We are so excited to kick off the 12 Days of Holiday Giving with you today! Thank you so much for stopping by! Starting today and running Monday through Friday until December 19th, we want to take you out of the hustle-and-bustle of the holiday season (if only for a few minutes!) to deliver inspiration from our design team showing off beautiful new holiday products and to share amazing prizes with you from our partners! Kicking off the celebration today is our Editor-in-Chief, Susan R. Opel! Let’s take a look at what she has created, and don’t miss our first day of giveaways at the bottom of the post!

I’m happy to be kicking off another incredible 12 Days of Holiday Giving with SCT! Our team will inspire and delight you, and you won’t believe your eyes when you see the stellar prizes from our sponsors! Let’s get this holiday party started!

There’s something about this time of year that gets my creative juices flowing, and I’ve had such an inspired 4th quarter of 2023! Let me show you what I’ve created for you today!

Supplies | Cardstock: Concord & 9th, Simon Says Stamp; Specialty cardstock: Simon Says Stamp; Patterned paper: Echo Park Paper, Spellbinders; Gold dots, wax, seals: Spellbinders; Dies: Spellbinders Nativity Scene etched dies, Simon Says Stamp; Ribbon: Tim Holtz; Adhesive: Scrapbook Adhesives by 3L, Therm O Web, Trinity Stamps; OTHER: Trim

Have you seen the super fun snow globe dies created for Spellbinders by Simon Hurley? They are very simple to assemble and very versatile! I used the Nativity Scene set for my card, but there are other scenes that you can use instead. I can’t wait to send this card to one of my loved ones this Christmas.

The Spellbinders Santa Lane collection is so beautiful with elegant and vintage patterns, so I chose three patterns I loved and cut them into tags. I die cut the tags again from white cardstock and adhered them to the back of the patterns. This not only made them sturdier but also created a space to write ‘To/From’ for gifts. The crown jewel of the tags though are the SUPER fun wax seals from Spellbinders. I found it exhilarating to heat that wax and come up with something beautiful!

I’m sad to see the holiday-making season come to an end. I love it so much!

May the light and love of the season bring you warm memories you’ll cherish for a lifetime! Merry Christmas, and here’s to a wonderful, happy, and prosperous 2024!

Find more of Susan’s work here: Instagram | Facebook

We have two wonderful giveaways from our partners to share with you today, and we think you will be excited about them!

GIVEAWAY 01: SPELLBINDERS

First, how would you like the products that Susan used to create her beautiful card and tags? Our friends at Spellbinders are sharing them with today’s winner!

We hope you enjoy creating warm and peaceful holiday projects using this lovely collection of dies, embellishments, and wax sealing elements. We are grateful to all of the Spellbinders fans out there and wish everyone a delightful holiday season!

GIVEAWAY 02: CRAFTER’S COMPANION

Next, you’re going to need a great machine to cut your die cuts, right?! How about the new Gemini II from Crafter’s Companion?

We are so excited to show you our brand new electronic die-cutting and embossing machine, the Gemini II, and portable Desk Vacuum.

Keep your craft space clean, today and ready for your next project with the Portable Desk Vacuum from Crafter’s Companion! This powerful handheld vacuum cleaner will pick up even the tiniest die-cut pieces, as well as glitter, small paper offcuts, crumbs, and more. A detachable dust plug makes it easy to clean even hard-to-reach paces. An included USB charging cable means you can charge on the go to enjoy mess-free crafting wherever you are!

Smarter and faster, the Gemini II has all the unparalleled cutting power, precision, and performance of the original Gemini, but with new and innovative design features and updated functions.

With the Gemini II, you can cut, emboss, and create amazingly intricate designs from just about any material, in seconds and all at the touch of a button! Technology to apply higher pressure than many other machines offers perfectly crisp and clear results every time. It has the power to cut through a range of materials from card and paper to cork, thin metal, leather, and multiple layers of fabric.

So, whether you enjoy making beautiful handmade cards, sewing a unique home decor project, or creating one-of-a-kind personalised gifts, you can enjoy professional, impressive results every time.

A brand new, full-length optical sensor means you can use any size of plate with the Gemini II to enjoy edge-to-edge precision for all your projects up to US letter size.

New easy glide feet make this machine so light on its feet! And with the optional, additional 360° turntable you can manoeuvre your machine with ease and rotate your Gemini II to take your plates from the back, no fuss!

Craft along with your favourite tutorials and workshops with the fold-out media stand and USB ports, so you don’t have to worry about your tablet running out of charge. Built-in storage shelves and compartments keep all of your crafting tool essentials at your fingertips when you need them and neatly tucked away when you’re done.

Catch mistakes before they happen with Pause, Reverse, and Resume functions. If you forget to add that essential third die, want to double-check your plate combination, or decide to swap your cardstock, you can do that before your plates go through the machine!

With accessories, plates, and a comprehensive User Guide included, there’s everything you need to get started right out of the box. So, whether you’re an experienced crafter, or just starting out, the Gemini II is for you.

From scrapbooking and home decor to handmade cards, quilting, and everything in between, with the Gemini II, you can turn your hand to so many craft projects. So, why not give it a try and see where your creativity takes you?

Wow! What a great way to kick off this special event! To enter to win these two wonderful prizes, leave a comment on this post telling us your favourite holiday memory by midnight Eastern time on Wednesday, December 20th! A randomly selected winner will win both prizes on Friday, December 22nd. Good luck! Be sure to come back tomorrow for day two of this packed holiday event!