Crafty Elves Countdown to Christmas-January 2019 Edition!

Welcome to the first ever Crafty Elves' Countdown to Christmas!  So... that up there... that's not my card... but it is my crafter in crime's card using that adorable Crafty Little Elf from Unity Stamps.  She's going to be our "mascot" for our new adventure together.  I was minding my own business online one day when I read a comment by Debra Davison that she was vowing to make one Christmas card a week for 2019 so that by the time December rolled around all of her cards would be made.  And me being the wise guy that I am said.. yeah... that's a good idea!  I've been wanting to do it for the last couple years because another bloggy friend, Theresa had done it and I thought it was such a great idea!  Well, Debra called me out... and we decided we'd both do it and that we'd share our makes on the 25th of each month... so here we are!  Two Crafty Elves!  We're both having a giveaway this month to celebrate so leave us some love and we'll each pick a winner from all of the comments... more on that later!  For now... here's what I came up with in January:

Well, you had to know there would be coffee!  I'm guessing each month I'll have at least one card with a coffee element... and here it is!  During the last Coffee Lovers Hop, I won a prize over at the Birch Press Design blog and one of the items I got was that beautiful Issa Snowflake Layer set.  I mean.. yeah... I spent a little more than I won... but why wouldn't I????

I mean... LOOK at it!!  This is a three die set and there are unending combinations you can create with it!  You can't be surprised that I added some glitter paper and that cool holographic paper.

I couldn't help but add a pretty plaid cup that I cut with a die from this Memory Box set!  And do you love the Merry die cut??  It's from Pretty Pink Posh and I love it!!  And the steam from A Jillian Vance Designs Coffee Tea & Me set was perfect!  

I'm playing along over at Cupcake Inspirations Pink and White Challenge.  You have about a week to join in if you'd like to play along too!

And the Layered Snowflake die from Birch Press makes such a beautiful card with SO little effort that I decided to use it again for my second:

It feels like that Snowflake and the Merry Christmas die were made for each other doesn't it?  Oh and did I mention the PPP clear sequins...they come in a few different sizes and they are quite awesome!

I'm playing along with this one over at D.L. Art January Linky Challenge!  It's Anything Goes and you can link up all month long!  Check it out!

So next I pulled out some new stamps that I ordered recently over at Honey Bee Stamps:

Eep!! I am over the moon in love with the Honey Bee Stamps Snow Buddies stamps and dies!  I stamped and die cut so many images from the set so I'd have lots to choose from when I put my cards together.  And with these traditional colors... those pretty Holiday Cheer Christmas papers from Sunny Studio Stamps were perfect!  At the same time I got the Snow Buddies, I picked up the Fa La La Honeycuts and I am SO glad I did... perfect for a fun and quick sentiment and perfect with the snow buddies!

For this one I'm linking up over at The Mod Squad challenge to Use Multiple Images... I used a few here!  You should check this one out!

So, I was transferring my Snow buddies dies onto magnetic sheets and then I drop that behind the stamps they go with and was getting ready to throw away the shiny cardboard that is part of the packaging and thought... "hmmm.. I could us that on a card... wonder what alcohol inks would do on that":

The inks didn't do all of the magical things that they do on Yupo paper, but I dropped on a few drops along with some blending solution and smooshed and twisted it using the felt applicator and loved the way the background came out!  I decided it would be perfect for another Snow Buddies card!  And it was!

I'm playing along over at Simon Says Stamp's Monday Challenge which is Alcohol: Inks or Drinks!  I picked inks since it was way too early for drinking alcohol when I made this :)!  I used Alcohol Inks and Markers so I think I have it covered!

Hope you'll let me know you were here!  If you do, you'll have a chance to win a gift from me!  I'm not sure what it is yet because I'm drowning in 1099s this week at work and working lots of extra hours... but I think you'll like it!  Debra knows what she's giving away... but you'll have to go there to find out!

So that's me for today!  I tried not to be my usual wordy self..not sure I was successful.  Thanks for hanging in with me!  Please make sure you go and give my cohort a visit!  Stop over at Debra's blog here to see all of the awesome she has for you and leave her some love!