Challenge #30 for Unstampabelles - Final for Merry

WARNING: You might need to get a drink first!

Firstly some news: This challenge will be Merry's last one with this challenge blog called Unstampabelles. How sad are we all to see this day?  Very sad indeed.  Merry has been an excellent organiser for this great blog and a great friend to all the DT members. She is going to be missed big time.  This blog provides a chance for crafters who like to play with paper and ink and not always just with stamps!

Some more news: Remember previously I was talking about door opening and door closing and doors half-way open - if you read this blurb religiously you will perhaps remember that comment.  Anyhow, one new door was as a member of the DT at the Squirrel and the Fox which I love. Another half open door was the chance to run my own challenge blog.............and I thought and I thought and I had another gin, and I thought some more......and I finally decided that if I was going to die wondering that would be a shame! So, I have talked to Merry and.........very deep breath............ I will be taking over the running of Unstampabelles from January onward and we will see how it all pans out! So, Merry will be leaving but the blog will still be running, everything being equal!

Now, I will take another deep breath - keep breathing, keep breathing...... and we will go on;

 with the last challenge of Unstampabelles for 2013

Why, it's Christmas of course!

The sponsor for this month is .......drum roll........ MERRY!

And here is a photo of the prize she is offering

Prize includes:

Laser cut cards and card fronts - Christmas Designs

Card front designs pre-holed ready for stitching.

Card front designs with the stitching pattern printed on the card.

Christmas stickers.

3 types of star brads

Christmas foil shapes

Four pads of Sticky Notes

Now, for my contribution this time, I had a go at making up some cards from a freebie package given away with a magazine called Creative Cardmaking.  How many of us buy the magazines and then don't  know what to do with the stamps or papers or such.  They sit in bins or boxes and so I have made a decision - to either use them straight away or put them in my "give away" box that I have for school or grandchildren rather than horde them.

These papers were by Hot off the Press and were outstanding in quality and flexibility.  There were also three sheets of diecuts included with the set and a small  frame and sentiment stamp.   I made 11 cards - still have several pieces left from the die cuts, and at least three sheets of paper. Only two cards used the stamp. I initially CASed the suggested card designs from the magazine, but soon gave that away and went by instinct.

Here are all 11 cards - pretty colours

I used scraps up too - the white was left over from another card.  The sticker sentiment has been in my Christmas box for about four years now. Another thing used up!

A bit of ribbon and some dots of gold Perfect Pearls, as well as the stickers

See the dots of gold! Oh, a a bit of bling!

Some more bits of ribbon and the card blanks of course, trimmed on one side at the front for one of these. 

This is a CASed one - pretty isn't it

A sticker and a rub-on

Some dots of gold here too, and some paper lace

I like this trimmed edge thing so used it several times with the die cuts sticking over the edge. 

Again - some ribbon and bling

This ribbon bow came from some chocolates and the stamp is used here

The background paper here is a scrap of embossed music paper and the bling was added too. 

So, a lot of cards to add to the stash and a sense of achievement for getting rid of the freebie - of course, all the new stamps and papers that I have bought are still sitting there looking at me, and the new die cuts and stuff......guess you cannot have everything!

I will enter these in the following challenges: