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Monday, January 30, 2012

12 Kits of Christmas January Challenge & Some Blog Candy!



Ho! Ho! Ho! Well, not just yet, but after my last minute scramble to finish Christmas cards a few short weeks ago, I have resolved to have a nice, big fat stack of cards finished both inside and out all ready for the next holiday season long before I need to address and mail them.  To help me with this resolution, I am a member of a newly formed group who call ourselves the "12 Kits of Christmas Club".  I was so lucky to join this group of extremely talented ladies who all love to make cards as much as I do.  Each month one of us will play hostess and send a "kit" of identical supplies all ready to assemble some great holiday cards.  We will all be revealing our cards on the last day of the month with our own "Blog Hop".   At the end of the year, we all will have a great start to our holiday card creation. Today is the first of our blog hops and I hope you get ready for the first of 12 kit card reveals!

Renee Lynch of It's a Patchwork Life is the hostess for January and is also offering up some really great blog candy too!  All you have to do is visit each blog and leave a little comment.  Renee has a pic of the prizes on her blog, so make sure to check it out here. I have to say, Renee set the bar so high, I can not imagine being able to come up with as many gorgeous kit ingredients as she sent us.  Here is a picture of everything she sent to us:
 You should notice all the beautiful patterned paper, stamped images, diecuts, ribbon, sentiments, buttons and bling she included.  I will have a detailed list at the end of my post as I am certain you are going to want to own some of these for your very own.
Here is the first card I made:
Almost every single element on this card came from Renee's kit.  My absolute favorite is the beautiful diecut window.  The diecut is large and makes a beautiful focal point on a card.  Just about anything can be seen "through the window", but for this card I chose a night time scene with sparkly snowbanks and a cute doily Christmas tree with little red birds perched on it.  The bright shiny star was also included in the kit.  The only things not included in the kit were the pure poppy card base, the great bow which is from Waltzingmouse stamps Candy Jar Fillers and the stitching. 

My second card features another of the window diecuts, but this time I focused on the outside of a window looking in.

Who wouldn't like to shop at this Sweet Shoppe?  I used the beautiful snowflake patterned paper and this time a white window pane stamped with a Waltzingmouse Stamps Candy Jar Christmas sentiment.  I cut out a rectangle from the card front and also added a window pane on the inside to give a nice finished look to the card.  The inside of the card is actually as finished as the front.

The sparkly peppermint candy jar is also a WM Candy Jar Christmas stamp colored with copics and all glittered up.  The doily it rests on is actually a bottom layer of one of the Christmas Tree doilies Renee included in our kit.  This one is even already signed and just needs an envelope and a stamp. 
Thanks Renee for such a great kit to start out our year!
Here's the cards together:
Now that you've seen mine, be prepared to be amazed at the other 11 crafty people in our club.  Please make sure you stop by and check out what they have made from our January kit and you might be the lucky one to win the blog candy prize.

Suzanne: thecardyard
Jeanne: AKeptLife

Details: 
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Compliments of the Season, Candy Jar Christmas, Candy Jar Fillers
Dies:       Memory Box: Star of Wonder, Poppystamps Die:Grand Madison Window, Cheery Lynn:  
               O Tannenbaum Christmas Tree, Papertreyink: In the Meadow
Patterned Papers:  October Afternoon, Holiday Style

20 comments:

Marybeth said...

I know I say wow a lot but WOW! Cathy I love both of the cards you came up with. The sewing on the first one with the birds on the tree is just adorable and the sparkle on the hills just beautiful! The second one is way too sweet, no pun intended, I love that jar and the way you filled it, love the sugar on the candy too. The sentiment on the window worked well too. Love them both and I knew I would.

The Paper Parade said...

Cathy...I am in awe!! Both cards are truly works of art! I love the sewing on the first one and how it looks just so put together...that is one picture perfect window scene :) And then the second one is so cute! Looking through a candy shop window? Clever! And I love that you used the Christmas tree as an actual doily.

Renee said...

OMG!!!
LOVE that stitching on the first one...
it just "finishes" the card!
And how you used the red window...
I was scared of that red...
stayed away from it...
but now I know how I can use it and I am so CASE'ing some of these cards with my leftovers!!
And then to put the candy jar in the window...
genius!!
It's like my fantasy of standing in front of a candy store...
they are both so fabulous I just die!!
I love this and am having so much fun...
can't wait to get started on next month's! :)

Christina said...

These are amazing, Cathy! I will definitely be CASEing your tree through the window with the supplies I have left! And the sweet shoppe window is absolutely darling! Love that it finishes the inside of the card, too.

Ginger Claire said...

Loving the sweet shoppe xxx

Kim Heggins said...

Cathy, both of these cards are just incredibly darling. I love the fact that Renee sent so many supplies, now I can CASE these. The sewing on the first card is just so smart and those little birds, oh my goodness just perfect.

Nancy Guse said...

I can't decide on which one is my favorite, they are both beautiful!!!

Monika/Buzsy said...

Fabulous cards Cathy! Love the window frame and pretty colors. The stitching is awesome on the first one. :o)

Joyce said...

Oh, my. These are two fabulous cards. I love how you have one as a window looking out and one looking in. Since I was too lame to figure out how to use the windows, I have lots left over and will case your ideas. You also used that plaid paper in such a wonderful way. That paper was my fave, and I was scared to cut it! It really makes the scene look so cozy. Great job.

Miriam Prantner said...

These are great! I just love that window die! The stitching on the red one really pops too.

Sharron said...

LOVE these, Cathy! I definitely plan to CASE them both! Your stitching on the plaid looks fabulous and the tree, the star, the bow all are perfect! And the candy shop is adorable--what a clever idea. Plus you finished the inside too!! Great job with this kit! Can't wait to get started on February now......

Pauline said...

How fabulous these cards are! Love the window die cuts, they are such a gorgeous focal point! Love what you made with this kit!

Kara said...

I love your adorable sweet shoppe!! The window looking out onto the tree full of birds is so pretty!! Can't wait to get started on your kit!

Deborah Frings said...

Great cards - love the window die cuts and looking in on that sweetie jar - fab!

Tracey McNeely said...

Cathy you have made two gorgeous cards with what looks like the yummiest kit. Love the sweet shoppe.

Suzanne said...

Cathy, AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!! The Sweet Shop is perfect. I never would have thought of that. I have been wanting those jar stamps for so long and you may have just put me over the edge. But that first one: OH my jaw dropped! I love it all...the dark stitching, the bow, the BIRDS! You're awesome!

Susan said...

Both cards are amazing!! So gorgeous and so creative! I love that the first one is a night time scene. That bright star is such a perfect addition. The second one with the candy jar is adorable. I love that idea of looking into the window!! These kits are such a great idea. I can't wait to see all of them unfold over the next months.

Amy Kolling said...

OMG Cathy! I have to say....are you serious?? I LOVE the second card with the doily under the candy jar....that idea my dear is brilliant! I also like how you made this a "window" card literally......fun fun way to use this die. Gosh don't you wish we could score one too? :) Now for that first card....STUNNING. I love the homespun feel with that stitching and those birds....I will have to go look for birds in my goodies. hehe Your bow was a great accent to the window and will have to do this when I CASE some of these cards!

Sherry said...

Very cool.

Kathy Mc said...

Cathy, your cards are simply divine! Love the way you used so many of Renee's goodies from the kit. Your peppermind candy jar sitting on the doily is simply the best idea ~ just like real window shopping! WTG, Cath!