Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / March 2022

After a bit of a break last month, all of the Crafty Elves are back. Thank you to Lisa for posting one card in February .. As always, it was adorable and her coloring was out of this world !!  This month, I got a bit behind and only made 3 cards but I do have 9 months to catch up with myself !!

For my first card, I used the Simple Stories - Winter Cottage collection . I rarely make cards without any stamping on them, but for a quick card, you can't go wrong with the amazing supplies from Simple Stories.

At one of the latest Unity Stamp Company sales, I picked up some great Christmas stamps.  This next card was created with the Heart Be Light stamp . 

• I stamped the image with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink.
• I die cut the image with a die that also cuts a small edge around the outside . I diecut the stamped image and also one from olive green cardstock. The green outer edge was then placed around the diecut .
• The image was colored with my COPICS .
• Stampin' Up Silver Glass Glitter was  adhered at the bottom of the lamppost .
• I adhered the completed stamped panel onto a piece of My Mind's Eye  "Oh What Fun" holiday paper.
• The sentiment from the stamp set was stamped with Ladybug Memento Dew Drop ink, then paper-punched.
• I popped up the sentiment next to the lamppost with foam tabs. 
• A rhinestone was placed on each side of the sentiment.

Another favorite stamp of mine from Unity Stamp Company is All That Sparkle . It is such an easy image to color . I didn't even feel like it needed a sentiment. It seemed perfect without one.

I can't wait to see what my fellow Crafty Elves have made for March .  Are you making your holiday cards along with us  ??  It's so nice to have a stash of cards to use when the holidays roll around. I have even started addressing envelopes and even stashing some stamps away for Christmas 2022 !!

Lisa Reynolds Bzibziak - Life of a BZ Scrapper

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

I hope that Spring is bringing you some warmer weather wherever you are .  Although I think that Michael is heading into Fall in Brazil !!  Until next time, stay creative and we look forward to seeing you back here in April .

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / March 2022

Not too sure how March got here already, but here we are with another post !! It seemed appropriate that the theme this time would be Spring . We have had some strange weather here in Virginia Beach - 80' one day and 30' the next . Sometimes we have both temperatures all in 1 day !! I am optimistic that  we are calming down for a lovely Spring .. I hope it is warming up where you are .

I took creative license with the Spring theme and used something completely different than the inspiration photo . I originally was going to use a stamp with birds/birdhouses but changed my mind and used Irish Blessing designed by Lindsey Ostrom for Impression Obsession ..  I loved the stamp so much that I actually made 2 cards ..

• I stamped the images on white cardstock with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink .
• I die-cut one image with  a starburst die and also a slightly larger one from yellow cardstock.
• A scalloped square  was die-cut  using green cardstock  .
• I colored the images with my COPICS and some Kaiser Glitter pens .
• I adhered the stamped/colored images to their matching diecuts.
• The Field Study paperpad  from Paper House Productions was used for my background panels . Doesn't it look like pictures of an Irish countryside ?!?!?!
• I used a white card base for the square image and brown for the sunburst .
• I popped up the completed stamped panels using foam tabs.

Take a look at Celeste's blog - Crafting Junky - to see how she is getting in the Springtime mood !! We are so happy that you are back with us for another month of creativity ..  My coffee this time is from Bones Coffee Company . I am drinking Shark Bite coffee, which is flavored like Buttered Rum. And believe me, it is delicious !! I am drinking from my clearance 99 cent Hobby Lobby cup .  

Be Your Own Kind of Wonderful

Thank you again for stopping by ..

Until next month, stay creative and drink some good coffee !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / February 2022

February is the month for love, so it's fitting that our theme this month is hearts . We have had a bitter cold few weeks here in Virginia and I'm so looking forward to spring.. But until then, we will stay busy with Valentines, heart-shaped chocolates and all things LOVE !!

I have also been making cards each month with a few friends to celebrate quirky holidays. This week we celebrate Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day and I decided to combine that with this Coffee and Cards post in one fun card !! I hope that you like this card as much as I do .

