Let's Trim the Tree for Challenge #101

It's that time again, folks! Yes, we're Trimming the Tree for Challenge #101.

A huge and heartfelt thank you to our lovely elf, Greta. As always, it was a joy to have Greta's company here at The Christmas Kickstart - thanks so much to you, my dear friend.

I'm also so grateful that Greta picked a lovely theme for us to play. There were so many gorgeous and inspiring cards in the gallery this month and just choosing a few to showcase has been super tricky.

Our Top Picks for this challenge are:

#10 - Betty

Isn't this just darling? 

#28 - Darnell

Such an elegant card.

#42 - Gail

Punchy and eye-catching... so striking!

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

#15 - Marcia

Don't these two just grab your heart with both flippers, 

and just look at the beautiful stenciling.

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

 

Rudolph bagged us some Heffy Doodle sweetness as the prize his August Random Raffle...

 

and so who is our winner this month?

# 2 - Karen Walker... It's you!

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

A big thank you once again to Greta, and also to everyone who played along. You guys really bring the fun and it's a real privilege to put on this little challenge for you each month.

Our September challenge is already underway and we have the lovely Leslie from Running With Scissors as our Elfin muse this month, so why not come and join us!

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge Challenge #102 - Santa in September

 

Happy September to you all! 

I'm completely delighted to welcome back the lovely Leslie from Running With Scissors to be our Elf for this month. Leslie first guested here just over a year ago when we played Festive Frames together in July 2024. That was such a popular theme and we had some great entries. 

Once again, Leslie, has picked a fun theme for us and this month we'll be playing:

Challenge #102 - Santa in September!

Take a look at what Leslie has created for our new challenge - isn't this just darling!

You can find all the info about Leslie's sweet card by heading to her blog here. Please head on over and leave her some love.

This is my offering for our Santa challenge:

I bought the Santa image as part of a set from eBay, but have no idea of the manufacturer.

Finally, here's everyone's favourite reindeer with this month's prize for Rudolph's Random Raffle draw...

 Fun Crafter's Companion text stamp

Please take a read of the Challenge Guidelines before you enter.

Leslie and I both hope you'll come and join us as we play Santa in September!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Challenge #101 - Let's Wreath it Up! Reminder

 

I'm delighted that we have the very lovely and talented Greta as our Elfin Muse for August. I love that Greta headed her launch post: 'On Elf Duty'. So cute.

We've had some of the classiest, loveliest cards for this challenge thus far - Greta certainly picked the perfect challenge theme for us!

Just take a look at the beautiful card Greta has created for our Reminder!

You can visit her blog here to find out all the details and to leave her some love.

 

Here's what Greta made to kickstart her Elfin Mission with us:

Isn't Greta's card a dream? I was going to talk through the things I love about her card, but where do I start as everything is simply stunning, STUNNING! I love the big cream bow, the different shades of green AND the sparkly red accents, the placement and style of the gorgeous sentiment, the thin red border. It's all just lovely and totally harmonious.

OK, I'll stop the whole fan girl stuff! Here's what I made, inspired by Greta's card... I wanted to place my sentiment and bow at 5 to 5 just like her original, but it just wouldn't work. Thankfully, everything else seemed to fit together nicely.

I had so much fun CASE-ing/being-inspired-by Greta's card 😉.  I know I made a much more visually interesting card because I drew on Greta's superior design abilities and her adorable signature style! Thanks, Greta!

Here's Cool Dude Rudy with his Random Raffle Prize for August...

Greta and I both hope you'll come Wreath it Up with us before the end of the month.

Hey, are you an Instagrammer? 

Be sure to use the hashtag #christmaskickstartchallenge on your projects.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Let's trim the Tree for Challenge #100

A huge thank you to everyone who joined the fun and frolics that were Challenge #100! 

I was so touched by your lovely comments, and totally blown away by the gorgeous cards you guys made. Massive thanks also to my partner in crafting: the one and only Gail from Crafty Nomad. Gail picked a great theme and our total haul of seventy-six cards proved this.

There were so many beautiful, witty and fun circular creations for our challenge and choosing a few to showcase has taken us a couple of days, but here they come...

Our Top Picks for this challenge are:

#43 - Michele

Anyone else spit their coffee with laughter when 

they saw Santa doing a Miley Cyrus? Bravo, Michele. 

#69 - Lee Ann B

So cute and funny, and beautifully made.

#70 - Barb

The perfect way to play our challenge with a circular easel card!

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

#33 - Greta

Congratulations to our current Elf, Greta, on her win! 

Just look at all the circles on her beautiful card. We both love it!

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

Finally, here's Rudolph with his Random Raffle Results for Challenge #100, and don't forget this month we have TWO lucky random winners:

#22 Denise... It's you!

#58 Marcia... It's you too!

Congratulations, Denise B and Marcia H! Please email me a dottypudding (at) aol.com with your snail mail address so I can connect you with your prizes. 

Once again, thank you so much to everyone who played along with Challenge #100. It's you guys that bring the fun and I am so appreciative of the fact that you turn up and share your creativity in my little corner of Blogland. 

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #101 - Let's Wreath it Up!

 

We're steaming-on through 2025 and no mistake. It's August, people, August!

Being the first Tuesday of the new month means it's time to launch a new challenge here at The Christmas Kickstart. 

I'm so happy to welcome back a very special Cardland friend, the lovely Greta, as our Elf for August. Thanks so much for joining us again, Greta, it's always fun to hang out with you. If you've not visited Greta's blog I urge you to head there this very second as her cards are a total delight and so inspiring.

 

Greta has chosen a lovely theme for our new challenge...

Challenge #101 - Let's Wreath it Up!

Yes, we'd like to see a wreath or multiple wreaths on your cards, please. 

Here's what Greta has created to get us in the mood. Told you she makes amazing cards!

I'm just swooning!

Here's what I made for our challenge. 

I grabbed my pencils and coloured Petunia Loves Christmas from Stampingbella.

His Rudolphness is here with a brand new prize for his Random Raffle Draw. 

 

*Sigh* I wish Heffy Doodle was still in business, but am so glad that Rudolph bagged a few stamp sets before they closed. Please remember to read the Challenge Guidelines before entering.  

Greta and I can't wait to see what you make for this challenge - have fun! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Challenge #100 - Hold the Front Page...

 

Hi guys, I'm loving all your entries for Challenge #100 - just keep 'em coming!

I wanted to drop by and share this little piece of wonderment created by our Elfin Muse, Gail. Surely, only Gail could involve Boris Karloff in our current challenge. 

Isn't this just brilliant!?!

If you'd like to find out more about Gail's card, plus see Boris on the move, please head over to her blog and leave her some love!

There's still plenty of time left to enter our current challenge, and don't forget there are prizes...

The Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 - Reminder

 

It's REMINDER time here at The Christmas Kickstart Challenge! 

We're celebrating a milestone challenge in the very good company of my dear friend, Gail from CraftyNomad.

We're playing...

Challenge #100 - Merry go round

Here's Gail's card from the launch post...

I have to say that the more I look at this card the more I love it! The pup is Taco John from LCD, and I love that Gail added a Santa hat at a jaunty angle for extra festive fun. Just look  how Gail created a stripey background and nestled John in amongst a bevvy of baubles. Nice!

Gail's attention to detail is top notch as she has then stamped Ho, Ho, Ho into each bauble. I love the tone-on-tone look of the baubles and so grabbed that look as the inspiration for my card!

I used Wow! Confetti Circle stencil set for my circle and spots, and then added a tone-on-tone snowflake and greeting using (now retired) Snowflake Season from Reverse Confetti. 

Rudolph has done us proud for this celebration challenge and he's offering a prize for not one but two lucky randomly drawn winners.

Lovely!

 

Gail and I hope you'll come and join the fun!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter