Mega Happy Birthday

I was lucky to win a £20.00 gift voucher at AAA Cards for an online store of my choice.  I chose Bumbleberry Crafts  and added a little extra money (as you do!) to buy some Altenew Mega stamps and dies.  I made this super quick card for one of my teenage great nephews.

I trimmed the turquoise star paper, layered it onto black textured card and attached it to the card front.  I die cut 'happy' three times from black card and embossed one of the images.  I layered the die cuts with the embossed one on the top and attached them across the card.  I stamped the sentiment onto white card and used the end of the fishtail flag die to cut around the edge.  The sentiment was then layered onto black card and attached below the die cut 'happy'.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Altenew 'Mega Happy' and My Favorite Things 'Fishtail Flags' dies
     Altenew 'Mega Greetings 2' stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Galaxy Stars' paper
     Black textured and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     NBUS - Challenge 15
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
     The Male Room - Use Die Cuts

Kath x

Cross Stitch Christmas Tree Ornaments

These two patterns were a magazine cover gift to make two Christmas gift cards, but I chose to make them into Christmas tree decorations.  After finishing the cross stitch I cut around the fabric and placed it in to the gold coloured plastic frame and added a small piece of red and gold ribbon to hang the ornaments.

These designs are small - about an inch diameter - so are ideal for using snippets of fabric and thread.

Kath x

Congrats

I used a cute precoloured Lili of the Valley Art Pad image to make this baby card.  I don't have the front of the Art Pad so I'm not sure of the name of it - maybe 'Babies'?

I attached purple spot paper to the front of the card and die cut a stitched circle from the centre.  I attached a piece of white card to the inside of the front.  I die cut the precoloured image with the stitched circle and inlaid it.  I stamped 'Congrats' with grey ink onto white card.  I used the coordinating die to cut the sentiment  and also cut two further sentiments. These were layered and attached to the lower corner of the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card
     Lili of the Valley 'Babies' Art Pad
     Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamp and die
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Memento Gray Flannel ink
     Lilac spot paper
     White matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - So Cute
     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June challenge
     Cutie Pie Challenge - Layer it Up
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - June challenge

Kath x

June Rudolph Day

It's Rudolph Day and time for another embossed Christmas card - this simple card uses a precoloured Lili of the Valley image and a dry embossed panel.

I trimmed the edges of a snippet of red card which made it slightly smaller than the front of the card and cut a stitched oval from the centre.  I embossed the panel and then laid it on top of the image to form a frame before attaching the panel to the front of the card.  To finish I highlighted the image with a Wink of Stella.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley ''Tis the Season' Art Pad
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Creative Expressions 'Sparkle Squares' embossing folder
     Snippet of dark red card
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes     
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 380
     Rudolph Day - June Challenge

Kath x

We'll be friends forever ...

I recently won a lovely set of Lil'inker sentiment stamps at Pixie's Snippets Playground and thought this one was perfect to team with a LOTV 'Best Friends' image.

I trimmed a piece of turquoise paper and placed it in my MISTI.  I die cut the precoloured image and placed it onto the paper so I could line up my sentiment.  I removed the image and stamped the sentiment a couple of times to get a good depth of colour so it matched the brown of the girls' dresses.  The turquoise paper was layered onto brown paper and attached to the front of the card before I attached the die cut image.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Best Friends' Art Pad
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Lil'inker 'Just Sayin'' stamps
     Memento Rich Cocoa ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' and 'Country Gent' papers

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June Challenge
     Cutie Pie Challenge - Layer it Up
     NBUS - Challenge 15 (my new stamp set)

Kath x

Card Chain Challenge - Game 4

Game 4 at the Card Chain Challenge is to share our favourite card/s that we've received as part of the challenge.  This was so difficult as the cards I've received are all lovely and in so many different styles.

For my favourite I've chosen the card I received from Dawn in New Zealand in September 2019.  Dawn used the Theme Options 'Thing with Wheels' and 'Friendship' as well as the Products Option 'Crayons' for her beautiful card.  I also love the sentiment she used and hope she managed to find the 'Hello' stamp that went missing!

Kath x

Cross Stitch Christmas Bauble Card

A while ago I bought a Lanarte Christmas card kit and made this red and gold bauble.  Although the kit had a card blank, I didn't like the texture so made a stitched frame for the cross stitch and mounted it with foam tape onto the front of the card.

I enjoyed stitching this bauble and will be making more soon.

Kath x

Golf

This another card I made for one of Steve's colleagues - someone who is a golf fanatic.

I trimmed a piece of the red and cream paper (which looks a bit like a golfing jumper), layered it onto black paper and attached it to the card front.  I used my MISTI to stamp the image onto the beige paper, stamping it several times to get a good clear image.  I coloured the golfer with Promarkers before trimming the panel, layering it onto black paper and attaching it across the centre of the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Indigoblu 'Fairway to Heaven' stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Promarkers - Cinnamon, Ivory & Sandstone
     Lili of the Valley 'Country Gent', Joy Crafts 'Earth bloc' and black pearlescent papers

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Cardmakers - Masculine
     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - For the Men/Boys

Kath x

Christmas Bubble Tree

I made this card using one of my favourite Christmas stamps and probably one of the first ones I ever bought.

