Top 10 Christmas cards of 2016

Hello again,

I'm back with my favourite pick of the Christmas cards I made this year. I fell down a bit in 2016 and didn't have enough made when the big day came, but I'm going to try and make 2 or three of every new design next year so my stash will grow faster. I'm hoping that doing this won't take much longer than making one card at a time because all the materials will be out and most of my time is spent on deciding how to place everything. One thing that will help is that I'm a designer on the Happy Little Stampers Christmas card challenge and the Addicted to Stamps and More challenge which has a holiday card week once a month, so I'll be building my stash starting next week. I can't believe I just said that!!! What - Christmas cards for 2017 already? Yep - I just have to try and remember how bummed I felt when I didn't have enough this year.

Here are my favourites, in no particular order, and if you want to read a little about how I made them, you can click on the link to be taken to the original post.

1)

This mistletoe card has a bit of an art deco look because of the frame I used. I slightly shaped and raised one branch of mistletoe and it really gave the impression of being a full bunch.

2)

I don't do many landscape Christmas cards but I was pleased with this Penny Black one which has a masculine feel. I even experimented with using pencils over paint for the first time and I was surprised by how much depth it gave!

3)

When Kylie gave us the topic 'Twine' for a Happy Little Stampers challenge, I was a little stumped at first. I finally had the idea of making a twine wreath and then this CAS card came together quickly. 

4)

I really loved making this card using the Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas stamp set. I had fun making the rays using my Clarity Stencil brushes for the first time.

5)

I loved the simplicity of this design. There was no stamping involved on the outside (and as I seem to be allergic to making a card without ink, I had to stamp a sentiment inside), but I love the mix of textured gold and black - so elegant.

6)

This card used lots of inlaid die cutting, and I loved using the smooshing technique to create the sky.

7)

I really like the crisp embossing on this card and I enjoyed gently inking the embossed snowflakes with white ink. Love how it turned out.

8)

This card was made using an old Woodware stamp set and I love the pretty ribbon tree. I had fun fussy cutting and shaping the pot before glazing it with glossy accents. It doesn't show very well in the photo but it really did end up looking like an old terracotta pot!

9)

I think this was my favourite Christmas card of the year. I enjoyed watercolouring the background and I loved how the rays looked embossed in silver with the doves in front.

10)

My final card used one of the Tim Holtz poinsettia mixed media dies, and I loved how the design came together when I added a circle mask to the centre and brushed red ink over the panel. When I removed the mask it really spotlighted the embossed sentiment and the flowers.

Well that's my pick, and I'll be back tomorrow with the first Happy Little Stamper's Challenge of the new year.

It only remains for me to say thank you so much for stopping by from time to time in 2016, and I hope to see you again soon. I actually got to meet some good blog buddies in real life this year, and with others I feel as if  we already know each other. We are really blessed to have such a fun hobby that brings so much pleasure, and meeting new friends is such a bonus. I wish you a happy, healthy and crafty New Year.

Hugs

Carol x