Cross Stitch Mille Fleurs

This design is another charity shop find - this is Mille Fleur from the Textile Heritage Collection.  The design should have been stitched on 18hpi fabric to attach to the front of a gift card but the combination of dark fabric and small stitch count was too much for my eyes to I stitched it onto 14hpi aida to make a card.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" cream hammer card blank
     Textile Heritage Collection 'Mille Fleurs' cross stitch kit
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of cream hammer card
     

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

Kath x

January Rudolph Day

It's time for the first Rudolph Day of 2023!  For the past few years I've enjoyed working to a theme for my Rudolph Day cards.  In 2017 I used images from a Lili of the Valley Art Pad, in 2018 my cards were 4" x 4", in 2019 all cards had a Christmas tree on them, in 2020 I used wet and/or dry embossing on my cards, in 2021 I used something that had been upcycled and last year all my cards used something that had been a cover gift with a magazine.  This year my theme will be 'Cross Stitch' and all cards will have a cross stitch design.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Hobbycraft 'Snowman' mini cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white hammer cad

After stitching the snowman I mounted the febric behind a circle aperture that had been die cut with a stitched die.  I attached a piece of white card to the inside to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day - January Challenge

Kath x

Cross Stitch Red Clover

This design is from Carolyn's Meadow by Serendipity Designs.  I enjoyed stitching this design and was pleased that it sold within half an hour of being listed on Folksy.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Serendipity Designs 'Carolyn's Meadow - Red Clover' cross stitch kit
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     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 inside to cover the back of the stitching.

Kath x

White on White

I was over the moon when my Rainbow Birthday card was the winner of the AAA Cards 'Along the Edge + Rainbows' challenge.  As the challenge winner I was delighted to be invited as Guest Designer on their White on White challenge and decided to make a 'Thank You' card.

I die cut two 'thank you' sentiments from snippets of white matt card, layered them using Artist Tac and then attached them across the bottom of the card.  I die cut and embossed a large and medium flower from snippets of white card, plus two large leaves and a flower centre.  I layered the flower centre and flowers before attached them to the card.  The leaves were then tucked under the flowers. 

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Thank You Border' and Creative Expressions 'Finishing Touches - Pierced Summer Blossom' dies
     Snippets of white matt card

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

     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

     Snippets Playground - Challenge 446 (I don't have a photo of my snippets, but it's just a lot of white card snippets)

Kath x

Christmas Foliage

A while ago I bought a 'job lot' of cross stitch kits from a charity shop and there was a part-used winter foliage kit amongst them.  I stitched the design on a new piece of aida but put it in my cross stitch drawer instead of making it into a card.  

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card blank
     Cross stitch 'Winter Foliage' (make unknown)
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Oval STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of cream hammer card.

The completed cross stitch was mounted behind an oval stitched aperture that had been die cut in the front of the card blank.  I added a piece of the same card behind the stitching to neaten the inside of the card.

Kath x

Vintage Artistry Birthday Card

I made this card for my niece's birthday using my last piece of paper from this lovely 49th & Market pad.  The colours are perfect for the current Butterfly challenge - there are butterflies on the paper but I've also added another two layered butterflies.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card
     Crafts-Too 'Happy Birthday' and Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' dies
     49th & Market 'Vintage Artistry in Blush' paper 
     Snippets of green textured card and cream hammer card

I trimmed the green card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached it to the front.  I trimmed the patterned paper so it was smaller than the green layer before die cutting 'Happy Birthday' from the upper corner.   I set the sentiment to one side and attached the panel to the card.  I die cut 'Happy Birthday' three times from cream card.  The first one was inlaid into the floral panel, together with the small pieces from the pink sentiment that had been set aside.  I layered the other two cream sentiments with the pink one on top and attached them to the card.  To finish I die cut two cream and two green butterflies, layered them with the green on top and attached them to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Butterfly Challenge - F for Forest Green, French Rose and Flax
     Seize the Birthday - Winged Things

