My Top Ten for 2016...

It was a much slower year for me, in blogging , then in past years.  Only 26 posts.  Wow!  I did, however, rock my Christmas card input for the year.  Not only was the # high, there were many DIFFERENT ones.  AND, I have twenty-five not used and ready for next year... bonus!

SO, without further ado, my Top Ten Cards of 2016...

I started the year off by hitting the ground running with my FIVE Christmas cards a month challenge.  This was one of fourteen made from the Simon Says Stamp December 2015 Card kit.   HERE is the original post...

 

 By February, I was taking an online class thru Craftsy, called Cards with Dimension which REALLY took some of my cards to a new level.  Original post HERE...

 Ernie's Valentine, using a stamp set by Inky Antics that I've had for a couple years.  Original post HERE...

Then along comes Cozy Crop in April and fellow crafter Deb, taught us how to make backgrounds on a cereal box.  This was so cool!!!!  THEN, layering on the bird I had previously colored and fussy-cut, I added one of her sentiments.  What a fun card!!  Original blog post HERE...

 Some more from that Craftsy class.  Original post HERE...

Tried out BRUSHO and made backgrounds...

This was so, so, SO much fun to color!  I want to do this again and again.  I think I've found a fellow crafter that'll be at Cozy Crop this year, that owns it and I'll ask if she can bring it, and I can stamp a few more images for coloring later.  Original post HERE...

I acquired a very, very, very LARGE box of stamps from our SIL's mom.  This stamp was pretty neat to color but took a LONG time.  Original blog post HERE... 

 

 And then, Scrapbook Expo was here in September.  I took four classes but this one was my favorite.  Original blog post HERE...

And the year isn't complete unless I add what became our personal Christmas card.  I took a class in NYC at the Ink Pad, in November, that was called Holiday Extravaganza.  I can't wait to take it again this year!!  It was wicked awesome!  I bought ALL the supplies to do this card (very unlike me) and made 32.  This was a very labor intensive project but I was very, very pleased with the outcome.  Original blog post HERE... 

 

I'm actually surprised that only four of ten are Christmas cards.  I really rocked my challenge this year making over 120 Christmas cards.  I mean, NAILED it!! 

SO, HAPPY NEW YEAR and let's go rock this year with lots of inspiration!!  :)



My Top 15 cards of 2015...

In keeping with the tradition started with Operation Write Home, here are my top 15 favorite cards of 2015.  Our banner at the top of our post was always supplied by Sandy, the president of OWH.  But since closing in August this year, I don't believe one was made.  I had to find a banner elsewhere on the internet.  This was the best I could do...

SO, let's get to it!  Although this was made at the end of 2014, everyone I sent it to, received it in January of 2015.  It was quite a process and I was quite pleased with the result.  Original blog post HERE...

 

 

 I had cut a picture from an old Stampin' Up catalog YEARS ago which showed a use for this stamp set which I had acquired from a fellow crafter just as long ago. I carried it around for five years before I actually made it.  Original blog post HERE...

 



A relatively simple layout with a dramatic effect... loved it!  Original blog post HERE...

 

I'd love to find more of these stickers by Sticko and do these again.  It comes in handy to have birthday cards on hand.  Especially when time gets away from you and you're suddenly facing a birthday due in two days, which always seems to happen to me.  Original post HERE...

 

The Ernman's special Valentine. Original blog post HERE...

 

Oh my goodness!  Who can forget Jimmy Boombatz!  What a fun, fun card to make!  Original blog post HERE...

 

What a LOT of pieces this had!  But what a statement too. Original blog post HERE...

 

I enjoyed sending this to a # of people hoping it brought happy smiles.  It sure did to me as I was making it.  Original blog post HERE...

 

I'm not much of a "One of a Kind" girl but this one was a one of a kind for my mom.  Original blog post HERE...

 

When mom lost one of her furry companions in May, I made and sent her this.  My first digi... just loved it!!  Original blog post HERE... 

