Winter Wonderland

Good morning all.

We had a lovely day out on Sunday, it was a long day though. I broke even on the betting stakes and eldest came home quids in so he was a happy chappie. We were both a little under par yesterday but nothing a lie in didn't cure on my part.

Hubby's Christmas card to share today, unless I don't manage to get the rest of my specials made in time to deliver them!!

Snowscene stamp is from Crafty Impressions stamped in versamark and heat embossed with white detail EP.  I've used distressed ink to shade the sky and moon. Tree dies are from Clearly Besotted and I've used the matching stamps to overstamp the coloured card with versamark and heat embossed with white detail EP. Sentiment stamp is also from Clearly Besotted. Landscape dies are from Lawn Fawn.

Challenges entered:

Craft a Scene - winter with trees

Fashionable Stamping - winter wonderland

Pile it On - anything Christmas goes

Sentimental Sunday - embossing

Stamping Sensations - winter wonderland

Dies R Us - winter wonderland

Celebrate the Wonder Tag

Good morning all.

A tag to share today.

All stamping is done with versamark and heat embossed with white detail EP. Trees and sentiment are from Penny Black a magazine freebie, skyline is from Crafty Impressions. Inks are DI and ribbon is from my stash.

Challenges entered:

Craft Stamper Take it Make it - white stamping

StampArtic - Christmas

Brown Sugar - winter

Crafts 4 Eternity - winter

Really Reasonable Ribbon - tag with ribbon or trim

Stempelsonnen - anything goes

Crafty Ribbons - mono Christmas

Crafty Creations - embossing

Creative Moments - anything goes/winter

Faux Pearl

Good morning all.

Unfortunately it's been a weekend of bad news so far...on Friday I found out my Uncle was very ill and not expected to live and that one of my cousins was critical after heart surgery. Sadly my Uncle died on Friday night, he was just a month short of his 88th birthday. Hopefully no news is good news regarding my cousin.

We're off to the races at Kelso today for the staff Christmas do, should be a good day out although there is snow forecast!

Today's share is a card for my cousin, I haven't added a sentiment yet as get well didn't seem appropriate at the moment.

I've used the faux pearl technique for the background, a spare piece from previous projects. This was inked up with various distress inks then die cut with a Spellbinders pierced rectangle...I've tried always to get a decent photo but the colours are just coming up muddy! The flower die is from Memory Box. Gems are added to finish off.

Challenges entered:

Less is More - colours

Sister Act Challenge - anything goes

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

A Little bit Crafty - anything but Christmas goes

The Sisters of Craft - anything goes

Origami Box

Good morning all.

It's a lovely morning here although it was very frosty last night, I think a quiet day at home is on the cards as we have a busy day tomorrow. Enjoy your day whatever you're doing.

Another origami box to share today.

Tutorial can be found here. Papers are from Tilda's Christmas House 12x12 pad. Dies are from Spellbinders. Flower, button and ribbon are from my stash.

Challenges entered:

In the Pink - die cuts and punches

Decorate to Celebate - anything 3D goes

Divas by Design - festive

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything but a card goes

Bearly Mine - anything but a card

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

Top Tip Tuesday - buttons and bows

All Crafts Challenge - anything but a card

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Clean and Simple

Good morning all.

House work and washing on the agenda today...sorry for swearing but needs must!

A very clean and simple card to share today...think it's a little too CAS for me though!!

Snowflakes stamps are from Anita's Stamps, stamped in versamark and heat embossed with white detail EP. Brush Stroke stamp from Inkylicious stamped twice with two different distress inks.

 Sentiment stamp from Imagination Crafts also stamped with DI. Card is finished with some gems.

Finished inside with stamp from Penny Black and a corner punch from Martha Stewart.

Challenges entered:

Stamplorations - sketch

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge - Christmas/holidays

Artistic Stampers - anything goes

One Crazy Stamper - anything goes

Cards and More - just be blue

Sparkles Forum Christmas - blue Christmas

Fan-Tastic Tuesday - twist embossing

Just Inspirational Challenges - snowflakes

Oddball Art Stamps - any holiday

Addicted to Stamps - clean and simple

Silver and White

Good morning all.

Another quick Christmas card to share today, if a little messy!

