Santa

This is another quick Christmas card made with an image that has been upcycled from one of last year's Chriatmas cards.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" kraft card blank
     Upcycled Christmas card
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' and Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Season's Greetings' dies
     Snippets of dark red card

I used the stitched rectangle die to cut the front of the card, moving the die to ensure I had Santa, the rabbit and present on the die cut panel.  This panel was then layered it onto a snippet of dark red card and attached it to the card blank.  To finish I die cut the sentiment from a small snippet of dark red card and attached it to the top of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:

     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Christmas with the Cuties - Santa and/or Snowman
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Use Kraft Card

Kath x 

February Rudolph Day

I'm so pleased to see the Rudolph Day Challenge will continue as Helen has kindly taken over the reins from Maureen - so, it's time for the second RD of the year.

I like to have a theme for my RD cards and this year I've chosen a colour theme - all my cards will be green and gold.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Creative Dies 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' and My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Funky Fossil ''In To The Blue' paper
     Snippets of white matt card, gold shimmer card and bright green mirri

I trimmed the white card to 4.25" x 4.25" and die cut a circle in the centre.  I layered the panel onto a piece of green paper and attached it to the front of the card.  I die cut the partridge from a snippet of gold shimmer card and attached it inside the aperture with Artist Tac.  I die cut the partridge again from snippets of green mirri and inlaid the pears, leaves and partridge details into the front of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Things that Fly
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Out on a Limb
     Rudolph Day - February Challenge
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 474
     

Kath x

Retiform Christmas

I was so pleased when my Snowman Cross Stitch Card was a winner in the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown 'Sewing' challenge and thank you to the team for inviting me to be a Guest Designer on their Retiform challenge.  This is a new technique for me, but thankfully there are plenty of tutorials available online!  The technique took me right out of my comfort zone, but after several practice attempts I was reasonably happy with the final result.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card
     Hot off the Press 'Christmas', Making Cards 'Essential Christmas Stamps' and Uniko 'Rustic Wreath' stamps
     Versafine Spanish Moss and Vintage Sepia inks
     Snippets of white matt and brown textured card

I trimmed a snippet of white matt card to 6¼ x 4¼".   I used a scrap of card and post-it notes to mask various parts of the card before using the green ink and a blending tool to create the grid.  Once I had made the grid I wiped the blending tool across the rest of the card to lightly colour the background.  I used various small stamps and brown ink to stamp the images - masking the areas around the grid so I could stamp some of the images over the edge.  Once I had finished the grid I layered the panel onto brown card before attaching it to the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Stamping Sensations - Animals, Birds or Creatures (my card has a reindeer)

Kath x

Chloe Stem Birthday

I was over the moon when my Happy Birthday Butterfly won the Seize the Birthday 'Kraft and Another Colour' challenge.  Thank you to the team for inviting me to be Surprise Party Guest on the latest challenge 'Use Red as the Main Colour'.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Memory Box 'Chloe Stem' and Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday' dies
     Xcut 'Small Polka Hearts' embossing folder
     Red sparkle card and white matt card

I embossed a piece of white card with the Polka Hearts.  This was trimmed, layered onto red sparkle card and attached to the card blank.  I die cut two Chloe Stems and one Happy Birthday sentiment from snippets of red sparkle card.  The flower stems were attached to the left side of the card with the sentiment in the lower right corner.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Hearts
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Heart
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - All Occasions
     The Flower Challenge - Add a Heart 

Kath x

Pink and Red Heart

This lovely heart stamp was a cover gift with Craft Stamper magazine several years ago and is perfect for a CAS anniversary card.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Craft Stamper 'Heart' stamp
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Versafine Satin Red ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Pink Promarker
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white matt card and red sparkle card

I put a snippet of white card into my MISTI and stamped the heart several times with red ink to ensure a good depth of colour.  I then embossed the image with clear embossing powder before colouring the heart with a pink Promarker.  I die cut the panel, layered it onto a snippet of red sparkle card and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  To finish I added lots of Wink of Stella to the pink heart.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Pink
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Heart
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - CAS
     Moving Along With The Times - Love Hearts
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Love/Have a Heart
     Sparkles Monthly Challenge - Hearts and Flowers
     We Love Stamping - Romance

Kath x 

21st Birthday Card

I made this card for one of the young men in our family for his 21st birthday.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Turned 21' stamp
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper, dark purple mirri card and thin white card

