Tuesday 31 December 2013

Lilies for Mum

This is the card I made for my sister to give our Mum for her birthday, which was on Christmas Eve, I just haven't had time for blogging until now, I've been crazy busy with Christmas and birthdays and hubby has been hogging the computer too!  Hopefully now it'll all be back to business as usual!
 My sister isn't a crafter, as just said, "Make something Mum will like", so I used stash that my Mum, who is a crafter, particularly likes.  She loves Imagination Crafts stamps, so I used this pretty lily stamp, which I coloured with Distress Markers and a water brush and Frantaged the edges as she loves this look.  Her husband bought her the full set of Distress Markers for her birthday, I know she's going to love them as much as I do, we've already had a bit of a play together.
I made the stepper card with a B-C-E template and covered it with Lili of the Valley Antebellum papers, a really beautiful stack in the most gorgeous colours, perfect for distressing, as I've done here to the edges with my Tim Holtz scuffing tool.
The MUM sentiment was stamped and heat embossed with pink powder, then fussy cut and stuck on, highlighted with some pink gems.  The birthday sentiment was stamped with a Personal Impressions stamp.
To embellish, I've added, lace, ribbon, rickrack, buttons and gems.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Crafty Sentiments - Birthdays
Kaboodle Doodles - #204 - Anything Goes
Divas by Design - Anything Goes
Papertake - Pick of the Year - Flower Power from August

Monday 23 December 2013

Cutie Pie DT Card - Snowmen Only

It's challenge time again at Cutie Pie, this time our theme is "Snowmen Only", and we're sponsored by Di's Digis.  Oh, and don't forget to make it cute!
 The cute snow couple digi is from Pink Gem, I've coloured it with Promarkers to match these cheerful Dovecraft papers.  The sentiment is computer generated and I've finished my card with some spotty ribbon, a twine threaded button, a large die cut snowflake, some smaller, punched snowflakes, and some blobs of Liquid Pearls.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Dream Valley - #72 - Christmas
Crafty Calendar - Cold and Frosty
Aud Sentiments - #96 - Christmas
Passion for Promarkers - #228 - Christmas with a Sentiment

Friday 20 December 2013

Digi Haven DT Project - Red and Green

It's challenge time again at Digi Haven, this time our theme is, "Red and Green" and we're sponsored by My Grafico, who kindly gave the DT some lovely, festive images to play with.  I chose this vintage style pine sprig with cones, which was quite dense and black, so I edited it in Word, changing it to a line drawing.
 The image was coloured with my usual Promarkers and highlighted with Glamour Dust for a frosty look.  I inked the edge of the die cut topper with some Fired Brick Distress Ink for a splash of colour.
I decided to make a gift box rather than a card for my DT project, it's another pizza style one made from one sheet of A4 card, I've made loads of these this year.  The papers are Kaisercraft, and were a magazine freebie, as was the cute bells charm, they go rather nicely with the hammered, metallic red card that I made the box from, although you can't see much of it in the photos.  I used a Martha Stewart punch and a narrow strip of green glitter paper to add some interest to the sides of the box, and I finished the top with a big red bow, red pearls and some clear gems.
 I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Milk Coffee - Christmas
Craftitude - #55 - Christmas Sparkle
Stamping with the Dragon - Last Minute Christmas
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes

