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

Crafty Elves Countdown to Christmas / November 2021

Just think -- this time next month, we will be celebrating Christmas .. I'm so glad that Lisa, Michael and I have continued making our cards all year long. I've been addressing mine too and that really does  helps me stay organized and on track  .. I randomly chose Sue D from the October Crafty Elf comments and will be sending her some holiday happy mail !! 

My first card features a really sweet stamp from Unity Stamp Company - Lillith Whimsy { Magic Happens }  She is so cute and I had fun making her into a Christmas Fairy !!

• I stamped ( with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam Ink  ) and fussy-cut Lillith .
• The fairy was colored with my COPICS,
• I adhered a piece of patterned paper from the North Pole Gazette paper pad by Recollections onto a Kraft card base.
• The fairy was adhered on the right side of the card.
• Her wings and skirt ruffle were glittered with fine, white glitter .
• A gold metallic square was placed at the top left of the  patterned paper. 
• A Christmas postmark, cut from the patterned paper I used, was popped up on the gold square with a foam tab.

This next card was made with one of my favorite new stamps !!  A free digi stamp from Not 2 Shabby - Have a Cup of Cheer . I have made so many cards with this stamp - traditional holiday colors, non-traditional colors, with tinsel added and without .. I love this stamp and hope you do too !! You can create so many different ways with this stamp !!

• I printed the digi image onto an 8 1/2 x 11 inch piece of cardstock - with 4 images on the page - then trimmed it to fit my A2 card .
• The image was colored with my COPICS .
• I adhered the image to a scrap piece of blue paper with glittered highlights.
• I used a Kraft card base for this card .

I absolutely love this next card . Deer always remind me of growing up in Pennsylvania - snowy winters with my family . This stamp from Red Lead Paperworks - 2 Deer - is just beautiful . 

• The 2 Deer image from Red Lead Paperworks was stamped on Mixed Media paper with Gina K Jet Black Amalgam ink .
• I matted the stamped panel with a rose colored paper and then adhered that to a pink snowflake-patterned paper .
• The 2 Deer image was colored with my COPICS.
• I adhered a piece of pastel brush tree paper to a Kraft card base . Tree and snowflake paper were from a Recollections Sugarplum paperpad .
• The deer panel was then adhered onto the Kraft card base .

This next image from Angie Blom Digital Designs is included in a fabulous new set called  A Winter Hello, Girl . It has images for regular and slimline cards, as well as several sentiments . I loved coloring these images  and making this mini-slimline with a sheet of 6 x 6 paper. 

• I printed the A Winter Hello, Girl image on Mixed Media paper and then colored it with my COPICS .
• The completed stamped panel was adhered to a piece of 6 x 6 plaid patterned paper . I have many 6 x 6 paper pads and they are perfect for making many quick mini slimline cards !!
• A Tim Holtz sticker sentiment was adhered on the upper left of the panel.
• Several Tim Holtz Holiday Stars were placed on the card panel .

I want to thank everyone who has followed the Crafty Elves this year as we've worked on our holiday cards. Take a look at what Michael and Lisa have created this and let them know which cards are your favorites .. 

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Lisa Bzibziak-Reynolds - Life of a BZ Scrapper

I hope that you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving and that even in this crazy time of COVID, you can find something to be thankful for . I look forward to seeing you here next month with my wrap-up post for the year !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Coffee & Cards with Deb & Celeste / November 2021

I really cannot believe that it is November !! Time for another collaboration post with Celeste  AND also the Fall/Winter 2021 Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog Hop .Check out the link for all of the amazing inspiration, the rules for linking and also to see all of the wonderful Sponsors . Link up a card of your own and you just might win a prize .. Celeste and I chose this Winter Coffee theme to coincide with the Hop !! 

I am in the midst of NO BUY NOVEMBER with my friend, Xenia. We are both trying to destash and organize so we are not adding to our already extensive craft collection this month .. But digi stamps are not included, which was fabulous because I just had to have this new digi by Angie Blom Digital Designs  - A Winter Hello, Girl . I hope that you like her as much as I do !!

• I printed one of the images from the A Winter Hello, Girl digi stamp set and trimmed it to fit on an A2 card base. This image already included a sentiment .
• The image was colored with my COPICS and Flair Pens.
• The completed panel was adhered to a bright red card base .
• Several large sequins were adhered around the girl to fill in some of the empty space.

This stamp was a dream to color and I cannot wait to make several more with the other images in this set. Included are a slimline image and several other images with and without sentiments, as well as several  individual sentiments.  Celeste always makes beautiful cards and her coffee cards have always been some of my favorites. Take a look at hers over at her blog - Crafting Junky . I am drinking some Starbucks Blonde coffee with a bit of Baily's Irish Cream added to get me in the holiday spirit as I make cards !! And I'm using a cup bought on clearance last year with the perfect sentiment !!

