Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Inspiration from the Design Team

Hello, Friends!

It's Kathy here, and I'm just popping in to share some great last minute Christmas inspiration from the design team.  We've been busy creating with two beautiful new digital art stamp sets from Sandy's workshop: Christmas Tree and Deer Christmas.

The Christmas tree set is huge!  There are 39 black and white images in this set along with 29 colorized images.  One of my favorites is the delightfully rustic tree and truck image that DT member Darlene Pavlick worked up into this vintage beauty:

I love the inking she's added around the edges, and the way she colored the images.  The Christmas tree in the bed of the truck is soooo pretty!

Diane Hover created this fun card with Santa on the telephone (calling to check on his parcel delivery, maybe?) using our Vintage Santa Digital Stamps.  I love the pops of red she added to her coloring and the great paper she selected from our Retro Christmas CD.





Diane also had fun creating a window card with the festive wreath in the Deer Christmas Stamps.




 I used this same wreath along with the adorable dancing mice.  When Sandy and I were previewing this stamp set, I fell in love with her adorable "deer mouse."  I asked her to make another one, wearing a tutu, and I was thrilled to find the concept in the final set.  I think you will agree, these are the cutest "mousies" ever!


I added lots of sparkle to their fabulous antler "tiaras."  Don't you just love them?

I'm sure you've noticed the popularity of botanical themes this Christmas season, especially those that use deer.  Look at this chic black and white Christmas card that Dar created with Deer Christmas:



I love the way she's combined the postcards, deer silhouettes and deer in the woods on this card.  All these wonderful images are part of the Deer Christmas set! Black and white is also a big trend in Christmas decor this year.

Everyone needs thank you notes after the holidays, and Darlene's design would be great to use for those, or as a masculine winter birthday card.  So many of the images on Deer Christmas can be carried over right into the winter season, which is always nice! Simply change the red accents to another color, and you have an almost instant card.  The sentiment medallion is also part of this wonderful stamp set.


So, how about you?  Do you have all your Christmas cards sent and all your preparations done?  Not me!  I've been so busy tying up loose ends with design team work, and planning fun events for the 2015 Linky Parties that I still have TONS of prep to do.  The shopping is done, and I've made a good start on decorating...but no baking...and we won't even talk about cleaning!  Yikes!  I'll share a photo with you of my little botanical Christmas tree.  We went to a smaller table top tree this year, and while I was worried that I wouldn't like it, I have to say, this is one of my all time favorite trees!



Here's hoping your Christmas and Hanukkah are filled with joy and creativity!

Cheerio,
kathy, Design Team Leader, Crafty Secrets



4 comments:

KT Fit Kitty said...

Love the gorgeous DT projects! Awesome tree too!

Darlene said...

Thanks for sharing a photo of your tree ... it's BEAUTIFUL and what a wonderful 'greeting'!

Redanne said...

Kathy, your tree is beautiful! The cards by the Design Team are all lovely - great inspiration.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.

Kathy/NorthCarolina said...

Thanks, ladies! Two days before Christmas now, and I just finished the last of my baking, and the presents are (almost) all wrapped. I get my hair done this afternoon, and then tomorrow evening we'll have our annual Christmas Eve appetizer party. Wishing each of you a blessed Christmas!