Let's trim the Tree for Challenge #90

Let's see if we can brighten up Monday for a few folks as we Trim the Tree for Challenge #90!

We were joined by the lovely and very talented, Jenny Martin from My Paper Epiphany as our elf and she did us proud with a fabulous creation as we played:

Embossing Folder Fun!

Thanks so much for sharing your creativity with us, Jenny, and thanks also for all the chat behind the scenes - it's been fun getting to know you! 

Both Jenny and I loved seeing your beautiful creations for this challenge, and we loved how many different techniques you guys used to demonstrate the versatility of the not so humble embossing folder!

Our Top Picks for this challenge are:

#3 - Dawn

Just look at the way Dawn used Colour Burst Powders with her Embossing folder.

The white wording really 'pops' against that luscious background. 

#28 - Denise B

We love how Denise enhanced the embossing with white ink.

#31 - Helen

A cute pup, and a gorgeous background with beautiful blending and 

sanding of the embossing.

This Challenge was just so difficult to call for a single Star, so sharing Top Spot for this month we have two fabulous cards from two very talented makers.

Our Winners and Stars on the Tree for this week are:

#11 - Leslie M

and

#12 - Arlene Rose

Congratulations to you all, I hope you'll enjoy flaunting your blog badges 

for all the world to see!

Finally, here's Rudolph to announce the WINNER of his September Random Raffle:  

 

#17 - Julia A... It's you!

Congratulations, Julia, please email me a dottypudding (at) aol.com with your snail mail address so I can connect you with your prize. 

Once again, a very big thank you to Julia, and a big thank you to everyone who played along with this challenge - you guys always bring the fun and totally make Christmas Kickstart what it is! 

There's a new challenge underway and a lovely, shiny new elf in the form of Faith from Daffodil Cards! We'd love it if you'd come and play along! 

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #91 - Colourful Christmas!

 

Welcome to The Christmas Kickstart Challenge! I'm delighted to welcome Faith from Daffodil Cards as our elf for the new month.

"Hello, I'm Faith here from Daffodil Cards, why Daffodil? Because I'm Welsh and it's our National flower. I started making cards many, many years ago. I started with digital cards for family and friends, then tried stamping, which I was awful at, then stamping platforms came in, and I got to grips, sort of, with stamping, I'm still learning, but love it. It got me into colouring which is a much harder learning curve, but, I'm mostly satisfied with the result. I'm also love my Silhouette, that's another story. I hope you will join me in either starting or continuing making your Christmas cards with the lovely colours chosen this month."

This month we're inviting you to join us for a COLOUR Challenge as we play:

Challenge #91 - Colourful Christmas

Exact matching isn't necessary, but we'd like to see our palette reflected in your card, please. If you'd like to you can also take inspiration from the picture; I love the reindeer with it's gingham bow against the frosty blues of the background. 

Here's what Faith created using these colours:  

Just look at the sweet little scene she's made. I love the positioning of her gnome in the landscape so everything looks perfectly to scale. And don't get me started on the gnome guy with his super-cute hat: totally adorable. Thanks so much, Faith.

Here's my card. Unfortunately, the photo-editing process has taken all the beige/pinky tones out of the picture, but trust me they are there on the reindeer's belly!

Rudolph was delighted I used one of his kin for my card, and so has provided an extra lovely prize for our October Random Raffle:

Faith and I both hope you'll come and play along!

Don't forget to read the Challenge Guidelines before linking-up. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #90 - Reminder

It never fails to amaze me how quickly the middle of the month rushes to greet us. How can we possibly be half-way through September??? It'll be Christmas before we know it!

This month we're in great company with Jenny from My Paper Epiphany as our elf.

 

Jenny created a stunning card to inspire us all and picked a theme which has really got you guys rocking our challenge as we play:

Embossing Folder Fun!

I, for one was blown away by Jenny's card and knew I wanted to attempt the same technique for myself. I decided to go with a non-traditional colour palette, but I'm not really that thrilled with the result.

Jenny made a tricky technique look so easy and got a great result. You can see my other card for this challenge by heading here. 

