Another Request

My daughter, Joanna, sent me a message a day or two ago to say could I come up with any ideas for her Guides to make Christmas cards on Monday.  Now my daughter is unlikely to have any card, glue, pens or crayons in her house, because if she did they would just be gathering dust.  She probably wouldn't even be able to put her hand on a pair of scissors! 😉 I tried really hard, when she was growing up, to pass on my love of being creative, but I think it skipped a generation!  What Joanna really meant was, "Help, I've no idea where to start!  Can you think of a design and what have you got in your stash that we could use?"  I came up with a few ideas, but then discovered, as they are taking the cards to a local nursing home when they go carol singing, the Guides will have about an hour to make 50 cards between them and write a message inside each one!  So, it was onto Plan B  to make a quick and easy design.  

I sent Joanna a photograph of a sample design and her response was "that's great, but how on earth did you you get all that 'writing' on the front?"  Out came my Big Shot and lots blue, red and green snippets from my snippets drawer.  I used a Cuttlebug's 'Season's Greetings' embossing folder to emboss 50 pieces (+ a few spares), trimmed the embossed card to size and attached DST to the backs.  Hopefully on Monday there will be time to take off the DST, attach the embossed card to the card blank, choose some peeloffs to embellish and write the messages.  Oh.... and although I live well over an hour away, she's invited me to run the session!!

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards

Christmas Friendship

The challenge today over in Beccy's Place nearly had me stumped because it's up to the letter 'X'.  I googled 'colours being with X' and discovered that Xanthic mean yellowish, so I gave my snowman a 'Xanthic' scarf!

The image and the sentiment are both digi stamps from Beccy's Place.  I coloured the image with Promarkers, layering on mats using 'Xanthic' and green to tie in with the main colours I used on the image.  The embossed background was done with an old Crafter's Companion e/f I picked up in a bargain bucket for £1 a few years ago.  A Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflake' white glitter die cut finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ X for Xanthic

That's Crafty Winter Wonderland Challenge

Stamping Sensations ~ Get Ready for Christmas

Artist Trading Coins

The Country View Challenge this month is Artist Trading Coins.  Having never made one before,  I thought I'd miss out on this month's challenge.  However, there's always a first time and as they are becoming more popular, I decided to have a go.  The standard size is 2 1/2" diameter, so I die cut three circles of this size using snippets of white card and thought about what I could fit in such a little space.

The backgrounds were made Adirondack inks applied with Ink Dusters, masking off the moon with a small circle of card.   For the sun, I used a circle aperture and inked it over with yellow.  All the stamps I used were from Lavina Stamps, stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'.  I added a few clear gems on the blue one for the stars and a little silver glitter to the purple one.  The glitter looks a lot more subtle IRL.

As Artist Trading Coins are made to give away, I hope they count for the Simon Says Monday Challenge where the theme is 'Gift It'.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Country View Crafts November Challenge ~ Artist Trading Coins

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Gift It

Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #223 ~ Anything But a Card

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #340 ~ Use snippets

Warm Winter Wishes

I suddenly realised that it's the 25th today, the start of the last Rudolph Days Challenge for 2018 ( ....and one month until Christmas Day!).  The challenge runs until the the end of the month, so just six days to enter the challenge.  It's already Monday in Australia, so the November Christmas Card Challenge at Beccy's Place is now up to 'W'. I'm batch making this Christmas card design today, a quick and easy design on a little 4" x 4" card.  

The stamp is a Hero Arts one.  I bought it half price many years ago, but I don't think I've ever used it. I stamped the image with Versafine 'Onyx Black' and used a green Promarker to colour the scarf.  A little clear Wink of Stella glitter was added to the snow the penguin is stood on to add a little sparkle. The image is die cut with a Spellbinders circle die, layer on a red SB scalloped circle die cut.  The embossed background is matt silver, using a Cuttlebug 'Snowflakes' e/f.  I corner rounded the embossed card and card blank.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Rudolph Days November Challenge

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ W for Warm Winter Wishes

That's Crafty Winter Wonderland Challenge

Stamping Sensations Challenge ~ Get Ready for Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge ~ 'W for Wishes'
Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Let it Snow
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Baby It’s Cold Outside

Thank You

A thank you card today for the crafty friend who gave me this fabulous die for my recent birthday.

The die is Creative Expressions 'Bluebird Edger'.  I inlaid the flower centres and the bodies of butterflies with lilac card.  I added a tiny lilac pearl for the bird's eye and three lilac pearls below the sentiment.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Brown Sugar Challenge #284 ~ Thankfulness

Dies R Us Challenge #109 ~ Giving Thanks

HLS November Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Thank You So Much

CAS Christmas Card

Another quick CAS Christmas Card today to join in with a few Challenge.