Snowflakes dies are an old set from Spellbinders and I've coated each layer with silver metal magic and heat embossed...this was the messy bit! I've used a brad to build the snowflake. The sentiment die is from Clearly Besotted and I've cut it several times and layered it up. The vellum backing paper has been in my stash for years and I've attached it to silver mirri card with some brads.

All finished inside with a stamp form Penny Black and corner punch from Martha Stewart.

Challenges entered:

ABC Challenge - Y is for yuletide

Always Something Creative - Christmas

Craft and Smash - ice, snow, Christmas

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas  goes

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

Die Cut Divas - snow and Christmas/holidays

Seemacrafts - Christmas

The Craft Garden - Christmas

The Sisters of Craft - anything goes

Creative Inspirations - silver and white

Rudolph and his Shiny Nose

Good morning all.

A little progress was made yesterday and my card labels are all updated and printed. Still need a few more cards including about 4 specials...best get a move on then.

Sharing today the third card for the kids...at least they're now out of the way!

I keeping with the other two I've made I've just highlighted a little of the image and used glossy accents on the red. Image and sentiment are from Crafty Impressions and I've used promarkers to colour. Stitched rectangle die is from Spellbinders.

I think I probably should have coloured this one in, he looks a bit bare!!

All finished inside using a Penny Black stamp and Martha Stewart corner punch.

Challenges entered:

Crafty Sentiments Designs - anything goes

Loves Rubber Stamps - anything goes

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

Retarte - Christmas

Sweet Stamps - Christmas spirit

Get Creative Challenges - Christmas

Simon says Stamp Mondays - holiday card

Stamp and Create - Christmas

Through the Purple Haze - all about Christmas

Vintage Stamping Challenge - Christmas song (Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer)

Blue Christmas

Good morning all. Only 22 chocolates until Santa comes eeek!!

I need to get my Christmas cards sorted today ready to get the first batch in the post this week. Address labels need to be updated and printed and a final count made to see where I'm at!

Another of my quick Christmas cards to share today, made on Sunday night to enter a few challenges. There could be a few quick ones this week if the above doesn't go to plan lol.

Stamps and die are all from Clearly Besotted, the front trees are die cut and layered up several times to create dimension. All finished inside too.

Challenges entered:

Sunday Stamps - sketch (cased Leena's lovely card)

AAA Cards - blue Christmas

Amusing - anything goes

Sparkles Christmas Challenge - it's a blue blue Christmas

Stamping Sensations - simply Christmas

Eclectic Ellapu "Pink Team - Vintage Christmas"

Good morning all.

This is my second post today, you can find my DT inspiration for Imagination Crafts here.

My first post this morning for the Pink Team at Eclectic Ellapu where May has chosen the theme of "Vintage Christmas".

I've chosen to make a tag which took me totally out of my comfort zone....and I loved every minute of it!!

Tag base is cut from burgundy Kraft Core card stock then embossed with a Cuttlebug snowflake folder. This was then sanded to reveal the kraft core and I used my distress tool round the edges then inked with vintage photo, faded jeans and pine needles distress inks and sprayed with gold Cosmic Shimmer. Image is from Anita Stamp's stamped onto kraft card with vintage photo, layered onto the burgundy Kraft Core. The dies have all been cut from waste card then either inked with distress ink and sprayed with gold cosmic shimmer or the gold ones have been inked with versamark and I've used gold metal magic to coat them...I love how they turned out and must make more use of this stuff. I also used the metal magic around the edges. Snowflakes and ovals are all from Spellbinders, sentiment is from Tattered Lace. Lace is from Crafty Ribbons. Recycled ribbon, holly and gem are from my stash.

I love how this turned out and think I may have to use it for hubby so I can keep it afterwards.

Challenges entered:

CHNC - Santa is on his way

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Sisterhood of Snarky Stampers - vintage

Really Reasonable Ribbons - gift packaging with ribbon or trim

QKR Stampede - anything but a card

Stempelsonnen Challenge - anything goes

4 Crafty Chicks - die cuts

Artist Trading Post - recycle for Christmas

Not Just Cards - anything goes

OSAAT - anything goes with lace

Imagination Crafts December "Anything Goes"

Good morning all.

