Rustic Wreath

This wreath stamp is one of my Christmas favourites, although this is the first time I've stamped the pine cones as I normally just add holly berries.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Uniko 'Rustic Wreath' stamps
     Versafine Olympia Green, Crimson Red & Vintage Sepia ink
     Snippets of white matt card and red pearlescent card
     Wink of Stella

I placed a snippet of white card into my MISTI and stamped the wreath and sentiment a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  The panel was then cut with the stitched square die and layered onto a slightly larger snippet of red pearlescent card.  The panel was then attached to the centre of the card blank.  I stamped the pine cones onto another snippet of white card and fussy cut them before attaching them to the wreath with tiny foam pads.  To finish I used red ink to stamp the holly berries around the wreath.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Christmas
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Christmas
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Merry-go-Round (My circles are the wrreath and holly berries)
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - CAS
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     Uniko - 12 Days of Christmas
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Kath x

Cross Stitch and Blackwork Card

I stitched this design when I was on holiday and really enjoyed stitching it as it combines my love of cross stitch and blackwork.  After completing the stitching I made it into a card for my niece's birthday.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Lesley Teare's 'Blackwork Beauties' chart 
     White 14 count aida
     DMC Threads
     Snippet of white matt card

After finishing the stitching I washed it to remove the creases from the fabric and ironed it on the reverse.  I die cut the largest square die from the centre of the card blank front and attached the stitching to the rear of the aperture.  I trimmed a snippet of white card so it was slightly smaller than the front of the card and attached it to the inside to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms & Butterflies (I've chosen Birds & Blooms)

Kath x

Snippets Gift Tag

This cross stitch parcel was another piece of holiday stitching and used snippets of perforated paper and threads - perfect for making into a gift tag with more card and paper snippets.

To make this tag I used:
     Creative Expressions 'Pierced Tags' die
     Catkin & Lillie 'Mini Presents' cross stitch chart
     DMC red, green and black threads
     Snippets of white card, Wild Rose Studio 'Painted Poinsettia' paper and perforated paper

I attached the paper to the white card and die cut the middle size tag before embossing around the edge.  After stitching the cross stitch present I used a sharp pair of scissors to trim around the stitching and used strong tape to attach the present to the tag.  To finish, I used more oddments of the same red and green threads to attach to the top of the tag.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Non-card Crafting Project (I always use recycled brown paper to wrap presents so like to make colourful tags for them - this one also has a cross stitch element which is my other favourite craft)
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas in July
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 510
     Tag-Along (and ATCs) - Anything Goes

Kath x

Red Boat

I bought this lovely Permin cross stitch kit for just 75p from my local charity shop.  After stitching the design Steve said how much he liked it, so I made it into a card for his birthday (which was whilst we were away last month).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Permin 'Red Boat' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of grey pearlescent card

After finishing the stitching I washed and pressed it as the fabric had some deep creases from being folded in the packet.  I trimmed a piece of grey pearlescent card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and cut a stitched square from the centre.  I attached the fabric behind the aperture and then onto the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Rustic Christmas

We've been back from our latest travels for a couple of days and everything is now clean - ready for us to go away again in a couple of weeks. So, it's now crafting time!  

To make this card I used:
     C6 white card blank
     Uniko 'Rustic Christmas' stamps
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Red, pink and turquoise enamel dots

I placed the card into my MISTI and laid the tree and sentiment stamps onto it before stamping them with dark green ink, stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I then added some small enamel dots to the tree.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - O for One Layer Card
     Addicted to CAS - Christmas
     CAS on Friday - Christmas in July
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas in July
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas
     Little Red Wagon - Christmas in July
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Simply Clean & Simple - Clean and Simple
     Uniko  - 12 Days of Christmas

Kath x   

Enjoy You Day Gift Tag

I made this gift tag for a friend's birthday present.  I love making gift tags so am pleased to see a new challenge - Tag-along and ATCs (although I did miss their first challenge last month!).

To make this tag I used:
     Creative Expressions 'Pierced Tags' die
     Sentimentally Yours 'Magazine Box Kit #12' rose stamp and coordinating die
     Clearly Besotted 'Mini Calligraphy' stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Promarkers
     Snippets of white mat card and Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum paper
     Yarn (upcycled from a tag Brenda sent me with a prize)

I attached the snippet of paper onto white card before die cutting the largest label and embossing around the edge.  I stamped the rose onto another snippet of white card and cut it with the coordinating die before colouring it with Promarkers.  I placed the tag into my MISTI and laid the rose onto it so I could see where to place the sentiment.  I removed the rose and stamped the sentiment with black ink before attaching the rose to the tag  To finish I fastened the yarn to the top of the tag.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     Tag-Along (and ATCs) - Anything Goes
     We Love Stamping - Nature

This is my last post for a few weeks as we're heading off on our travels again tomorrow.  

