Busy Hands Crafting Blog

I finally finished my Christmas socks! I'm tickled with the way they turned out and can't wait to give them to their recipients. Pattern: Favorite Socks by Kristin Lehrer Yarn: Knit Picks Felici

Cold weather = a reason to make a new hat! A chunky, slouchy cable beanie with a faux fur pom pom. ❤ Was destined to be too small, so I frogged it and started over. Cast on 90 sts and then increased to 100 sts before starting cables. Made longer (about 9 3/4 in) to make a slouch. Pattern: First Snow  by The Vulgar Knitter Needle Size:  US 10 - 6.0 mm Yarn:  Knit Picks Chroma Twist Bulky

After making six cards this weekend, I was really starting to run out of steam at this point. This card was filled with issues, but I'm still fairly pleased with it. I stamped the scene with black ink and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder. I then ink blended the sky using five different Distress Ink colors. I heat embossed the sentiment on some vellum using white embossing powder, wrapping the ends around the edges. I added some stars to finish it off. Products Used: Hero Arts Greatest Gift Distress Inks VersaFine Ink VersaMark Ink WOW Embossing Powder

I really wanted a subtle, yet elegant look for this card. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out! I dry embossed the background using this lovely embossing folder from Spellbinders. I added a little bit of ink blending here and there to "age" it a bit. I then stamped the background for the cross and then die cut it out. I also die cut the poinsettia at this point, too. I added some ink blending to the edges of all my die cuts. I stamped the sentiment on some cream colored card stock and popped up the just the middle with a large foam square. I also popped the cross up on some little foam squares, to give it some dimension. Products Used: MFT Cross Die-namics Dee's Distinctively Dies Poinsettia Spellbinders Overlapping Circles Embossing Folder Hero Arts Greatest Gift MFT Wood Plank Background Distress Inks VersaFine Ink

This card has all the bling going on! I die cut all the snowflakes and "assembled" them. I then adhered them onto my card, after finding a layout I liked. I heat embossed the sentiment and die cut it out, along with two glitter strips. Lastly, I added the snowflake sequence -- because there wasn't enough bling going on already! Products Used: Sizzix/Tim Holtz Paper Snowflakes Dies MFT Die-namics Slanted Sentiment Strips SSS Glitter Paper Pack Penny Black Joy & Happiness VersaMark Ink WOW Embossing Powder

Fun card! I stamped the background using Kraft colored ink and the Wood Plank Background. I then cut out a circle from the same kraft card stock and stamped the sentiment. I then die cut all the pine branches out of two green card stocks and began gluing them around the circle, making sure to fill in any empty spots. I then die cut the bow, assembled it, and attached it to my wreath. I finished it off with some glitter pen for some festive bling. Products Used: Concord & 9th Take a Bough Dies Cottage Cutz Basic Circle Dies MFT Dainty Bows Die-namics MFT Hand Lettered Holiday MFT Wood Plank Background VersaFine Ink MFT Premium Dye Ink

So, I'm insane. I decided to make fourteen DIFFERENT Christmas cards this year. FOURTEEN. What??? Basically, I had all these random Challenge cards sitting around and I didn't want them to go to waste, so I decided just to add to them with other cards made from products from other companies. I have to say, it's been a lot of fun. I obviously LOVE My Favorite Things and their amazing products, but I do have quite a collection of items made by other companies that I really wanted to use. So, I did. This card is one of my favorites from the bunch. I stamped the background using a tone-on-tone technique. I die cut the poinsettia pieces out and inked the edges with Distress Inks. I did the same thing with the sentiment. I really love the way it turned out! Products Used: Dee's Distinctively Die Poinsettia SSS Merry Christmas Script MFT Musical Notes Background SSS Glitter Paper Pack Distress Inks MFT Premium Dye Ink

I love, love, LOVE this new Cross Die-namics from MFT! I didn't have a MFT poinsettia set, so I improvised and used an old Stitched Flower set. I do try really hard to use only MFT items on these challenges -- which is a challenge in itself. I stamped the cross with the Wood Plank Background using Hot Fudge ink. I then used the left over to make a matte for my panel. The sentiment is heat embossed onto vellum and then wrapped around my front panel. Products Used: MFT Cross Die-namics MFT Sensational Stitched Flowers MFT Wood Plank Background MFT Beautiful Blessings MFT Premium Dye Inks VersaFine Ink WOW Embossing Powder

I went back to basics on this one and decided to make some simple, colorful Christmas trees! I die cut five sizes of triangles from three different colors of patterned paper, die cut a square out of kraft card stock, and then a star out of yellow card stock. I then created my "scene" using blue and white card stock, creating the snow drifts just by cutting wavy strips with a pair of scissors (seriously -- nothing fancy, here!). I then glued my trees behind the snow drifts, popping the tops up on some foam squares. I stamped the sentiment, cut it into a thin strip, and then glued it to my panel, popping the ends up with foam tape, also. Add some glitter to the stars and tops of the drifts and boom -- done! Products Used: MFT Birthday Blowout 6x6 Paper Pack SSS Perfect Shapes Dies Generic Star Dies MFT Filled with Joy VersaFine Ink Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen SSS Craft Tacky Glue Doubled Sided Foam Squares

Finished up this custom pom pom beanie for someone. Hope he loves it. =) Pattern: Be Loving by Melissa Simpson Yarn: Random Stash Acrylic Yarn

I really love how this card went together. I die cut the images and then stamped them. I stamped the background with the knit stitch background and the sentiment. I popped up the images on foam tape for dimension. I just love it! <3 Products Used: MFT Winter Warmth MFT Hand Lettered Holiday MFT Premium Dye Inks Copic Sketch Markers Double Sided Foam Squares Tombow Xtreme Adhesive

I needed a baby card soon-ish, so I decided to use this week's Sketch to make one. I love the soft colors and sparkly stars! Products Used: MFT Die-namics Stitched Scallop Basic Edges Generic Stitched Star Dies MFT Welcome Baby MFT Super Boy MFT Homespun Gingham 6x6 Paper Pack MFT Watercolor Wash Brights 6x6 Paper Pack MFT Premium Dye Inks VersaFine Ink Nuvo Aqua Shimmer Pen SSS Craft Tacky Glue Double Sided Foam Tape

A clean and simple masculine birthday card for a family member. Products Used: MFT True Blue Houndstooth 6x6 Paper Pack Hero Arts Many Everyday Messages MFT Sassy Pants Birthday Greetings VersaFine Ink Tombow Xtreme Adhesive SSS Craft Tacky Glue

I call this card "I tried". Ha! I taped off the bottom part of my panel and inked it up with embossing ink. I then used a glittery snow embossing powder to create a sparkly hill for my bear to sled down. I then stamped my images using the same embossing ink and used white embossing powder. I filled in the trees with the snow glitter embossing powder so they would match my hill using an embossing pen. I then colored my bear and sled using colored pencils and then fussy cut him out. The red pencil dyed my embossing lines pink, so instead of scrapping it, I went with it and colored over the lines with red Sharpie. It is what it is -- a last minute entry for this week's Sketch. Products Used: MFT Cooler with You (retired) Prismacolor Colored Pencils VersaMark Ink WOW Embossing Powder Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pen Ranger Emboss It Pen Sakura Glaze Pen SSS Craft Tacky Glue Tombow Xtreme Adhesive