Thank You!

As the year ends, I wanted to say a big 'Thank You' to everyone who has commented on my blog and to the Design Teams who have chosen my cards as Top Picks throughout the year - this card is for all of you!

 To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" cream hammer card blank
     Stitchrovia 'Sew Grateful' card kit
     DMC threads
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' die
     Snippet of cream 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.

I wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Kath x

Cross Stitch Rose

This Reflexions cross stitch kit was amongst the many items my neighbour gifted me earlier this year.  The kit was to make a ruby wedding anniversary framed picture, but I decided to omit the wording and stitch the rose to make a card for her birthday.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     Reflexlions 'Ruby Wedding' cross stitch kit
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics' die
     Woodware corner rounder punch
     Snippet of white hammer card

I die cut a stitched circle from a piece of white hammer card and trimmed it so it was slightly smaller than the card blank before rounding the corners.  After completing the stitching I mounted the design behind the aperture and attached the panel to the front of the card.

Kath x

Happy Birthday to You

I've made this birthday card with lots of snippets and as the card is to be posted overseas I've made a stencilled background rather than a layered one to reduce postage costs.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Circle STAX Die-namics', My Favorite Things 'Fishtail Flags' and Lawn Fawn 
     'Happy Birthday Border' dies
     Circles Stencil (this is unbranded but I think it was a cover gift with a magazine)
     Versamark ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Snippets of dark blue, medium blue and pale blue textured card and white matt card 

I placed the stencil onto the front of the card blank, applied Versamark ink through the circles and then embossed it with clear embossing powder.  I die cut the three circles from the dark, medium and pale blue textured card using the stitched die.  These were layered and then cut in half.  I die cut the fishtail flag from a snippet of white card - cutting the first half and then moving the die to the other end of the flag so I could get a 'V' in both ends.  As the card was quite thin I glued it onto another piece of white card and trimmed around the edge.  I die cut the sentiment from dark blue textured card and attached it across the centre of the flag.  I placed the half circles onto the upper part of the card front - leaving a small gap between the two pieces so the sentiment banner wouldn't cover too much of the inner circle.  To ensure the banner lay flat across the card I trimmed another snippet of white card and inserted it in to the gap between the circles.  To finish I attached the banner across the centre.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Cold and Ice (I've used cold colours and the embossed dots look like ice)
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like It - Anything Goes (I love die cutting, especially when I've been able to make a card entirely from my 'snippets mountain'!)
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - December Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Snippets Playground - Anything But Christmas

Kath x

Happy Birthday

As I've got everything ready for Christmas, it's time to start making cards for next year and having a play with some new dies I've recently won.  This card used a lovely die from The Paper Boutique which I won in the Snippets Playground.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white hammer card blank
     The Paper Boutique 'It's Time to Celebrate', Crafts-Too 'Happy Birthday' and Tattered Lace 'Mini Butterflies' dies
     Snippets of silver mirri and pink pearlescent card

I die cut the main die from silver mirri and used the circle die to remove the centre before attaching it to the card blank.  I die cut the main die again from pink pearlescent card and inlaid the centres of the flowers and leaves.  To finish, I die cut Happy Birthday and the two smaller butterflies from silver mirri and attached them to the centre of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Something Beginning with 'B' (I have chosen Birthday, Blooms & Butterflies)
     Color Hues - Pink and Silver
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 57 (I used my new Paper Boutique die)
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 469

Kath x 

Meerkat Card

I'm on a mission to use up some of my oddments and this card uses left over threads from a Mouseloft 'Meerkat' kit.  I was given this kit in a cross stitch swap and used it to make a keyring, I've now used the left over threads to make a small notecard.

To make this card I used:
     C7 tri-fold kraft card blank
     Mouseloft Tiddlers 'Meerkat' chart and left over threads
     Snippet of cream 14 count aida

After stitching the Meerkat, I trimmed the fabric to fit inside the card blank.  I attached the fabric behind the aperture and then folded the card to cover the back of the stitching.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Stitching - Real or Faux
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x

Whimsical Flower

This lovely flower stamp is another of my charity shop finds.  Although the sentiment stamp was missing from the packet I thought the flower would be lovely to paper piece.  I made the card with papers from a new Lili of the Valley 'Pressed in Time' paper pad that Di has recently sent me - thank you Di.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Woodware 'Whimsical Flower - Sally Anne' and Clearly Besotted 'Fabulous Fuchsias' stamps
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Lili of the Valley ''Pressed in Time' papers
     Snippet of white matt card

I stamped the flower and sentiment onto a piece of white matt card, trimmed the panel to 4.75" square, layered it onto a slightly larger piece of green paper and attached it to the front of the card blank.  I stamped the stem and leaves onto green paper, the flower centre onto brown paper and the petals onto a pink flower from a piece of floral paper.  These were then fussy cut and attached to the image on the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     NBUS - Challenge 57 (my new Woodware stamp)
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes
     We Love Stamping - Anything Goes

Kath x

Cross Stitch Pansy

I've not done much stitching over the last few weeks as I've been finishing Christmas cards and wrapping presents.  All is now done, so it's time to start stitching again.

