12 Kits of Occasions: November with Kim

This may just be the quickest post I ever will write...I will show why I was preoccupied at the end of the post.  This month's edition of 12 Kits of Occasions is hosted by Kim of Cupcakes, Cards & Kim.  Kim sent our whole group a gigantic package of all kinds of Christmas ingredients and I am sure you will love what everyone in our group has made with them.  Here are the kit ingredients:

Photo courtesy of Kara

I made three cards with Kim's kit...I loved the die cuts!

Like I said, this post will be short but for all the details about Kim's kit and to see what the other members of the 12 Kits of Occasions have come up with...please visit the 12 Kits of Occasions blog.

Thank you Kim for a great November kit!

Here's why I was a little pre-occupied and was in such a rush to write up my post:

My first grandson, Jaxon Weber, born on Saturday Nov 29th at 6:33 am after a "quick" 20 hour labor and eventual C-Section.  Adorable and well worth the wait!

The Card Concept and 25 Tags of Christmas

 

Welcome to the Card Concept Challenge!  This week we have some extra-special fun for you...The Card Concept is joining our good friend Tracey McNeely for her annual holiday challenge, The 25 Days of Christmas Tags!

For specific details, you can check out Tracey's blog...but in a nutshell, there are lots of PRIZES available from companies we all know and love just for leaving a comment on Tracey's blog here...but all of the designers for the entire 25 days are each drawing a name from their blogpost for an additional chance to win one of these great prizes...so, PLEASE leave a comment for me!

  

 

   

How do you participate?  First, take a look at the inspiration photo for the challenge:

All you have to do to participate for the Card Concept challenge is make a tag...or a card with a tag that has a snowman on it in one of the Card Concept Design styles:

Clean and Simple

Clean and Layered

Clean and Graphic

Freestyle Collage

Shabby Chic

Classy and Elegant

 I can not imagine any crafter not having at least one snowman image or die...if not, what a good excuse to go out and get one! Here's the tag I made:

I used some new dies from Top Dog Dies for my tag, lucky me that there was an adorable snowman die just released.  I used Top Dog Dies Snowman Globe Die Set as well as a brand new Top Dog Dies Gift Tag Die Set .  I especially love the cute to/from diecuts...so easy now to make a very quick and easy gift tag!

You have a lot of work to do now!

Leave a comment on my blog for a chance to win a prize.

Leave a comment on Tracey's blog for a chance to win a prize.

Leave a comment on all of the other Card Concept Design Team Members posts for yet another chance to win a prize!

Finally...get busy making your own tag with a snowman and link it up over at the Card Concept Challenge Blog...I can't wait to see all the fabulous snowmen you all create!

Thank you Tracey for including me in your annual 25 Days of Christmas Tags!

This weekend I needed a fun birthday card for a 4 year old boy and my first thought was the cute Top Dog Dies Dragon die...what little boy wouldn't love to see a "friendly-looking" dragon on their birthday card?  My little nephew is quite the talker...very funny and always says the cutest things, so I love the fun sentiment dies included with Top Dog Dies Thanks A2 Mat Die set.  The "You rock" sentiment seems like it was made for the dragon die...don't you think?

I also added some cute banners (Top Dog Dies Banners #1 Die Set) along the top attached with a staple and a bright red #4 using Top Dog Dies Vintage Numbers Die Set.

Top Dog Dies has just released a whole bunch of new dies, some for the holidays and some all-occasion dies too.  If you haven't seen them yet, here's a quick link for you to follow...you are going to want to see them!

Top Dog Dies November Release: Thanks A2 Mat Die

The Top Dog Dies Design Team has been very busy the last few weeks and the day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived.  Top Dog Dies is releasing six brand new dies which will be available in the Top Dog Dies Store today!  The Design Team will be sharing cards made with the new dies all week long, and today I am sharing my favorite die...Top Dog Dies Thanks A2 Mat Die.

The Top Dog Dies Thanks A2 Mat Die cuts a perfect frame making it very easy to create a quick and easy Thank You card that really packs a punch.  It's also detailed, yet makes for a nice, flat easy to mail card.  My daughter-in-law has been receiving so many presents for our soon to be born grandson and she asked me to make a few extra special thank you cards for some of the handmade blankets and quilts she received.  I also used the Baby Stroller from Top Dog Dies Baby On Board Die Set which looks super sparkly with the rhinestone star embellishments.  Now that you have seen my favorite die of the release...here's a picture of the other dies being released today at Top Dog Dies.

Be sure to go check out all the other projects using the new November dies...here's a link to make it extra easy for you to jump right over to the store.

Top Dog Dies: Naughty or Nice?

Have you ever had an idea for a card that is way outside of your comfort zone?  Did you end up making it?  That was how I felt a few days ago when I had a card idea using the Top Dog Dies Corset Die.  I decided to go ahead and make the card that I envisioned even though I am not exactly sure when I will actually use this card.

Top Dog Dies Corset Die is going to be the die I always think of when I need to make a bachelorette or bridal shower card.  I love all the intricate details on the die and today I added some white pom-poms to turn it into a holiday corset...not sure Mrs. Claus could fit into this one...I know I sure couldn't!  I used Top Dog Dies Scalloped Frame and Mat Die Set for the base of my card and added some embroidery floss stitching through the scalloped openings.  I thought it was a nice contrast against the red and white.  The sentiment is digital and is printed on vellum so the candy cane print can shine through.  This card would be perfect for a bridal lingerie shower that falls near the holidays, so I'm going to tuck this one away and wait for just that kind of occasion.