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. 

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

Happy Birthday

A quick card I made for a friend's birthday this weekend - it's now in the post and in its way.

I embossed the swirl frame, trimmed the edges, layered it onto lilac card and attached it to the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment and butterfly from lilac card and attached them to the centre of the card - quick and easy!

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Crafts-Too 'Happy Birthday' and Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' dies
     Xcut 'Swirls' embossing folder
     Lilac pearlescent and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Alphabet Challenge - Q is for Quick and Easy
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies
     Seize the Birthday - Anything 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

Snippet Gift Tags

I'm in the throes of wrapping Christmas presents - yes, I know it's early but we're visiting our families in a couple of weeks so I need to be organised.  I made these gift tags for my mother's presents using snippets left over from my Christmas cards.

I folded snippets of white pearlescent card to 2.5" squares and added a strip of gold glitter paper down the centre of the front.  The small white squares were die cut and embossed before being attached to the centre of the tags with foam tape.  I die cut and embossed the poinsettia leaves from red embossed card and the small flowers from gold glitter paper and layered these in the centre of the embossed square.  To finish I attached double sided tape to the rear of the tags to attached them to my parcels.

To make these tags I used:
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Lacy Squares', All Occasion Dies 'Small Poinsettia' and Memory Box 'Mini Holly Leaves' dies
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Snippets of white ice gold pearlescent card, red embossed card and gold adhesive glitter sheet

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - November Challenge     
     Tales from the Craft Room - Tags and Trimmings (I've obviously chosen the tags option)
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 365

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

Folksy Christmas

Spread a little handmade joy this Christmas.  Buy something made with love in studios, sheds and at the kitchen tables across the British Isles from Folksy - the UK's largest online craft fair.

Watch the wonderful animation by Yas Bowley and then find the perfect gift on Folksy!

See the Folksy Christmas Video. 

And then go Christmas shopping at Folksy.

Kath x

Knitted Cable Hat

I made this hat with one of my charity shop finds - 400g of Wendy Chunky wool for £3.50, banded and brand new.  It was definitely a bargain that was too good to miss and up to now I've made two cable hats but also have yarn that is still to be knit.

Although I enjoy cardmaking I find it easier to take knitting or sewing when we go away in our campervan.  I enjoyed knitting this pattern and thank goodness for YouTube so I could remind myself how to sew it up with mattress stitch to get a tidy seam at the back.

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

Rockin' Robin

My final card today uses another Clearly Besotted stamp and die set to make a card for another teenager.  As it's for the sister of the person who will receive my 'Tis the Season to Prance card I've used the same layout.

I stamped the robins onto snippets of white card, coloured them with Promarkers and die cut them with the coordinating dies.  I put the card blank into my MISTI and laid the robins onto the card so I could see where to place the sentiment.  I removed the robins and stamped the sentiment a couple of times to get a dark image as I was stamping onto hammer card.  The robins were attached to the card with double sided tape and I attached the hat with foam tape to give some dimension.  I then added a Wink of Stella to the hat.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white hammer card
     Clearly Besotted 'Rockin' Robin' stamps and dies
     Mememto Tuxedo Black ink (for the robins) and Versafine Onyx Black (for the sentiment)
     Promarkers
     Snippets of white card
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     I Love Promarkers - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     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

Zig Zag Happy Birthday

I made this card using the colours from this week's CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge.

To make this card I die cut the zig zag die in white card and set it aside.  I die cut it in lilac pearlescent card and removed the inlaid zig zags leaving the frame inside the die.  I then inlaid the white zig zags - this is what I was doing in my previous post.  I covered the back of the die with double sided tape and removed the whole piece from the die and laid it across my card blank, trimming the ends flush with the card blank.  I die cut 'Happy Birthday' once from the yellow card and twice from red card.  I layered the two red die cuts on top of each other and then offset this on the yellow die cut to give a shadow.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Clean and Simple - Zig Zag Border' and Crafts Too 'Happy Birthday' dies
     Snippets of lilac, red and yellow pearlescent card, white hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Maximimum White Space + Optional: Geometric
     CAS Colours and Sketches - Colour Challenge
     Perfectly CAS - Birthday

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

'Tis the Season to Prance

I love these Clearly Besotted coordinating stamp and die sets as they make lovely cute cards that aren't too twee - perfect to send to a teenager.

To make this card I stamped the reindeer onto snippets of white card, coloured them with Promarkers and die cut them with the coordinating dies.  I put the card blank into my MISTI and placed the reindeer onto the card so I could see where to position my sentiment.  I removed the reindeers and stamped the sentiment.  The reindeer were then attached to the card with double sided tape.

To make this card I used:

     6" x 4" white matt card blank

     Clearly Besotted 'Let's Prance' stamp and die set

     Memento Tuxedo Black ink (for the reindeer) and Versafine Onyx Black (for the sentiment)

     Promarkers

I am entering the following challenges:

     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

     Happy Little Stampers CAS Challenge - 'Tis the Season

     Jingle Belles - Rudolph and Friends

     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

     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

Questions about Printers and Giveaway

This month my questions are about Printers.  I need to buy a new printer as my current one has never been able to cope with printing on card, but it now won't print in colour either.  A couple of crafty friends have told me what they use, but I'm curious to know about other printers being used too.

  - What make and model printer do you have?
  - What thickness card is your printer able to print?
  - Do you print anything else other than card and paper?  If so, what do you print on?
  - Do you use your printer for printing digital stamps and/or papers?  If so, what weight paper/card do you use?
  - Do you have a favourite card/paper for printing?  If so, what is it?
  - What do you like/dislike about your printer?
  - If you were going to buy a new printer - would you buy the one you have now?
  - And, of course, any other advice you can give about buying a new printer.

All comments will be entered for the giveaway, unless you specifically say that you don't want to be included.  As this is going to be my last 'Questions' post I have two Clearly Besotted stamp and die sets to give away to two people - these are 'Jingle Bells' and 'Christmas Pudding'.

Please leave all comments by 08:00 BST on Tuesday 26 November.  I'll announce the winner of the giveaway the following day.

Kath x

Tinsel Christmas Trees

As well as my normal Wednesday cardmaking posts, I've decided to post on Sundays too.  These posts will all be non-cardmaking things I've made - most of which will be for sale on Folksy.

Today's post is three knitted tinsel Christmas trees.  A friend gave me a ball of tinsel yarn she had bought and then found she didn't have the patience to knit it.  I found the yarn easy to knit, but not so easy to sew around the polystyrene cones!  The trees were knit as triangles and then sewn around the cone with shirring elastic around the bottom edge to pull the knitting tight over the cone.

Kath x