Creepmas Angel ....

... Morning! I can't quite believe that it's Christmas Eve already. It's been a strange year and an even stranger holiday period. First we could meet and now we can't, but we can make the best of it. A few years ago, while in the States, I took part in an event called The 12 Days of Creepmas. Basically, it's a gentle dig at retailers who insist on putting out Christmas stuff before Halloween is even over. I found out that Kat loves all things Creepmas and since then I've made a few Christmas cards with a hint (or more) of Halloween. So this is Kat's card this year, it seems entirely appropriate!!

Stamps: Rick St Dennis Digi - Gloria Excessive; Uniko - Snowflake Serenade, Stunning Snowflakes, Festive Sentiments

Inks: Gina K - Key Lime, Sea Glas, Blue Lagoon; Versafine Clair - Nocturne

Dies: Spellbinders - Petit Ovals Lg (S4-128) #5, Petit Ovals Sm (S4-140) #6

Accessories: White Card; Teal Satin Mirri Card; Copic Markers; Sakura Stardust Pens; Uniko Stencil - Let It Snow; Gems; Nuvo - Clear Aquashimmer Brush

I think this Creepmas Angel is just fab. I had this image in my stash from a while ago, so I simply added colour with my Copic markers and Sakura Stardust pens. I cut out the image with an oval die and layered it onto some teal satin mirri card. I used a snowflake stencil for the background using a mix of lime green and soft teal. I stamped a bold sentiment at the foot of the card, adhered the image, added a lots of little gems and some shimmer to the angel's wings - sadly not visible in this photo!! On the inside, I stamped a Christmas greeting and lots more pretty snowflakes.

I'm submitting this card to the current challenge at Uniko - USC#62 where the theme is 'Tis the Season with the option of sparkle, and to The Holly & Ivy Christmas Challenge - H&ICC#85 where the theme is Anything Christmas Goes.

Before I go here are few of the Creepmas Christmas cards I've made in the past - both my son and daughter love them!!

I made all the cards above in 2015 - they were such fun to make and the Scary Creepmas card above was for Kat that year!! That's all for now.

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.

C24C - Warm Winter Wishes ....

... Afternoon all! It's been a busy week here at Chez Frings - with trips out, some revision for Kat (on half-term hols), and work for Jonathan.  I've been trying to get into my craft room for most of the week and managed a couple of hours this morning.  I've made a fun Christmas card for my stash - it's never too early to make a start on your Christmas stash!!!

Stamps: Uniko - Stunning Snowflakes; Poppy Stamps - You Melt My Heart
Inks: Gina K - Lovely Lavender, Sea Glass, Powder Blue, Black Onyx; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: Poppy Stamps - You Melt My Heart
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Copic Markers; Martha Stewart Glitters; Nuvo - Aquashimmer Brush; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#423 and Uniko Studio Challenge - USC#57.  The theme is based on our Christmas 24 Challenge - C24C#04 to make a Winter Scene, and I've also also CASEd Nick's card that has been submitted to Christmas 24.

I cut a panel of white card and randomly stamped snowflakes in different colours, using both first and second generation impressions.  I edged the panel with a Copic marker.  I used my MISTI to stamp the snowglobe, the snowmen and the little hat and scarf.  I coloured the images with Copic markers, put them back in the MISTI and restamped in black Versafine and heat embossed with clear powder. I used the matching dies to cut out the images.  I added some glitter to the snowglobe and the hat and then adhered the images to the card.  I finished the front with a simple greeting.  On the inside, I cut another white panel and stamped a greeting, some more snowflakes and another cute snowman.

Do come along and join in with our Winter Scene challenge at Christmas 24 Challenge - you've got until 29th February to play along.  That's all for now.  See you soon.

Merry Christmas ...

... Hello again! I'm on a bit of a roll - after doing some tax admin this morning, I got to play this afternoon and made a very clean, simple Christmas card.  I really am determined to have enough made this year.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Uniko - Stunning Snowflakes, Simply Said Christmas
Inks: Versamark; SU - Cherry Cobbler
Dies: Poppystamps - Celestial Star Border
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Cherry Cobbler, Silver Glitter; Silver Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this one to CAS Colours & Sketches - CASC&S#355 and to Addicted to Stamps and More - ATSM#374.

As soon as I saw the sketch at CASC&S I knew what I wanted to do.  I cut a panel of deep red card to 4¼", put the die on the top and then carefully die cut about two-thirds the way down the die.  I then embossed the whole die.  I also die cut the same border in silver glitter card and adhered that to the top of the panel.  I finished the front panel by cutting it to size and stamping a repeated Christmas message and embossed in silver.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of red card and on the white panel I stamped a simple greeting and some silver snowflakes.

