Candy Cane Kisses

Dia daoibh!

Christmas in Ireland is a great mix of sparkle, chaos, and pure charm... half the country is wrestling with tangled fairy lights while the other half is insisting they definitely didn’t open the “good biscuits.” And sure look, by Stephen’s Day we’re all fuelled by leftovers and sheer determination.

Challenge 101 over at Ally’s Angels is well underway, and the design team have pulled out all the stops. The creativity on display is so good you’d think they were powered by fairy lights and caffeine. Go have a peek—you’ll either come back full of ideas or convinced you need more craft supplies. (Spoiler: you absolutely do.)

For my card, I kept things lovely and CAS. 

The adorable Candy Cane Bear is from Mo’s Digital Pencil, coloured with Promarkers - my trusty go-tos. I added shimmery highlights with Nuvo Drops (White Blizzard) for a glittery touch. The scalloped border was made with a punch that hasn’t seen daylight in a long while. The whole panel is mounted on foam pads for a raised effect—like giving the card a little lift of confidence.

And to finish with a festive grin: may your tree behave, your wrapping paper cooperate, and your visitors arrive only after you’ve hidden the laundry.

Nollaig shona daoibh!

Sláinte,
Wendy R.🎄🎅

Herald Harry

Dia Daoibh!

The next HQFCB challenge is Anything Goes Fantasy.

For today's card, I kept things CAS using Mo Manning's Herald Harry - an angel with that perfect blend of heavenly patience and "I sang 'Hark the Herald' three times today already" energy. Coloured him with Promarkers, then added just a whisper of glitter to his wings. Popped him up on foam pads because Christmas is all about dimension - in cards, in desserts, and in our patience levels.

Onto a few challenges:

• Crafty Calendar - December - Winter / Christmas
• Jingle Belles - Wrapping Up 
• Simply Clean and Simple - December 2025: Reds & Greens
• Cardz 4 Galz #265 Christmas Sparkle
• Color My Heart Color Dare - No. 680 Colour Board: 
  
  
  

Wishing you a season filled with more joy than stress, more mince pies than to-do lists, and at least one silent night.

Nollaig Shona Duit!

Wendy R. 😇

Breezy Swings and Postman Things

Dia daoibh!

Ah, winter in healthcare. That magical time when everyone’s coughing in harmony, the hand sanitiser flows like holy water, and the staffroom kettle is working harder than management at inspection time. Between chasing thermometers, losing pens, and pretending the vending machine coffee is grand, we’re practically superheroes. Still, we keep the spirits up with biscuits, sarcasm, and industrial-strength hand gel.

Now onto something with less sneezing and more sparkle: the Card Chain Challenge Reveal! 

This month my card took flight to Tina in Slovenia, and in return, I received a faaaaabulous card from Gail in Norway 💙.  There’s nothing like proper happy mail arriving, an envelope that isn’t a bill, a staff meeting notice, or another reminder to book flu jabs.

For my own creation, I worked with the colour theme of Pewter, Ruby and Lapis Blue. Apologies - the pewter looks moodier in the photo than it does in real life. It’s not actually auditioning for a goth phase. The design features the Spellbinders “Breezy Swing” die set, cut from Tonic Studios cardstock, layered over a softly stencilled cloud background created with Memento Platinum ink for a delicate shimmer effect. I finished it off with some sparkly gems, and a sentiment (Sizzix: Sunnyside Sentiments) stamped with StazOn ink for that crisp finish (and the faint whiff of “no going back now”).

If you haven’t joined the Card Chain Challenge, you really should. You make one card, send it off to a crafter somewhere in the world, and get one back. It’s like pen pals for glitter lovers and slightly unhinged scissors hoarders. The excitement when that envelope arrives is unreal ... you’d think the postman was handing out scratch cards and free biscuits.

Right, I’m off to make a strong coffee and pretend that tidying my craft desk counts as cardio.

Sláinte,

Wendy R. 😊