Wednesday 18 December 2013

I Love Promarkers DT Card - More Than One Fold

It's challenge time again at I Love Promarkers, the last theme of the year is, "More Than One Fold".  This time the challenge will run for two weeks instead of one, to see us over Christmas, resuming on the first of January.  Our sponsor is Sherri Baldy, who is offering a digi prize to three lucky, randomly chosen winners.
 It's my Mum's birthday on Christmas Eve, this is the card I've made for her, it's an 8x8 gatefold with a die cut centre, done with a grand Spellbinders label die.  She hates it when people wrap her birthday presents in Christmas paper, or worse still, give her a Christmas card as a birthday card, so every year, I deliberately make her card as un-Christmassy as I can!
The pretty papers are First Edition, Sweet Owl, I got them half price at the SECC in October, some are double sided and some are glittered, all are beautiful.  I know Mum will love them, she was slightly envious  that I snaffled the last pack, I offered them to her, but she chose Love Letters instead, although she has oohed and aahed over this lovely stack at mine more than once!
The image is a Dovecraft stamp which has been coloured with Promarkers, with paper piecing for the cake stand.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards and the bunting was cut with a Joy die, I stamped the lettering on with mini alphabet stamps.  The row of cupcakes was done with a Martha Stewart punch, the flowers were made with Spellbinders Carnation Creations dies and an Xcut punch, and the flourish was cut with a Tim Holtz Sizzix die.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Emergency Crafters - Anything But Christmas
Divas By Design - Anything Goes
Crafty Sentiments - Birthday
Suzy Bee - #7 - Gatefold

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Decoupage Cuties

I had quite a few last minute Christmas orders, here are a couple I made with Country Companions decoupage teamed with Forever Friends papers.  The papers have been lurking in my stash for ages, as have the letter stickers, I've just added in bits and bobs from my craft room and some poinsettias made with Nellie Snellen punches.
 I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Papertake - Christmas
Kaboodle Doodles - #202 - Christmas Colours
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Card Mania - #36 - Winter Wonderland
Sweet Sketch  #236 - Sketch

Friday 13 December 2013

Fussy and Fancy DT Project - Chocolate

It's challenge time again over at Fussy and Fancy, this time our theme is, "Chocolate", and we're sponsored by Freshly Brewed who are offering a fab prize to our winner.  To play along you can use a chocolate inspired colour scheme, or do as I've done, and make some sort of container to put some chocolates into.  If you want to make a milk carton like mine, you'll find a great tutorial on Kerry's blog, A Load of Old Pickle, here.
 I cut an aperture in the front of the box with a Spellbinders die and added a piece of acetate, so that the recipient can get a sneaky peak at the goodies within.  You'd be surprised at just how many choccies I managed to cram into a relatively small box! The pretty paper is Papermania, Lucy Cromwell, I continued the poinsettia theme by decorating the carton with a die cut flower made with a Marianne die and some fir branches made with a Spellbinders die.  The tag is from the same range as the paper.

I'm entering this project in the following challenges -
ABC Christmas - Y is for You Make It
4 Crafty Chicks - #172 - Food and Drink
Crafting For All Seasons - #67 - Anything Christmas but a Card
Creative Card Crew - #51 - Holly or Poinsettia
Cuttlebug Mania - Christmas - Dies used are, Marianne poinsettia, Spellbinders labels and foliage

Thursday 12 December 2013

Nordic Deer

The look of cross stitch without the hours of hard work!  I cheated and used a Papermania stamp, which I think looks great stamped in red ink.
 This one is a customer order for someone who doesn't like cute or sentimental cards, so I went for a Nordic look with a red, white a kraft colour combo which I just love on Christmas cards.  The papers are Papermania, Home for Christmas, I've used Papermania stickers too, for the "Mum" sentiment.
To add some interest to the layering, I've used a Martha Stewart Punch Around the Page set, and I've finished off with some baker's twine, a charm, pearls, and some red gems.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
City Crafter - #189 - Red, Craft and White
Crafty Boots - Christmas
Melonheadz Friends - Christmas
Through the Purple Haze - Use Your Favourite Christmas Colours - Red, Kraft, White
DRS Designs - #100 - Anything Goes

Wednesday 11 December 2013

I Love Promarkers DT Card - Follow That Sketch

We have a sketch challenge for you at I Love Promarkers this week, it's really fun to work with and was designed by DT head honcho, Karen.  We're sponsored this time by Polka Doodles, and Rick St Dennis, who kindly gave the DT an image each to play with, I took a break from Christmas and went oriental for a change.

