River of Dreams @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Kate's turn to choose the challenge and she's going with Billy Joel songs this year, and first up it's "River of Dreams" which means she would like to see projects to do with nighttime or dreaming etc.

I made my very first tag for Christmas 2026.....

....and went with a snowy nighttime scene.  Got the word night as well as a tiny moon by the sentiment (that is actually on the sentiment stamp, so no extra stamping there) on there too.

Looking at it now, I wish I had taken the time to put different shades of yellow for the light in the windows rather than just slapping a rectangle of yellow cardstock on the back of the die cut.  Next time....well maybe.  Oh, and I both embossed and debossed the snowflake background and that was definitely a style decision and not because I put the tag in backwards at first. 

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Can You Handle the Pressure?:  anything with embossing goes - Sizzix snowflake embossing folder

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

ABC Christmas:  A is for anything goes

Crafty Gals:  anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky:  winter wonderland

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  spots and dots

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie:  inspiration photo

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

Moving Along with the Times:  use dies

Christmas Bingo:  O - stitching, twine, patterned paper

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Make My Monday:  patterned paper

Simon Says:  emboss it

Happy New ?? @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge - the first one of 2026 - and she's very fittingly going with "Happy New??" which means she wants to see you fill in the blank.  It could be new as a theme, like baby, home or job or it could be new stash, or a new technique....if it's "new" it's in!

This is what I did....

I went with a New Year card.  It went across the pond to a lovely crafty friend in France.  Did you know that Christmas cards aren't typically given in France?  Cards are primarily sent for for the new year rather than Christmas.  If you would like to read more about that tradition, you can read this post.  

Now, said lovely crafty friend is originally from the USA, so I know she wouldn't mind if I sent her a Christmas card.  I must admit, I do like that I get to make a card for the new year, rather than Christmas.  I tend to get all Christmas carded out, so making something different is a treat.

Digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.  This card started out with completely different patterned papers, and quite a bit of gold mirror cardstock.  In the end I decided the card was just too fancy for the image....so fancy it had me cutting out gold mirror stars to replace the polka-dotted ones as they just didn't go.  I finally started from scratch and had it turn out like this (or you could say, much better!).  I did discover you can print on gold mirror cardstock, which I wasn't sure about until I tried.  (I used a laser printer, not sure if an inkjet would work.)  I saved the other card and used it for something different....stay tuned for that reveal.  (:

Oh, and I foiled the banner, which you can't see in the photo, of course.  But I always like to take that money shot as proof.....

I do love foiling.  (:

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Crafty Calendar:  anything new

Sweet Stampin':  new

Craft Rocket:  something new

Shopping Our Stash:  free is good - Digi is a freebie

613 Avenue Create:  cheers to the new year

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Aud Sentiments:  anything goes + sentiment

Christmas [or not] Bingo:  I - square, layers, free

Inkspirational:  shiny

Simon Says:  something new

Use the Force! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's me who's got the last LRW challenge of the year as we tetter on the edge of 2025, and I'm saying, "Use the Force!" which mean I want to see some pressure exerted on your make.  It could be with an embossing folder, or die cuts, or foiling, or letterpress, or punches or even stamping!  That's a whole lot of different techniques right there, so you don't have an excuse not to join in.  (-;

This is what I did.....

Look it's another tag!  I KNOW!  Bear with me for some explanation.....

As I said in a previous post, I've generally been rubbish at making tags....but I might have broken that curse.  (Though, probably shouldn't call it a curse.  Coz if it was a curse, it's not very concerning as far as curses go.)  For Christmas, I'm in charge of making the handmade items for the lil Christmas bags for the Board members for my one job.  (I work for a hospital foundation which raises the money needed to buy equipment for the hospital, as there is no funding for equipment from the government.)  So, I do the cards and small handmade item (this year it was tree slice ornaments that were painted and had a vinyl sentiment applied - got the idea from here).  This year I also included tags for the outside of the bags as I had found a tag kit I must have gotten for free from somewhere a long time ago (because finding it was a total surprise to me).  The kit didn't have enough tags for all the gifts so I ended up making two more on my own - this one and the one posted earlier this month.  Another total surprise to me....not only were/are those two tags postable, I actually like how they turned out.    