I trimmed a piece of white card so it was slightly smaller than the front of the card blank and rounded the corners.  I stamped the Christmas tree and sentiment with dark green ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder.  I coloured the baubles with pink purple and gold Promarkers before attaching the panel to the front of the card.  I stamped the trunk onto a snippet of dark green paper, fussy cut it and attached it to the tree.  To finish I added Glossy Accents to the baubles.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Christmas Bubble Tree' stamp
     Woodware 'Corner Rounder' punch
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Promarkers - Fuchsia Pink, Gold & Plum
     Glossy Accents
     White matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Colour Challenge (Pink, Purple & Gold)
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Non-traditional Colours
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
        
Kath x

Card Chain Challenge - Game 2

Game 2 at the Card Chain Challenge is to post your favourite card that you have sent as part of the challenge.  My favourite card is one that I made for the February 2020 challenge using the Colour, Sketch and Theme Options - this card was sent to Mia in Greece.

I enjoy sketch challenges and this is one that I've used many times as I love it's simplicity.

Kath x

Upcycled Birthday Wishes

One of Steve's birthday cards had got a large die cut sentiment on the picture.  I'd had my eye on it all week and as soon as he took his cards down and gave them to me for upcycling I made this birthday card.

The lovely marbled paper was a freebie from Jessica at Lincolnshire Marbled Art.  I trimmed the paper to a square, layered it onto dark blue card and attached it the card front.  I then attached the sentiment across the card with foam tape.

To make this card I used:

     6" x 6" white matt card blank

     Upcycled greeting 

     Lincolnshire Marbled Art burgundy, blue and green paper

     Dark blue card

I am entering the following challenges:

     Crafty Cardmakers - Masculine

     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - Anything Goes

     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - For the Boys/Men

Kath x

Hope and Chances Charity Kit - June 2020

The June Hope and Chance Charity Kit is being sold to support the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.  I'm so glad I bought it as soon as it was released as it's now sold out.

The kit has everything to make the card other than adhesive, gems and coloured pencils.  I only attached one of the matt layers as I wanted to see more of the cream card around the edge (I've used the second matt layer to make some gift tags!).  I attached the check blind behind the window die cut and attached it to the card.  The window box was 3D but Christine suggested cutting the edges and laying it flat if the card is to be posted.  I did this, but found it looked too flat so I added thin strips of foam tape behind the balcony before attaching it to the window.  This gives a little dimension to the card but should also survive the postal system.  The leaves were coloured with two shades of green coloured pencils and were highlighted with a Wink of Stella.  After attaching the ivy to the balcony I added the flowers and small gems to the centres.

In hindsight I should have attached the window a little higher as the ivy covers part of the sentiment, but once it was stuck it was there to stay!

I love these card kits and can't wait to see what Christine will design for July.

Kath x

Card Chain Challenge - Game 1

As part of this month's Card Chain Challenge Blog Hop there are some games too!  It's time for Game 1 where the team would like to know who has been a link in the chain and why they enjoy taking part.  They would like to know where we are, when we first participated and whether we are a regular or occasional player.

I'm not sure where I first heard about the Card Chain Challenge - I must had read about it on someone's blog.  I enjoy making cards and love to receive handmade cards I thought I would take part in the challenge.

I'm in the UK and sent my first card to Lucille in Colorado in May 2019.

In return I received this lovely card from Greta in Oregon.

I'm now a regular participant and take part most months, although there have been a few months where I've either missed the deadline or life has got in the way!

It's a lovely, friendly challenge so if you've not already taken part why not sign up for the July Card Chain Challenge.

Kath x

Thank You

I love patterned papers with bold patterns to make quick cards - this pretty paper was perfect for a 'Thank You' card.

I die cut a stitched square in the centre of the card blank and attached the paper behind the aperture.  I then added another piece of card behind the patterned paper.  I die cut the sentiment from white card and attached it above the flowers.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and Cheery Lynn 'Thank You' dies
     Wild Rose Studio 'Antique Library' paper
     White hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Flowers
     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - June Challenge

Kath x

Happy Birthday to my Husband

It's Steve's birthday today and as he liked the sailing boat card I recently made I made a similar card for his birthday.  This card uses the striped boat instead of the spotty one.

I covered the front of the card blank with blue paper leaving a border around the edge.  I die cut the waves from both blue textured card and white matt card, layering the blue onto the white to create the white tops of the waves. Thankfully I had got my MISTI to stamp the sentiment onto the wave as it was three separate stamps and they took a bit of fiddling around to get them lined up.  I stamped them several times to get a good depth of colour as I was stamping onto textured card - even so, there were some stamped bits missing on 'husband' so I filled them in with a black pen!  These strips were trimmed and attached to the card - the top layer was only attached along the bottom so I could slip the boat between the waves.  I stamped and embossed the boat before using the coordinating die to cut it.  After colouring the boat with Promarkers I attached it to the card with a foam pad behind the sails.  I die cut three clouds,  the largest and smallest were attached to the card with glue and the medium cloud attached with a foam pad.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Sail Away' stamp and die set, Impression Obsession 'Ocean Border' and 'Clouds' dies
     Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamp
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Promarkers - Chestnut, Forest Green &Ivory, 
     Snippets of pale blue paper, blue textured card, white matt card and white hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - For the Boys/Men
     Seize the Birthday - All About Summer

Kath x

To a Very Special Couple

I made this Christmas card using more bits from my snippets box.

