Thank You

As the year ends, I wanted to say 'Thank You' to everyone who has commented on my blog over the past year.  Also many thanks to the Design Teams who have chosen my cards as Top Picks and those who have invited me to be a Guest Designer.  This card is for all of you!

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white linen card blank
     Durene Jones 'Thank You' cross stitch chart (from Cross Stitch Favourites magazine)
     My Favorite Things 'Inside & Out Stitched Square STAX Die-namics' die
     14 hpi white aida
     DMC threads  
     Snippet of white linen card

After stitching the design I trimmed around the fabric so it was slightly smaller than the card blank.  I die cut an aperture in the front of the card blank and used Artist-tac to attach the fabric behind the aperture.  I trimmed a snippet of white linen card to cover the stitching on the inside of the card and attached it with strong tape and Artist-tac.

I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

Kath x

A Tea-riffic Day

I've not done any crafting over the last few weeks, but I have tidied my craft drawers and found these floral tea cups from a Hunkydory Deco-large set.  I usually only use half of the layers in the Deco-large sets as I find them too bulky if I use all of the layers and these were left over from another card I made.  I thought they would be perfect for a quick birthday card for a friend who's always drinking tea!

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white matt card blank
     Hunkydory 'Spring is Here Deco-Large - A Tea-riffic Day' topper and backing card
     Creative Expressions 'Mini Expressions - Stacked Happy Birthday' die
     Snippets of gold mirri card

I trimmed the corner of the backing card, layered it onto gold mirri and attached it to the card front.  I used foam pads to build the teacups decoupage and attached them to the corner of the card.  To finish I die cut the sentiment from another snippet of gold mirri and attached it to the corner of the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     Beautiful Blossoms - Anything Floral Goes     
     First Cup Challenges - Anything Beverage/Drink Related

Kath x

Steve's Christmas Card

As always, the final Christmas card I post is the one I've made for Steve.  This card uses a pre-loved 'Mistletoe' stamp, die and stencil set I've recently bought to make his card.

To make this card I used:
     6" x 6" white linen card blank
     Crafter's Companion 'Mistletoe' stamp, die and stencil set
     Lawn Fawn 'Outside In Stitched Square Stackables' and Crafter's Companion 'Gemini Expressions - Husband' dies
     Versafine Onyx Black ink
     Cosmic Shimmer Clear Detail embossing powder
     Copics BG10, R27, R29 & YG67
     Glossy Accents
     Snippet of white matt card and red pearlescent card

I used black ink to stamp the mistletoe onto a snippet of white matt card before embossing it with clear embossing powder and cutting it with the coordinating die.  I used the red Copics to colour the bow and green to colour the mistletoe leaves.  I placed the stencil on top of the coloured image and used the pale blue Copic to colour the berries.  I removed the stencil and then added Glossy Accents to the berries and left it to dry.  I used the largest stitched square die to emboss the front of the card blank and die cut 'Husband' from a snippet of red card.  I attached the mistletoe with foam pads and placed 'Husband' in the corner of the embossed square.

I am entering the following challenges:
     52 Christmas Card Throwdown - Pick a Previous Colour Challenge (I have used the May colours - Red & Green)
     AAA Cards - Anything CAS Goes
     Addicted to CAS - Christmas
     Addicted to Stamps & More - Christmas
     Allsorts - New (I have used a 'New to Me' stamp, die and stencil set)
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - CAS
     Little Red Wagon - Christmas Card
     Simply Clean & Simple - Reds and Greens
     The Male Room - Christmas Colours (Red & Green)
     Tic Tac Toe - Challenge 285 (I have chosen the middle line across - white, free & square)

Kath x

Festive Gnome Decoration

This Festive Gnome had been a cover gift with a magazine, although I bought it from a charity shop and stitched it over the summer.