The image has, of course, been coloured with Promarkers, I really enjoyed colouring this one.  The papers are geriatric Papermania ones, as is the tag, I've added in some glossy, black card for an oriental lacquered wood look, which I think contrasts rather nicely with the hot pink.  The flowers were punched from the same foiled paper as the horizontal panel, I used a Marianne die to make the foliage.  Some pink gems, black pearls and a bright pink bow finish my card.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Ribbon Carousel - #88 - Anything Goes 
Clear it Out - Anything Goes
Shopping Our Stash - #130 - Tic, Tac, Toe - Die cut / Punch, Bling, Tag
Crafty Bloggers - Girly
Allsorts - #236 - Anything but Christmas

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Dove of Peace

Another card with a Christian sentiment, this one was made with a lovely Woodware stamp that I got at the SECC in October.
 This is for a lady to give her son, who is in his twenties, so I've gone easy on the bling, used knotted ribbon rather than a bow, and opted for kraft tones for a masculine look.  The dove image was stamped and heat embossed with white powder onto kraft card, I added some small white pearls to pick out elements of the design.  The sentiment was computer generated, and I finished off with a trio of brown gems.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
Love Rubber Stamps - #82 - Christmas
Oldie but a Goodie - Winter - my old stash is the paper pack
Tuesday Throwdown - #176 - What Christmas Means to You - The true meaning of Christmas for me!
Crafty Boots - Christmas

Monday 9 December 2013

Cutie Pie DT Card - For a Special Friend

It's challenge time again at Cutie Pie, this time our theme is "For a Special Friend", and we're sponsored by Crafty Ribbons.  I've made a Christmas card for my DT card, I've sold them as quick as I've made them this year, I've even has to resort to buying some to send (shock, horror!).
 The cute image is Bugaboo, which I've coloured with Promarkers to match these Papermania, Twelve Days of Christmas papers.  The sentiments are from Craftwork Cards and I've finished off with some blue gems and shimmer domes, I even managed to keep this one flat so it can go standard post, I can't say that about many of my cards!
 I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
My Time to Craft - #226 - Cute and Cuddly Christmas Animals
Stampin' for the Weekend - Use Some Red
2 Creative Chicks - #9 - Christmas / Winter
Cards Galore - Christmas
Feeling Crafty - #23 - Christmas
Ready, Teddy, Go - #29 - Contemporary Christmas

Sunday 8 December 2013

Sentimentally Yours

There seems to be a real market for modern Christian cards, I've been asked to make quite a few this Christmas.  This one is unashamedly pink and girly, but with the emphasis very much on the sentiment.
 The sentiment stamp came from A Time to Sow, a lovely online store specialising in Christian rubber stamps, this one actually belongs to my Mum, but the words are so nice I borrow it now and again.
The embossed background was done with an Embossalicious folder, I then rubbed the embossed areas with a pale, silvery gilding wax for a bit of lustre, the camera hasn't picked it up very well, it's so hard to get the full effect unless you can move the card in the light.
The snowflakes were made with a Nellie Snellen punch and emboss set, and I've finished off with some organza ribbon, pink pearls, and a smattering of pink gems.

I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Sister Act - #36 - Anything Goes
Winter Wonderland - Embossing
In The Pink - #33 - Embossing
Penny's Paper-Crafty - #156 - Tic, Tac, Toe - Bow, Pearls, Ribbon
Bearly Mine - #115 - Christmas Sentiment
Word Art Wednesday - #109 - Anything Goes

