Nativity Bauble

Another Christmas card made with more snippets and a magazine cover gift die.

I trimmed the green paper, layered it onto gold mirri card and attached it to the card blank.  I die cut the Nativity bauble from dark blue pearlescent card and attached it to the panel. I then die cut the swirl bauble and a large star from gold mirri before attaching them over the top of the Nativity scene.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Memory Box 'Nativity Bauble' die (magazine cover gift)
     Snippets of dark blue pearlescent card, gold mirri and Funky Fossil 'In To The Blue' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Use a Die
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Cross Stitch Bethlehem

This decoration is made with a cross stitch pattern from last year's Christmas Cross Stitch magazine.  After finishing the stitching I ironed thin interfacing onto the back of the fabric, trimmed the edge and inserted it into a small gold plastic frame.  To finish the decoration I attached a circle of white felt to the back and a small piece of ribbon to the top.

Kath x

Christmas Eve Night

I've another Christmas card today - made entirely with snippets.

I die cut the Christmas Eve scene from dark blue pearlescent card and attached it to a snippet of pink and blue paper. I trimmed the paper around the edge of the die before attaching it to the card blank.  I then die cut the moon from a snippet of gold pearlescent card and inlaid it into the scene.

To make this card I used:
     5.25" x 4.25" white matt card blank
     Cottage Cutz 'Christmas Eve Night' die
     Snippets of dark blue and gold pearlescent card, Funky Fossil 'In To The Blue' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Christmas Snippets
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 417
     Winter Wonderland - For a Child

Kath x

November Rudolph Day

For various reasons I've missed most of the Rudolph Day challenges this year, but thought I must make an effort to join in with the final challenge of the year.  My theme for this year's Rudolph Day cards is 'Upcycling' so I've used the front of a card I received last year to make this super quick card.

I die cut the front of the card, layered it onto a snippet of gold mirri and attached it to the front of the card blank.  This card was so quick to make it felt like I'm cheating!

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white matt card blank
     Upcycled Christmas card
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of gold mirri card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day Challenge - November challenge

Kath x

Jack, Patch and Puss

I made this cute Christmas card for my great-niece using an old Lili of the Valley Art Pad image.

I die cut the precoloured image with a stitched rectangle die and set it aside.  I had a snippet of  'Ho, Ho, Ho' paper that was from an old Making Cards paper collection.  I attached the paper to a piece of white card, trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and then die cut a stitched rectangle from the centre.  To finish I inlaid the topper into the frame.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Jack, Patch & Puss' Art Pad image
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white card and  Making Cards 'Christmas 2019' craft paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Cutie Pie Challenge - Anything Cute
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Winter Wonderland - For a Child

Kath x

Happy Holidays

Another Christmas card from me today using one of my favourite Funky Fossil stamps.

I had got a die cut circle in my snippets folder - made for a project and not used - which was a perfect size for this wreath stamp.  I used brown ink to stamp the wreath into the centre of the circle and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I coloured the pine cones with a light brown pen and the letters and berries with a red pen.  I attached the wreath topper to the centre of the card with a circle of a thin foam sheet, cut slightly smaller than the circle of white card.  To finish I used Diamond Stickles on the small dots around the wreath.

To make this card I used:   
     5" x 5" white card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Funky Fossil 'Joy' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Copics - R23 & R29
     Diamond Stickles 

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Circle
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Something Beginning with U, V or W (I've chosen W for Wreath)
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Christmas Puddings

I'm now hopefully back in blogland after our summer of campervan travels, Steve's heart attack (thankfully he's making a good recovery), and a kitchen and bathroom refit.  As I've not done much crafting over the summer I'm behind with my Christmas cards so have made seven cards in this simple design - perfect for the current ABC Christmas Challenge.

I used lots of snippets of white card to make these quick cards - although I still have lots left!  I embossed the holly frame onto some of the larger pieces of card, trimmed around the border and attached them to the centre of the card blanks.  I stamped the Christmas puddings with brown ink and the holly with green ink onto lots of smaller pieces of card.  I then used the coordinating dies to cut them out.  I added Diamond Stickles to the top of the puddings and when they had dried attached them to the centre of the cards with foam tape.  I coloured the holly berries with a bright red pen and added a Wink of Stella before attaching the holly to the top of the puddings.

To make these cards I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card 
     Clearly Besotted 'Christmas Pudding' stamp and dies
     Apple Blossom 'Holly' embossing folder
     Versafine Vintage Sepia and Olympia Green ink
     Copic Ciao - R29
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white card

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - X for Xerox
     Allsorts - Christmas
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Christmas Snippets
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - November Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 416

Kath x

Life's Curved Ball

We've had a fabulous summer since Steve took early retirement and have spent almost three months travelling in our campervan.  We arrived home last Saturday after a month long trip travelling around Norfolk and had planned on a quick turnaround before heading off to see our families.  Then life decided to throw us a curved ball and Steve had a heart attack on Sunday.  Thankfully the paramedics got him to hospital quickly and the amazing CCU team removed the clots and inserted a stent.  He's back home now and is starting the long road to recovery.  He keeps telling me the upside of us not going away is that I can do some crafting so I hope to be back in blogland within the next few weeks when our life settles down!

Kath x

Fabulous Fuchsias

I made this gift tag for my sister's birthday present using lots of snippets and a set of new to me 'pre-loved' stamps.

I covered a piece of white card with a snippet of cream paper and die cut the tag. I put the tag into my MISTI and stamped 'sister' in the lower corner -stamping a couple of times to get a good deep colour before embossing it with clear embossing powder. I stamped the flower with purple ink and the leaves with green ink before embossing them with clear embossing powder and cutting them with the coordinating dies.  I attached the leaves across the tag and trimmed the stem on the right side so it was flush with the side of the tag.  The flower was attached with a foam pad.  To finish I threaded a snippet of white ribbon through the top.

To make this card I used:
     Clearly Besotted 'Fabulous Fuchsias' stamps and coordinating dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Happy Birthday All' stamps
     Versafine Imperial Purple and Olympia Green ink
     Cosmic Shimmer clear detail embossing powder
     Snippets of white card, cream paper and white ribbon

I am entering the following challengs:
     Allsorts - Feminine/For a Lady
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - July Challenge
     NBUS - Challenge 28 (my fuchsia stamps and dies)
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 408

This will be my last post for a while as we're heading off in our campervan again.

Kath x

Teddy with Present

I always take some cross stitching away in our campervan and this is one of the pieces I completed on our last 'adventure'.  This was an old magazine cover gift that was amongst a bundle of kits I bought earlier in the year.

The frame was made with a piece of Lili of the Valley paper that I attached to card before trimming it, rounding the corners and die cutting a circle from the centre.  I attached the teddy behind the aperture and layered it on the card.

Kath x

Chocolate Box Christmas Tree

I missed last month's Rudolph Day as we were away in our campervan, but have made a quick upcycled card (upcycling is my theme this year) for this month's challenge.  This card is made with the patterned card from the top of a box of Waitrose chocolates.

I trimmed the purple and gold card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached it to the front.  I trimmed a piece of white hammer card and die cut the Christmas tree from the centre - setting it aside as I wanted to use the leaves.  The panel was trimmed and attached to the card.  I die cut the Christmas tree from the purple and gold card before inlaying both the tree and white leaves.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Sizzix 'Trees, Leafy' die
     Upcycled Waitrose chocolate box
     White hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day - July challenge

Kath x

Birthday Wishes Just For You

Before heading off on our last campervan 'adventure' I bought a pack of Hunkydory Deco-Large 'Flourishing Florals' to take with me.  We don't have much room to take many crafting items, but these fit into a small box together with my Pinflair glue and a few tools.  I made all the decoupage toppers whilst away and now have a drawer full of pretty floral images to make into cards.

I trimmed a piece of the co-ordinating card, layered it onto silver mirri and attached it to the card front.  The floral decoupage topper was attached to the centre of the card and a small sentiment topper attached to the lower corner with Pinflair glue.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Hunkydory 'Flourishing Florals Deco-Large - Purple Petals' card, base layer, decoupage flowers and sentiment topper
     Silver mirri

I am entering the following challenge:
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Happy Birthday

I made this card for my youngest great-nephew's forthcoming birthday.  As I haven't made any cards for a while it took my longer to find everything than it did to make the card!

I trimmed a piece of pale blue paper and layered it onto brown paper before die cutting an oval from the left side and placing it into my MISTI.  I stamped the sentiment with dark brown ink and then attached the paper to the card front.  I die cut the precoloured LOTV Art Pad image with an oval die and then die cut a number '5' on one of the sails before inlaying the topper into the card front.  I attached a small snippet of brown paper to a piece of card before die cutting '5' and inlaying it into the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Action Time' Art Pad
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' and Memory Box 'Classic Numbers' dies
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Bear Necessities' and 'Enchantment' papers

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - July Challenge
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

The Harbourside

We're back from the first of our adventures in Zebedee following Steve's retirement, although we have plenty more trips planned for the rest of the year.  This is the card I made for Steve's 60th birthday using a Hunkydory Deco-Large card kit.  He loves visiting seaside harbours so I thought the image would be perfect for him.

I trimmed a piece of the backing card, layered it onto gold mirri and attached it to the front of the card blank.  I removed the decoupage layers from the backing sheet and layered them with Pinflair glue.  After the glue had dried I attached the topper to the centre of the card.  To finish I die cut 60 from gold mirri and attached the numbers to the lower corner of the card.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" cream matt card
     Hunkydory Deco-Large 'The Harbourside' backing card and decoupage
     Memory Box 'Classic Numbers' die
     Gold mirri

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Masculine
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Life Begins at Retirement

Although Steve's actual retirement date is his birthday next month, today is his final working day so I've made this card for him.  Hopefully he will have lots of 'me time' in his retirement as well as many adventures in Zebedee.  

I attached dark blue paper to a piece of white paper and trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I die cut a stitched circle from the centre and rounded the corners before attaching it to the front of the card blank.  I put the precoloured image into my MISTI and lay the circle die on top so I could see where to stamp the sentiment.  I removed the die and stamped the sentiment before die cutting the image.  The circle was then inlaid into the aperture.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Vintage Boys' Art Pad
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics die
     Practical Publishing 'Stamps for All Occasions' stamp
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Father Knows Best' paper
     Woodware Corner Rounder punch

Our first adventure in Zeb starts on Monday and we're going to be away for several weeks so I won't making any new posts until mid July.  I'm not sure how much commenting I'll be able to do either - that all depends on the weather and the wifi signals on our campsites.

Kath x