Christmas

A Cat Christmas

Hello once again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Sue J is hosting, and she has chosen the theme of

A Cute Christmas

Here is my card:

After my sojourn into CAS cards the past few days, I went all mixed media for this one – a little messy crafting.

The blue card base was created by using glitter stencil paste through a Simon hurley snowflake stencil. This was put aside to dry, then I created a panel with mica sprays, some water droplets, some dribbling of water, let that dry, then used the same snowflake stencil and the same glitter paste on top. As the paste is translucent, it gave some shimmer and shine, whilst also allowing the background colour of both panels to shine through.

To frame the red panel I cut it down so it would exactly into a black die cut tag frame from AALL & Create, cut out of a black shimmer card stock.

The main cat image – more cats there than I actually have – but only just…….is also from AALL & Create, pre-die cut, added with 3D foam, then the foiled sentiment added to the top of that.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations following our ‘cute Christmas’ theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and critters

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

12 Months of Christmas Link-Up – Christmas – option of ‘sleigh it’ not taken

Creative Artiste – anything goes mixed media

We Love 2 Create – anything goes mixed media

Elf Christmas Cheer

I have another card created as I was inspired by the current challenge at Festive Friday and the list they provide, of which you have to use at least three items mentioned to create your card:

I used the Hero Arts die ‘Peeking Elf‘ and cut it out of white to use as a base layer. I then used red and green for the clothing, a light brown for the hair, and a blush card stock for the face. The die cuts the image out complete, but does have little snippy bits for you to cut so you can layer the image together, almost like paper-piecing.

The eyes were black gems. also from Spellbinders.

Once he was created, I took a piece of gold shiny card stock from Spellbinders, die cut with a stitched rec tangle die, and used one of their embossing folders, added the peeking elf to one side, then added a gold foiled sentiment.

The gold embossed panel was adhered to the card base with 3D foam – a couple of little pieces for underneath the hands – and the card was done.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Festive Friday – Christmas Colours, Elf, embossing folder,

Making Spirits Bright

I had chance to paly with a new product yesterday, and created this card – and two more……

I used the colours for the current Color Hues Challenge – Teal and Silver – and the die from Pocket Full Of Happiness – now stocked in one of our UK stores – the Folk Snowflake Background.

This is such a versatile die – you can certainly use any colours to create this, and you can paper-piece – which I did here – or use additional dies to create a more dimensional look.

The first step was to die cut the plate three times – teal, matt silver, and then some silver glitter card stock.

I then created a 5 inch square card base by cutting down a 5×7 inch card base, then added a piece of double sided sticky sheet to the card base, then attached the teal background.

The glitter and matt silver pieces were then inlaid back into their spaces – thank goodness each of the pieces are able to be pieced anywhere. I couldn’t begin to think how long this would have taken me if the shapes were all of a different size…

The sentiment is a silver foiled strip, and I thought the jaunty angle on each end was a whimsical touch.

As I had die cut three whole background panels – I was able to create a couple more cards, just by changing the background panel and the inset pieces around:

Is there such a thing as a three-fer? Well, there is now…

I shall be entering the following challenges:

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

A Cut Above – anything goes with a die cut

Color Hues – teal and silver

Craft Rocket – Christmas/Winter

So Very Merry

Hello again. Having just returned from a few days away with hubby to Tenerife, I was itching to get into my craft rom and play with some new products which were part of a recent Online Card Classes class. I watched the first day of class whilst away, but still have to catch up on the rest.

I started by gold heat embossing the ‘Easy Repeat Holly‘ background stamp from Concord & 9th and Kristina Werner using the Taylored Expressions ‘Gold Sparkle’ embossing powder, then used the matching layering stencils to colour the image. On the holly leaves, I used two tones of green, the darker towards the base of the leaves to create some dimension.

This panel was then cut down slightly and attached to a white card base.

The snowman was die cut, glued together, and set to one side, whilst I gold heat embossed the sentiment, then used the matching die to cut it out.

When I placed the snowman and the sentiment on the background, they seemed to get a little lost, so I die cut a circle of vellum, attached the snowman and sentiment to the front of it, then glued it down – applying glue only behind the two die cut pieces.

I shall certainly be watching the rest of the lessons for the class, and I’m sure I shall be utilising some of the techniques demonstrated with these products.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Tic Tac Toe – top right diagonal to bottom left – snowman/snow – gold – Christmas sentiment

Creative Knockouts – time to be merry

A Cut Above – anything goes with a die cut

Stencil Fun – use stencils – option to use some gold taken

Craft Rocket – Christmas/Winter

Build Me A Snowman

Hello again. Caz is hosting the new challenge at Cardz 4 Galz, and she has chosen the theme of:

Build Me A Snowman

Here is my card:

I wanted to try out the die set from The Greetery I had for a while, and finally managed to obtain a few of the honeycomb additions.

The snowman was die cut and assembled, then the honeycomb added. I used small black gems for the eyes. These honeycomb elements are fun, but I definitely have to hand this to the recipient…….

The background blue was embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder, the silver foiled panel was created by using a background toner panel – I think from Picket Fence Studio, but I may be wrong there. It’s the first time I’ve used the toner panels with my Gina K Fuse machine – how quick and easy is that? I did have to watch one of her YouTube videos just to make sure I had the correct heat setting, but I did play with several panels on this machine and therefore have a few on hand for future projects.

I cut the snowflake foiled panel with a Pinkfresh Studio die, and cut the centre out – the snowman kinda got lost without die cutting that centre out.

No sentiment, I think it’s pretty clear what time of year this is meant for….

