Christmas in September at Crafting by Designs!

Crafting by Designs current challenge is themed "Get ready for Christmas!" The fact that we're starting to think about Christmas (when I swear 2016 JUST started) is terrifying, isn't it? Guess that's my scare for Halloween... it's "almost" Christmas? :-D

I always enjoy sponsoring at CBD... I hope you'll visit and join in the fun.

Below is Michele's snowy winter creation for the Crafting by Designs challenge, to inspire (and maybe slightly scare) you!

A Little Messenger to Remind You...

The Angels challenge continues until December 31, so you still have time... Enter up to three creations, and you may win the drawing for $15 store credit at Lunagirl.com!

See the beautiful angels created by my readers and the Lunagirl Design Team so far, and link up your own, HERE.

And here to share with you is a lovely little snow angel with pink wings, helping a little bird friend by protecting her nest. Snow angels are among my favorites, especially this time of year... find many vintage angels ~ majestic messengers, sweet snow angel children, bright holiday angels, and more ~ at Lunagirl!

December Angels Challenge: Week Four

VICKI ROMAINE Cheerful Stamp Pad
Background is wrapping paper.
Image is by LG and sentiment is by Gecko Galz

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and the Design Team angels this week bring you greetings for a Merry Christmas and Joy to the World!

Remember that the challenge continues all the way until December 31, so you have plenty of time to enter. And we welcome any and all kinds of angels!

Blessings to you... I hope to see your angelic creations, so link them up here.

I'll do a random drawing at the end of the month, and someone will win store credit to have some fun shopping for images at Lunagirl.com!

ATC by MICHELE STORMS Art From the Well

CORINNE MARIE Digital by Corinne

A Third Week of December Angels

In this very busy time of year, I hope you'll find a moment to enter my December creative challenge. The Latin word Angelus means messenger ~ angels are messengers of peace and joy. In the long, dark nights of winter, they bring a message of hope and light returning!

The challenge continues until December 31, so you have plenty of time. I suspect we may get quite a few entries in that last week, between Christmas and New Year's Eve ~ usually a mellow time around my house! Remember that you can share up to three creations, and every entry has a chance to win the drawing for $15 store credit at Lunagirl.com.

ATC by MICHELE STORMS Art From the Well

by Shelby Pizzarro Sisterhood of the Muse

CORINNE MARIE Digital by Corinne

A poem to greet the short days & long nights of December

I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.

"We are nearer to Spring
Then we were in September,"
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.

- Oliver Herford

December Challenge Theme: Angels

It's time for a new challenge theme, and what could be sweeter for December than ANGELS. This challenge theme will continue all through this month, and I hope you'll find time during your holiday hustle and bustle to create something to share in our challenge! Share up to three entries ~ and when your entry includes a Lunagirl image it doubles your chances of winning the drawing :-)

Just FYI you can find hundreds of angels at Lunagirl.com, including the digital collage sheets used by the Moonbeams Design Team... Don't miss their inspiration below! And always feel free to email me if I can help you find something in my store.

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES:

Challenge ends at 3:00 pm CST on December 31.

Any craft or medium is welcome.

Vintage style is encouraged but not required.

Use a Lunagirl image and your entry will count twice in the drawing!

Link to this blog and to Lunagirl.com on your site if you have one.

Prize:  Winner will be selected randomly to receive a $15 credit at Lunagirl.com!

We can't wait to see your angelic creations! Celebrate December with us at Lunagirl :-)

An InLinkz Link-up

LUNAGIRL MOONBEAMS DESIGN TEAM

ATC by MICHELE STORMS Art From the Well

VICKI ROMAINE Cheerful Stamp PadThe scene in the window is a recycled commercial card.

CORINNE MARIE Digital by Corinne

Ice Storm Redbird Freebie

I'm glad we have groceries and plenty of books to read, because it doesn't look like we'll be going anywhere anytime soon. Everything outside is covered with a thin layer of ice! Above is the view out an upstairs window.. The red buds on the maple trees are covered in ice (hint: join in the RED challenge which continues until Thursday!)

I know this looks like nothing compared to the snow piles in Boston or even in Kentucky. But we here in the South aren't equipped with the ice-driving experience or the ice-driving technology (chains and snow tires) to drive in this... the school buses won't be out for at least a couple of days, I suspect, and neither will I!

When I say everything is coated in ice, that includes the power lines, so if I disappear for a couple of days and don't announce the challenge winner on time, that means my electricity is out. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that doesn't happen, and I'm off to make more hot tea and some quesadillas for the boys. At least it is pretty outside the kitchen window... although if I'm going to "snowed in" I wish it at least involved some beautiful white SNOW and not just ice!

In honor of the RED challenge, and the brave cold little birds outside at my bird feeder, here is a freebie for you.

I do hope you'll get inspired and join the challenge.

And if you're snowed in or iced in, hey, what better excuse to spend all day crafting and creating?

Winter in Pink Challenge Winner: Aurora Aurelia

We have a winner for the Winter in Pink challenge! I did the random drawing just now, and the lucky winner this time is Entry #4 by Aurora Aurelia of Eos Crafty Room!
Congrats to Aurora ~ be sure to email me at info@lunagirl.com to find out how to get your $15 shopping spree prize.

Kudos and thanks also to everyone who warmed up these winter days with their beautiful pink creations ~ come back for the next challenge, which starts tomorrow. My new theme will be POSTCARDS & LETTERS, a wonderfully inspiring theme, I think, especially for vintage images.
The Design Team is already sending me some amazing work to inspire you so don't miss it, come play and have some fun crafting and sharing (and maybe winning!)

Share Your Work in the Lunagirl Facebook Group :-)

Wouldn't it be fun if everyone who has entered the Winter in Pink challenge shared their entry in the Lunagirl Facebook group?  (hint hint!)

Your Winter in Pink creations would be lovely there... and why not share other creations with Lunagirl Images, to warm up everyone's winter day?

Winter in Pink Continues Until Thursday... Join In!

Brrr, the festivities are over and it's still winter! Doesn't a little soft shabby pink or bright hot pink warm it up a bit? Rose, fuchsia, magenta, subtle or shocking, pink is a favorite.

I'm switching my challenges to start on Fridays, so you have a few extra days to join my Winter in Pink creative challenge. 

Winter in Pink will end on Thursday at noon... link up your creation... we want to see it and you'll get a chance to win $15 credit to spend at Lunagirl.com!

And on Friday be sure to join in the next challenge... the new theme will be Postcards & Letters.

New Collage Sheets for a Winter in Pink

I've had a couple of inquiries about images used by me and by the Design Team for this challenge, so I thought I would share a link to my three new "Pink Winter/Christmas" themed digital collage sheets:

Winter in Pink Challenge: Second Week (and a Half!)

If you haven't yet entered my Winter in Pink challenge, you have a little extra time. I'm switching my challenge start day to Fridays, so the Winter in Pink theme continues until January 8!

If you're tired of red and green, let's enjoy a Happy New Year in pink! We have some very lovely entries so far, with soft vintage pink and sassy hot pink and everything in between. I hope to see yours soon! On January 8 (next Thursday) I'll do a drawing to choose the winner who will receive $15 shopping credit at Lunagirl.com ~ your chance to get some new digital ephemera for the new year.

The Lunagirl Moonbeams Design Team has some inspiration for you:

MICHELE STORMS wishing you Bonne Annee -- Happy New Year!

VICKI ROMAINE:
"This card is a collage of a number of image sheets from Lunagirl.  There are so many nice images, it was hard to pick among them."

MANDY CHILVERS offers more good wishes for a lucky new year,
in vintage Paris postcard style!

New Challenge: Winter in Pink

Time for a new challenge theme! This one will take us all the way into 2015. With the new year, I'll be changing my challenge start day to Fridays, so this challenge will continue until January 8, which is a Thursday. The new theme is WINTER IN PINK. I was inspired by this challenge to create some new digital collage sheets which you can see here: Lunagirl Pink Winter Holidays. And don't miss the creations of my Design Team below, for your enjoyment and inspiration! 

Here are the guidelines for this challenge:

Any craft or medium is OK.

Vintage style is encouraged.

Use a Lunagirl image or element and your entry will count twice in the drawing!

Remember to link to this blog and to Lunagirl.com on your site if you have one.

Prize:  Winner will be selected randomly to receive a $15 credit at Lunagirl.com!

Challenge ends at noon CST on Thursday, January 8.

I love it when you use Lunagirl images, and I hope you'll go take a look at my collections... but that's not a requirement!  But do remember that if you use a Lunagirl image, you will be entered TWICE in the drawing! I welcome everyone and every style but also want to give a little something extra to my wonderful customers! Most important is have fun, get creative, enjoy vintage. 

An InLinkz Link-up

MANDY CHILVERS

LUNAGIRL MOONBEAMS DESIGN TEAM

Dreaming of a Winter in Pink...

These first samples are perfect for Christmas, while the second half of the challenge will take us into January and the New Year. (Find some shabby French New Year images here.)

MICHELE STORMS

VICKI ROMAINE:

"With this card I wish the Merriest of Christmases to all those at Lunagirl,, my fellow Design Team members and to all those who have submitted an entry  this past year or who follow this blog.  It has been an amazing year working with the Lunagirl images.  I look forward to what the new year brings.

My card uses subtle tones of pink and blue-green with the emphasis  on the Lunagirl image of the Christ child surrounded by angels."

St Nick Challenge Winner: Tee

Such a wonderful and varied and creative celebration of Saint Nicholas in our challenge that ended today! It's time to do the random drawing to pick the winner... and the lucky winner this time is entry #3, that fabulous Santa bingo ATC by Tee!: http://creationsbytee.blogspot.com/2014/12/santa-bingo-atcs.html

Thank you to all who played this time. I really enjoyed seeing the work you shared. I hope you will all come back for the next challenge... our theme will be Winter in Pink! The Design Team has been working on some delightful creations to inspire you, and I have created three new digital collage sheets as well. The Winter in Pink challenge will take us through the end of the year all the way until January 8, so you'll have plenty of time to enter. Best wishes to you and yours in this season of joy :-)

St. Nick visits for real in just ten days...

