Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you had a fabulous past few weeks. We are back at ABC Christmas Challenge at the beginning of the alphabet. We are having a little change in the amount of entries you can make to our challenge – it is now 5 entries maximum to make it fairer for the random prize winner.

Helen is hosting and we have the Christmas themes of:

A is for Anything Goes

B is for Buildings

Here are my cards:

My first card was created using some layering stencils from Spellbinders with Pinkfresh Studio Inks. This involved quite a bit of masking so I could add different colours to the same stencil layer, but I must have been in a fiddly and faffy mood because I enjoyed the process.

Once the image was ink blended, I then used the matching die to cut it out.

The background was created using white embossing paste from Altenew with a stencil from Brutus Monroe to create the white on white background. Once dry, the ink blended image was adhered with 3D foam.

I then used some gold shimmery acrylic paint to splatter across the whole card, and added some gems. The sentiment is also from Spellbinders and using their gold card stock.

For the second card with the houses, I went slimline. I die cut the house strip using glittery silver card stock and Time 4 Tea Designs slimline die. Some of the same glittery card stock was adhered to the card base, the blue layer added after die cutting with a Elizabeth Craft Designs ‘Dotted Background‘ slimline die so the glittery card stock would show through.

The blue card stock from my stash must be years old, and has some very. very fine texture of lines to it.

I hope you can come and join us and start your stash of cards ready for the end of the year.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Girls Creative Christmas – anything goes Christmas

Jingle Belle’s Rock – Christmas with something old and something new – old card stock and dies, new glittery card stock and Spellbinders stencils

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Be Merry

The last challenge for the year has started at Cardz 4 Galz. The challenge finishes on 22nd December, and we will be having a break until the new challenge on 9th January.

Billie A is hosting this time round, and she has chosen the theme of ‘Christmas‘. Here is my card:

I cut a square of the Pinkfresh Studio gold glitter card stock the same size as the square card base. Before adhering, I die cut the square scalloped frame using a Pinkfresh Studio die set out of the centre – it would be hidden behind the white panel.

The white square was cut, then dry embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder. This white was layered onto the gold, then the gold frame adhered on top.

The baubles and foliage are washi tape from Pinkfresh Studio and arranged as you see, then the gold foiled sentiment from Lawn Fawn added.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Double D – Christmas Ornaments

A perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Dragonfly Dreams – Christmas

Avenue 613 Create – anything goes with option of any winter holiday

Pinspirational – anything goes

Christmas Crafts All Year Round – bows, gifts, decorations

12 Months Of Christmas Link Up – anything goes Christmas

Season’s Greetings

Hello once again. ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the end of the alphabet for this year, and Marie is hosting. We have two themes for you to create your Christmas/festive creations with:

Y is for Your favourite colours

and

Z is for Zoo Animals

Here is my card:

Obviously, I chose to go with my favourite colours. I love the traditional red and green for Christmas, and having this purple back panel really made them pop.

This die set is from Concord & 9th, and it has been a really popular set – I can see why. I was lucky enough to get it the first time round, but it didn’t take me long to play with it.

I die cut the base layer from the dark purple card stock. On that layer are the dotted outline for suggestions of where to place your other elements – I kinda went a little rogue, as you can see, but the dotted areas you can see on the base add something I think.

This purple layer was added to a white card base, one I die cut with that base die to create the shaped card.

All the floral elements and the foliage were die cut, many more times than was actually needed, and I went to town with the placements. I only used the poinsettias and not the other flower that came with the set, and added them first – two larger flowers and two smaller flowers.

The foliage and leaves were die cut using several tones of green, and the mistletoe berries I kept white.

A little gold die cut for the centres of the poinsettias, and of course I added gold gems here and there:

The sentiment was heat embossed onto a purple strip, die cut with the banner die, and the two little tag ends added.

This was added strategically across the centre of the card – so much dimension under there I used 3D foam and glue to get it to stick.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Peace On Earth – Anything goes Christmas

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge – anything goes – option of Christmas presents not taken

The Flower Challenge – flowers – add sparkle

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

A Cut Above – anything goes with die cut

Pinspirational – anything goes

12 Months Of Christmas Link Up – anything goes Christmas

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

Gift Tag Scene

Hello once again. I have a good excuse to play in my craft room due to the sever weather we are having. I created a few gift tags. I wanted to use my Altenew embossing paste, and found it was useable – I have had it for quite a while – but I needed to use it up pretty pronto. I took a whole host of tags and stencilled a lot of them with several stencils I had, and set them all aside to dry overnight.

Today I created this tag:

This manila tag I left the top part unshaded, and used the Brutus Monroe ‘Starry Night‘ stencil with the Altenew embossing paste, then used the paste to create a thick and uneven bottom to it. I wanted this bottom to look like a snowfall – all the ridges and peaks. This was left to dry overnight.