Kath x

Have a Wonderful Birthday

I've not had much crafting time this week as we're getting ready for our next campervan 'adventure' but I did make some time to make a birthday card with a new Lisa Horton embossing folder I won in the Allsorts challenge.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 7" white matt card blank
     Lisa Horton 'Pansy Corner' 3D embossing folder
     Uniko 'Sentiments Outlined' stamp
     Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' die
     Versafine Spanish Moss ink
     Green textured card and white matt card

I trimmed the white matt card to a 5.75" x 5.75" square and embossed the Pansy Corner.  I placed the panel into my MISTI and stamped the sentiment in green ink.  The panel was then layered onto green textured card and attached to the card blank.  To finish I die cut two tiny butterflies and attached them to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Floral
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Type of Embossing (I use both wet and dry embossing, but dry embossing is my favourite as I feel it adds texture to a card whilst still keeping it CAS)
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     CAS on Friday - Embossing
     Sparkles Monthly Challenge - Flowers
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms & Butterflies (I have used blooms & butterflies)

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

I was delighted when my Merry Christmas Tree was a winner of the Cut It Up Challenge and I was invited to be Guest Designer on the 'Anything Goes' challenge.   I decided to make a birthday card for one of my nephews, using my favourite birthday die for male cards.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" kraft card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics', Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday To You' dies
     Sentimentally Yours 'Premium Magazine #12' paper and airplane die
     Snippets of turquoise pearlescent card

I attached a piece of airplane paper to a piece of printer paper to make it a bit stronger and then die cut a square.  As I didn't have a square die of the right size, I used the largest rectangle die to cut the first half, then moved the die to the correct size and cut the other half.  I then die cut the sentiment from the centre, setting the sentiment and all the small pieces to one side.  I layered the panel onto a slightly larger square of turquoise card and attached it to the card front.  I used more snippets of turquoise card to die cut the sentiment twice, these were layered and inlaid into the card front, together with the small pieces from the patterned sentiment.  The patterned sentiment was attached, offsetting it slightly to create a shadow.  To finish I die cut two small airplanes from turquoise card and attached them to the front of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Cross Stitch Poppy Card

I took some cross stitching with me when we went to Anglesey, and this is one of the designs I completed.  I made it into a birthday card for a friend who loves poppies.  

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Carolyn's Garden 'Poppy' cross stitch kit
     Snippet of white hammer card

After completing the stitching I mounted it behind a stitched square aperture that had been die cut in the front of the card blank.  A piece of the same card was attached to the inside of the card to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Sparkles Monthly Challenge - Flowers

Kath x

Final Action Time

Whilst tidying my craft drawers earlier this year I found another LOTV 'Action Time' Art Pad image (I thought I had used them all!) as it was a precoloured image it was perfect for a quick birthday card for my youngest great nephew.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Action Time' Art Pad image

     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' and Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday' dies
     Wild Rose Studio 'Man About Town' paper
     Snippets of grey pearlescent card and white paper

I attached the plaid paper to a snippet of white paper to give it some strength before die cutting an oval from the left size of the panel.  The panel was layered onto a slightly larger square of grey pearlescent card before being attaching it to the card blank.  I die cut the Art Pad image with the same oval die and inlaid it into the front of the card.  I die cut the sentiment from a snippet of grey before attaching it to the lower corner of the card.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - For a Child
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Boys/Men
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Masculine

Kath x

May Rudolph Day

 It's time for the fifth Rudolph Day of the year and another die cut Christmas card (die cutting in my RD theme this year).  For this card I've used one of my 'old favourites' which is perfect for making quick CAS Christmas cards.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white hammer card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Joy' & My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippets of white hammer card, black matt card and cerise mirri card

I die cut a rectangle from white hammer card and then die cut the plain JOY from the centre.  The panel was then attached to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut JOY from black matt card and inlaid the letters into the panel, together with the middle of the O that had been cut from white card.  I then die cut the fancy JOY from cerise mirri card and attached it to the card over the black letters.

I am entering the following challenges:
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Use Die Cuts or Punches (I've chosen the die cuts option)
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Black and White Plus One Colour (I have chosen cerise)
     Rudolph Day - May Challenge
     Simply Clean & Simple - Clean & Simple
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 507
     Try It On Tuesday - Keep it Simple (I've chosen to make a Clean & Simple card)

Kath x

Happy Birthday Allison

Although I've not done any papercrafting whilst we've been away, I have spent time in the evenings with my cross stitch.  I stitched this card for my brother-in-law's partner for her 60th birthday using a lovely design by Celebrate in Cross Stitch.

To make this card I used:
     Celebrate in Cross Stitch 'Happy Birthday' card kit

The kit contained everything to make this celebration card, including a trifold card and envelope.  There was also an alphabet and numerals so the card could be personalised.   After stitching the basic design I used some graph paper to plot the name and numerals before adding them to the card.  I don't normally wash the small cross stitch pieces that I make into cards, however, this finished cross stitch was too large for the aperture in the card.  The instructions said this may be the case and that washing the design would shrink it slightly so it would fit the aperture and thankfully it worked.  I attached the stitching behind the aperture and folded the side over to cover the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Try It On Tuesday - Keep It Simple (this card was simple to make as everything was included in the kit)

Kath x