24th Advent Window - Tree Day!

 For anyone who has seen my blog before, my house decoration is always fresh, as it's always last minute ;-) So in celebration of finally getting a Christmas tree decorated . . .

Stamp Set: Tag Buffet

Ink: Mint Macaron

Card stock: Snowflake Splendor DSP, Old Olive, Mint Macaron, Vellum

Accessories: In the Woods Dies, Snowflake Adhesive Backed Embellishments, Copper Star Embellishments, Mint Macaron Sheer ribbon.

Keep on with Christmas Cheer,

despite circumstance, adversity, difficulties,

one day at a time, keeping hope in your heart.

GenGen xxxx

23rd Advent Window - Christmas Colours!

 Even though it's difficult to feel in a festive mood, there's always Christmas colours ;-) Somehow no stamping with this card!

Card stock: Real Red, Poinsettia Place DSP, Red Velvet, Garden Green, Early Espresso

Dies: Poinsettia Dies

Accessories: Red Rhinestones, Retired Christmas Ribbon, Gold Glitter Enamel Dots

Keep Christmas alive with Craft,

GenGen xxxx

22nd Advent Window - Stellar home move!

 In celebration of the Winter Solstice I seem to have embroiled myself and husband in home moving for my brother and sister-in-law. So, being a little short of time, their Christmas card doubles as a new home card too ;-)

Card stock: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Red Velvet

Accessories: Star die and retired stash too

Keep crafting for relaxation,

GenGen xxxx

21st Advent Window - Snow globe decoration

I get to this point and feel that the focus does need to turn to tree decorations, so today's card includes a removable snow globe with snowflake sequins ;-)

Stamp Set: Nature's Beauty, Tag Buffet

Ink: Staz On, Watercolour pencil, Copper

Card stock: Whisper White, Copper Foil

Accessories: Snow globe shaker domes, Forever Flourishing Dies, Triple banner punch, Woodland Embossing folder, Snowflake sequins, Copper stars

Keep calm with crafting,

GenGen xxxx

20th Advent Window - Stamparatus Curves

 So a little simple stamping . . . with my stamparatus!

Stamp set: Curvy Christmas

Ink: Balmy Blue, Cherry Cobbler, Shaded Spruce

Card stock: Classic Christmas 6"x6" DSP

Accessories: Curvy Dies

With the shortest day tomorrow, and a very significant planetary alignment happening, lets look forward to more positive change, even with a very different Christmas ahead.

The joy of stamparatus is being able to make multiple cards, and have included my selection to show even with the help of stamparatus it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to make two cards the same! ;-)

Crafting at home continues,

GenGen xxxx

19th Advent Window - Poinsettia Place

 It's back to simple stamping, making the most of Designer Series Paper, and matching dies!

Stamp Set: Poinsettia Petals and Wrapped in Christmas

Ink: Crumb Cake, Garden Green

Card stock: Garden Green, Whisper White, Copper Foil

Accessories: White linen ribbon, Pearls, Poinsettia Dies, Washi tape Punch

Keep doing a little craft each day,

GenGen xxxx

18th Advent Window - Partridge and pear!

 So, time to bring on the Christmas colours!

Stamp Set: Arrange a Wreath

Ink: Real Red, Grey Granite, Pear Pizzazz

Card stock: Old Olive, Shaded Spruce, Whisper White, Red Velvet, Poinsettia Place DSP

Accessories: Wreath Builder Dies, Red Organza ribbon, Red Rhinestones

Keep on building Christmas,

GenGen xxxx

17th Advent - Punchtastic!

 Sometimes I want to showcase seasonal DSP, especially when I haven't had the chance to play around with the lovely labels pick a punch ;-)

Card stock: Classic Christmas 6"x6" DSP, Gold Foil, Whisper White

Using Lovely labels Pick a Punch

Ink: Cherry cobbler

Stamp set: Tag Buffet

Ho Ho Ho! Card making made simple,

GenGen xxxx

16th Advent Window - Peace

Sometimes I have an initial idea for a card, and then it changes in the actual action of making the card. I had thought of making the dove possible to be a tree ornament, but didn't want to pierce the dove with a thread, so simply attached it to the foil background.

