Happy New Year Wishes and Christmas Card Review

Well that long anticipated "most special day of the year" has come and gone and New Year's is just a few days away. Before it arrives, I just want to express my thanks to all of you who've followed my blog throughout this past rocky year,  and to all of my loyal customers and friends around the world that share their love of stamping.. 

I feel truly blessed to have stampers in my life and it gives me incentive to create different projects to share with you when I read your comments and know there are guys and gals out there who're anticipating "the next post".  

To each and everyone of you thank you so much and wishing you and yours a safe and wonderful new year ahead and the hope that our friendships continue in 2021.  I also hope we can get back to some kind of new normal where we can visit and share our lives again.  

We were blessed to have a snow fall just a few days before Christmas and it managed to stay around although it rained Christmas day.  Regardless, it was still beautiful and reaffirmed my love for Canadian Winters; something I've been missing over the past few years.  

We had fun Christmas morning opening presents and enjoying the warmth of our home and thinking about loved ones that we weren't able to visit in person.  

During the day there was a lot of chatter on the phone and because they were in our bubble, we were able to invite my sister and her hubby in to share our Christmas meal. It was both peaceful and wonderful and a Christmas I'll remember for a long time. 

During this year of COVID19 restrictions and social distancing I felt I really needed to reach out and let friends, family and associates know we cared about them.  I made and mailed over 100 cards between late October and the end of November. and had several trips to the Post office.  I hope you enjoy this sample of my efforts.

Although my craft room is normally my happy happy place. the old oak table in my kitchen became my second most favourite place to be.  I sat at that table, drinking hot chocolate, writing special notes, and addressing and labeling my cards before sending them off on their merry way.  My hours spent here were like a trip down memory lane, were very meaningful and were filled with peace, serenity.  I also got to enjoy my Christmas tree while I was there.

The Snowman Season stamp set which was a returning favourite from the year before, was a big favourite of mine. I was thrilled when it was featured in the Annual Catalogue. Last year I made over 100 mailable two layer cards with just this one stamp set and my stamperatus. And, this year I used almost every image and sentiment from the set to create more fun cards. This stamp set is available through the Spring, or while supplies last in the Annual Catalogue. If you love cutsie snowmen this is really the set to get.

 

Gift Wrapped was probably one of my most wanted stamp and punch bundles from the Holiday Mini Catalogue this year.  But, when I finally ordered it I was so into my other stamp sets that it was hardly used. I made three cards like this one, using the Trimming the Tree DSP.  I'm not feeling like I wasted money, though as this is a great stamp and punch set.  I plan to use this set for birthday and gift cards throughout the year, so stay tuned for more projects featuring the Gift Wrapped Bundle.  

This melting snowman is the whole reason why I bought the Don't Stop Believin' red cling stamp set. The sentiment "Sadly Frosty's first hot cocoa turned out to be his last" caught my eye when I first thumbed through the new holiday mini and it totally cracked me up. Needless to say, it was one of my most used images on my cards this year.

 

Warm and Toasty Fun Fold Card featuring the stamp set and Snowflake Splendor DSP.  The card base is made with Misty Moonlight card stock, one of the new Incolours for 2020-2022.  A perfect colour for the winter season. 

Doesn't this little polar bear bring a smile to your face.  He's another of the wonderful images in the Warm and Toasty stamp set.  This image is not just for Christmas though.  Click here to see how I used it for a baby welcome card.  

The Shaded Spruce paper from the Classic Christmas DSP pack is simply stunning with Whisper White card stock.  I have used the Curvy Creations dies to cut the swirl and paired up some ornaments using the Gleaming Ornaments Punch Pack and Christmas Gleaming stamp set.  Click here for details.

Don't Stop Believin' and Christmas Gleaming.  Click here for details. 

Along with making Christmas cards I always make Thank You cards to send out after Christmas.  This layout is again from my "Using Up Your Scraps" series.  The beautiful silver and blue designer papers are from the Feels Like Frost DSP which was a returning fave this season.  Love it! It was paired with Seaside Spray Card Stock.  

At the end of the season I always go through the stack of Christmas cards I've received and rescue a few to be recycled. This was one from last year that captured my heart.  I simply cut out the design on the face of the store bought card and relayered it with Stampin' Up! card stock to make a whole new card.  

Don't you just adore Elves?  I do and this is a particularly cute one from the Don't Stop Believin' stamp set.   Click here for card information.  

Freezin' Fun Fun Fold Card 

Warm and Toasty stamp set combined with the Winter Snow Embossing Folder for a fun card.  Click here for card directions.  

I made 30 cards using the Don't Stop Believin' stamp set the Santa image and my trustee Stamperatus Stamp Positioning platform.  These cards were great for mailing and turned out so sparkly and fun in their variety of colours and layers.  Click here for details.   

This friendly polar bear is from the Warm and Toasty Christmas stamp set.  I've paired him with Snowflake Splendor DSP and a background of snowflakes from the Winter Snow Embossing Folder.  Such a fun card to make and colour with Stampin' Blends Alcohol markers  Click here for directions.

This card features a new to me technique called Layering Circles to make a fun design.  I've used the Christmas Gleaming stamp set and the Textured Textile 3D Embossing Folder on this card along with scraps from the Classic Christmas DSP pack.  Click here for card instructions.  

Curvy Creations Using Up Scraps.

The characters from the Warm and Toasty stamp set are just so much fun.  I loved this prancing reindeer and enjoyed making this card with the Sahara Sand Classic Christmas dsp.  This is another great layout for Using Up Your Scraps!    

One of my favourite card layouts this  year.  Using up scraps and combining it with the Curvy Creations dies and Classic Christmas DSP.   The Curvy Christmas and Classic Christmas paper are only available until January 4th and then will be retired.   What fun!  Click here for details. 

I made this card for a Five in a Row Challenge at Freshly Made Sketches using paper, stamps and embossing folders from previous  years.  Click here for details.  

Merry Moose which coordinates with the Moose Punch, was another returning fave this season.  I combined it with the beautiful paper from the Curvy Christmas Bundle and the Evergreen Forest 3D Embossing Folder for this Gatefold card.   

This card features the retired Painted Harvest stamp set, Stitched Shapes Dies  and the Brightly Gleaming Designer Series PaperBrightly Gleaming Designer Series Paper  from Stampin' Up! This paper is part of the current sale and is on for $10 (50% off reg price).  

This card features the bubble blowing technique for the background and the Freezin' Fun stamp set and dies.  Click here for instructions on the bubble technique.

There were many many more cards that I made during the season, and I loved each and every one of them and all the wonderful Stampin' Up! products I used.  I made good use of each and every stamp set I own with a Christmas or Winter theme that's for sure.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Penny Tokens Stampin' Spot

Penny Hanuszak, Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator