Tim Holtz Clip Carousel. What does this have to do with a Blog Hop designed to help us used our hoarded supplies? Well, these two little corked dome snowglobes in the kit completely inspired me to dig into a basket of Christmas bits and pieces, some Tim Holtz and some from other companies.

These first two pieces are Paula's designs from the kit - how adorable is this glitter little deer! 

My biggest challenge was figuring out what I could use from my stash instead of the ring fasteners on the top of corked domes to attach the swivel clasps and the screw eyes attaching charms to the cork stoppers.

I pulled out a few jewelry making pins, beads and pearls and adhered them together with Glossy Accents. Don't you love how the center of my glitter tape provides the perfect spot for them to sit and dry?

Once the pins were dry, I cut off the excess and adhered the beads to the top of the globes. With some, a red sequin is adhered first and then the bead added. I have never been disappointed with Glossy Accents' ability to adhere to anything.

The larger globes all have a Memory Box die cut deer inside the dome and a jingle bell dangling below.

For the smaller domes, the pin is pushed through the cork stopper and was easy to bend into a loop to hold a dangling charm.

This tiny bottle brush tree fit perfectly in the dome, so I followed the same steps used for the larger domes to make this one.

The swivel clasps all have a Christmas Muse token attached and a line of tinsel twine helps hide the point where the cork and dome are adhered.

Thanks for making it throught this long post. If you want to check out Paula's kit, she mentions at the bottom of this blog post that a few are still available.

It's time to keep hopping and head over to Glenda's wonderful creation at her blog, Magpie's Corner.  If you want to start the hop from the beginning, or look at the full lost of participants, head over to Gloria Stengel's Scraps of Life.

Thanks for stopping by,

Jacquie