Christmas Card Club - "Angels or Fairies"

Good morning all.

Margaret has set us the theme of "Angels or Fairies" this week at the Christmas Card Club. Four very quick cards from me...I'm doing a couple of photography workshops this weekend and having been ill last weekend these are very last minute on Friday evening!

Update...workshop was postponed due to rain, thick cloud and generally lousy weather, hopefully today is going to turn out better.

Using stamps from La Blanche...the first design is one layer.

This second design uses a die from Wplus9, stamp is also from La Blanche. I do love these stamps, although they're quite large they always stamp perfectly.

If you'd like to see what the other girls have made you'll find their links in my sidebar.

Christmas Card Club "Vintage"

Good morning all.

Gosh it was chilly yesterday, lovely and sunny still but about half the temperature we've been enjoying...and today and tomorrow don't look set to be any warmer! 

It's time once again for our little Christmas Club to show our wares... Rachel asked to see "Vintage" this time.

A very quick and simple one layer card from me! Love this La Blanche stamp...stamped in brown versafine ink onto kraft card and heat embossed with clear EP to give it a nice sheen, although this isn't showing in the photo. The sentiment is from Clearly Besotted.

Challenges entered:

Christmas Stampin' all Year Round - one layer card

Country Views - use kraft card

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Addicted to Stamps and More - clean and simple

Crafting by Designs - get ready for Christmas

Crafty Gals Corner - any holiday

Deep Ocean Challenge - things with wings

Crafty Cardmakers - wings

Merry Monday - angels or cherubs

Simon says Stamp Monday - A is for angel

Christmas Card Club "Jolly Santa"

Good morning all.

No parcels yesterday, well apart from the one containing sticky stuff so housework it was!

I'm a day early with my make for the Christmas Card Club but I have 2 DT projects going live tomorrow and didn't want to bombard you all at once! It was Lorraine's turn to pick the theme and she's asked to see a "Jolly Santa".

I thought this charming chap from La Blanche looked to be in quite a good mood so I stamped him up with Memento ink and cut him out with a Spellbinder stitched die. Base card is a kraft card blank. Backing paper was an odd sheet from my stash. Sentiment stamp and die are from Clearly Besotted.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper - anything with patterned paper goes

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday - anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Winter Wonderland - lots of layers

4 Crafty Chicks - anything goes

Fab n Funky - Christmas

Die Cut Divas - anything goes

Completely Christmas - square or rectangle

A Single Rose

Good morning all.

A CAS friendship card and a secret to share today. First my card:

I started by embossing my A6 kraft base card with a Spellbinders stitched frame die...I inked the dotted edge with black to inject a little colour but probably would have been better adding the colour with a pen after embossing...must invest in one of those fine line pens.

Rose stamp from La Blanche...using a stamp positioner (which I bought a year or two ago and this is the first time it's been used!) I stamped in white Brilliance onto red linen paper and then over-stamped in black before fussy cutting. Love how this came out and the white gives a beautiful glimmer to the rose...not sure it shows too well on the photo though.

Sentiment is part of a set from Mucky Paws which I opened for the first time. I've used silicon gel to mount the rose adding some coiled black cord behind it.

Now for my secret...I'm sure loads of you already do this but my brain only just got into gear last week! In the past when doing CAS cards I've wasted mountains of card stock trying to execute the perfect card! Not any more...I now stamp everything out onto waste paper first until I'm happy with the composition then and only then do I break out the good card! The rose was actually a trial on a piece from the bit box which I liked so much I cut it out to use.

Said bit box is sulking in the corner over the enforced diet as we speak!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - friends

CAS Colours and Sketches - colours

Addicted to CAS - world

NBUS Challenge - use new schtuff

Uniko Studio - love and friendship

Christmas Card Club "Angels"

Good morning all.

A very quick visit in between wedding makes...only 10 days to go and I still need to make 40 favour boxes!!

It's time for our next challenge over at the Christmas Card Club, it was Maureen's turn to choose the theme this time and she's asked us for "Angels". 

A very quick, simple card....stamp from La Blanche inked with brown Memento and stamped onto Kraft card. Sentiment was a magazine freebie.

Insert all done and very flat for posting.

You'll find the rest of the girls listed on my sidebar if you'd like to pop over and see their creations.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

CHNC - let's get sentimental

My Time to Craft - Christmas in June

Stampin with the Dragon - clean and simple

Red Rubber Inspirationals - get krafty

Crafty Creations - things with wings

Fab n Funky - Christmas

Sisterhood of Crafters - monochromatic

Completely Christmas - anything goes

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

A simple birthday card to share today....I'd like to say no cards were harmed in the making of this one but I'd be lying - I scrapped four before using a different stamp and creating this one!!

Stamp from La Blanche, stamped in Memento ink and coloured with promarkers. Sentiment stamp from Wild Rose Studios.

Challenges entered:

4Krafty Girlz - anything goes

Artistic Stampers - anything goes

Emergency Crafters - anything but Christmas

Creative Corner - clean and simple

Sister Act card challenge - anything goes

STAMPlorations - stamps and silhouettes

Stempelsonne - anything goes

Stamping for the Weekend - anything goes

Crafts 4 Eternity - anything goes

Carol x

Happy Birthday

Good morning all.

I'm off grocery shopping today...the cupboards are bare, I don't know where it all goes to!!

I had to make some quick birthday cards last week so upcycled some earlier one layer cards which I wasn't happy with.

I do like one layer cards but I like them more with layers! Stamp is from La Blanche. Ribbon and gems are from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Great Impressions - square card

Pile it On - no designer papers

Brown Sugar - green, blue and white

Paper Shelter - ribbon

Carol x

Christmas Challenges (with sketches) #53

It's time for our next challenge over at CCWS and we hope you're playing along with us this year and stocking up on those Christmas cards and projects. It's the Snow Angels turn this week and it was Sandra's turn to design the sketch this time. We are being sponsored by Make it Crafty and we have a twist this week of "Make a Bag".

 What a palaver I had making this!! This is my third attempt - I started by recycling a brown bag but was really struggling to get the sketch to work with the papers I was using. Today when looking for something else I came across a download from Bearly Mine which was perfect. I put the sketch together digitally then enlarged it to fit the bag....pressed print .....and hey ho....we'd no yellow ink!!! So the lovely browns and blues had turned sort of lilacs and purples. Not to be beat I found a white bag, re-stamped the image and bingo one bag!

Image is from La Blanche stamped in plum Archival ink. Layers are a selection from Bearly Mine's Christmas Wishes papers. Fibres and gems from my stash and snowflakes are punch waste.

You will have to pop over to the challenge blog to see the sketch for yourself, remember to check out

 the inspiration of the other DT members whilst you're there. 

Challenges entered:

Bunny Zoes - winter

Crafty Bloggers - anything goes

Critter Sketch - anything Christmas goes

Hooked on Craft - Christmas

Incy Wincy - non traditional Christmas

Pretty Little Ribbon - Christmas

Totally Stampalicious - anything but a card

Always Something Creative - packaging non traditional colours

Anything but a Card - #7

Carol x

Christmas Crafting (with sketches) #35

Good morning all. It's my birthday today :) so I'm hoping to get spoilt all day!

 It's time for our next challenge over at CCWS and we hope you're playing along with us this year and stocking up on those Christmas cards and projects. It's the Snow Angels turn this week and Marion has designed the sketch this time. We also have a recipe for you to use - at least 3 DPs,  flowers and a charm.  We are being sponsored by Elizabeth Bell.

I decided to upcycle a box for this challenge! I've used three different tissue papers to cover the lid and a paper from Papermania for the triangle. The image is from La Blanche and I've stamped with silver ink and mounted onto silver mirri card. The flower arrangement and ribbon were rescued from a Christmas cake. Charm, holly ribbon, sentiment and buttons from my stash.

It wasn't easy to get a good photo of the box!

A close up of the flower arrangement and charm.

Challenges entered:
CHNC - tie a ribbon
Sweet Stampin - Christmas in July
The Crafty Pad - things with wings
Addicted to Stamps - Christmas in July
Paper Pretties - 2 or more DP's
Lexi's Creations - Christmas in July
Incy Wincy - anything but a card
Get Hippity with Ippity - Christmas in July

Carol x

California Dreaming

Good morning all, I hope you are well. I managed this two page layout last night:

My eldest went to California with the school when he was 17 (he's almost 22 now!) and I've just got around to scrapbooking the pictures!  Dunbar in Scotland where we live is twinned with Martinez in California due to the links with John Muir the conservationist. They spent several days in Martinez with an exchange family then travelled to Yosemite for a two night hike, then went on to San Fransisco for some fun.

I've used a scrap mat from Scrapology as the inspiration for the layout. All the papers are from my bit box and added elements are leftovers from a kit I used ages ago. I've added some stamping using a La Blanche stamp and iced spruce DI.

Challenges entered:

Scrapology - scraplift

Crafty Boots - inspired by a song

Simon says Stamp and Show - song title

Carol x

Cheers

Good morning all, hope you're well. I've been keeping to my resolutions and made a start on some paper scrap booking. I've got a cupboard full of scrap book kits which need to be filled and boxes of photos which need to be emptied! So here is my first layout.

I've used the scrap mat at Creative Craft World as a base for my LO. All the papers, card, the frame, the ribbon and the journalling mat are from Anna Griffin and I've had them for several years! So also using up some stash in my endeavours. Cheers has been cut with my Cricut. The flowers are from Papermania, punch from Martha Stewart, borders are edgeabilities from Spellbinders, the hanging notice and the flourishes are Marianne Design dies. I've done lots of distressing with faded blue jeans and my new distress tool. Stamps are from Inkylicious and La Blanche and have been stamped in faded blue DI.

I did a digi version first in My Memories Suite just to get a feel for the scrap mat.

A very different look!

Challenges entered:

Crafty Bloggers - monochrome

Simon says Stamp and Show - anything but a card

The Cheerful Stamp Pad - birds of a feather

Crafts 4 Eternity - colour recipe

Crazy 4 Challenges - mono in blue

One Stop Craft - on the spot plus ribbon

Secret Crafter - anything goes and blue

Creative Craft World - scrap mat

Scrap our Stash - new
Paper Minutes - anything goes
Creative Craft Challenge - blue
Celebrate the Occasion - polka dots
Crafty Sentiments - anything goes

Carol x

Birds

Chrissie and Mandi over at Less is More are looking for birds this week on our one layer cards. I've pondered this one all weekend - couldn't find my bird on branch stamp anywhere and wasn't inspired to make a Christmas card. 

Whilst looking through a box of bits on my desk I found this card which was already stamped with the La Blanche wildflower design ( one of my failed attempts at green lol) and decided to see if I could add some birds to it. I found the bird stamp in an Inkylicious set. I've used DI for stamping. As always happens on a OLC the final image smudged!!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - birds one layer

Party Time Tuesdays - feathered friend

Paper Pretties - get well

Desert Island Crafters - itinerary (monochromatic, no DP, sentiment)
Craft Room Challenge - CAS

Carol x

Deepest Sympathy

Wasn't expecting to have to make one of these this week but we found out today that a friend of Mum's died on Tuesday at the same hospital she was in - so I've made this for my Mum to send.

Used the La Blanche stamp again inked with two shades of pink, sponged with TH spun sugar whilst still inside the die then matted onto black card stock. Sentiment stamped in black versafine.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - sketch 

Shopping our Stash - B&W plus one (pink ink is ancient)

Carol x

Pink Rose

It was a lovely warm day here today so I spent some time sitting in the garden doing absolutely nothing except enjoying the sunshine. I'm pleased to say the builders are doing great, they've converted half the garage to an extra room this week with little or no mess and it's ready to plaster. On Monday they start digging the founds for the extension of the existing dining room so we'll see how that goes.

Anyhow on to cards, I've been playing since coming in from the garden:

This is a new La Blanche stamp, I've inked it up in 3 shades of pink/red and brown for the stem then cut out with a scalloped nestie and used some spun sugar TH distressed ink before removing the die. This is mounted on foam pads. Card is finished with a sentiment and a pearl.

This was originally going to be a OLC but there was obviously stray ink on the stamp so rather than waste a card base I re-stamped and covered up! That's why it looks like I've mounted it too far into the corner.

Many thanks to all who left comments on my cards last week, it was a bit manic wasn't it - don't know how Chrissie and Mandy coped, they must have been typing comments in their sleep!

Challenges entered:

Less is More - sketch

Allsorts - keep it simple

Polka Doodle - distress it

Art Impressions Stamp - for the girls

Fairy Fun Fridays - pink and distressed

Carol x

Brayered

Using my brayer and a big and juicy ink pad I masked off the card with some nestie waste then stamped the image from La Blanche with versafine back ink. Still need some more practise with my brayer me thinks! Card is finished with a stamped sentiment. 

Challenges entered:

Less is More - anything goes (week 2 OLC spring)

I think I've now done all the missed challenges so does that make me a fully fledged Limette??

The Paper Players - animals or plants CAS

The House that Stamps Built - one layer CAS

Shopping our Stash - no colouring

Truly Scrumptious - clean and simple

Carol x

Vintage Father Christmas

The gorgeous Father Christmas stamp is from La Blanche and has been stamped in brown Versafine ink then cut out using a nestie label die which I've distressed with gold ink, TH tea dye and edged with the brown versafine. The backing paper is a gold embossed vellum from my stash which I've aged with some brown versafine and edged with gold ink. I've edged the base card with gold ink too. Card is finished with a ribbon and a Clarity stamp star which has been stamped and embossed with gold EP then layered for dimension.

Challenges entered:

Winter Wonderland - Santa Claus is coming to town

Sparkles Forum - Santa

Stamp Something - anything goes

Anything Goes - vintage or shabby chic

Christmas Card Challenge - vintage

Pink Elephant - vintage

Totally Gorjuss - manly

Creative Stamp Friends - for a man

Paper Creations Ink - vintage or distressed

Carol x