Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / April 2023

April is almost over and our weather here in Virginia Beach has been one extreme to the next - 80 degrees for a few days this past week, and temps in the 40's this coming week. But I guess the cooler temps are perfect for making a holiday card .. I had some holiday music playing on my laptop as I wrote my blogpost and it put me right in the holiday spirit !!

I used another favorite stamp from Art Impressions - Christmas Village Window . This collection of stamps is so easy to color and the wide variety of designs is fabulous. 

• I stamped the image on white cardstock with Tuxedo Black Memento ink .
• The stamped image was colored with my COPICS.
• Fine clear glitter was used to highlight the edges of the rooftops .
• I matted the stamped image with a piece of dark blue paper.
• I placed the completed stamped panel on a piece of patterned paper from  the Winter Wonderland 6x6 paper pad by Spellbinders .
• A white card base was used for this card .

Michael, and Lisa will also be showing you their holiday creations. Use the links below to see what they have created to inspire you .. It's so nice to have a stash of holiday cards when December rolls around - you can lose some of the holiday stress by starting on your cards along with us . We post every month on the 25th !! Misty is taking a break this month but will be back in May ..

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Lisa - Life of a SZscrapper

I'll be linking my card into the Spring Into Christmas 2023 {BYSHC} Linky Party . There are some great sponsors, lots of holiday inspiration and prizes !! Check it out HERE and read all about it !!

#springintochristmas2023byshclp

We hope you are enjoying our posts each month . Have you started your holiday cards ?? I've also started addressing some envelopes to have even less stress when the Christmas season rolls around. Thank you for stopping by .. 

Until next time, stay creative.

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / March 2023

March is here and finally some warmer temperatures. We have had some days where it is in the 30's in the morning and as high as 80 in the afternoon..  I'm hoping it soon levels out. What has been a constant is the pollen . But our winter was relatively mild, so we really can't complain.  For our theme this month, we are saying Hello to Spring. 

I immediately knew that I wanted to use the Begin Anew stamp set designed by Angie Blom for Unity Stamp Company . The tulip designs and all of the sentiments were perfect for a card with a touch of Springtime.

• I stamped the tulips and the girl image on pieces of Mixed-media paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Dew Drop ink.
• I trimmed that paper with the tulips to fit an A2 card and stamped the sentiment with Memento Teal Zeal Dew Drop ink.
• The girl was fussy-cut and then colored with my COPICS.
• I popped the girl up on the left side of the tulips with foam tabs.
• Several Paper House Puffy sticker butterflies were placed around the stamped images.
• The completed stamped panel was adhered to a bright yellow card base.

I'm sure that Celeste has come up with a lovely card for her post this month. You can check out her creation over at her blog - Crafting Junky . My coffee this month is Snickers which is absolutely delicious. I'm not usually a fan of coffee with chocolate flavors but I love Snickers bars so had to give the coffee a try. I am drinking it from my latest favorite cup from an organization that is near and dear to my heart . You can read all about it at their website - and the founder, an amazing human being, Dan Fischer  /  check out the One Last Wave Project . My son, Carter Davison is on Board #3  and I will be forever grateful.

I hope that you are seeing some signs of Spring wherever you are . Please take care and I hope that you will be back next moth for our April posts. Thank you for taking the time to see what we have created for March. 

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / March 2023

Here we are with our Crafty Elves' post for March !! We have finally been seeing some signs of Spring here in Virginia. Our temperatures haven't quite figured it out yet, but the pollen is already out in full force. Thanks for  stopping by to see what Michael, Lisa, Misty and I have created to inspire you this month ..

For this month's Crafty Elves project, I am using a fun Holiday Elf stamp designed by my friend, Nola Chandler for Impression Obsession Stamps . Although they are no longer making single red-rubber stamps, they still have many amazing clear stamp sets available. And they will also be releasing some limited edition red-rubber stamps each month.  Holiday Elf is no longer available but you can find Nola's other stamp sets HERE .

• I stamped Holiday Elf  on Mixed-Media paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Dew Drop ink  .
• The image was trimmed then colored with my COPICS.
• I cut 2 pieces of paper from the Spellbinders Winter Wonderland paper pad .The left side of the red patterned paper was cut on the diagonal to show the plaid paper underneath.
• The completed stamped image was adhered to the patterned papers.
• A Tim Holtz holiday sentiment was adhered below the stamped image.
• A turquoise and a red rhinestone were placed as ornaments.
• The completed panel was adheres to a pale pink card base.

