Year in Review 2021 - My Favorite Creations: Blog Hop and a Prize; Plus 5 Most Viewed Posts of 2021

Hello and welcome! 

Every year towards the end of the year I like to take a look back through the blog to see what I have created over the year and choose some of my personal favorites to share. This year I was wondering if anyone else would like to collaborate and share their own, and so we got a group of 6 papercrafters together for this fun End of Year collaboration!

This year's co-hosts are:

Debbie - Blog: Secrets to Stamping

Ellie - Blog: Ellibelle's Corner

Helene - Blog: Mummylade

Kate - Blog: Small Bits of Paper

Maria Giselle - Blog: Maria Giselle's Creative Cuts

Misty - Blog: A Card a Day

I hope you get a chance to visit the co-host's posts as well to check out their favorites of 2021. Not all co-hosts may have shared their year in review post yet, as the linky will be open for a week and co-hosts are welcome to publish their posts within this time. By the way, if you would like to join us with your own "year in review" post, simply create one with your own favorite crafty creations and then link up with us! (Linky tool is at the end of the post.) 

PS: Some of the co-hosts may be sharing some blog candy too, I am not sure, but there is a little prize to be won from my blog and a winner will be selected from the comments left. (Not the linky tool). 

Choosing favorites is really not so easy, but to make it easier on myself I like to choose one from each month so here they are:

By the way, if you want to read more about each creation, you just have to click on the link above or the card directly and that will lead you to the original post with all the info. I did include the main products used here for those of you interested. Some of those may be affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through links as always at no cost to you.

January

Products used:

Critter Party by PB // So Very Much Sentiment Set //  Avery Elle Heart Frame Die

February: 

Products Used:

Power Poppy digi stamp // Sprinkles and Smiles Sentiment Set //  Snippets Sentiment Set

March

Products Used:

January Hero Arts stamp kit  (sold out) // Butterfly Basics Stampin Up

April

Products Used:

A Touch of Ink by Stampin Up //  Blooming Sentiments 

May

Products"

Penny Black Jazzy Cats // Circle Explosion Stencil 

June

Products Used:

Lavinia Stamps - Fairytale, Three Dancing Fairies, Miniature Stars, Spiral of Spells

July

Products Used:

PSX Stamps found at a Thrift Store // TH Stencil // Altenew Stencil

August

Products Used:

Jazzy Cats // Old Whiff of Joy Music Note Stamp

September

Products Used:

Smile All Day,  Dancing Daisies,  Friendship (all by Penny Black)

Script Border (retired by Whimsy Stamps)

October

Products Used:

Penny Black Gather Around and Dear Santa

November

Products Used:

Mo Manning Clara and retired Whimsy Stamps sentiment

December

Products Used:

Lavinia Stamps (Pan, Pipin, Snow Falls, Fern Leaves, Fairy Fir Tree Small)

Various styles, as you can see. Still loving my "cute" style stamps, and in the more recent years have discovered Lavinia stamps. Making scenic cards doesn't come easy to me but I so love how they turn out and so I will continue making then in an effort to get better at it. 

Top 5 Most Viewed Blog Posts of 2021

I thought it would also be fun to include the Top 5 Most Viewed Card Posts of 2021 in this post. This means the 5 most visited blog posts by my blog visitors. Here they are counting down:

No. 5 Original Post from May 2021 

No. 4 Original Post Here from June 2021

No. 3 Original Post from February 2021

No. 2: Original Post from May 2021 

No.1: Original Post also from May 2021 

I'm linking up with these blogs:

The Card Concept - Favorite Card of 2021 (It is so hard - practically impossible for me to choose just one, so I usually choose one per month)

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life

Comment to win:

Now for the prize giveaway, I decided to give away a digi prize of 2 digi stamps from Rachelle Anne Miller. The winner will receive a gift code from me and will select their own 2 digis.

A winner will be selected from the comments left on this post. You will have until Friday January 8th 12pm US central time (6pm GMT) to comment. The winner will be announced in my Saturday post on January 9th and will have a week from that date to claim the prize.

*Not sponsored by Rachelle Anne Miller. Gift Code will be purchased and supplied by me. 

Thank you so much for visiting!

Wishing all my blog followers and visitors a Happy and Healthy New Year! 

The linky tool below is for all co-hosts to link up their own posts (my post is scheduled so I will link up ASAP)  and all other papercrafters who would like to join us with their own "year in review" post. 

The linky tool will remain open for one week - until January 4th.

If you would like to be entered into the prize drawing, don't forget to leave a comment. 

Another Scenic Card Using Lavinia Hedgehogs "The Wallace Family" and a Penny Black Tree

Hello again,

Here is my second card for today where I used more of my new Lavinia stamps along with a new stamp from Penny Black. 

This card was made for the new Allsorts challenge theme where Lorraine (Lolo) is hosting. She picked the theme of "Anything Winter". By the way, as we are nearing the holidays, this challenge will run for 2 weeks and this is in fact my last new card share of the year. (I will be back on December 29th with my Year in Review post.) There are are 3 prizes to be won this time, a digi prize from our generous sponsor Ruth Hamilton Design, and then there is a Tonic Wreath Die and a Bee Crafty Botanical Stamp set. 

I used more of my newly purchased stamps for another scenic card. Masking was done as usual with torn copy paper and on this card I used mainly Stormy Sky Distress Oxide ink with just a little bit of Chipped Sapphire ink along the edges. 

The tree is from Penny Black's  set Woodsy. I had purchased a few Penny Black products on Cyber Monday. The hedgehogs are from Lavinia's set The Wallace Family. I just  had to have the hedgehogs!! There is another larger hedgehog in this set. The winter sentiment is also from Lavinia. Those of you in the UK will know where to get their Lavinia stamps, in the US these stamps are available from Del Bellos Designs, remember, if you are a new costumer and shop through this referral link you will save $5 off your order. 

I used the Posca pen once again which I also purchased from Del Bellos, added a few sticky rhinestones and a die cut snowflake from Penny Black's Dancing Snowflakes die set, another item I bought on Cyber Monday. I'm definitely putting myself on a spending freeze now!

Hope you will join us at Allsorts challenge for our new theme. Remember it's a two week theme so you will have extra time to enter!

Thank you so much for visiting! I hope you have a great weekend. I'm am excited to watch my daughter dance in the Nutcracker Ballet this evening. Then things will slow down a bit here and I should have some time to make some Christmas cookies next week just in time for Christmas! It's been such a busy week full of rehearsals! 

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

You can read my other post for today by clicking on the image below:

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Linking up here:

Challenges:

A Gem of a Challenge - AG // Crafter's Castle - AG // Taylor Made Cards 4 U - AG or Most Beautiful Time of Year // CAS on Friday - Christmas CAS // Winter Wonderland - AG Christmas // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Winter // Krafty Chicks - CAS // Critter Crazy Challenges - Critter // Bastel-Traum - CAS // The Four Seasons Challenge - Winter // Christmas Craft Creations - Scenes // Paper Shelter - AG // Crafty Sentiment Designs - AG // A Place To Start - Blue Christmas // Double Trouble Challenges - Up to You (I chose Winter) // Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge - Cold as Ice // 

Always AG and Link Parties:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life

Lavinia Fairy Boy "Pan" and Bunny "Pipin" for a Scenic Winter Card

Hello and Happy Saturday! 

I'm sharing two cards today but I decided to write up two posts so they aren't getting too long, and first up is my reminder card for this month's Stamping Sensations challenge. This month the challenge is to choose our own themes, I went with masculine for my first December DT card and while this one is another masculine make, I'm naming this theme "Create a Scene" because it sounds like more fun :0)

I've had a long list of Lavinia animal stamps I wanted to purchase and I finally was able to narrow down my list. Not saying I don't want them all (because who doesn't) but had to decide on just a few to keep the cost of the order at around $100. I also ordered this boy fairy, two sentiments, two trees and some mushrooms along with a Posca pen to try. 

I wasn't sure if my order would arrive on time for me to make my cards, but Del Bellos Designs did ship so quickly and I received my order in just a few days. By the way for US costumers, I was given a referral code, and if you order through the link, new costumers should receive $5 off their first order. Otherwise, you may also find Lavinia Stamps on Amazon from private US sellers including Del Bellos Designs, but the New Costumer discount will only work on their website. 

I started with a small die cut circle for a moon mask and some torn copy paper for my hill then inked the sky using Distress Oxide inks (Antique Linen, Victorian Velvet, Wilted Violet, Blueprint Sketch and Chipped Sapphire). The sky is darker in real life, more like a night sky, but I used an OTT light for photographing and it made the card a bit brighter. 

I recently purchased this blending brush set from Amazon and they work really well for a light application but I did find that I had to blend a little longer than with my usual blending foams. 

Next, using more torn paper I added a few snow banks (I used Chipped Sapphire ink here and with one of my new blending brushes I was able to get a very light shadow for the snowbanks.)  Then I stamped the fairy boy (Pan) and rabbit (Pipin) using Versafine Onyx ink. I got a little black ink on an area where it shouldn't have been and - although a tiny mark - it bothered me so I decided to stamp some "grass" coming up here and there behind the snowbanks (using Lavinia Fern Leaf) to hide the imperfection. I used the same stamp around the edges. 

The pine tree is Lavinia's Fairy Fir tree small, stamped using Iced Spruce Distress Oxide ink. The verse at the top of the card is Lavinia's Snow Fall, stamped using Blueprint Sketch ink. A  Wink of Stella brush was used on the fairy wings for some sparkle. 

These stamps should all be available in the US at Del Bello's Designs and most probably also through Amazon. Remember, if you are a new Del Bellos costumer and would like to save $5 on your order, you can shop through this referral link. 

There was some chatter about what to use for snowflakes on our DT blog recently, and while I usually use masking fluid, a white Posca pen was mentioned and I thought I'd give it a try as they were also available from Del Bellos. I do like how these flakes (or stars) turned out and it's definitely less time consuming than masking fluid! 

Related Products:

If you would like to see my second card for today using 2 more new to me Lavinia stamps simply click here.

Thanks so much for visiting!

You can read my second post for today by clicking on the image below.

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Linking up here:

Challenges:

Challenge Up Your Life - Magical Christmas // Crafter's Castle - AG // Taylor Made Cards 4 U - AG or Most Beautiful Time of Year // We Love 2 Create - AG Creative Goes // Critter Crazy Challenges - Critter // The Four Seasons Challenge - Winter // Christmas Craft Creations - Scenes // Paper Shelter - AG // Crafty Sentiment Designs - AG // Double Trouble Challenges - Up to You (I chose Winter) // 

Always AG and Link Parties:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life

Christmas Mice with Faux Shiplap Background Paper Technique

Hello and welcome!

It's my turn to host this week's Allsorts challenge and the new challenge starts today! The theme I chose for this week is... Wings and/or Tails. Lots of options here so hopefully you'll play along with us for a chance to win. We're giving away 2 Woodware stamps this week, so there will be 2 winners. 

And here is what I made:

I recently mentioned that even though I have trouble coloring up digi stamps because of the ink smearing, sometimes I just can't resist them and this was another such occasion! 

This cutie was a recent release from Rachelle Anne Miller (PS: Coupon code SAVING10 should give you 10% off your order), I just fell in love with these huge ears, these mice are just so cute, I just had to have this image!

I colored the image with my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils, which is what I usually have to do with digi stamps. I do love the softer look of colored pencils and enjoy coloring when I have time, but it does take some extra planning as I don't always have extra time for coloring. I've been thinking about purchasing a laser printer so I can use other coloring mediums but then I'd rather spend the money on stamps or inks instead of a printer since the printer we have now does work fine otherwise.... 

The background paper was done using an easy DIY shiplap paper technique.

It really couldn't be easier, all you have to do is score heavy weight card stock at about 3/4 of an inch apart using a scoring tool (press hard for deep score lines) then use an ink pad of your choice to create a wooden texture. You hold the ink pad flat so you can ink up the raised (scored) lines and then naturally the ink pad will also touch some of the card creating a wooden look. I used Pumice Stone Distress Oxide ink on this card, but have done this with the Weathered Wood ink pad before. I've first learned of this technique from Karen's blog. 

The sentiment comes as part of the digi stamp, here I added it under the striped paper scrap. The heart frame die I used is by Avery Elle. I would have loved this star frame die more, but I don't have it yet and it seems like very time I place an Amazon order I forget about it!!

Quick Shopping Links:

Image above & Sentiment available HERE (Use code SAVING10 for 10% off)

Other products used available here:

Also used:

Cutterbee Scissors for Fussy Cutting

Stickles Glitter Glue

Foam Tape

Antique Linen Distress Oxide ink for inking the heart frame die cut

Thanks so much for visiting!

