Sunday 29 November 2020

Purple Emperor Butterfly

This card was made with another small cross stitch kit I purchased as part of a pre-loved collection.  The butterfly is from a design by Jane Greenoff and is stitched onto white aida.  The finished cross stitch has been attached to the back of a dark brown pearlescent frame.

The kit had the wording 'Purple Emperor' but I chose to change it to 'Best Wishes' which seemed to fit the design better.

Kath x

Friday 27 November 2020

November Rudolph Day

It's hard to believe that it's time for the final Rudolph Day of the year - this month's card uses dry embossing and lots of snippets.

I embossed a piece of white pearlescent card with the holly embossing folder.  I trimmed around the edge of the frame before layering it onto silver mirri card and attaching it to the card front.  I used a sentiment that Di had recently sent me and attached it to a circle of pearlesclent card.  This was layered onto a scalloped and embossed circle that had been die cut from silver mirri before being attached to the centre of the card.  

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white pearlescent card blank
     Apple Blossom 'Holly' embossing folder
     Craftwork Cards sentiment
     Snippets of white pearlescent card and silver mirriI

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 391
     Rudolph Day - November Challenge

Kath x

Tuesday 24 November 2020

Angel Praying

I made this card last week using a cute LOTV precoloured image I came across when tidying a box of toppers.  I listed it on Folksy and was pleased to sell it within a couple of days..

I used a stitched square die to cut the precoloured image and then used two dies to cut a square stitched frame from silver mirri.  I then used the largest die to cut an aperture in the front of the card blank.  I attached a piece of white card on the inside of the card and then inlaid the frame and angel image.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valle 'Angel Praying' precoloured image
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' dies
     Silver mirri card and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Santa, Elves, Angels (I've obviously chosen the angel option)
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Sunday 22 November 2020

Cross Stitch Snowman

This cute snowman had been a magazine cover gift that I had bought in a bundle of items being sold online.  In the kit the white part of the snowman wasn't stitched but I thought it looked unfinished so I've used a white thread to fill in the gaps.

After finishing the stitching I fastened the fabric behind a piece of card with a stitched circle aperture and then used foam tape to attach it to the front of the card.

Kath x

Friday 20 November 2020

Opulent Baubles

This is another card for the Christmas Kickstart Challenge and Let's Squash It challenges using one of my favourite Christmas 'Emboss, Cut & Stamp' sets.  

I embossed a piece of white card with the baubles embossing folder and trimmed around the edge so it was slightly smaller than the card blank before attaching it to the card.  The embossing folder also die cut the bauble shape.  I attached a snippet of the lemon paper to a piece of white card and stamped the bauble before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  I put the bauble into the embossing folder to use the die to cut it out.  This was then inlaid into the card front.  I stamped the bow onto a snippet of purple textured card and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I fussy cut the bow and attached it to the top of the bauble.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Practical Publishing 'Opulent Baubles' embossing folder and stamps
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Snippets of lemon paper, white matt card and purple textured card

I am entering the following challenges:
     CAS Christmas - Non-traditional colours
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Use a Christmas embossing folder and a stamp
     Let's Squash It - Use a Christmas Themed embossing folder and stamps
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 390

Kath x

Thursday 19 November 2020

Another Blue and Silver Christmas Tree

Another quick Christmas card using lots more snippets.

I trimmed a piece of white hammer card so it was slightly smaller than the front of the card blank, rounded the corners and attached it to the card.  I die cut the tree from dark blue pearlescent card and attached it to the centre.  I used lots of teeny, tiny snippets of silver card to die cut the leaves and inlaid them into the tree.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Sizzix 'Trees, Leafy' dies
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     Snippets of white hammer card, blue pearlescent card and cream hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     CAS Christmas - Non-traditional Colours
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Decorate the Tree
     Less is More - Blue & Silver
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x  

Tuesday 17 November 2020

Embossed Holly

I made this embossed and stamped Christmas card for both the Christmas Kickstart Challenge and the Let's Squash It challenge.

I embossed a piece of white card with the holly folder, trimmed around the edge and attached it to the front of the card.  I used brown ink to stamp the Christmas pudding and green ink to stamp the holly onto a snippet of white card  These were both embossed with clear embossing powder and cut with the coordinating dies.  I attached the pudding to the centre of the card with a foam pad and applied Crystal Stickles to the top.  I coloured the berries with a red Promarker and added a Wink of Stella.  Once the Stickles had dried I attached the holly to the top of the pudding.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Christmas Pudding' stamps and coordinating dies
     Apple Blossom 'Holly' embossing folder (this had been a cover gift with a magazine)
     Versafine Vintage Sepia and Olympia Green ink
     Berry Promarker
     Crystal Stickles
     Wink of Stella
     Snippet of white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Use a Christmas embossing folder and a stamp
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Use Some Glitter
     Let's Squash It - Use a Christmas themed embossing folder and stamps

Kath x

Sunday 15 November 2020

Cross Stitch Christmas Card

Whilst tidying my craft boxes I came upon this small tri-fold Christmas card - a perfect size to use with small cross stitch designs.

