Christmas cards from 2018

The blogging world has certainly changed since I began, and the nature of what I share has changed because of it. I am not trying to build an audience and really am only in touch with one friend from those more active blogging days (Hi Chatty!) now. Some have passed away, a few have announced their blog departures and many have simply disappeared.

I am still in the habit of not sharing cards or other crafts until they've been delivered to their intended recipients, but I think I am going to change that in 2019. I don't think most of the people know I have a blog, or at least they never mention it. That isn't me sounding pitiful, just a statement. I'm not an Instagram fan and can't tell you why. I'm not an instructor and I'm not about to start since so many are doing that so well online already.

This blog will continue to chronicle what I have made and be a reference for me. I will continue to share on Pinterest and if a post helps someone else, a good deed has been done.

Now that I've issued my combined Mission Statement and non-New Year's Resolution, I will share the various cards that I made this year. With any luck, I won't repeat them next year and send someone the same card two years in a row!

Mele Kalikimaka is a stamp set by Simon Says Stamp. I used this stamp on three cards but on the others, I put the words as an inside greeting. The stamp set is larger, the above card is 5"x7" rather than the typical 4.25"x5.5"

This ornament was done with Radiant Ornament, a die set from Birch Press. The snowflakes are also from Birch Press dies.

These two cards are from Mondo Poinsettia stamps and dies by Essentials by Ellen (Ellen Hutson). I stamped them in Versamark, embossed them with gold powder, die cut the flowers and leaves, matted them on black with hand drawn gold stitch lines, and mounted the black on a metallic gold card stock before adhering to the card front.

This previous post has Hip Gingerbread Men, Woodland Critter Huggers and Snowflakes. This snowflake below is one that a recipient shared on Facebook. 

The skunks, polar bear and puppy huggers are new additions to the previous critters. 

I found a template online to make a paper shoe for my daughter-law-in. One of her gifts was cash to go shoe shopping. I made a pair of shoes and the box to hold them, tucking the cash inside the box. 

 

I made a few other card designs that apparently didn't make it to my camera before mailing, and it wouldn't be a creative process if some didn't make it out of the house at all, landing in the trash instead.