My First Purse

Whilst trying to find something at the weekend I came across the first purse I made whilst at infant school so thought I would share it.  I've sewn various stitches onto binca and also stitched in a lining - I think I may have had some help with the press studs as I can't imaging sewing them on my own!

Kath x

Thank You

My final card today was made using the AAA Cards sketch and the Less is More colours.

I embossed a strip of white card, trimmed it and attached it across the front of the card.  I stamped the butterfly onto a snippet of white card using blue ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder before cutting it with the coordinating die.  I coloured it with a Coral Promarker.  I placed the card into my MISTI and laid the butterfly onto the embossed strip so I could place the sentiment.  I removed the butterfly before stamping and embossing the sentiment.  I attached the butterfly in the centre of the strip and added three small coral gems to the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Card Making Magic 'The Best of Card Making Magic' butterfly stamp and Hobby Art 'General Greetings' sentiment stamp
     X-cut 'Small Polka Hearts' embossing folder
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Coral Promarker
     Prima Marketing self-adhesive crystals
     Snippets of white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Sketch
     Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - Wings
     Less is More - Colours - Living Coral & True Blue

 

Kath x

Twisted Pyramage

I recently bought some pyramage sheets for a gift and bought an extra sheet for me as I've not done any twisted pyramage for years!  The card is for a friend's birthday and is perfect for the Seize the Birthday 'Lots of Layers' challenge.

I trimmed a piece of white card to the same size as the card front and embossed it before attaching it to the front of the card.  The twisted pyramage was die cut so I removed the pieces from the backing sheet, attaching thin pieces of foam to the back of each piece before layering them.  I used wet glue to attach the layers to give me some 'wriggle room' and ensure the design was correctly aligned.  I attached the panel to the front of the card, placing it at an angle to highlighted the twisted pyramage.  I attached the sentiment across the top corner, using strong tape on the ends and a foam pad in the centre.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Buzzcraft 'Floral Xpressions - Twisted Pyramage'
     X-cut 'Small Polka Hearts' embossing folder

I am entering the following challenge:
     Seize the Birthday - Layer It

Kath x

Another Buttoned Neck Warmer

I had previously posted a buttoned neck warmer in autumnal colours and have made another one in  blue and beige.  I enjoy knitting these as there's no complicated pattern to follow whilst I'm watching television in an evening!

This neck warmer is in a twist stitch with a garter stitch border and fastens with three beige buttons.

Kath x

Penguin Parade

Just one card from me today.  I thought I had used all the LOTV Winter Wonderland images, but found this one amongst some Christmas papers - perfect for the new Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

I covered the front of the card with mustard paper, leaving a small border around the edge and attached a strip of striped paper across the lower section.  I die cut the precoloured Lili of the Valley image.  I wanted to make the panel longer than my US sized die so I attached the die to one end of the image and die cut it about half way.  I then moved the die to the other end of the image ensuring the stitched edge matched and die cut the second half.  This panel was then attached to the centre of the card.  A Wink of Stella added the finishing touch.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Making Special Cards Magazine Issue 22 papers
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - B for Bingo (I've chosen Patterned Paper, Lots of Layers & Die Cut)
     Allsorts - Anything Goes     
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Anything Christmas or Holiday Related
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Penguin Parade
     Christmas with the Cuties - Christmas Cuties
     The Cutie Pie Challenge - Christmas Cuties
     Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Happy New Year!

Marianne posted yesterday 'Looking back and forward' which made me think about how my crafting and blogging has changed over the last year and will possibly change over the next year.

Part way through last year I started to blog on Wednesdays rather than several times a week.  Some weeks I only posted one card and other weeks I posted several - these are all cards that I am entering into blog challenges.  I found it easier to set aside time to blog weekly rather than putting myself under any pressure to post more often.  These Wednesday posts will continue this year.

Towards the end of last year I also started to post on Sundays - these are non-cardmaking crafts.  Okay, some may be cross stitch that I've made into a card - but I won't be entering any challenges with these posts.  A lot of the items I'll be adding are knitted accessories as I've rekindled my love of knitting.  It's also easier to take knitting or cross stitch with me when we're away in Cali.

I stepped down from the three Design Teams I was on.  This was a difficult decision as I enjoyed working with the teams but I needed to create more time for myself.  The reason for this is that in October I started to sell on Folksy.  Previously I've sold to family and friends but thought it's about time to dip my toe in the water with online selling.  I made a couple of online sales before Christmas and am looking at developing my Folksy shop this year.  I also hope to do a craft fair later in the year and several blogging friends have kindly offered to give me some advice - I'm sure I'll be taking them up on their offers later in the year.

I only use Facebook for my crafting and will continue to post on Wednesdays and Sundays (when I remember!) adding photos of the crafts on my blog.  I'll also be adding various items that I've listed on Folksy too.

One of the reasons that my crafting time has been reduced is because I've joined a different gym where they run a lot of 'Seniors' exercise classes.  These classes are a little more gentle than the regular classes, although they're still challenging!  Up to now I've enjoyed Functional Fit, Kettlebells and Studio Stride as well as starting a new yoga class and gym programme.  More exercise time means less crafting time, but I do enjoy the classes and one of my 2020 targets is to get fitter.

I hope 2020 will be a good year for everyone.

Kath x

Merry Christmas!

Just one card from me today and my final post for 2019 - a card for my favourite challenge!

To make this card I trimmed a snippet of white card, layered it onto red card and attached it to the card front.  I die cut the sentiment and the poinsettias from red card and the poinsettia flowers from gold glitter card.  I attached the sentiment across the card, trimming the edges so they were level with the white panel.  The poinsettias were layered and attached to the card front with the gold flowers added to the centres.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white hammer card blank
     All Occasion Dies 'Small Poinsettia', Lawn Fawn 'Merry Christmas Line Border' & Memory Box 'Mini Holly Leaves' dies
     Snippets of red embossed card, white hammer card and gold glitter cardI

I am entering the following challenge:
         Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 368
     
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Kath x

Knitted Cable Head Band

I don't often wear hats, but do like to wear head bands to keep my ears warm when we're out walking.  I knit this head band with two strands of double knitting yarn that is a mix of acrylic and merino wool so it's lovely and soft.

I'll be adding some of these headbands to my Folksy shop soon.

Kath x

Two Hearts

I made this card for this week's Allsorts challenge - although I wish I could now stop humming 'Two Hearts'!

I cut a piece of card slightly smaller than the card blank, rounded the corners and attached it to the centre.  I die cut 'Celebrate' from red mirri card and attached it o the lower edge of the card.  I die cut the hearts from both red mirri and red pearlescent card - inlaying the pearlescent heart inside the mirri heart.  The larger heart was attached to the card front with the smaller heart attached with a foam pad on top.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Creative Expressions 'From the Heart - Female Relations' hearts and Poppy Stamps 'Celebrate' dies
     Whie hammer card, snippets of red mirri and red pearlescent card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Along the Edge
     Allsorts - Inspired by a Song (I chose Two Hearts by Phil Collins)
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - December Challenge
     Perfectly CAS - Celebrate

Kath x

Santa

Whilst tidying my Christmas bits 'n' bobs I came across this cute LOTV image that I had already die cut and then not used.  It's perfect for a quick Christmas card to enter a few challenges.

I covered the front of the card blank with a snippet of red paper, leaving a white margin around the edge.  The precoloured image had already been die cut and embossed.  I cut a piece of white fun foam slightly smaller than the image and attached it to the centre of the card. To finish I added Diamond Stickles on the snow and a Wink of Stella to the fur on Santa's clothes.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white tent fold matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Wonky Rectangles' die
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Lili of the Valley 'Classic Christmas' paper pad
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Santa, Mrs Claus or Elves    
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Last Minute Madness If it's Christmassy, link it up!
     Christmas with the Cuties - Christmas Cuties
     Winter Wonderland - End of Year Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Butterfly Gift Box

This is another of my charity shop finds - a cross stitch kit that had been a cover gift with a magazine.  The floral box was already die cut and had the holes on one side ready for the pattern to be stitched.  After stitching the butterflies on the top of the lid I added a piece of white card on the rear and then used strong tape to make the box.  It's perfect for wrapping a small gift.

Kath x

Sail Away

My final post today is a note card. I do like to keep a supply of these small note cards in my box - they're also a great way to use up snippets of card and paper.

I stamped the waves onto snippets of blue paper and fussy cut them.  The background wave was attached to the card and the second was was attached along the lower edge only.  Using my MISTI I stamped the sentiment in the upper corner.  I stamped and die cut the sail boat before colouring it with Promarkers and adding a Wink of Stella to the sails.  Finally, I attached the boat to the card tucking it between the waves.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Sail Away' stamp and coordinating die
     Clearly Besotted 'Fancy Sayings' stamp
     Memento Paris Dusk Ink
     Promarkers
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white card and blue paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - December challenge
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 367

Kath x

S for Snow and Snowman

I made this card for a few of my favourite challenges using a cute Lili of the Valley precoloured image.

I die cut and embossed a red circle using the two largest dies and then layered them onto another large red circle.  I die cut and embossed the precoloured image and inlaid it into the frame.  I embossed a piece of white card with snowflakes, trimmed it and layered onto red embossed card leaving a 6mm border around the edges (this is the same width as the circle frame).  The panel was attached to the card blank with the image in the centre.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Darice 'Snowflake Background' embossing folder
     Red embossed and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Snowman and/or Snowflakes
     Alphabet Challenge - S is for Snow
     The Cutie Pie Challenge - Christmas Cuties
     Winter Wonderland - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

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