Papercrafters' Year In Review 2021 Blog Hop

I'm over-the-moon delighted to be part of Ellibelle' Corners Papercrafters' Year in Review 2021 Blog Hop! And the exciting news is that you can join too! Each crafter in the hop is linking up a favourite project (or two) from 2021. There's a linky tool below where you can post your favourite project as well. You can link anytime from December 29 through January 4. 

I chose a card that I made for a dear and much-loved colleague of mine on her retirement (hence the fairy's grey hair!) from our department this summer. Nancy was an incredible fountain of knowledge and support for me and the team - as well as our students. She was (and is) so respected and admired. Nancy loves all things glitter and sparkle and adds the same to the hearts and lives of all she meets. 

I do have a little something to give away. If you'd like the chance to win a new MFT Staggered Circle stencil, simply leave a comment below. On January 5, I'll randomly draw a name from the comments left on this post. 

Please head along to the next stop in the hop - Maria Giselle's Creative Cuts

Debbie -  Secrets to Stamping

Ellie - Ellibelle's Corner

Helene - Mummylade

Kate (me!) - Small Bits of Paper

Maria Giselle - Maria Giselle's Creative Cuts

Misty - A Card a Day

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We Wish You a Merry Christmas Treat Pouches

It's our final challenge of the year at Little Red Wagon and the fabulous Imke is wanting to see Stripes or Dots. I went for both!

I created a set of 12 treat pouches using some Christmas striped and dotted paper from my stash. I tried to photograph them all but it just looked messy. I've had this paper for ages and it seemed perfect for this challenge. I used paper from the same stack to make the little paper bows, using dies from My Craft Spot (no longer in business). The tiny tags and sentiments are also from My Craft Spot. In each pouch, I tucked some Lindt chocolates. I've got so many left over although my middle didn't seem to think that should be a problem. I have a huge "sherry" glass that I keep on our table and always fill it with treats over the holidays. It's currently full and I still have lots more left over. Oops!!

Please head over to Little Red Wagon to see more stripes and dots! We'd love to have you join the fun as well!

For those of you celebrating Christmas, I wish you the happiest of days! And I'm sending blessings to all, whoever you are and however you celebrate the holidays. My your days be merry and bright. 

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Merry Gift Card Holders

Happy 10 days until Christmas! I've got so much done although feel there's still so much to do. My freezer is getting filled with baking and shopping is done. However, wrapping has not even started yet! This weekend will (hopefully!) take care of that. 

In 1984, I was in high school and traveled to England for the Christmas holidays. My older brother, who was in university at the time, had flown ahead and met me there. We had an amazing time visiting my grandparents as well as all my aunts, uncles and cousins. (My immediate family moved to Canada when I was a child and my entire extended family was and is in England.) 1984 was the year Bandaid released their hit charity single, Do They Know It's Christmas. I melted each time I heard Sting sing his lines (and still do!). I remember the song was playing absolutely everywhere we went and, to this day, the song brings back lovely memories.

In keeping with my 80s hit challenges this year at Little Red Wagon, I felt that Do They Know It's Christmas was a fitting way for me to wrap things up for 2021. I understand that, while my family's tradition is Christmas, not everybody celebrates the way I do so would like to invite those of any tradition to join with their winter holiday projects. Regardless of beliefs, the idea should be about peace, love, joy and blessing others. 

I made a set of gift card holders. I will use these for both gift cards as well as information about a charity to which I've donated in honour of others.

Typically, my siblings and I exchange gifts for charities rather than gifts for each other. I absolutely love this idea and am always so delighted to learn that a family is getting a cow, education, immunizations, books, etc., in my name. And when I donate in my siblings' names, I always like to create a little note to let them know more about the donation. If you're not sure what to give somebody, giving a gift through charity is an idea you may wish to consider. You probably won't hear, "You shouldn't have" or "Is there a gift receipt with this?"!!

Please head over to Little Red Wagon to see what the rest of the Girlfriends have created - and then link up your own Christmas/winter holiday projects!

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Merry Christmas

Somehow, it's already Wednesday again. It seems like it was Wednesday only yesterday. That said, it was mid-morning yesterday when I realized that it was only Tuesday. I had thought it was Wednesday up until then! The days are going fast enough. It would be better if things slowed down a bit. 

Brenda is our wonderful hostess at Little Red Wagon this week and she's chosen the theme NBUS - Never Before Used Stuff. I'm ashamed to admit how many unused items I have in my craft room. I'm hoping to go through my cupboards during the holidays in order to give away things that I don't use. 

About a year or two ago, I received a "Tree Trio" die set free with my MFT purchase. I decided to use the dies for this challenge, creating a set of coordinating cards. I also used a never-before-opened silver paper roll that I don't even remember purchasing - so who knows how long I've had it! It's pretty but quite thin so I had to stick the paper to cardstock before cutting it. The embossing folder on the right-hand card was also new-in-the-package and I received that in a grab box from Simon Says Stamp about three or four years ago. In fact, the entire contents of the box of goodies remain unused... 

Thanks to Brenda, I've at least put a few of my crafting supplies to good use! And this makes for a perfect opportunity for you to do the same. Please head over to Little Red Wagon to see the rest of the Girlfriends' NBUS projects and then link up one of your own!

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Christmas Cookies

Happy December! The countdown is on. I'm pretty much done my Christmas shopping. The remaining items are orders to be placed closer to the big day. I've started baking as well.

This week at Little Red Wagon, the wonderful Janice is hosting and she wants to see snow! From snowflakes to snowpeople to snow-covered houses, if it includes the white stuff in some way, we want to see it. It's been snowing a fair bit in my part of the world. I'm more of a sun and sand type of person but do like a white wonderland for Christmas.

Our church holds an annual Christmas market and I was asked to do some baking. I packaged up my goodies with some snowflake ribbon and added some little tags with a snowflake on each. Jan's challenge was perfect timing!

Please head over to Little Red Wagon to see the rest of the snowy projects - and then join the fun too! Any sort of paper project is welcome. 

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I'm entering my project in Simon Says Stamp's Wednesday Challenge: Happy Holidays/Christmas.

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