Let's Get Toasty 

Also remember to check out all of the fun over at the Coffee Loving Cardmakers Blog Hop  ... There is always so much inspiration AND a chance at some fantastic prizes !! A big shout-out to Amy Tsuruta for always hosting such fabulous Hops .. She is a Coffee Lover Extraordinaire !!

 2021 Fall/Winter Coffee Lovers Blog Hop

Until next time ..

Have some coffee and stay creative !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity

Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas / October 2021

In a few short months, the holidays will be here .. And I will be so glad that I have been making holiday cards all year long !! Have you started yours ?? Michael, Lisa and I have been posting every month on the 25th as we've created a holiday card each week throughout the year .. This month we have a Guest Elf and I'm sure she has some fabulous cards to share with us .. Terri Albro Burson is a talented papercrafter, mixed-media artist and designer . We met through our love of paper back in 2014 when I was chosen to be on the Design Team ( my first ) of Mountain Plains Crafters. Terri and a few friends had created an online community and I was lucky enough to become a part of it . She has worked with many amazing companies, most recently as a 2021 Guest Artist for Ranger Ink . I'm sure that she is just as thrilled to be joining us as a Crafty Elf this month !!

My first card features the cutest Christmas Bird stamp from Impression Obsession  . It was on clearance a few months ago, but they have tons of other fabulous stamps for you to choose from .  This stamp was designed by my friend Lindsay Ostrom.

• I stamped Christmas Bird on Strathmore Mixed Media Paper with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink .
• A square scalloped-edge die was used to die-cut the bird image for the card front.
• I colored the bird image with my COPICS, Sharpies & Flair pens.
• A piece of Tim Holtz Christmas washi tape was placed across the center of a piece of green musical notes patterned paper from a Craft Smart "Classic Vintage" paper pad.
• The musical notes panel was adhered to a Kraft card base.
• I popped up the completed bird die-cut with foam tabs for some added dimension .

My next 3 cards were made with the Elfmas Volumes 1 & 2 stamp sets from Ink Road Stamps .It's no secret that Elf is one of my favorite movies and I couldn't wait to ink up these stamps !! I think I know each and every line from the movie word for word. My guy, Brian even got an ELF costume one year during the holidays and came to the hospital where I work to surprise me when I was the ICU Manager . We walked around the different floors and sang Christmas carols with some of the staff and patients !!  A great Christmas memory ..  

• I stamped ELF  on the left side of a piece of Strathmore Mixed Media paper  with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and the sentiment on the right side with Memento Lady Bug & Bamboo Leaves. I masked the sentiment on the diagonal to get the color blend exactly right . And I love how it turned out .
• I found a scrap of paper that reminded me of Gingerbread houses & their icing and cut a strip to fit down the left side of a Kraft card base.
• The completed stamped panel was adhered next to the patterned strip.

• I stamped ELF in Memento Tuxedo Black ink and the sentiment below that with Memento Lady Bug ink  on Strathmore Mixed Media paper.
• I placed a strip of red snowflake washi in between ELF and the sentiment.
• The stamped panel was adhered to a red cardstock mat .
• A beautiful floral card base was a pretty touch for this card .

• I stamped the 4 Main Food Groups sentiment onto a piece of Mixed Media paper with Tuxedo Black ink.
• I colored the image with my COPICS.
• The stamped image was matted on a piece of red cardstock.
• I adhered a piece of scrap glittery gumdrop paper to a bright blue card base.
• The completed stamped panel was then popped up onto the gumdrops with Foam tabs. I love how bright and colorful this card is !!

Please take a look at the other Crafty Elf cards over at their blog posts for much more holiday inspiration. And don't miss what our Guest Elf has created for us, because I'm sure it is fantastic !! A big Thank-You to Terri for joining us this month ..

Terri Albro Burson - Waving My Wand

Michael Trent - World of Michael Trent

Lisa Reynolds-Bzibziak - Life of a BZ Scrapper

We are quickly winding down to the holidays .. Have you started your cards yet ?? Leave me a message about the status of your holiday card-making and you could be the lucky person chosen at random to get some Happy Mail from me . I will send you some supplies to use on your holiday cards.. 

For some extra added fun with holiday cards, you can check out the Blog Hop sponsored by the Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group  . Get inspiration, link up a card of your own and you just might win a prize from some great sponsors !!

Falling for the Holidays 2021 {BYSHC} Hop!

Until next time -

Stay safe and always stay creative !!

Debra Davison / Meticulosity