The houses were created using Spellbinders ‘Mantle Village‘ die set, card stock from Concord & 9th and Heffy Doodle. The houses have a second whole layer behind the front so I could piece back in the windows, using Spellbinders brushed gold card stock, or replacing the grey ones. I pictured some rooms with lights on, and some rooms without – that sounded good in my head, anyway!

I am more partial to gold, silver less so, and really do not like to use glitter. I don’t mind glitter card stock – but glitter in it’s loose form – no thank you. I find it too messy, and difficult to control.

The trees were die cut and assembled, and as the Altenew paste was now dry, I created my scene. The houses and trees adhered as you see with a mixture of wet glue and a little 3D foam behind to top of the upper two houses.

It was then I found out the bottom paste was not completely dry – even left overnight – I must really have put a thick layer down there – so some of the white paste found it’s way onto a tree or two – darn those mucky fingers…..I decided to carry on and finish anyway.

I added some Pinkfresh Studio glitter gems – these gems are silver and gold but I do like how they sparkle.

The finishing touch was to add a red ribbon from my stash.

It was only when creating this post did I realise a little red bit of fluff from the ribbon had found it’s way onto the bottom of the tag – that paste is a magnet, I truly think it is…..!

I had a house left over, so used it on this smaller tag – very simple – paste through he same stencil, paste on the bottom to create the hill, house and trees adhered, and some little gems to fit in-between the stencilled stars:

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Addicted To Stamps and More – Christmas

As You Like It – gold, silver, or glitter – explained above – no glitter for me thank you :)

Paper Minutes – Christmas – not a card

Inkspirational – Mood Board – inspired by the houses

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of paper piecing taken

Ellibelle’s Corner – I Spy – something for Christmas

Everybody Art – house/home

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge – option anything to do with presents taken

12 Months Of Christmas Link Up – anything goes Christmas

Stencilled Bauble

Hello once again. The Alphabet Challenge has reached the letter ‘R’, and Veronika has chosen the theme of:

R is for Round

Here is my card:

I used the Bibi Cameron ‘Snowflakes Ornament’ stencil set from Spellbinders.

The stencils were used direct onto the card base, and Pinkfresh Studio inks. There are several layers to each stencil, for different parts of the bauble. There are actually two bauble sizes, and I chose to do the largest.

Once the bauble was stencilled, I then used the mask over it and splattered with silver sparkle acrylic paint, and then again with one of the blue inks used for the stencilling.

The sentiment is foiled using a Lawn Fawn hot foil set, then die cut with the matching die and attached with wet glue. I then added some clear gems for a little more interest.

I hope you can come and join us following our theme. I shall be entering the following challenges:

12 Months of Christmas Link Up – Christmas, option of stitched up not taken

Stencil Fun – use stencils, option of sparkle or shine taken

Everybody Art Challenge – blue tones

Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge – anything goes, option of blue Christmas taken

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Ellibelle’s Corner I Spy – something for Christmas

Season’s Greetings

Hello once again. Here is another card created during my previous crafting session:

The card base was created using the same colour card stock as the background panel – I forget which particular colour it is, but it is from Concord & 9th.

The background panel was run through my die cutting machine with the ‘Holiday Diamond‘ cover plate – a product from the recent Pinkfresh Studio ‘Create and Connect‘ online event. As you can see, this cover plate cuts out some trees and some stars, as well as having a diamond pierced detail

I then took a piece of Spellbinders gold card stock, and a Pinkfresh Studio frame die to create the frame, and the piece that came from the middle of that I placed behind the panel so the gold shone through the trees and stars.

The frame was attached with strips of 3D foam to create dimension.

I then took a piece of dark teal – Concord & 9th card stock – and used a stamp from another recent event through ‘Online Card Classes’ also Concord & 9th, and heat embossed using a Taylored Expressions gold sparkly embossing powder.

This tree was then die cut, and I layered that with another couple of die cuts for stability, and attached that with 3D foam pieces.

The sentiment was also heat embossed with the same embossing powder, and a star from a Spellbinders die set, was added at the top of the tree.

Some gold facetted gems for the centre of the snowflakes and the centre of the star were the final touches.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Sparkles Forum Christmas – Christmas and Snowflakes

Aud Sentiments – glitter and/or Christmas and a sentiment

Die Cut Divas – any holiday in the year

12 Months Of Christmas – anything goes Christmas – option of stitched up

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes, option of paper piecing not taken

Love To Craft – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Christmas Florals

I have been creating again, here is my latest:

It seems I am quite into using teal at the moment….. :)

The background panel is a dark teal, and embossed using a Spellbinders embossing, the panel cut down slightly.

The silver glitter frame was cut using a couple of Pinkfresh Studio dies and Pinkfresh Studio glitter card stock, then added with 3D foam strips.