We had a dry bright day yesterday so hubby and I went out and did a little shopping, managed to cross another couple off the Christmas present list so it wasn't a wasted trip. Supposed to be going to Edinburgh today where we'll hopefully cross the rest off.

I'm delighted to be here sharing my first inspiration project for the Imagination Crafts challenge.

Our theme is always anything goes and the winner (using a product from Imagination Crafts) will receive a £40 voucher to spend in the Imagination Crafts Shop.

I've used one of the Decoupage Stamps - Candle. 

I stamped in versmark and then heat embossed with detail gold EP. I then washed the background with the gold aquatint before colouring the main image with promarkers, die cutting and layering on gold mirri card. The sentiment and smaller images are all part of the set and are also stamped in versamark and heat embossed with gold detail EP.

Layers are attached with foam tape to give the card some dimension.

Challenges entered:

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

Completely Christmas - something beginning with "S" (stamp, sentiment)

Crafty Catz - anything goes

Sister Act Card Challenge - anything goes

Southern Girls - celebrations

Addicted to Stamps and More - holiday

We Doo Doobadoo - get festive

Paper Creators Crafts - all about Christmas

Addicted to Stamps - lots of layers

Christmas Card Challenges - anything goes

Christmas Card Club "Silver Bells"

Good morning all.

Another two weeks have passed and it's time for the penultimate challenge of the year at our little Christmas Card Club...EEEK! Asha had the job of choosing a theme this time and she's chosen "Silver Bells". I've been going around singing it all weekend...not a pleasant sound I can assure you!

Here is my card:

Base card is made with silver mirri card, apologies as it is a nightmare to photograph. The silver bells are courtesy of a Tattered Lace die which was a magazine freebie, I've cut the die down so I was left with just the two bells and layered four die cuts together to make a nice chunky die. I used that new stick it stuff for the first time and it was great for sticking all the layers together but I did have to add some wet glue to the base after the photo was taken as it wasn't coping well with the embossed surface.

The base layer has been stamped with a Bo Bunny distressed dotty stamp in lavender, the same ink was used for the Bo Bunny music border stamp which I masked in the middle. The sentiment from Clearly Besotted was stamped in versamark and heat embossed with silver detail EP. The line stamps were also from Clearly Besotted and after masking the lines I didn't want I stamped in purple.

The purple star is a recent magazine freebie including stamps and a stencil. I stamped over the top of the dots in purple then realised the stamp has been sitting nestled in a stencil of the same size so I stuck it to the card and embossed it through the Grand Caliber....of course at the half way point it suddenly dawned that the edges of the stencil were going to emboss in funny places all over the card!! I did however manage to deboss them out as by now I was on my third attempt at getting the stamping right!

Card was finished with some gems and a little bow from my stash...and of course my signature insert with the punched snowflake corners (well it's the only Christmas punch I own). Oh how smug I feel now with a box full of cards all with inserts!!

Challenges entered:

Less is More the 200th challenge - celebrations

Addicted To CAS - dots

Delicious Doodles - let's face the music

Sweet Stamps - bordered sentiment

Winter Wonderland - dies and punches

Artist Trading Block 2

Good morning all.

Not sure what's on the agenda today, I really need to finish off my Christmas cards and make some more tags but suspect I will have to do some washing and cooking!

Today's share is another Artist Trading Block. I found some lovely little tin signs at Live Laugh Love and when they arrived thought they'd look nice on wooden blocks. Unfortunately none of the blocks from hubby were big enough to use so I removed one of my rubber stamps from it's wooden back and bingo we were ready to roll.

Block was painted all over with white chalk paint. Backing paper is from my stash and was a magazine freebie, this is layered onto kraft card. The sign is also layered onto several layers of kraft card and is attached with two brads. Block is finished with ribbon, bow and a button.

I've used a second sign on the reverse of the block.

Close up of the button and bow.

Challenges entered:

Brown Sugar - anything goes

Fussy and Fancy - happy holidays

CRAFT - Christmas present

Crafty Ribbons - animals at Christmas plus ribbon

Moving along with the Times - inspired by a song (It's a most Wonderful Time of the Year)

Decorate to Celebrate - anything goes 3D

Inspiration Destination - anything goes

Shopping our Stash - free is good (papers)

Top Tip Tuesday - buttons or bows

TOP TIP - wooden stamp blocks make wonderful bases to decorate, the rubber stamp can be peeled off and remounted on clingy stuff!