Saturday 7 December 2013

A Gem of a Challenge DT Card - Anything Goes

We have a new challenge for you at A Gem of a Challenge, this week our theme is the perennial favourite  of "Anything Goes".  I've used one of Janet's cute new Christmas digis, Ozzy with Gift, which I've coloured with my usual Promarkers.
 The papers are Woodland Wishes, from Lili of the Valley, I really like the contemporary colour palette of this Christmas stack, especially the rich plum colour.  I've kept the card fairly simple to showcase the lovely image and pretty papers, adding only a Craftwork Cards sentiment, a bow and some plum gems.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Crafty Hands - #4 - Season's Greetings / Winter
Wags 'n' Whiskers - #118 - Things With Wings
Milk Coffee - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours
Papercrafting Journey - It's Christmas Time
Flutterby Wednesday - #264 - Any Winged Thing
Sweet Sketch - #235 - Sketch

Friday 6 December 2013

Digi Haven DT Card - Christmas

It's challenge time once again at Digi Haven, this fortnight our theme is, "Christmas", and we're sponsored by Bugaboo.  The DT were lucky enough to be given an image to play with, I chose this sassy lady, who seems to be getting into the "spirit" of Christmas rather nicely!  I've used my usual Promarkers to colour this fun digi.
 The papers are Papermania, Twelve Days of Christmas, the letter stickers are Papermania too, and I've used peel offs for the word "be".  I dug out my Memory Box Frostyville border for this card, I really don't know why I don't use it more as it's so beautiful.  I embellished it with clear gems for a bit of festive sparkle, I also added a trio of blue gems along the side of the topper.  The finishing touch is a large, red satin bow.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
CRAFT - #236 - Christmas
Delightful Challenges - You're a Gem
Card Makin' Mamas - Christmas and New Year
Kitty Bee - #14 - Christmas
Divas by Design - Feeling Festive
Whimsy Inspiration - #66 - Party Time
Through the Purple Haze - Christmas is Coming

Thursday 5 December 2013

Boxes Galore!

I've been busy making pizza style gift boxes, some are filled with candy canes, some with scented tea lights, and some with posh soap.
 I made the boxes on my Hougie Board, then decorated them with magazine freebie papers and chipboard embellishments, adding in a die cut, embossed circle and some shimmer domes.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

I Love Promarkers DT Card - For a Child

It's that time of the week again when we bring you a new challenge at I Love Promarkers.  This week our theme is "For a Child", and were sponsored by Marianne, who have a prize of stamps up for grabs to our lucky winner.
 I chose to use a cute Pink Gem image for my card, it's one of Janet's new ones. you'll find it in the shop here. I have, of course, used my Promarkers to colour the image, I also added a touch of Star Dust Stickles to the snow and made a border of Holly Stickles round the edge of the topper.
The papers are Dovecraft, Back to Basics, I picked them up dead cheap in the sale last year, I particularly like the shade of green in this pack.  The sentiment is from Craftwork Cards, and I've finished my card with layered ribbon, a bow, snowflakes made with a Nellie Snellen punch and emboss set, and a sprinkling of clear gems.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Divas by Design - Feeling Festive
Inky Impressions - Winter / Snow
Paper Pretties - #287 - Christmas
Stamp 'n' Doodle - Christmas is Coming
Party Time Tuesday - #149 - Merry Christmas
Through the Purple Haze - Christmas
Whoopsi Daisy - Traditional Christmas Colours

Tuesday 3 December 2013

May Joy Be Your Gift

It's that Joanna Sheen Signature die again, this time on a 6x6 card.
 The background was created with by masking off a rectangle with masking tape,I then Pan Pastels in sunset colours, and an Imagination Crafts snowflake stencil to add a pattern.
The sentiment was computer generated, all I needed to add to finish my simple. card was a star and two black pearls.
I'm entering this card in the following challenges -
Bearly Mine - #115 - Christmas Sentiment
Creative Craft - #24 - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours
LEJ - #82 - Christmas is Coming
Papertake - Anything Goes
Created With Love - #69 - Christmas
Get Inky - #18 - Skyward Bound - I've created a sky background and added a star embellishment
Imagination Crafts - #6 - Merry Christmas - I used an IC stencil
ABC - A for Almost Christmas
Pile it On - #48 - "P" is For..... - Pan Pastels, pearls and Pennant