12 Kits of Occasions - December!

Yes, my friends, we are closing the year out with a bang-of-a Kit from Jessica Davis of The Paper Parade!  Take a peek at all the goodies we got to play with:

Glittery gold, and exquisite blacks ... darling characters, too... Jess, I had a real party in my play room today... thank you so very much for such a fun [new to me] group of supplies!  So. are you ready?  Here are my cards:

This one is for Tom ... did you know that we had our first date on New Year's Eve?  Yep ... and we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of that date on Saturday night with dinner, dancing, and dueling pianos!!!

Is this guy the best?  Oh yes, he is on a wobbler!  I've only down-hill skied once ... and was I EVER grateful to reach the bottom of the [bunny] hill... I did it BACKWARDS!  in fact, just like this guy, but without the boogie board:

My next card will be heading out as a thank you for a wonderful gift I received for Christmas ...

 

I could NOT be more ready for 2017!!!  or happier to see a year end ... how do you feel about it?

 



My teamie, Jeanne Jachna, always finds one element of each Kit that proves to be a challenge ... here is my own version using two gorgeous clear buttons:

Thanks to Birgit Norton for these wonderful tags!

That's it for me ... now run, don't walk, to The 12 Kits of Occasions blog for a really wonderful display of celebration!

Thank you for all the visits, comments, cheer-leading, and hand-holding this year my friends ... I dare say I could NEVER have made it to the finish line without you!

Hope you have your own celebration tomorrow night ... however you do, be safe!

=]  Michele

The Curtain Call FaLaLa!!

 . . . la, la, la, la, la, following my friend Bobby's lead at the Curtain Call Challenge ... here's Bobby's card:

 

and the Curtain Call Inspiration photo:

 

 

and, finally, my card!!!

 

I drew inspiration from the colors of these fab boxes, the string of lights, and the texture in the frame to the right ... you know I'll find any excuse to add a little dry-embossing!

Hope you're enjoying the day ... what day is it, by the way?

;]  Michele

paper MFT Calm & Cozy chevrons
MFT pierced square dies
SSS Deco Tree and Holiday Ornaments dies
SSS Fog cardstock
Coats gold thread
Recollections gold foiled cardstock
Cuttlebug embossing folder

 

Inspired by All the Little Things #37

'Tis the Season!  The season to get a jump-start on next year's Christmas cards, that is!  I'm sure I'll be hustling around by November, too!

Inspired by All the Little Things #37 has the cutest little cookie jar full of yummy-ness... check it out:

I decided to 'bake up' a little batch of Wplus9's houses in the form of kraft-cookie-dough, embossed with puffy white glittery sugary embossing powder.  I've tucked them into an acetate envelope, behind my PPP die-cut cookie jar, so that the recipient will be able to use them on her very own cards!  Pretty tricky, right?

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by today... I know I've been a bit behind the scenes lately ... 'tis the season for lots of busy-ness though.   I'll be back after the first of the year with lots of goodies to share!

 

Until then, be safe as you travel, be blessed with Christmas cheer, and share as much goodwill toward all, as you have shown to me this year ... lots of hugs, and love...

 

=]  Michele

 



CAS[E] this Sketch #202

It's our final CTS post before our Holiday break ... I love the Sketch Leigh has given us for the occasion!  I've used it to try a little Prisma Coloring!!  [Yes, Therese, I've finally gotten my own set!]  and Leigh's sketch screams random stamping, right?

I've seen so many designers coloring on kraft - thank you all for inspiring me - happy to give it a go using these festive little Santa's Reindeer from Wplus9, and a perfect New Year sentiment using a few words from E.H. Julie's Advent set. 

For CTS 202:

Prancer and Vixen are making merry ... prancing and dancing, that is!

 

I have a long way to go, I'm sure ... but it's always good to end the year trying something new!

 

All the very best wishes to you, and yours.

You all have been integral in making our

CAS[E] this Sketch challenge

such a fun place to play cards this year!!!

 

Merry Christmas, and thank you for all the love and kindness you've left me here.  See you again at CTS on

January 3rd 2017!!

 

=]  Michele xoxo

 



amy T. I see your mitten ...

... and raise you a pair!  Hello my friends ... feeling a bit under the weather lately - no worries, as my friend amy Tsuruta honored me this morning with a mitten card - I will put my troubles aside this morning, to join in the fun!

I've had this photo on my desk, saving it for this very hop:

After reading amy's blog post this morning, I made quick work of it ... for the Winter Coffee Lovers Bloghop:

Thank you, amy T. for cheering me up this morning, even when you didn't know I needed cheering!  Another fabulous Coffee Hop, my friend!