To make this decoration I used:
     World of Cross Stitching 'Festive Gnome Bauble' kit
     Green and red twine

I stitched the gnome on the plastic canvas in the kit and trimmed around the edge when I had finished the stitching.  I used the same colour threads as the cross stitch to stitch the back seam.  Before I finished stitching the back of the gnome I knotted a piece of twine to make a loop and inserted the knot in the rear of the gnome before continuing to stitch the back and make him ready to hang on our Christmas tree.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Ally's Angels - Anything Goes
     As You Like it Challenge - Festive Creations

Kath x

Oldie But Goodie

This is another quick card that I've made for the Cut It Up 'Oldie but Goodie' challenge, using a Memory Box die that I bought back in 2015 and is still one of my favourites.

 To make this card I used:
     C6 white matt card blank
     Memory Box 'Sparkling Tree Tile' and My Favorite Things 'Inside & Our Stitched Rectangle STAX Die-namics' dies
     Snippets of white matt card, dark patterned paper and gold glitter card

I die cut the snippet of white matt card using the largest rectangle die - as the die wasn't long enough I cut the first half of the die before moving it down the card to cut the second half.  I then die cut the tree from the centre.  I used Artist Tac to attach a snippet of green paper behind the aperture before attaching the panel to the card blank.  I die cut the small tree baubles from snippets gold glittter card and inlaid them into the card.

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Christmas
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     As You Like it Challenge - Festive Creations 
     Cardz 4 Galz - Christmas Sparkle
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - If it's Christmassy, Link It Up
     Cut It Up - Oldie but Goodie
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 521

Kath x

Joy Hope Peace Believe Christmas

I've not crafted for a couple of weeks as my sister died suddenly and unexpectedly at the end of last month.  However, I've just written my Christmas cards and found I was a few short so I've made some cards this afternoon.  This one uses one of my favourite dies to make a quick CAS card for a friend who decorates her home in red and gold for Christmas. 

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white linen card blank
     Creative Expressions 'Festive Collection - Christmas Tree Greetings' die
     Snippets of red glitter card and gold mirri

I die cut the Christmas tree from red glitter card and attached it to the card blank.  I then used a tiny snippet of gold mirri to cut the star and inlaid the pieces into the top of the tree.  

I am entering the following challenges:
     Addicted to CAS - Christmas
     Addicted to Stamps and More - Christmas
     As You Like It Challenge - Festive Creations
     Christmas Kickstart Challenge - If It's Christmasssy, Link It Up
     Crafty Calendar Challenge - Christmas/Winter
     Krafty Chicks Challenge - Christmas
     Simply Clean & Simple - Anything CAS Goes

Kath x

November Rudolph Day

It's the eleventh Rudolph Day of the year and another die cut Christmas card (die cutting is my RD theme this year).  To make this card I used a Creative Dies die that had been a cover gift with a magazine back in 2016 and is still a favourite of mine.

To make this card I used:
     5" x 5" white linen card blank
     Creative Dies 'Festive Scene' and Spellbinders Nestabilities 'Standard Circles Large' dies
     Snippets of blue pearlescent card, gold mirri card, Marianne Design 'Snow Paper', thin white card and blue paper

I die cut a circle and the Festive Scene from snippets of blue pearlescent card and attached the scene onto the backing circle.  I attached the blue paper onto thin white card (to make it the same thickness as the rest of the card) and then die cut the sky and inlaid this into the scene.  I die cut the snow from 'Snow Paper'  and the windows from gold mirri card.  These pieces were then inlaid into the Festive Scene.  The panel was then attached to the centre of the card blank.

I am entering the following challenges:
     A Cut Above - Anything Goes with a Die Cut
     Allsorts - Anything Goes
     As You Like It Challenge - Gold, Silver or Glitter (gold is my favourite as I love the warmth it adds to a card.  I'm not a fan of glitter although I do like this 'Snow Paper' to create snowy scenes)
     CAS on Friday - Christmas
     Christmas (or not) BINGO Challenge - I have used Line 'O' (CAS, No Stamping & Free)
     Daisy Chain Challenge - Christmas/Winter
     Moving Along with the Times - Winter Wonderland
     Rudolph Days - November Challenge
     Snippets Playground - Challenge 520

Kath x 

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