• I adhered a piece of multi-colored hearts paper from The Paper Studio to an A6 cream card base.
• The stamped image is More Than Ice Cream from Impression Obsession . It was designed by my creative friend Nola Chandler. 
• I stamped 2 of the images and cut the ice cream cone out of one.
• I colored the ice cream cone with my COPICS .
• Those cool confetti heart stickers were found at Hobby Lobby and seemed perfect to fit right on top of that cone !!
• I adhered the fussy-cut cone right on top of the base panel image using foam tabs to create depth.
• I matted the completed stamped panel onto a piece of dark blue glitter paper, leaving only a small margin around the image .
• The entire panel was then adhered to my background of hearts .

Take a look at Celeste's heart creation over at her blog - Crafting Junky She will also be telling you what her drink of choice is for February.  I am drinking Blueberry Cobbler Coffee from my new cup given to me by Brian. He had it made with our likenesses and names on it . I'm even drinking from a "Starbucks" cup !! It was a sweet surprise and I love it !! But what the heck - we both have gray hair ..When did that happen ?!?!?!?!

Thank you for stopping by to see our February Coffee & Cards .. We hope that you come back each month for some creative inspiration .. Until next time, stay creative.. And above all stay safe !!

Debra Davison - Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Coundown to Christmas / January 2022

Here we are with another year of Crafty Elves !! Michael, Lisa and I will each be bringing you 4 holiday cards every month on the 25th. We aim to be ready for the Christmas / holiday rush and have at least  44 cards made to address and send. We hope that we inspire you to make some along with us . 

My post will be short and sweet. All of the papers that I used were in my scrap stash. I used a variety of my favorite stamps - digi, and clear . Two of the cards were made with stamp/die sets . I usually fussy-cut but these were too cute to resist ( and I got them on sale !! ) All coloring was done with my Copics and Flair pens .

Stamp used -

Holiday Jar 

Angie Blom Digital Designs

Disney Magical Memories

American Crafts

Gnome for Christmas

Close To My Heart

The Jubilee Crew

Close To My Heart

As always, I am sure that Michael and Lisa have created beautiful cards . And this month we also have a Guest Crafty Elf . My friend Liz McGuire is joining us all the way from Scotland !! She is a fabulous mixed-media artist who makes cards, junk journals, tags, altered playing cards etc. . You can find her at Buttons For Brains on both Instagram and You Tube. I am thrilled that she is here with us to start   off  2022 !!

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Lisa Reynolds Bzibziak - Life of a BZ Scrapper

Liz McGuire - Buttons For Brains

Thank you to everyone for joining us as we start our holiday card stash for 2022 !! Let us know if you will be adding to your stash each month .. In the meantime, stay safe and healthy and also Creative ...

Debra Davison

Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / January 2022

Welcome to 2022 and thank you for joining us again as Celeste and I get together for coffee and cards . We will be challenging each other with either a theme or sketch each month and also telling you what delicious coffee we are enjoying. To start off, we have a sketch for January, chosen by Celeste. 

I will admit that sketches are outside of my comfort zone so I have really used artistic license with this in order to create my card.  The overall concept is similar but not all of the pieces and parts are exact ..

I know I'm a handful . That's why you have two hands 

• I stamped the housewife and sentiment on a piece of Mixed Media paper with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink  and a Memento Lady Bug Dew Drop . Stamp set is from Ink Road Stamps - Snarky Housewife - Volume 2 .
• The housewife was colored with my COPICS.
• All of the patterned papers are from a Melissa Frances Kitschy Kitchen paper pad . I have been hoarding it for years !! I thought they were perfect for the retro feel that I was looking for .
• I layered the patterned papers and stamped panel on a black card base .

Celeste does an fantastic job with Sketch Challenges .. You can take a look at her card at her blog - Crafting Junky .

