My five for January, turned into fourteen... :)

As most of you who follow me know, I have participated in a challenge to do five Christmas cards a month for the last four years.  Originally, it was to have enough cards for the early call to Operation Write Home in July and then final call in October.  OWH closed it's doors in August of 2016 so they are not going to be the recipient of my cards going forward.  However, since marrying the Ernman, we have sent Christmas cards as a couple AND he likes to give a card to each of his work peers (each one different), not to mention the ones we send to our clients.  SO, I still need to and want to make Christmas cards.  Even with my best efforts last year, I came up short...

 

My challenge THIS year is not only to make five Christmas cards a month but to make at least two different types so I have enough "different" for the Ernman's work peers.  THIS month I made fourteen cards with only three of those being duplicate... yay me!!  Off and running...

 

 So, on that note, I purchased the "Simon Says Stamp Christmas Card Kit" back in December to give me a jump on my challenge.  I purchased it because of this image.  I thought it would be an awesome card for the Ernman's boss.  I, however, never got it done in time. BUT, it will be ready for next year.  I did three of these before I moved on to the rest...

 

The stockings are stamped.  I used the puffy stickers and dove from the kit.  I added faux stitching for interest...

 

I stamped the "Merry Christmas" on this printed paper, layered it, added sequins and thought, is this it?  I added faux stitching again, for interest.  By this time, I had made three of the six "pictured" cards from the kit and thought, "This is just not doing it for me."  I had no ideas on what to do with all the stuff.  I "googled" the kit and came up with a YouTube video of a woman in Greece who had made ten different cards using the items in the kit.  I was THRILLED!!  SO, the rest of these cards were influenced by her...

 

 I made my own snow bank to add the polar bear to but this made me wish, again, that I had those curved dies...

 

 

Papers and puffy stickers...

 

Then OMG!! I made my first ever "Shaker" card!  Wicked fun!  And way easier than I anticipated...

 

So, I made another.  In this one, I think the glitter is too fine.  It looks messy.  BUT, it's still a shaker card... :)

 

 I thought this was pretty clever.  The red papers are popped with dimensionals and look like they are part of the same "tying".  I can see using this layout with several of my scrap papers and come up with a relatively simple card... 

 

Papers , puffy stickers and sequins.  The sequins in the kit have adhesive on the back.  Really easy to work with...

Papers and puffy stickers...



Super simple but darn adorable...

 

This was the last card I did last night just using bits and pieces left on the desk...

So, although I started out not too enthusiastic about this kit, I was quite thrilled with the end results.  There are still enough papers to make a few more cards so I can say, this was worth the money.  And in my first month of the challenge, I ROCKED it!! 

 

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... :)