Fabulous Friends Friday: Christmas Creations by Marlene

Happy Friday before Christmas!!!  I have some fabulous projects to share with you that I received recently from another swap with my amazingly talented friend Marlene!  This was a seriously fun box of goodies to open!  Wait until you see all that was in there!

First up, the 3D projects!  This is a Sliding Elf Boxx Marlene created, adapted from a project by Becky Roberts:

Stamp sets used on it include Jolly Friends and Flurry of Wishes.

The next project is an advent countdown -- Isabella was fascinated and had to check it out as I was unwrapping it to take photos:

 Here's the cute tag, with image from the Holly Jolly Layers Hostess set:

 And, out of the packaging (though now only one of those numbers is right! Yikes!  Time flies!):

Marlene adapted this project from a countdown created by Melissa Stout.

Here's a darling Christmas turkey box Marlene created using the Curvy Keepsakes die and some punch art:

Marlene created this adorable Grinch box using the Popcorn Box Thinlets die and Jar of Haunts stamp set (eyes):

Here's a sweet stocking stuffer -- a nail file and candy cane packaged up oh-so-prettily in Sweet Sugarplum (Marlene got the idea for this from Stephanie Kendall Purvis):

The next treat is an adorable Rolo reindeer, made with the Cookie Cutter Christmas bundle (original idea came from Twila Davis):

This box is a creative use of an acetate sleeve leftover from another project using the White Gift Boxes -- Marlene created a box top and bottom for it, and voila:

Marlene also created some gorgeous cards for our swap!  Here is a "Faux Fireplace Scene," CASED from Becky Roberts, and using the Hang Your Stocking Bundle, Pretty pines Thinlits, and Brick Wall embossing folder:

The next card is a clever use for washi tape (inspired by Dawn Olchefske), and Marlene put her Washi tape on Colored Paper for a richer look (it has a sparkly glow from Gold Wink of Stella colored around the tree as well):

Marlene also used the tree die from the Santa's Sleigh Bundle, along with the Cable Knit embossing folder, to create her "faux ugly sweater card":

The next card has some fun embellishing of the Candy Cane Lane Designer Paper on the outside (Marlene used fine tip glue to add some clear dimension to the red sprinkles on the cookie trees and the gingerbread men's red cheeks):

and opens to reveal this clever pop up:

Marlene's next card is a gorgeous shaker with a Galaxy technique background on the shaker frame:

For this card, which also uses the Woodland Textured Embossing Folder, Marlene tweaked a card idea from Gina Anderson, and used a technique from Debbie Henderson for adhering Mika flakes to similar colored paper and then heating them!

 Here's the inside of the card:

This gorgeous card is a "5 Panel Fancy Fold Card" (Debbie Henderson has a tutorial available, which has printable templates to go along with it):

Marlene used the This Christmas Designer Series Paper for this card, along with the Wonderful Wreath Framelits and Petal Burst Embossing Folder.

The next card uses a technique designed to save paper -- the sunburst was cut to a 4 x 4" piece and then that piece was cut in half, the "Joy" piece is like a belly band that fills the space between the two sunburst pieces:

The stamp set used on this card is Joyful Nativity.  The designer paper is from the Floral Boutique package.

And, last but not least, is this "Twisted Gate Fold" (inspired by a card Dawn Olchefske created):

Marlene used This Christmas Designer Series Paper for this card, along with the Christmas Pines Bundle.

Whew!!!  Thanks so much, Marlene, for all these beautiful and inspiring projects!  I'm excited to try out some of these new 3D and fold ideas!!!  How about you?

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Merry Christmas!!!

- Michelle