I trimmed a piece of white card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached two snippets of red paper, covering the join with a piece of self-adhesive ribbon.  I die cut the stitched oval and then used my MISTI to stamp the sentiment in the lower corner.  I rounded the corners of the panel before attaching it to the card.  I die cut the precoloured image with the stitched oval die and inlaid in into the panel.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley ''Tis the Season' Art Pad
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX' die
     Clearly Besotted 'Happy Birthday All' stamps
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Woodware 'Regular Corner Rounder' punch
     Snippets of Lili of the Valley 'Classic Christmas' paper and white card
     Floral self-adhesive ribbon

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - L is for Love
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes

Kath x   

Framecraft Cross Stitch Trinket Box

I recently bought this Framecraft trinket box and some patterns to make a small gift.  Although I have plenty of  snippets of fabric, I decided 14 count would make the design too big and and 18 count would be too small, so I bought some 16 count which is 'just right'.  I also bought a skein of dark green stranded thread which matched the colour of the trinket box.  The pink, red and yellow threads were all from my 'oddments' box.

Kath x

Happy 30th Birthday Asha

Steve asked me to make a card for a colleague's birthday - someone who likes flowers and is going to be 30.

I trimmed the green paisley paper, layered it onto burgundy card and attached it to the card front.  I die cut the precoloured image with the fishtail die, extending it so the image was the correct length.  This was then attached to the card.  I printed the sentiment onto white paper, trimmed it, layered it onto burgundy card and attached it across the top of the image image with foam tape.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Garden Delights' Art Pad 
     My Favourite Things 'Stitched Jumbo Fishtail' dies
     Snippets of burgundy card, green paisley paper and white paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Flowers
     Crafty Hazelnut's Patterned Paper Challenge - June Challenge

Kath x

Magical Fairies

A cute birthday card using more 'odds 'n' ends' from my box.

I've had the blue floral card blank for ages - I think it originally came in a card making set - and it was a perfect colour match for the fairy's wings.  I die cut an oval from the front and added a piece of white card to the rear of the front panel.  I die cut the fairy precoloured image and inlaid the oval.  I stamped and embossed 'birthday' before cutting it with the coordinating die.  I also cut an extra 'birthday' from white card and attached it to the back of the stamped sentiment. I didn't have a 'wishes' stamp so used 'best wishes' masking 'best' before stamping it onto my card.  To finish I attached 'birthday' to the card.

To make this card I used:

     5.5" x 5.5" pale blue floral card blank

     Lili of the Valley 'Magical Fairies' Art Pad

     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX' die

     Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamp and die, and 'Fancy Sayings' stamp

     Versafine Majestic Blue ink

     White matt card

I am entering the following challenges:

     AAA Cards - Birthday

     Allsorts - Magical World

     Moving Along With The Times - Things With Wings

Kath x

Hello & Card Chain Challenge Blog Hop

The Card Chain Challenge is a simple idea - sign up and send a handmade card to the person above you on the list and receive one from the person who signed up after you.  Each month there is a Colour Option, Sketch Option, Theme Option or Product/Technique Option - the card has to be made using at least one of the options. 

Gail, who runs the CCC had decided to have a celebration when 3,000 people had signed up for the challenge and last month I was the 3,000 person to sign up! To celebrate Gail and Jo are running a blog hop from today until 28 June - all the details can be found on the Card Chain Challenge May Reveal post - there will be lots of prizes for people who leave comments. There will also be some games on the CCC blog during June, so keep popping back and have a look - there will be prizes for the games too!  All winners will be announced at the end of June and there will be a few extra prizes as everyone loves happy mail in these difficult times.

This is the card I made to send to Linda in Michigan for the May Challenge using the Colour Option (Raspberry, Rose & Cream) and the Theme Option (Repeat).  Linda is the next person on the blog hop - so why not pop over to see her card.

I die cut the flowers (using a die that I've had for ages and never used) from raspberry, rose and cream textured card and set them aside.  I stamped 'hello' in the lower corner of the card and then laid one of the flowers onto the card so I could see where to emboss the two lines - one above and one below the flowers.  I embossed the lines and then attached the flowers to the card.  To finish I added a Wink of Stella to the flower centres.

To make this card I used:
     DL white matt card blank
     Creative Dies 'Flower' die
     Ultimate Crafts ''L'aquarelle Designs' stamps
     Brilliance Orchid ink
     Snippets of raspberry, rose and cream textured card
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     NBUS - Challenge 15
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 379

This is the lovely card that Dee in Kenya has sent me:

Kath x