Somehow I've managed to include myself in the card, the joy of foil background ;-)

Stamp set: Wrapped in Christmas

Card Stock: Peacock foil, White Velvet, Whisper White

Ink: Pacific Point

Accessories: Detailed Dove Dies, Winter Snow Embossing Folder, Classic Label Punch

Keep on wishing for a peaceful time,

GenGen xxxx

15th Advent Window - Peaceful Pine

 I love the sentiment of the Peaceful Boughs stamp set, but it always seems a shame to have it on the inside, and I'm time saving with the background ;-)

Stamp Set: Peaceful Boughs

Ink: Shaded Spruce

Cardstock: Silver Foil, Feels like Frost 6"x6" DSP

Accessories: Snowflake Splendor 1/4" ribbon, Blue Adhesive backed gems and rhinestones, Poinsettia dies.

Less is more ;-) Keep it simple

GenGen xxxx

14th advent Window - Simple Stamping

 So halfway through advent and I've returned to stamping - hoorah!

Stamp Set: Nature's Beauty, sentiment from Tag Buffet

Card stock: Copper Foil, Whisper White

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede and Water colour pencil

Accessories: Retired copper ribbon

I stamped off the background tree for the distance, but love the detail of this stamp set, so didn't want to over complicate the design.

Sometimes we need to let the stamps show themselves off.

Keep on stamping,

GenGen xxxx

13th Advent Window - Glimmer time

 So, as I sneak a little play time I have an opportunity to explore the gorgeous details of the So Many Snowflakes Die set

Stamp Set: Snowflake Wishes

Card stock: Balmy Blue Glimmer, Whisper White, Vellum

Ink: Night of Navy

Accessories: So Many Snowflakes dies, Adhesive backed Snowflakes, Basic Rhinestones

I'm never sure why you cover detail with the greeting banner, so have bypassed that dilemma with the vellum banner, still seeing the die detail underneath.

As it's Sunday, I've added a little extra, as when I made the card, I thought it would be good to co-ordinate the gifts too. As my love of natural brown wrap isn't everyone's choice.

Somehow my friends children having the initials that spell ELF still makes me smile ;-) This is of course Feels like Frost 6"x6" DSP with the metallic side outermost and curvy keepsakes box dies.

 

Then co-ordinating Snowflake Splendor DSP for wrap, with a Balmy Blue Glimmer Snowflake on a background of Whisper White Essential Tag punch, with the Snowflake Splendor 1/4" ribbon for trim.

Keep on making time for play,

GenGen xxxx

12th Advent Window - cutting corners!

 It;s maybe a bit obvious by now, that sometimes I'm a little time challenged and enjoy a deadline ;-) With that in mind today's card is super quick, but not short on impact (hopefully).

My cheats here are Gold Cards and Envelopes, Evergreen Forest 3D embossing folder, Brushed Gold Card stock, Organza red ribbon, Gold Ink and stamp from the Arrange a Wreath stamp set and a couple of red embellishments, and of course the corner punch.

Keep on crafting, even when time is short,

GenGen xxxx

Advent Window 11- Stellar

 With yesterday's window being a bit dowdy, I thought I would turn it around today with some sparkling home decor. I've simply stamped vellum with silver ink and Dove of Hope stamp to cover the front of a simple white illuminated star.

With tiny silver sequin edging for a little added bling.

With the added bonus of today being Birthday celebrations for TLB, so today is seriously Stellar ;-)

Keep the sparkle going,

GenGen xxxx

10th Advent Window - Peaceful Boughs

 Leafing through the main catalogue this carried over Christmas stamp set was changed with a textural element with shimmering embossing paste and stencil.

Stamp Set: Peaceful Boughs

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede

Card stock: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow, Shaded Spruce

Accessories: Beautiful Boughs Dies

I think I'm going through a phase of muted anticipation of Christmas, but think this one is a little too dowdy, despite the textured background. Thought it was still worth sharing as not ever card leaves the craft room ;-)

Keep on card making, it's all part of the process,

GenGen xxxx

9th Advent Window - Curvy Christmas

 So the Curvy Christmas bundle was an absolute must for me, and the understated nature of the sentiments seems to be appealing to me in these unusual times, when we're perhaps not seeing friends and family quite like we would.