The other Crafty Elves have also been busy with their holiday inspiration. I hope you will go and see what they have created !!

Michael - World of Michael Trent

Lisa - Life of a BZscrapper

Misty - Jolly Fat Elf

Have you started on your holiday cards yet ?? We will be back every month on the 25th with our designs to get you inspired . It's nice to have a stash of cards available when the holiday rush arrives . Until next time, Stay Creative ..

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / February 2023

Hard to believe that it is the end of February. The Crafty Elves are getting started on their holiday cards for 2023 and bringing you inspiration each month to create some of your own.  I have been a fan of Art Impressions for years, especially their Windows to the World series. This month, I used the Christmas Drive Window stamp and created 2 cards - one with a traditional color scheme and one non-traditional. 

For both of my cards I used the beautiful Noel paper pad by Craft Consortium. This pad has such beautiful papers that I just wanted to hoard it but I finally broke down and decided to use it this month.  This pad has 40 double-sided sheets of heavyweight cardstock.

• I stamped the image onto a piece of mixed-media paper and a piece of watercolor paper and trimmed around the design.
• The images were colored with COPIC markers.
• Fine glitter was used for snow on the red truck image.
• Holographic glitter was used for snow on the turquoise truck image .
• The completed red truck image was matted on a piece of gold glitter paper and then adhered to a piece of floral patterned paper with foam tabs. It was then placed on a green card base.
• The completed turquoise truck image was matted on a piece of silver glitter paper and then adhered to a piece of holiday patterned paper. It was then placed on a turquoise card base . 

Do you like traditional colors for your holiday cards ?? Or do you create with non-traditional colors ?? I guess I am a fan of both, depending  on which stamp I am using . Let's take a look at what the other Crafty Elves have created for February,

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Misty Lavigne - Jolly Fat Elf

Lisa Reynolds-Bzibziak - Life of a BZ Scrapper

Thanks so much for stopping by .. We will be here every month to share our holiday ideas with you and get you ready to create some of your own. 

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / February 2023

Celeste and I are here with our February coffee and cards posts .  Celeste chose a fabulous inspiration photo for us to use this month .. Not too surprising that it is full of hearts and lots of RED !!! I used a stamp set that I have had for awhile and just had to pull out for February ..

From the inspiration photo, I decided to use hearts and some red .. Then I just did my own thing with the rest of the design !! The retired Eat, Play Love -cardmaking stamp set from Close To My Heart  was the perfect choice for my card ..

• I stamped the images on white cardstock with Memento Dew Drop inks  - Tuxedo Black/ jar, Love Letter/ saying, Peanut Brittle/ rolling pin, Toffee Crunch /cutting board and Gray Flannel / whisk .
• The coordinating dies were used to cut out the pieces.
• A piece of patterned paper from the Dear Lizzy "Lucky Charm" paper pad was trimmed to fit the front of a turquoise card base.
• Fabulous Alena Laser-cut Elements from 49 and Market were placed at the top of the patterned paper - a teal scalloped border and a silver heart .
• I colored the top of the mason jar and the heart  with COPIC markers.
• The jar was adhered  to the patterned paper with foam dimensionals.
• The whisk, rolling pin and cutting board were adhered to the mason jar near the turquoise heart.
• The completed patterned paper panel was then adhered to a turquoise card base.

Celeste has her February card over at her blog - Crafting Junky . I'm sure it will be as fabulous as all of her cards .I love seeing how each of us interprets the inspiration photo each month. This month I am using a cute Cherry Blossom Tervis insulated tumbler cup. I'm drinking an Iced Cold Brew Vanilla Almond Latte from Califa Farms . I'll be taking that cup to work - coffee is a very important part of my 12 hour shifts !!

Celeste and I will be back again in March with some springtime inspiration ..  We are both so grateful that you stopped by to see our February cards.  

Until next time - Stay Creative ..

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / January 2023

The Crafty Elves are back to start off your New Year with some holiday inspiration !! It was nice to have a stash of cards for the 2022 holiday season, so we decided to come back again for 2023.  We will all be posting at least 1 card and if we are extra creative, there might be additional cards. Did you make your holiday cards throughout 2022 with us ?? Or was there a mad rush to make some and then a quick trip to the store or  maybe Amazon for last minute cards ?? I will admit that I did hit the Hallmark after-Christmas sale and bought cards, coffee cups and a nightshirt !!