Rudolph has a lovely Random Raffle prize on offer for this challenge:

 

I very much hope you'll came and join Jenny and me as we invite you to give your festive embossing folders a workout!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Let's Trim the Tree for Challenge #89

Hi guys, I'm a little behind with the Tree Trimming post for this challenge after a glorious week in Tuscany with the hubby. 

Our elfin muse for August was the lovely Gundi! 

Gundi picked a lovely theme for us and it was obvious from your entries how much you all enjoyed created cards on the theme of Animal Antics. 

A big thank you to everyone who played along - your card were all fabulous and choosing a few to showcase was so, so tricky!

Our Top Picks for this challenge are:

#21 - Linda W

Just look at this cute crew - what a sweet scene, 

and just look at the lovely line of trees in the background. 

#24 - Marcia

Such a lovely colour palette, and we both love how Marcia 

inked the embossing folder pattern.

#30 - Di

I NEED this stamp so much! Great use of that background too.

#32 - Marianne

Isn't this a beauty! Such beautiful colouring and Marianne's sky is wonderful.

Our Winner and Star on the Tree for this week is:

#6 - Lynne

Isn't this just the sweetest! We both loved Lynne's cute card

and that dainty stitch work.

Congratulations to you all, I hope you'll enjoy flaunting your blog badges for all the world to see!

Finally, here's our favourite reindeer guy to announce the winner of his Random Raffle... 

 

# 2 Arlene Rose... It's you!

Congratulations, Arlene, please email me a dottypudding (at) aol.com with your snail mail address so I can connect you with your prize. 

Many thanks again to Gundi for being our elf, and for being my buddy too! We always have fun 'backstage' when we partner up. Thanks also to all of you who played along. Our current challenge is well under way, so why not drop by and join the Embossing Folder Fun!

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #90 - Embossing Folder Fun!

 

Welcome to The Christmas Kickstart Challenge for September and I hope the new month is treating you well.

I'm delighted to welcome the very talented Jenny Martin from My Paper Epiphany as our elf for this Challenge.

Hi everyone! My name is Jenny and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I spend a lot of my time at our Beach House in Queenscliff,  where I’m always relaxed and do most of my crafting. I have a wonderful view from my craft room and lot’s of light. When I’m not making cards, I enjoy walking our 2 dogs. My blog is called My Paper Epiphany and my Instagram name is @jenmar59 I am very excited to be Jo’s Elf this month - I love making Christmas Cards!

Here's the card Jenny's created for our challenge...

Isn't it a beauty, and such a great way to use that gorgeous embossing folder. I love how the poinsettia really 'pops' against that dark background. You can find all the details of how Jenny made her card by visiting her blog. 

Just like Jenny, I wanted to let the embossing folder take centre stage. I very nearly added colour, but loved the look of all that white, embossed space.

Rudolph has been shopping for cute stamps and is happy to be offering this cute set from Heffy Doodle as his Random Raffle Prize for September. It's such a pity that this sweet store had to close it's doors. 

 

Jenny and I very much hope you'll break -out your embossing folders and come and play along!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Christmas Kickstart Challenge #89 - Reminder

 

Welcome back, can you believe we're half-way through August? 

We're in excellent company this month as my sweet friend Gundi is performing the elfin duties for us. Thanks, Gundi, it's great to have you here!

Gundi picked a great theme for our August Challenge

Challenge #89 - Animal Antics

We'd love to see your take on animals playing in the snow. 

At the time of typing this we have twelve gorgeous creations in the gallery, including this beauty from Nives. Thanks, Nives! Gundi and I would love to see a few more cards in the gallery before the end of the month.

Gundi has very kindly created a card for this Reminder, and what a cutie it is too! I love the skating friends framed by the tree, and just look at how Gundi has created the frozen pond - so pretty. You can see her post here. 

Here's a little reminder of Gundi's first card for this challenge...

Inspired by her naughty mice, I made this card, plus a little story:

"Sybil the Shrew was sad; the mice had been so naughty towards her friend the snowman. She found a special present for him, wrapped it carefully in pretty paper, and went to wish him a Merry Christmas." 

My final card is a sweet penguin waddling a little happy dance as the snow begins to fall.

Rudolph has a fun prize to match our theme for his Random Raffle:

Gundi and I both hope you'll come and join the fun!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter