"8 Months Till Christmas" Fun Blog Hop

Welcome to our "8 Months Till Christmas" Fun Blog Hop.  This is our 3rd month now doing this little fun hop and we now have 6 people joining in on the fun.  The reason I started this fun hop was to force myself to create at least 2 Christmas cards a month so that when December came I would have quite a few cards already made, and so that I was not so stressed out come November/December trying desperately to get my Christmas card list completed.  I mentioned this to my BFF's Heather and Mary and they said they liked the idea and wanted to join me on this adventure.  Since we have started, we have found 3 other ladies to join in on the fun!  

If you are following the hop you shoud have come here from the very talented MARY'S blog, but if you happened by my blog just by chance, please go to GEORGIANA'S blog to start at the beginning.   Below you will find a blog list for you to follow in case you have gotten lost.  Hope that you may get some Christmas inspiration from this hop so that you too can start your cards early this year.

Here is a picture of the two cards I made for this month.....we always do one card with a colouring medium and one card with a die cut tool.....

Georgiana: http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.ca/

Heather: http://princesspaperprojects.blogspot.ca/

Kerry: http://mommakcrafts.blogspot.ca/

Mary: http://www.maryshappyplace.com/

Shari: http://sharispinkpalace.blogspot.ca/

Tara: http://tarashomemadehappiness.blogspot.ca/

Here is my first card I want to show you using my COPIC MARKERS & a Bugaboo Stamps image....

SUPPLIES USED:
* Image: Bugaboo Stamps - Mistletoe Fairy
* 4x5.5 card & envelope
* Copic X-Press Paper
* Copic Markers
* Memento Tuxedo Black Ink
* Patterned Paper:  First Edition Paper 6x6 Paper Pack - Festive Treats
* Cardstock: all from my stash
* Ribbon:  from my stash (very very old, kind of a horder of ribbon!)
* Spellbinder Nestabilities: Blossom 3
* Cuttlebug to cut and emboss the Spellbinder shape
*Spellbiders Rubber Embossing Sheet
* Sentiment:  from Michaels $1.50 bin (coloured with copics)
* Color Box Chalk: Lipstick Red
* 3d Pop Dots for image and sentiment
* ATG

Here is a close up of the coloured image (copic colours used listed below).....

COPIC COLOURS USED:
* SKIN:  E11, E00, E000
* HOLLY LEAVES:  YG67, YG63, YG61
* HOLLY BERRIES / DRESS / /SOCKS:  R39, R37, R35
* HAIR:  E59, E39, E31, E50

Here is my second card I want to show you using my QUICKUTZ SHAPES....

SUPPLIES USED:

* 4x5.5 card & envelope

* Cardstock:  all from my scrap bin (whoo hoo!!)

* Patterned Paper:  My Minds Eye 6x6 Paper Pad - Lost & Found Christmas

* Quickutz Shapes (2x2 dies): Santa, Mrs.Claus & Reindeer Head.

* Quickutz Holiday Set: Mini Ornament & HOHOHOHOHO Sentiment
* Quickutz Squeeze Tool (to cut Santa, Mrs. Claus and Rudolph)

* Cuttlebug (to cut ornaments and hohohohoho sentiment)
* Spellbiders Rubber Embossing Sheet to emboss the ornaments.

* Zig 2way Glue Stick (to put all the peeps together)

* Stickles: Silver (for tops of ornaments)

* Glossy Accents: for Rudolph's nose

* imagibisce i*rock tool + tinnie tiny black gems for all the eyes + small red metallic rounds for the berries on Mrs. Claus' headband
* EK Success Powdered Chalk for definition on all the faces (pink for cheeks and nose, grey for beard and hair & brown for reindeer)

* Color Box Chalk: Berrylicious

* 3D Pop Dots
* ATG

Here is a close up of the cut shapes so you can see the chalk effects and the eyes better....

Well that is all for me to day, I sure hope that you are inspired to get into your craft area and maybe get ahead start on your Christmas cards too!  Please leave me a comment if you have time, I love to hear from you  =)

Now it is time for you to hop on over to TARA'S blog to see her awesome creations!

Dont forget to mark your calender for May 25th to join us again for our "7 Months Till Christmas" fun blog hop for even more inspiration!


I would like to enter my cards into the following Christmas Challenges:
* Jingle Belles Rock: Peace on Earth (in lieu of Earth day: recycle/reuse/repurpose) - I used SCRAPS from my scrap bin on BOTH cards!
* Christmas Inspiration Challenge #45: BINGO - I made a line on my bingo card using Layers/Green/Glitter on my Quickutz card
* Always Playing With Paper (Merry Monday) Challenge #17: follow sketch - for this challenge I am submitting my Quickuts card =)

I would also like to enter my cards on the following regular challenges:
* Love to Creat Challenge #12:  Anything Goes
* Make It Monday Challenge # 86:  Anything Goes
* Fussy & Fancy Challenge #61:  Punches & Die Cuts - well both my cards have Die cuts but for sure my Quickutz card =)
* Shopping our Stash Challenge #49: Something with "B" - I used a BUGABOO image =)
* Inky Impressions Challenge:  Anything Goes
* Simon Says - Anything Goes

Until next time, keep crafting!

