Christmas Tree Linky Party

Docerela is having a Christmas Tree Link Up Party, so I thought I'd join in.

Some of you already know my story, so I apologize for repeating it. We don't put up a green tree, artificial or live, anymore because our cat will eat the greens and get sick, and then we spend our holiday in the animal emergency room.  That happened to us a few years back, and we didn't want to experience that again--for us and certainly not for our kitty. So this has been our "alternative" tree. 

Since it's a wire tree, I tried to go for a rustic, natural look.  Here's a close-up of some of the ornaments.

Go link up a photo of your tree at Docerela's Creations.  And look at all the other beautiful and green trees!  lol!

Thanks for stopping by.

Favorite Things

Several blogs are having linkup parties to post your "favorite things" from 2011--your favorite card or crafty project.  I have to agree with some others that it's hard to pick just one.  I have several that I'm posting below.

I made this for my daugther's 23rd birthday.  She grew up with cats, and she now has one of her own named Charlie.  I thought this image was so adorable, I couldn't resist it--especially since "she'll always be my little girl."  I later found out that this card didn't stay a keepsake too long.  Her cat got hold of it and tore the head off the little girl!! You can see the original post here.

This was the first mini-album I made from scratch all the way to binding it myself.  I was real pleased with how it turned out.  You can see the whole album at my original post here.

Here's one of the 3-D projects I made in 2011.  A woman at work used it for a gift box and card for her sister's birthday.  The cupcake is a card image from Hello Kitty.  Another 3-D project I really liked was a purse set from Forever Young. You can see more photos of that here.

And here's some decor for the kitchen.  This actually came out better than I imagined (although I apologize for the blurry picture).  It was made for a blog hop; the first one I ever participated in with Georgiana of Carson's Creations and still my good blogging buddy today.  Isn't that the best thing about blogger world?  Finding new friends who have the same interests as you?  You're ALL terrific, and I appreciate your friendships!

I made this card for my husband for our wedding anniversary. Loved the design and how it turned out to look like a wallpapered bathroom wall!  Love the inside too.

Sorry this is so long, just one more because it's just so darn cute.  How many of you like Create a Critter as your favorite cart!?  Well it's no wonder; it has the cutest images!  This is the kitty from that cart.  At the time I made it, I had no one particular in mind, but wound up giving to my niece for her birthday.  I just love this cut.

I am linking this post to the following blogs:

    Lezlye's Ink and Paper Creations

    Whimsical Wednesday Challenge

    Cooking with Cricut

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Christmas Gift Holders

I made these gift holders for the ladies at work.  There were two kinds--one to hold a candy bar and one to hold a packet of cocoa mix (these cocoa mixes are long and skinny; a little different size from traditional ones), so I searched Youtube to find this easy to make cocoa holder. 

Here's a close-up of the candy bar holder.  This is actually a gift card envelope, and is cut from Wild Card cartridge, pg. 46 <allinone>, fit to length (I think; sorry didn't write it down).  Then cut some cardstock and embellished it with Merry Christmas Sizzix folder.  The mice are cut from Winter Frolic, pg. 56, border.

And here is the cocoa mix holder.  The ribbon threads through a slot at the top (hidden behind the sentiment) on both sides, and actually holds the cocoa packet in place.  After tying a knot in the ribbon at the top, you can use the ribbon to pull up the cocoa packet.  Sweet!!

I made 5 sets using different patterned papers.  Here's all of them.

And a closeup of another set--you can really see the Merry Christmas embossing folder on the green cardstock in this one. 

 

  

And a few more of the cocoa packet holders that I made from the same patterned paper.

I'm entering my projects into the following challenges/linkup parties:

Robin's Creative Cottage Link-up Party - favorite project made within last month

Craft Junkie Too - link up party
Die Cuttin Divas - Create any Holiday Celebration idea...wall hangings, centerpieces, ornaments, layouts, gift boxes/bags, etc
Joyful Stamper - linky party

Christmas Tree Link Up Party and Pink Challenge

Docerela Creations is doing something different.  She's having a link up party to show off your decorated Christmas tree.  All you have to do is post a picture of your tree with a link to her blog and you could win a set of her stamps.  Sounds like fun!  Here's my Christmas tree; now don't laugh.  I will explain.

Picture #1 shows our current Christmas tree, which is iron.  Picture #2 is why we switched to an iron tree.  That's our Christmas Kitty, Calbert.  He can't resist getting into stuff, and one year he decided he would like to taste our tree.  So he ate some of the artificial greenery and got really sick.  We wound up taking him to the pet emergency hospital on New Year's Eve.  Thankfully, he was okay after a not-so-pleasant treatment from the veternarian.  It could have been more serious, so we knew that in the future we would have to find another alternative for a tree.  Even today, Calbert still can't resist getting close to the tree!

And here's another challenge by Docerela.  Make a pink Christmas card.  I just made this pink and blue snowflake card that I want to enter.  She is giving away a set of her Christmas stamps to one lucky winner.  Check out her pink challenge here.

Thanks for stopping by!

Die Cuttin' Divas Guest Designer

Hello All,

Today I am Guest Designing at Die Cuttin' Divas!  This is a first for me, so I'm very excited to share my first Christmas card for this season.  Yes, I need to get busy, I know.  This week is sketch week at DCD, and this was just the motivation I needed to get started.  I'm pleased with how my card turned out.  Let me know what you think.  And then be sure to visit Die Cuttin' Divas to see what the Design Team has made!!

Here's a close-up of the wreath.  Don't you just love these intricate cuts?!

I cut two wreaths and put foam dots in between to layer them.  I really love that look!

And here's the inside of the card which I wanted to match the front, so I bordered the edges with the patterned paper.

Here's the details for my card:

Card is 5-1/2" square.

Red holly patterned paper is from my stash, cut at 5-1/2" to cover the front.

White cardstock is cut at 4-3/4" square and embossed with a Sizzix folder called Snow Globe (for some reason); it's holly and berries design as I hope you can see in my photos.

Merry Christmas paper from my stash for the green mat which I punched with a Fiskars scalloped border punch, and inked the edges. 

The wreath is cut from Trim the Tree seasonal cartridge at 2-3/4".  This cartridge is very, very intricate and cuts best at larger sizes.  But even at this small size, it cut pretty well.  I used adhesive backed cardstock which made it much easier to apply to the underneath layer of red shimmer paper (DCWV).

The banner tags are cut from one 4x6 piece of patterned paper from the DCWV Christmas Combo matstack and inked with Jim Holtz Antique Linen distress ink.

Deck the Halls was $1.00 sentiment from Joann's that I picked up last year.

I'm going to also share this card at You Had Me at Craft link up party.

Thanks for stopping by my blog!  I appreciate all your comments! -- Pat N.

Link Up For Pink

I made this card for the Link Up For Pink cause.  I think, as women, this cause touches us all. 

Card Details:
Card base cut from Just Because Cards, 6x4.5", embossed with Kassie's Brocade.
Mat cut from Just Because Cards, p55, Melon at 5.5" fit to length.
Patterned papers are K&Co. Watercolor Bouquet.
Ballet shoes cut from Twinkle Toes at 5".
Pink Ribbons were stamped, fussy cut, and stickled.
My Pink Stamper Pinkalicious stamps for the front sentiment, and Inkadinkadoo Thoughts for the Day for the inside sentiment.

Thank you all for stopping by!