Darling Friends

I received a lovely card from Linda for the February Card Chain Challenge last year which had this cute cat in a hot air balloon and a sun.  After keeping the card for a year, I thought it was time someone else could enjoy Linda's lovely colouring so I carefully removed the hot air balloon and sun from the card to make this birthday card for my great niece.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Upcycled Simon Says Stamp 'Darling Friends' images from Linda's card (Linda had coloured the images with Copics and a white gel pen and added a gem decoration)
     Impression Obsession 'Hills' and 'Clouds' dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Modern Calligraphy' stamps and coordinating dies
     Versafine Smokey Gray ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Snippets of blue and green textured card and white matt card

I trimmed the blue card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached it to the front of the card.  I die cut two of the hills from green card, using darker green for the background hill and a brighter green for the front hill.  These were attached to bottom of the blue panel.  I attached the hot air balloon to the front of the card using foam pads behind the balloon to give some dimension to the card.  The sun was attached to the top corner of the sky.  I die cut the small and medium clouds from white card, the medium cloud was tucked behind the hot air balloon and the small one attached above the hills.  I used grey ink to stamp the sentiment onto a snippet of white card before cutting 'happy' with the coordinating die and trimming around 'birthday'.  These were then attached to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Anything Goes
     Little Red Wagon - A for Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

Decorative Cat

I made this card to send to Michaela for the January Card Chain Challenge.  I used the Colour Option (Walnut, Lavender & Jade) and the Theme Option (Cats & Friendship). 

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Decorative Cat' stamp
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Faber Castell coloured pencils
     Wild Rose Studio 'Bluebell' paper
     Wink of Stella
     Snippet of white matt card

I placed a snippet of white matt card into my MISTI and stamped the cat and 'meow' with dark brown ink.  I coloured the flowers and leaves with shades of walnut, lavender and jade.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto lavender paper and attached to the card blank.  To finish I highlighted the flowers with a Wink of Stella.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Little Red Wagon - A is for Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 70 (I won the cat stamp in the Snippets Playground last year and this is the first time I've used it)
     Stamping Sensations - Anything Goes
     We Love Stamping - CAS

This is the lovely spinner card I received from Gail.

Kath x

Love

I've made another anniversary card for the AAA Cards 'Follow the Leader' challenge using some more white snippets.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Impression Obsession 'Love' die
     Snippets of white matt card and red glitter card

I die cut 'Love' three times from white matt card.  I layered the die cuts before attaching them to the bottom corner of the card.  The three small hearts that had been cut from the heart on the sentiment were attached to the card.  To finish I die cut another small heart from the red glitter card and inlaid it into the 'Love'.

I am entering the following challenges
     AAA Cards - Follow the Leader
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Die Cut
     Cut It Up - Have a Heart
     Litlle Red Wagon - Can You Feel the Love Tonight
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Simply Clean and Simple - Anything Goes

Kath x

With Sympathy

I dislike making Sympathy cards when they're needed, I would rather keep one or two in my card box 'just in case'.  For this card I used a lovely Uniko stamp I bought with a gift voucher I won in the Uniko 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Uniko 'So Much' and Clearly Besotted 'Mini Calligraphy' stamps
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Sakura Gelly Roll Clear Star pen

I used the largest die to emboss a circle in the centre of the card blank.  I placed the card into my MISTI and laid the flowers and sentiment stamps inside the circle.  These were stamped with green ink and embossed with clear embossing powder.  I then used a Clear Star gel pen to colour the outlines of the flowers and leaves.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Center Focus
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Any Occasion
     Allsorts - Close to Nature
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     CAS on Friday - Flowers
     Daisy Chain Challenge - No Design Paper
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Something Old, Something New (my old Clearly Besotted stamp and my new Uniko stamp)
     Simply Clean & Simple Challenge - Something New (my new Uniko stamp)

Kath x

January Rudolph Day

It's time for the first Rudolph Day of the year.  For the past few years I've had a theme for me RD cards. In 2017 I used images from a Lili of the Valley Art Pad, in 2018 my cards were 4" x 4", in 2019 all cards had a Christmas tree on them, in 2020 I used wet and/or dry embossing on my cards, in 2021 I used something that had been upcycled, in 2022 I used something that had been a cover gift with a magazine, in 2023 all my cards were cross stitch designs and last year they were all white, green and gold.  This year my theme will be die cutting and I will have used at least one die on the cards.

I've used this 'Opulent Baubles' embossing folder many times, but as the small die had fallen out of it I decided to cut a different bauble for this card.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Marianne Design Creatables 'Christmas Bauble' and Memory Box 'Crisp Bows' dies
     Practical Publishing 'Opulent Baubles' embossing folder
     Snippets of white matt card red glitter card and gold mirri

I placed the bauble die inside the embossing folder and embossed a piece of white card, this also cut the bauble shape.  The panel was trimmed and attached to the card blank.  I die cut the bauble from red glitter card and inlaid it into the front of the card.  The bauble was cut again with gold mirri and the small pieces inlaid into the card.  I die cut the bow from gold mirri and trimmed the bottom so it left just the bow section, this was then attached to the top of the bauble.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Cardz 4 Galz - Anything But Square
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Bring the Baubles
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day - January Challenge

Kath x

Snow Family

I was so pleased when my Rudolph and Friends card was the winner of the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Sketch challenge and the team invited me to be Guest Designer of their 'Fussy Cutting' challenge.  The cute snowman stamp was one of the items in the bumper bundle of Christmas goodies I've recently won in the Snippets Playground.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Wild Rose Studio 'Snowmen' stamp
     Crafts-Too 'Twinkle' embossing folder
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Bruynzeel coloured pencils
     White Fun Flock
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white matt card

I trimmed a piece of white matt card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and tore a strip from the bottom.  I embossed the top half of the card with the star embossing folder and attached it to the card blank.  The plain torn strip was then attached across the bottom.  I stamped the snowmen onto a snippet of white matt card and fussy cut them before colouring them with the Bruynzeel pencils.  The image was attached to the card with foam tape.  I applied white Fun Flock to the trim and bobbles on the hats and a Wink of Stella to the holly.    

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - No Designer Paper
     NBUS - Challenge 70 (I have used my new snowmen stamp)
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Something Old, Something New (I have used my old embossing folder and my new stamp)
     Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Warm and Cosy (scarves and hats are keeping the snowmen warm)
     Stamping Sensations - Hand Coloured Image
     We Love Stamping - Anything But Square

Kath x

Floral Anniversary

I made this anniversary card for the AAA Cards 'Follow the Leader' challenge and used a few more of my white snippets.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Finishing Touches - French Marigold', Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' and Sizzix 'Floral Hello' dies
     Snippets of white matt card and red glitter card

I die cut the three different size flowers, two large leaves and a small butterfly from white matt card.  The flowers were layered and attached to the corner of the card.  The leaves were tucked underneath the flower and the butterfly attached above the image.  To finish I die cut a small heart from red glitter card and attached it to the centre of the flower.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Any Occasion
     AAA Cards - Follow the Leader
     Allsorts - Close to Nature
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Cut It Up - Something New (('ve used a new 'to me' idea of following the leader and taking inspiration from their design)
     Daisy Chain Challenge - No Designer Paper
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 498 (Love is in the Air)
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms & Butterflies (I have used Blooms and Butterflies)     

Kath x

It's Always Gin O'Clock

One of my friends reckons 'it's always gin o'clock' so I thought this design would make a perfect birthday card for her.

To make this card I used:
     6.25" x 5.5" white matt card blank
     Durene Jones 'It's Always Gin O'Clock' cross stitch chart
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     White 14 count aida
     DMC threads
     Snippet of bright blue textured card

I stitched the design and measured it so I could make the frame for the front of the card.  The rectangle die was the right width but too long for the completed stitching so I die cut the first half in a snippet of bright blue card and then moved the die to stitch the second half so it was the right size.  The cross stitch was then attached behind the frame and then onto the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Try It On Tuesday - Feeling Blue
     
Kath x

Pretty Flowers

I made this card for the As You Like It 'Favourite Paperbrand' challenge.  My favourite is Lili of the Valley as I love the quality of the papers, the beautiful designs and the 8" x 8" size - I just wish they were still available.  For this card I have used a couple of snippets of paper from one of my favourite paper pads and one of my few remaining LOTV Art Sheet images (also sadly not longer available).

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lili if the Valley 'Pretty Flowers Art Sheet' precoloured image
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' and Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday'  dies
     Hole punch
     Snippets of Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper, white matt card, brown matt card and brown ribbon

Before cutting into a full sheet of my precious LOTV papers, I always check my snippets envelope and found two snippets of paper that just needed a little trim to fit the card blank leaving a small border around the edge.  I glued the papers onto a snippet of white card and trimmed around the panel.  I die cut the LOTV Art Pad image with the largest stitched circle die before die cutting the same size circle from the panel.  The panel was attached to the card blank and the circle topper inlaid.  I die cut the sentiment twice from dark brown matt card, layered the two die cuts and attached the sentiment to the lower corner of the card.  To make the tag I took the circle that had been die cut from the panel and cut a smaller circle from the left side before punching a hole in the top and adding a snippet of brown ribbon.  I die cut another sentiment from dark brown card and attached it to the tag.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Matching Pairs
     As You Like It - Favourite Paperbrand (Lili of the Valley as I love the quality, designs and size of the paperpad)
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 497    
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms & Butterflies (I have used blooms - no birds or butterflies, but there is a bee!).

Kath x

Winter Woodland

I was delighted when my Sweet Nature Note Card was the winner on the CAS on Friday Sketch Challenge and the team invited me to be Guest Designer on the 'Winter' Challenge.  I made this card using one of my favourite winter dies which had been a cover gift with a magazine many years ago.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Creative Dies 'Woodland Scene' and My Favorite Things ' Inside & Out Stitched Square Stackables STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippets of white matt card and blue paper

I used the largest stitched square die to emboss a square on the front of the card blank.  I die cut the Woodland Scene from a snippet of white card and removed the small tress from in front of the deer as it made the scene look a little too fussy.  I then cut the scene again with a stitched square die to match the embossed border.  I trimmed a snippet of blue paper, attached it behind the Woodland Scene and then attached the panel to the front of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards - Anything CAS Goes
     ABC Christmas Challenge - A for Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Die Cut
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     The Male Room - Clean and Simple
     Try It On Tuesday - Feeling Blue

Kath x

Gem of a Plant

I've recently won this lovely AALL & Create stamp at the Allsorts Challenge.  I've also been having a 'play' with some preloved Distress Inks I bought before Christmas - I know I'm a bit late to the party but I've only just discovered the joys of crafting with Distress Ink.

To make this card I used:
     DL white matt card blank
     AALL & Create 'Gem of a Plant' stamp
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Distress Inks - Mustard Seed, Wild Honey, Spiced Marmalade & Ripe Persimmon
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Snippet of white matt card

I stamped the Distress inks onto my craft mat, spritzed them with water and laid the card on top to pick up the colour.  I let the panel dry and then placed it into my MISTI before stamping the flower a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  I used the largest stitched rectangle die to trim the panel - moving the die three times to cut the top, middle and bottom of the panel.  The panel was then attached to the front of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - No Design Paper
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Pearly Sparkles Challenge - Something Old, Something New (I used my old MFT die and my new stamp)
     We Love Stamping - Anything But Square

Kath x

Rudolph and Friends

When I made my Rudolph Says Hello card last year, I stamped and die cut several more Rudolphs and then never used them.  I came across them in my oddments box and thought they would be perfect for the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown 'Sketch challenge'.  As I had several Rudolphs in the oddments box I made a matching tag for the the Allsorts 'Matching Pairs' challenge.

To make this card and tag I used:

     C6 white matt card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Let's Prance' stamps and coordinating dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' stamps

     Creative Expressions 'Pierced Tags' die
     Versafine Onyx Black ink

     Promarkers
     Snippets of white matt card, red textured card and red twine

I put white card into my MISTI and stamped the sentiment across the top.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto red textured card and attached to the card blank.  The reindeer had been stamped in black ink and cut with the coordinating dies before being popped into my oddments box.  I chose three different reindeer and coloured them with Promarkers.  To make them stand out on the card I layered the coloured reindeer onto a plain die cut and then attached them across the card under the sentiment.  I used a snippet of white card to cut the pierced tag and attached another Rudolph to the tag and some red twine.

I am entering the following challenges:
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Sketch
     AAA Cards - Flies in the Air (Rudolph flies with Santa!)
     Allsorts - Matching Pairs
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - The Christmas Song (I have used 'To see if a reindeer really knows how to fly)
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Add a Die Cut
     Cut It Up - Anything Goes
     Stamping Sensations - Hand Coloured Image
     We Love Stamping - Anything But Square

Kath x

Best Wishes to You

I made this card for a friend's birthday using a preloved stamp I've recently bought as it's perfect for paper pieceing.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Bold Blooms - Vivian' stamp
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Lili of the Valley 'Heartfelt' paper
     Snippet of white matt card

I put a piece of white matt card into my MISTI and stamped the flower onto it before setting it aside.  So I could ensure the leaves (which are separate stamps) were in the right place, I cut a scrap of paper to the same size as the white card and stamped the flower again and then stamped the leaves.  When I was happy the leaves were in the right position I removed the scrap of paper and replaced the card into my MISTI to stamp the leaves.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto green paper and attached to the card blank.  I stamped the flowers onto a snippet of pink paper and the leaves onto a snippet of green paper.  These were fussy cut and paper pieced onto the card.  I stamped the sentiment onto a small snippet of white card, stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour.  This was trimmed and attached to the card with foam tape.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Birthday
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Simply Clean & Simple Challenge - Something New (my new Woodware stamp)
     Triple B Challenge - Birds, Blooms or Butterflies (I have chosen Blooms)

Kath x

Happy New Year

I made this card for the CAS on Friday 'New Year' challenge using an old Woodware stamp that was one of the first stamps I bought when I started to make cards many years ago!  I thought it would be perfect to give to Steve at the start of 2025.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Champagne Celebration' and Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' stamps
     Versafine Imperial Purple ink
     Promarkers
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white matt card and red mirri card

I stamped the champagne glasses onto a snippet of white card with purple ink and then added the sentiment to the bottom of the card.  I coloured the hearts and ribbon with a red Promarker and the champagne glasses with a cream Promarker.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto red mirri and attached to the card blank.  I added Diamond Stickles to the champagne bubbles and a Wink of Stella to the hearts.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     CAS on Friday - New Year
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - All Occasions
     Little Red Wagon - New Beginnings
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     The Male Room - Clean and Simple

Kath x