CTMH - Yuletide Carol Christmas cards

Close to My Heart released two Christmas ranges in this year's Annual Inspirations - one called Snowhaven, and the other Yuletide Carol. 

 

I vowed when moving back to Australia to stay away from snowy images as that wasn't representative of our Christmas, so that only left me with the only choice of Yuletide Carol, a much more traditional range, reminiscent of Victoriana. 

 

I had no time to blog before Christmas, so I am trying to be in catch-up mode and post them here, just to record them. 

 

I quite liked the first one, but wasn't crazy about the washi underneath the "Noel". 

I preferred the ivy wreath embossed onto white, and felt that the black glitter trim was a bit stark. 

 

 

I much preferred this third one - much more simplified and less cluttered. 

 

All CTMH supplies, except for the addition of "Layered Poinsettia" die by Spellbinders, and "Labels Four" - an old staple I constantly use.  I was pleased to have almost completely finished using my first ever jar of embossing powder, bought some 10+ years ago.  That gives me a real sense of satisfaction!

 

This is the card I made for Paul.  It was more difficult to resolve and the background is too busy for me.  But it was a paper in the pack that I wanted to try and use comprehensively.  

 

I loved the little ribbon sitting on top of the pile of presents and shall probably use that stamp set more thoroughly for next Christmas.  I used my Tim Holtz die "" here and covered the New England Ivy diecut with Stardust Stickles and then outlined in black for a bit more emphasis. 

 

I discovered that you can punch through the shimmer tape quite well, so I have used my EK Success scallop border punch on all the cards. 



Supplies:
Close to My Heart "Yuletide Carol" Workshop on the Go
CTMH Red, Black Shimmer Trim; Sequins Assortment:  Gold, Bling Gems Assortment:  Gold, Shinhan Marker:  Carmine, Versamark, Gold Embossing Powder
CTMH Exclusive Inks:  Cranberry, Black, New England Ivy
CTMH stamps:  Make It Merry, Noel
Tim Holtz Alterations die Stacked Words: Christmas
Spellbinders die:  Layered Pointsettias
Spellbinders die:  Labels Four
Francheville washi tape
Ranger Stickles Stardust

I will have other Christmas cards to share, when next I get a chance to blog them!  Thanks for your visit.  :)

2015 Project Life album - Title Page

Well, it's the New Year, so best to start as I mean to continue! Less procraftination, more action ...

 

Not a brilliant photo, but taken at night so the page is now done and blogged, whilst very fresh.  It's not necessarily the crafting that is difficult to fit in, it's usually the blogging, so want to start on a different note ....

 

A very simple page which seems to represent me fairly well, I think.  A real combination of elements from a number of different sources, which hopefully gel together. 

 

Supplies:

Yellow Chevron Paper - Echo Park: Paradise Beach "Flip Flops"

Heidi Swapp: Favourite Things

CTMH: Chalk It Up

CTMH:  Brushed

Gold Foil Elements: CTMH: Year >>Noted

Black Cardstock

Heidi Swapp Sheer Stickers

Papermania Vinyls: Butterflies 2

American Crafts Thickers: Black Glitter Letter Stickers

 

The CTMH "Year >>Noted" mini collection is a bonus for January 2015 during National Papercrafting Month.  When a qualifying purchase is made of $75, then this $37 value kit can be purchased for only $10.  How immediate of me to use something so hot off the press!

 

I wouldn't have normally chosen this 4 pocket 6 x 6 layout design for the title page, but it was the Australian Project Life Forum on Facebook raving about the Heidi Swapp card which decided for me.  A good focus point, as it seems to embody the hopes and ambitions for this year ... I wondered how I was going to use it. Wonder no more and as an added bonus, I've sold the other one!   Thanks for stopping by.  :)

Kreative Koncepts January 2015 Sketch Challenge

Supplies:

American Crafts Black cardstock
Heidi Swapp Citron Colour Shine
Studio Calico mask
Pebbles Accent and Phrase Stickers
Green sequins
Doodlebug Expressions Medium Limeade Alphabet rub-ons
Patterned papers: MME Bloom and Grow "Bloom", October Afternoon "Detours": Walk in the Park, Daisy D's "Railway Journal", Crate Paper "Farmhouse Collection": Apple Pie, Heidi Swapp "No Limits": Traditional, Doodlebug

 

Here's my layout - of Henry and Lewis in Chinchilla at their daycare centre, Charley's Place.  I can safely say that it is the best daycare centre that the boys have ever been to - well, out of a choice of three, but still! Very professional, well run and so well organised.  I particularly loved seeing their own educators, no matter what time of the day, and getting their email reports entailing the days' activities. 

 

 

Sadly, the journaling can't be read (I don't understand why?) but it says:

 

"On this day in June 2013, Charley's Place took part in the World's Biggest Breakfast where the children came dressed for the morning in their pyjamas.  You both had great fun. 

 

You were helping yourselves to lots of snacks and juice in between playing.  We had to stop you both, as you kept coming back for ever more juice! More importantly, lots of money was raised for a great cause". 

 

 I fundamentally stuck to the four photo idea but turned the sketch around, so that the semi circular element was underneath.  I used a banner mask instead, and some citron colour shine all over the background. 

 

Most of the patterned papers are aeons old and came from my scraps bag - great when you just want snippets of colour or a small area of interest dotted around the page.  I also unearthed My Doodlebug Expressions rub-on letters - I think they are all reaching close to the end of their natural lives, as they just fly off the plastic with the least resistance.  I shall make it my mission to try and use them up more! I just coat them with Glossy Accents so that they don't rub off the page. 

 

All in all, I am pleased with my interpretation and that I have used up more scraps! Thanks for stopping by and hope 2015 is the year for all of us.  :)