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

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

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Stitching - Real or Faux (I've got real stitching and also a stitched die)
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes  
     
Kath x

Under the Mistletoe

I don't often buy craft magazines as they're now so expensive, but I made an exception when I saw this Lisa Horton set of dies as a cover gift.  The mistletoe die is perfect for Steve's Christmas card and, as always, this is my final Christmas card to post this year.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and Lisa Horton 'Under the Mistletoe' dies
     Clearly Besotted 'Happy Birthday All' stamps
     Versafine Crimson Red ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Snippets of white matt card, cream gloss card, green textured card and red mirri card 

I die cut the largest square from white matt card and placed it into my MISTI.   I placed the mistletoe die onto the panel so I could see where the position the stamps.  After removing the die I stamped the sentiment in red ink before embossing it with clear embossing powder.  The panel was layered onto red mirri and attached it to the centre of the card blank.  I die cut the mistletoe from green textured card and attached it above the sentiment.  The bow was die cut from red mirri card and attached to the top of the mistletoe branch.  To finish I die cut the berries from tiny snippets of cream gloss card and attached them to the mistletoe.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     ABC Christmas Challenge - X is for XOXO (hugs and kisses)
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Less is More - D is for Deck the Halls
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 468

Kath x

Black, White and Gold Joy

I made this card using the colours of the AAA Cards Challenge - black and gold aren't colours I would normally use for a Christmas card but I was pleased with the finished card.

To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Joy' & My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippets of white and black matt card and gold mirri card

I trimmed a piece of white matt card so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and then used the largest rectangle die to cut it into a stitched shape. As the die wasn't long enough to cut the panel I cut the first half, then moved the die to cut the lower part of the panel.  I then cut JOY from the centre of the panel before attaching it to the card.  I die cut JOY from black matt card and inlaid the letters into the panel, together with the middle of the O that had been cut from white card.  I die cut the fancy JOY from gold mirri and attach it to the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Cards Challenge - Black, White and Gold
     CAS on Friday - Christmas
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas/Winter
     Less is More - D is for Deck the Halls

Kath x

Large Birthday Sentiment

I made this card for the AAA Birthday Card Challenge using a sheet paper from a lovely Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper pad which was one of the two LOTV paper pads that Di kindly sent me - thank you Di!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Lawn Fawn 'Giant Happy Birthday to You' die
     Lili of the Valley 'Antebellum' paper 
     Snippets of purple card

I trimmed a piece of the Antebellum paper to 5.25" square and layered it onto a slightly larger square of purple card.  I die cut the sentiment from the centre of the panel, setting the pieces aside before attaching the panel to the front of the card blank.  I die cut the sentiment twice from purple card before layering them and inlaying them into the panel, together with the small pieces of the Antebellum die cut.  To finish I attached the Antebellum sentiment, offsetting it slightly to give a shadow effect with the purple sentiment.

I am entering the following challenges:
     AAA Birthday Card Challenge - Large Sentiment
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Happy Little Stampers Anything Goes With Dies - November Challenge
     Happy Little Stampers Birthday Challenge - Anything Goes
     Seize the Birthday - Anything Goes

Kath x

November Rudolph Day

It's time for the final Rudolph Day of the year and for another cross stitch card (cross stitch is my RD theme this year).  This lovely Derwentwater kit was amongst the cross stitch items my neighbour gifted me earlier this year so I thought I would make the card to send her for Christmas.

To make this card I used:
     Derwentwater 'Lantern' cross stitch kit
     Snippet of white paper

The kit was complete and contained everything to make this card.  After finishing the stitching I mounted it behind the aperture of the tri fold card and added a piece of white paper behind the stitching so the red card wouldn't show through the aida.  To finish I folded the card to the inside.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Christmas BINGO Challenge - I have used line 'G' (real stitching, rectangle and red for my 'free' square)
     Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - Anything Christmas Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes
     Rudolph Day - November Challenge

Kath x

Fairy on Tiptoes

Whilst tidying my oddments drawer I came across this lovely Lili of the Valley topper - perfect for the Butterfly Challenge where the fairies have come out to play.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white matt card blank
     Lili of the Valley 'Fairy on Tiptoes' pre-coloured topper
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     Wild Rose Studio 'Annabelle's Meadow' paper

I trimmed a piece of blue paper so it was slightly smaller than the card blank and attached it to the front.  I then trimmed a snippet of a different blue paper and attached it to the left side of the card.  The pre-coloured topper was cut with the stitched square die and attached to the centre.

I am entering the following Challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Butterfly Challenge - Fairy Time Again
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Anything Goes
     Love to Craft - Anything Goes

Kath x