In case you need a reminder, St. Nick is here to remind you that Christmas is on the 25th... just ten days!

This pretty distressed Santa card is from Vicki Romaine of the Moonbeams Design Team:

"I made a distressed card with my choice of designer paper and inking the edges of this lovely Santa.  The background actually has three papers.  Down the right side are three token squares and at the bottom I used a Spellbinders diecut  on which to place the date." ~ Vicki

You still have time to CELEBRATE ST. NICK by linking up your work in my blog challenge! Come see all the entries so far, and don't miss your chance to join in the fun for a chance to win $15 store credit at Lunagirl.com!

The challenge continues until Sunday noon CST. Need St. Nick pictures or other Christmas and Winter images? Find hundreds at Lunagirl. Many are ready to download instantly!

Holiday Children Challenge Winner: Marina

I've completed the random drawing for today, and it's time to announce the winner of my Holiday Children themed challenge....

The lucky winner today is the very first entry in this challenge, by Marina! Congratulations to you, Marina, for your win and also for some a lovely vintage winter creation. Email me at info@lunagirl.com when you get a chance, to claim your prize, $15 credit to shop at Lunagirl.com.

A big holiday Thank You to everyone who took part... please come back for the next challenge... the theme will feature who else, but Saint Nick?

Wolf Moon

I saw the full moon last night, very beautiful in a crisp cold night sky, and wanted to share a traditional name for the Full Moon of January:  Wolf Moon.  I went to look for a vintage picture of a wolf in my collection, and all that I found were rather scary illustrations from fairy tales and Aesop's fables.  Yes, I know wolves can be pretty scary (have you seen "The Grey"? ~ shudder) but for our moon wolf I wanted less of the Big Bad Wolf and more of the wise wolf spirit.  I found this gorgeous photograph, which has been generously released into the public domain by its author, Retron at the wikipedia project, and can be used for any purpose.  Click the picture to enlarge, resize as needed, and enjoy.

Challenge Winner: Vintage Winter Theme

Oh, I got so behind today, but I'm finally all caught up with shopping, cooking, and a couple minor household emergencies (!), so I've done the drawing for the Vintage Winter blog challenge which ended today.

And the lucky winner of the drawing is... #7 the lovely Warm Winter Wishes tag entered by Paper Whims!

Congrats to WendyLynn's Paper Whims!  Be sure to email me at info@lunagirl.com to claim your $10 discount code for Lunagirl.com.

Thank you to everyone ~ please come back and play along in my next challenge.  The theme starting tomorrow is "Meet Me in Paris"!









I was negligent in not posting one of the DT samples for the Vintage Winter challenge, and I'm posting it here because it is too pretty not to share!

Petra Berendsen sent in this beautiful tag for the Vintage Winter challenge, and I just didn't get it on here until now.

Petra used a pretty winter image of a Victorian lady and placed her on a snowy street, and added the perfect pops of red in the little stars, plus some delicate white lace and flowers, just right for winter.

I have great Design Team!

Hot Deals for Cold Weather Crafting!

I guess everyone in the Eastern U.S. is enduring some super-cold weather!  Bundle up ~ or better yet, stay inside with hot cocoa if you can!

The Lunagirl Moonbeams DT has been sending me more lovely Vintage Winter creations, and I will get those posted to inspire you tomorrow.  When it's too cold and icy to go out, isn't that a great time for crafting?  Enter our Vintage Winter blog challenge! 

My customers are snapping up the Valentines images already, as they always do in January.  If you want an instant download, I have plenty of Valentine and romance-themed digital collage sheets, plus my new download packs of Victorian roses in various colors!

If you're in the mood for hundreds of gorgeous vintage style images, check out my craft CDs on sale almost 35% off this week. Lunagirl Victorian Romance CD and Vintage Lovers CD offer gorgeous, high-quality photos and art from my collection, restored and embellished, most not available anywhere else.  And Lunagirl Victorian Holidays Volume 2 features hundreds of Valentines plus hundreds of images for St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Mother's Day and more ~ some are exclusive to me, some you've seen before but never like this!  I'm pretty proud of our Holidays collections. :-)   And just for good measure, Lunagirl Angels Fairies & Fairy Tale Art CD is on sale too.  So stop in and "get 'em while they're hot"! 

Vintage Winter Hello

And here is a little girl with vintage winter greetings, from DT member Vicki Romaine.  I love the bright yellow and soft grey colors together.  And also that sweet simple little "hello"!

Vicki writes: 
"Even though it is a cold winter day, I decided to put a little sunshine in my card by placing yellow rick-rack and a yellow mat under the sentiment.  The sentiment is from Stampin' Up. 
Other embellishment on the card includes a mirror sticker in the corner. 
Of course, the lovely little girl is a Lunagirl vintage image."