C24C - Happy Christmas ....

... Morning! I had planned to share some cards with you this week, but instead I've been finishing off a mini scrapbook that Kat started before we moved to the States! I'll share photos of that later.  However, this morning I've made another Christmas card - it's based on our theme of DRY AND/OR HEAT EMBOSSING over at Christmas 24 Challenge.  Here's my card:

Stamps: Magenta - Poinsettia; MFT - Grand Holiday Greetings
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; Memento - Rhubarb Stalk; Gina K - Black Onyx
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Cordinations - Black Magic Potion #9; Spectrum Noir Shimmer Brushes; EF - Embossalicious - Poinsettia; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to some, new to me, Christmas challenges - The Holly and Ivy Challenge - H&I#64 where it's Anything Goes, and to Christmas at Sweet Stampin' Christmas - SSC#01 - where they want us to Add Sparkle.

I found some Coredination card in my stash and embossed a poinsettia background, and then lightly rubbed off some of the black to reveal the green core. On white card I stamped this bold poinsettia in Versafine black ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I used Spectrum Noir shimmer brushes to colour the image and sentiment. You can't see the shimmer above, but I have a closeup photo below that really shows the sparkle.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of green card and on the white panel added a bold greeting and another image of the poinsettia.

You have another six days to join in with our DRY AND/OR HEAT EMBOSSING challenge at Christmas 24 Challenge - I look forward to seeing what you create.  That's all for now.

Magic of kindness ...

... Hi!  Just popping in with a quick one.  I've made a very clean, simple and sparkly card for my stash:

Stamps: Sugar Pea Designs - Caring Hearts
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Poppy Parade
Dies: Poppy Stamps - Heart Stack
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade; Aquashimmer Brush - Clear

I'm submitting this card to CASology - CAS#361, Time Out Challenge - TOC#154, and to Creative with Stamps - CWS#47.

This is super easy to make.  I die cut the stacked hearts from red card, adhered them to the front of the card and then coloured inside the hearts with a clear aquashimmer brush.  I finished the front by stamping a simple sentiment and a couple of tiny hearts above the die cut.  I've let the inside blank for my own message.  I've taken a closeup to show the gorgeous shimmer - deliberately darken down.

This was fun to make - I've got a few more die cuts left, so you might see some more of this die soon.  That's all for now.

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. 

Season's Greetings ....

... Morning! I had a good day yesterday and made another Christmas card for my stash - I will NOT be purchasing boxed cards again this year 😁.  Here it is:

Stamps: Concord &9th - Snowflakes Turnabout, Christmas Cottage, Petals & Pallets; Stamplorations - Yuletide Deer
Inks: Gina K - Black Onyx, Soft Stone, Kraft; Versafine - Onyx Black
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Real Red; Copic Markers; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to several challenges - 52 Christmas Card Throwdown - 52CCT05-20, where I used their sketch, The Card Concept - CC#127, where they have a lovely inspiration photo, Jingle Belles - JB:20:03, where they wanted to see three of something, and finally to Colour Throwdown - CTD#578, such lovely colours.

I started by stamping the lovely stag head three times on white card, coloured them all with Copic markers, put them back into the MISTI, restamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear poweder. I then carefully fussy cut them out.  I stamped the two log planks using a mixture of kraft and grey ink to give a softly weathered look.  I added some snowflakes to the background, and then stamped the greeting.  I finished the front by adhering the two side stag heads flat to the card, and the centrally one with dimensional pads.  On the inside I cut a mat layer of bright red card and on the white panel added a bold greeting and another gorgeous stag head.

That's all for now.  I've got a reasonably busy day ahead - part of which includes attending my local craft group.  See you soon.

Anniversary card ....

.... Afternoon! It feels so good to be back in my craft room.  Jonathan has gone out to a photoshoot in Birkenhead this afternoon, it's outside, so might be a bit chilly!  Me, I've been playing and I've made a fun clean and simple anniversary card:

Stamps: Lil Inkers - It's today, right?; Sugar Pea Designs - Caring Hearts
Inks: Stampin' Up! - Merry Merlot, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Coastal Cabana
Dies: Cheery Lynn - Hearts 'n' Gears
Accessories: White Lustre Card

I'm submitting this card to Perfectly CAS - PCAS#05 where the team want a one layer card, and also to Fab Friday - FABF#182 - used their colours.

I really like this steampunk gear heart die, but as Perfectly CAS wanted a one layer card I had to work out a way to do it.  I made my own stencil by die-cutting some acetate, applying temporary adhesive to the back, positioned it on the card and then added ink with a blending brush.  After removing the stencil, and any adhesive left behind, I put the card into the MISTI and positioned the sentiments, stamping the main words in the dark ink and the fun bit in pink.  On the inside, I kept it one layer and added a cute couple, a small heart and another sentiment.

This card is for our anniversary, which isn't until April, but I'm trying to get ahead with my card making this year.  I'm safe sharing it here as Jonathan won't see the card!!  That's all for now, I'm going back to my desk and going to make some more cards while Jonathan's out.  See you again soon.

C24C - Merry Christmas ....

.... Good morning!!  Most of you know that I've not been very active making cards over the past year and a half, but at the beginning of January I came across a new Christmas card challenge - Christmas 24 Challenge and saw that they were looking for some new design team members.  Now, I love making Christmas cards so I had to play along.  I left it very late but submitted my card on 29th January and found out yesterday that I've been picked to join the team.  To say that I'm pleased would be an understatement.  I'm thrilled to be joining Jacqueline, Mynn and Sue.

Our Christmas based challenges are on the 1st and 15th of the month, and if you play along with us each time you'll have at least 24 cards made by December.  Our theme for the next couple of weeks is to use:

Dry and/or Heat Embossing

So I was busy yesterday afternoon making a card for today, here it is:

Stamps: Concord & 9th - Snowflakes Turnabout, Mistletoe Messages
Inks: Versamark; SU! - Night of Navy; Delicata - Silvery Shimmer
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU! Card - Night of Navy; Embossing Powder - Ranger -  Silver Super Fine, Cosmic Shimmer - Steel Blue Aurora; Gems

I might not have been making many cards recently, but I have still been buying stamps for my stash.  I decided to use one of my new stamps for this card.  I love the turnabout stamps from Concord & 9th and snowflakes make a simple, elegant card.  I'm submitting this to The Male Room - TMR#128 where the theme is It's snowing.

If you haven't seen how to use turnabout stamps, here's a link to Concord & 9th videos showing how it's done. I set up the stamp in my MISTI and stamped the image using Versamark ink, leaving the card attached to the jig, removed it from the MISTI and added silver embossing powder.  I repositioned the jig into the MISTI and stamped again in Versamark, removed it from the MISTI and added blue embossing powder.  I decided to only stamp the snowflakes twice as I didn't want to risk smudging the powders.  After removing the card from the jig, I heat embossed in the usual fashion.  I finished the front by adding a simple sentiment and some gems in the centre of the snowflakes.  This is still a magical process - I just love watching the powder melt and seeing the images revealed - it's what got me hooked on crafting in the first place.  I cut the panel down to 5" × 3¾" and layered it onto a navy panel and attached it to the card base.  On the inside, I cut a panel of navy card for the mat layer and on the white panel added a fun greeting and some silver snowflakes.

I also took a closeup photo to show off the pretty embossed snowflakes - the blue ones have a lovely shimmer:

It really is so nice to be part of a design team again and even better that it's to make Christmas cards!!  Do visit the Christmas 24 Challenge blog to see more inspiration cards from the rest of the team, and do play along, you have until 14th February.  I look forward to visiting your blogs and seeing your creations.  See you soon.

Season's Greetings ....

.... Good evening! It's been a busy week and I've only just had chance to play in my craft room.  I've a simple Christmas card to share with you this evening:

Stamps: Dare 2B Artzy - Poinsettia Tangle
Inks: Versafine - Onyx Black; SU - Poppy Parade; Gina K - Soft Stone
Dies: D2BA - Poinsettia Tangle; Die-namics - Circle S1 #10, Skinny Strips
Accessories: White Lustre Card; SU Card - Poppy Parade; SU Vellum - Botanical Gardens; Clear Embossing Powder; Copic Markers

I'm submitting this card to Christmas 24:Challenge - X24#02 where Anything Goes, Colour Throwdown - CTD#578, and Freshly Made Sketches - FMS#420.

I've had these stamps from Dare 2B Artzy for a while, but this is the first time I've inked them up to make a card.  I really like the tangle patterns in the flower.  I stamped the flower and holly leaves on white card, coloured with Copic markers, put the image back into the MISTI and restamped using Versafine ink and then clear heat embossed.  I find colouring the image first and then restamping gives a really crisp, clean image.  I used the co-ordinating dies to cut out the image.  I stamped the simple sentiment on white card and used a die to cut it out.  I cut a circle of subtly patterned vellum as a background for the images.  I adhered them all flat to the card.  On the inside, I cut a mat layer of red card and on the white panel stamped another poinsettia, off to the side, and added a greeting.

I took a closeup of the poinsettia so that you can see the lovely patterns.  That's all for this evening, I'm off downstairs to have a much needed cup of coffee.  See you soon.

Birthday Wishes ...

... Evening! I hope you're having a good weekend.  Mine's been really good, I've managed to get in lots of crafting.  I made another birthday card for my stash this afternoon:

Stamps: Dare 2B Artzy - Balloon Tangle, Shine; MFT - Bitty Birthday Wishes
Inks: Memento - Summer Sky, Bahama Blue; Gina K - Black Onyx; Versafine - Onyx Black
Dies: D2BA - Hot Air Balloon
Accessories: White Lustre Card; Tim Holtz Watercolour card; Zig Clean Colour Brushes; Clear Embossing Powder

I'm submitting this card to CAS(E) this Sketch! - CTS#356, Dare 2B Artzy - DTBA#01 Winter challenge, and to Allsorts Challenge - AC#556 where the theme is Take Flight.

I've gone for cool winter colours for this card.  I stamped the balloon onto watercolour card (using my MISTI), coloured it with Zig brushes and then restamped with Versafine ink and heat embossed with clear powder.  I then cut it out with the matching die.  I flipped the sketch through 180 degrees and created a blue sunray pattern - suggestive of the sky.  I stamped the greeting in black and added the hot air balloon with dimensional tape.  On the inside I simply stamped a couple of mini hot air balloons and added a greeting.

As well as making a much needed card, I've also been stamping lots of Dyan Revealey images onto media paper to cut out this evening while I watch Dr Who - such a fun way to spend the evening.  That's all for now.  See you soon.