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Friday, November 8, 2013

My "Kids" Know That Christmas is Coming!

Are you ready for the holidays? Not me...I can even think of Christmas quite yet since I haven't gotten through Thanksgiving yet! But, I have 2 beagles and 3 kitties and I can image that if I had a fireplace, this is what it would look like since they get a stocking full of treats every Christmas morning and my beagles can smell treats even through the packaging! Last year my larger beagle jumped up and snagged the stocking hanging on the bookcase and began eating his way through the packaging and my little girl beagle was more than happy to help him. As I chased them through the house trying to get the packaging from them so they didn't eat it and get sick or choke, they darted through the pet door and then gave me my morning exercise of running through the backyard in my pajamas and socks, which got soaking wet from the morning dew.


No, I don't have a pet mouse--pretend it's a kitten. I love this Lili of the Valley stamp because of the detail.  I purchased it over a year ago and I never colored it [hanging my head in shame]. I have so many stamps and not enough time to even color them all. I look at it like this: I'm collecting everything I need so that when I retire and don't have any money, I won't need to buy anything to make cards or scrapbook. [I am such a  liar...I always need something....] Meanwhile, I'll continue to 'collect' lace, ribbon, shiny embellishments [I was a crow in a former life], paper, paper flowers and stamps that have never seen an ink pad. The only items LESS than a year old on this card are the Frantage used on the snowflake charm and the Spellbinder die of the poinsettias.

I embossed my background tan paper and then sanded it so the snowflakes would be white. I made my poinsettia with my Spellbinders die and put a pretty gold edged pearl brad in the center of it. I outlined each petal of my poinsettia and leaves with Diamond Sparkles glitter by PSX Designs...a pretty transparent glitter with a gold hue. The sentiment stamp is by Whimsy and the snowflake charm has been embossed with Shabby White Frantage embossing powder. The snowflake border die is by Memory Box and I sewed it on my card and I added glitter to each slowflake.  Here's a close up of my image that was colored with Copics.


The challenge this week at the Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog is CHRISTMAS IS COMING. The anticipation, the shopping, the wrapping of presents, putting up the tree...things that represent that Christmas is coming should be portrayed in your card.

Our weekly sponsor is Cuddly Buddly who has donated a generous £10 voucher and our monthly sponsor is the Ribbon Girl who has also donated a generous £10 voucher.  These two sponsors have fabulous on-line shopping!

The gals at the Sweet Stampin' Challenge Blog have made some awesome cards to inspire you, so please stop by and take a look and consider making a card for the topic "Christmas is Coming".

                                                                          Hugs,
                                                                          Gail

This card is entered in the following challenges:
Craftitude Challenge, Love to Create, Love to Scrap! Challenge Blog, Great Impressions, Sparkle N Sprinkle Creative Challenge, One Crazy Stamper, Craft-dee Bowz, Christmas Cards All Year Around, Crafty Hazlenuts Challenge Extra for November, The Artistic Stamper Creative Team, Penny Black At All Sorts, Polkadoodle, Oldie But a Goodie, The Squirrel and the Fox, Crafty Little Fairies,

46 comments:

  1. totally precious image and great coloring. Such a cute little card. thanks for posting on the Craft-Dee BowZ challenge for November!

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  2. Beautiful Christmas card Gail, so sweet..Hugs Lozzy xx

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  3. A stunning card love it good luck in your challenges. Love and Happy Crafting Carole x

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  4. This is an adorable Christmas scene, Gail! Really lovin' the embossed background and the poinsettia die is just fab...might have to invest in one of those! Like you, I'm "collecting" stash for my retirement ;o) xx

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  5. Fab card! I like how you used your dies and embossing folders to add dimension. Thanks for joining us at Great Impressions.

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  6. Wow! I love this card! Your coloring is absolutely stunning! Here is an another collector... I need stamps, laces, papers and everything else ;) So you are not alone :D

    Hugs, Merkkari

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  7. Just looks so fabulous Gail. Love your die cut and flower with the image
    x catherine

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  8. Such a cute card love it your colouring is fantastic thankyou for joining our challenge at Craftitude this fortnight and good luck fiona dt. x

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  9. This is really gorgeous, Gail! Love the cute image, the die cuts and embossing! Do you know, I used to tell myself exactly the same thing 'I need to buy this now, because when I retire I will have enough 'stuff' not to need to buy more.... well, I lied!
    Chris
    xxx

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  10. Absolutely gorgeous Gail, I love the cute stamp and I did have a chuckle thinking of you chasing the Beagles in your pyjamas, Have a wonderful weekend my friend
    Hugs Julie P

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  11. So, so pretty Gail - I love it:0)

    Julia x

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  12. Really Gorgeous creation, thanks for joining Penny Black & More @ Allsorts challenge, good luck.
    Happy crafting
    Tracy x

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  13. Gorgous card and the LOTV stamp is so sweet xx

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  14. Beautiful!! An adorable stamp and your attention to detail is fab. Hugz

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  15. You are so entertaining with your wonderful sense of humor. I'd like to have been there to see you chasing your little beagles around the back yard in your socks & pj's. LOL this is a sweet card Gail & as always beautifully colored. I love how you sanded the embossing, that looks wonderful & something I will have to give a try. I have many embossing folders & forget to use them. Thanks for reminding me.
    Janie

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  16. Christmas morning sounds like a real hoot in your home :) I too have many stamps that have never seen ink and I tell myself similar lies...

