52CCT - Sketch .....

.... Morning! I can't quite believe that it's already May, this year seems to be going by so quickly. It might be because we've been so busy. Anyway, it does mean that it's time for our new challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT18-16. This month our host is Fabiola and she has a wonderful sketch for us this week. Here's my take:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Endless Wishes
Inks: SU - Pool Party, Island Indigo; Memento - Grey Flannel
Dies: Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Layers Stax #1, Zig-Zag Stitched Rectangles Stax #5, Zig-Zag Stitched Ovals Stax #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Winter Frost; Sequins

I covered the card with some snowflake design paper. I cut a panel of white card with a fancy edge die and then cut out an oval in the centre with a matching die. I stamped some snowflakes and a greeting on the oval panel and adhered it flat to the card. I turned the rectangle into a shaker by adding some acetate over the oval opening. I added some sequins to the inside, attached the cover and it's done! On the inside I cut another piece of design paper and on the white panel added a few more snowflakes and a simple greeting.  I'm submitting this card to AAA Cards - AAA#63 where the team want a CAS shaker card. I'm beginning to think that this might not be CAS enough, but I'm submitting anyway!

Do visit our blog to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the team. You've got plenty of time to play along with us, deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Friday 13th May (7.00pm EDT). That's all for now!

Merry Creepmas - 12DOC ...

....  Morning!  How are your holiday preparations going?  We're all getting quite excited here.  And it's lovely to have both Jonathan and Kat at home - we're all on our holiday.  It's also day 11 of the 12 Days of Creepmas, sponsored by Smeared Ink.  If you look at today's card really quickly, you might almost think it's entirely Christmas, but it isn't, check out the letters!!!

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Creepmas Bones; Memory Box - Dancing Snowflakes; Stampin' Up! - Endless Wishes; Paper Source - Joy & Cheer
Inks: Memento - London Fog; Stampin' Up! - Bashful Blue, Pistachio Pudding, Pretty in Pink
Dies: Die-namics - Zig-Zag Stitched Rectangle Stax #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; Copic Markers; Glitter

I really like the soft pastel colours and all the sparkle on the large sentiment.  I printed it on white card, coloured with Copic markers and cut it out with a die.  I used a glue pen to go over all the letters, allowed it to get touch dry and then added glitter - lots of it!  I cut a panel of white card slightly smaller than the base and stamped the background image of snowflakes in soft grey.  I've adhered the sentiment panel flat to the card, so it's easy to post.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of pale grey card and on the white panel added a Christmas greeting and some pastel snowflakes.  I also took a close-up of the sparkle - so pretty!

Here's the blog roll for those playing along with the 12 Days of Creepmas:

Fiona
Black Dragon
Susan R
Jessica
Suzi
Airless Chambers
Deborah
Susan S
Val
Sarah
Kat
Leigh
Lady Brayton
Sue

Jonathan has a photo shoot today and Kat is off out with her friends.  So while I think I should be doing some housework, I'm not, I'm going to craft!!  Bye for now.

Christmas Wishes ....

... Good Morning!  We had a really wonderful evening last night.  It was the first night of the Christmas Choir concerts at Northville High School.  The choirs at the school are superb.  Kat and a group of her friends had a small ensemble bit during Joy to the World, so proud of her.  The Chorale Choir, made up more advanced singers, sang "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" as they walked into the concert hall - it was magnificent.  I am now totally in the spirit of Christmas - spent all day yesterday listening to Christmas music and making more Christmas cards.  The ones I make now will be for next year's stash!!  Here's the one I made:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Oven Fresh Gingerbread Joy, Tis the Season; Stampin' Up! - Endless Wishes
Inks: Memento - Lady Bug, Pear Tart; Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Waltzingmouse - Gingerbread Family
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Gingerbread; Crafter's Companion EF - Star; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to a few challenges:

• Colour Q - cQc#321
• CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#154 to use a previous 2015 sketch #139
• Merry Monday - MM#184 - where the theme is baking

When I saw that the Merry Monday theme was baking I knew that I wanted to use my little gingerbread stamps.  The colours at Colour Q are just perfect for a festive look.  I stamped three gingerbread kids in Versmark on kraft card and heat embossed them with clear powder, and then  I stamped two red and two green gingerbread kids.  I cut them all out with the coordinating dies.  In my stash I found the perfect design paper - Gingerbread, by Kaisercraft - and used a piece that reminded me of icing on gingerbread to cover the bottom of the card.  I cut a panel of white card, stamped the sentiment and then embossed it for more detail.  I finished the front by adhering the gingerbread kids.  On the inside I used another piece of design paper for the mat layer and on the white panel added a Christmas greeting, along with a couple more gingerbread kids!

On Facebook I've seen photo that my friends and family have posted of their wonderful Christmas trees.  We don't have ours up yet, so I think today I'm going into the basement to find the tree and all the decorations and make our house look festive too!  That's all for now.  See you tomorrow.