The sentiment is from Concord & 9th, part of the recent Online Card Classes virtual event, a lighter teal shadow layer, and he white sentiment.

The florals are from Spellbinders, using an even lighter teal for the branches and stems, and red card stock for the poinsettias and the smaller flowers. I arranged these as you see, using a combination of wet glue and 3D foam pieces.

Some silver facetted gems to complete – the centre of the poinsettias, and three more around the sentiment.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – emboss it

Try It On Tuesday – sparkle

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

A Cut Above – die cuts, option to ‘warm it up’ not taken

Craft Rocket – Christmas and/or Winter

Aud Sentiments – glitter and/or Christmas and a sentiment

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

Beautiful Blossoms – florals

Teal and Silver Christmas

Hello again. I have a card to share created during the snowy and cold weather snap we are having here in the UK. A lot of time spent in my craft room this past couple of days.

I started with a darker teal background panel from Concord & 9th, and ink blended slightly around the edges to create a central halo effect.

Whilst this was drying, I then took some snowflakes and die cut them from white glitter card stock several times, these were then adhered haphazardly to the dark teal panel using wet glue. I went over the edges with them, and when those extra pieces were snipped off, I found small places to add them too – not much wasted here.

The sentiment was die cut from silver glitter card stock, added to an even darker teal shadow layer, then attached to the snowflake panel with 3d foam.

I decided more bling was needed, so I used some facetted silver gems for the centre of the snowflakes, and smaller ones dotted here and there around the background.

It was difficult to capture all the glitter and shine with a photo, but it really is sparkly in real life.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

52 Christmas Card Throwdown – Christmas and sparkle

Try It On Tuesday – sparkle

Creative Fingers – anything goes

MAWTT – sparkle

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

A Cut Above – die cuts – option ‘warm it up’ not taken

Craft Rocket – Christmas and/or Winter

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Hello everyone. I am back from a few nights in gloriously sunny Tenerife – hubby and I decided to have a short break away. Fabulous time – but back from 24 degree temperatures to the UK forecast saying a little snow on the way here….

Here is a card I created using some products from several companies:

The background panel – cut slightly smaller than the A2 card base – was hot foiled using a Lawn Fawn hot foil plate and Spellbinders rainbow stripe foil. I liked the variety of the colours for the snowflakes. This was adhered flat to the card base.

The dies are from Spellbinders ‘Merry Mug‘ die set. I used Pinkfresh Studio gold glitter card stock for the stars, and the other die cuts using card from my stash from Heffy Doodle, Pink Frog, and some unbranded.

The mug was die cut from two different shades of teal to create a darker piece behind, and the front panel raised with low 3D foam pieces so I could tuck things down.

The candy cane from white glitter card stock, then the red pieces adhered on top – that was a challenge, getting the red to stick to the glitter – patience is not my forte….

I flued the mug flat to the foiled piece, then played around with the other elements, adding the marshmallows and the chocolate pieces haphazardly into the top of the mug.

The last thing to be added was the foiled sentiment – I chose a black strip foiled with silver for a striking contrast.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Jungle Belles Rock – Christmas Feast – sweets and treats

MAWTT – Sparkle

Crafty Calendar – anything goes

Craft Rocket – Christmas and/or Winter

Sparkles Forum Christmas – Christmas and snowflakes

Inspiration Station – photo inspiration – inspired by the hot decadent drink

Love To Craft – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – Christmas anything goes

Joyful Birdies

Hello. I have been spending a lot of time in my craft room to escape decorating work and have another card to share:

I used some Pretty Pink Posh products which I ‘found’ when I was searching for something else. I was inspired to use the bird house stencil, and the bird dies.

I first created the birdhouse stencilled background using Pinkfresh Studio inks. I used coral and pink tones, and then cut that panel into a 5.5 inch square – knowing I was going to use a 6 inch square card base.

I then die cut the birdies out of white card stock, then ink blended a brown and a red Distress ink. I wanted them to look like Robins. The beaks are so small I used an orange Copic, and the eyes are little black gems.

After placing the birdies on the background panel – they didn’t really stand out very much so I looked for a way of still showing the background stencilling and found this Polkadoodles vellum with silver snowflakes….

I cut that 5.5 inches by 6 inches, used a bone folder to score each end, then wrapped it around the sides to hold it in place, then added double sided tape. This way, there is no glue on the front of that snowflake acetate.

I then die cut the word ‘Joy’ from a Stamps Of Life die set provided to us for a virtual event – the shadow layer from a mat silver, and the word itself from a silver glitter non-shed card stock.

I die cut the word a couple more times and layered with the silver glitter word for a little more dimension and stability.

I first added the word with glue, then each of the little birdies was added with small pieces of 3D foam.