    Your card is gorgeous. I love this image and your colouring is gorgeous. Pretty details and beautiful embossed background. Hugs, Dawn

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  17. As it’s something I really don’t like doing for a whole comment will admit to this being a copy and paste one because I am unable to type properly at the moment, but didn't want to miss the opportunity to take a look at your lovely creation and thank you for joining us at Penny Black and More challenge.

    B x

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  18. woow!! fantastic card! very sweet + great inspiration: love how you sewed the snow border
    t

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  19. Love your card Gail, the image and dies are great together. Santa is coming to town, soon! ;)

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  20. Lovely card with such a sweet image - thanks for sharing for CHNC challenge extra for November and CCAYR 'winter wonderland' - hope to see you again soon. x

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  21. He he - I probably shouldn't laugh at your pets giving you the run around but it did sound quite amusing! Your Christmas card is gorgeous and that image is soooo cute! It looks so festive with the snowy border and poinsettia too :-)
    Hugs, Kat xx

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  22. Oh my really gorgeous card, lovely inside scene by the fire with cute friends.
    Beautiful embellishments and details.
    Thank you for sharing at Penny Black and more Challenge;-))m

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  23. Gorgeous card!!! The image is absolutely stunning and I love the different dies you used ... Thank you for sharing your project with us for our Color Inspired Challenge this week at Love to Create.
    Ruza, LTC Designer
    Ruza's Craft Corner

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  24. Gorgeous card and such a sweet image! Thank you for joining us at Love to Create this week!
    Hugs'
    Jackie ~ LTC owner

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  25. An absolutely perfect Christmas card for any animal lover/owner. Your coloring is superb, love the diecut with the stitching, the charm, the poinsettia with the added glitter, the sanded snowflakes - this all came together perfectly -- a "one of a kind" and to be treasured, for sure !!

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  26. Oh, so sweet!! As usual love your details. ))
    Many thanks for joining us at Oldie but a Goodie` “Charming (use charms)” Challenge and we hope to see you again.
    Hugs
    Natali

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  27. Gorgeous card - such a sweet image! You've used my favourite embossing folder too!
    Thanks for playing at Oldie but a Goodie!
    Helen x

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  28. The sanded paper with snowflakes makes a beautiful background for this sweet image. I also love the detail of the die cut border of snowflakes and the poinsettia. It's a beautiful Christmasy design, Gail!

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  29. Oh my word, your blog post is so fun to read. You gave me many smiles and chuckles. Your card is beautiful. The image is sweet...great technique on the fur and the pops of yellow and red look great next to the neutrals on the rest of the card. I love that you stitched that gorgeous snowflake border on and the sanded embossing looks amazing. Thanks for joining our Anything Goes/Use twine challenge this fortnight at Craftitude. I hope we see you again soon. It's been a pleasure visiting.

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  30. Beautiful card Gail, love your image and your colouring. hugs Shirleyxxxxxxx

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  31. I love this layout Gail with all the wonderful snowy embossing! That image is super sweet too! Thanks for sharing with us at Great Impressions Stamps!

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  32. Hi Gail I wanted to come and thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me such a lovely comment, I have really enjoyed reading your post it made me smile as my little Jack Russell is always pinching something so I end up chasing her, lol, she just thinks it is a big game. Gail your card is awesome you have captured the spirit of Christmas with that wonderful image and colours I love it.
    hugs
    lorraine x

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  33. Hi Gail, This is one smashing card, I aml oving seeing these festive cards on the Blogs. Judy x

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  34. Such a sweet card! Such a beautiful layout. I love your doggie story too. Thanks so much for joining us at the Sparkle N Sprinkle challenge!

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  35. WHAT?! WOW is this every ADORABLE!! And I really luv luv luv that poinsettia!! Very nice!! Hugs!

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  36. Adorable! Thank you for sharing with us here at The Squirrel and The Fox Animal Antics challenge.

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  37. Beautiful card Gail and the die cuts are stunning... I want them!

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  38. beautiful! such a sweet and cozy image, so perfect for the holidays, and the die cuts are so pretty. thank you so much for playing along with us this month at penny black and more.
    linda

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  39. Thanks for playing along at The Artistic Stamper this month. Your card is so cute !

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  40. Totally gorgeous card. I love the embossed background with that snow diecut. It looks great with your image.

    Mary Anne, Great Impressions DT

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  41. This is just beautiful! I love the snowflake border die that you stitched to the card. And I can totally relate to the story about your beagle - I swear my beagle could find that tiniest bit of food if it was within a 5 mile radius, LOL!

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  42. I love your latest creations Gail and this is no exception. Love the embossing and diecut used. Judy x

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  43. A. beautifully coloured card. Like you I have so many stamps and images and not enough time to play with them all. My new Years resolution is to try and use every one of them at least once! I may be gone some time!! Thank you for joining in at Crafty Hazelnuts Extra this month. Hugs Mrs A. (GDT).

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  44. Such a wonderful card.
    Especially the poinsettia .
    Thank you for sharing it with us at CCAYR for the "winter wonderland" challenge

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