3 LAST XMAS CARDS & 4 ART JOURNAL SPREADS

Hello hello!
The birds in the garden got a refill in their feeders, my coffee is next to the keyboard and the tealights are lit. Here we go!

I hope you are fine out there, three days before Christmas Eve. In many countries Christmas Day is the main thing, but here in Sweden it's the 24th that's the major day. The day Santa Claus brings gifts to the children!

When I'd done 15 Christmas cards my inspiration came to an end. A total stop! But at one point I thought I would probably do none at all, so fifteen is not bad (and I don't mass produce). 
Here's one of the last ones.

Glittery swirly things are from Panduro

This card is themed, but only the recipient will understand!

The Christmas bauble diecut is from Memory Box. Snowflakes and tiny Xmas trees are made by punches.


Also did some art journaling spreads, looooove doing them!

Just messing around with Distress Inks and a stencil from Netto! Cutouts from Daphne's Diary. Crazy indeed!  😵
  
I'm afraid this time of year is crazy in general for many of you out there, with way too much stress....

Here I've played with gelatos and sprays on leftover diecuts! Bark hearts from Netto. 

The seahorses are made with gingerbread cookie molds (pepparkaksformar). The shiny bubbles are Perfect Pearls powder.
As you may have gathered I'm not really into minimalism...!!

For gingerbread cookies!

I finished this decoupage spread last night

Got this napkin from a friend who bought it in Iceland! Love the polar bear, how adorable! 💙 I've had the alpha stickers for eight years! Silvery stamping with Archival Pigment Ink Pad, Brilliance.

Since it's handmade paper in this album with lots of structure, it's certainly not an optimal background to stamp on.

There's supposed to be snow this Christmas, I hope the weather guys are right!

Don't want the snow in February, as is common here!

Today it's winter solstice (vintersolståndet) - YAY! From now on the light will return. 

I don't usually really notice that until February, but it's good to know it surely is happening (I really dislike that it gets dark around 3.30 pm). Let there be light!

I really hope Your Christmas will be full of joy, peace and a chance to relax.

Take care now,



                      Meja  🎅

FIVE XMAS CARDS ON 3RD OF ADVENT

Hello out there Crafters!
Hope you are all doing good this third week of Advent. Guess almost all of you are finished doing Christmas cards at this point. I've still got one more to do!

Here are a few more cards since my last blog post.

The two glittery blue diecuts are from Memory Box

Quite a traditional card for my aunt & her husband 

(they've got 3 children and a dog!)

Pink & purple remains my favourite colours!

Diecut with candles is also from Memory Box. The cabochon in the upper right corner is Vivi Gade, bought in Norway (but Danish brand!).
This card is for a young woman from Romania, and I've been writing in Romanian on the other side, using Google Translate. I sure hope the translation isn't completely mad....!!  😮

All the background papers here and above is from Panduro, designed by Norwegian Vibeke Spigseth. Love the tiny birds!


While writing this blog I keep hearing the chirping (kvittrandet) from the birds outside. I so enjoy that happy sound!

We make sure that the 'fluffballs' has food daily, and I also change their water. My beloved husband has built 8(!) bird houses (nest boxes), that he painted today.
There's actually a tiny bit of snow this Sunday.

Nothing like this yet, I took this photo in Febryary!

While it's been lots of fun making Christmas cards, I do look forward to get into art journaling again!

March this year. Why does the snow always have to come after Christmas here in Sweden?!

Hope that you will all have a great week to come!

Thanks for stopping by!

5 XMAS CARDS & A MINIALBUM

Holy smokes! A little while ago I was out in the garden to fill up the feeders for the cute house sparrows and other tiny birds. 
A few minutes later I glanced out the window and spotted a bird of prey (rovfågel) on one of our garden chairs. Heeelp! Think it could've been a peregrine falcon (pilgrimsfalk). I've a phobia for big birds.....!! I sure hope it won't return!  😰

So the Christmas card craze has started. Wasn't sure that I would make any this year, but suddenly I felt like doing some (I don't do any if I feel stressed or pressured to do so). Felt like using up old stash, that sure feels good!

Some hot 'glögg' (mulled & spiced wine), tealights and Advent lights to get into the Christmas mood!

Glögg is a typical Swedish Christmas drink, with or without alcohol. It's much sweeter than glühwein, that is common in Germany and Austria. 
Glögg is spiced with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove, peppercorn and Seville orange. Most Swedes also have raisins and peeled almonds in the cup. It's delicious - especially when it's cold outside!

No snow here yet, this is from February this year

Over to some of the Xmas cards I've done so far.

Bought the baubles and bells in 2011 at Syzzla (shop closed)! The green embellishments & glitter tapes are from Netto. The mitten (tumvanten) is a die from American brand Scrapbooking Cottage (that I bought in Norway!).

Using papers that I've had forever. Cut the Santa out from an old Christmas decoration that my husband found in a box. Edge punches are from Swedish store Ica Maxi!

The transparency embellishment square is from JLC Memories, bought at HC Design in Svedala, Sweden.

This is the back of the card above. I do a little something on the other side of my cards, don't like to leave empty spaces! Sleigh die from Sizzix.

Christmas stocking from Netto. Background paper from Panduro.

This simple card is for a male cousin. I find it so much easier to make cards for females!


A while ago I sent a mini album to a friend who was going through really tough times.

Did the card some years ago at a class led by Marie Linder from Swedish craft store Skaparlusten. I no longer remember how to do the album..... 
Marie has a Youtube channel though; mariescrapbooking. She has got 156 videos on how to make amazing albums in all sizes, so I'm sure you'll find something you like amongst them all!!   😮

Are you done with all your Xmas cards? I'm not! I'll continue doing them as long as I find it enjoyable (one year I didn't do a single one!).

Pic taken Nov 22nd

Love the tiny 'fluffballs'! They've got a good appetite, they eat half a tube a day on each of the two seed feeders. We also have a pipe for tallowballs.   

Here in the south of Sweden there are seldom snow at Christmas unfortunately. It would be easier to really get into the Christmas spirit of things if there were snow outside. It usually falls three-four weeks after the holidays....!
Pic above taken at our cottage in February this year.

If you're a mother or a grandmother (or other!) and like to craft with children, have you seen the YT channel Emily's Small World? It's Marta Lapkowska's oldest daughter who started her own channel! Emily does Christmas decorations that everyone can make. It's also a really good way for the child to practice English. Check it out!

This is me on February 17th this year

Thank you very much for stopping by my blog, I really appreciate it! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

Hope you're having a very cozy and snug December!

All the best & happy crafting!