Keeping Christmas - March 2019

Good Morning!

There is just one week of March left.  It looks like it is going to go out like a lion instead of a lamb. It's been very breezy here in NC the last few days, and the forecast for the last days is rain.  So it seems like it is going to go roaring out. At least it's been warming up and things are beginning to bud and bloom. Spring is here.

Ok, so you're probably confused with me talking about spring when the post says "Keeping Christmas".  Well, it is March 25th and while spring may be in the air, the monthly Keeping Christmas Inspiration Blog Hop is always on the 25th of each month. It is designed to give you some holiday inspiration throughout the year to help spur on some Christmas mojo and help you build your Christmas card stash.

I have to admit I woke up last Monday in a panic thinking it was the 25th and my project wasn't finished.  The past two weeks my crafty time and creative mojo has taken a hit due to some major plumbing issues we are having.  It is now going on the third week and we still don't know how extensive the problem is, what the actual cost will be or how long the repairs will take.  We've had to fire one plumber and hire a new one so we are hoping things will move along a little quicker now.  It does make me want to just close myself up in my craft room and not "adult" much right now.  Particularly since I've also been ill several times in the last month.  Why do things always seem to come in bunches, at least the not so good things? 

Anyway, I got it done and here it is ---- 

I decided to look through my current stash of Christmas backgrounds, die cuts and other unfinished pieces that were waiting to be made into cards.  We all have supplies like that, that we made for one thing and then it didn't work out or maybe ran out of time to finish others.  Whatever the case, I think sometimes just pulling out some previously created backgrounds, die cuts or stamped images and pulling them together can help get the flow going again.  That's what I did here.  I had the background image and sentiment already stamped from when I created a bunch of backgrounds with the similar stamp set in January.  So I decided to keep everything monochromatic by swiping the front of a cardbase with the same ink color as my background image and sentiment, It's A Boy, by Catherine Pooler.  I had the stitched label die already cut as well and swiped it with the same ink.  After gluing everything together, I added the blue heart enamel dots and clear gems to finish it off.  Probably the quickest card I've pulled together.  This would definitely be an easy card to mass produce in different monochrome colors from scratch as well, using a Misti to line up the stamps for the background and just switch out the cardstock and ink color.  

Now, hop along the Design Team below and see what everyone has created.  There is always a plethora of different projects to fit just about anyone's style, from shabby chic, graphic to clean and simple.  Take any or all of it to inspire you in your Christmas card creating.

Kelly Lunceford

Anita Madden

Broni Holcombe

Claire Broadwater

Julee Tilman

Kim Heggin

Lori Tecler

Nance Salkeld (You are HERE)

Nina Forsyth

Vicki Finger

Nancy Guse

Keeping Christmas Blessings!