I took a close-up photo of the lovely silver stars so that you can really see the sparkle.

It's a really lovely day today - not too cold, relatively light winds and sunshine - which is really good as we have a team of guys working in the garden.  Now that mum is living with us, we decided to have the garden made to work for her - so it's undergoing huge changes.  I'll post pictures once it's completed.  That's all for now. 

More Plaid ...

.... Morning! I had fun making yesterday's plaid card and plaids are very on trend at the moment, so I made a couple more cards. First up is a very simple card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Plaid Background; Uniko - Stunning Snowflakes, Festive Sentiments, Most Wonderful
Inks: Gina K - Kraft, Red Velvet
Dies: Die-namics - Peace
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Gina K Card - Kraft, Black Onyx; Saved Deer

This card came together so quickly. I adhered the plaid background to the card base. I die cut the word 'peace' and used it on one of my Uniko cards yesterday, I found the leftover negative space on my desk and decided to use it on this card. I finished the front with a sparkly stag - another saved element - I got this on one of last year's Christmas cards. On the inside, I stamped a Christmas greeting and some snowflakes on the white panel. I'm submitting this card to Merry Monday - MM#264, for their red and kraft challenge. I'm also playing along with City Crafter Challenge Blog - CCCB#287 where they want us to use the word 'love' or 'peace'.

This next card features another plaid, along with a very pretty poinsettia:

Stamps: Magenta - Poinsettia; Uniko - Festive Sentiments, Most Wonderful; Concord & 9th - Plaid Background
Inks: Gina K - Kraft, Cherry Red; Versafine - Onyx Black; Versmark
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Gina K Card - Red Velvet; Clear and Gold Embossing Powders; Zig Clean Colour Brushes; Wink of Stella - Clear, Gold; Tim Holtz Water Colour Card

I changed the plaid on this card by stamping the thin lines twice. I adhered it directly to the red card base. I stamped this fun poinsettia in Versamark on watercolour card, embossed it with gold powder and coloured it with Zig brushes. I added a touch of sparkle to the red petals. I carefully cut it out and attached it to the card with dimensional pads. I stamped the sentiment directly on the panel and heat embossed it with clear powder. On the inside, I stamped a Christmas greeting and the poinsettia.

I'm submitting this card to The Card Concept - CC#81, I think this is in the clean and graphic style. I'm also submitting it to Addicted to Stamps and More! - ATSM#267 where it's Make Your Mark week.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, plaids are very on trend at the moment and the theme at Inkspirational - INK#147 is TREND. Another trend in this set of cards is that they are all for Christmas:

I've had so much fun making these plaid cards, that I think I'm going to make a whole lot more. They come together really quickly and if I change the colours and decorations I should be able to get a whole lot more made today! That's all for now. See you soon.

Plaid and Snowflake ....

.... It's been another really cold day here in Northville, so I decided to spend the day indoors and play in my craft room. This morning I organising my Gina K ink pads - I used Jennifer McGuire's tip of labelling each side of the pad so that I can always see the name of the ink. At the moment they are all stored in a box, but I'm going to get a new ink pad holder from Stamp 'n' Storage soon.

This afternoon I decided to make a card for this week's Merry Monday challenge - MM#264, where the team want us to use Red and Kraft on our Christmas card:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Plaid Background; Uniko - Most Wonderful, Stunning Snowflakes, Festive Sentiments
Inks: Gina K - Kraft, Cherry Red; Versamark
Dies: Uniko - Snowflake Trio
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Gina K Card - Kraft; White Embossing Powder; Kaleidoscope Embossing Powder; Gem

I cut a piece of kraft card onto which I stamped the large plaid in kraft ink and added a thin stripe in dark red. I had a spare die cut snowflake left on my desk from my Uniko session yesterday. I covered it in Versmark and heat embossed it with white powder. I repeated this three times to give a lovely enamel type finish and then added a final coat of iridescent powder for a subtle sparkle. I stamped the sentiment directly on the panel and heat embossed it with white powder. I attached the snowflake with dimensional pads. I finished the front with a bold red gem in the centre of the snowflake. On the inside, I cut a mat panel of kraft card and on the white panel added a Christmas greeting and some more snowflakes.

That's all for today. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see my Uniko revisit and thanks for all the lovely comments, they are much appreciated. See you tomorrow!