The 12 Kits of Christmas: January

Hi everyone!

So glad you dropped by today--there are some exciting activities! Find a comfy place to sit and grab a beverage (coffee for me!)--this is a long post--but full of lots of goodies--including links to 11 other blogs and information about some blog candy!!!

OMG, I have been so anxious for this day to arrive! I was thrilled when Renee asked if I would be interested in joining this new group. The name is a play on 'The Twelve Days of Christmas' and the idea was a concept from Renee and Suzanne to help us support each other and get our holiday cards done early. Each month one of us will prepare 12 kits of supplies--one for ourselves and 11 to send out to the other participants. We can select the stamps/dies/etc. from any company--use any styles, any colors--just whatever suits our fancy. And when the kit arrives at our house, it is like a birthday, Christmas or fun celebration every month! Our February kits have already started arriving and wow, it is SO ADORABLE!

Renee got us off to a fantastic start with the most wonderful die cuts and a bundle of the most awesome supplies! It was definitely like Christmas when it came in the mail!! Just looking through all these goodies was a treat! And she loves this window so much that she sent everyone a bunch of extras--so you may be seeing Spring window cards soon too!! Of course, now we'll all want our own window die! It's OOS most places but sure to be on many wishlists!! I ordered the smaller version (plus a few more Memory Box dies!) and my order just arrived today!!!! 

PHOTO BY KARA

I don't have a very large crafting area so I put everything from Renee's kit out on the dining room table. It was such fun to play with layouts! With everything right there, it is so easy to get started creating! Did I mention how much I LOVE this idea!!! We only have to make one card or project but I ended up with three---could have done more but thought I might be overdoing it!

Anyway, on to my first card............

One theory of the origin of the phrase "I'll be there with bells on" is from when horses, often adorned with bells, were a major form of transportation? When I saw these bells and black velvet ribbon, I knew I wanted to use the sleigh and make a bell strap for my card! But just couldn't bring myself to use all the bells---I only used three!! Everything on this card, except the MS coarse glitter came from the kit!

My second card is perhaps my favorite. 'Cuz I LOVE the plaid! I did add a piece of light denim cardstock for the sky and used two different circle punches to punch holes so it would look like snow! See Renee's card here--she is using a Memory Box Snow Die. Isn't it cool--this is my DIY version! The wreath was cut using a MS fern punch.

For my last card I added Santa and his sleigh from WMS Twas the Night Before Christmas. And I did a little something different with the tree. I cut a piece of white cardstock to place behind the tree so all the cutouts (see Kara's photo above) would appear white. Then I colored part of them red with a Copic marker. Did you notice how the design in the tree matches the design in the background paper? The whole tree was then covered with fine glitter.

Be sure to visit all the other blogs! We all schedule our posts to go live at the same time so, as I am writing this, I have not seen anyone else's. That's part of the fun!! Can't wait to go visiting myself!! Also Renee is offering some blog candy--a collection of die cuts of your very own so you too can play!! Check her blog for details. You just need to leave a little lovin' as you hop along!

Renee

Suzanne

Cathy

Joyce

Kim

Amy

Kara

Sharron--You are HERE! 

Marybeth 

Jeanne

Jessica

Christina

Thanks so much for visiting! Have fun!!

SMILES,

Sharron

Here is a list of some of the supplies included in the Kit that I used:

Stamps: Twas the Night Before Christmas, Compliments of the Season (both WMS)

Dies: Grand Madison Window (Poppystamps); O Tannenbaum Christmas Tree (Cheery Lynn); In the Meadow (PTI)

Velvet Ribbon (Simplicity)

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #81

This week I enjoyed playing with stamps from L'il Buddies and made several thank you cards. This one uses Anya's sketch for this week's challenge! I was able to order this Heart Border Die from PTI recently and so had to use that too. I used this same chick on three cards and on the first one I realized the plaid wouldn't match if the shell was closed. Could this mean I have a bit of OCD!! This one works better!!!

Edited 1-27: I'm also playing along on Rhonda's Thankful Thursday challenge! She has started this as a great way to challenge herself to do at least one thank you card a week for a year! What a fabulous idea!!! 

