Looking backwards to go forwards! First 6 of my favourites from 2016

Well as the year has closed and I am stuck for some inspiration for where to get started with some new products I am looking back at some of my favourite and my most popular post from 2016. And I am totally grateful!
By far the best thing about 2016 was getting to know my local demo friends better and spending more time creating as a group. The May CQ Craft Expo and Onstage on the Gold Coast really kicked off some great ideas and we have had much more fun times together this year.

Secondly, being part of the CASEing the Catty team has really been amazing. I have learnt so much from this group of wonderful stampers, and I'm so grateful I had the opportunity to meet most of them at Onstage in November in Brisbane.It was wonderful to meet and share with so many other creative people.
I have enjoyed selling my creations at the Handmade Expo Markets in Rockhampton, and further afield. I am always honoured when I am asked to make a Birthday or Wedding or Baby or Anniversary card for a particular person and it reinforces to me how much people truly value handmade items in this busy world of generic and instant mass production.

So thankyou to all my Stamping' Up! friends, near and far. I hope 2017 holds lots of creative opportunities for all of us.
Here's a quick look at some memories to get your creativity flowing.

I love a Fancy Fold card and one of my most favourite folds is so simple - an Easel card  - and I had plenty during the year. Sale-A-Bration 2016 had some cracker stamp sets and my favourite was Flowering Fields- I just love that it had Australian Flowers in it. And who can go past White on Kraft or White on Crumb Cake

Another cute set in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue was the Pedal Pusher set. And I do love matching giftwrap and packaging so this was a cute set which was so easy to colour. Sale-A-Bration always has some really sweet sets and 2017 is going to have some too!

Feb 9 saw the launch of #imbringinbirthdaysback. It's so definitely a fact that we ALL really love a REAL, paper card in the letterbox - any time at all really. It's like a little paper hug with a stamp on it. There's no doubt that it can be difficult to get the cards actually in the post but it is Oh so worth the effort. So i'm going to keep on sending them! I think for 2017 I need to make loads more birthday cards and have them ready on hand!

With so many new sets coming out in the mini catalogues I have to remind myself to go back to the Annual Catalogue too. I'm so glad this set carried over. Here's a link to a few more Easel cards using Grateful Bunch.

When the new catalogue launchd in June the First set on my wish list was the Jar of Flowers. I have had so much fun creating all sorts of cards with this set- feminine, masculine, shaker cards, gift tags, Christmas tags. 

Another popular fancy fold in 2016 was the Z Fold, and it's popular because it's so easy! I loved using the Pun Intended set to create some masculine cards for Father's Day, birthday and general occasions. You'll find the instructions under tutorials here

There was lots more in 2016 so I'll have the second 6 for tomorrow,

thanks for looking, Liz