Christmas Season

Greetings fellow crafters and card-makers.  The Christmas Season is closing in upon us and before you know it we will be rushing to get those cards made and in the mail.  I was so excited and ready to get started on my cards, so for this post I would like to showcase a Christmas card inspired by "Jo Jo's Bits N Bobs", that I enjoyed making.

This card features the cutest image from Lily of the Valley (LOTV) which is called "James In the Snow".  Isn't he the cutest little bear? I think there is a series of stamps that is designed all around the comings and goings of this little bear.

I continued on the inside with the same designer paper and included a blank space for a personal message. The paper I used is from the Vintage Autumn Basics collection by Maja Design.  The embellishments used include the Tim Holtz "Holiday Lamppost" die, Spellbinders Scalloped Circle, Wild Orchid Flowers, and lots of stickles.  I added a few snowflake stickers and stamped the "Let it Snow" greeting by Hero Arts.  Everything was inked with Vintage Photo before adhering together. The finished card is 5.5 x 5.5.

Copics Used: V95, V93, V91, V99, V01, V000, V0000, E31, E42, E50, B00, BG0000, C5, C1, C00

I'd like to play along in the following challenges:

Great Impressions - Oct Challenge Anything Goes (10/31)
Addicted to Stamps - #134 Lots of Layers (10/04)
The Pencil Case - #31 ATG Colouring Challenge (11/05)
MFP Stamp Challenge - #44 Anything Goes (11/04)
Allsorts Challenge - #387 Start on Christmas (11/04)
Kraftin Kimmie - #355 Lots of Layers (11/04)
Crafty Friends - #43 Anything Goes (11/04)
Christmas Card - #46 Create A Christmas Card (11/05)
A Gem of A Challenge - #181 Snowflakes (11/09)

That's all for tonight and thanks for stopping by.  Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you think.  I love hearing from you.

Sending hugs from Texas

~Lesia~

Make Time To Make Stuff

Flip Mini Album

Mema's Online Store - Click Here

I decided to pull out an old tutorial I had stashed away so I could make a quick Christmas Mini Album. I thought this was an easy and fun one when I first tried and I still think it is, therefore I am going to share the tutorials with you just in case you'd like to give it a go.

There's lots of space in this mini so I've taken a few photos just to give you an idea (if you haven't seen it) because it has been out for a while. 

Although it only measures 6 x 6 it has lots of space for pockets and photos. You can also easily adjust the spine if you'd want a thicker mini.

I created mine with a half inch spine because I didn't plan on having a lot of embellishments inside and I have about 15-20 photos I want to add to it.



It is perfect for holding those special event photos such as a baby shower or birthday or road trip.





The items I used were the Tim Holtz lamp post die, a memory box doily die, chipboard from the paper collection, WOC flowers, stickles, gesso, a few pearls of course Graphic 45 12 Days of Christmas paper collection.

There are lots of flips and folds so I want to share just a few with you.



When you first open the mini you have your first 3-way layout. I added a pocket for photos and on the side flaps I am showing how you could use them for journaling or another pocket.

Next I skip to the third layout (just to save time and photos).



On this page or layout I added a pocket once again for photos (and yes I do plan to add a mat the black pocket) On the double flaps I decided to keep them together with eyelet closures.

This is the last photo I have of my mini but there are two more layouts in this mini.



Here you can see how it looks with the flaps open and the two center flaps closed down. There is room on each side for more photos and journaling.

So there you have my first Christmas Mini Album this year.  I have seen it created by several different crafters with variations but the two individuals whom I have followed are Gloria and Zina.

Leave your comments below and let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping By

Hugs and Kisses from Texas

Lesia

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Although they are very similar there are some differences. I've made them both and was pleased with the results of each. 

Below are links directly to the tutorials as well as a link to Gloria's video. There are printable instructions on Gloria's blog and the photo will take you there.



Link to Zina's Blog:
My Scrap and I




Link to Gloria's Blog: 
Scraps of Life:
(look for the printable instructions link)



Link to Gloria's YouTube Video tutorial:
Mini Flip Book By Gloria:

Christmas Cards

Mema's Online Store - Click Here

I don't really have a lot to say today so this post will be short especially for me.  First of all the weekend has been surprisingly pleasant with cooler temperatures and gentle breezes throughout the day.  Absolutely perfect for sitting outside and drinking tea or watching my Yorkie-Poo run around chasing birds.  I really do love this time of year, although its not always the best for my allergies...but today all is well and I sit here with my ice tea and my laptop enjoying the beauty God has granted us.