Let it Snow ....

....  Good morning!  It feels really strange not having a card to post for 52 Christmas Card Throwdown today.  Our challenge this month is PICK ANY PREVIOUS 2015 CHALLENGE and the deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) Friday 18th December (that's 7.00pm EDT).  That doesn't mean I don't have a Christmas card to share with you this morning, here it is:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Seasonally Scattered, Endless Wishes
Inks: Versamark; SU - Bashful Blue; Memento - Tuxedo Black
Dies: Memory Box - Postage Rectangle Layers #4; Waltzingmouse - Snowflake #2
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Bashful Blue; Silver & Holographic Embossing Powder; SU DP - Bashful Blue; Star Gems

The inspiration for this card comes from the Cupcake Inspiration Challenge - CIC#339 photo - the soft blue, the snowflakes and the little blue gems.  I've actually picked the January 2015 colour combination at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT02-15, shades of blue.  And, as I've got little stars on this card, I'm submitting to Happy Little Stampers Christmas Challenge - HLSDecXmas where they want to see stars.

I stamped the image in Versamark on white card and used a mixture of silver and holographic powders (see the photo at the end of the post to see the shimmer) and heat embossed the image.  I used a fancy edge die to cut out the image and adhered it flat to a pale blue card base.  Sadly, this shade of blue has been discontinued at Stampin' Up! and this is my last sheet of card (sob!).  I die cut a small snowflake from design paper, stamped a few snowflakes in pale blue and finished by added tiny little stars to the card.  I cut a panel of white card for the inside and finished the greeting as well as adding some more snowflakes.

Here's that close-up of the stamped image - I love the iridescent shimmer and play of colours that the holographic embossing powder gives:

I've actually got most of my cards posted, which is a good thing as the last day for international posting is today!  I can't believe that there are only 12 days to go before the big day.  I tend to find that Christmas always seems a long way off, and then suddenly it's here!  I hope you all have a good weekend.  See you soon.

52CCT - Sketch ....

... Good morning! Well it's November now and almost time to be sending out the cards we've been busy making all year.  Now, if you haven't made any yet, you still have about 6 - 7 weeks in which to get some made.  Jacqueline is our host at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown for November, and she has a super sketch for us to use this week, here's my take:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Tis the Season, Warm Fuzzies; Stampin' Up! - Endless Wishes
Inks: SU - Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Dies: Lil Inkers - Stitched Rectangles #4; WMS - Folk Art Snowflake, Snowflake #2
Accessories:  White Lustre Card; SU Card - Crumb Cake; SU DP - Early Espresso; String and twine

I'm submitting this card to the Merry Monday challenge - MM#123 where the team would like us to use snowflakes, dry embossing and neutral colours - done!  I cut the panel from Crumb Cake card using a Lil Inker stitched rectangle, dry embossed this huge snowflake and wrapped it with twine and string.  I stamped the sentiment in dark brown, added a few more stamped snowflakes and then adhered the panel with dimensional tape.  I finished the front with one more snowflake - this time die cut from design paper.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of Early Espresso design paper, stamped more snowflakes and a sentiment on the white panel.

For more inspiration using this sketch - check out the cards from the rest of the team.

Now, before I go, we've got some exciting news.  We are looking to add some people to our Design Team.  If you would like to be considered you must play along with all our November challenges and simply add the initials DT after you card on the inlink submission.  Good luck!  See you soon.

Non-traditional Christmas ....

....  Hi!  Good morning!  I'm feel quite pleased with myself - I got all the ironing done yesterday - sadly I also started a new pile!!!  Never mind, I was able to play in my craft room too.  I've a VERY non-traditional Christmas card to share with you this morning:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Do Not Open Til Creepmas; Waltzingmouse - Ornate Ornaments; Stampin' Up! - Endless Wishes
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; SU - Wisteria Wonder, Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo, Pistachio Pudding
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Basic Black; Kaisercraft DP - Kaleidoscope; Copic Markers; SU Marker - Black

Lori, over at Merry Monday - MM#131 is a traditional gal, but she's picked non-traditional colours as the theme for this week's challenge.  I hope she likes this card, not only is it non-traditional colours, but it's a VERY non-traditional style.  I've gone for a fun, silly and slightly darker card!!  I covered the card base with some design paper - a very grungy look, a bit like the corner of a room.  I printed the stack of presents on white card, coloured them with Copic markers and then cut them out.  I edged the image with black marker and then adhered it directly to the card base.  I stamped the words randomly around the parcels - I like the one that says "Open me first" - right by the big purple box with very sharp teeth :))  On the inside I cut a mat layer in black card and then stamped a Christmas sentiment in funky colours and added a few snowflakes!!

I had lots of fun with this card!  The image is fab and I think I know a teenage boy who will really appreciate this one!  That's all for now.  See you soon.