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

I'm linking up here:

Inspiration Station - Star Light Star Bright // Crafty Catz - Christmas Celebrations // Double Trouble Challenges - You Choose a Theme (I chose Christmas) // Cut It Up - Holiday Cards // Just Add Ink - Christmas // Winter Wonderland - Christmas // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Christmas // Krafty Chicks - Christmas // Little Red Wagon - Never Before Used (digi stamp is new and never used before) // Paper Shelter - Celebrations // The Paper Funday - Holidays // Christmas with the Cuties - Meet me under the mistletoe // Colouring in Scrapland - Christmas // Crafting Happiness Challenges - AG // Dream Valley Challenges - Christmas // Crafty Calendar - Christmas* // Challenge Up Your Life - Magical Christmas // Di's Digis Designs - Christmas //  CAS on Friday - Christmas // Colour Crazy Challenge - Coloring //  Die Cut Divas - Christmas *// Unicorn Challenge - Winter // Double Trouble Challenges  - Anything Goes and Snowflakes for Thing 3 // 

Always Anything Goes and Linky Parties:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life

Choose Your Own Theme at Stamping Sensations

It's the first Sunday of the month and that means it's time for a new theme at Stamping Sensations. This month everyone gets to select their own theme, so anything goes with stamping! Our prize comes from Stix 2  and the winner will receive a fabulous prize package of mount foam, foil, glitter and various glues and tapes.

So for my theme I selected "Forms of Transportation" and I made a masculine card. 

The stamp set is an older Tim Holtz stamp set - The Journey,  but I've only just recently purchased it because I really don't have that many masculine stamps. 

The background was done using Cracked Pistachio Distress Oxide ink and I flicked some water onto the inked background for a fun reaction. A couple of stencils (Penny Black Oscillations and Stampers Anonymous mini tile stencil - sorry can't find a link) and a stamp that was part of the same set was used on the background for some more interest. Chipped Sapphire Distress ink was used to stamp the vintage car. The image panel was then cut out using a Deckle die by Sizzix. Before adhering my card front I stenciled in some stripes with the Classy Stripes stencil. 

I always find stars work well for masculine cards and I found these in my box of extra die cuts from previous projects so I added them. The sentiment is from one of Penny Black's critter sets. I like this simple font for masculine cards.

Related Products You May Like:

Thanks so much for visiting! 

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

A Friendship Card with a Trio of Winter Gnomes

Hello and welcome! 

It's Saturday already and that means it's time for a new theme at Allsorts challenge. Lynn is hosting and her theme is "use a die". We have 2 prizes again - a choice of 3 digi stamps from Ruth Hamilton Designs and a beautiful Tattered Lace die for the second winner. Hope you'll join us for your chance to win!

I don't use digis too often anymore because I am limited with what coloring medium to use with them (due to the ink smearing) but sometimes I can't resist and that was the case with this cute winter gnome image from our sponsor Ruth Hamilton Designs that was just recently released.

I printed them out 3 times and colored using my Faber Castell Polychromos pencils. Then I fussy cut each one. 

I created my snowy scene using a retired border die set from Whimsy Stamps (this is a similar option but would be easy enough to cut by hand), and the tree die is from Penny Black's die set Beneath the Birches. 

The sentiment is from my favorite Christmas stamp set Season's Gifts by Penny Black. I added a couple snowflake die cuts to finish off the card. 

Thanks so much for visiting!

Digi available HERE

Other Products/Options Used:

(link directly to Amazon)

This post may include some affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase something through the links. As always, this is at no cost to you. Thank you so much for supporting this blog!

Linking up here:

Cupcake Inspirations - logo above

Crafty Calendar - Christmas // Challenge Up Your Life - Magical Christmas // Di's Digis Designs - Use a Digi //  CAS on Friday - Winter // Colour Crazy Challenge - Coloring // Aud Sentiments Challenge - Christmas or Winter // Cardz 4 Galz - It's Snowtime // Die Cut Divas - Winter // Mod Squad - Snowflakes // Unicorn Challenge - Winter // Double Trouble Challenges  - Anything Goes and Snowflakes for Thing 3 // 

Always Anything Goes and Linky Parties:

Taylor Made Cards 4 U // Crafter's Castle // 613 Avenue Create opt. twist watercolor // Crafty Creations // Creative Moments // Lemon Shortbread // Through The Craft Room Door // The Corrosive Challenges // A Bit More Time to Craft // A Perfect Time To Craft // Classic Design  Challenge * // Crafts Galore Encore // DL.Art Linky Challenge // Love to Craft // QKR Stampede // The Creative Crafters // World Wide Open Design Team Challenge // 

Dare to Share // Inspire Me Monday //  Link Up Potpourri //  Random-osity Good, Random, Fun // You're The Star Blog Hop Link Party @Stonecottage Adventures // Anything Goes with Your Hosts @ My Random Musings // Jenerally Informed The Happy Now  Thursday Favorite Things // Little Things Thursday // Encouraging Heart and Home @ Slices of Life