CCT - Sketch ....

.... Morning! I'm here with my DT card for our new challenge at Christmas Card Throwdown - CCT09 and I'm rather late, as it should have been up yesterday. We have a fun sketch for your Christmas cards - lots of layers - you can still make it quite CAS or go crazy and distress like mad! Here's my take:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Festive Flurry; Uniko - Most Wonderful
Inks: Versamark; Versafine - Onyx Black; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Dotted Circles #5; SU/Sizzix - Festive Flurry Framelits
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; Kaisercraft DP - Glisten; Vellum; Silver Tinsel Embossing Powder

I decided to use some of my design papers for this card - in the end I used two sheets!! I started with a square card and cut a mat layer of light grey card which I adhered to the front. My next layer is some pretty design paper and I die cut a circle from the centre - love the dots left behind - I attached it flat over the grey card. for the centre I stamped some large snowflake images on vellum, heat embossed them with silver tinsel powder and cut them out with co-ordinating dies. The top layer was stamped on a piece of scrap from the design paper pad. I ran the largest layer through my Xyron and adhered it flat to the card, and I used dimensional tape to attach the next two layers. I like the front as it is, so decided not to add any sentiment. On the inside I cut the mat layer from design paper and on the white panel stamped another snowflake in silver and added a Christmas greeting. I'm submitting this card to Love to Craft Challenge Blog - LTCCB#10 where the theme is Anything Goes.

The other photo above shows the different layers on the silver snowflake. Do visit our blog to see more inspiration projects from the rest of the Design Team. You've got plenty of time to play along - deadline for submission is midnight (BST) Friday 19th May (that's 7.00pm EDT). Have fun!!

52CCT - Pick a previous ....

... Hello!  It's the fifth Saturday of the month, and that means we have a "Pick a Previous" challenge here at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  we want you to check out all our previous colour challenges here, select one and make your card; don't forget to tell us which colour combination you used.  Here's my take:

 
Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Festive Flurry, Curly Cute, Delightful Dozen
Inks: SU - Midnight Muse, Bashful Blue; Versamark
Dies: Framelits - Festive Flurry
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Midnight Muse, Bashful Blue; Gems; Clear Embossing Powder

There's a story behind this card, but more of that later.  I used our April 2013 colours - navy blue, light blue and white.  I used the inlaid die cut technique on this card.  I made the base from navy card and cut a panel of light blue.  I die cut the largest snowflake out of the light blue card and then inlaid the stamped snowflake.  After securing the die in place, I adhered the panel to the card base.  I added a simple sentiment, which I stamped on white card and layered on navy.  I finished the front by adding lots of gems to the snowflake, in light and dark blues.  On the inside I cut a panel of white card, I adhered the pale blue die cut snowflake on to which I stamped the snowflake in pale blue.  I finished by adding a Christmas sentiment.  I also made a small vellum snowflake which I used to decorate the flap on the envelope.

Now, the story behind the card is that this was the second card I made.  I spent most of Thursday morning making this card:

Stamps: Papermania - Bauble Decoration; Waltzingmouse - Compliments of the Season II; Stampin' Up! - Delightful Dozen
Inks: Memento - Tuxedo Black; SU - Night of Navy, Bashful Blue
Dies: Spellbinders - Labels 29 (S5-156) #6
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Night of Navy; Double sided adhesive paper; Glitter; Copics

I stamped the bauble image onto white card and applied some double sided adhesive and then dipped it in glitter.  I spent ages burnishing the glitter into the card, it was really worth it as the card has a lovely shimmer.  Sadly, when I came back to the card after lunch I discovered bubbles where the adhesive had come away from the card!!!  You can't really see it in the photo above, but you can in the close up below.  I tried to cut a slit into the film and squeeze out the air and get it to restick, here's the result:

So, I made another card and I'm really pleased with it.  For more inspiration cards using previous colour challenge combinations, check out the cards from the rest of the team.  We are joined, for the final time, by our Guest Designer, Scraplady.  Do drop by and visit everyone and leave some comments, we all love comments!!  Looking forward to seeing your cards.

Gift cards ....

... Morning all!  This is the last of my scheduled posts.  I made a couple of small gift cards into which I put vouchers for gifts.

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Festive Flurry
Inks: SU - Primrose Petals, Island Indigo, Pool Party
Dies: SU - Festive Flurry Framelits
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SEI DP - Berry Melody

These were really quick and easy to put together.  I cut the backing paper to fit and then stamped the snowflakes onto white card and used the matching dies to cut them out.  The insides were left blank for messages.

That's all for now - I hope to be back to normal sometime this week!!  See you soon.

Holiday hugs ...

... Good morning everyone.  I managed to get some time in my craft room yesterday - didn't expect it, but it was fun!  I made a snowflake card:

Stamps: Stampin' Up! - Festive Flurry, More Merry Messages; Waltzingmouse - Basket Additions
Inks: SU - Island Indigo, Smoky Slate
Dies: SU - Festive Flurry Framelits
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Island Indigo; SU DP - Winter Frost; Cuttlebug EF - Christmas Stars; Gem

I used the layout from this week's Retro Sketches - RS#94.  I cut a couple of strips in Island Indigo and embossed the smaller piece with stars.  The design paper is perfect - it has snowflakes!  I stamped the three smallest snowflake images - two in grey and one in teal, cut them out with the matching dies, layered them and added a single gem.  I finished by adding a tiny sentiment in the corner.  For the inside, I used another sheet of design paper and on the white panel stamped a lovely Christmas verse.

It's Kathryn's last day at school and Jonathan's last day at work before our holiday break.  Many of our UK friends flew back to the UK last night - we're off tonight!  It'll be so nice to see our families.  That's all for now - got lots to do today!  See you soon.