A Merry Christmas to All My Blog Friends

Hi everyone and welcome back to the last of my posts before Christmas. Thank you so much for bearing with me over the past month+ - it's been so incredibly busy here, but with the last of the projects completed for now I'm hoping to get some time to catch up with all those wonderful comments and spend some precious time with the family! As previously promised I'm finishing up with my take on Tim Holtz December 2014 Tag.

This card needed to be special as it was created for and with my crafting bestie in mind - the wonderful Anne. I followed Tim's instructions for the base layer (using Weathered Wood rather than Faded Jeans) adding extra drips of Picket Fence Distress Spray Stain and a little Frayed Burlap Ink around the edges. The Watering Can Archival Stamping used the spruce sprigs stamp from the Christmas Blueprints 4 set.

I LOVED messing with the Distress Spray Stains on Specialty Paper. The mottled effects are quite something and die cut beautifully. And as this was made for Anne it was the perfect opportunity to use the Friends die with kraft core card. To make the words work I cut 'best' using the Lowercase Block Talk die - that seemed like the ideal thing to use the Distress Glitter on in the way Tim described.

Then it came to trying out Frosted sheets. If I'd used a patterned Texture Fades folder the detail of the holiday greenery would have been lost. Bring on one of the debossing folders! Boy it was all easy to use and no horrible lines from the edge of the folder either. By adding another piece of kraft core card below the debossing it not only made it stand out more, it also provided the place to attach the Frosted sheet to the card.

I know Tim added Pine Twine and various other embellishments to his tag but I just didn't want to detract from what was already in place, so I went with a sprig of holly leaves and berries and some of those gorgeous Mirrored Stars to complete the design. Even I'm thrilled with how this turned out, especially as it was for such an important friend.

I think the words on this card sum up beautifully what I've discovered since beginning this creative journey - I have found some of the best and most genuine friends ever along the way and even have the luck to work alongside so many of them.

To all of you out there who are lovely enough to stop by and visit my little part of blogland I wish you the happiest Christmas ever and hope the New Year brings you health and happiness. Take care of yourselves, Jenny xxx