April Already!

 Somehow it's nearly the end of April, and we're on the threshold of the Mini catalogue expiring and the new Main Catalogue change over, and I'm not really keeping up with the changes. So as an attempt to catch up, here's a card I made in March using the Simply Beautiful Dies from the Lovely & Beautiful Suite from the Mini Catalogue.

I simply used the dies to build the flower edging in Melon Mambo and Blackberry Bliss, with white foliage from the 12 Days of Christmas Advent Calendar, with silver glimmer stamen, rhinestone centers and frosted gem embellishments.

Keep on crafting, GenGen xxx

24th Advent Window - Tree Day!

 My tradition of putting the Christmas Tree on Christmas Eve continues ;-) so today's card is a simple trio of trees celebrating the fabulous Designer Series Paper, no stamping, just die cutting.

Cardstock: Elegant Pine Snowflake DSP, 

Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack

Accessories: Ornamental Christmas Dies, 

Retired Cherry Cobbler gold edged ribbon

Of course the children grow up fast, 

so this year's Tree gifts are hopefully a bit more grown up.

Using the Modern Christmas Specialty DSP for the Money Envelope, then a Whisper White Bauble (that doubles as the gift tag written on the back), printed in Real Red with a stamp from the Modern Christmas set, Gold foil hanger and star from the Ornamental Christmas Dies, and of course some sheer ribbon and twine that was just calling to be the hanger!

Ho, ho, ho! May your festivities be peaceful,

GenGen XxXxX

Twenty third Advent Window - Metallic focus

Here's another card using accents which aren't technically Christmas, but I hadn't got round to using these rub-ons and thought they could make a simple festive swag.

Stamp Set: Jolly Holly

Ink: Balmy Blue

Accessories: Metallic Textures Rub-Ons, 

Balmy Blue 1/2" Sheer ribbon, Frosted Iridescent Dots

Keep it Simple,

GenGen XxXxX

 

22nd Advent Window - New Stars

 I'm mixing it up with Old and New again ;-)

Cardstock: Retired Gorgeous Gold and Whisper White card bases and envelopes, Real Red Glimmer

Stamp Set: Swirled Designs

Ink: Real Red

Accessories: Mix & Match Ephemera Pack for the Greeting, 

Large Gold Hoop, Swirled Designs Dies

Hold their love in your heart,

GenGen XxXxX

Twenty First Advent Window - Celebrate the Solstice

 The shortest day, the longest night. I wanted to also Celebrate the Temperature/Cloud Inversion that we've been experiencing recently.

Stamp Set: Delicate Pines

Ink: Secret Sea

Cardstock: Peaceful Garden Glimmer in Secret Sea and Green, Vellum, Whisper White

Accessories: Light & Wonder Dies, Shimmer foam stars, Retired Old Olive organza Ribbon

On the darkest day, keep Light in your Life, especially when life is hard, let love support you through. GenGen XxXxX

20th Advent Window - Foil & Glimmer

 This is a shaker card, and I really wanted to use the Star from the Ornamental Christmas Dies, but kinda didn't realise that you would only see inside the shaker through the tiny cut outs, so put the contents on the outside too ;-)

Cardstock: Real Red Glimmer, Gold Foil, Window Sheet

Accessories: Ornamental Christmas Dies, retired shaker contents

A little glimmer, with music notes,

GenGen XxXxX

Nineteenth Advent Window - Golden Glitz

 Time for a little Glitz, with the stunning Modern Christmas Specialty DSP. Somehow the white DSP with black rounded wiggles reminded me of a Christmas Tree.

Card stock: Gold Foil, 

Modern Christmas Specialty Designer Series Paper

Accessories: Ornamental Christmas Dies, 

Golden Striped 3/8" Mesh Ribbon, 

Golden gems from my Stampin Up! Advent ;-)

Keep reflecting, GenGen XxX

18th Advent Window - Holly Wreath

 Sticking with the simple theme, and the fabulously natural shapes of pine foliage, less is more ;-)

Stamp Sets: Delicate pines, Ornamental Christmas

Cardstock: Garden Green

Ink: Shaded Spruce, Real Red

Accessories: Jolly Holly Hybrid Embossing Folder, 

Traditional Sparkling Sequins

Keep your crafting simple, GenGen XxX

Seventeenth Advent Window - Simple Snowflake

 Sometimes, inspiration comes in the post . . .

. . . and I have been wanting to do a simple snowflake card . . .

Stamp Set: Jolly Holly

Ink: Misty Moonlight

Cardstock: Peaceful Garden 12"x12" Glimmer Paper - here in Blue, Silent Snowfall 12"x12" Specialty Designer Series Paper

Accessories: Delicate Pines Dies, Rhinestones

Keep Sparkling,

GenGen XxXxX

16th Advent Window - Stellar

 The Aurora DSP has managed to inspire me to embrace the darkness

This is a retired sentiment, as I rarely get rid of any of my stamps ;-) It's also a retired silver edge card and envelope, 

which gives a great reflective lift.

Cardstock: Lights of Aurora DSP, Glimmer paper, Whisper White

Accessories: Swirled Design Dies, Shimmer Star Foam stars, Rhinestones, faceted gems, sequins.

Let a little glimmer in,

GenGen XxXxX

Fifteenth Advent Window - simple stamping

 I think it's usually about this point in the Advent blog when I realise that I just like simple stamping, and it's the detail of the stamps that got me interested in the first place, so here's some simple stamping.

Stamp set: Delicate Pines

Ink: Garden Green, Old Olive, Pretty Peacock, 

Soft Sea Foam, Early Espresso

Accessories: Traditional Sparkling Sequins in Lime Green

Keep being inspired by Nature,

GenGen XxXxX

14th Advent Window - Decoration

 In these dark nights, light becomes much more of a focus. The Modern Christmas Suite came with Large Gold Hoops. Which can be incorporated into cards, and ornament decorations, or in my case . . .

. . . a candle decoration for my table.

Just made by tying a selection of Stampin' Up! ribbon onto the hoop, and putting it at the base of a golden star candle. I like to think that those that leave, join the stars, in these dark and long nights we can light a candle to remember.

Keep crafting, GenGen XxXxX

Thirteenth Advent Window - Calm & Bright

 Just as a little cheat, here's a double window from the Calm & Bright card Kit, all you need to make the cards, and instructions on how to create them is included in the kit.

The designing is done for you, and the colours beautifully co-ordinate.

When you're short of time, kits are a wonderful solution, 

as it's still handmade.

GenGen XxXxX

12th Advent Window - Glimmer and Shimmer

 So a little change from traditional Christmas colours, but lots of glitz.

Stamp set: Ornamental Christmas

Ink: Misty Moonlight

Cardstock: Peaceful Glimmer Paper, Whisper White

Accessories: 3D Emboss Wreath, Leaf Die from SU Advent, Low Profile Sparkle Dots

The Traditional Wreath 3D Embossing folder is in the last chance section, should you want to create a similar card yourself.

Less is more ;-)

GenGen XxXxX

Eleventh Advent Window - Autumn Trees Dies

 Staying with the Aurora night sky I've used a die set that isn't strictly Christmas for this card.

Stamp set: Elegant Pines for greeting and snowflake

Ink: Versa and White Wow Embossing powder

Cardstock: Lights of Aurora DSP, Basic Black, Purple Glimmer

Accessories: Autumn Trees Dies, Shimmer Star Foam Stickers

Keep the glimmer going, even in these dark days,

GenGen XxXxX

10th Advent Window - SU Crafting Advent!

 The regularity of my own crafting advent opening is a little behind! This is what was behind Window 2

These gorgeous papers, and the previous dies inspired me to make this. Sometimes my card making can't always be about joy, as often we're saying goodbye to those we love.

Stamp Set: Prairie Grass

Cardstock: Secret Sea, DSP as described, Whisper White and White Velvet for the bloom die

Accessories: Bloom Die from Window 1, Retired Misty Moonlight Ribbon, Low-Profile Sparkle Dot for bloom centre.

Keep love in your heart,

GenGen XxXxX

Nineth Advent Window - Celebrate Light

 As we head towards the shortest day on the 21st, I become aware of how dark the days are, so it's always a good reminder to make the most of the Light.

Stamp Set: Light & Wonder

Ink: Versa & Wow white embossing powder

Cardstock: Garden Green Pretty Peacock, and of course the fabulous Lights of Aurora DSP 6"x6"

Accessories: Light & Wonder Dies, Frosted Iridescent Dots and White Shimmer Star Foam Stickers, Wink of Stellar for a little shimmer on the Garden Green Trees.

Keep your crafting lights on ;-)

GenGen XxXxX

8th Advent Window - Embossing impact

 I think perhaps this might become the Old & New Advent, I am notorious for keeping hold of designs I still like, and this die image is still stunning. The deep embossed background of the Jolly Holly really enhances the crisp gold additions.

Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Gold Foil

Accessories: Jolly Holly 3D Embossing folder, Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack, Retired Deer Die, Real Red gems.

Find a little joy in each day,

GenGen XxXxX

Seventh Advent Window - Easy Ephemera

 With today's card I've made things easier with the Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack, for the circular Gold Foil Greeting.

Cardstock: Elegant Pine Snowflakes DSP, Old Olive

Accessories: Greetings for You Mix & Match Ephemera Pack,

Scalloped Circle Punch and some retired Old Olive/Pretty Peacock Ribbon

Keep your crafting simple.

GenGen XxXxX

6th Advent Window - Festive Tractor

 I'm having a stall at the Christmas Fayre at Penybont Community Centre today, and here's one of the cards I'm taking along.

This card is making the most of past and present - the past being the retired stamped sentiment and the background Horizons DSP.

Accessories: Tractor & Co Dies

Card stock: Real Red, Basic Black, Silver Foil, Shaded Spruce 

and Old Olive

Embellishments: Faceted Snowflakes

There's a little make and take going on at my table too,

hope to see you for some festive crafting, GenGen XxXxX