Kath x

Partridge in a Pear Tree

This is my first Christmas card of the year - a 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' using lots of snippets.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blank
     Creative Dies 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' and Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Standard Circles Large' dies
     Woodware corner rounder
     Diamond Stickles
     Snippets of white hammer card, brown pearlescent card, gold shimmer card and peach patterned paper

I trimmed the white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and rounded the corners before die cutting a circle in the centre.  I layered a snippet of peach paper behind the aperture and attached the panel to the card.  I die cut the partridge from brown pearlescent card and attached it inside the aperture with Artist Tac.  I used the snippets of gold card to cut the leaves, pears, partridge body and eye before inlaying them.  To finish I highlighted the snowflakes the Diamond Stickles.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Christmas

     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - A Partridge in a Pear Tree
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 445 Show us your Snippets (photo below)

Kath x

Birthday Wishes Mum

Although these layered cards aren't my preferred style of cardmaking, my mum likes them so I bought this 'Best Mum Ever!' topper set to make her birthday card.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 7" white matt card blank
     Hunkydory 'Best Mum Ever!' topper kit
     Woodware heart punch
     Silver mirri card

I cut a piece of silver mirri so it was slight smaller than the front of the card and then layered a piece of the backing card onto it before attaching it to the card blank.  The backing card had got a white strip across the bottom which looked a little plain, so I attached the patterned strip from the die cut sheet across the card.  I removed the layered die cut pieces and used foam pads to build the image.  This was then attached to the centre of the card.  I attached a couple of pieces of foam tape across the bottom of the sentiment to build it to the same depth as the floral topper and attached it to the lower edge.  Two small hearts were punched from silver mirri and attached to the top of the card with foam pads.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Birthday
     Love to Craft - Anything Gpes

Kath x

Happy Anniversary Mum & Dad

I made these cards for Steve's parents' wedding anniversary - as his father lives in a care home I've made two identical cards so they can have one each.

To make these cards I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blanks
     Apple Blossom 'Flourish Heart' die
     Lili of the Valley 'Heartfelt' paper
     Snippets of red pearlescent card 
     Computer generated sentiment 'Algerian' font
     Wink of Stella

I trimmed the red card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and then trimmed the paper so it was narrower than the card, but left the length to make it easier to go through the printer.  I printed the sentiment in dark red ink, trimmed the paper and layered it onto the red card before attaching it to the front of the card.  I die cut the Flourish Heart from red card and attached it above the sentiment.  To finish I highlighted the sentiment with a Wink of Stella.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Sentiment
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

Kath x

Mini Poinsettias

I made this card to send to Viv for the December Card Chain Challenge.  This month's challenge is 'Tic Tac Tic Tac Toe' and I have chosen the top horizontal line (Green, Slimline, Scraps, Ribbon, Red).

To make this card I used:
     DL white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' All Occasion Dies 'Small Poinsettia' and Memory Box 'Mini Holly Leaves' dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' sentiment stamp
     Versafine Crimson Red ink
     Snippets of red textured card, green textured card, white matt card, gold holographic card and gold and white ribbon

I trimmed a piece of white card and stamped the sentiment along the lower edge using Crimson Red ink.  I wrapped a piece of gold ribbon around the centre of the panel before layering it onto a snippet of green textured card and attaching it across the front of the card blank.  I die cut five small stitched squares from tiny snippets of green textured card and set them aside.  I die cut five small poinsettias from red textured card and embossed them with a silicone mat.  These were layered and attached to the green squares.  I used lots of tiny snippets of gold holographic card to die cut the holly berries which were then attached to the centre of the poinsettias.  The squares were attached to the card using foam tape to ensure they were securely attached above and below the ribbon band.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

This is the lovely card I received from Joanne:

Kath x

Thank You Very Much

I've made a few small 'thank you' cards today and this is one uses my last snippet of a beautiful pearl marbled paper from 'The Whimsical Marbler'.  

I die cut a curved border from a snippet of white card and embossed it before trimming it to the same width as the card blank.  I placed the border into my MISTI and stamped the sentiment with purple ink before attaching it to the bottom of the card.  I die cut three small flowers from the marbled paper and attached them along the top of the border.  The flower sentiments were die cut from a tiny snippet of pale green mirri card. 

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white matt card blank
     Spellbinders Borderabilities 'A2 Curved Border One' and Creative Expressions 'Finishing Touches - Pierced Summer Blossom' dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Simply Said' stamp
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Snippets of white matt card, marbled paper and green mirri card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Clean and Simple
     Alphabet Challenge - T is for Thank You
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - December Challenge
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 444 (Anything But Christmas)

Kath x

Action Time

I made this card for my youngest great nephew's birthday using the last image from my Lili of the Valley 'Action Time' Art Pad.

I trimmed a snippet of brown textured card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.   I die cut the precoloured topper with a stitched circle die and set it aside.  The wood effect paper was attached to a thin piece of copy paper to make it the same thickness as the LOTV topper.  The paper was trimmed so it was slightly smaller than the dark brown mat layer before a stitched circle was die cut from the centre.  This paper was layered onto the brown card and attached to the card blank before the topper was inlaid into the circle.  I die cut two medium stars and eight small stars from snippets of brown card.  '7' was die cut from the centre of one of the larger stars before being layered onto the plain star and attached to the top of the card.  I die cut '7' from the wood effect paper and inlaid it into the star.  To finish, I layered the smaller stars and attached them around the topper. 

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 Circle STAX Die-namics' , Xcut 'Nesting Stars' and Memory Box 'Classic Numbers' dies
     Snippets of brown textured card and Papermania 'Wood' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 443
     The Male Room - Transportation

Kath x

Mistletoe Kisses

As always, my final Christmas card is the one I've made for Steve.  This year's card uses a lovely Hunkydory card set.

I trimmed the cream card to remove the mistletoe edging, layered it onto gold mirri and attached it to the card blank.  I attached both the frame and mistletoe topper with foam pads and added a small sentiment topper to the lower edge.   To finish I trimmed the coordinating paper insert and stamped a sentiment on the inside of the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card blank
     Hunkydory 'Mistletoe Kisses' toppers, backing card and insert
     Snippet of gold mirri

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - If it's Christmassy, Link it Up
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Embossed Birthday

My Christmas cards are all now in the post, so it's time to start making cards for a few birthdays in the New Year.

I embossed a piece of white card and trimmed around the edge of the design.  I stamped the butterfly and 'birthday' with blue ink onto snippets of white card, stamping several times to get a deep blue colour.  These were then embossed with clear embossing powder and cut with their coordinating dies.  I placed the embossed panel into my MISTI and laid the butterfly and 'birthday' onto the panel so I could see where to position the 'happy' stamp.  I removed the butterfly and 'birthday' before stamping 'happy' in dark blue ink and embossing it with clear embossing powder.  The panel was attached to the centre of the card blank.  I coloured the butterfly wings with a cream coloured Promarker.  As the Promarker had bled through the card I die cut a butterfly from a piece of copy paper and glued it to the rear before attaching it to the card and shaping the wings.  I die cut another 'birthday' from a snippet of white card, layering the stamped one onto the plain one before attaching it to the card.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Card Making Magic 'The Best of Card Making Magic' and Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamps and coordinating dies
     Xcut 'Swirls' embossing folder
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Ivory Promarker
     Snippets of white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Embossing
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     CAS on Friday - Embossing (heat and/or dry - I have used both)
     Color Hues Challenge - Navy and Cream
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes    

Kath x

Cross Stitch Unicorn

This is my final card using cross stitch from our last campervan trip.  The completed design was mounted behind a frame made with two stitched dies and attached to the card.

Kath x