Holly and Berries

Happy New Year to you all. The ABC Christmas Challenge has started with their Christmas themed challenges. The first is A – anything goes Christmas, B – Berries. Here is my card:

So – pink………I know – but I love the way this looks…… I am not a pink girl in general, but I just thought I’d try this out.

The pink background is dry embossed using a Spellbinders embossing folder, then splattered with white and silver acrylic shimmer paint. Whilst this was drying, I die cut a previously created panel of green mica spray with the Hero Arts holly dies.

The holly was layered onto the pink background using glue for the bottom sprig, and 3D foam for the uppermost sprig.

For the berries, I chose some red sequins.

So many shimmer and shine elements, and then I added a foiled greeting strip too…

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/festive creations following out themes. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Creative Inspiration – anything goes

Crafts Galore – anything goes

Daisy Chain – no designer paper

Ellibelle’s Corner – anything goes

The Crafty Addicts – anything goes

Love To Craft – anything goes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Mix It Up Challenge – anything goes – option of mixed media taken – acrylic paint, foiling, mica sprays


Oh Joy…..

Hello everyone and a Happy New Year to you all…..

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge has started their new challenge – the theme is always ‘anything goes Christmas’. Here is my card:

I decided it was time to use some products I had received as part of a virtual event last year. I hadn’t gone through the classes at all, so I am trying to use the products, even though I wasn’t following the actual classes.

The background is a Spellbinders embossing folder, and onto that I adhered the stitched oval which was layered three times, the top layer being the gold layer. I only attached the top half of the oval initially, as I knew I wanted to layer some foliage under it.

The bird is a layering stencil from the SCT class, die cut then stencil – easier to layer that way. I then sued a stencil for the holly and the pine cone, then used the matching dies for those.

The bird was attached first with 3D foam strategically placed, then the foliage elements inserted.

The foiled sentiment from Lawn Fawn was added, and then some gold sequins.

I hope you can come and join us, it would be great to see you in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Ellibelle’s Corner – something old and/or something new (new layering stencils)

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and never before used stuff

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

T is for Texture

Hello once again. It is my turn to host at The Alphabet Challenge. As we have reached the letter ‘T’, I chose the theme of ‘Texture’. Texture can be added however you want to add it – embossing folder, paste, stencil – create texture in any way you choose.

Here is my card:

I added texture a couple of different ways here. The first was the background blue. This is a piece of acetate, tissue paper stuck down to one side of it, crinkling it as I went along. I then added water then Brushos added to create a dark and deep blue. Once the piece was dry, I went over the top of the crinkles with Hero Arts gold wax.

I then worked on the arch frame using Simon Says Stamp dies, and then stuck the frame on top of the blue crinkled tissue paper.

The leaf dies are also from Simon Says Stamp, and themselves have some texture to them with the detail on the leaves.

More texture added with the gold sequins, before I then adhered the gold foiled sentiment.

I hope you can come and join us and share your projects incorporating ways of adding texture. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Ellibelle’s Corner – anything goes

The Crafty Addicts – anything goes

Creative Artiste Mixed Media – anything goes mixed media (foil, wax, Brushos, wet glue)

Stay Crafty With a Blog Named Hero – Shiny – using at least one Hero Arts product (Hero Wax)

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

A DL/Slimline card with flowers

Hello everyone. I hope you have enjoyed the past few days in whichever way suited you.

Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge, Caz has chosen the theme of ‘A DL/Slimline card with flowers‘. Here is my card:

It wasn’t until one of my DT peeps asked what a DL card that I actually realised I didn’t know. I thought it was slimline, but Caz shared that it is ‘double length’……..you learn something new every day…….

I started with a white card base, and added a stitched gold layer, then added a previously gold stenciled panel. This is one of my favourite Spellbinder stencils, and I also have the glimmer plate as I love that diamond pattern – so versatile.

The florals are from Sue Wilson, an older die set, but I like the almost filigree pattern to them. The centres are the same gold card as the base layer, and I also added a gold gem on top.

Once the flowers were added, attached a gold foiled sentiment.

I hope you can come and join us and follow our theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Most Magical Time Of The Year – anything goes Christmas or Halloween

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and flowers

Dragonfly Dreams – Christmas

Christmas Crafts All Year Round – anything goes Christmas (or 12 of something, or a musical theme)

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

Beautiful Blossoms – anything goes flowers/florals

Sparkly Joy

Hello once again. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Pamela is hosting and has chosen the theme of:

‘A Christmas Card’

Here is my card:

The background was created using a hot foil plate from Spellbinders, and cut to an A2 card size.

The die cut elements were created using some Tim Holtz die sets – the word ‘Joy’ die cut out of Spellbinders red glitter foam and adhered with 3D foam – more dimension so I could add the foliage underneath the letters.

