T is for Texture

Hello once again. It is my turn to host the new challenge at The Alphabet Challenge. Having reached the letter ‘T’, I chose the them of:

T is for Texture

Here is my card:

For this card I chose to add texture by using an embossing folder and many layers.

The main floral image is from The Greetery, a layering stamp of a carnation, then die cut with the matching die.

The oval layers are also from The Greetery, and I stacked three of the layers on top of each other for dimension with the pattern adding more texture, stamping the words on the top layer.

The panel in the background was created using an embossing folder from Spellbinders.

The back layer was glued flat to the card base, then each of the oval layers added on top, the uppermost payer with thin 3D foam, then the floral image also added with more thin 3D foam pieces.

I hope you can come and join us with your creations featuring some form of texture. xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Crafts Galore anything goes

Triple B birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friendsanything goes

Ellibelle’s Garden Partyanything in or from the garden

Beautiful Blossoms anything goes with florals/flowers

Friendly Pink Flowers

Hello everyone. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge. This time the host is Billie A, and she has chosen the theme of :

add pink flowers

Here is my card:

I first stamped the Altenew images then used the matching layering stencils to colour them in. I added slightly more ink towards the centre of the flowers and the base of the leaves to create more dimension, die cutting them with the matching die set. This set also has an embossing folder to add details to the florals, but I didn’t use that this time.

To highlight the florals and the colours, I chose to use a mid grey coloured card stock, and embossed using an older We R Memory Keepers 3D embossing folder with the basket weave pattern.

The sentiment is gold foiled, and some gold gems were also added.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Triple B birds and/or blooms and/or butterflies

Lil Patch of Crafty Friendsanything goes

Ellibelle’s Corner Garden Partyanything in or from the garden

Beautiful Blossomsflorals anything goes – optional mood board

Winter Birthday

Hello everyone. I have a card to share inspired by several challenges:

I started this card by taking a light blue piece of card and using a Simon Says Stamp snowflake embossing folder. I then ran – very gently – a white pigment ink pad over the top to bring out some of the embossing d3etails on the snowflakes.

This panel was then cut down slightly so I could a have a thin white border around when attached to the card base.

I then used some Pinkesh Studio snowflakes and die cut them out of vellum, attaching with a little tape runner to the blue panel, and adding gold gems to the centre of each snowflake.

The final step was to add the gold foiled sentiment.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Seize The Birthdaybirthday with the option of snowflake background taken

Addicted To Stamp & Morebirthdays

AAA Birthdaywinter birthday

Sparkles Monthly Challenge snowflakes

Country Scape

Hello everyone, and a Happy New Year to you all. I am afraid I am a little late with this post, as I have been without internet for the past 5 days – my Starlink system decided to pack in, and we had to wait four days for a new system to get from the USA to us here in the UK….a great time frame to receive it, but what a pain – you certainly realise how dependant you are on the internet these days….

Cardz 4 Galz started a new challenge, Johanna has chosen the theme of ‘Country Scape’. Here is my card:

I used a Hero Arts die to create the scene, snipping and cutting where needed to add the different tree colours. I also used an embossing folder on those circle for the trees, to give a little more dimension to them.

The blue skyline behind the scene is some patterned paper, and the sentiment is gold foiled.

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

R is for Ribbon

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


R is for Ribbon

Here is my card:

I used The Greetery ‘Big Beautiful Bow’ as the focus for the theme and the focus for the card. I love the layers you can create using the die – I have had it for a while and absolutely do not know why I haven’t used it…..

The layers were die cut from two tones of red, then glued together.

The base panel is white, embossed using a Simon Says Stamp embossing folder, then splattered with gold acrylic paint.

The foliage was die cut using a couple of Spellbinder dies in green tones, with some grey added because I do like grey foliage….

Once the background panel was dry, I adhered the bow with 3D foam, then added the four red strips. The foliage was placed as you see, with just the part hidden under the bow glued down, the rest of them I like to leave loose for added interest.

I didn’t add a sentiment, which is unusual for me, but I like the way it looks without one.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Addicted to Stamps & More Christmas

Fab ‘n’ Funky Christmas

Peace On Earth anything goes Christmas

Die Cut Divas die cuts and Christmas/Winter

A Cut Aboveanything goes with die cuts

Penguin Shaker

I have been further inspired by the items to choose from at Festive Friday, and a recent Jennifer McGuire video:

The stamp and die set is from Time For tea Designs, and I thought the igloo would be a good shape to create my shaker window.

Taking a light blue card panel, I die cut the igloo from where I wanted it to be, then ran that piece through an embossing folder from Spellbinders. I then attached a piece of acetate to create the window.

I took a piece of white glitter card from Pink Frog Designs – a shop local to me – and die cut the bottom of the igloo, so the snow would come up and around, trimming off to match the blue piece underneath.

Before assembling the shaker, I stamped and coloured all the images with Copics, die cut them out, then tried to figure out how I could place the igloo behind the window, in just the right spot, so it showed through……I managed by putting a small piece of low tack tape on the front of the igloo die cut, placing it against the acetate on the back of the window, applying glue tape to the back of the igloo, placing it down on my card base. When I removed the acetate panel, the igloo was left behind in the correct spot….