Stamp Set: Curvy Christmas

Ink: Versa and Silver emboss powder, Night of Navy

Card stock: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Crumb Cake (Classic Christmas 6"x6" DSP, Silver Glimmer

Accessories: Small Star Punch, Curvy Dies, Silver Mini Sequins

Keep on shimmering and sparkling,

GenGen xxxx

8th Advent Window - Saesonal Wreath

 You know when you see a card design in the Main Catalogue, and you know you have the gold foil leaves to make the wreath as you used them when the Forever Fern Suite was released? Then you spend quite a while looking for that particular paper pack, to no avail and then have to create your own version, so here it is!

Stamp Set: Winter Woods

Ink: Real Red

Card Stock: Real Red, Crumb cake, Whisper White, Old Olive, Mossy Meadow, Gold foil

Accessories: Winter Woods, Pointsettia, Forever Flourishing Dies, Red Rhinestones and Old Olive/Pretty Peacock 3/8" ribbon

I guess my wreath is a little more unique, much like my actual wreath looks when I get round to making and hanging it, natural, uneven, but sensationally seasonal.

Keep on Christmas Crafting,

GenGen xxxx

7th Advent Window - Poinsettia Parcels

 As we've all become aware of the recycling choices for Christmas I have decided not to stamp my brown paper, but to embellish the plain paper with ribbon, and adding 3D elements, here some Poinsettias.

Ribbon: Mossy Meadow 3/8" Diagonal Stripe, Red Organza with Poinsettia suite

Dies used: Poinsettia and Wreath Builder

Card stock: White Velvet, Garden Green, Old Olive, Read Red, Copper

Embellishments: Pearls, Red and Gold jewels.

Keep on wrapping, one parcel at a time,

GenGen xxxx

6th Advent Window - Thoughtful Trees

As life has been challenging this year, Christmas might be different too. With this in mind I wanted a pared back card, but then somehow jingle bells were added, so not as restrained as I initially set out to do. It was a great excuse to use my stamaparatus for the background greeting :-)

Stamp Set: Curvy Christmas, Rooted in Nature

Card Stock: Old Olive, Crumb Cake

Ink: Old Olive, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Gold Hoop Embellishments, Old Olive Linen thread, Jingle Bells, also available in red and green. Nature's Root dies.

May Christmas be thoughtful,

GenGen xxxx

5th Advent Window - Winter Snow!

 Somehow a little snow on the hilltops is quite the inspiration, with the only question being Emboss or Deboss?

Stamp set: Snowflake Wishes

Ink: Balmy Blue

Card stock: Silver foil, Pool Party, Whisper White, Balmy Blue Glimmer

Accessories: Winter Snow Embossing Folder, So Many Snowflake Dies, Snowflake Splendor 1/4" ribbon, Blue adhesive backed gems, Snowflake adhesive backed embellishments, Lovely labels Pick a Punch.

I think I prefer Deboss, as it looks like Jack Frost patterns.

Keep on Christmas Crafting, especially inspired by nature, 

GenGen xxxx

4th Advent Window - Dove of Hope

Sometimes, especially in these circumstances I purposely pare back designs for a little simple stamping. 

Stamp Set: Dove of Hope

Ink: Smoky Slate

Card stock: Smoky Slate, Feels Like Frost 6"x6" DSP

Accessories: Detailed Dove Dies, Stitched So Sweetly Dies, Snowflake Splendor 1/4" ribbon, Basic Rhinestones

Make time for a little simple stamping,

GenGen xxxx

3rd Advent Window - Stellar

 One of last year's favorites for me was the Christmas Gleaming bundle, and the printed and punched ornaments make a great star ornament. 

This year the colour combination is Night of Navy, Whisper White and the fabulous 1 1/2" Metallic Mesh Ribbon with a central faceted gem and rhinestone, for my friend JCF xx

Keep Christmas crafting, it keeps the light shining,

GenGen xxxx 

2nd Advent Window - Tag Buffet Project Kit

 Despite varying firebreak lockdowns and restricted movements I still seem short of time, ridiculous really. It was this constant in my life (never having enough time), that made this project kit the best option for me, especially when the stamp set is included in the kit.

Tag Buffet Project Kit

Ink: Real Red, Garden Green and Shaded Spruce

and Stampin' dimensionals ;-)

A little Christmas Crafting

is one more thing off the list,

GenGen xxxx