Happy Birthday to You

I made this card for a friend's birthday using the current sketch at the CAS Colours & Sketches challenge.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Uniko 'English Country Garden Butterflies' stamp and coordinating die
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamp
     Memory Box 'Wicker Panel' die
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Promarkers    
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white card

I die cut the Wicker Panel from a snippet of white card and attached it across the front of the card.  I used purple ink to stamp the butterfly onto another snippet of white card and embossed it with clear embossing powder before cutting it with the coordinating die.  The butterfly was then coloured with Promarkers - cream and two shades of green. - with the green areas highlighted with a Wink of Stella.  I put the card into my MISTI and placed the butterfly onto it so I could see where the stamp the sentiment.  After removing the butterfly I stamped the sentiment with purple ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  To finish I shaped the butterfly's wings and attached it to the front of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Birthdays
     Alphabet Challenge - K for Keep it Simple
     As You Like It Challenge - Layered or Flat (flat are my preferred type of cards as these fit my CAS style as well as being cheaper to post)
     CAS Colours & Sketches - Sketch 
     Moving Along with the Times - Butterflies and/or Dragonflies
     Simply Clean & Simple - Birthdays
     Stamping Sensations - CAS
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes
     

Kath x

Fuchsias Cross Stitch Card

I've recently been gifted a Fuchsia cross stitch kit to make a scissor keep.  As I didn't want to make the scissor keep I stitched the flowers to make into a card.

To make this card I used:

     5" x 5" white linen card blank
     Textile Heritage cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white linen card

After finishing the stitching I set it aside.  I die cut a circle in the centre of the card blank and trimmed the fabric before attaching it 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 of the card to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Cardz 4 Galz - Stitching, Real or Faux (I've obviously chosen the real option)
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Just Wanted to Say ...

My hairdresser is retiring and selling her business, she's also having a long-awaited operation this month so I've made this card for her and her daughter when I go for my final hair cut with them.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white matt card blank
     Spellbinders Designer Series 'Framed Floral Card Front' & My Favorite Things 'Fishtail Flags' dies
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamp
     Versafine Deep Lagoon & Vintage Sepia ink
     Snippets of white matt card and Polkadoodles 'Fourini' paper

I used both the floral panel and the frame to cut a snippet of white matt card.  After removing all the small pieces from the panel I attached a snippet of turquoise and pink paper behind the panel before attaching it to the front of the card blank.  I used Deep Lagoon ink to stamp the sentiment onto another snippet of white card, but as it was too bright I stamped it again with brown ink to make the colour a bit deeper.  I then used the fishtail flag die to cut the sentiment, moving the die slightly to make the flag a little shorter.  To finish I attached the sentiment to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Die Cuts and/or Stencils
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

Kath x

Sailing Boat

This sailing cross stitch was another charity shop find and was originally a cover gift with Cross Stitcher magazine.  It was just the right size for this card blank that was among the craft items I've recently been gifted - a perfect birthday card for a friend who loves to sail.

To make this card I used:
     4.75" x 3.5" dark blue tri-fold card with circle aperture
     Cross Stitcher magazine 'Sailing' cross stitch kit

To took a while to stitch this design as it's a long time since I've stitched on evenweave, but I did enjoy the challenge!  After completing the stitching I placed the stitching behind the aperture.  As I didn't want the dark blue to show through the fabric I attached a piece of white paper to the inside of the card before folding it over the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Masculine
     Little Red Wagon - G is for Gentleman
     Try It on Tuesday - Going Round in Circles

Kath x

Happy Christmas

I stitched this card for the Christmas Kickstart 'Let's Wreath It Up' challenge using a kit that had been a magazine cover gift.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white linen card blank
     Debra Page 'Happy Christmas' cross stitch kit (from Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine)
     White DMC thread
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white linen card

I stitched the wreath using the chart in the kit.  The white flowers should have been left unstitched, but I used some oddments of white thread to fill in the flowers .  It took a bit longer to finish the design but I thought it looked better.  I trimmed a snippet of white linen card so it was slightly small than the card blank and die cut a stitched circle from the centre.  The fabric was attached to the back of the aperture and the panel was then attached to the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Let's Wreath It Up
     Little Red Wagon - Circle of Life
     Try It On Tuesday - Going Round in Circles (I have used a circle aperture and wreath)

Kath x

August Rudolph Day

For one reason and another I've not done much crafting over the last couple of weeks, although I have been tidying my craft drawers to make room for a lot of cross stitch items I've been gifted.  During my 'sort out' I came across several embossed panels and some die cuts which I had made for cards and not used.  One of the panels and some letters were perfect for making this quick die cut card for Rudolph Day (die cutting is my RD theme this year)

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Joy', All Occasion Dies 'Small Poinsettia' and Memory Box 'Mini Holly Leaves' dies
     Xcut 'Swirls' embossing folder
     Snippets of white matt card

The panel had been embossed and I trimmed it around the edges before attaching it to the front of the card.  The letters had been die cut from white card and I then die cut the poinsettia and holly berries from another snippet of white card.  The poinsettias were layered with the holly berries attached to the centre.  I layered two 'J' and two 'Y' letters so they would be more prominent in the centre of the embossed panel.  I placed the letters and poinsettia onto the card to ensure they were evenly spaced before gluing them into place.

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     ABC Christmas Challenge - Q for Quick
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Cut It Up - Anything Goes
     Rudolph Day - August Challenge
     Tic Tac Toe - Challenge 277 (I have chosen Letters, Free & Rectangle Shape)

Kath x

Let Your Dreams Take Flight

I wanted to make a tag to follow the theme for this month's Tag along & ATCs 'Travel' challenge but was struggling to find anything travel related then remembered that dreams can take flight!