Thank you for visiting with me and Celeste as we start 2022 with some coffee . I definitely did not need a new coffee cup but found this one on sale at Starbucks after the holidays. Isn't it beautiful ?!?!?! And I'm drinking Jingle Bones coffee from Bones Coffee Company.  If you are looking to try a new coffee company and amazing flavors, you need to check them out !! Jingle Bones has the flavors of Vanilla, Coconut and Caramel !! It's absolutely delicious ..

 

We look forward to seeing you next month for more coffee and cards. If you would like to recommend a theme for us, let us know in the comments .. Please stay safe, always be creative and we will see you back here on February.

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / December 2021

Of course, I am hustling to get a few presents wrapped and some cards finished for my guy. So this post will be very short and sweet... Am I the only one that makes many cards for others but then doesn't have one for my own family member ?!?! I think a good New Year's Resolution would be to keep a box of cards just for Brian so I can have one when needed. Thank you all for joining us each month as we bring you our holiday inspiration. I hope that you will come back each month next year as Lisa, Michael and I continue our Crafty Elf tradition . 

My first mini-slimline card is my take on the Ugly Christmas Sweater theme !! I love these sweaters but cannot for the life of me find the stamp set I used... So I can't remember who makes it . But the cute Holly Jolly sticker is from Paper House Productions .

Next is a card made with an image from A Winter Hello, Girl from Angie Blom Digital Designs .This is also a mini-slimline card and was so easy to color for a quick card !!

The Christmas Patchwork collection from Stamperia was used to make this next card and I absolutely love it !! There is no stamping on this card  - just paper and chipboard die-cuts. 

My last card features a new stamp from Unity Stamp Company - Joy, Peace & Comfort Mug .This is a sweet stamp that is so easy to color .. I absolutely love it !!

I wanted to show my favorite cards again that Michael and Lisa made this past year. It goes without saying that I LOVE all of them but these 2 stand out for me.

From Michael in March 2021

From Lisa in June 2021

Be sure to take a look at Michael and Lisa's cards for December .. Thanks so much for letting us inspire you all year long.  Have you been making your cards throughout the year ?? Or is there a mad dash at the beginning of December ??? Please everyone have a safe, happy and healthy holiday .. We hope you will join us back here in 2022 ..

  Lisa Reynolds-Bzibziak - Life of a BZ Scrapper

 

  Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / December 2021

It's our last post of 2021 and I just have to say how much fun I have each month doing this collaboration with Celeste . I'm grateful that our love of coffee and cards has lasted so long - we started in October 2016 !! It's time to close out this year and get ready for another year of inspiration !! Celeste chose this awesome Mood Board with a wintry theme and I hope you love what we created for you ..

Even though I've been making my holiday cards all year long, it is still Christmas Card Central around our house. So I opted for a simple card design with no stamping this time !! And all of the supplies I used are from the same collection - Simple Stories - Winter Cottage ..

• On a rose gold metallic card base, I adhered a piece of pale pink patterned paper
• I popped up several journal bits on the upper left side of the pink paper with foam tabs.
• A large decorative adhesive brad was placed on the dotted banner and 2 smaller ones were adhered below the larger banner.
• The chipboard truck was placed along the bottom of the pink paper.
• I stapled several journal bits together and then adhered them near the front of the chipboard truck.
• The BRRRR sentiment was cut from a piece of paper in the Winter Cottage collection and then popped up with foam tabs at the top right of the card .
• A chipboard holly image was adhered on the right side of the BRRR sentiment. 

This card was a breeze to create and I absolutely love this whole collection. I don't often create cards without stamping but I'm pretty happy with this one !! Be sure to go to Celeste's blog - Crafting Junky - to see what she has been inspired to create from our Mood Board .

My drink this month is actually Minty Hot Chocolate .. I found this adorable mug on clearance at Macys during the year and decided to try the recipe on the back of it . It's a gorgeous Pfaltzgraff mug and the Hot Chocolate is amazing !! 

Minty Hot Chocolate

Thank you for stopping by to have coffee with us and enjoy the cards we have made. We look forward to seeing you each month of 2022 . I'm wishing each of you a wonderful holiday season and look forward to spending another year with all of you !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity