Christmas in April!

Hi All

Hope you have all had a good week! I was lucky enough to grab a few hours whilst hubby was on baby duty, to have a go at a bit more card making. Think I finally may have my mojo back! Nothing amazing but glad to be back crafting again. So this week I decided I'd do some Christmas cards. My friend said something to me earlier in the week that made me think why I'd managed to craft last week....it was because my cards had a purpose! Well, I am all prepared for birthdays that are coming up so thought I'd turn to Christmas! I am a huge fan of Christmas and love everything to do with it. My preparations have already started-I've already got ahead with my present buying in the January sales! So I loved having a go at some cards today. Once again I thought I'd have a go at some new challenges. My first card is using a lovely Lili of the Valley image, some Papermania papers and a digi stamp sentiment that I have printed onto Kraft card. I would like to enter this in the 'Sweet Stampin' Christmas' challenge which is 'It's Cold Outside'-I decided to opt for something different to snowmen and blue colours, hope that's ok! The little kittens do look freezing though!

My next card is using another gorgeous Lili of the Valley image of a little girl with a poinsettia. I used some papers that I have had in my stash for ages that were free from a magazine! Determined to use some of my stash up before buying anymore! Also trying to have a no spend April on crafty things!! I'd like to enter this into the 'Christmas Cards All Year Round' challenge which is 'Poinsettias.'

The image for my next card was chosen by my daughter! Lol! She is just starting to grip things (she's 12 weeks old) and so this was the image she gripped when she was sat on my knee for a moment! Luckily it was still in one piece! Again, another Lili of the Valley image-can you tell I found some of these in my stash today ;)) and this is for the 'Sparkles Christmas Challenge' which is 'Inspired by a Christmas Carol or Song.' My carol is 'Away in a Manger' as it is a little scene from the nativity.

I really was on a roll today so I made a further two cards! This next one was using some decoupage from a Trimcraft booklet I bought last year. I shamefully had not even broken the seal on it and thought it was about time I did! I used the fabulous sketch for the 'Christmas Challenges with Sketches' and really enjoyed using it-think it will definitely be one I use again. I would also like to enter this card into the 'ABC Christmas Challenge' which is 'G for Glitter.' I went a bit mad with my stickles on this card! It hasn't shown up that well on the photograph but trust me, there is stickles everywhere!! I also love the 'pinkness' of this card lol! It was nice to do a bit of pyramage too!

And my final card today was a colour challenge over at 'Craftyhazelnuts Christmas Challenge' which is 'seeing red...a little or a lot.' I decided on showing a lot! I love this little image of the dog and all of the presents! I really like how it has come out-I thought it might not look right with all of the red but I feel it looks delightfully festive! I'd also like to enter this into 'Craftyhazelnuts Christmas Challenge Extra' which is 'Anything Goes.' The papers on this one were a mixture of Papermania and some I picked up at a craft show. Glad to have used some of my stash today!

Well, that's your lot for now! Got a few exciting things coming up...I'm part of a blogging book tour this week so I will be posting a review for a book called 'A Questionable Friendship' on Tuesday for the 'Chick Lit Plus' website. I will also be sorting out some blog candy-just because! Who needs a reason to have some blog candy?! Well, if I need to give a reason it would be to celebrate getting back to crafting and back to regular blogging on my new blog! So watch out for those!

Hope you enjoyed looking at my creations today-nothing amazing but excited that I'm getting back into cardmaking after taking such a long break! Feel like I should go and watch a Christmas film now...

Thanks for popping by.
Hugs
Arline
xx