I hope you can come and join us with your projects following our theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Addicted To Stamps & More – die cuts and/or stencils

12 Months of Christmas Link-Up – Christmas – option of sleigh not taken

Christmas Bingo – column O – no stamping – free – gems

Love To Craft – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge – W and/or X

Hello again. The ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the letters ‘W’ and ‘X’, Fabiola is hosting, and the Christmas themes are:

W is for Wings and/or X is for X-stitch – any stitching

Here is my card for the theme of ‘wings’:

The birds were created first, and by using the ‘Birdie Friends in Winter’ combo. The birds were die cut, then ink blended using the matching layering stencils. Two of the birds have hats already, but I also die cut and ink blended another couple so I could clothe all of them with those cute hats.

The background panel was put through an embossing folder and attached to a card base.

The five scalloped pieces were die cut then ink blended with a couple of pink tones – I thought these pinks would be good for the background of each bird – allowing the blue and red on the birds to stand out.

These pieces were attached to the background in a jaunty fashion, the birds attached with thin 3D foam, a gold foiled sentiment added, and some gold gems also placed around and about.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas creations following one or both of our themes. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and critters

Sparkles Forum Christmas Challenge – Christmas and festive wear

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Greetings For This Holiday Season

I have another card to share after being in my craft room for a few hours yesterday – can you tell hubby has been away for a few days? Lots of crafty play time…..

I used quite a few Spellbinder products to create this card, but the skates are from Memory Box.

The card itself is a larger 5×7 inch as I knew I wanted to get more on it than usual.

For the colour scheme, I wanted a teal for the skates, and red for the cardinal and flowers, so I searched through my colour cubes to see what background colour would work with those colours. There were serval darker options, but I wanted a lighter background,

The background panel is a piece of sage card stock, cut slightly smaller that the card base to add a white border, bringing in some of the white on the other elements. This panel was then embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder.

I then set to die cutting all the things

The memory box skates were die cut using teal, white, and silver card stock, then layered together. I stitched red twine through the holes for the laces, then set them aside.

The sled was die cut in silver and white, then glued together, before turning to the flowers, foliage and the bird.

I used a combination of glue, 3D foam, and small pieces of spare card to attach all the elements, playing with the arrangement a few times.

The final addition was the sentiment, layered a couple of times for stability, then gold gems added to the centre of the poinsettia.

A lot of die cutting, but that is actually my favourite way to create.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and critters

A Cut Above – anything goes with die cuts

Triple B – birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Christmas (Or Not) Bingo – column O – no stamping – free – pearls/gems/enamel dots

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Fill Your Heart With Joy

Hello. I have certainly been having some crafty play this weekend. I have another card to share using products from yet another virtual event from 2024 – I really need to organise the products from these events and play more with them.

The tree image was stamped onto white card stock and white heat embossed – all the white on the tree is from this embossing. I then used three tones of green from Pinkfresh Studio and ink blended – light at the top, going darker further down the tree.

After wiping excess ink from the white embossing, I then used the matching die to cut it out.

The background panel was dry embossed using a cover-plate, then using my green blending brush – no further ink added – I then lightly went around the edges to create a subtle halo effect in the centre of the panel.

The sentiment was heat embossed in silver, and cut out with a circle die. I used the same silver embossing powder to create a panel out of which I die cut some foliage. I also ink blended a smaller panel in the green, and used that to cut out more foliage.

After sticking the background panel down, I die cut two more trees from white card stock and layered them together, adding the coloured tree on top. This was stuck down to the panel, the foliage added, and then the sentiment added to the top of the tree – I didn’t want it obscuring too much of the tree – hence the placement at the top.

The final addition were three clear drops – just three – I restrained myself…..

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafters Café – anything goes – option of Christmas taken

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Have A Cool Yule

I had some time yesterday to attend a virtual craft event, so whilst listening and watching – I tend to do the cards at a later date – I created this card:

The background panel was created by using some plum coloured card stock from my stash, and a Simon Hurley snowflake stencil with silver glitter paste. This paste is semi-translucent, so you get some lovely hues through the glitter.

That had to dry for a while, so I used the sentiment die from Hero Arts (a product received from another recent virtual event) using white glitter card stock for the shadow layer, and lilac card stock for the top most sentiment layer.

I die cut the sentiment a few times with different colours of purple, until I decided on the lighter lilac colour. The shadow layer was die cut three times to add more dimension.

I struggled to get all the glitter from the paste to show in the photo, but I think you can see what I mean by the different hues within it.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Jingle Belles Rock – Christmas and snowy

Crafters Café – anything goes – option of Christmas taken

Christmas (or not) Bingo – column N – Christmas – masking/stenciling – free

ABC Christmas Challenge – Uncluttered and/or Vertical

Hello once again. ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the letters ‘U’ and ‘V’. We have the Christmas themes of:

‘U is for Uncluttered’ & ‘V is for Vertical’

Here are my cards

For the first card, I used the ‘Sketched Poinsettia‘ from The Greetery again, and gold heat embossed the image onto some Kraft card stock, using just the one layer of the layering stencils to colour it in. I wanted a softer overall feel to this card. The panel was cut slightly smaller than A2 and attached to a white card base, with the foiled sentiment attached as you see.

The second card took a little more time and planning.

To cover the vertical aspect of the challenge, I used a slimline card base. Onto that I used a Heffy Doodle slimline die set to create the blue layer, then the white layer with three windows. Each of the windows cut out a scalloped square and all three of those squares I ran through an embossing folder to create some detail, making sure the pattern was square for each of them.

The layers were attached to the card base, the squares inserted, then I used a die set from The Greetery for the stockings, and a die set from Scrapbook & Cards Today – received as part of a recent virtual event – to create the tree and candles for the bottom two windows.

The greenery was also part of the die set, arranged as you see, and the foiled sentiment was added.