Knitted Beanie Hat

This week's non-cardmaking item is a knitted beanie hat using the yarn I had left over from the buttoned neck warmer I posted a couple of weeks ago.  The beanie was knit in stocking stitch on a circular needle so I avoided having to sew it up - I love knitting but dislike sewing up the finished item so circular knitting is perfect for me!

Kath x

Another Christmas Tree

Just two posts from me today as I'm playing catch-up after visiting our families at the weekend and am also working a couple of extra shifts this week.  This card was made for a few of my favourite challenges.

To make this card I cut a piece of card slightly smaller than the card blank, rounded the corners and attached it to the card.  I die cut the tree from green, red and gold pearlescent card.  The green tree was attached to the centre of the card and the red and gold leaves were inlaid.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white embossed card blank
     Sizzix 'Leafy Trees' die
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     White embossed card, green, gold and red pearlescent card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Made in Minutes     
     CAS Colours & Sketches - Colour Challenge (Cherry Cobbler, Metallic Gold & Shaded Spruce)
     Less is More - Pick a Triangle
     Tales from the Craft Room - Christmas

And, of course, I used the other die cuts to make two more cards so I had a set of three using all the colours.

Kath x

Christmas Gifts

I've been asked to make a cute penguin Christmas card and this precoloured Lili of the Valley image was perfect to make a quick card.

To make this card I attached a piece of purple paper to the front of the card, leaving a small margin around the edge.  As I didn't have the right size die to cut around the image, I used the rectangle die to cut along half of the image.  I then then lined up the stitched edge inside the die to cut the second half - ensuring I didn't go too far and cut it in half!  This panel was then attached to the centre of the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Vally 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
     My Favourte Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of purple paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Christmas Gifts
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Blackwork Christmas Tree Decoration

My non-cardmaking item this week is a blackwork Christmas decoration.  Whilst looking in a local charity shop I found a small blackwork kit that had been a cover gift with a magazine and was being sold for 75p.   The frame was part of a 'pre-loved' set of frames I bought a while ago and the ribbon I had previously snipped from inside a jumper.  Thrifty crafting at its best!

This was the first time I'd ever done blackwork and really enjoyed making this decoration.  I found blackwork even more addictive than cross stitch so I'm sure I will be making more decorations soon! 

Kath x

Merry Christmas Mum & Dad

My final card today is the Christmas card I made for my in-laws - this is the last card I made for us to send this Christmas (although I'm still making cards for orders).

I trimmed a piece of white card, rounded the corners and attached it to the front of the card blank.  I printed the sentiment onto green start paper and then attached it to white card.  I used a Fisthail Flag die to cut the banner, cutting it half way along the banner and then attaching the die to the other end of the strip so I cot the fishtail at both ends.  I also die cut two trees from the green star paper.  One Christmas tree was cut from silver mirro and embossed with stars.  I attached the green trees and the banner directly onto the front of the card and attached the silver tree with foam tape in the centre.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Marianne Designs Creatables 'Christmas Tree' and My Favourite Things 'Fishtail Flags' dies
     Crafts-Too 'Twinkle' embossing folder
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     Computer generated sentiment 'Forte' font

I am entering the following challenges:
     Fab 'n' Funky Challenge - Christmas
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies
     Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - 'Tis the Season
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas

Kath x

Rainbow Birds

This card uses two preloved dies I purchased ages ago and, shamefully, have never used them until today. The tiny birds are perfect to make good use of tiny snippets of card.

I placed the card blank into my MISTI and stamped the sentiment in the lower corner.  I die cut the branch from dark brown card and attached it so it overhung the edge of the card and then snipped the end.  I die cut the birds from snippets of rainbow coloured card and attached them along the branch.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" tent fold warm white hammer card blank
     Memory Box 'Woodland Branch' and 'Resting Birds' dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Fancy Saying' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Snippets of dark brown, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet textured card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Made in Minutes     
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - November Challenge
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 366

Kath x

Lili of the Valley Christmas Card Swap

I made this card to send to Julie for the Lili of the Valley Christmas Card Swap using a lovely 'Girlie' Christmas image - I can post the card as Julie has told me she's received it.

I layered holly paper onto a square of dark red card and attached it to the card front before die cutting and embossing the precoloured image and attached it to the centre.  The small poinsettia flowers were die cut and embossed from red card and attached to the top and bottom corners.  The gold flowers were die cut from a snippet of gold holographic card and attached to the centre of the poinsettias.  To finish I added a Wink of Stella to the fur on the girl's clothing and Stickles to the snowflakes.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Girlie Christmas' Art Sheet
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Decorative Labels One', 'All Occasions Dies 'Small Poinsettia' and Memory Box 'Mini Holly Leaves' dies
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Wild Rose Studio 'Annabelle's Christmas' paper
     Dark red embossed card
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella
          
I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Stockings and/or Other Winter Clothing     
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas GoesCha
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas

This is the lovely card I received from Julie:

Kath x

November Rudolph Day

My first card today is a Christmas tree card for this month's Rudolph Day.  I've had this Woodware stamp for ages and it's one of my favourites for making quick CAS cards.

I placed the card blank into my MISTI and stamped the tree several times to get a lovely deep colour.  I then embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I had intended to make this a one layer card, but the card had twisted when it was heat embossed and I couldn't flatten it out.  So Plan B - I trimmed around the edge and rounded the corners before gluing it to the front of another card blank.  To finish I added dark red nailheads to the large dots around the tree.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Woodware 'Snow is Falling' stamp
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Woodware 'Corner Rounder' punch
     Dark red metal nailheads
    
I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - 'Tis the Season
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas
     Rudolph Day - November Challenge

Kath x

Answers about Printers and Giveaway Winner

Thank you everyone who left comments on my Questions about Printers.  There were only eleven comments, but it's interesting to find out what printers other crafters use so thanks for taking the time to comment.  I've started to do my research and hope to buy a new printer soon.

The other important thing to announce is the winners of the Clearly Besotted 'Jingle Bells' and 'Christmas Pudding' stamp and die sets.  I've used Random.Org to choose the winners and they are:

The winner of the 'Jingle Bells' stamp and die set is:

Valerija - Moje veselje

And the winner of the 'Christmas Pudding' stamp and die set is:

Lynne - Lynne's Craft Haven

Congratulations Valerija and Lynne!  Please email me at kmbuckell@btinternet.com with your full name and postal address so I can get the stamps and dies sent out to you.

Thank you to everyone for taking part in my Questions posts over the last few months.  I've found the answers very interesting and hope you have too!

Kath x

Buttoned Neck Warmer

My non-cardmaking post today is a buttoned neck warmer scarf.  I've made a few of these in different colours - they're perfect for tucking into the neck of a jacket so you're warm and cosy without the bulk of a large scarf.  They're also for sale on Folksy.

This neck warmer is knit in pique rib in a lovely soft yarn in beautiful autumnal colours and has three wood effect buttons which keep the neck warmer in place too.

Kath x

Santa and Wreaths

My final card today uses one of my favourite Lili of the Valley images - this Santa is so cute and is perfect for making a quick Christmas card.

I attached red holly paper to the card blank, leaving a small border around the edge.  I die cut and embossed the precoloured Santa image and attached it to the centre of the card.  To finish I added Stickles to the snow and a Wink of Stella to the trimmings on Santa's hat.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" tent fold white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad image
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die'namics' die
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Wild Rose Studio ' Annabelle's Christmas' paper pad
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - W is for Wreath
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Show us Your Santas
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
   
If you would like to share your views on printers and also have a chance to win a Clearly Besotted stamp and die set - please see my Questions about Printers and Giveaway post.

Kath x

Christmas Pudding

I do love Christmas pudding and this Clearly Besotted stamp and die set is perfect for making a quick and simple card.

I used my stitched square die to emboss a square in the centre of the card blank.  I stamped the pudding in brown ink and the leaves in green ink before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  Although there was a separate stamp and die for the holly berries I chose to colour them with Promarkers and add a Wink of Stella.  I also added a a good layer of Wink of Stella to the top of the pudding so it shimmered.  The pudding and holly were then attached to the centre of the card with foam pads.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Christmas Pudding' stamps and dies, Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Versafine Vintage Sepia and Olympia Green ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Red Promarker
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - One Image + Optional Twist: Shimmer     
     Alphabet Challenge - Q for Quick and Easy     
     Perfectly CAS - Christmas
     Winter Wonderland - Use Holly and/or Ivy 

If you would like to share your views on printers and also have a chance to win a Clearly Besotted stamp and die set - please see my Questions about Printers and Giveaway post.

Kath x

November Card Chain Challenge

I made this card to send to Marga for the November Card Chain Challenge - I can post it as Marga has let me know she's received it.  I have used the Colour Option (for the baubles), Theme Option (Tree, Baubles and Friendship) and the Product Option (Glitter).

I used my MISTI to place the tree and sentiment stamps onto white card before stamping them in brown ink.  These were then embossed with clear embossing powder.  I trimmed the panel, rounded the corners and attached it to the card blank.  I attached green and silver Card Candi to the large baubles, blue metallic nailheads to the medium baubles and silver Stickles to the small baubles.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bubble Bloom - Festive Tree' and Clearly Besotted 'Dandelion Dreams' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     Green and silver Card Candi
     Blue metallic nailheads
     Silver Stickles

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas

This is the lovely card I received from Jeanne:

If you would like to share your views on printers and also have a chance to win a Clearly Besotted stamp and die set - please see my Questions about Printers and Giveaway post.

Kath x

Cross Stitch Paperweight

It's Sunday so time for another of my non-cardmaking posts.  I enjoy cross stitch and over the years have made many pictures, mainly to give as presents.  Nowadays I prefer smaller projects which I can finish quickly.  This cross stitch picture has been placed into the base of a paperweight - there's also a small piece of green felt on the bottom which both finishes the project and also ensures that it doesn't scratch furniture.

I have struggled with the photo as the glass shines which has pulled some of the colour out of the flowers - they're far more vivid than the photo shows.

If you would like to share your views on printers and also have a chance to win a Clearly Besotted stamp and die set - please see my Questions about Printers and Giveaway post.

Kath x

Let It Snow

My final card today is one I made for the Allsorts 'White on White' challenge and I'm also entering a few of my other favourite challenges.  The photo looks a bit washed out as we're in the middle of a storm and the light has totally gone - I'll take a better picture when it's light tomorrow!

I embossed a piece of card with snowflakes, trimmed the panel and rounded the corners before attaching it to the front of the card.  I die cut 'Let It Snow' twice and layered them to give some depth  before attaching the sentiment to the centre of the card.  To finish I added some tiny clear gems to the centre of the snowflakes on the sentiment.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" tent fold white hammer card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Let It Snow' die
     Darice 'Snowflake Background' embossing folder
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     White hammer card
     Small clear gems

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - One Image     
     Allsorts - White on White
     Alphabet Challenge - Q is for Quick and Easy
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Snow
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Christmas

If you would like to share your views on printers and also have a chance to win a Clearly Besotted stamp and die set - please see my Questions about Printers and Giveaway post.

Kath x