So now to move quickly to the card I have to share with you.  Every year I vouch to make 10-15 cards to either give to others, share at the nursing homes or to sale and this is my latest one.  

I still have more to make but this particular one is ready to be shared because it was quick and easy to make. I found my inspiration on pinterest and I think the lady's name was Cathy, a Stampin Up demonstrator.

I created this card using mostly card-stock in white, green, red and green.  I added some a bit of designer paper from an old Graphic 45 collection called "Christmas Emporium" 

I matted and layered my card-stock and added embossing to the second mat and layer set. The embossing folder was "dots" from Spellbinders (I think that was the name). 

On the next matted layer, I stamped one of the trees that is part of the "Lovely as a Tree" stamp collection from Stampin Up. I'm not sure that you can find this collection because I think it is about 4 or 5 years old.

I've had it for a very long time but I love it and every year I pull it out to make my Christmas cards. There are tons of ideas for this collection on pinterest and Youtube.

I couldn't figure out what to do on the inside so I carried over the Graphic 45 paper with all its hollies. 




Because of all the hollies on the paper I thought it needed something plain but interesting so I added a second iteration of the stamp and layered a mat as a space for a personal message to complete my card. 

I'd like to enter the following challenges:
Sweet Stampin Challenge - Antique Roadshow -use oldest stamp (10/22)
Crazy 4 Challenges - Sketch #308 (10/31)
Catch the Bug - October Bingo Challenge (ribbon, 3 layers, Pearls) (10/24)
52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Wild Woods (10/23)

Okay that's all I had to share for today, except I do need to identify my comment winner so let me do that now.

I do enjoy reading your comments and I know it takes time to read and even more time to comment so occasionly I like to say thank you.  Although I appreciate all of you, I can only give away one gift certificate.  

Selected from the comments 

on my post "Back to Copics" 

the winner of a 

Mo Manning gift voucher is: 

Dawn Lancaster!

Contact me before Sunday, October 25th at MemasCrafts2@gmail.com

Just Before Christmas

Hello everyone.  The countdown continues and Christmas is around the corner, so I think this may actually be my last post until after Christmas.

I wish to all of you a very Merry Christmas filled with laughter, love, family, friends and thoughts of the reason we share and rejoice in this season.

Here are a few last minute cards I created to cover any folks I forgot to count when I was deciding how many cards I needed. I knew I should have made a list but I didn't so these are my extra cards to avoid the embarrassment of forgetfulness.  I hope you find them enjoyable to view.

This first one is really attractive in reality.  The photo doesn't show the sparkle of the swirls, snowflakes and flourishes.

I embossed the folder, lightly rubbed an ink pad across the raised areas and then outlined everything with star-dust stickles.

I added a greeting and punched the bottom edge with a Martha Stewart snowflake border punch.

For my second card I was real excited to use my newest die from Memory Box.  I cut two corners (one white and one navy) and glued them together to form an outline around the navy cut.

I had a difficult time trying to keep the cutouts from falling out but with patience I manage to get it done.  I used a Versamark pen to color inside the outline and then I added Glitter embossing powder and heat set to give the corner a lovely shimmer and sparkle.

The sentiment and greeting was computer generated and printed directly on the card-stock. It looks very professional and using the computer I was able to match the font color perfectly with the card-stock.

Well tomorrow I think I'll be busy preparing our menu and making sure all ingredients are in the house so I don't think I'll have time to craft...but if I do find an hour here or there I'll be surfing to see what new thing I can find.

I'll see you next week after all the hype from Christmas has settled down and things began to return to normal.  So until then remember:

Christmas Preparations

After all the festivities from Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas Deals I had a chance to get started on my Christmas card making.  I shared my first two cards as part of my December Challenge...if you haven't joined click the tab above and go ahead and play with us.

Now to share another Christmas card with everyone.  This card is a combination of 3 cards I saw on pinterest.  Each card had a element I liked so I figured out how to put all 3 elements together with my own idea and voila my card is born and here it is...what'cha think.

I would like to enter this card in the following challenges:

Sister Act Card - Challenge #86 (12/11)
Fussy and Fancy - Challenge #128 Happy Holidays (12/11)
Creative Corner - Winter Wonderland (12/06)
Chocolate Coffee Cards - Challenge #79 Use A Charm (12/11)
Brown Sugar - Challenge #123 Winter (12/10)

Before I end this post I want to remind everyone of my DT call currently in effect as well as our last challenge of the year.

Have fun...and hopefully the holidays will bring you joy, happiness and remembrance of the reason for the season.

Thanks for stopping by