Craft-Dee Bowz - anything goes with a hand tied bow

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Altered Eclectics - anything goes but a card

The Mirror Crack'd - Christmas decoration

Shoe Box

Good morning all.

This project has been on the go for a week or two now and I finally got around to finishing it yesterday.

Last Christmas the boys were somewhat dismayed to find Santa hadn't filled a stocking for them! In Santa's defence I don't believe they hung one up before they went to bed and these days their undies and such don't fit very easily in a stocking!

When tidying the craft room a few weeks ago I came across some shoe boxes waiting to be altered and decided to upcycle a couple...here is the first.

The before...

Picked some backing papers from my hoarded stash of 12x12 and decorated the outside of the box...

Painted the inside white, added some recycled ribbon and a bow , lined with hoarded tissue paper and filled...

Challenges entered:

Unstampables - make a box and tell us how you did it

Decorate to Celebrate - anything 3D

Craft Hoarders Anonymous - altered box

Not Just Cards - anything goes

CHNC Extra - anything Christmas goes

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

Recycle, Re-Purpose and Re-Invent - anything goes

Aloha

Good morning all.

Lots of shouting going on last night again when our team (Liverpool) were playing again in Bulgaria in the Champion's League. After conceding a last minute goal we ended with a 2 all draw!

A canvas to share today which I've been working on for a few days. This is really just a practise run before I do some for the weddings.

I've chosen a family photo taken nearly ten years ago on New Year's Eve in The Epcot Centre at Walt Disney World. I started by giving the 8x8 canvas a good coating of gesso. Once dry I used some glass bead glitter gel coloured with Gelato ink to stencil the corners...the stencil is from Imagination Crafts. Then I got inky, as did the craft room and all the tools on my work top! Using my new distress spray inks I gradually built the colour up until I was happy with the effect. I then stencilled the Memory Box dots with texture paste in the other two corners. 

I've used a sketch for the layout design, the papers are from K&Co. The dies I've used are all from Spellbinders and those cut from kraft card along with the chipboard title letters have been sprayed with inks and Cosmic Shimmer. Alphabet stamps are from Anita's Stamps, stamped with versamark and heat embossed with white detail EP. The flowers came from one of the leis we are wearing in the photo, I've added some picket fence and silver Cosmic Shimmer to them. Some pearls finish off the layout.

Challenges entered:

Add a Little Dazzle - anything goes/or use a stencil

Decorate to Celebrate - anything 3D goes

Party Time Tuesdays - anything goes

All Crafts - anything but a card

Not Just Cards - anything goes

Pile it On - recycle/upcycle (flowers)

Scrappy Hands - textures

Altered Eclectics - anything goes but a card

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

Redd's Creative Spirit - anything mixed media

WOW Embossing Powder - mixed media

Lasting Memories - all about the title

Creative Scrappers - sketch #282

Crafting for all Seasons #91 "Tis the Season"

Good morning all.

Today it's time for our next challenge at CFAS and this time the theme is "Tis the Season". We're  looking forward to seeing all your makes. Our sponsor this time Inky Impressions who gave the DT images to work with.

I've used Merry Kiss-mas Penguins and Digijoys from our sponsor and coloured with promarkers using stickles to highlight, before die-cutting. Circle dies and snowflake (an older die) beneath are all from Spellbinders. Create a Card die from Die'sire which I've inked with DI whilst still in the die. Gems from my stash.

Side view showing the layers and all finished inside.

Do pop over to the challenge blog to see the rest of the girls inspiration, you won't be disappointed.

Challenges entered:

Clear it Out - winter wishes, use a snowflake

Crafty Sentiments - use die cuts

Everybody Art Challenge - snowflake

Card Mania - use a digi

Craft your Passion - baby it's cold outside

Cutie Pie - festive furry friends

Eureka Stamps - non traditional Christmas colours

Oh La La - Christmas

Perfectly Rustics - embossing

Through the Purple Haze - anything goes