To kick off 2023, we have a Guest Elf !! Chris Franco is a fabulous papercrafter and most importantly, my dear friend .. She is a consultant for Close To My Heart and that link will take you to a wonderful world of stamps, paper, etc. !!! She is my CTMH enabler and knows just what I can't live without .. It is also her birthday this month - January 23 - so we wish her a wonderful birthday month !! I hope it was filled with fun, family AND cake !! Here are Chris's  social media links . Please take a look at her  wonderful creativity ..

• Chris Franco - Stamped Blessings
  
•  Chris's Facebook Page
• Chris's Instagram
  

For my card this month, I chose a favorite Close To My Heart stamp/die set - WINTER IN A BOTTLE. It's no longer available but there are 100's of other wonderful holiday sets by CTMH . They also have the most amazing sales throughout the year and believe me, I have shopped many of them !! The card that I made is a CASE card . I saw a card made by another CTMH consultant  - Kristina Baldwin -  and fell in love with it .. So, thank you so much for the inspiration, Kristina !!

• I stamped the Skyline and Jar from "Winter in a Bottle" on watercolor paper with a Memento Jet Black ink pad .
• The snowflakes were also stamped on watercolor paper with Memento Dew Drop inks - Teal Zeal & Summer Sky .
• The jar, skyline and snowflakes were die cut with the matching dies.
• I cut the sky backdrop from a piece of white glitter paper also with a die from the Winter in a Bottle set .
• The sentiment was stamped in Nautical Blue Memento ink and then cut into a banner shape .
• I adhered a piece of checked paper from the Echo Park "Home Again" 6x6 paper pad onto the lower right side of a  pale green card base.
• The skyline image was colored with my COPICS.
• The glitter sky and stamped skyline were adhered inside the jar.
• I tied a piece of Christmas twine around the neck of the stamped jar and then adhered it to the checked panel . 
• Rhinestones were placed at the center of the snowflakes and then I adhered them around the completed stamped image,
• The sentiment was adhered to the checked panel .
  
• 2 clear rhinestones were placed down the top left side of the card base . 

Michael, Lisa and Misty are also welcoming 2023 with me . We will be back each month on the 25th to inspire you to start on your holiday cards .. It was nice to have a stash this past holiday when it was time to start mailing out cards!! Please take a look at the other Crafty Elf creations .. I'm sure that they are all fabulous as always !!

Michael Trent / World of Michael Trent

 Lisa Reynolds-Bzibziak / Life of a BZ Scrapper

Misty Lavigne - Jolly Fat Elf on You Tube

Thank you for joining us for our first post of 2023 !! We're excited to be back to inspire you to get a head start on your holiday cards !! I'd also like to thank Chris Franco for helping us get the New Year started. We hope that she is having an amazing birthday month !!

Until next time, Stay Creative 

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / January 2023

Another year is starting - time to get organized, make resolutions, plan your next 365 days .. Celeste and I are back with our January Coffee and Cards posts to welcome 2023. Our theme is Books. I am an avid reader and know I will have fun choosing a few books to start off my 2023 reading list .

For my card , I chose an older stamp from Whimsy Stamps - Book Worm. It's no longer available but they have a few other fun book-related stamps. I have been a bookworm since childhood - and can remember "reading" with my dad long before learning the alphabet !!

• I stamped the image with a Memento Tuxedo Black ink pad on white Mixed-Media paper.
• The image was colored with COPIC markers.
• I matted the stamped panel with green cardstock,
• I adhered a piece of book patterned paper from the American Crafts Project Life paper pad - Desktop Edition onto a turquoise card base.
• The completed stamped panel was then adhered to the book paper.
• A Tim Holtz Idea-ology sticker phrase was placed in the bottom right corner of the completed stamped panel .

I'm excited to see what Celeste did with one of my favorite themes !! You can check out her project over at her blog - Crafting Junky .  Are you a reader ?? If you are, let me know one of your favorite books so I can add it to my reading list .  I will choose one commenter to send a card and bookmark to .

My coffee today is my all-time favorite - Gingerbread.  I found some Starbucks K-cups on sale at Target and also some boxes of store brand K-cups at Food Lion  for $2 each, so I stocked up !! And because I'm drinking "holiday" coffee, why not use a holiday mug I picked up at Life is Good at a recent sale.. This might just be a new favorite mug .. 

Thank you for joining us as we kick off the New Year with our book-themed posts .. We'll be back in February with more Coffee and Cards. Until then, stay creative !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity