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 - April 2022

Hi Everyone,

Hope you're all doing well! I have been taking a break from crafting for a while (again! ugh), and I probably won't be back "full time" for a while yet, but hey - I am here today! :o)

This year, just like last year, I am joining Jenn Shurkus in her "Get cracking on Christmas" initiative - we will be encouraging each other, and our readers/followers, to create something Christmassy every month. It can be a card, a tag, a decoration... whatever you really want to! It saved me two years in a row now, with having enough cards in my stash for posting out in late November/early December. No stress, no drama - love it!

Do you want to join in? You can read all about it on Jenn's blog here.

Today's card is a cute winter scene, created with some alcohol inks and goodies by MFT and Mama Elephant. I have only started playing with my alcohol inks in the last few weeks, and I am far from where I would like to be with this medium, but the learning curve is so fun with these! I wish I had more time to play, though, but I know that one day - the time will come! It has to! LOL

Have you tried using alcohol inks yet? 

I sat one evening and created a lot of various backgrounds - and now I am trying to find a way to use them. I thought that the one used for this card was apt for a winter background, with the greens, teals/blues and a touch of yellow. It also happened to go more-less with the current colour challenge over at the MFT blog, which was a nice bonus!

Here's the finished card - what do you think? 

I am considering adding some sequins to it - should I, or do you think I should leave it the way it is? All ideas are welcome!

Stay safe and crafty,

Mirella

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

Stamp set: MFT, Frosty Friends for the image & Christmas Selfies for the sentiment (appears to be discontinued? But can be still purchases from smaller retailers, like Seven Hills Crafts here)

From Scrapbook.com:

 

From Simon Says Stamp: