Christmas Blues

... Good afternoon! Somehow I got rather recently, and I've only just managed to get this card made in time. The title of my post might be a bit misleading, not feeling sad at all, I just have a pretty blue, white and silver Christmas card to share:

Stamps: Woodware - Berry Sprays

Inks: Gina K - Blue Denim

Dies: Winnie & Walter - Noel Cutaway

Accessories: White Card; Pinkfresh Studio DP - December Days; Copic Markers; Silver Mirri Card

This card was so quick to make. I've been meaning to join in with the latest 52 Christmas Card Throwdown challenge - 52CCT2026-10 all week, and only now have had the chance. So I found the perfect piece of design paper - well almost perfect. I coloured the red berries with a navy marker, to make dark blue berries. I used tape to add it to the front of the note card. Then I used an old die from Winnie & Walter to cut out a bold greeting in silver textured mirri card. I cut two white ones which I layered behind the silver die cut, and then added them to the card. Inside, I cut a piece of white card to fit, edged it with a dark blue marker, added a strip of the design paper along the bottom edge, stamped on a berry spray and greeting in blue ink. 

I'm also submitting this card to ABC Christmas Challenge - ABCXMAS#0326 where they have F for foliage, and to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#67 where it's always anything Christmas goes.

That's all for now - see you soon.

First Christmas Card of 2026

... Good morning! It's a really dull, dark morning in North Wales with rain, so perfect for staying in my craft room and playing. I didn't make any Christmas cards last year - no mojo!! But this year I've decided get started early and join in with as many Christmas challenges as I can. So, here's my first Christmas card of 2026:

Stamps: Gina K - Let Your Light Shine, O Christmas Tree

Inks: Gina K - Red Velvet, Tranquil Teal; Lisa Horton - Cloud 9 Solid Gold; Versamark

Dies: Gina K - Let Your Light Shine

Accessories: White Card; Lawn Fawn Embossing Powder - Gold; Christmas Wrapping Paper

I'm entering this card into the following challenges:

Jingle Belles - JB2601 - where they want us to use recycled gift wrap

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#66 - anything Christmas goes

Inkspirational - INK#358 - word prompt 'shine/shiny'

Never-Before-Used-Schtuff - NBUS#82 - Darnell encourages us to use that never-used-schtuff

I saved the holly gift wrap from one of my gifts in December. It's so pretty that I decided to use it for the background. I trimmed the gift wrap to be slightly smaller than an A2 (US size 5½" x 4¼") card base and adhered it to the card. I stamped the greeting and stars in Versamark ink and heat embossed with gold powder, I used the matching dies to cut out the images. I also cut out a number of white pieces which I used to layer up and give the images dimension. Inside the card, I used another scrap of the gift wrap as the mat layer, and on the white panel I stamped a simple greeting in colours to match the paper and added some gold stars which, in real life, have a lovely shimmer.

It's quite tough getting decent photos in such dull light, but I think these have turned out okay! It's so nice to be getting back into making cards - I used to love sharing my cards with Mum, but I'm sure she's watching from on high!! It's good to have some mojo back 😀

That's all for now. I've got some new inks that I need to swatch and add to my collection. See you again soon.

SHC - Christmas in July 4 ....

... Morning!! I'm here with my last Christmas in July post for Seven Hills Craft blog. I have used Lawn Fawn products on my cards. Here's the first:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter, Simply Winter Sentiments, Snowy Backdrops

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Soft Stone; Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter; Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; Copic Markers; Silver & Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#36.

I used a stitch edged die to cut out a white piece of card onto which I stamped the snowy backdrop in Versmark ink. I heat embossed the image with silver powder and then blended shades of soft aqua and grey to create the sky. I used the same die to cut a panel of dark aqua card which I adhered to the bottom of the white card. I stamped a clean, crisp greeting in white ink and heat embossed with white powder. I stamped the snowguys on white card, coloured them with Copic markers, returned them to the MISTI and restamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder. I used the matching die to cut them out. I adhered them to the white panel, added that to a black mat layer and added the whole lot to the front of a top folding A2 white note card. Inside, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped another greeting and some Christmas trees.

My next card features a Christmas evening scene:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter, Simply Winter Sentiments, Snowy Backdrops

Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Ocean Mist, Soft Stone; Hero Arts - Unicorn; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter; Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: White & Black Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; Copic Markers; Silver & Clear Embossing Powder; Nuvo - Clear Aqua Shimmer Brush

I'm submitting this card to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Card Challenge - H&ICC#99 where is Anything Christmas goes.

I used the same technique as outline above to create the background for this card and to cut the houses and trees. Before blending the sky, I added a little mask for the moon, and finished the front by adding glitter to the roof tops and to the trees. Inside, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped the snowy background across the centre of the card in soft aqua ink and added a greeting in black.

My final card if ultra clean and simple:

Stamps: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter, Snowy Backdrops

Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Memento - Summer Sky

Dies: Lawn Fawn - Simply Celebrate Winter

Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder; Sakura - Stardust Pens

I'm submitting this card to Perfectly CAS - PCAS#17 where they want to see Embossing.

I used the method outline above to stamp, colour and die cut the Christmas ornaments. I adhered them to the card front with dimensional pads. I finished the front by stamping a clean, crisp greeting in black ink and added the strings for the ornaments. Inside the card, I cut a red mat layer and on the white panel stamped the snowy backdrop in soft blue ink and a greeting in black ink.

That's all from me today - thank you so much for stopping by. I enjoyed making all these Christmas cards - I have 12 ready for my stash. That will make things so much less stressful in November and December. See you soon.

