Summer Fun

My final card today is a super quick card to send to a friend who has a sports card and loves driving in the summer with the roof down.  To make the card I attached a snippet of brown spot paper to the front leaving a small white margin around the edge.  I die cut and embossed the precoloured image before attaching it to the centre of the card - another quick and easy card!

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" tent fold white matt card
     Lili of the Valley Art Sheet 'Toot, Toot' (post updated to thank Jules for letting me know the name of the  image)
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' die
     Lili of the Valley 'Country Gent' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes 
    Tales from the Craft Room - Summer Fun

Kath x

Snowy Friends

I made this card for the Christmas Kickstart challenge using a cute Bugaboo digi stamp (one from my drawer of printed but not yet coloured images).  I die cut the image and then coloured it with Promarkers using the colours from the Christmas Kickstart banner.  A piece of turquoise paper was attached to the card front and the snowman image added to the the centre.  To finish I edged the snowman's hat with Fun Flock and highlighted the snow with Stickles.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Bugaboo 'Snowy Friends' digi stamp
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Promarkers
     Lili of the Valley 'Beach Bliss' paper
     White matt card
     Stampendous White Fun Flock
     Diamond Stickles

I am entering the following challenges:
     Bugaboo Weekly Challenge - Photo Inspiration (I have used the colours blue, red with a little bit of brown and green)     
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Get a Head-er Start (I have used the snowman and colours as my inspiration)
     Christmas with the Cuties - Let's Build a Snowman
     I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes
   
Kath x

Wishing you Happiness

I made this card to send to Cat for the August Card Chain Challenge (I can post the card as Cat has emailed to say she's received it).  I have chosen the Colour Option (Sunshine, Sea Green & Flamingo) and the Theme Option (Friendship).

I cut a piece of card slightly smaller than my card blank, before stamping and embossing the flower and sentiment.  This panel was then attached to the card blank.  I also stamped the leaves onto snippets of green paper, these were fussy cut and attached to the card.  I added Card Candi to the larger circles and coloured the smaller ones with a yellow Promarker and Glossy Accents.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bubble Bloom - Clarissa' and Clearly Besotted 'Dandelion Dreams' stamps
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Card candi
     Glossy Accents
     White matt card
     Snippets of sea green paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Feminine      
     Alphabet Challenge 'K for Kind Thoughts'

This is the lovely card I received from Dee in Kenya, who also included two bead medallions which are handmade by the Maasai women.

Kath x

August Rudolph Day

My first post today is a Christmas tree card for the Rudolph Day challenge using one of my favourite Christmas tree stamps.  I stamped the tree onto the front of the card blank and then stamped the tree onto green paper, the pot onto burgundy paper and the holly leaves, bow and star onto pink paper.  These were all fussy cut and attached to the card.  I then attached the nailheads to the tree.  My ink pad is drying out and the inked design looked a bit 'flat' so I ran a Wink of Stella on all the black lines to give some sparkle.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank     
     Woodware 'Holly Tree' stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Heartfelt' paper
     Burgundy metal nailheads
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round 'Add a Tree'
     Rudolph Day 'August Challenge'

Kath x

Welcome Baby

My final card today is a card for a new baby using a new stamp and coordinating die set.  The pale blue paper was attached to a thin piece of card before being die cut with the stitched circle die.  I stamped the sentiment and attached the circle to the centre of the card.  The stork and baby bundle were stamped and die cut before being coloured and attached to the card with foam tape.  To finish I added a Wink of Stella to the baby bundle.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Special Delivery' stamp and dies
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Snippets of blue paper and white matt card
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Something for Baby
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - August Challenge
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Something Beginning with B (I have used Baby and Blue)

Kath x

Kobe and Kobi Butterfly

I made this card for a friend's birthday using the colour options from the Butterfly Challenge - Kobe (dark burgundy) and Kobi (pink lavender).  The die cut sentiment is another one from my 'to be used one day box' - the card and paper are from my snippets mountain.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt tent fold card
     Memory Box ''Grand Happy Birthday' and Kaleidoscope Butterfly' die
     Snippets of burgundy textured card, white matt card and patterned paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Butterfly Challenge - With the letter K (I have chosen the colour option - Kobe & Kobi)
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Something beginning with B (I have chosen butterfly and burgundy)
     Seize the Birthday - Butterflies

Kath x

Christmas Eve Night

My second post today is another quick and simple Christmas card.  This card uses a pre-loved die I've recently purchased and lots of snippets.  I die cut the scene from dark blue card and attached it to a snippet of snowflake paper, this was then attached to the card front.  To finish I die cut the moon from gold card and inlaid the pieces.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white matt tent fold card
     Cottage Cutz 'Christmas Eve Night' die
     Snippets of dark blue and gold pearlescent card, pale blue snowflake paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge 'R for Reindeer'     
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - August Challenge
     Pixie's Snippets Playground 'Challenge 359'
     
Kath x

CAS Glitter

I'm in the midst of tidying and sorting my craft area (the corner of the spare bedroom!) and am trying to use all my oddments before buying anything new.  This glitter die cut tree was amongst a box of 'things die cut and not yet used' and this is my last white hammer card blank.  Put together they make a quick and easy Christmas card and are perfect for the CAS Christmas challenge.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Christmas Tree Greetings' die
    Bronze Adhesive Glitter Sheet

I am entering the following challenges:
     CAS Christmas Challenge - Glitter
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round -Add a Tree
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge 'Anything Goes
   
Kath x

And Another 'Made in Minutes'

My final post today is another quick Christmas card, this time I've used a precoloured image from one of the Lili of the Valley Christmas Art Sheets..  I die cut and embossed the image and inlaid it into a die cut and embossed frame - quick and simple!

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Snowy Friends' Christmas Art Sheet
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' dies
     Purple textured card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards 'Made in Minutes'
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies 'August Challenge'
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge 'Anything Goes'

Kath x

Made in Minutes

I've made a Christmas card using a Hunkydory topper which had been a cover gift with a magazine a while ago.  To make this quick card I die cut the topper and inlaid it into a silver die cut frame.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" ice gold pearlescent tent fold card blank
     Hunkydory 'Snowy Season 'Deer Winter Wishes' topper
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Silver mirri

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards 'Made in Minutes'
     ABC Christmas Challenge 'R for Reindeer'
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Kath x

With All Your Heart

I made this card for my niece and her husband on their wedding anniversary.  The hearts were stamped and embossed before being die cut with the coordinating die.  I embossed a frame on the centre of the card front and attached the nine hearts with foam tape.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'With All Your Heart' stamps and coordinating die
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Versafine Satin Red ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     White matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Calendar Challenge 'Anything Goes'
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies 'August Challenge'

Kath x

Answers about Card Blanks and Winner of Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who commented on my Questions about Card Blanks post last week.  I was going to put a short precis of the responses on this post, but I was overwhelmed with the number of responses I received!  As many of the comments are quite detailed I think it best if you pop over to the original post to read the comments if you would like to know more about the card blanks that crafters use.

The other important thing is to announce the winner of the Clearly Besotted 'Miniature Florals' stamp set.  And the winner is:

Joan

Congratulations Joan!  Please email me at kmbuckell@btinternet.com with your full postal address and I'll get the stamps to you as soon as possible.

There were be more questions and another giveaway on the first Wednesday in September.

Kath x

Snowy Friends

This is my final post for today - another Christmas card!  I attached a piece of blue snowflake paper across the centre of the card blank and stamped the sentiment below.  I then fussy cut the six precoloured snowman images and attached them to the card with wet glue to give some 'wriggle room'.

To make this card I used:
     DL white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley Christmas Art Sheet 'Snowy Friends'
     Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' stamp
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Making Cards 'Watercolour' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards 'Made in Minutes'
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge 'Anything Goes'
     Jingle Belles 'Blue Christmas'
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge 'Anything Christmas Goes'

Kath x

Going Green

I made this card for the Christmas with the Cuties 'Going Green' challenge using an old, and very cute, precoloured Lili of the Valley topper.  The image was die cut and embossed before being attached to the card - I also added a couple of pieces of thin card behind the image to give a little dimension.  A Wink of Stella on the snowflakes added the final touch.

To make this card I used:
     A2 tent fold white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Wonky Rectangles' die
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Wink of Stella

I'm entering the following challenges:
     Christmas with the Cuties 'Going Green'
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge 'Anything Christmas Goes'
     
Kath x

Poinsettia Snippets

I made this card following the Christmas Card Throwdown sketch and used lots of snippets to die cut the poinsettias, squares and background strip.  The small squares were die cut and embossed before being attached over the glitter strip with foam tape.  The poinsettia leaves were shaped before being attached to the centre of the squares and small glitter flowers added to the centre.  To finish small gold glitter stars were added to the top corner.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" ice gold pearlescent card blank
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Lacy Squares', All Occasion Dies 'Small Poinsettia' and Memory Box 'Mini Holly Leaves' dies
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Woodware small star punch
     Snippets of white ice gold pearlescent card, red embossed card and gold adhesive glitter sheet

I am entering the following challenges:
      52 Christmas Card Throwdown 'Sketch'
     CAS Christmas 'Glitter'    
     Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge 'Only One Third'
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge 'Anything Goes'
     Pixie's Snippets Playground 'Challenge 358'

Kath x

Sam's Big Present

I made this card for my youngest great-nephew's 3rd birthday using a cute precoloured Lili of the Valley topper.  The image was inlaid into a frame and Sam's age and name were also included.  We met Sam for the first time whilst we were on holiday and he looks just like the little boy in this image!

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley ' Big Present' Mini Masterpiece image
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and Memory Box 'Classic Numbers' dies
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Dark blue texture card
     Sakura Pigma Micron 05 brown pen

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday 'For the Boys'
     Crafty Calendar Challenge 'Anything Goes'

Kath x

Questions about Card Blanks and Giveaway

For the next few months I'm going to post some questions on the first Wednesday of the month as I'm interested in products and techniques that other crafters use.  As a thank you to those who leave a response I'll have a small giveaway too.

This month's questions are about Card Blanks:
  -  Do you use ready made card blanks or do you make your own?
  -  If you use ready made which make do you prefer and why?
  -  If you make your own what card do you like to use and why?
  -  What weight of card do you like to use?
  -  Do you have a preferred colour?
  -  What size do you prefer to make?
Plus anything else you would like to add about card blanks!

All comments will be entered for the giveaway, unless you specifically say that you don't want to be included.  This month I'm giving away a Clearly Besotted 'Miniature Florals' clear stamp set.

 

Please leave all comments by 08:00 BST on Tuesday 13 August.  I'll announce the winner of the stamp set next Wednesday, together with a precis of responses - just in case anyone else is curious too!

Kath x