So, since I was lucky enough to make a total of two whole tags I liked, I decided that I would make tags again for next year's Christmas bags.  Because, truth be told, I've already got two baskets full of cards that don't have places to go, and while it's sometimes nice to make things that don't have a specific purpose, just because I have an inkling to make them, I don't really want to have three baskets full of cards that don't have places to go.

All this to say.....you'll probably be seeing a lot more tags in the future.  Since nothing stymes my mojo more than having to make something RIGHT NOW, the plan is to start making the tags tout suite, and have them all ready in good time for Christmas 2026.  I guess we'll all see how that turns out.  (:

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

A Place to Start:  winter things

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams:  tags

Peace on Earth:  inspiration picture

Cut It Up:  anything goes with a die cut

ABC Christmas:  Y is for yummy

Simon Says:  add a sentiment

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  anything Christmas

Christmas Card! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Chrissy's turn to choose the challenge and she wants to see those Christmas cards!  If you've got all your cards made for this year, you could start on next year's stash.

This is what I did....

This is the card I made for my first grandbaby's first Christmas. ♥  He's seven months now and has started crawling.  Pretty sure he's going to be the star of Christmas this year.  Digi is from A Day for Daisies.

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Well, that'll be all for me before the 25th.  LRW will be off next week and we'll return with me as the host on December 31st.  Wishing everyone a very happy holiday season and I hope you receive some crafty goodies as gifts.  (:

Also for:

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Crafty Calendar:  Christmas

Sweet Stampin':  Christmas

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

As You Like It:  festive creations

ABC Christmas:  Z is for stripes

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

The Male Room:  Christmas colours + for a male

Addicted to Stamps:  Christmas

If You Give a Crafter a Cookie:  inspiration photo

Pinspirational:  inspiration photo

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Aud Sentiments:  traditional Christmas + sentiment

J for Just One Word @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's on her last letter for this year - J - and she's saying, "J for Just One Word" so brevity is theme for this week.  (-;

This is what I did.....

....it's a tag!  I KNOW! (That last screamed sentence is for those who have seen my failed attempts and grumblings about past tags/tag challenges, and here I went and made a tag even though I didn't have to specifically make a tag.....what?!?!?!?!?!?!)  Tag dies are from the now closed Your Next Stamp and the other dies are from Recollections (via Michaels).

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Jingle Belles:  wrapping up

CRAFT:  Christmas

Crafty Gals Corner:  tis the season

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

Fab 'n' Funky:  Christmas

The Sisterhood of Crafters:  anything Christmas

613 Avenue Create:  sparkle (Not showing that great in the photo but the 'peace' is cut from glitter fun foam.)

Simon Says:  sparkle

Dragonfly Dreams:  tags

Peace on Earth:  inspirational photo

Crafty Calendar:  Christmas

Critter Crazy:  anything goes with a featured critter

Die Cut Divas:  Christmas

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  winter things

Neglected Stuff:  anything goes with neglected stash - tag dies

Sad Songs (Say So Much) @ Little Red Wagon

 This week at

it's Kate's last Elton John themed challenge and she's going with "Sad Songs (Say So Much)" which means she would like to see those sympathy cards.

It's always nice to have sympathy cards ready in the stash, I think.  I'm not a fan of making them specifically, iykwim.  I also like to keep them mail-friendly.  So, this is what I did....

Hard to tell from the photo, but I added a couple of embossed lines at the top because, well, I thought it needed something up there.  As you can see, the plant hangs over the edge....I might end up trimming it....or pruning, I guess (: .....before it's sent.  But, for now, I left it.  Die is a no-namer, stamp is from My Favorite Things (still can't believe they closed).

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Just Add Ink:  dies

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Pearls, Sequins & Gems, Oh My! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Brenda's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Pearls, Sequins & Gems, Oh My!" which means she wants to see those projects with....well....pearls, sequins & gems.

This is what I did.....

This was one of those cards that didn't even come close to what I had originally thought I was going to do.....and that's okay, because I do like how it turned out.  I was planning on being A Very Good DT Member and use pearls, sequins and gems on my card but it was just pearls in the end.  But look at that splatter!  Pretty good, if I do say so myself.  I will also say that I had nothing to do with it and it's just an aspect of the patterned paper.  Did I make you jealous for a moment?  lol

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

As You Like It:  favourite embellishment - Pearls, gems, enamel dots are my favourite embellishments

CRAFT:  Christmas

Craft Rocket:  Christmas

ABC Christmas:  X is for stitching

Crafty Gals:  tis the season

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

A Cut Above:  anything goes with a die cut

A Place to Start:  something new - Both the dies are new

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams:  feminine

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Allsorts:  focal sentiment

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Simon Says:  anything goes

Let's Fly! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's my turn to choose the challenge and I'm saying, "Let's Fly!" which means I want to see those things that fly or anything in the sky.

This is what I did.....

I used this sweet watercoloured style bird from SmartFoxArt from Etsy.  I was having trouble trying to find a way to add a sentiment so I pulled out this old sticker from my stash.  Does it bother me that you can clearly see the clear sticker?  Yes.  But it turns out that while the sticker might be in its teens, the sticky on the sticker is stronger than heck so I couldn't pull it off once it was on there without having to reprint and redo, which is why I decided to leave it as is.

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Crafty Catz:  anything goes

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

As You Like It:  favourite embellishment - I love pearls and gems.  I use them on almost every card I make.  In fact, I've joked to myself about not using them and have said, "But, is it really a JanR card if it doesn't have something in the corner?"

Ellibelle's Garden Party:  anything goes with something from a garden

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday:  anything goes

Crafty Animals:  anything with an animal goes

Triple B:  birds

A Place to Start:  something new - The image is new.

Dream Valley:  2 or more patterned papers

Neglected Stuff:  use neglected stash - that evil sticker

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Gold or Silver! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Chrissy's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "Gold or Silver!" or you could.....

do both!  And have neither one be that obvious when you take a photo!  The sentiment is foiled with silver foil, and the mat for it is gold mirror cardstock.  There's also gold mirror accents on the patterned paper.  I was really hoping I had gold stars in my stash but didn't so I went with black ones.  Now, if I was an Exceptional DT Member, I would have used green foil on the holly leaves, but I was being lazy and the thought of trying to get a little piece of foil over the leaves and nothing else seemed to me, a monumental task.  In looking at it on the screen, I don't think it would have been as difficult as I had thought.  Oh well, what's done is done.

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Allsorts:  Christmas

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

CRAFT:  Christmas

Craft Rocket:  Christmas

ABC Christmas:  X is for stitching

Ellibelle's:  anything goes

The Holly & Ivy:  anything Christmas goes

Unicorn Challenge:  Christmas

Aud Sentiments:  Christmas + sentiment

A Place to Start:  anything goes

Merry Little Christmas:  anything Christmas goes

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Peace on Earth:  anything Christmas goes

Just Us Girls:  anything goes

Tic Tac Toe:  red, gold, silver

I is for Ice Cream! @ Little Red Wagon

This week at

it's Imke's turn to choose the challenge and she's saying, "I is for Ice Cream!" so let's see those project with one of the yummiest of treats - ice cream!

This is what I did....

Now, I love me some ice cream but I would never get hard ice cream in a cone.  Cones are meant for soft ice cream, imo.  Hard ice cream is for bowls, then into the microwave for about 30 seconds....and if there's syrups and whip cream - all the better!  (:

Digi is from Melonheadz Illustrating.

Why not give our challenge a go this week and join us?  And, if you'd like more inspiration, be sure to check out what the Girlfriends have made.

Also for:

Creative Fingers:  anything goes

Cardz 4 Galz:  colouring

Ellibelle's Crafty Wednesday:  anything goes

Shopping Our Stash:  a few of my favourite things - ice cream, digis & Prismacolor pencils

A Place to Start:  something new - new to me digi

613 Avenue Create:  anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams:  feminine