Shari

"9 Months Till Christmas!" Blog Hop

It is the 25th of the month and that means that it is time for another Christmas card blog hop!  This month it is not only Heather and myself showing you two Christmas cards each, but a total of 5 blogs to visit in this fun hop! In each blog you will see one card that is made using a colouring meduim and a second card made using a die cut of some sort.

If you have come by here just by chance, the good new is you are at the beginning of the hop and a list of the blogs that you can visit will show below my cards that I have made to show to you, so you can continue on from here =)

Here are the two Christmas cards I have made for this month.....now I have a total of 4 cards already made to give out in December, whoo hoo!!.....

Here is a picture of my coloured Christmas card......

 SUPPLIES USED:
* 4 x 5.5 cardsand envelope
* Deacon & Eva HO HO digi stamp from Bugaboo Stamps
* Copic X-press paper
* Copic Markers (colourslisted below close up image)
* Merry Christmas sentiment from Michael's $1.50 bin
* Paterned paper from: My Minds Eye "12 Days of Christmas" 6x6 paper pad
* White & Green cardstock from my stash
* Ranger Liquid Pearls in White Opal
* Star Dust Stickles
* Sakura Gellyroll Redstar, Limestar & Clearstar pens
* Close to My Heart Pondarosa Pine Ink
* Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels 8
* 3D pop dots
* ATG

Here is a close up of the Copic colours used....

 COPIC COLOURS USED:
* SKIN:  E11, E00, E000
* EVA'S HAIR:  E25, E31, E50
* EVA'S CLOTHES:  R59, R39, R37,R35
* EVA'S SHOES:  Sakura Gellyroll Redstar & Clearstar pens
* EVA'S FUR AND POMPOM:  Star Dust Stickles
* DEACON'S HAIR:  E49, E47, E44
* DEACON'S CLOTHES:  G29, G46, G07, YR24, YR21, C00
* DEACON'S FUR ON HAT: Star Dust Stickles
* DEACON'S BELLS: YR24, YR23, YR21
* PRESENT:  Sakura Gellyroll Redstar, Limestar & Clearstar pens (it's really sparkly IRL!)
* HO HO:  R59, R39, R37, R35, G29, G46, G07
* SNOWFLAKES:  Ranger Liquid Pearls, White Opal & Stickles Star Dust

Here is a picture of the inside of the card......

And now for the Die Cut card using my Cruict Machine......

SUPPLIES USED:

* 4 x 5.5 cardsand envelope
* Cricut Jolly Holidays Lite cartridge: Gingerbreadman cut at 3" and since a shadow is n/a on lite cartridges, I cut the red Gingerbreadman background at 3 1/4 to create a shadow
* Red, White & Brown Cardstock from my stash
* Patterned Paper: First Edition Paper "Festive Treats" 6x6 paper pad
* 2 x White brads & 2 x Red brads from my stash
* Red satin ribbon from my local $Store
* Colorbox Catseye Chestnut Liquid Chalk
* Warm Holiday Wishes sentiment from Michaels
* Close to My Heart Cranberry Ink
* Glue pen
* 3D pop dots
* ATG

Here is a look at the inside of the card......

So now that you have checked out my two cards, hop on through our fun little blog hop and see what the other crafty ladies have created....your next stop is the lovely (and my BFF) Heather.

Here is the complete list for the hop.   Incase you get lost along the way come on back here and you can find the list again...

SHARI - http://sharispinkpalace.blogspot.com (this is me, you are here!!)

HEATHER - http://princesspaperprojects.blogspot.com/

MARY - http://maryshappyplace.blogspot.com/

GEORGIANA - http://carsonscricutcreations.blogspot.com/

KERRY - http://mommakcrafts.blogspot.com/

If you are interested in joining in on this fun hop the 25th of each month through to November, please let me know, we would like to find at least 1 or 2 more people to join in, and hey you never know, if we get some good feedback from you we may even throw in some Christmas candy in the upcoming months just for hopping around our blogs =)   (hint*hint*wink*wink*)

I hope that you enjoyed my cards today and maybe been inspired to get a head start on your Christmas cards as well.  I would love to hear from you after you have visited all the tallented ladies to know what you thought of this fun little hop - please come back and leave me a comment to let me know.

