April Rudolph Day

It's time for the fourth Rudolph Day challenge of the year - I can't believe how quickly time is flying by.  As my RD theme this year is 'Upcycling' I've used a tiny Rudolph image and some red shiny card that have been upcycled from two Christmas cards.

I die cut the Rudolph image with a stitched die and then layered it onto a shiny red square that had been die cut and embossed around the edge.  The tiny topper was then attached to the centre of the card.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Classic Squares Large' dies
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Tiny Rudolph image and shiny red card (upcycled from two Christmas cards)

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Oh Deer
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - April challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day Challenge - April challenge

Kath x  

January Rudolph Day

For the past few years I've had a theme for my Rudolph Day Cards.  In 2017 I used images from a LOTV Art Pad, in 2018 my cards were 4" x 4", in 2019 all cards had a Christmas tree on them and last year I made cards with wet and/or dry embossing.  As we are having a thrifty 2021 I have chosen 'Upcyling' as my Rudolph Day theme this year.

To make this card I used:
     5.5" x 4.25" white hammer card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics', Memory Box 'Lydia Ornament', 'Traditional Ornament' & 'Crisp Bows' dies
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Snippet of white hammer card
     Blue glitter paper (from inside a Christmas card) and dark blue card with glitter spots (from the front of a Christmas card)

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Something that Starts with A and/or B (I have used B for Bauble)
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - No Sentiment
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Anything Festive Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes with Dies - January Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Rudolph Day Challenge - January challenge

Kath x

Elegant Reindeer

It's time for my first Christmas card of the year - a CAS card made for a few challenges.

I trimmed a piece of white card so it was slightly smaller than the front of the card blank, rounded the corners and die cut a stitched circle from the centre.  The panel was attached to the centre of the card.  I die cut a stitched circle from a snippet of paper and inlaid it into the circle.  The 'Elegant Reindeer' was die cut from black card and attached to the lower corner of the card.  The swirl on the reindeer's body was die cut from a tiny snippet of red card and inlaid.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside and Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics'  and Creative Dies 'Elegant Reindeer' dies
     Snippets of white matt card, Lili of the Valley 'Classic Christmas' paper, black matt and red textured card

I am entering the following challenges:
     CAS Christmas - Silhouette
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Such a Deer
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Feature a Creature
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Anything Festive Goes
     Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge 394

Kath x

My Five Favourite Christmas Makes in 2020

Hazel is asking for our five favourite Christmas makes in 2020 for this week's Fezzwig's Festive Challenge - the perfect challenge for my last post of the year.

These are my five favourite Christmas cards in 2020:

Christmas Flowers - I like the simplicity of this card and it was one I made several times so I could use lots of snippets.

Upcycled Christmas Ornament - I love to upcycle and this card used the front of a gold gift tag for the background of the bauble and bow, together with the flowers from a birthday card for the overlay.

Opulent Baubles - this card uses an embossing folder and stamp set that were cover gifts with a magazine.  It's another card that was quick to make, but had a lot of detail too.

Candy Canes - I have started to do a lot more cross stitch in 2020 as I find it easy to take away when we travelling in our campervan.  I enjoyed stitching these candy canes and have sold several of these cards too.

Embossed Holly - another CAS card using an embossing folder that was a cover gift with a magazine together with a lovely Clearly Besotted stamp and die set.

Kath x

Another Delightful Dangles Christmas Tree

Whilst tidying the remains of my Christmas crafting I found this Delightful Dangles Christmas tree that I had already stamped and embossed.  Time to make it into a quick card to put away for next year.

I used green 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. I then used a gold 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 Olympia Green ink
     Gold gel pen
     Stampendous clear embossing powder
     Woodware Corner Rounder punch
     Snippet of white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:     
     AAA Cards - Made in Minutes + Optional Twist - Christmas
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Use the Word Christmas
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Last Minute Makes

Kath x

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  

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  

Rockin' Robin Gift Tags

I've made a few Christmas gift tags today using some robins I stamped and die-cut ages ago, but never coloured. 

I die cut and embossed three tags from white card and threaded a piece of red embroidery thread through the top of each tag.  The robins and hats had already been stamped and die cut, so I only had to colour them with Promarkers.  The robins were attached to the lower edge of the tags and I attached the hats with a small foam pad.  A Wink of Stella added the final touch to the hats.

To make these tags I used:

     Creative Expressions 'Pierced Tags' die
     Clearly Besotted 'Rockin' Robin' stamps and coordinating dies
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Kars tan embossing mat
     Promarkers
     Snippets of white matt card
     Wink of Stella
     Red embroidery thread

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - R for Robins
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Wrap it Up

Kath x

Winter Wonderland

I made this quick CAS card using the 52 Christmas Card Throwdown Sketch, snippets of card and a precoloured LOTV image.