3D foam tape was adhered all over the back of the window piece, sequins added to the igloo area, another piece of acetate placed on the back of the sequins, trapping all the sequins. I learnt this trick a few years ago when going to Time For tea Designs craft day, that way no fiddling or faffing trying the line up the front shaker panel.

I then applied some Pritt Stick to all the 3D foam pieces – allows a little time to ensure the panel is on the right place – then attach.

I die cut another of each of the images out of white card for more stability, glued them together, glued them down to create the scene, added the sentiment, also added a little bit of Lawn Fawn Prisma glitter to the hat of the penguin holding the presents.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTPembossing folder – option of thanks not taken

Cupcake Inspirationslet it snow

Festive Friday use at least 3 elements – Christmas sentiment/shaker/sequins

2 Crafty Critter Craziesanything goes with a critter

Merry & Bright & Poinsettias

Hello. I have a card to share inspired by several challenges. For this card, I went back to my card making roots by using several Sue Wilson/Creative Expressions dies, and by creating an 8 x 8 inch behemoth:

I was sorting out part of my stash the other day, and found several packs of Creative Expressions card – the blush pink and the gorgeous bronze metallic – I just had to use them for this card.

I did originally have a 6 x 6 inch card base, but I just couldn’t fit everything on there, so I found some larger pieces of card – stored away ‘safely’ and found after quite a few minutes of searching….

\\teh red and two white poinsettia were created using die sets which are dated from 2016 (!!) all elements die cut from Heffy Doodle card stock for the red, and Neenah for the white. I layered them together after curling the leaves a little to create some dimension on the flowers.

The centres of the flowers were created by punching some holes and using what we would normally discard….

I remember having to create some boxed for these cards in the past as there was so much dimension – I guess I’ll have to do that again with this card.

Anyhoo – I matted the card base with the bronze piece, ‘gutting’ the inside by die cut some of the foliage, extra die cuts from another piece of card.

I also die cut some green foliage, but I didn’t like the look of these when I was putting everything together – good for another future card I think….

As the flowers were white, I used a piece of the blush card stock, ran it through my Big Shot Pro with an older Creative Expressions embossing folder, then adhered to the bronze, then the card base.

I arranged the florals and foliage, playing a little, then search through the CML app for find a larger Christmas sentiment I could create using dies only – and this Tim Holtz one seemed to fit.

I die cut the words with red, then also layered them a couple more times with the blush – in case I couldn’t glue them together perfectly.

All elements were attached – the flowers with 3D foam tape, and the foliage and sentiment with glue.

So – this card was a trip down memory lane for me. I reminded me that the products I have had for years can still be used, not to forget them, and it also took me back to my mum – she is the one who got me into die cutting for cards. I tried to stay away from die cutting for ages – but eventually succumbed – and now I prefer die cutting and creating more than stamping and colouring. Thanks Mum….miss you……xx

I shall be entering the following challenges:

CYHTPembossing folder – option of thanks not taken

Festive Friday 3 items from the list – red, white, Christmas sentiment

Sparkles Forum Christmas Christmas and poinsettia

Triple B birds and/or butterflies and/or blooms

Sending Holiday Cheer

More time spent in my craft room these past few days. Hubby has been away, I have not been at work very much – and the weather has been a little dreary – to say the least.

Here is a card I created using an older product suite from Pinkfresh Studio:

The frame image was gold heat foiled, then coloured using the matching layering stencils. I chose to go with varying tones of red and blue using Pinkfresh Studio inks.

Once this was ink blended, I used the matching die to cut it out, then also cut another two so I could layer it up for more stability and dimension.

The sentiment was also gold foiled, then die cut, again layering a couple more times.

I wanted to try the ink with an embossing folder again, I haven’t had much luck with this in the past, so I thought I’d give it another go after seeing many people have success.

I used a Spellbinders embossing folder, inked the flatter or ‘bottom’ of the folder with a light blue ink, and ran it through my machine……..love how it turned out. A subtle background colour to the more vibrant colours of the images.

The background panel was adhered to the card base, the image frame and sentiment then attached.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Hand Stamped Sentiments photo inspiration – I was inspired by the baubles and foliage

CYHTPembossing folder – option of thanks not taken

Fab ‘n’ FunkyChristmas

A Perfect Time To Craft anything goes

Sparkles Forum Christmas Christmas and Poinsettia

12 Months of Christmas Link-up anything goes Christmas

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 FridayChristmas Colours, Elf, embossing folder,

Sweater Weather

Hello. I received this sweater die as part of a Simon Says Stamp kit, and thought it was adorable, so I had a play with it yesterday:

I chose to follow the colours at the current Color Throwdown Challenge, by die cutting the sweater in the colours you see, and I also ran the die cut back through with the embossing mat to make the details stand out a little more.

I also ink blended each sweater in a slightly darker matching colour, to again enhance the details.

Keeping it fairly CAS – for me anyway – I used a Spellbinders embossing folder to create the background panel, then added the three sweaters with 3D foam.

The sentiment is from a Gina K Designs stamp set – stamped then cut out with a banner die from one of her Master Layouts die sets, glued directly down to the background.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Sparkles Forum ChristmasChristmas and festive wear

Simply CAS CAS – holidays/winter

Color Throwdown yellow, orange, green

Christmas Bingocolumn I – winter/free/snowflakes