DT card

Black & White Christmas

Hello again. The ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the end of the alphabet, and therefore this challenge is for the letters ‘Y’ and ‘Z’. The Christmas themes for these letters are:

Y is for Yummy (food) and Z is for Zebra (black & white or stripes)

Here is my card:

I obviously followed the black and white Christmas theme, creating what I think is quite a dramatic card.

I took an A2 panel and stamped some Gina K Designs snowflakes on a random pattern all over it, then cut it down slightly and matting with a piece of black card to create the edge.

The black banner/label for the centre is from The Greetery, and the die cuts out this filigree frame – but I decided I wanted all the details of the frame to stay in place, so I placed them all back in and applied some double sided tape to the back – keeping them secure.

The sentiment was stamped, then die cut with the matching die.

The final touch was to add some black gems to the snowflake centres, and a couple of smaller gems in some of the white spaces.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Cupcake Inspirations – let it snow

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Addicted to Stamps & More – Christmas

Fab ‘n’ Funky – Christmas

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

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

Poinsettia Season’s Greetings

Hello again. It is time for the new challenge at The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge. The theme is always ‘anything goes Christmas‘. Here is my card:

I wanted a dramatic and different look for this die card, with a lot of dimension.

The background panel is a piece of black shimmery card stock, and dry embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder.

The main image is a Pinkfresh Studio die and layering stencil set, and as the background was black and dramatic, I also went with a different colour scheme.

The layering stencils were ink blended using Pinkfresh Studio inks, then die cut with the macthing die set. I added a couple more layers to the flower image, then attached to the black embossed panel.

I also added gold gems to the centre of the flowers as they are my favourite embellishments to use, and there is rarely a card I make without some sort of gem or jewel around it somewhere. I feel they add a certain interest and detail which doesn’t take over the card.

The sentiment is gold foiled.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

As You Like It – favourite embellishment – gems/jewels/enamel dots

Stencil Fun – stencils – option to use some gold taken

Craft Rocket – Christmas/Winter

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

Beautiful Blossoms – florals – optional mood board

P is for Pumpkin

Hello once again. It is time for the next challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. We have reached the letter ‘P’, and Deborah has chosen the theme os:

P is for Pumpkin

Here is my card:

I used a Spellbinders layering stencil set for this card. Using all layers, in varying colours to create and Autumnal feel. Each of the layers was ink blended, and each pumpkin had ink blending dimension to them – I used a light hand for the whole image, then went in with a stringer blend for the base of the pumpkins.

This panel was attached to a white card base with glue, then sentiment stamped – also by creating a gradient of colour – darker at the tope, lighter at the bottom, then die cut with a Pinkfresh Studio nesting die. I had to use a partial die cutting technique to make the label the correct size for the sentiment.

I did add a little ink around the edges of this die cut to make it stand out more.

I look forward to seeing many, many pumpkins in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

The Four Seasons Challenge – anything goes fall

Stencil Fun – stencils – option to use some gold not taken

Love To Craft – anything goes

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

Bauble & Wreath

Hello again. The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge has started a new ‘anything goes Christmas’ Challenge – here is my card:

I started by creating the background panel – a dark blue piece of card – and embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder, then a white pigment ink pad swiped over the top to highlight the dimension.

Whilst this pigment ink was drying, I stamped and glitter silver heat embossed the bauble image from Pinkfresh Studio, and used the matching stencils to ink blend the one central detail. I juts wanted the bauble to stand out from all the surrounding colour. This was then die cut with the matching dies, and set to one side.

The leaves were die cut with a piece of previously created panel which I had used a green mica spray, and also die cut with some silver glitter card stock. This die set is also from Pinkfresh Studio – ‘Tied With Cheer’. There are three wreath layers in this die set, and I think I cut them all, and maybe a few extra.

The blue panel was adhered to a white card base, the wreath leaves layered and attached, then the bauble added.

I hope you can come and join us in our challenge – remember – Christmas cards only….. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTP – embossing folder, option of pumpkins or orange not taken

Tic Tac Toe – top left to bottom right diagonal – leaves – free – die cuts

Peace On Earth – Christmas anything goes

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

12 Months of Christmas Link-Up – Christmas – option of sleigh it like you mean it not taken

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Floral Hello

Hello everyone. The Alphabet Challenge is starting a new challenge. We have reached the letter ‘O’, and Helen has chosen the theme of:

‘O is for Oval and One word sentiment’

Here is my card:

For this card I chose to use the Press Plate from Pinkfresh Studio ‘Oval Blossom‘. I first used orange ink for the press plate, which colours the outside of the blossom image, then used the oval die and scalloped die which comes from the same set.

The sentiment is also a Press Plate from Spellbinders, inked with the same orange die cut with a stitched rectangle die which would leave a white edge to match the scallop on the floral image.

The background navy panel was cut slightly smaller than an A2 card size, and dry embossed using a very, very old embossing folder, which I believe is from Darice.

The final touch was to add some pearl gems to some of the background flower centres.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Simon Says Stamp Monday Challenge – add some texture

Beautiful Blossoms – florals

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Thanks For Everything

Hallo. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Pamela is the host, and she has chosen the theme of ‘colouring‘. Here is my card:

For the floral images, I decided to colour them using ink blending. This die and embossing set is from Altenew, and I think it was part of a virtual event. I must have ‘filed’ it somewhere safe, because I cannot find it again at this point….

I first used the die set to cut the images out, but taped them back into the card it had been cut from to make ink blending easier. I then used the matching stencils to colour each of the images, using some shading and certain places for added dimension.

I then placed the die cut in the matching embossing folder and ran it through my machine – this certainly adds even more dimension and detail.

The background panel is using Spellbinders ‘sage’ card stock and also ran through an embossing folder.

The final touches were to add the gems for the centre of the flowers, then a gold foiled sentiment.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations following our theme – there is a lot of scope to be able to include colouring on your projects. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Stencil Fun – use stencils – option of Halloween related not taken

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of pumpkins or orange not taken

Ellibelle’s Corner Garden Party – anything in or from the garden

Beautiful Blossoms – florals

Making Spirits Bright

Hello everyone. The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge has started a new challenge – anything goes Christmas. Here is my card:

There’s a lot of glitter and shine with this card, and I’ll try and show you on the following pictures.

To begin, I started with the Pinkfresh Studio ‘Whispers of Poinsettia’ die and stencil set. I started by using the stencil and ink blended all the layers with different coloured inks, then used the matching die to cut it out.

To add more drama, I used a black panel and cut to an A2 card base size, then used another Pinkfresh die set to cut the frame out of black, and used an embossing folder for the cut out portion of the frame. The poinsettia panel was also die cut with the larger of the frame dies, placed behind the frame, the black embossed panel added behind, and then I added some splatters that with some gold shimmery acrylic paint from Liquitex.

When I say ‘some’ splatters – I kinda went to town with it….

A gold glitter card stock panel was cut, and all the layers added with wet glue.