For the holly and the berries, I added glossy accents to create the shine, and I dotted some clear sequins around for even more shimmer and shine:

I hope you can come and join us – I look forward to seeing your creations in our gallery. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Inkspirational – add glitter

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Ellibelle’s Corner – I Spy – sparkle or shine

Most Magical Time Of The Year – anything goes Halloween or Christmas

Dragonfly Dreams – Christmas

Christmas Crafts All Year Round – 12 of something, a musical theme, or anything goes Christmas

Sage Green Snowflake

Hello everyone. The ABC Christmas Challenge has reached the last challenge for this year. Helen is hosting this month, and having arrived at the letters ‘Y’ and ‘Z’, and we want to see your Christmas makes following the themes of:

Y is for Your Choice, Z is for Zebra – black and white or stripes

I chose ‘Y is for Your Choice’. Here is my card:

The background is using Spellbinders sage green card stock, and a Simon Says Stamp embossing folder. The circle is from Pinkfresh Studio, die cut using the same sage green card stock, and layered as you see.

The snowflake is from Pinkfresh Studio, stamped with one of the darker inks I used to ink blend with, then ink blended, using green/blue tones, and using a lighter or heavier hand to create even more contrast between the layers of the stencil.

I then used the matching die to cut it out, and attached it to the layers on the card base, then added some silver gems to the centre and four of the points.

The sentiment is from Lawn Fawn, silver foiled, then die cut using the matching die set.

I hope you can come and join us with your festive/Christmas creations – following our themes.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of stamping

Christmas Bingo – column B – free, stamped image, ink blending

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Aud Sentiments – embossing folder and/or winter/New Year and sentiment

Most Magical Time Of The Year – anything goes Christmas or Halloween

R is for Reindeer

Hello once again. The first of two posts today, and this post is for the new challenge just started at The Alphabet Challenge. Billie A is the host, and as we have reached the letter ‘R’, she has chosen the theme of ‘Reindeer’. Here is my card:

It’s been a while since I used my Copics, so I chose this image from the collaboration with Trinity Stamps and Simon Says Stamp.

I first stamped the images, coloured them, then used the matching die set.

For the background I chose a Simon Says Stamp embossing folder and a deep red card stock. I wanted to create a scene, but not a traditional scene with all the background of grass and hills etc, just something which would be festive, and highlight the images.

Once the panel was down on the card base, and the images arranged, I added some gold sequins and then some Stickles to the reindeer hat, and then the sentiment.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘reindeer‘ themed creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of Christmas taken

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

Christmas Craft Creations – Christmas and add a hat

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of stamping taken

Christmas Bingo – bingo card – column ‘G’ – red, die cuts, free

Christmas Cityscape

Hello everyone. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. Debbie is the host, and she has chosen the theme of ‘cityscape‘. Here is my card:

I started with the background by ink blending Distress Oxides onto a white panel. I kept the lighter blue on the centre portion, then the darker blue, then finally the black.

I then used the houses part of the stencil, beginning with the Shaded Lilac for the houses at the rear, more heavy handed for the centre row of houses, then black for the front houses. I also note that the background blue altered the lilac to some degree – but I am liking the effect.

I also used the stencil on top of the front row of houses and Simon Hurley Lunar Paste for the lights in the windows of the houses. I then set this aside to dry, before I went over the background with a glitter paste to create the snow flurry.

Once all was dry, I cut this panel down, glued onto a white card base, then added the foiled sentiment.

I hope you can come and join us with your ‘cityscape’ creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Girlz Creative Christmas – Christmas and based on a Christmas Song – ‘Silent Night’

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

My Time To Craft Christmas – Christmas and Snowflakes

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Ellibelle’s Corner Eye Spy – Sparkle and Shine

Stenciled Merry Christmas

The new challenge has started at The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge. The theme is always ‘anything goes Christmas/Festive’. Here is my card:

I started by using the layering stencil from Simon Says Stamp to create the background and let the inks dry.

I then add some gold heat embossing to the centre of the flowers, and used a gold marker pen to add some extra small and larger dots around the background.

Using Gina K Master Layouts dies, I cut the black layer, then the stencilled layer, and added to a white card base.

The foiled sentiment was added, and then some iridescent gems here and there.

I hope you can come and join us with your Christmas/festive creations. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Avenue 613 Create – anything goes – option embossing wet or dry

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Stencil Fun – stencils – option of leaves taken

Crafty Gals Corner – dots and/or stripes (gold dots around the background)

Merry Little Christmas Challenge – anything goes Christmas

Q is for Quadruple

Hello everyone. The new challenge has started at The Alphabet Challenge. We have reached the letter ‘Q’, and Debbie has chosen the theme of:

‘Q is for Quadruple – shapes or images’

Here is my card:

Starting with a white card base, I die cut the Pinkfresh Studio deco frame, and also die cut the centre panel out of it. The frame I adhered flat with wet glue, and the inner part I dry embossed using and embossing folder from Spellbinders. The embossing folder is called ‘Splash’ but I do also think it has the appearance of leaves……this panel was also adhered flat into the frame.

The four leaves were cut using The Stamp Market products out of Concord & 9th card stock.

I found the foiled sentiment I wanted, and used a 3D foam strip, then arranged the leaves as you see – snipping off the bottom if needed.

As the foiling was gold, I also added some gold sequins. I hope you can coma=e and join us with your projects matching our ‘Quadruple‘ theme. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of Turkey/Thanksgiving not taken

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Ellibelle’s Corner – anything goes

Give A Crafter A Cookie – mostly white

Avenue 613 – anything goes – option of embossing – wet or dry – taken

Creative Inspiration – anything goes

Mix It Up – anything goes – option of stamping not taken