AND REMEMBER: ONLY 9 MONTHS TILL CHRISMTAS!!!!

I would like to enter my cards into the following Challenges:

* Winter Wonderland - Photo Inspirational:  My Gingerbreadman card as I made a big red bow on the card to match the photo shown.

* Stampin for the Weekend - Anything Goes: I would like to enter my Ho Ho card for this challenge (Digi image)

* Whimsy Inspires Challenge #31 - Anything Goes

* Cute Card Thursday Challenge#209 - Anything Goes

* Cardmadfairy's Digi Days Challenge #29 - Sentiment: I would like to enter my Ho Ho card for this challenge (Digi image and sentiment)

Hope to see you back real soon.    

Until next time, keep crafting!

Shari

Turtles through the year!

REVISION ADDED 02-01-2012:  I WON, I WON @ For Fun Challenges!!!! So VERY Happy!  Thank you For Fun Challenges for choosing my Turtle Calendar as your winner!

Hello there!  I know that you read the title and are wondering what I mean, right? ......... Well I am not talking about the chocolates, I am talking about a keepsake calendar that I made using all turtle images for a friend of mine that is in LOVE with TURTLES (crazy is probably a better way to describe it,lol).

Just to prepare you, you may want to go get a cup of joe or some cocoa as this will be a lengthy post =), I sure hope that you take the moment to go through the whole post........ so once your ready, here we go!

Here is a picture of the actual calendar, this is the front of the calendar;

 As you can see the calendar was a Christmas present. The Year of Memories Keepsake Calendar is a 6x6 top and bottom.  I pulled out my Quickutz Holiday set and cut out the Merry Christmas and the pine trees to decorate the front a little bit (and to hide the logo on the front of the calendar).  I took my Sakura sparkly pen and coloured in the "Keepsake Calendar" wording to give it some bling and I also put a little dot using the pen over the black dots that were on the design of the calendar front.

Here is a photo of the back of the calendar where they gave you space to put your name on it under the "Handcrafted By" section. Again here I used my Sakura sparkly pen and blinged up the words.

All the turtle images you are about to see are from Bugaboo Digi Stamps and they all were so fun and easy to colour. All the turtles "bodies" are coloured in the same copic coulours throughout: YG97, YG95 & YG93, so under each picture I will only note the shell colours and any other colours used on the month's picture.

We will start off with JANUARY(of course)....here is a photo of the whole page open so you can see what the calendar would look like hanging on the wall, but I am only showing this style of picture this month as the post will be long just showing you the adorable tutles =). For each month I put a co-ordinating cardstock or printed paper on the bottom part of the calendar to tie it all together as I did not have calendar months small enough to put in that space. For wach calendar month I used my "Quickutz Calendar Months Cookie Cutters Set" as you will see in each month photo and all cardstock is from Michaels Recollection 8.5x11 cardstock packs.

JANUARY Turtle...he is so cute in his toque and scarf!

BACKGROUND PAPER:  BoBunny Snowfall 6x6 Collection

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Circles

Here is a close up of the colouring...

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41 + Sakura clear star pen

Hat & Scarf: B97, B95, B93, B91

Snow:  BG000, B0000

FEBRUARY Turtle...Do you feel the Love?

BACKGROUND PAPER:  BoBunny 6x6 Crazy Love Collection 

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Circles + Sakura Rose Pen

Here is a close up of the colouring...

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E43, E42, E41, E40

Vase:  R85, R83, R81 + Sakura Glaze Pen

Roses:  R39, R37, R35, R32, YG67, YG63, YG61

Hearts:  R37, R35, R32

MARCH Turtle...Do you feel like some Green Beer?

 BACKGROUND PAPER:  Echo Park 6x6 Holly Jolly Christmas 

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Ovals

Here is a close up of the colouring...

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Clovers:  G17, G16, G14

Top hat & Buckle:  G17, G16, G14, C7, C5, C3 + Sakura Goldstar & Clear Star pens

APRIL Turtle...So cute dressed up as the Easter Bunny!

 BACKGROUND PAPER:  Creative Memories Celebration 8x8 Max kit

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Eleven

Here is a close up of the colouring...

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Bunny Ears:  C5, C3, C1, R83, R81

Grass:  YG67, YG63, YG61

Paint Splatters & Eggs:  Y15, Y13, Y11, R85, R83, R23, R21, YG07, YG05, V17, V15, YR16, YR14

MAY Turtle...This is my friends Birthday month so I decided to make the page reflect her =)

BACKGROUND PAPER:  BoBunny 6x6 Sweet Tooth Collection

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle

Here is a close up of the colouring... 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41 + Sakura Clear Star pen

Birthday Hat, Horn & Balloons: B16, B14, B12, R85, R83, R81

JUNE Turtle...All the flowers are blooming and Summer is on it's way!

