Monday, February 3, 2014

Merry Monday: Believe in the Magic

Way back in 2013, the amazing Lesley Croghan, the founder of Merry Monday and so many other challenges that we all love, asked me to be a guest designer in 2014.  It didn't take any thought at all to say "Yes"!  Then she said "How about February?"  Hmmm...how many of us want to be making Christmas cards so soon after surviving the last Christmas?

The answer is "I do!" First of all, my first Christmas card in 2013 was on January 12 for a Merry Monday challenge.  By playing along all year, I was ready to go in December.  I didn't have to squeeze in a single last-minute card, nor do a stack of cards in bulk just to have enough!  Second, I still have Christmas supplies in my NBUS stash (Never-Before-Used-Schtuff) and I would really like to get them out of the way so they don't sit there all the way until next Christmas!!

So bring on the Merry Monday challenge!



Stockings!!!  Funny enough, I had a few stockings to choose from in my NBUS stash.  At some point last year, I actually realized that I didn't have a single stocking stamp that was fresh and new-looking and fit my current style.  So I went shopping. The little stocking that I used on this card came from a set with a variety of Christmas motifs but the stocking (and the fat little Christmas tree that's also part of the set) were the big reason for the purchase!!

Believe

The motifs are by Paper Smooches and I also happened to have two new-to-me Christmas sentiment sets by Paper Smooches that I picked up at Archiver's Going-Out-of-Business. {Sadness}  Stockings have always been important in my family.  It's fairly easy to get the big gifts - but filling the stockings with little items that still had great meaning is what takes the thought and the time. So throughout my childhood and now throughout my children's childhoods - the stocking is the "magical" moment.

Have fun with stockings this week!  I look forward to seeing what you create.

  • Stamps: Paper Smooches Merry Motifs, Joyful Greetings
  • Ink: Copics and Memento Black
  • Paper: scrap (sorry!)
  • Accessories: Paper Smooches Merry Motifs die, Lil' Inkers Stitched Rectangles, misc enamel dots, Hemptique 10-lb black twine



29 comments:

  1. I love everything about this card! The perfect holiday card.

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  2. This is such a cute card...and Congrats to you for being selected as the Featured Designer.

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  3. Kim this is totally your style and I love your card, I have those sets and now I want to make one just like you! Congrats on being the Featured Designer at Merry Monday!

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  4. Love that cute little stocking with the fun stripes behind it!

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  5. love your card ..it is so bright and cheery and that little stocking just adds the right touch.

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  6. Love, love, love this CAS ADORABLE card, Kim! It's so awesome to have you with us at Merry Monday as our Featured Designer!! Welcome! xoxoxo

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  7. That card is just precious I do the same thing - make Christmas cards throughout the year - it's awesome to not be bombarded during the Holidays! I know how you feel about Archivers - I worked there for 2 years; the whole thing is absolutely DEVASTATING. Thanks for the great inspiration today, and have a great day & week!

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  8. Awww, that stocking is just adorable!! And I love the meaning behind it for you too - my Mom really went out of her way to make our stockings extra special too, and now my sister does the same with her kids as well (I don't have kids of my own). The card is just adorable, and it really made me smile with my own memories!!

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  9. Super cute and clean card, what a great way to start the month, Kim! So glad you're joining us :)

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  10. Ha, ha, any excuse to purchase some new stash! Super card Kim! Xx

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  11. Big congrats on guesting Kim!! Your card is just as cute as can be, love the little stocking and the stripes!!

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  12. Fantastic card, I love the little adorable stocking. Congrats on being our Featured Designer.

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  13. So thrilled to have you working with us this month, Kim! Love your sweet little card! That stocking is perfect and I just adore the patterned paper you used! Love everything about it! :)

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  14. I just adore this cute stocking and the story you shared, Kim! So happy to have you joining us. Love your work!

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  15. This is a fabulous card! Love that little stock and your layout is so beautifully clean! Great to have you on the team!

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  16. The striped background, the perfectly colored stocking and coordinating dots. They all came together to make a darling card.

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  17. Such a sweet card...love that sentiment.

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  18. Your tiny stocking is so adorable and the love the coordinating dots! Love your NBUS term, might have to use that someday! So glad you joined our team this week!

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  19. Welcome as the featured designer this month Kim, great to have you with us. Love every design detail of your card. Just fabulous!

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  20. I was so excited to see that you are our Featured Designer this month! Woot!!! This card is adorable! I love that patterned paper that lights the card and that sweet tee,tiny stocking! I'm always in awe of how you can use a minimum of design and your cards never look like they're missing something!

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  21. Happy Christmas! Wow, great card! And such an adorable tiny stocking, sooo sweet.
    In the Netherlands, we don't 'do' stockings, but I do love them!
    You made me curious of the big fat (?) Christmastree!
    :-)
    Such a bright and happy card,I bet anybody'll start believing as soon as they see your 'christmas-magic-card'!
    Bye,

    Marjolein

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  22. I love this sweet and simple stocking themed card. The sentiment with it is perfect. I like the striped paper background to give it some pizzazz. Fun times!

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  23. Congratulations on being the February Featured Designer at Merry Monday, Kims!! Your card is classic 'Kim' ~ totally adorable and impeccably made!! Hugs, Darnell

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  24. Personally, I am thrilled to have you with us as a GD! As always, your sweet little image and CAS ceation have hit a home run! Love it!

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  25. Hi Kim!! So excited to have you with us at Merry Monday for the month! I love everything you create and this stocking card is adorable! Welcome!

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  26. Congrats on being the GD at MM, and your first card here is a knockout! Simply stunning! Your story about the tradition of filling stockings with 'special' gifts: heart-warming! I think this is something I'll aim to do for my niece and nephew: lots of 'littles' selected just. for. them. Thanks for the inspiration; thanks for brightening this freezing day (we're at -35C...crisp, indeed!).
    c

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  27. Kim, so bright vibrant and just WONDERFUL!!!!
    I haven't played yet, however I may have to make a run for the craftroom after seeing your inspiration!

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  28. Such an adorable card Kim. The wee stocking is so cute. It is so lovely to have you on the team this month.

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