Cross Stitch Parrot

This Mouseloft Parrot is made with a cross stitch kit I found in a charity shop when we were away in our campervan.

To make this card I used:
     4" x 4" cream hammer card blank
     Mouseloft 'Parrot' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square 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.

   

Kath x

August 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 'Reindeer' is from a design by Mouseloft - a perfect design for Rudolph Day!

To make this card I used:

     4" x 4" cream hammer card blank
     Mouseloft 'Reindeer' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics'  & 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' dies

     Snippet of cream hammer card

I used a snippet of cream hammer card to make a frame for the stitching, using the square die for the outer edge and the circle die for the aperture.  After completing the stitching I mounted the design behind the frame and attached it to the card.  

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

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

It's a horrid wet afternoon, so I've had some crafting time and made this card for my nephew's birthday using lots of snippets.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die
     Snippets of brown matt card and Hunkydory 'Up & Away' backing card (I'd already used the rest of the kit for another card)

I trimmed the 'Up & Away' card to a square and cut 'Happy Birthday to You' in the sky, setting the sentiment and all the small pieces to one side.  The panel was layered onto brown matt card and attached to the card blank.  I cut the sentiment twice from oddments of brown card.  One sentiment was inlaid into the front of the card, together with the small pieces from the sky sentiment.  The second brown sentiment was attached on top to give depth before the blue sky sentiment was attached slightly offset to create a shadow effect.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Challenge - Anything Birthday Goes
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Boys/Men
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 460

Kath x

Upcycled Cross Stitch Card

Whilst we were away in Yorkshire I took the opportunity of visiting some charity shops and came across this lovely cross stitch design which had been made into a small picture.  The picture frame was very tatty and it was thrown into a box with lots of other 'oddments' probably soon to be finding its way to a landfill site.  It seemed a shame that someone's lovely stitching wasn't being appreciated so I bought it for .99p, removed the cross stitch from the frame and carefully washed it before making it into a card.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" cream hammer card blank
     Upcycled Cross stitch (design unknown) from charity shop
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of cream hammer card

I trimmed a piece of cream hammer card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and cut a stitched square aperture in the centre.  The fabric was trimmed and mounted behind the aperture before being attached to the front of the card blank

Kath x

Cross Stitch Kingfisher

Despite my best intentions, I've not had much time for crafting this week but I have found time to make some of my cross stitch into cards.  This Kingfisher uses a kit I found in a charity shop whilst we were away.  Although I like the finished card it wasn't one of my favourite designs to stitch.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" cream hammer card blank
     Textile Heritage 'Kingfisher' cross stitch kit
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of cream hammer card

I trimmed a piece of cream hammer card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and cut a stitched square aperture in the centre.  After completing the stitching I mounted the design behind the aperture and attached the panel to the front of the card blank

Kath x

Lydia Ornament

As the weather is more like autumn than summer, I've spent some this afternoon making some Christmas cards.  This one uses lots of snippets - perfect for the Snippets Playground 'Christmas in July' challenge.

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 'Traditional Ornament', 'Lydia Ornament' & 'Crisp Bows' dies
     Snippets of white hammer card, gold sparkle card and silver holographic card

I die cut a stitched rectangle from white hammer card then die cut the Traditional Ornament from the lower edge and attached it to the front of the card blank.  I die cut the Traditional Ornament from gold sparkle card (the sparkles are silver) and then inlaid this into the front of the card.  I die cut the Lydia Ornament and Crisp Bow from silver holographic card (although it doesn't show too well in the photograph the card shines with gold and dark blue).  I used Artist Tac to attach the Lydia Ornament and the bow to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - O for Ornaments
     Allsorts - Anything But Square
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Love to Scrap - Anything Goes
     Merry Little Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 459 - Christmas in July

Kath x

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