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.

52CCT - Pick a Previous ....

... Morning everyone!  It's the first Saturday in December and that means it's time for our new challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  Now, we know that December is a very busy month for everyone as we sort out preparations for the big day.  So our challenge this month is

PICK A PREVIOUS 2015 CHALLENGE

I couldn't make up my mind which challenge to pick, but finally settled on a previous Stash Challenge - to use Markers (February 2015).  Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Around Christmas Time, Compliments of the Season
Inks: Versamark; Stampin' Up! - Real Red; Brilliance - Galaxy Gold
Dies: Spellbinders - Lotus (S4-269), Circles Lg (S4-114) #5
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU DP - Real Red; Gold Embossing Powder; Copic Markers; Glitters

One of my favourite stamps is this large round image of Santa from Waltzingmouse.  I stamped it with Versamark, embossed with gold powder, cut it out with a circle die and colour his hat with Copic markers.  I added lots of glitter to the image, using a different type on his beard, the hat and the bell.  I layered the finished image on a doily cut from red design paper.  I stamped the sentiment directly on the card and finished with a few snowflakes in gold.  A clean, simple Christmas card, and it's flat which means it's easy to post.  An important consideration for me!  On the inside I cut a mat layer of red design paper and on the white panel stamped a Christmas greeting and more gold snowflakes.  I've also taken a close-up of the image showing all the glittery sparkle!!

The theme over at Curtain Call Inspiration - CCICDec  this time is Dear Santa - and I think this counts, so I'm playing along with them this week.  As I've got some snowflakes on the card, I'm also playing along with CAS-ual Fridays - CFC#146 where the team want to see snowflakes.  There really are some on the card!

Do visit our blog to see what the rest of the team have made to inspire you.  The challenge will run for two weeks and the deadline for submission is midnight (GMT) Friday 18th December, that's 7.00pm EDT for those of us in the States.

I've another post for you later today - Day 3 of the 12 Days of Creepmas Blog Hop - I've a real Santa treat for you!!!  See you soon.

52CCT - Stash ....

.... Hello again!  It's the last Saturday in September and that means it's time for our new challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown.  This week is our stash challenge - Asha would like us to use Pearls and Diamonds on our cards.  Here's my take:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Compliments of the Season, Tag Collection #1, Seasons of Love
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Real Red, Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango
Dies: WMS - Stitched Tag
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SUDP - Real Red, Daffodil Delight; Twine; Gems; Pearls

I don't often use gems and pearls on my cards so this was a perfect challenge for me!  I used the colours from this week's Colour Me! challenge - CMCC#39 and the layout from this week's Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#155.  I stamped snowflakes, in totally non-traditional colours, randomly over the card and then added a panel of design paper to go along the edge of the card.  I stamped the main image onto white card and cut it out with the stitched tag die. I stamped the image again in turquoise and cut out the "nice" part and adhered it to the tag.  I finished the tag with some gems, pearls and a turquoise hole reinforcer.  I added a tangerine twine bow.  I added a few more pearls to the centres of some of the snowflakes.  On the inside a cut a couple of mat layers in design paper, stamped orange snowflakes around the edge of the white panel and finished with a Christmas sentiment.

You might have noticed that we have a new member on the Design Team - please join me in welcoming Peg Coombes to the team!  Check out the blog to see more inspiration pieces for you.

Before I go, I'd like to remind you that there's still plenty of time to join in with this week's Waltzingmouse Fanatics Challenge where our theme is Christmas.  You must use at least one WM stamp, sentiment or digi on your card - mine's all WMS!!!!

I hope you all have a super weekend.  I've got a really crafty weekend planned - I'm attending several workshops run by Amy Flowers at my local shop - Stampeddler Plus - I'll share photos later.  Bye for now!

52CCT - Theme ....

....  Hello everyone!  It's time for our theme challenge at 52 {Christmas} Card Throwdown and Louise has picked Rudolf/Reindeer.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Waltzingmouse - Compliments of the Season
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Melon Mambo, Pink Pirouette, Smoky Slate
Dies: Memory Box - Birch Trio, Deer Trio; Die-namics - Fishtail Flags Stax #3
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Smoky Slate; SU DP - Pink Pirouette; SU Glimmer Paper - Silver; Vellum; Gem

I've been wanting to use these Memory Box dies since I got them, but for some reason it's taken a while!!  I've gone for an elegant deer card - I really like this family group of deer.  For the colours I've taken the silver, white and pink theme from this week's Merry Monday - MM#113.  I made the card base from Smoky Slate and cut a couple of mat layers in pale pink and silver glitter.  On the white panel I randomly stamped snowflakes in a couple of shades of pink.  I die cut the birch trio in Smoky Slate and the deer in silver glitter.  I finished the front of the card with a sentiment stamped in dark pink on vellum and die cut with a fishtail flag die.  On the inside I cut a mat layer in pale pink, stamped some more snowflakes on the white panel and finished with a lovely Christmas verse.

We have some wonderful inspiration cards for you made by our Design Team and by our Guest Designer, Marie of NJ Stamping Queen.  Do stop by their blogs and leave a comment - we all like comments!!

I told you yesterday that Kathryn and I were going to the cinema, well we did and we decided to see How to Train Your Dragon 2.  It's a really super film with great animation and a super story.  We both came out of the cinema smiling and feeling good!  If you've got young children, or you're just young at heart, you'll love it!  That's all for now - looking forward to seeing your creations with a deer/Rudolf theme.