I attached a snippet of paper onto a piece of thin white card and placed it in my MISTI so I could position the stamps as there are two separate stamps in this set.  I stamped the image several times with purple ink to get a good depth of colour and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I then cut the image with the largest stitched die.  I layered the card onto a snippet of purple mirri and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  To finish I highlighted the small '21' with a Wink of Stella.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Anything CAS Goes + Optional Twist: Birthday
     CAS on Friday - Male/Boy
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - CAS
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Kath x

Jenny Bear Birthday

As part of my frugal crafting year, I'm determined to use everything in my oddments box and this lovely Jenny Bear image was at the bottom of the box - my last image from an old LOTV Art Pad.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Jenny Bear' precoloured Art Pad image
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Oval STAX Die-namics' and Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday dies
     Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper
     Snippets of green texured card

I trimmed the lovely pink Antebellum paper and layered it onto green textured card.  I die cut a stitched oval from the left side of the panel before attaching it to the front of the card blank.  I die cut the Jenny Bear image and inlaid it into the panel.  I die cut two 'Happy Birthday' sentiments, layered them and attached them to the lower edge of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Pink
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Flowers
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes     

Kath x

Blue & White Opulent Bauble

I made this card with the colours of the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge.  This embossing folder, die and stamp set was a cover gift with a magazine ages ago and is still one of my favourites for quick CAS cards.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Practical Publishing 'Opulent Baubles' embossing folder and stamps
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Snippets of white matt card, white paper, blue paper and blue textured card

Snippets of white matt card, blue paper and blue textured card

I embossed a piece of white matt card, trimmed around the edge so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached it to the front.  I attached the blue paper to snippets of white printer paper to make it the same thickness as the embossed card.  I used blue ink to stamp the bauble onto the blue paper and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I then used the die from the embossing folder to cut the bauble before inlaying it into the front of the card.   I stamped the bow onto a snippet of blue textured card using blue ink and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I fussy cut the bow and attached it to the top of the bauble with a small foam pad.

I am entering the following challenges:
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - White & Blue
     Christmas Craft Creations - Stencils or Embossing Folder (I have chosen embossing folder)
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Out on a Limb
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - CAS
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 473

Kath x

Christmas Cats and Dogs

I made this card for the ABC Christmas Challenge 'C for Cats and D for Dogs'.  One of my friends likes cards with cats and dogs so when I received this card at Christmas last year I kept it to upcycle into a card to send her next Christmas.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card blank
     Upcycled Christmas card
     Lawn Fawn - Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Gold mirri

To make this quick card, I cut the front of the card with the largest stitched square, layered it onto gold mirri and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - C for Cats & D for Dogs
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Sparkle and Shine at Christmas Time

I made this card using one of my 'old favourites' - a Woodware stamp my OH bought for my birthday in 2014!  The card uses the colours from the CAS Colours & Sketches challenge.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Woodware 'Bubble Bloom - Festive Tree' stamp
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Glossy Accents
     Snippet of white hammer card     

I trimmed a snippet of white hammer card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and placed it into my MISTI.   I used brown ink to stamp the tree and sentiment before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  I used red, gold and turquoise Promarkers to colour the baubles on the tree before attaching the panel to the front of the card.  To finish I added Glossy Accents to the baubles to make them shine.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes
     As You Like It - Digi or Physical Stamps (my favourite is physical stamps - partly because my printer isn't very good at printing digis but mainly because I love to use my MISTI and inks to stamp and emboss images, like on this card)
     CAS Colours & Sketches - Colour Challenge (Poppy Parade, Crushed Curry & Tahitian Tide)
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Out on a Limb
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Krafty Chicks - Christmas
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
 
Kath x

Fuchsia Note Card

I made this note card with another charity shop find - this is a brand new Two Jays stamp that I came across a while ago but this is the first time I've used it.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" kraft card blank
     Two Jays Stamp Co 'Fuchsia' stamp
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and 'Hello Border' dies
     Memento Tuxedo Black ink
     Green, lilac and yellow Promarkers
     Snippets of purple textured card and light green paper

I used black ink to stamp the image onto a snippet of light green paper and cut it with the largest stitched square.  I used the green Promarker to colour the leaves, the lilac to colour the flowers and the yellow for the flower centres.  I layered the panel onto purple textured card before attaching it to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut 'hello' from purple textured card and attached it across the bottom of the card - trimming the edge of the border to fit inside the purple matt layer.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Flowers
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Stamps
     NBUS - Challenge 59 (my new stamp)
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     Try It On Tuesday - Hearts and/or Flowers (I chose the flowers option)
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Kath x

Happy Birthday Butterfly

I made this card using the current AAA Cards sketch and the Seize the Birthday colour challenge.  I used more of my new 'toys' I bought with my recent prize from the Snippets Playground.  This card uses the largest butterfly in the Dainty Butterflies set (I used the smaller ones in my Butterfly Birthday card) as well as my Stacked Happy Birthday die (I bought the Season's Greetings stamp before Christmas and used it so many times that I thought the Happy Birthday stamp would be equally useful).

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" kraft card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Clean and Simple - Zig Zag Border', 'Finishing Touches - Dainty Butterflies' and 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday' dies
     Snippets of kraft card and turquoise matt card

I used a snippet of kraft card to cut the zig zag border before attaching it to a 5" x 5" square of kraft card.  This was layered onto a slightly larger square of turquoise card before being attached to the front of the card blank.  I used snippets of turquoise card to cut the butterfly and sentiment and then attached to them to the card front.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Sketch 258
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 59 (my butterfly and sentiment dies)
     Seize the Birthday - Kraft and Another Colour (I chose dark turquoise)

Kath x

Poinsettia Greetings

I made this card using the current sketch at CAS Colours and Sketches using my lovely Sparkling Poinsettia stamps and dies I won in a challenge at the end of last year.

To make this card I used:
     C6 cream matt card blank
     Heartfelt Creations 'Sparkling Poinsettia' stamps and coordinating dies
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Season's Greetings' die
     Crafts-Too 'Twinkle' embossing folder
     Versafine Crimson Red ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Pentel Hybrid Dual Metallic gold pen
     Snippets of cream matt card and red pearlescent card

I embossed a snippet of cream card, trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and then cut it at a diagonal before attaching it to the card blank.  I stamped the poinsettia flowers onto red pearlescent card using crimson red ink and embossed them with clear embossing powder before cutting them with the coordinating die.  I layered three petals and attached them to the centre of the card.  The centre was coloured with the gold metallic pen.  I die cut the sentiment from another snippet of red card and it to the bottom of the card.,

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     CAS Colours and Sketches - Sketch 527
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x 

Hello

I made this card to send to Arlene for the January Card Chain Challenge.  I used the Colour Option (Aqua, Slate & Amethyst), the Sketch Option and the Theme Option (Friendship).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lil'inker 'Modern Mehndi' stamps and coordinating dies
     Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Classic Ovals Large' and Lawn Fawn 'Hello Border' dies
     Sizzix 'Dots' embossing folder
     Versafine Onyx black ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Dark grey Promarker
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     Snippets of white matt card, purple and grey textured card, and Funky Fossil 'In To The Blue' paper

I trimmed the white matt card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and rounded the corners.  I die cut an oval from the upper part of the panel and used my embossing mat to emboss the edge before attaching it to the front of the card.  I die cut an oval from a snippet of aqua paper before embossing it with the dots embossing folder and inlaying it into the oval on the front of the card.  I used black ink to stamp the flowers onto purple textured card and the leaves onto grey textured card.  These were embossed with clear embossing powder before being cut with the coordinating dies.  I coloured the middle of the flower with a dark grey Promarker before attaching the flower and leaves to the the left side of the oval.  To finish I layered two snippets of grey textured card and die cut 'hello' before attaching it across the bottom of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

This is the lovely card I received from Alice -

Kath x

Butterfly Birthday

I made this card for the Butterfly Challenge using a lovely Creative Expression butterfly die set which was one of the items I purchased with the gift voucher I won in the Snippets Playground last month.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' and Creative Expressions 'Finishing Touches - Dainty Butterflies' dies
     Polkadoodles 'Fourini' paper (my last floral sheet from this lovely paper pad)
     Burgundy pearlescent card

I trimmed the floral paper to 5.25" x 5.25" and die cut the sentiment from the centre, setting the sentiment to one side.  The paper was layered onto burgundy pearlescent card and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment twice from burgundy pearlescent card, the first sentiment was inlaid into the card, together with the small pieces of from the paper sentiment.  The paper sentiment was attached to the top of the second burgundy sentiment to give it some strength before being attached to the card, slightly offset to creative a shadow effect.  To finish I die cut two small butterflies from burgundy card and attached them above and below the sentiment.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Butterfly Challenge - B for Birthday (I have chosen the first option and have used the colours Baby Pink, Bud Green, Burgundy and Buttermilk plus Birthday Wishes & Butterflies)
     Make My Monday - Use your Patterned Paper
     NBUS - Challenge 59 (my new butterfly dies)
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x