foiling

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

I was able to create with products received over a year ago when attending the ‘Let’s Stamp Together’ from Scrap book & Cards today and Concord & 9th products:

The product includes the stencils to create this jolly Santa, layering stencils which are fun to use, and the matching dies.

First job was to use the stencils to create him, then die cutting the image.

I chose this snowflake foiled background created using a toner sheet, so silver heat embossed the sentiment onto his beard.

One of my cats decided she wanted to ‘help’ me take the photo, so here she is – for a little light relief:

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Inkspirational – use stencils – option of snowflakes

Tuesday Taggers – all about Santa

As You Like It – Christmas/Festive

Give a Crafter a Cookie – photo inspiration

12 Months of Christmas Link-up – anything goes Christmas

Postage Collage Christmas

Here is a card I created using some of the rest of the images from the Waffle Flower Postage Collage I used the other day:

I had already ink blended and cut apart the images, so I created the muted holly background using a recently purchased holly stencil from Clarity Crafts, and cut it down slightly smaller than an A2 card base.

This panel was glued directly onto the card base, and the three images attached with 3D foam – jaunty angles – the foiled sentiment added, and then some gold sequins for added detail.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Inkspirational – use stencils – option to use snowflakes not taken

Sparkles Christmas Challenge – Christmas and poinsettia

Stencil Fun – stencils – option of winter related taken

Christmas Sparkle Bauble

Hello everyone. Cardz 4 Galz has started a new challenge, Dawn is hosting, and she has chosen the theme of ‘Christmas Sparkle’. Here is my card:

I used some patterned paper from Simple Stories, I believe I received it as part of a class, and used a panel of the tartan for the background.

The snowflake panel is heat foiled using a toner sheet, silver foil, and the Gina K Designs Fuse foiling system. I haven’t played with this very much, so I had to check out one of her YouTube videos – but it foils like a dream…

This foiled panel was then die cut with Hero Arts besting bauble dies – a couple of times for dimension – then all elements added.

The deer is also part of the ephemera I received for this kit, and glued directly onto the foiled bauble.

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

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Peace On Earth – anything goes Christmas

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and Christmas/Winter

12 Months Of Christmas Link-up – anything goes Christmas

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

CYHTP – embossing folder – option of thanks not taken

Fab ‘n’ Funky – Christmas

A Perfect Time To Craft – anything goes

Sparkles Forum Christmas – Christmas and Poinsettia

12 Months of Christmas Link-up – anything goes Christmas

Christmas Village Shaker

Hello everyone. I was able to create a shaker card using an older product suite from Pinkfresh Studio:

I first stamped in black then clear heat embossed the image. I find that no matter what black ink I use – and I have several – and if I just heat set the ink, I still get some bleeding around the outlines. The heat embossing solved that problem for me.

I then used the layering stencils to colour on the image, different colours on each stencil to get more variety, but I wanted a bright little village so used the brighter colour tones.

Once coloured, I used a notched fram3e die to cut it down a little, then hunted out my Toni Studios shaker pouches – stored ‘safely’ but found none-the-less.

I created the pouch, added some colours of sequins which I felt matched some of the colours of the image, sealed the pouch, then attached to a white card base.

The sentiment is gold foiling.

These Tonic pouches really do make shaker cards so very easy – the hardest part was selecting which colours of sequins to use.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Lil Patch Of Crafty Friends – anything goes

Ally’s Angels – anything goes

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

Addicted To Stamps & More – Christmas

12 Months of Christmas Link-Up – anything goes 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

Happy Winter Birthday

Hello again. A cold snap here in the UK means more crafty time – though I don’t really need an excuse at the moment – I seem to have recovered my mojo after my short break away in Tenerife. I wanted to create a birthday card for a change, but I still used some Christmas products:

The background panel was created using a light grey piece of card, and then using the Pinkfresh Studio cover plate ‘Stitched Pinwheels‘. I also used a Pinkfresh Studio frame die to cut the small white shape, used the Pinwheel plate again – thinking about the continuity of the pattern, and where I wanted to place it on the card front – thank goodness that worked….

I then die cut items from several Spellbinders die sets – the bird (Love Note Bird), then the branch and foliage from other die sets. I wanted the bird to stand out, so I chose bright colours for him/her, then the rest of the card elements are quite muted and neutral.

Once die cut, I attached the grey panel flat to the card base, used 3D foam to raise the white die cut, glued the bird to the white shape – though I did add a couple more die cut feet as they seems quite fragile – then attached the silver foiled sentiment with 3D foam.

I then played with the foliage, gluing them down one-by-one until I was happy with the placement and with the fullness.

As per usual, I added some extra embellishment, this time with silver sequins. I haven’t used sequins in a while, but I like how you can tuck them underneath layers so they are just peeping out.

I shall be entering the following challenges:

Seize The Birthday – birthday – option to use Christmas supplies taken

2 Crafty Critter Crazies – anything goes with a critter

Die Cut Divas – die cuts and critters

Crafty Animals – anything goes with an animal

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.