July Rudolph Day

It's time for another Rudolph Day and another cross stitch Christmas card (cross stitch is my RD theme this year).  This cute 'Christmassy Dog' is from a design by Mouseloft.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" cream hammer card blank
     Mouseloft 'Christmassy Dog' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of cream hammer card

After completing the stitching I mounted the design behind a stitched circle aperture that had been die cut in the front of the card blank.  I added a piece of the same card behind the fabric to neaten the inside of the card.

I am entering the following Challenges:
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day Challenge - July Challenge

Kath x

Sister

It's ages since I've posted (or done much commenting) as we've been away in the campervan for the last six weeks.  We're now at home until September so I hope to crack on with some crafting over the next few weeks.  This card is for my sister's birthday - although it's not her birthday until later in the year I can post now as she doesn't read my blog.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card blank
     Hunkydory Sunflower Surprise Floral Deco-Large oddments
     Creative Expressions 'From the Heart - Female Relations' and Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterfly' dies
     Snippets of brown textured card, Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper and gold mirri card

I trimmed the Antebellum paper, layered it onto brown textured card and attached it to the card front.  I had used part of the Hunkydory Deco-Large kit, but had enough layers of the sunflowers in my oddments drawer to make this image - the flowers were shaped slightly and layered with foam tape before being attached to the card.  I die cut 'Sister' from a snippet of gold mirri card and used Artist-Tac to attach it to the top of the card.  Two small butterflies were cut from gold mirri snippets and attached one on each side of the sunflower vase.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Butterfly Challenge - Flowers with your Butterfly
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Summertime
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes

Kath x

June Rudolph Day

It's time for the sixth Rudolph Day of the year and another cross stitch Christmas card (cross stitch is my RD theme this year).  This is the second design from the Vervaco cross stitch kit I purchased earlier in the year (Rudolph was the first card I made from the kit).

To make this card I used:

     6" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Vervaco Christmas card kit (PN-0154080)
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white hammer card

I made my own card aperture card blank for this card as the ones in the kit were too flimsy.  As I didn't have the right size die to cut the aperture, I used a rectangle die that was the correct width but a little too short.  I cut three quarters of the aperture, then moved the die down the card to elongate the aperture and cut the remainder.  I trimmed around the edge of the panel so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  After completing the stitching I fastened it behind the frame and then attached it to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
      Rudolph Day- June Challenge

Kath x

Steve's birthday

We've been away for three weeks and have only been back home for a couple of weeks before our next trip tomorrow - so there has been little time for crafting.  As time is short, I used an upcycled card to make this card for Steve's birthday (the day after we head off on our travels) - the image is perfect for him as he loves the sea and beach.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Upcycled birthday card
     Clearly Besotted 'Happy Birthday All' stamps
     My Favorite Things 'Fishtail Flags' die
     Versafine Onyx Black & Olympia Green ink
     Snippets of dark green card and white hammer card

I trimmed the image, layered it onto dark green card and attached it to the card blank.  I placed the sentiment stamps into my MISTI to ensure they were straight ('to my' and 'husband' are separate stamps) and stamped them first with black ink and then with dark green ink - this made the sentiment the same dark green colour of the backing card.  I die cut the sentiment with the fishtail flag - cutting the fishtail first and then cutting it again so I could shorten the flag to the length of the sentiment.  To finish I attached the sentiment to the top of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Summertime
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

May All Year Dreams Come True

I made this card to send to Viv for the May Card Chain Challenge using the Colour Option (Navy, Turquoise & Gold), the Theme Option (Friendship) and the Product/Technique Options (Embossing Powder/Ripped Edges).

To make this card I used:
     7" x 5" white matt card blank
     Cardmaking Magic 'The Best of Cardmaking Magic' butterfly stamp & coordinating die
     Clearly Besotted 'Dandelion Dreams' stamps
     Versafine Majestic Blue ink
     Cosmic Shimmer clear detail embossing powder
     Turquoise and gold Promarkers
     Dark blue sequins
     Snippet of white matt card and white paper

I stamped the butterfly onto a snippet of white matt card using dark blue ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I then coloured the wings with the turquoise and gold Promarkers.  As the Promarkers had bled through the card I die cut another butterfly from a snippet of white paper and attached it to the rear to cover the ink marks. I used another snippet of white matt card to rip a strip the same width as the card blank.  I placed the strip of card into my MISTI with the butterfly laid on top so I could see where to position the sentiment.  I then stamped the sentiment with dark blue ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder before attaching it to the card.  To finish I attached three small sequins around the butterfly.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Freedom
     CAS on Friday - Embossing
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 455

This is the lovely card I received from Tina -

Kath x

May Rudolph Day

It's time for another Rudolph Day and another cross stitch Christmas card - which is my theme this year.  This card uses a 'preloved' Anchor Momentos cross stitch kit I found in a charity shop and stitched whilst in our campervan last week.

To make this card I used:

     4" x 4" cream hammer card blank
     Anchor Momentos 'Bell' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things ' Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of cream hammer card

After finishing the stitching I mounted it behind a stitched circle aperture that had been die cut in the front of the card blank.  I attached a piece of the same card behind the stitching to cover the fabric.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Love To Craft - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day - May Challenge

Kath x 

Glamour Lady

I made this card for a friend's birthday using a Kanban topper from my 'oddments' drawer, plus snippets of coordinating card.

To make this card I used:
     DL white matt card blank
     Kanban 'Glamour Ladies' topper
     Snippets of gold mirri and purple/gold foiled card

I trimmed the snippet of purple foiled card, layered it onto a snippet of gold mirri and attached it to the card blank.  The topper had got a gold edge, but I trimmed around the edge and layered it onto a snippet of gold mirri so it would match the backing layer.  The topper was then attached to the centre of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - One for the Girls
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 453

Kath x

Happy Birthday Hedgehog

I made this birthday card for a friend who loves hedgehogs - the cute stamp was a magazine cover gift ages ago.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Immediate Media 'Make Special Cards' hedgehog and Hobby Art 'General Greetings' stamps
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Cosmic Shimmer clear detail embossing powder
     Promarkers 
     White matt card
     Wink of Stella

I cut a piece of card slightly smaller than my card blank and placed into my MISTI.  I stamped the hedgehog and sentiment along the lower edge of the card, stamping a couple of times to get a clear outline, before embossing them with clear embossing powder.  I coloured the hedgehog and balloon with Promarkers before attaching the panel to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Balloons  
     We Love Stamping - Real Birds and/or Animals

Kath x

April Rudolph Day

It's time for the fourth Rudolph Day of the year and another cross stitch Christmas card (cross stitch is my RD theme this year).  I've recently bought a Vervaco cross stitch kit to make three Christmas cards - I love the colours of the cards (shades of red, blue and brown on oatmeal colour aida).  Also the main picture on the packet was Rudolph, which I thought was perfect for the RD challenge!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 4" white hammer card blank
     Vervaco Christmas card kit (PN-0154080)
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' die
     Snippet of white hammer card

The kit contained everything to make the three cards, including the card blanks.  However, I thought the card blanks were quite flimsy and not the same quality as the card blanks I use so decided to make my own cards.  I didn't have the right size die to cut the aperture, so used a rectangle die that was the correct width but a little too short.  I cut three quarters of the aperture, then moved the die down the card to elongate the aperture and cut the remainder.  I trimmed around the edge of the panel so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  After completing the stitching I fastened it behind the frame and then attached it to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Rudolph Day - April Challenge

Kath x

Cross Stitch Rose

This is another cross stitch card I've recently made using another lovely Carolyn's Garden cross stitch kit.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Carolyn's Garden 'Rose' cross stitch kit
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of white hammer card

After completing the stitching I mounted the design behind a stitched square aperture that had been die cut in the centre of the card blank.  A piece of the same card was attached to the inside to cover the back of the stitching.

Kath x

Cross Stitch Sunflower

We decided on a last minute trip to Cornwall, so no papercrafting this week but I did take my cross stitch with me - this is one of the cards I made.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Carolyn's Garden 'Sunflower' cross stitch kit
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of white hammer card

After completing the stitching I mounted the design behind a stitched square aperture that had been die cut in the centre of the card blank.  A piece of the same card was attached to the inside to cover the back of the stitching.

Kath x

Upcycled and Snippets Notecard

I've recently won an Easter giveaway from Sarn and my gift was beautifully wrapped in some of Sarn's lovely artwork.  The paper was far too good to find its way into the recycling bin so I carefully opened the packet and used the paper to make this card.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" cream hammer card blank
     Lil'inker Designs 'Modern Mehndi' stamps and coordinating dies
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Versafine Onyx black ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder 
     Wink of Stella
     Snippets of  cream hammer card, purple and turquoise textured card and, of course, Sarn's paper

I trimmed the cream hammer card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and cut the stitched circle from the centre.  I ironed the back of Sarn's paper with a cool iron to remove the creases, cut a square from the corner (saving the rest in my snippets drawer) and attached it to the rear of the aperture.  The panel was then attached to the front of the card.  I stamped the flower onto purple card and the leaves onto turquoise card using black ink.  These were embossed with clear embossing powder and cut with the coordinating dies.  I used a Wink of Stella to highlight the centre of the flower before attaching it to the lower corner of the card.   The leaves were then tucked under the flower around the edge of the aperture.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Die Cuts
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 452
     
Kath x