=]  Michele

CASology Week 227: SPACE

While the old song says:

"...accennnntuate the positive, elimmmminate the negative!"

...I choose to add a little someone to accentuate the negative SPACE in my gorgeous new Winnie & Walter NOEL cutaway!

For CASology Week 227:  Space:

 

Guess what I used for that little reindeer!!!

 

 

Thanks for all your support, and kindness!!

 

=]  Michele

 

 

CAS[E] this Sketch #201

I would like to thank all of you who have joined us to celebrate our 200th post!!!  You left the sweetest comments, and kindness galore!  Cheers to the next 200, right?!

For this week, and CTS #201, N@ Ali provided the perfect place for a wonderful gift ... of course, you know I'm going to move it around a bit - because that's me =]

I had such fun with those darling Wplus9 houses ... guess what I found hiding under the piles of cards on my desk?  Yep.  One more ...

and it's sitting right on a snowy little hill, just where N@ intended it?

I can't wait to see where you place your present/house/any old thing you want!!!  We'll love it!

=]  Michele

It's Christmas at Fusion!

What a beautiful way to celebrate the season, and Fusion, too ... I'll be missing their challenge, but look forward to the New Year full of inspiration from them!

Look closely at this photo and you'll see a bounty of bling, and precious metals:  silver, gold, bronze, and pewter, too!  I've captured a few:

First up, for the photo challenge:

Wplus9 Holiday Boughs, and 4Bar die - Hampton Art Stag

Sadly, only the recipient will get the full-on effect of clear embossing Delicata Gold on that little wood-grain Stag head!

For their Sketch, I couldn't help but invite that Stag to the party!  This time cut from textured gold foil paper:

 

You will no doubt recognize that little wreath - how lovely is it cut from silver glitter paper?!  The perfect adornment for those stately antlers!

 

Thanks for the visit ... will you be joining me for Fusion's final 2016 challenge?  See you in the gallery!!!  [now which one will I post?  hmmmm...

 

=]  Michele

CASology Week 226: Candle

It's quite possible my card will not pass the CAS test, but I'm throwing it into the ring anyway ... I LOve the happy surprise I came upon while using my new Shine Cutaway from Winnie & Walter!!!

For CASology Week 226:

 

An all-over texture can most definitely ring CAS to me!!!

Can YOU find my candle?

 

It has been so long since I've played cards at CASology.  I do hope they'll like my card a little bit! 

 

Tell me if you do, please ... and thank you in advance! 

 

=]  Michele

CAS[E] this Sketch 200th Celebration!

You've read that right:  our 200th Sketch, and we are celebrating!  Please head over to the main CAS[E] this Sketch blog post for all the details on how you might be a winner of a give-away from our wonderful leader, Chrissy Larson!

First, please check out the Sketch from Sam Simpson, it is a fun one:

You guys do know how much I love being a part of this team, right?  We're all so thankful to all of you that play cards with us each week!

Now why did you stop by?  OH my card!!!  Here are THREE  in celebration of this wonderful occasion!  I'm still in Christmas card mode!

A few more PTI Two Feet Deep images:  this one stamped...

the next, stitched!  [ask me if I'll do that again =]

And this last will become a birthday card for my snow-bunny first born - she LOves Winter!!!

If course she would, born December 17th - and her name [Natalie] means Christmas Child!

Thank you, always, for stopping by ... now let's get this party started!!!  Head first to the blog, and then to your craft rooms!

=] xx Michele

 

Inspired by All the Little Things #34

I've had this gorgeous inspiration photo from Inspired by All the Little Things sitting on my desk for days... since my 12 Kits compadre is the guest designer, it seems fitting I enter a card ... congrats, Joyce!

Here is the loveliness I'm referring to:

There is just something so elegant about the colors in the photo.  Since I've posted photos of my own Christmas display in our new home, I couldn't resist 'building' that buffet!  The words escaped me - bet you never thought I'd say that!

 

Mama Elephant Peek-a-frame window - twice!  from wood-grain paper that Bobby gave me,

but I blended a bit of Crumb Cake ink onto-

really old Fancy Pants paper-even older Queen & Co. pearls-

Die-namics wreath

 

I hope you all are staying inside, crafting 'til your hearts are content!   Your visits warm my heart ... who cares if it's cold outside!

 

=]  Michele

 

 So happy to be honored by Tracey at

Inspired by All the Little Things!!!

 



The 12 Kits of Occasions!

It's the last day of the month? ... shouldn't there be 31 days in November?  or every month for that matter?  Of course, I'm late again! 

It's 12 Kits time!!!  Kim is our Hostess this month, and I know she will understand ... right Kim?  xx

Enough chit chat ... we've all got Christmas cards to finish - thank goodness I was able to get four more cards made from Kim's darling Happy Howlidays kit to add to the stack heading to the post office!

Here they are ... ready, set, go!

An afterthought:  this car should appear to go backwards, without a driver!!!

 

I couldn't resist adding this little starry night sky from Lindsey to the mix!

Santa's version of 'here's Johnny!!'

 

My BFF had a little dachshund when we were kids ... this

will be her Christmas card this year!

Do you get my sense of humor yet?

 

 

One more:

You'll forgive me if I dash ... come along, won't you?  I can't wait to see what my teamies have created!!!

 

Thanks for stopping by ... means the world to me ...

 

=]  Michele

 

 

Make it Monday #268

Can you imagine how happy my heart was when I received this week's Make it Monday edition?  OH happy, happy ... I get to make another two layered Mitten tag!

Papertrey, do you mind that I gave your darling Mitten a little hand-knit* look?  =]

I sure hope not!  because it really looks gorgeous, especially decorated with your Spruce & Sprigs and lovely button twine!

OH!  I nearly forgot to show the second layer!!!

The perfect sentiment, right?

From Warmest Wishes!

 

My tag design uses a brad [we all have them buried deep somewhere!] to allow the recipient to swing the tag open ...

I even stamped 'hand-made just for you' on the back!

I'm in a Mitten State state of mind!

 

Thanks for the visit!

=]  Michele

 

*the texture comes from a Richard Garay embossing folder, from Hobby Lobby.

A crafty weekend!

Tom and I got our craft on over the weekend!  Yes, he is my best bud, and enjoys getting crafty with me - I can tell you he got a few smiles in line at Michael's, too!  He was the only guy in the entire store, and not one complaint about the 50 people in line.  Yes.  I do know how lucky I am =]

I'm delighted to be showcasing one of our little string trees - with my card using a wonderful Technique Tuesday set, using one of their gorgeous Greenhouse Society sets from 2015:  Holly! [I'm hoping the 2016 Thistle will be finding its way into my Christmas stocking!  any other Braveheart fans out there?]

 Distress ink water coloring

 

You may remember my little paper houses?  Though I haven't made the 2016 version yet, we're happy with the addition of the trees, and love their place of honor in our new home.

 

those little tea lights are placed inside in the evening, but this soft morning light looks pretty, too!

 

I'm nearly there with my Christmas cards - it's time to get them in the mail!

Thank you for stopping by!  It makes my spirits bright!

=]  Michele

 

The Flower Challenge #2

Often times, sympathy cards are the most difficult to make, but those most appreciated.  While a death in the family, or that of a friend is not an occasion we enjoy, their life most certainly is meant to be celebrated, right?   

I created this sympathy card using the gorgeous Altenew Lotus blossom, and coordinating dies.  It was first stamped, then cut in two steps: first the flower then the leaf, so I could create a little dimension.  The little 4.25" square card was made quite some time ago... just waiting for the perfect finish!

For The Flower Challenge #2:

the perfect words from Technique Tuesday

Though this is one of those gorgeous layering stamp sets, the outline, gold heat-embossed makes for a wonderful water-coloring opportunity ... this time, a simple bit of Distress Inks.

Thanks for the visit today ... I do hope you will come back, soon!

=]  Michele

Farewell Tic Tac Toe

Even if I wasn't able to play with every challenge, Tic Tac Toe has really been a fun place to play cards!  To Ka, and her wonderful design team, farewell and wishes for all the best!

While I was SO tempted to created an all white card, that middle vertical row caught my attention this time - and gave me a way to say goodbye like only a Michigander would do ... a mitten!

Die-cut alpha word, dimension from the embossing,

and in the shape of a Mitten!

Inside:

 

Hope you all have a chance to play along with this, their final, challenge!

While I'm at it, since it is an embossed slip of PTI Linen VELLUM, I'm sending this one over to The 25 Days of Christmas Tags that my friend Tracey McNeely has happening this month ... always fun!!  Day 16 is sponsored by The Muse Christmas Visions group of lovelies!  Lindsey's double-layered snowflake covered beauty is certainly all the inspiration I needed!

=]  Michele