Thanks for stopping by,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: L'il Buddies, Frame-It, Say It Loud (all WMS)

Cardstock: Fine Linen, Aqua Mist, Ocean Tides, Autumn Rose, Melon Berry, Hawaiian Shores (all PTI)

Patterned Paper: Vintage Blue (W R Memories)

Additional: Corner Punch, Twine from The Twinery, Memento and Amuse Inks, Copic Marker, Embroidery Thread

Runway Inspired Challenge #4

Love rainbows--so LOVE this week's challenge!! Actually this is my second attempt to make something for this week's Runway Inspired Challenge! Yesterday i started by emphasizing the pink--so out of my comfort zone that I didn't like any of the results and decided to go back to more traditional rainbow colors! I decided to use the colors to show the progression of seasons and circle of life. So I started with blue--the beginning of a new year--clean and fresh like the clear blue skies. In case you notice, my trees are 1/16 off on the left side--I wanted Life to be underneath the green tree!! The yellow, orange and red go through summer to fall and I used purple for the end of the year coldness--as the days gradually go shorter!

The 'tree' and border are from Waltzingmouse Frame-It and the sentiment is from PTI's Life. I used the debossed side of a Sizzix's embossing folder called Circles-Retro. I liked that side better as it gives a more subdued impression. Cardstock is all from PTI. Inks are Memento and Amuse.

There are lots of wonderful entries for this week's challenge. So be sure to visit the link above--plus there is still time to enter too!!

Thanks so much for dropping by my blog! Love your comments so please leave a note if you have time!

SMILES,

Sharron

Waltzingmouse Blog Party

WELCOME to the Waltzingmouse Blog Party! We're all featuring SOMETHING SWEET!! For my entry I chose to create some Lollipop Trees! 

Since I made my card this past weekend, I also used this week's WMSC featured sketch. The trees are from Tiny Trees topped with peppermint candies from Candy Jar Christmas-Fillers. A dusty of Martha Stewart Coarse Glitter adds the sparkle! The sentiment is from Say It Loud and I used a shadow technique using two inks-Amuse Latte and Memento Rich Cocoa. The Polar Expressions-Frosted Forest patterned paper is from Imaginisce--it seemed a perfect choice for a background. I used both sides to create the stripe pattern. The trees and glittery snow in the paper help carry out the theme.

Now I'm off to see all the other entries! Please come along and enjoy the party!!

Have a SWEET day,

Sharron

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #79

Off to a great start in 2012 with a fantastic new WMC sketch from Anya Schrier! You can find the link here! I thought I should try something totally different from all the recent Christmas reds and greens and went with yellow (one of my favorite colors) and aqua! The first thing I did was use the smallest pattern from Gingham and Co. and stamp Lemon Tart with Eucalyptus Amuse ink. Unfortunately the lace covered much of it up but it's a really pretty color. I love being able to create my own gingham patterns! The buttons are from an embossing folder set by Cuttlebug that I colored with a Copic marker.

It has turned cold and very windy here---winter may have arrived--knew all the mild weather couldn't last forever!!

Hope you are having a good week!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sharron

Supplies

Stamps: Sewing Box-Hugs, Gingham and Co. (WMS)

Cardstock: Lemon Tart, Aqua Mist, Stamper's Select White (PTI)

Patterned Paper: Everyday Blessings (PTI)

Additional: Stripes Embossing Folder (Quikutz); Just My Types Embossing Folders (Cuttlebug), Lace (JoAnn's); Pearl Heart (Martha Stewart); Ink-Amuse; Copics

My First Runway Inspired Challenge!!

I have seen so many fabulous entries for his new challenge called Runway Inspired Challenge. What a fun idea! This week's inspiration photo features black and white (oh and STRIPES!)--this is my entry! 

My card is 4 1/2" square. I started to use a rectangle but opted for the more even spacing with a square. The lines were done with a stamp from Background Basics-Retro from PTI. I had to practice a bit to get the right touch for spacing but then it was quite easy and went very fast! I was trying to find something for the center circle when I remembered this heart. Isn't it the perfect match! It and the sentiment are from a set called Daily Designs--also from PTI. 

And here is the inside of the card. I wanted to carry the stripe pattern inside and at the last minute stamped one of the hearts with 'happy valentine's day' from PTI's Tiny Treats-Valentines. The cardstock and all the dies I used are also from Papertrey.

I know I am really going to enjoy these challenges!! Thanks for dropping by and taking a peek!!

SMILES,

Sharron