Your Christmas Challenge cards

Good Sunday Morning ladies,

We wake this morning in the pretty town 'Millau', it's beautiful,  surrounded with mountains, it's a Ski resort in Winter and a very popular Paragliding resort and Water sport resort in Summer. The local caves are where Roquefort cheese is made and stored.  

Of course it is also home to the amazing Millau Bridge (Viaduct), a magnificent structure!  I will add a paragraph about it below, it's a tecord breaker!!

The Millau Viaduct (French: le Viaduc de Millau, IPA: [vjadyk də mijo]) is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the gorge valley of the Tarn near Millau in southern France. In a Franco-British partnership,^[2][3][4] it was designed by the French structural engineer Michel Virlogeux and English architect Norman Foster. As of November 2018, it is the tallest bridge in the world, having a structural height of 336.4 metres (1,104 ft).^[1]

Our little chalet has a lovely view of the  Bridge (Viaduct) too.

On with your amazing cards.....

Brenda

Brenda has made two stunning Christmas cards for this weeks Challenge, I love them both!

Brenda's first card is a beautiful Manger scene, (Brenda doesn't remember where die is from), the background paper is from an old Joanna Sheen paper pad.

Brenda hadn't realised the colour ink she was using for her second card until it was too late (Dapper Denim), but my goodness it works!!

The stamp set is called 'Star of Wonder '.

Your card is perfect Brenda, it looks like you planned it to perfection!!   

2 down, a few more to go, hehe!!

Thank you so much for taking part my lovely XXX 

Michele 

Five gorgeous Christmas cards from Michele for this weeks Challenge. 

I love that stunning frame die you have used Michele, it makes a simple yet perfect Christmas card.

The little set of four cards are just so adorable,  i love the little characters, Little Clare did sime beautiful images such a shame they have closed.

Michele's Description:

"My Christmas cards for this weeks challenge. I tried to use non festive Dies to add to the challenge! The Green & White one is a Die from The Works and the other 4 are Spellbinders with toppers from Little Clare. Wish I’d bought more as they seem to have gone out of business."

Thanks Michele for taking part in this weeks Challenge.  XXX 

Lilian 

Lilian has made a stunning Christmas card for this weeks Challenge using a combination of techniques,  it looks like she has used a mask to create those corner pieces that frame that gorgeous Poinsettia. 

I love the paper you have used for the Ponsettia (Stamperia of course), you have inspired me as I never think to use patterned paper for die cutting flowers. 

Lilian used the Original Spellbinders Poinsettia die (which i think is one of the best ) to create that beautiful centre piece. I think the foliage might be Tim Holtz.

I will add Lilian's recipe below:

Old Spellbinders poinsettia dies.

Paper Stamperia.
Random stencil
Sticklers gold glitter.

Thank you so much Lilian for taking part and creating such a stunning card XXX

val

Val has made a fantastic card,  I love those dangly bits, such a fun card, your background is beautiful too. I also really like how you have offset the ribbon. 

An amazing Christmas card, thank you so much Val for taking part XXX 

Janet

Wow Janet, 4 gorgeous Christmas cards from you for this weeks Challenge.  

The first cards look a Clean and Simple design, perfect for batch card making.

The 2nd card would be perfect for a Harry Potter fan, as the owl looks just like Hedwig!  I love the owl papers you have used, unusual for Christmas  but they work beautifully. 

Card 3 also features an Owl,  the setting for this card with the lanterns looks more 'traditional' Christmas card style. I love how you have given it the shabby look by tearing the edges.

Card 4 is just stunning, I love that vintage look that you have achieved Janet,  it looks really 3D, have you decoupaged the images?

Thank you so much fot four amazing Christmas cards Janet XXX

 Maria

Maria has used a gorgeous Thomas Kinkade topper for her Christmas Challenge card, I love his work, we have some of his Jigsaw puzzles and they are stunning.

I love how he uses the light to create seasons,  mood etc. A very clever artist.

If you look closely you can see that Maria has decoupaged the image, giving it even more depth and dimension.

I love your layering too Maria, using the soft gold between the layers has bought the card together! 

Thank you so much Maria for a stunning Christmas card. XXX

Lynda

Lynda discovered some of her stunning handmade backgrounds, so she used them to make this stunning collection of Christmas cards, your backgrounds are always so amazing Lynda, you are a background genius!!!

Lynda's Description:

" I made the backgrounds a while back,

The darker ones are spectrum knor sparkle pens I just  painted with the pens across the page

The gold one is a mica  powder.

&the silver & gold is polished silk just rubbed across page

Last one is shaving foam. "

Thank you so much Lynda, your cards are amazing,  you make me want to make backgrounds too!! XXX

Karen

Karen ran out of time this week as she had so many leaving cards to make, added to that a really busy weekend.  

She told me she felt terrible,  I said i would find a couple of older ones and that would be fine, particularly as you never miss a week my lovely. 

So I found these two amazing Christmas cards, the first is a Sue Wilson Stained Glass die, I'm not to sure about the other  could be John Lockwood. 

Thank you Karen for always supporting the Challenges, I hope you have a great weekend XXX 

Pat

Pat has been busy finishing her Groovi Christmas cards and sent me lots for this weeks Challenge,  I am sharing 4 today, the rest I will share on the blog during the week as I think they deserve having a day to themselves.

Pat each of your cards is a work of art, absolutely stunning! 

Thank you so much for taking part in this weeks Challenge XXX 

Ladies, thank you all for taking part , you have all made a start on those Christmas cards at last  for me its a huge relief, although I will say that only you, my special friends and my Mum in Law get handmade cards, as they are expensive to post, the rest get a bought one, I feel mean but when someone goes to the time and trouble to make Christmas cards you treasure it, thats why I send them to my fellow crafters, who know exactly what is involved and that "you haven't made it because you're too tight to buy one " (my mums words)!  Hahaha!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend  my lovelies, 

Love and hugs to all of you,

Sandra 

XxxxxxX