I die cut the precoloured image and attached a smaller circle of a foam sheet on the reverse.  I die cut two fishtail flags, matching the colours to the snowman image, and making the red flag a little shorter than the blue one.  I followed the sketch to attach the flags and snowman topper.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Winter Wonderland' Art Pad
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics'' and 'Fishtail Flags' dies
     Snippets of Papermania blue and red textured cardstock

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - N for No Fuss
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Sketch challenge
     Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Anything Festive Goes
     Winter Wonderland - Hip to be Square

Kath x

Simple Christmas Tree

I love this Sizzix die as it's perfect to make quick CAS cards.

I die cut the leaf tree from green textured card, layered it onto a green tree cut with the coordinating plain die and attached it to the card.  I die cut the tree again from snippets of red textured card and inlaid the leaves.  Simple!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Sizzix ' Trees, Leafy' dies
     Snippets of green and red textured card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Include a Tree or Two or More
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Anything Christmas Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Winter Wonderland - Your Favourite Colour Combination (mine is red and green)
 
Kath x

Upcycled Christmas Ornament

As I'm slowly working my way though my snippets and upcycled boxes, I came across these bits of card - perfect for a CAS Christmas ornament.

I die cut a stitched panel from white hammer card and attached it to the card blank.  I used gold holographic card from an old gift card to die cut the back of the ornament and the bow.  The floral ornament was die cut from a birthday card.  The ornament pieces were layered and attached to the card.  I snipped the lower part of the tail from the bow and attached it above the ornament.

To make this card I used:
     A2 white hammer card blank
     My Favourite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX  Die-namics', Memory Box 'Traditional Ornament' & 'Lydia Ornament' dies
     Upcycled birthday card and gift tag
     Snippet of white hammer card

I am entering the following challenges:
     Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes as long as it's Christmas
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Anything Festive Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Ornaments

Kath x

Christmas Bears

Amongst my box of die cuts was this cute Lili of the Valley image that I'd already cut with a stitched die - perfect for a quick CAS card.

I die cut a stitched square in the front of the card blank and added another piece of the same card to the inside of the card front.  I then inlaid the image into the frame.  To finish I added lots of Wink of Stella to the bear's hat, trees and snow.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" red textured card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Christmas Bear - Sledge' image
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Red textured card
     Wink of Stella

I am entering the following challenges:
     Christmas with the Cuties - Red and Green
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Clean and Simple
     Winter Wonderland - Favourite Colour Combination (for me that's red and green)

Kath x

April Rudolph Day

It's time for another Rudolph Day and another of my embossed cards - this uses more die cuts from my 'cut but not used die cuts box', plus some snippets.

I embossed the panel and trimmed the edges before layering it onto red textured card and attaching it to the card front.  The circle and bauble were from my box so these just need to be layered and attached to the centre of the card.  I made a small bow from a snippet of red ribbon and used strong glue to attach it to the top of the bauble.  I die cut the line border from red card and snipped the ends either side of 'christmas' and attached the sentiment below the bauble.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Marianne 'Designs Creatables 'Christmas Bauble', Lawn Fawn 'Merry Christmas Line Border' and Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Standard Circles
     Large' dies
     Apple Blossom 'Holly' embossing folder
     Snippets of gold mirri, red textured and white matt card, snippet of red ribbon

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Add a Bow 
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Clean and Simple
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - April Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Rudolph Day - April Challenge

Kath x

Festive Sheep

My final card today is for a couple of challenges asking for 'Festive Animals'.  I wasn't sure I had anything suitable for the challenges until I delved into my upcycling box and found this image from a card I received last Christmas.

To make this quick card I die cut the image, layered it onto dark red textured card and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  This card was so quick to make it feels like cheating - but I do rather like the simplicity of it.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" warm white hammer card blank
     Upcycled Christmas card
     Snippet of dark red textured card

I an entering the following challenges:
     Fezziwigs Festive Frolics - Festive Animals
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Festive Animals
   
Kath x

March Rudolph Day

My final card today is a Christmas card for the Rudolph Day challenge - this one uses dry embossing.

I embossed a piece of white card and trimmed it before layering it onto a piece of dark blue foiled card and attaching it to the card front.  I die cut the 'Let it Snow' from the dark blue foiled card and used strong glue to attach it to the centre of the card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white matt card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Let it Snow' die
     Darice 'Snowflake Background' embossing folder
     Snippets of dark blue foiled card and white matt card

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - E for Embossing   
     Fezziwig's Festive Frolics  - Anything Christmas Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Rudolph Day - March challenge
     Winter Wonderland - Blue Christmas

Kath x

Oh Christmas Tree

Another Christmas card for a new challenge that I've recently discovered - Fezzwig's Festive Frolics.

To make this quick card I die cut the Christmas tree from black self adhesive glitter paper and attached it to the centre of the card.  It doesn't get much quicker or easier than that!  I do like unfussy cards to send to the men in our family and this one is perfect for a friend who supports Exeter Chiefs.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Christmas Tree Greetings'
     Xcut black self adhesive glitter sheet

I am entering the following challenges:
     Fezzwig's Festive Frolics - Oh Christmas Tree
     The Male Room - Team Colours (Exeter Chiefs)

Kath x