To make this tag I used:
     Creative Expressions 'Pierced Tags' die
     Hot off the Press 'Feathers' stamps and coordinating die
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Dark brown Promarker
     Snippets of white and dark purple card, Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper and purple ribbon

I attached the snippet of Antebellum paper to white card and used the largest die to cut the tag.  I placed the tag into my MISTI and used purple ink to stamp the sentiment in the lower corner - stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I used purple ink to stamp the feather onto purple card and cut it with the coordinating die.  The feather was then attached above the sentiment.  The purple ribbon was a bit too bright so I coloured it with a dark brown Promarker so it matched the colour of the feather before attaching it to the top of the tag.

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Any Occasion
     Cut It Up - Add a Sentiment
     Tag-along & ATCs Challenge - Travel

Kath x

Another Rustic Wreath

I made this card for the Christmas Kickstart 'Let's Wreath it Up' challenge using one of my favourite Christmas stamps.

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 & Vintage Sepia ink
     Snippets of white matt card and turquoise matt card
     Turquoise enamel dots

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 turquoise matt 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 added small turquoise enamel dots around the wreath.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     As You Like It - Favourite Season (I like all seasons for different reasons, but as a cardmaker 'Winter' is my favourite as I enjoy making Christmas cards)
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Let's Wreath It Up
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     Tic Tac Toe - Challenge 276 (I have chosen CAS, Free & Any Shape Die)
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes
     

Kath x

Happy Birthday

I made this card with a lovely Sizzix flower stamp and die - I do love coordinating stamps and dies as I don't have much patience for fussy cutting!

To make this card I used:
     C6 white hammer card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' die
     Sizzix 'Floral Hello' stamps and coordinating die
     Clearly Besotted 'Fancy Sayings' sentiment stamp
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Snippets of white hammer card and white matt card
     Altenew Crysstal Clear enamel dots
     Wink of Stells

I used brown ink to stamp the flowers onto a snippet of white matt card.  I embossed them with clear embossing powder before cutting them with the coordinating die.  I used a pink Promarker for the flowers, bright green for the flower centres and a darker green for the leaves.  I die cut a stitched oval from a snippet of white hammer card and put it into my MISTI before placing the flowers onto the circle so I could see where to position the sentiment.  I removed the flowers and stamped the sentiment with brown ink before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  The oval was attached to the centre of the card blank with foam pads and the flowers attached above and below the sentiment.  I added a Wink of Stella to the flower petals and three small clear enamel dots around the sentiment.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Cut It Up - Add a Sentiment
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     Tic Tac Toe Challenge - Challenge 276 (I chose CAS, Free & Any Shape Die - although it could also be CAS, Sentiment & Embossing)
     The Flower Challenge - Add Embellishments (I have used enamel dots)
     We Love Stamping - Flowers

Kath x

New Baby

I was so pleased when my 'Rustic Christmas' card was the winner at the CAS on Friday 'Christmas' challenge and I was invited to be Guest Designer on their 'Baby' challenge.  This is the first time I've used this 'new to me' baby die too!

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blank
     Tonic Studios 'New Baby' and My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippets of white hammer card and pale blue pearlescent card

I used a snippet of white hammer card to die cut a stitched square.  I then die cut 'New Baby' from the centre of the panel, setting the die cut aside.  The panel was layered onto a slightly larger square of pale blue pearlescent card before being attached to the card blank.  I die cut 'New Baby' from pale blue pearlescent card and inlaid it into the panel together with the small pieces from the white die cut.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas (or not) BINGO Challenge - Challenge 14 (I have used Line G - Square Card Base, Sentiment as the Focus & Frame)
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 77 (my new die)
     Simply Clean & Simple - Anything CAS Goes

Kath x

Home

One of my neighbours (the lady who has gifted me a lot of cross stitching items) has decided it's time to move into a care home.  It's been a big decision for her as she's lived in her flat for 50 years, so I've made this cross stitch card for her.  The design was for an anniversary card and the letters should have read LOVE, but I used a modern alphabet to change it to HOME.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Catkin & Lillie 'Pots of Love' and FloReen Studio 'Alphabet' charts
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die'namics' die
     Rustic 14 count aida
     DMC threads
     Snippet of white matt card

I stitched the design and changed the letters using a modern alphabet to fit inside the flower pots.  I didn't have a rectangle die that was large enough, so used a square die cutting it twice to get the right width for the design.  I then trimmed around the edge of the frame so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  The fabric was trimmed to fit behind the frame and attached with strong tape before the panel was attached to the card front.

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

Kath x

Yet More Big Birthday Wishes

Another male card using my 'go to' die.  I do love this die as it always looks different when made with different colour card, although I must find another large sentiment die soon!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" kraft card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Big Birthday Wishes' die
     Snippets of kraft card, cream textured card and red glitter card

I trimmed the snippet of kraft card so it was slightly wider than the die and cut the large sentiment from the centre before attaching the panel to the front of the card blank.  I die cut 'BIG' from red glitter card and inlaid the letters into the front of the card.  I die cut the rest of the sentiment from cream textured  card and inlaid them.  To finish I trimmed two narrow strips of cream textured card and attached them down each side of the sentiment panel.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Birthdays
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Use Your Favourite Colour (although I don't really have a favourite colour, I do love to use red and cream with kraft card)
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 512 (oops, I forgot to take a photo of my snippets!)

Kath x