 

 And then a Facebook friend lost her furry companion and I used another digi and the same layout to express my condolences.  Original blog post HERE...

 

I received from a Secret Sister, early in the year, a gazillion of these butterflies.  By June, I had put together several of these.  I was so pleased to use so many up.  I've sent alot out but it's nice to have this as a back up when you need a quick thank you card. Original blog post HERE...

By August, I took on the task of making 520 invitations for our 40th high school reunion.  OMG!!  What a job!  I acquired the MISTI (Most Incredible Stamping Tool Invented) and I got the job done. I received many, many accolades at the reunion, which was a wonderful time. Original blog post HERE...

 

Using my new MISTI, I created and sent out several of these in the Fall.  The MISTI is a GEM in the Studio.  Original blog post HERE...

 

And the list is not complete unless I add what became our personal Christmas card.  All year, I participate in a challenge to make five Christmas cards a month.  By doing this, I get to figure out which one will become our "personal" Christmas card.  This was it for 2015.  Original blog post HERE...

 

Whenever I do this yearly review, I am always surprised by the # of interesting cards I have done throughout the year.  I also noticed that eleven of the fifteen in this selection, use the twine I sell in my Etsy shop... I guess that proves how much I really like it! 

 

A link to the Etsy shop is HERE.  If this link doesn't work for some reason, you can find us listed as ArrowheadCraftCorner.  Come check us out!

 

Well, here we are, off and running into 2016.  It is my wish that time slows down a little.  Last year flew by.  It is also my wish that everyone who is reading this has a wonderful, prosperous, happy and healthy New Year.  May God bless you with only good things... :)

 



Sidebar info from 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018

2019 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas Cards per month

January - 8
February - 5
March - 5
April - 5
May - 0
June - 5
July - 0
August - 0
September - 0
October - 22
November - 23

2018 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas Cards per month

January - 5
February - 5
March - 5
April - 5
May - 0
June - 2
July - 0
August - 5
September - 10
October - 0
November - 15

2017 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas Cards per month

January - 10
February - 13
March - 4
April - 9
May - 0 Wait, what?!!
June - 5
July - 4
August - 6
September - 3
October - 3
November - 25

2016 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas Cards per month

January - 14
February - 5
March - 5
April - 6
May - 6
June - 8
July - 15
August - 7
September - 5
October - 3
November - 47

2015 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas Cards per month

January - 5
February - 5
March - 8
April - 6
May - 3
June - 0
July - 20
August - 0
September - 0
October - 5
November - 15

2014 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas cards per month

January - 6
February -6
March - 2
April - 5
May -5
June - 8
July - 8
August - 5
September -5
October -16
November - 48

2013 Challenge: Make 5 Christmas cards per month

January - 10
February -5
March - 1
April -5
May - 0 Ouch!
June - 0
July - 5
August - 7
September - 5
October - 5
November - 33 

I wanted to preserve the details from my sidebar AND clean up space on what people see on the Blog.  In 2013, this shows I slipped up in May and June and I remember feeling really bad.  But, come on Cindy Loo Who!  You were planning a wedding, a graduation AND a move.  It's surprising I was back in full swing by July... that deserves kudos!  :)

Added 2015 and 2016 on January 8, 2017

Added 2017 on January 10, 2018

Added 2018 on February 2, 2019

Added 2019 on March 31, 2020

My Top 14 Cards of 2014...

When I was contemplating what cards to include in this post, I didn't think I had done anything of significance UNTIL I went thru all the Blog posts.  Holy cow!!  I did some interesting cards this year!  Here's my top 14...



This HAS to be #1.  It was SOOOO out of my box (pun intended).  My birthday card to the Ernman...

And this one was one of the Ernman's favorite.  We made this together for his son Christopher's 14th birthday...

I LOVED this card... simple and yet very striking.  I made this design in several different color combos and loved every one.

