Elves for Christmas

Elves have been a passion of mine since back in the '90s when I discovered a painting book by Annie Lang: Elves from my Shelves. Since then, I've always loved having elves around for Christmas, in one form or another.

Earlier this year, I bought an elf image from Meljen's Designs called Santa's Little Helper.

I've just finished two cards with him:

and



For the first one I used brighter and more modern colors, the second is more traditional. Both elves have been colored with Copics and glitter.

As for patterned papers: the first one uses papers from the Christmas Joy Paper Pad by First Edition, the second uses paper from DCWV Christmas Papers.

The face of this little elf makes me smile every time I look at it!

I'm entering the first card in the following challenges:

Meljen's Designs Challenge # 137: Anything Goes

Crimbo Crackers Challenge # 29: Anything Goes

Divas by Design Challenge # 62: Use Two or More Patterned Papers

Cards for Men Challenge # 24: Merry Christmas

Wrapping Gifts

Wrapping gifts means "Christmas is fast approaching".

I don't like to wrap gifts.

Well, that's not true. I like the idea of wrapping something I've bought for someone special, to put it under the tree, to see children's eyes open wide for the surprise, but I don't like the physical act to wrap them.

I usually postpone my wrapping session until Christmas is so near I can't avoid it.

Seeing this fortnight challenge theme at ABC Christmas Challenge "W is for Wrapping" I thought that I had to make a card with a new image from Broken Box Stock.

Here's my card:

She is Lydia Wrapping Gifts, isn't she cute? And that Santa hat... maybe I should try to wear one on and my gift wrapping will be more cheerful!!

Copics and glitter for the image, some designer paper from the Helz Cuppleditch Special Delivery paper pad, a ribbon, two rhinestones and...voilà!

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

ABC Christmas Challenge: W is for Wrapping

and

The Crafty Pad Challenge # 197: It's beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

There's a sale going on in my Etsy shop: use coupon code BLACKFRIDAY15 to get a 15% discount on your purchase!



Wish BIG!

Just a quick post today to show you my latest card:

Yesterday, I had a look at Jellypark Challenges and the theme was too funny to let the challenge go without creating a card for it!

I had this free image from the Jellypark store which was perfect! (And sooo cute!).

I made a light blue textured card and used a patterned paper from DCWV. The digi is colored with Copics and glitter and the orange I used for the apron inspired me for the orange cardstock stripe I glued behind the mouse and the orange satin rose.

The super-funny sentiment was from There She Goes clear stamps and it was so appropriate for this image!!!

I'm entering the following challenges:

Jellypark Challenges: I'm Hungry!

Digi Makeover Challenge # 63: Food

The Squireel andThe Fox Challenge # 31: Anything Goes

Paper Playtime Challenge # 89: Anything Goes

Artistic Inspiration Challenge # 16: Anything Goes

With Love at Christmas

Our most heartfelt tradition for Christmas here is Italy is certainly the Nativity: we make beautiful scenes with little statues, mountains, lakes and little villages.

When I was a child, my mom always made a Nativity village: she made the sky with a blue chiffon fabric with lots of stars, she made mountains with paper, a lake with a mirror, the desert with real sand and she added little stones and musk here and there. Then, she added those lovely little houses with a light in them : it was so magic!

Although the Nativity was set up on December 8, little baby Jesus arrived on the 24th once we came home from the midnight Mass and I still keep the tradition with my daughter: as soon as we arrive home she puts our little Jesus in His cradle.

I'm not good at making the Nativity: we only have a hut and the main characters, no lights, no mountains, no lake... my excuse is that we have no space to dedicate to a bigger scene but the truth is that I'm not good at making it.

Once I grew older, I decorated the Christmas tree while my mom and my sister created the nativity (probably, my little sister was tired to hang Christmas decorations on the back of the tree only and she decided it was better to work with mum...).

Last year I found a lovely image from DigiStamp Boutique called Cute Naitvity Kids and this year I've made this card:

I've used a white easel card I bought last month at a craft fair, added a glittered light blue paper and this lovely digi stamp colored with Copics. The turquoise ribbon around the edge give that special touch.

I'm entering this card into the following Challenges:

DigiStamp Boutique November Customer Competition: Anything Goes with DigiStamp Boutique

Christmas Cards All Year Around November Challenge: Shaped or Fancy Folds

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge # 99: use something more than 6 months old

(the digi stamp was bought last year).

It's Time for a "Thank You" Challenge at Broken Box Stock

It's time for Challenge # 14 at Broken Box Stock and the theme is perfect for this time of the year: make a Thank You card!

Here's my card:

I've used Robin's Tune which is one of the lovely digis available in the shop (and it's free! You can find it here) and an orange palette which reminds me of autumn and falling leaves. 

You can read everything about the challenge here, but here's a few directions:

Challenge Directions:

Make a "Thank You" card. With all of the holidays coming up, you're bound to need one! - And, you can make up to 3 cards for this challenge!

Broken Box Stock Digital Stamps:
You don't have to use our stamps but we love it when you do! We have hundreds of digital stamps, clic here to check them out!

 

FREEbies:

Check out our freebies too! View our entire freebie collection here.

Deadline: Thursday, November 29, 2012 @ 5:00pm

Prize: 3 FREE digital stamps from our shop at www.BrokenBoxStock.com (your choice!)

Challenge Rules: 

1) Follow the challenge's specific design criteria above.

2) To enter your card in the challenge, use our "inlinkz" link tool below.

3) No back linking.

4) Up to 3 entries per person.

5) Subscribe to our blog so you know if you win (winners must claim their prizes by emailing Broken Box Stock, we will not reach out to you)!

6) We must have at least 5 entries to award a prize.

 

Go ahead and make plenty of Thank You cards and don't forget to check out the wonderful creations from other DT members here! 



Unusual Colors

After an indigestion of red last week, I've decided to follow an interesting challenge which asks us to use these colors:

The Challenge is at Sparkle Creations blog and I was inspired by these colors which are pretty unusual for a Christmas card.

I made this:

I used Christmas Tree Ruby from Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps and colored her with Copics in shades of smoky blue and green.

I added touches of glitter, a touch of red and mounted it on a glittered grey/light blue/light green (?) paper from DCWV. I added a grey ribbon, a light green paper rose and a perfectly matching button (which I had just saved from an old t-shirt I was throwing way).

Although a card with these colors is quite unusual for Christmas, I find it quite elegant. But my favorite detail is the necklace: I added three pearls around her neck, isn't she cute? (My daughter immediately noticed it and loved it!).

This card will be entered in the following challenges:

Sparkle Creations Rubber Stamps Challenge # 92: Color Challenge

Sparkles Christmas Challenge # 22: Contemporary Color Combo

Ladybug Crafts Challenge # 3: Monochrome/Tonal

Red Again!

Well, it seems that this week red is my favorite color for Christmas creations!

Here I have another project to show you:

I've had these heart-shaped tags for a long while (they are very beutiful but quite expensive so I've never found the right occasion to use them) and every now and then I've tried to make something out of them unsuccessfully. A few days ago I received this ADORABLE Santa hat cat image from Broken Box Stock (you can find it here) and I knew it was THE perfect image for some girly Christmas tags.

I printed them on heavy paper and colored with grey and red Copics, added lots of glitter, three rhinestones and a funny sentiment and... voilà... quick, easy but SO pretty!

I'm entering the following challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenge # 108: Reds

Divas by Design # 60: Let's Get Cute

Kraftyhands Challenge: Christmas in November

Papertake Weekly Challenges: Anything Goes

Creative Craft Challenge: Special Occasion, NOT Birthday

One Crazy Stamper November Challenge: Anything Goes

I'm quite thrilled to have some time to create something new for a challenge and I'm realizing that most of these challenges are new to me so I'm very happy!

And don't forget to have a look at Broken Box Stock Blog: you have the chance to win THREE gorgeous digi stamps! Read all about it here! Don't miss this chance!

Red for Christmas

It took me more than 20 years to appreciate the color RED.

I still remember (for I still have it) the first red cardigan I bought. I had never loved it as color in general and  I couldn't wear it, despite it is said that red is the color for Aries.

I don't wear all that red now, especially in winter, but I've bought a few red things in these past years that are still in my wardrobe.

But the Christmas color "par excellence" is red.

Although I love to make cards in pink and pastel colors cards, when I make one in red or red and green, it shouts "Christmas!".

Like the one I've just finished:

Inspired by the current challenge at Crafts and Me Challenge where RED is the theme, I've used this gorgeous stamp and papers by Wild Rose Studio which I colored with Copics and glitter. I wanted it to sparkle, so I added rhinestones and, for a special touch, I added a satin ribbon tied in a bow.

I love its vintage feel and the light it has when Imove it under the light!

Wow... Christmas is coming!

This card is perfect for the following challenges:

Crafts and Me Challenge # 108: Reds

ABC Christmas Challenge: V is for vibrant colors

Whimsy Stamps Challenge # 53: Traditional Christmas Colors

The Ribbon Girl November Card Challenge: Sparkle

Paper Crafting Journey: Anything Goes

Christmas Critters

Christmas is coming... Shops are putting on the festive dress, filling their shelves with Christmas goodies.

A bit "late" this year, maybe because it was warm until last week and Christmas seemed far away? Or maybe because that mid-October was too early in any case...

Being a crafter and making Christmas cards for most of the year, I'm always happy when I see something festive around: I love to see new trends, to have some inspiration and to be completely in the right mood for holiday creations.

But, the other "me" refuses to buy ornaments and home decorations so early. The most horrible thing is that, when it's almost Christmas, most big shops have already taken away Christmas items.

Well, let's go back to cards.

Today I'm happy to show a card I've just finished with a lovely stamp from Meljen's Designs called Ice Skating Mouse:

This picture is a bit dark, I'm sorry. The Easel card is white and the panel below is a light blue-green glittered paper.

I colored the mouse with Copics and glitter and added rhinestones, glittered snowflakes and dots of pink paint. Isn't she cute?

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Meljen's Designs Challenge # 134: Critters

Christmas Stamping All Year Long # 35: Anything Goes

Christmas Card Challenge Week 48: Pop It Up

The Crafty Pad Challenge # 194: Christmas Is Coming

Divas by Design Challenge # 59: Feeling Festive

Broken Box Stock Challenge # 13: Thanksgiving

It's time for another challenge at Broken Box Stock and the theme is a very easy one: Thanksgiving!

Well, not for me, it should be one of the first Thanksgiving cards in my life... We have imported Halloween and our kids go trick-or-treating, disguised as witches and devils but no, Thanksgiving it's still something very American!

With a brand new type of cards I've recently bought at a craft fair, I made this:

I've always loved this Thanksgiving Pilgrim Toodle digi stamp (there's also a colored version available, click here to see it) from Broken Box Stock and I'm happy I've had a chance to use it for a card!

Well, now for the Challenge:

Challenge Directions:Make a Thanksgiving card, pretty simple! Enter up to 3 cards and you might as well drop them in the mail to send off to a loved one :)

Broken Box Stock Digital Stamps:
We have hundreds of digital stamps, click here to check them out!

FREEbies:

Check out our freebies too! View our entire freebie collection here.

Deadline: Thursday, November 15, 2012 @ 5:00pm

Prize: 3 FREE digital stamps from Broken Box Stock.com (you choose!)

Challenge Rules: 

1) Follow the challenge's specific design criteria above.

2) To enter your card in the challenge, use our "inlinkz" link tool below.

3) No back linking.

4) Up to 3 entries per person.

5) Subscribe to our blog so you know if you win (winners must claim their prizes by emailing us, we will not reach out to you)!

6) We must have at least 5 entries to award a prize.

Don't forget to have a look at all the fabulous creations from the DT! Check them all here!