Window To The New Year

 

Happy New Year!  Challenge #279 has just gone live and this fortnight we are welcoming 2025 with a theme challenge of Beginnings

 This fortnight we are generously being sponsored by Doodle Bugs and they are offering our Top Pick as chosen by the design team a very generous $25 store credit and our Top Pick will also be invited to Guest Design with us in a future challenge.  

Speaking of guest designers, we're joined this challenge by the very talented Ellen Coats as our guest!  Be sure to check out her gorgeous interpretation of our quote as well as the rest of the team on the Time Out Blog!

The Beginning of a New Year is how I was inspired by Beginnings and I made this card to welcome in 2025 - though I'm still scratching my head and wondering what happened to 2024!

I pulled out this lovely window die (Poppy Stamps Gothic Arched Window) and added foam tape so it would sit higher than the "wall"!   This die didn't leave a lot of space on an A2 panel for a sentiment but one of the sentiments from an NBUS set I bought earlier in the year (Concorde and 9th Season of Cheer) fitted perfectly on the window sill!   

Of course, you can't celebrate the New Year without fireworks and I cut these from various snippets of iridescent card stock that I'd been saving up just for this purpose (unfortunately I didn't have the presence of mind to photograph said snippets in my rush to finish all my Christmas crafting and tidy everything away to make room for my guests and have somewhere to all sit down together on Christmas Day).  The fireworks die was bought from Amazon and is unnamed.

So here's to Beginnings - whether that be the beginning of a new year, a new relationship, a new baby or something else entirely!

I'd like to enter the following fabulous challenges

NBUS Challenge #70 -  The sentiment die was NBUS;

Snippets Challenge #496 - Snippets of iridescent card stocks used for the fireworks;

In{k}spire Me Challenge #552 - New Year Special;

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge  - Something New

Daring Cardmakers - Word prompt of "HAPPY" and fireworks always make me Happy and the promise of a New Year!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you go away a little inspired!  Your visits and comments are always a joy and always appreciated!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate

Cosy and Warm Christmas

 

Happy New Year!  I hope Santa was good to everyone and you enjoyed your Christmas break in the company of your loved ones.

Sparkles Christmas Challenge 168 has just gone live and it was my turn to choose the theme this month and I have chosen

Cozy and Warm

which gave me the perfect opportunity to use this cute fireplace die (Poppy Stamps Whittle Fireplace) that I've been wanting to break open for over 2 years now!  The sweet "whittle" mouse was included with the set which gave me the idea to use this sentiment (WMS 'Twas the Night Before Christmas).   The stockings (Poppy Stamps Whittle Stocking) were bought at the same time (because they're perfect together) and are also NBUS.

The fireplace body was cut from Kraft card stock and coloured with alcohol markers, the mantel was cut from brown card stock as was the fireplace "grill".  The flame and mouse were cut from white and coloured with alcohol markers.  The stocking bodies were cut from some snippets of tartan and the fur trims were cut from white felt.  All die cut pieces were stacked at least twice - it makes such a difference to the finished card!

The sentiment wasn't a good fit for any of my labels and was going to use the partial cut technique when I had the idea to use another snippet of tartan to fill in the blank lower third of the label.  I'm quite happy how it turned out and I think I'll use this solution again!

I'd like to enter the following wonderful challenges

NBUS Challenge #70 - NBUS Whittle Fireplace and Whittle Stocking;

Day of the Month Club Challenge #70 - National Sock (hopefully stocking counts) Day;

Allsorts Challenge Weeks 812-13 - Use Your Dies;

Papercraft Challenges #113 - Under the Mistletoe (Christmas related);

Peace on Earth Challenge #78 - Anything Christmas Goes;

Festive Friday Challenge;

Thanks for visiting, I hope you go away a little inspired!  And if you leave a comment, I’ll know you were here and how to find you!

Kate