The Christmas tree pattern is from an old Leisure Arts 'Christmas Stitchin'' booklet I've recently bought from ebay - there are lots of small Christmas patterns which are perfect to use with oddments of thread.

After stitching the design I trimmed the aida and inserted it into the card.

Kath x

Thursday 12 November 2020

To a Special Mum

This is the Christmas card I made for my mum using a lovely Kanban topper- I can post the card now as she doesn't read my blog!

I didn't have a piece of gold mirri large enough for the card front, so I trimmed two smaller pieces and attached them across the front of the card.  I trimmed a piece of floral paper which matched the colours and flowers of the topper and layered it onto the mirri.  I trimmed a gold patterned strip from the edge of the topper sheet and attached it across the card to hide the join in the mirri.  The precoloured topper was then attached to the centre of the card with a foam sheet.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" ivory matt card blank
     Kanban 'Decadent Christmas' topper
     Snippets of gold mirri and Making Cards 'Christmas 2019 Craft Paper Collection' paper

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - X for Xtra Special (the card for my mum)
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Family and Friends
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x 

Tuesday 10 November 2020

Delightful Dangles Christmas Tree

I made this card for the Less is More Colour Challenge. I chose the non-traditional Blue and Silver option so it also fit the current CAS Christmas Challenge.

I used blue ink to stamp the tree and sentiment onto white card and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I trimmed the panel so it was slightly smaller than the front of the card blank, rounded the corners and attached it to the front of the card with a foam sheet. I then used a silver gel pen to highlight the ornaments on the tree.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Delightful Dangles - Christmas Tree'
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Silver gel pen
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Woodware Corner Rounder punch
     Snippet of white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     CAS Christmas Challenge - Non-traditional Colours
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes 512
     Less is More - Colour Challenge - Blue & Silver or Red & Gold


Kath x   

Sunday 8 November 2020

Cross Stitch Stained Glass Bell

This is another of the stained glass cross stitch Christmas decoration I've made using a pattern from a Christmas Cross Stitch magazine.  

After completing the cross stitch I ironed some interfacing on the back of the aida before trimming around the edge to fit the plastic frame.  These frames only had a piece of cardboard at the back so I attached white felt to make the back of the decoration look neater. 

To finish the decoration I added a small piece of red ribbon to the top.

Kath x

Thursday 5 November 2020

Advent Swap Labels

I'm taking part in an Advent Swap this year and have used lots of snippets to make the date labels for my gifts which all contain small gifts, most of which are cross stitch related items.

I die cut and embossed small scalloped circles from snippets of gold pearlescent card.  I then die cut and embossed small circles from dark purple pearlescent card and attached them to the scalloped circles.  I die cut the numerals from the snippets of gold pearlescent card left over from making my snippets circles and attached these to the discs.

And these are the finished parcels ready to be posted.

To make these labels I used:
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Standard Circles Large' & 'Classic Scalloped Circles Large' and Memory Box 'Classic Numbers' dies
     Snippets of gold and dark purple pearlescent card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Anything But a Card
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 390


Kath x  

Wednesday 4 November 2020

To a Very Special Sister

This is the Christmas card I made for my sister - I can post it now as she doesn't read my blog!

I covered the front of the card blank with dark red holly paper, leaving a border around the edge.  I die cut the precoloured image with a stitched rectangle die, leaving enough room at the bottom of the image for the sentiment.  I placed the die cut topper into my MISTI so I could line up the two sentiment stamps before stamping them in red ink.  The topper was then attached to the left side of the card.  I die cut the heart from both dark grey mirri and dark grey pearlescent card , before attaching the mirri outline and pearlescent centre to the lower corner of the card.  To finish I highlighted the image with a Wink of Stella.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley ''Tis the Season' Art Pad
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' and Creative Expressions 'From the Heart - Female Relations' dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Happy Birthday All' stamps
     Versafine Crimson Red ink
     Wild Rose Studio 'Annabelle's Christmas' paper
     Snippets of dark grey mirri and dark grey pearlescent card
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - X for Xtra Special (a card for my sister is Xtra Special)
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Family and Friends
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Something Beginning with 'H' (I've used a heart)

Kath x

Sunday 1 November 2020

Cross Stitch Dove

I've made several of these stained glass cross stitch Christmas decorations - using a pattern from a Christmas Cross Stitch magazine.  After completing the cross stitch I ironed some interfacing on the back of the aida before trimming around the edge to fit the plastic frame.  These frames only had a piece of cardboard at the back so I attached white felt to make the back of the decoration look neater.


I'll be posting more of these stained glass decorations over the next few weeks.

Kath x