BACKGROUND PAPER:  6x6 paperpack I got at my local Dollar store

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle + Lacey Circle

Here is a close up of the colouring... 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E43, E42, E41

Shell:  E43, E42, E41, E40

Lady Bug:  C9, C7, C5, R37, R35, R32

Flowers:  V17, V15, V12, R85, R83, R81, E44, E42, YG09, YG05 

JULY Turtle...This month is by far my favorite from the whole calendar.  My friend is Canadian but she has many friends and some family members that are American so I wanted to be sure to show off both countries for this month and I think I nailed it! (tootin' my own horn, LOL toot toot!!)

BACKGROUND PAPER:  Jillibean Soup 6x6 Christmas Eve Chowder

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle

Here is a close up of the colouring...  

 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E43, E42, E41

Shell:  E43, E42, E41

Canadian Flag:  R29, R27, R24

American Flag:  R29, R27, R24, B39, B37, C3

AUGUST Turtle...Summer has arrived, lets go to the beach!

BACKGROUND PAPER:  Creative Memories Celebration 8x8 Max kit. This paper was perfect for this month!

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Eight

Here is a close up of the colouring...

 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Umbrella:  B16, B14, B12, R29, R27, R24, E37, E35

Pail:  B16, B14, B12

Shovel:  R29, R27, R24

Sand:  E33, E31, E30

Visor:   B16, B14, B12 

SEPTEMBER Turtle...The leaves are begining to change..

 

BACKGROUND PAPER:  Creative Memories Harvest 8x8 paper pack

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Circle

Here is a close up of the colouring... 

 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Bird:  C9, C7, C5, YR12, Y15

Leaves:  R08, R05, R02, YG67, YG63, YG61, E35, E33 

OCTOBER Turtle...I know that in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving in October but I really wanted to do a Halloween page for my friends calendar, and with her having friends and family in the USA I figured I can do Thanksgiving in November and Halloween in October, plus I just love this image of the turtle.

 

BACKGROUND PAPER:  Creative Memories Halloween 12x12 addition

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Labels Eleven

Here is a close up of the colouring...  

 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42, E41

Shell:  E44, E43, E42

Pumpkin:  YR18, YR16, YR14, YR12, Y17, Y15

Eye Patch:  C9, C7

Sward & Strap:  C9, C7, C5, C3, C1

Bandana:  C9, C7, C5, YR18, YR16 

NOVEMBER Turtle...Give thanks!

BACKGROUND PAPER:  Creative Memories Harvest 8x8 paper pack

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Circle

Here is a close up of the colouring... 

 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41
Pumpkin:  YR18, YR16, YR14, E37, E35, E33, YG67, YG63, YG61
Hat:  C9, C7, C5, E42, E41, E40 + Sakura Goldstar pen
Leaves, Flower, Corn & Apple:  R08, R05, R02, YR12, Y19, Y15, E37, E35, E33, YG67, YG63, YG61, R29, R27, R24

DECEMBER Turtle...HO HO HO, the man in Red is on his way!

 

BACKGROUND PAPER:  My Minds Eye 6x6 12 Days of Christmas

DIE CUT: Spellbinders Nestabilities Lacey Square 

Here is a close up of the colouring... 

 

COPIC COLOURS USED:

Foot Pads:  E44, E43, E42

Shell:  E44, E43, E42, E41
Present: R37, R35, R32, G07
Santa Hat: R39, R37, R35 + Sakura White Glaze Pen
Candy Cane:  r37, r35 + Sakura White Glaze Pen
Holly:  G28, G07, G24

And here is a view of the final page in the calender.  I wanted to show you this one as I added a HO HO HO HO HO cutout from my Quickutz Holiday Set on the bottom portion of the calendar.

So that is my calender, what did you think? 

Again I am sorry for the long post but I am so proud of this calendar that I wanted to show it to you! 

When I was out and about shopping this past weekend at one of my local scrapbook stores, I found more of these calendars and bought all their stock, got 4 more! whoo hoo,  I can't wait to get to work on them for gifts this coming Christmas for my friends (not going to name names), but I will have to keep one just for me, so I have 3 gifts to work on this year =)

Please feel free to leave a comment as I love to hear from you.  Thanks for reading my post and I hope you enjoyed it.


I would like to enter this calendar in the following challenges:

* My Sheri Crafts Challenge-77 (new things) this calendar is new for 2012

* For Fun Challenges (lots of fun - farm animals) well I did the whole TURTLE farm!  Saw a turtle farm in Florida so I know they are out there lol!

* Simon Says Stamps Challenge (anything goes)

*Sweet Stamin Challenge Blog (animals) well I guess I would have to say TURTLE!



Until next time, keep crafting!
Shari