Get Cracking on Christmas 2022 - December & a giveaway!

Hi Everyone,

I don't know how it is even possible, but it's almost Christmas, eeek! I hope you're all more-less prepared? I am done with most of the things I was hoping to be done with, but - as always - there are still a few bits & bobs outstanding... Upwards and onwards, WE CAN DO IT!

[by the way, if you are searching for a fun & personalised book to gift to someone this Christmas, why not check out my post here?] 

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If you are unfamiliar with the Get Cracking on Christmas initiative, please check out Jenn Shurkus's blog here. 

I have been having a bit of a crafting hiatus this year, due to a complicated house move & loads of renovations afterwards, so I sadly only managed to participate in Christmas card making (and any kind of card making for that matter!) a few times over the past few months. 

Here's the summary of my Get Cracking on Christmas of 2022:

Which one if your favourite? I am obsessed with the MFT Polar Bear one, but each of them represents something that I enjoy & like. 

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And now, for the GIVEAWAY part (for those of you who participated last year & earlier this year - I am keeping it the same, as everyone seems to really enjoy this idea!)...

I am giving away 1 stamp set (with coordinating dies, if applicable) or 1 die set, up to the value of €15, from my Instagram Destash Page (@destashbymirella) - so the real value of the item you choose might be much higher than that, really, since my destash prices are of course already reduced in comparison to the original prices of the products. There are both new and used stamps/dies there, so it's up to you what you want to choose! If you prefer a few smaller items instead of one bigger one - we can chat about that, too! It's meant to be fun! :o)

Rules?

- be my follower on Instagram (@handmadebymirella), following my destash page (@destashbymirella) or this blog is optional but always welcome :o)

- leave me a comment here, letting me know what caught your eye on the destash page (that doesn't mean that this is what you have to choose as your prize, if you are the winner - we can agree on that later); alternatively, let me know which of the above cards is your favourite & why

- I will choose the winner after Christmas, on December 27th, and will announce them here in this blog post. The winner will then have 2 weeks to contact me, via the "Contact me" tab on the blog

- Please note that I cannot guarantee that all of the items currently listed on my destash page will still be available there on and after December 27th, since I might make sales from it in the meantime (I doubt it, since people usually shop for other things around Christmas, but you never know!). But I do hope that you will find something for yourself there either way :o)

- open internationally, and if for some reason I am unable to post the prize out, due to Covid 19 restrictions or others, we'll come up with a solution, I'm sure!

Updated on December 27th:

THE WINNER IS DENISE BRYANT - CONGRATULATIONS! Please reach out to me via the Contact Me tab, let me know what you have chosen and what your address is, & I'll arrange for the prize to be sent out. You'll have until January 10th to claim your prize. 

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The last few years brought a few nasty surprises to the world, 

so here's to hoping that 2023 is THE year of positive change! 

As always, stay safe & crafty (I am wishing that the second part comes true for me!),

Mirella

Get Cracking on Christmas 2022 - Christmas in July

Hi Everyone,

I think I write this every month, but somehow time seems to be totally flying - can you believe that it's July already?! 

This July is a special & quite complex one for our little family - it's my birthday month (there was no time for big celebrations, but maybe next year!), but also the month when we finally get to move houses, have many friends and family from abroad visiting, and when my youngest daughter will need a few procedures done in the hospital. Lots of positive excitement, stress, a bit of anxiety... but I am staying positive, and fingers crossed that I'll have nothing but good news for you in August! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, please. 

In terms of crafting, 2022 has been pretty poor for me so far, due to other things happening in our lives, but I am excited to create a little crafty nook for myself in our new house, and hopefully at least some aspects will become less hectic now... Lots of (probably years of) renovations ahead of us, so let's see how it all pans out! 

If you are unfamiliar with the Get Cracking on Christmas initiative, please check out Jenn Shurkus's blog here. 

This month, we are celebrating "Christmas in July", and so some of us might have sweet surprises/giveaways for you! Want to know what mine is? Keep reading! 

I have a relatively simple card to share with you today, but I have to say - I am really loving the result, and might make a few more in various colour combos & even backgrounds made with various mediums! 

As you know, I have only recently started playing with alcohol inks (yes, I am totally late to that party!), and - whilst I was practising - I ended up making quite a lot of various backgrounds. One of these got used for today's creation. 

I am generally a fun/cute critter and a punny sentiment kind of gal, but today it's all about the traditional sentiment, bling and... not so 100% traditional colours! In fact, when my daughter saw the finished card, she was first mesmerised by all the bling, but then she asked "Why is there no red colour, mama?"... Well here you go, I am a rule breaker! LOL

This fun sentiment stamp is by Trinity Stamps, and since I love its price point and potential - I I wanted to share it with you early enough in the year, before it sells out closer to Christmas! 

I hope you enjoyed this bling galore! Do you think non-traditional Christmas colours are okay, or are you personally more about the reds, the greens and the gold? I, actually, am a bit of both!

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And now, for the GIVEAWAY part (for those of you who participated last year - I am keeping it the same, as everyone seems to really enjoy this idea!)...

I am giving away 1 stamp set (with coordinating dies, if applicable) or 1 die set, up to the value of €15, from my Instagram Destash Page (@destashbymirella) - so the real value of the item you choose might be much higher than that, really, since my destash prices are of course already reduced in comparison to the original prices of the products. There are both new and used stamps/dies there, so it's up to you what you want to choose!

Rules?

- be my follower on Instagram (@handmadebymirella), following my destash page (@destashbymirella) or this blog is optional but always welcome :o)

- leave me a comment here, letting me know what caught your eye on the destash page (that doesn't mean that this is what you have to choose as your prize if you are the winner - we can agree on that later)

- I will choose the winner on the 6th of August, and announce them here in this blog post. The winner will then have 2 weeks to contact me, via the "Contact me" tab on the blog

- Please note that I cannot guarantee that all of the items currently listed on my destash page will still be available there on and after August 6th, since I might make sales from it in the meantime. But I do hope that you will find something for yourself there either way :o)

- open internationally, if for some reason I am unable to post the prize out, due to Covid 19 restrictions or others, we'll come up with a solution, I'm sure!

Winner [post edited on August 6th]:

Thank you so much for commenting & participating in my giveaway! The random number generator chose comment number 5 as the winner, so Janis - congratulations, and please contact me with your name & address details, as well as the prize you would like me to send your way! :o)

Stay safe and crafty Peeps, and good luck with the giveaway

Mirella

SUPPLY LIST (please see affiliate disclaimer & essential supplies info here):

FROM TRINITY STAMPS:

Jingle all the way stamp set

FROM SCRAPBOOK.COM:

 

FROM SIMON SAYS STAMP:

Trinity Stamps: Jingle all the way stamp set (sorry, no photo for some reason!)

Waffle Flower A2 Layers dies (sorry, no pic for some reason!)

Studio Katia: Gold sparkle crystals (as above!)

Get Cracking On Christmas 2021 - September

Hi Everyone,

And so it is September already! My 6 year old recently asked me, how many days until Christmas, and I realised that it's just around the 100 day mark now, wow! Time really does fly...

If you are new to Get Cracking on Christmas, please check out Jenn's blog here - she is the master-mind behind this initiative, and is the best one to explain it! :o)

Today's cards were inspired by a piece of patterned paper that a friend of mine gave me. They are three very easy designs, mostly made out of die cuts, and some small bit of stamping/heat embossing/splattering or simply doodling. Funnily enough, the third card was made out of scraps I was considering throwing away, and I think it's actually my favourite of them all now!

For the first card, I was planning to use only die cuts, but in the end I opted to lightly stamp the deer image - I think it looks better that way. I added some "scenery" detail with a white coloured pencil, snowflakes stamped with VersaMark Ink, and there is some golden detailing on the deer itself (see close-ups). A delicate gold heat embossed sentiment, and voila - ready! Apologies for the not so great photos - the weather has not been kind here recently, plus somehow my camera got confused with the limited colour palette on the card!

The second card is probably the closest one to the patterned paper that inspired me in the first place - I couldn't believe it when I saw these little tree clusters amongst my stamp sets (by the way, I tried to link to all the sets used at the bottom of the post... I am sorry, I used a random mix of stamp & die sets, to match the ideas I had in my head...you definitely don't need them all to create a similar look - challenge yourself to see what you have in your stash & use that! You might have to, since some of the sets are retired already, LOL)!

And finally, the card made of "scraps" and leftovers... I was doodling on these trees purely for fun, as I was then going to throw them away... In the end, they helped me create my favourite card for today. One woman's trash can be the same woman's treasure, as it turns out, LOL!

Here is the patterned paper that I used for inspiration. Now I challenge you - create something inspired by this patterned paper, and let me know in the comments where I can see your makes! 

Stay safe and crafty,

Mirella

SUPPLY LIST (please see affiliate disclaimer & essential supplies info here):

"Peace on Earth" sentiment - is from Quiet Christmas by Hello Bluebird 

Most of the sentiments & some of the trees - "Trio of trees" by MFT (retired)

Deer die cuts - "Delightful Deer" by MFT (I believe also retired?)

FROM TRINITY STAMPS SHOP:

Joyeux Noel Stamp Set 

Joyeux Noel Coordinating Die set

FROM SIMON SAYS STAMP: