Folk Art Christmas Stocking

This design was from a folk art selection of designs by Sue Page.  The stocking should have been an ornament hanging from holly (similar to my Folk Art Cross Stitch Christmas card) but I just stitched the stocking so it would fit inside the aperture of this tri-fold card.

To make this card I used:
     C6 cream tri-fold card with oval aperture
     Sue Page's 'Folk Art' chart from Christmas Cross Stitch Favourites magazine
     14 hpi rustic aida
     DMC threads

This was another quick card to assemble as once the stitching had been completed I trimmed the fabric before attaching it to the rear of the aperture.  The card was then folded over to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - X is for X-Stitch
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Festive Wear

Kath x

Flourish Reindeer

I love this Flourish Reindeer die - the curly antlers make it perfect for this month's Christmas Kickstart Challenge 'Just Add Antlers'.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Impression Obsession 'Flourish Reindeer' and 'Hills'  dies
     Funky Fossil 'Snow is Falling' stencil
     Versamark ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Snippets of white matt card, broze mirri card and teeny tiny snippet of gold mirri

I used the Versamark ink to stamp the snowflakes onto white matt card before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  The panel was trimmed, layered onto broze mirri card and attached to the card blank. I die cut a hill from another snippet of white card, trimmed it and attached it to the bottom of the card.  I die cut the reindeer from bronze mirri and attached it to the front of the card.  To finish I die cut the reindeer's eye from a snippet of gold mirri and inlaid it.

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Allsorts - Christmas Cards
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - CAS
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Run Run Rudolph
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Just Add Antlers
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x

Happy New Home

I stitched this design for one of my neighbours who is moving to another flat within the next couple of months.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white linen card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackable' die
     Maria Diaz 'New Home' chart (from Ultimate Cross Stitch Cards magazine)
     14 count white aida
     DMC threads
     Snippet of white linen card

I used the largest die to cut an aperture in the front of the card blank.  After stitching the design I trimmed the fabric before attaching to the rear of the aperture.  I trimmed a snippet of white linen card and attached it inside the card to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Peace and Joy

I made this CAS Christmas card with one of my favourite Uniko stamps using the colours from the current CAS Colours & Sketches challenge.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Uniko 'Rustic Wreath' stamps
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Crafts-Too small flower punch
     Small red enamel dots
     Snippets of white matt card, gold sparkle card and red mirri card

I placed a snippet of white card into my MISTI and stamped the wreath and sentiment with green ink.  The panel was then cut with a stitched square die, layered onto a snippet of red mirri card and attached to the card front.  I punched eight small flowers from a snippet of gold sparkle card and attached them to the wreath.  To finish I added small red enamel dots to the centre of each flower.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Christmas
     CAS Colours & Sketches - Colour Challenge (Real Red, Shaded Spruce and Gold)
     Daisy Chain Challenges - Christmas/Winter
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas
     Stamping Sensations - Christmas
     We Love Stamping - Anything Christmas
         

Kath x

Rustic Christmas Tree

I love this Uniko stamp as it's perfect for making quick CAS cards.  There are several small ornaments in the stamp set, but as I'm not a fan of fussy cutting I prefer to add enamel dots to the tree. 

To make this card I used:
     C6 white card blank
     Uniko 'Rustic Christmas' stamps
     Versafine Olympia Green ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Turquoise enamel dots

I placed the card into my MISTI and laid the tree and sentiment stamps onto it before stamping them with dark green ink, stamping a couple of times to get a good depth of colour, and then embossing them with clear embossing powder.  To finish I added some small enamel dots to the tree.

I am entering the following challenges:
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Embellishment (I don't use many embellishments, but I do like enamel dots as they add interest without being too fussy on CAS cards)
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas/Winter
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas
     Simply Clean & Simple - Holidays/Winter
     Try It On Tuesday - Get Ready for Christmas

Kath x

Christmas Candle

It's another horrid wet day - perfect for staying dry indoors and making some Christmas cards.  This card used a lovely Paper Artsy stamp I won last year.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Paper Artsy 'JOFY Christmas Candle' stamp
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Cosmic Shimmer clear detail embossing powder
     Copics - BG10, E08, E33, E35. RV21, V17, Y08, YG67, YR04 & C-1
     Diamond Stickles
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of white matt card and dark brown pearlescent card

I stamped the Christmas candle onto a snippet of white card before cutting it with the stitched square die.  I coloured the candle with Copics, layered the panel onto a snippet of dark brown pearlescent card and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  I highlighted the baubles with a Wink of Stella and added Diamond Stickles to the twiggy branches.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Christmas Cards
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas/Winter
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas
     Stamping Sensations - Christmas
     Try It On Tuesday - Get Ready for Christmas
     We Love Stamping - Anything Christmas

Kath x

Folk Art Cross Stitch Christmas

This is one of the many designs I've stitched over the summer - perfect for a Christmas card for my niece and her partner.

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" dark red matt card blank
     Sue Page 'Folk Art' chart from Christmas Cross Stitch Favourites magazine
     My Favorite Things ' Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     14hps Rustico aida
     DMC threads
     Snippet of dark red matt card

After completing the stitching I set trimmed around the edge of the fabric so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and then used Artist Tac to attach it to the front of the card. I trimmed a snippet of red matt card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank for the frame.  I didn't have a rectangle die that was large enough, so I used a square die and cut the first half of the aperture then moved the die to the lower edge of the card to cut the rest of the aperture.  This was then attached over the fabric with strong tape.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - X for X-Stitch
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Try It On Tuesday - Get Ready for Christmas

Kath x 

Leafy Christmas Tree

I made this card for the current CAS Colours & Sketches 'Colour' challenge using an old Sizzix die and lots of snippets.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Sizzix 'Leafy Trees' and My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippets of white matt card, green textured card, red and gold pearlescent card

I used the largest rectangle die and a snippet of white card to cut the panel.  As the die wasn't long enough I cut the first half of the rectangle and then moved the die to cut the second half.  I then cut the tree from the centre before attaching the panel to the front of the card blank.  I cut the tree from a snippet of green textured card and inlaid it into the panel.  The tree was cut from snippets of red and gold pearlescent card and the leaves inlaid into the tree.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Christmas Cards
     CAS Colours & Sketches - Colour Challenge (Real Red, Shaded Spruce & Gold)
     Christmas (or not) BINGO Challenge - Challenge 16 (I have used Line O - CAS, No Stamping & Free)
     Simply Clean & Simple - Holidays/Winter
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 519
     Try It On Tuesday - Get Ready for Christmas

Kath x

Whimsical Flower Arrangement

I made this card with a 'new to me' Altenew stamp and coordinating die set.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white matt card blank
     Altenew 'Whimsical Flower Arrangement' stamps and coordinating die
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Versafine Vintage Sepia ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Details embossing powder
     Promarkers
     Snippet of white matt card

I used brown ink to stamp the flowers onto a snippet of white matt card before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  The flowers were then cut with the coordinating die before being coloured with Promarkers.  I used a stitched circle die to cut another snippet of white card and put it into my MISTI.  I laid the flowers onto the circle so I could see where to place the sentiment.  I removed the flowers and stamped the sentiment with brown ink before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  The circle was attached to the centre of the card blank before the flowers were added using foam pads.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Due Cuts and/or Stencils (I have chosen die cuts)
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes
     Cardz 4 Galz - Colouring (I have used Promarkers)
     Cut It Up - Thankful, Grateful, Blessed
     Simply Clean & Simple - Clean and Simple
     The Flower Challenge - Thanks

Kath x   

Mini Mittens

These cute mini mittens were some more of my holiday stitching - they were stitched with a free pattern from Catkin and Lillie.

To make this card I used:

     5" x 5" cream hammer tri-fold card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     Catkin and Lillie 'Mini Mittens' cross stitch chart
     14 hpi rustic aida
     DMC threads

I stitched the mittens onto a small piece of rustic aida and set the finished stitching aside.  The aperture in the tri-fold card was slightly too small, so I used the stitched square die to cut the aperture to the right size.  The fabric was trimmed and attached behind the aperture before folding the panel across the inside of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Sparkles Christmas Challenge - Festive Wear
     

Kath x

Christmas Pudding

A friend was telling me how much she loves Christmas pudding, so I thought this Clearly Besotted stamp set would be perfect for her Christmas card.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white linen card blank
     Clearly Besotted 'Christmas Pudding' stamp and coordinating die set
     Clearly Besotted 'Cheerful Christmas' sentiment stamp
     Versafine Vintage Sepia and Olympia Green ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Red Promarker
     Diamond Stickles

     Snippet of white matt card

I used brown ink to stamp the Christmas pudding onto a snippet of white card and used green ink to stamp the holly before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  These were cut then with the coordinating dies.  I placed the card blank into my MISTI with the pudding in the middle so I could see where to place the sentiment.  I removed the pudding and stamped the sentiment with brown ink before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  I attached the pudding with a foam pad and applied Diamond Stickles to the top.  The holly berries were coloured with a red Promarker and the holly was then attached to the top of the pudding.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - U for Uncluttered
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas
     Stamping Sensations - Christmas
     We Love Stamping - Anything Christmas

Kath x

Penguins for Annie and Sam

I made these cards for my great niece and my youngest great nephew using a lovely Christmas alphabet by Rhona Norrie.

To make these cards I used:
     5" x 5" white hammer card blanks
     Rhona Norrie 'Penguin Playtime' cross stitch charts
     14 count white aida
     DMC threads 
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippet of white hammer card

I stitched the penguins onto white aida - both initials should have been stitched in green but I changed the 'S' to a red initial so they were slightly different.  I used the square die to cut the outside of the frame and then used the circle die to cut the aperture.  I trimmed the fabric so it was slightly smaller than the frame and used double sided tape to attach it to the rear.  The panel was then attached to the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Favourite Critter (I love penguins and have done so since being taken to the zoo as a child and seeing their funny walk - they always make me smile)
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes

Kath x