Christmas is so "last year"

Happy New Year!!  I've stolen a few minutes - alright I'll admit it, I've mooched around just about all day and have still had to stay up late - to "blog": I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and are raring to go in 2014.  
It is summer here, our industry (construction) closes down for a few weeks over Christmas and New Year (we're going back on Jan 13th) and it is school holidays until the beginning of February so we're still in holiday mode, though with hubby at home there's not a great deal of time for crafting... so here's some I made earlier, lol.

Christmas cards I'm afraid (you're probably sick of the sight of them too, lol) I'll hold a few back in case I get desperate to blog something in a few weeks. The first one uses one of the Xmas Frames set from Digistamp Boutique, coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils with the obligatory sparkle courtesy of Stickles and red ornaments courtesy of a Viva Decor Pearl Pen.  The card is gold metallic (you know the ones that come in a set with matching envelopes) embossed with Cuttlebug's Snowflakes folder, distressed a little before adding Viva Pearl Pen dots.  The plaid paper is from Basic Grey and the red card is Kaisercraft.  I added some Sakura Glaze pen to the sentiment to add a little dimension. the Digistamp Boutique challenge is open to anyone using one of their fab images so I'm entering there (if the link's up, sometimes it's not) 

My second card uses another of the Digistamp Boutique's Xmas Frames Set... again coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils and again having that Christmas sparkle added with Stickles.  

The background paper is from my stash, wish I could get some more, it's such a useful pattern.  The horizontal strip is from Kaisercraft's Christmas Carnival pad and the green matting from my stash.

As with all these simple Christmas cards, I finished the inside very simply.  The sentiment is a wood stamp I've had for years (well before I started making cards regularly), my sister gave it to me after SHE had it for years :-) I really like it, it won't offend anyone's religious beliefs, is especially appropriate here as we are very much "on Holiday" and is in a nice font to boot! Crafty Calendar has a Christmas challenge and Colour Me Copic has a Holiday Themed challenge so I'm entering there. 

The third card I have for today is very simple indeed!  I made an A6 card (holiday postage rate, always a plus lol), printed Bugaboo's Sunbonnets Christmas Ornaments quite large (and incidentally facing the opposite way - I just like my images to "look" to the right, or future!) - love digis!  

I coloured with Copics and Prismacolor pencils adding Stickles sparkle to the ornaments, Sakura Glaze pen to the "Merry" (fabulous freebie sentiment from the Desert Diva, thank you) and some Holly Berry Dew Drops from The Ribbon Girl to the Sunbonnet.  

I mounted the image on some Forest Green cardstock and that was that! Craft Your Passion has a Something New challenge, this little image is new, mind you the images on the other cards I'm showing today are new to me as well in that I've never used them... even though I bought them (with the best intentions) last Christmas, yegads, where did THAT year go?!  The Catch the Bug challenge this time around is "Your Favourite Christmas Song"; I have sooo many faves, one is "We Wish You a Merry Christmas", especially when sung with gusto, lol, so I'm entering there.

Creative Craft Challenges, The Paper Shelter, Crafty Creations, Through the Craftroom Door, Cute Card Thursday, Crafty Little Fairies, Gem of a Challenge, That Craft Place and Kaboodle Doodles all have Anything Goes challenges running so I'm entering those.

That's it for today, I'll be back in a few days - getting back in the routine with a DT card for Di's Digis on Saturday.  

I thought I'd share a photo of the twins (yes it WAS lovely having babies for Christmas again, lots of special moments and an all round fuzzy feeling for all of us)  As I said it is summer holidays here, Matt and Elaine have taken the twins to stay for a few days with their good friends who have moved to the country (about 180 km away) Mummy was in a bit of a flap about what to pack, Daddy knew the most important thing: see pic!

I'm not sure how much relaxing they're getting in, it's the first time they've tried going away with the babies, when we spoke earlier Matt said they now realize how much "stuff" they use every day - oh well, only another night or two (depending when they crack, lol) and they'll be back.  We're going to have Nathan and Emily for a day to give M&E a break; sounds like they'll need it! I miss them already; Emily now says "Nanna", clever girl that she is ;-)  Nathan looks like a vampire as he has cut his two bottom middle teeth and his two top lateral incisors.... too Cute!! 

Until next time, Happy Crafting, Donna