I colored this dog with Copics which I got a little better with in 2014...

I discovered Mixed Media in 2014.  Thanks Susan, you troublemaker!  This one is on the page of an old book...

This one, I used deli-paper.  Fell IN LOVE with that...

Then I learned how to make flowers from the deli-paper monoprints.  OMG!! New passion!



I liked this for it's simplicity...

And who doesn't love inchies...

The Ernman's Valentine... :)

Going thru all the posts, I discovered I had made this OWH Sketch # 218 several times.  I'm picking this one because it is masculine and not my forté...

In October, I ended up in the hospital having an emergency appendectomy.  My friend Sherry asked some card makers to send me Get Well cards.  They did and I was overwhelmed!  This card was made as a thank you and sent to each of those eighteen card makers...

I just loved how this turned out.  A print I had colored back in January that migrated next to a Scrappy background I had made the previous year.  They SOOOOO belonged together...

 And finally, one of our personal Christmas cards and the Ernman's favorite.  I have participated three years in a row in a challenge to make five Christmas cards a month.  A benefit to this is it gives me a healthy supply to send to Operation Write Home in October.  Another benefit is it gives me an opportunity to "test" a few designs and see what will be our own personal Christmas card for the coming season...

So, HAPPY NEW YEAR friends!  We are off and running...



My Top 13 of 2013...

 

 

I bet I couldn't come up with thirteen cards if my life depended on it.  It was one HECTIC year for me what with the renovation at Ernie's, planning a wedding in Marblehead, getting married, have son graduate high school, move to New Jersey, consolidating two households, driving son down to college at Embry-Riddle, have other son (and girlfriend) come live with us temporarily, driving them back to Tampa, FL in ONE night when it wasn't working out, finishing the front porch, hosting the twins first birthday, Ernie losing his job, Ernie getting another job... in OHIO!, having guests in and out, driving to Ohio, flying back from Ohio (every other weekend) and THEN the holidays and all they entail.  Phew... that was exhausting just writing it down! 

 

So, I think I'll do this a little differently. 

Here are my Top 13 crafty adventures of 2013, chronologically..

1. Making Scrappy backgrounds in January at Ernie's, despite the helacious mess of the renovation...

 

2. Making this delight from the scrap pile that Ronni sent me.  It's a one-of-a-kind.  Hmmm, I wonder where this card landed... 

Original blog post here

 

3.  Making cards for THREE days during the Blizzard in February... woo hoo!!

Original post here

 

 

4. Being a guest Sketch artist for Sketch #162 for OWH in March

Original post here

 

 

5.  Also in March, teaching some high school students at Marblehead High (Zack included) about Operation Write Home.  These were their Any Hero creations...

Original blog post here

 

6. Going to my first ever three day crop at Cozy Crop in Lancaster, PA in April.  Absolutely a phenonemal weekend!  Met many new people including the three OWHers pictured here.  From left to right - Wilda, Susan, me and Sherry...

 

 

7.  Deciding to make the toasting flutes for my wedding with GASP! glitter.  Made 38...

 

 

8.  Ok, I know it's not "crafty" but it WAS an adventure!  How could I not put it in.  On June 8, 2013, I married the most perfect man for me... :)

 

9.  Desperately trying to move into my new Studio.  It's July now...

 

 

10. Organizing my stamps...

Original blog post here 

 

 

 11. Taking a Book Binding class taught by Melissa Frances at Scrapbook Expo in September

Original blog post here

12.  Doing a whirlwind trip thru three states taking classes, one to include a Project Life class at Absolutely Everything in Topsfield, MA in October
Original  blog post here

 

 13.  And finally, making our Christmas cards for our first year as a married couple.  This was a lot of folding and I had sore fingers when they were done but what fun to start this new tradition with my husband... :)

Original blog post here

 

 So, on to 2014... may it be less stressful but full of as many crafty adventures!