C24C - Snowflakes ...

... Good morning! I'm not sure where April went, but we're in May already!! It means that it's time for our new challenge at Christmas 24 Challenge - C24C#09. For the next couple of weeks we want to see your Christmas cards with SNOWFLAKES. Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse Stamps - Warm Fuzzies, Compliments of the Season; Uniko - Stunning Snowflakes, Essentially Christmas; Stampin' Up! - December Wonder, Many Merry Stars
Inks: Gina K - Sea Glass, Turquoise Sea, Powder Blue, Blue Denim, Black Amalgam; Memento - Bahama Blue, New Sprout; SU - Balmy Blue, Bermuda Bay
Accessories: White Card; SU Card - Balmy Blue; Blue Linen Effect Foil Card; Gina K - Wreath Builder Stencil

I'm submitting this card to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#70 where it's Anything Christmas Goes.

I've used lots and lots of different snowflake stamps on this card. I used my MISTI and the Gina K 4" wreath builder stencil to build up layers of snowflakes in different colours. I trimmed the panel to size, adhered it to a blue foil mat layer and then attached the whole lot to a blue card base. On the inside, I cut a panel of white card and stamped a simple greeting with some more snowflakes.

Do visit our blog to see what the rest of the design team have created with the Snowflakes theme. That's all from me today. See you soon.

Season's Greetings ....

... Hello from a very, very snowy Northville. We're all home today. The school district called a snow day last night, so Kat has spent the day just chillin! Jonathan's office also called a snow day, but he's had to work from home. The main thing is we're all safe and warm in the house. I've spent a large part of today in my craft room, but you'll have to wait until Sunday to see most of the cards!! But I do have a simple Christmas card to share with you this afternoon:

Stamps: Uniko - Winter Foliage, Big & Bold Wish, Rustic Wreath, Essentially Christmas, Simply Said Christmas
Inks: Gina K - Christmas Pine, Red Velvet; Versafine - Onyx Black; Delicata - Golden Glitz; SU - Emerald Envy
Dies: Die-namics - Pierced Oval Frames #2
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Emerald Envy; Gold Canvas Finish Mirri Card; Copics; Shimmer Pen

I got the idea for this card from the inspiration photo over at Merry Monday - MM#276. The colours are from Your Next Stamp - YNS#82 and I'm also playing along with Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#278 where they want to see Holiday cards.

I die cut an oval of white card and placed it into my MISTI. I stamped the holly leaves and berries, covered them with masks and then stamped the candles. I added some pine branches at the top of the image, added berries and lots of stars. I finished by colouring the candles in two shade of pink and added sparkle with my Wink of Stella brush. I adhered the finished panel behind the gold frame and attached the whole lot to the front of the card. I finished with a simple Christmas greeting. On the inside, I cut a mat layer of green card and on the white panel I stamped a greeting and added some branches and berries.

It's been snowing since about 3.00am this morning and we've got about 6 inches of snow on the ground. As it's not expected to stop until about 8.00pm this evening, we're likely to end up with about 8 inches on the ground. This is one of the times that I'm very, very grateful to have a company come round and clear the snow. However, I'm not expecting them until tomorrow!

I took a few photos of all the snow around the house:

This is a view from the back bedroom across the swimming pool - although you would never know it! The winter wonderland beyond the fence is Northville Commons, the park area behind our house. I have played a bit with this photo to bring out all the texture.

This is a view looking down onto our patio - I always leave the furniture out. I'll have to get new cushions in the spring - but you can see the piles of snow on the table, chairs, and sunbeds!!

This is the postbox over the road - I've played a bit so that you can see the snow falling and the texture of the tyre marks on the road. That's all for now. Do stop by on Sunday for a special celebration. See you soon.

25 Tags of Christmas ....

... Hi, good morning! We're on Day 8 of Tracey McNeeley's 25 Days of Christmas Tags challenge. Today Uniko is the sponsoring the challenge. I was going to make one tag, but ended up making six!!!  I should warn you all that there are lots of photos. I'll start with the first set I made:

Stamps: Uniko - Simply Said Christmas, Simply Said, Simply Said II, Essentially Christmas
Inks: Versamark; Kaleidacolor - Blue Breeze, Fresh Greens, Desert Heat; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer
Dies: Waltzingmouse - Stitched Tag
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Ribbons; Silver Embossing Powder; Zig Brush Pens; Wink of Stella - Clear

I used my favourite tag die set to cut the tags. The dies were made by Waltzingmouse Stamps and are now discontinued, but I do like that you can cut three different size tags. Here's a close up of each of the tags:

On each tag I stamped the sentiment, tree and some stars with Versamark and heat embossed with silver powder. I added extra stars using Kaleidacolor and silver inks. I finished the tags by adding some ribbon.

I was having such fun making the tags, that I decided to make another set. This time I created layered tags with watercolour card as the bottom layer and vellum for the top:

Stamps: Uniko - Pure Florals Poinsettia, Simply Said Christmas
Inks: Versamark
Dies: Waltzingmouse - Stitched Tags
Accessories: Tim Holtz Watercolour Card; Vellum; White & Gold Tinsel Embossing Powder; Zig Brush Pens; Wink of Stella - Clear; Ribbons

I used the dies to cut the watercolour card and vellum. I laid out the cut tags in my MISTI stamper and stamped the large poinsettia in Versamark and heat embossed it with white powder. Then I put the vellum tags in the same layout and stamped the image again and this time embossed with Gold Tinsel powder. I embossed sentiments on each tag using gold powder. I used my Zig brush pens to water colour the flowers - I love the effect you get with this technique. I put the layers together, added ribbon and finished off each flowers with some clear Wink of Stella on the vellum to give some shimmer.

The 25 Days of Christmas Tags goes on throughout November and there are lots of opportunities to win prizes by commenting along the way and/or by participating and creating a tag and linking up - full details at Tracey's Blog.

Don't forget to visit Tracey's blog and see what the rest of my Uniko team mates have created - they are all just fabulous! Have fun!

52CCT - Theme ...

.... Morning! Miracles of miracles, I've actually managed to make my card on time for this week's 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT33-16 challenge. This week is our theme challenge and the theme is GIFTS. My card features a somewhat unfriendly pile of gifts, but I think it's kind of fun for my son!!

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Do Not Open til Creepmas; Uniko - Simply Said Christmas, Essentially Christmas
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Versamark
Dies: Lil Inkers - Dual Stitched Rectangles #2, Stitched Panels
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Stampin' Up! Card - Basic Black, Real Red, Pistachio Pudding; Copics; Wink of Stella - Clear; White Embossing Powder

I love this pile of gifts - they're really wicked with fangs and scary eyes. And, of course, there's snakes too. This is not a traditional Christmas card, but my kids are both fans of Creepmas, and this fits the bill perfectly. I printed the image on white card, coloured it with Copics and added lots of sparkle with a clear Wink of Stella brush. The layout is based on this week's sketch at My Favourite Things Wednesday Sketch Club - MFTWSC#294 and the colours are from this week's Colour Q Challenge - cQc#355. On the inside I cut a mat of red design paper and simply stamped a little gift on the white panel.

Do visit our blog to see rather more traditional Christmas cards from the rest of the team. Have fun!!

52CCT - Technique ...

.... Good morning! I'm actually on time with my DT card this week. Mind, it was quite close as I only finished it last night at 10.00pm. Our challenge at 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT29-16 this week is a technique. We want you to make a card with 2 or more folds. I have to admit that I'm not great with fancy folds, so I've gone for a simple stepper card:

Stamps: Uniko  - I love Tea, Essentially Christmas; Stampin' Up! - Peaceful Pines
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; SU - Gumball Green, Real Red
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Gumball Green; SU DP - Real Red; SU/Sizzix EF - Softly Falling; Clear Embossing Powder

I got inspiration for this card from the photo for Merry Monday - MM#209, and I'll be submitting this to Lori's Christmas in summer challenge. I made a very simple stepper card with just two folds from some green card. I cut a couple of white panels which I embossed to suggest falling snow. I stamped the tea cup on two pieces of red design paper and again on white card. I added a pattern to the white cup and then cut them all out. I adhered the cups to the card and finished off the front with a small bunch of holly leaves and a bow. On the inside I stamped a greeting on the white panel and added more decoration.

For more inspirations - do visit our blog to see more from the rest of the design team. Have fun!

I'm off to some mixed media classes at Scrappy Chic today with Finnabair. Really looking forward to getting covered in paint! I'll share photos soon. Bye for now.

Scary Creepmas - 12DOC ...

.... Hello.  It's Wednesday and only two more days to go before the big day!  It's also the last day of the 12 Days of Creepmas Blog Hop sponsored by Smeared Ink.  I hope you've enjoyed my venture into the odd mix of Halloween and Christmas that is Creepmas.  Our daughter, Kat, has loved all the cards that I've made and when she saw this image by Rick St Dennis, she just said "That's my Christmas card!!!  Love him!"  So, here is my final card, especially for our unique and much loved daughter, Kat:

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Creepmas Scary Creepmas; Uniko - Essentially Christmas; Paper Source - Joy & Cheer
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Real Red
Dies: Spellbinders - Lables 25 (S5-077) #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Kaisercraft DP - Holly Jolly; Copic Markers; Wink of Stella - Clear; Glossy Accents; Glitter

I have to admit that I love this creepy pumpkin Santa as much as Kat does.  I printed him on white card, coloured him with Copic markers and cut out the image with a die.  I added tinsel glitter to his hat, cuffs and collar.  I used a clear Wink of Stella brush on all the little Creepmas lights and then added Glossy Accents.  I covered the card with some bold red design paper featuring festive words and adhered the finished image directly on top.  On the inside I cut another piece of design paper and added a simple greeting and some stars.  I'm submitting this card to the current Colour Throwdown Challenge - CTD#373 where they want any Christmas card, and this really is a Christmas card, in any colours.  I'm also submitting this to Left of Centre - LOC#109/110 where it's Anything Goes.

Here's a close up of the finished image showing all the lovely sparkle and shimmer - I took this photo a few days ago - when it was much brighter!

And here's the link to all those taking part in the 12 Days of Creepmas Blog Hop.  It's been such fun playing along and I hope you've enjoyed it too!

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

That's all for today - lots of Christmas preparations to do today!  See you soon.