The 12 Kits of Christmas--Month One

This is my second post of the day.  Please scroll down to see my card for the Blog Hop for Cath!

Edited to add:  Renee is generously offering up some blog candy to one lucky commenter!  Be sure to see her post for more details, and leave comments on all of the designers' blogs to increase your chances of winning!

Hello friends!  I'm back with my second post of the day, and it's another special one!  I'm so excited to introduce you to a new group that I'm delighted to be a part of, The 12 Kits of Christmas.

The idea behind this monthly challenge came from fellow stampers Renee Lynch and Suzanne Dahlberg, who were looking for a way to get their holiday cards done in a more timely fashion.  They invited 10 more crafters to join them in a monthly challenge to do just that.

Each month one of us sends a kit of holiday card-making supplies to the rest of the participants.  At the end of the month, we will all post our creations on our blogs.  Hopefully you'll be inspired to get some of your Christmas cards done throughout the year, or even adapt the designs to use for other occasions.

This month's kit was provided by Renee Lynch, and let me just say that she was incredibly generous with the supplies!  Our kits were jam-packed with die cuts, stamped sentiments, patterned papers, gorgeous ribbons, buttons, bells, and pearls.  Here's a peek at the contents:

I had so much fun working with these goodies!  I have 5 cards to share with you today.

I was first drawn to the amazing die cut windows and wanted to make a couple of cards using those.  The first one has a view from outside looking in at a Christmas tree.  I used lots of foam tape to pop up the layers and added some scored lines on the card base to resemble the siding on a house.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Pure Poppy, Simply Chartreuse, Smokey Shadow, White)

Stamp:  Waltzingmouse (2011 Holiday Ornaments)

Tools:  Poppystamps (Grand Madison Window die), Cheery Lynn (O Tannenbaum Christmas Tree die), Papertrey Ink (Double Ended Banner die, Diamonds impression plate), scoring board

Accessories:  Ranger (silver Stickles), Michaels (silver pearls)

For the next card, I wanted to show a scene looking out of a window.  It uses die cuts from PTI's In the Meadow, embossed cardstock to resemble snow, and some gorgeous baker's twine.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Spring Moss, Pure Poppy, True Black, White)

Stamp: Waltzingmouse (Compliments of the Season)

Tools:  Poppystamps (Grand Madison Window die), Papertrey Ink (In the Meadow dies, Woodgrain impression plate), McGill (tag punch), polka dot embossing folder

Accessories:  baker's twine

My next card uses some of the patterned paper Renee provided, from October Afternoon's Holiday Style.  I couldn't resist using the sentiment from Waltzingmouse's Compliments of the Season with some silver jingle bells.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (True Black, Pure Poppy, White)

Patterned paper:  October Afternoon (Holiday Style)

Stamp:  Waltzingmouse (Compliments of the Season)

Ink:  Papertrey Ink (Chamomile Tea Dye), black

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (Mat Stack 4 die, Sheet Music impression plate, Holiday Photo Finishers die), Spellbinders (oval die), corner rounder

Accessories:  ivory seam binding, silver bells

I wanted to make a really simple card to highlight the horse-drawn sleigh from PTI's In the Meadow, so I layered the snow banks with foam tape on an Aqua Mist card base, added a sentiment banner, and adhered two die cut stars from Memory Box's Star of Wonder.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Aqua Mist, True Black, White)

Stamp:  Waltzingmouse (2011 Holiday Ornaments)

Tools:  Papertrey Ink (In the Meadow dies, Double Ended Banner die), Memory Box (Star of Wonder die)

Accessories:  red pearls

For the last card, I decided to CASE a design from Paper Crafts' Holiday Cards & More Vol. 6.  Right next to my card in this issue (on page 41), Veronica Zalis had a beautiful card made from patterned paper strips on a kraft base, and I just loved the mix and match look.  I added some red seam binding and a wooden button to my version.

Cardstock:  Papertrey Ink (Kraft, White0

Patterned paper:  October Afternoon (Holiday Style)

Stamp:  Waltzingmouse (Say it with Style)

Ink:  Papertrey Ink (Chamomile Tea Dye), red

Tools:  EK Success (border punch)

Accessories:  wood button, red seam binding, DMC floss, thread

Ready for more?  Here are links to the rest of the 12 Kits of Christmas team:

Suzanne:  The Card Yard

Cathy: EmptyNestCrafter

Joyce: Cards-by-the-Sea

Kim: CupcakesCardsandKim

Amy: Stamp-n-Paradise

Kara: KandRDesigns

Sharron: OnPapillionWings

Marybeth: Marybeth's Time for Paper

Jeanne: AKeptLife

Jessica: The Paper Parade

Renee: ItsAPatchworkLife

I can't wait to hop around and see what they've made!

Thanks for visiting!  I'll be back later today with a new ColourQ palette!