It's been a while...

Yeah, I guess you could say that it's been a while... I really don't have a good excuse. Of course, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season has been an obsticle, but what really kept me away from my blog, and stamps for that matter, is a little thing called disappointment. I had put some energy and hope into being chosen for a design team. Needless to say, I was not selected. This rejection really hurt my vanity ;-) and I began to question my creative ability. I have since, ironically, realized (what I believe to be) the main reason I was not chosen. Are you ready?? It's my lack of posting on my blog and participating in challenges! Oh well! I do this stuff for me anyway. I have found that in the past when I have taken on a job at a place that I truly loved, I end up hating it. Perhaps the same would be true for me here; although, there is quite a bit more gratification in the creative process.

Whew! Enough of my blabbering!! Here are a few cards that I sent out as Christmas cards. The first is a Whiff of Joy stamp called Charlie building Snowman. I used the latest Sketch for You To Try off of i{heart}tostamp. He is colored with my Copics, and my DH helped me to shade him a bit better. The Kraft background was run through with the Cuttlebug Snowflakes embossing folder and swiped with Palette New Canvas ink. Blue strip is SU Buckaroo Blue (retired) and the ribbon is PTI Pure Poppy. This little number also includes the SU felt snowflakes from the Holiday mini and the other two snowflakes are Martha Stewart punches. I adore snowflakes!!
This next one I made for my mom & dad. This cute Santa is from CC Designs. I stamped him in Memento Tuxedo black on PTI Vintage Cream and colored him with Copics. He is cut out with oval nesties and mounted on PTI Pure Poppy. His beard is white opal Liquid Pearls and his hat trim and cuffs have white fun flock on them. His belt is colored with a Sakura glaze pen so it's all shiny like pleather IRL and the buckle was colored with a metallic Fiskars pen. The PP is Basic Grey Wassail - I just love their Christmas papers!

This one uses the same WOJ stamp. Wish I would've seen Jen's sketch before putting this one together! Oh well! The image is still cute :)

Lastly, this is the Christmas card that I sent out for most of my Christmas cards. The embossing folder is a limited edition one that you can find *on sale* here. I just added a few rhinestones, a Martha punched snowflake and Voila! The sentiment tag is a Spellbinders tag and the sentiment is from the same set as the Santa above. This card was CASEd from here. I needed something quick and easy and this was too beatiful to pass up!

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and wish you the best in 2009! :o) lyss