C24C - Trees and Ornaments ....

... Good morning! I hope that you all had a good weekend - it was wonderful here in north Wales with bright sunshine and high temperatures. For me, it was also fun as it was the start of Euro 2020!! I did find time to make my card for our new challenge at Christmas 24 - C24C#36. For the next couple of weeks we want to see your Christmas cards that feature Trees AND Ornaments. Here's my take:

Stamps: Penny Black - Xmas Constellation; MFT - Bitty Holiday Wishes; Uniko - Most Wonderful

Inks: Gina K - Applemint, Key Lime, Lucky Clover, Jelly Bean Green, Grass Green, Christmas Pine; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Gina K - Master Layouts 2

Accessories: White & Black Card; Gina K Card - Lucky Clover; Gems from stash

I'm submitting this card to Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#407 where the theme is Christmas, and to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#35 where it's always Anything Christmas Goes.

I've been watching a lot of Gina K videos recently and at the beginning of June, Gina did some wonderful ink blending on video and I was inspired have a go. I die cut a panel of white card and masked of a ½" border all the way round the panel and then set to work blending a lot of green inks. Once I was happy with the blending, I removed the masking paper and stamped this lovely abstract Christmas tree in the middle of the panel. I added greeting above and below the image and layered the panel onto black card. I made a notecard from some co-ordinating card and adhered the panel in the centre. I finished the front by adding lots of iridescent gems to the little stars and dots on the stamped image - these are my Christmas ornaments. Inside the card, I cut a mat layer of black card. On the white panel I stamped the abstract Christmas tree in lime ink and added a greeting in black ink.

I love the way Gina K inks blend so smoothly and the depth of colour they give. This is such a pretty tree too - I've had it ages, but it's been a while since I inked it up. I took a close-up photo to show the pretty iridescent gems - they really glow in the light:

That's all from me today - do visit our Christmas 24 Challenge blog to see more inspiration from the team. I look forward to visiting your blogs to see your creations. Have fun!!

C24C - Christmas Night ....

... Good morning! May is flying by, but it does mean that it's time for our new challenge at Christmas 24 Challenge - C24C#34. For the next couple of weeks we want your Christmas cards to be about Christmas night. I've focused on Christmas Eve night and here's my first card:

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Christmas

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Accessories: White Card; Anita's Classic Christmas DP Red/Gold; Kanban Toppers - Carol Singers

I was going through my stash of card and paper last week and came across some Kanban Card Topper sheets that I got from QVC quite some time ago (about 2009). In an effort to use up some of my stash, I went through to see what I could find that fit the theme. I came across a sheet with Carol Singers calling at the house and a sheet with a couple walking towards church. So I decided to use them for my cards.

I cut a piece of gold design paper slightly smaller than my card base and adhered it to the card. I cut out the pieces of the image, trimmed to remove any paper tags and edged the pieces with a marker pen. I used dimensional pads to layer up the dimensional image. I adhered the finished piece to some black card and glued it to the side of the card. I finished the front by added a simple greeting. Inside the card, I cut another piece of design paper for the mat layer and on the white card I simply stamped a Christmas greeting.

I am pleased how this came out and it really does remind me of Christmas eve nights at my in-laws when the local carol singers came calling. Here's my second card:

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Christmas

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne; Distress - Chipped Sapphire

Accessories: White Card; Anita's Classic Christmas DP Blue; Kanban Toppers - Christmas Morning

The image on this topper is actually going to church in the morning, but I've used Distress ink to darken the sky and suggest dusk and the couple are now walking to a Christmas Eve church service. I used a blue marker to go round the edge of each piece. I adhered some blue design paper to the card, added the dimensional focal image and finished with a simple Christmas greeting. Inside, I used another sheet from the design paper pad for the mat layer and stamped a simple Christmas greeting in black on the white card.

I'm submitting these cards to Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog - MLCCB#24 where it's anything Christmas goes, and to Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - HLSXMAS#05 where it's anything Christmas goes (and I've skipped the option).

That's all from me for today. Don't forget to visit our blog - Christmas 24 Challenge - to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the design team. See you soon.

C24C - Add Some Glitter ....

.... Morning! It's 1 May today and that means, as well as the year flying by, it's time for our new challenge at Christmas 24 Challenge - C24C#33. For the next couple of weeks we want to see you add some glitter to your Christmas cards. I have to admit that I don't often use glitter, but I do love the effect. This is my card - ultra clean, simple and sparkly!!

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said II

Inks: Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Memory Box - Sparkling Tree Tile

Accessories: White Card; Green Glitter Paper; Stick It Adhesive

I'm submitting this card to The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#93 where it's always Anything Christmas Goes, and also to Merry Little Christmas Challenge - MLCCB#34 also Anything Christmas Goes.

This card is so clean and simple. I've had the die for a long time and don't often use it - I don't know why, it's so pretty! I found some green glitter paper in my stash. I applied some Stick It adhesive to the back of the glitter paper, ran the die and paper through my machine and that's it. However, this die is a tile - it does not cut out the tree, so while the die was attached to the glitter paper I used my scissors to cut out the tree. I simply added a tiny border all the way round the tree. I peeled off the adhesive backing paper, placed the cut out tree on the front of an A2 card and rubbed it into place. I finished the front of stamping a simple greeting in black ink. I've not done the inside of the card yet.

I am very pleased how this turned out. It is simple, but the sparkle makes it so festive. That's all from me today. Don't forget to visit our Christmas 24 Challenge blog to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the team.