I started by using a Gummiapan 'Integrated Rectangles' die in the white card front and backing the aperture it left with a piece of a double sided adhesive sheet , leaving the aperture sticky.  The die was used again with silver mirror card and the silver frame was put in place inside the aperture.  I used the die again with two snippets of Christmas patterned paper and inlaid the pieces into the frame.  A silver peeloff sentiment finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenge:

1. Less is More Challenge #384 ~ Metallics

2.  Beccy's Place ~ Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ S for Snowmen, Santa and Silver

3. HLS November Christmas Challenge ~ Anything Goes + twist of CAS
4. Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #339 ~ Use Snippets
5. Allsorts Challenge - Week 494 ~ CAS Christmas

As promised in a previous post, here are a few photos of  my surprise birthday trip to Iceland this month.

Reykjavik Cathedral

View from the top of the cathedral.

Sunrise on my birthday.

.....and to finish, a sign which should be next door to every craft store!

Quilted Stocking

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge is up to the letter Q.  I'm using one of Beccy's freebie digi stamp, a quilted Christmas stocking. 

The image is coloured with Promarkers and die cut with a Spellbinders labels die.  The bells and baubles are covered with a clear Spectrum Noir glitter pen to add some sparkle.  I used a Sue Wilson 'Frosted Stripes' embossing folder for the background. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ Q for Quilted Christmas Stocking

Stamping Sensations Challenge ~ Get Ready For Christmas

HLS November Christmas Challenge

Addicted to Stamps and More! Challenge #318 ~ Holiday

Twofer Card Challenge

The Twofer Card Challenge this month is Wreath, using the same stamp, stencil, or die for the prompt on two different designs for two different occasions .  I've chosen to use the Poppystamps 'Stitch Wreath' die on both my cards. 

I am joining in the Twofer Card Challenge with this pair of cards.

The wreath was die cut in white card and backed with green glitter card.  A red glitter MFT 'Stitched Circle Scalloped Frame' was attached over the top.  I used a Stampin' Up Owl Punch with a little creative cutting to turn him into a penguin.  The red glitter card was too thick for my small circle punch, so I used the Memory Box 'Parker Lower Alphabet' die with a snippet of the red glitter card.  The centres of the p, q and o were the perfect size. 😊  Three punched green glitter circles and a peeloff sentiment finished off my card.  (For anyone in the UK,  Hobbycraft are currently selling the non-shed glitter card for half price.)  

I am joining in the following challenges with this card.

Beccy's Place Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ P for Penguin and Peeloff

Allsorts Challenge Week 494 ~ CAS Christmas

That's Crafty ~ Winter Wonderland Challenge

HLS November Christmas Challenge ~ Optional twist CAS

My second card is a Spring Fold card, one of my favourite folds, using the same wreath die.  I used a Memory Box 'Stitched Square' die, which was a perfect size to cut around the wreath.  The punched border is a Martha Stewart border punch.  I punched flowers in white and matt silver with a Woodware punch and added a grey pearl to the centres. 

This is a side view of my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card.

Die R Us Challenge #109 ~ Giving Thanks

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Thanks/Thanksgiving

HLS November Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Simply Create Too Challenge #144 ~ More Than One Fold

Crafty Gals Challenge #178 ~ Thankful

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Thank you so much

Thank You

A thank you card for my blogging friend, Janice, who sent me a fabulous die which I used on this card. Janice knew I had been looking for this die, without success, and she managed to find one and sent it to me as a surprise gift!  I must admit, I did a little Happy Dance when I opened the envelope! 

The die cuts a frame with rectangular apertures and I used the die again with patterned paper and inlaid the patterned rectangles in the red frame.  The flower is punched using an Xcut flower punch, which also embosses, and I added a black punched centre.  The leaf is a Sue Wilson ' Petite Vinery' die cut and a sentiment peeloff finished off my card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Thank you so much

Dream Valley Challenge # 190 - Use Dies AND Punches

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Thanks/Thanksgiving

Allsorts Challenge Week 493 ~ Poppies and/or the colour red
HLS November Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November 2018 Challenge

9th Birthday Card

Welcome to my new follower, Karen Dunleavey of White knuckles and inky fingers. Karen has recently started her blog, so I'm sure she's appreciate a visit from you.

I've just realised that I haven't posted or been around blogland very much for 12 days, but I have a very good excuse.  I celebrated a birthday with a '5' on the end last Sunday.  My hubby decided it was a 'significant' birthday and planned a surprise long weekend for us to a secret destination.  I eventually found out the destination at the airport check in desk - we were off to Iceland!  We had a fabulous few days and I spent my birthday with waterfalls and geysers.  I'll post a few photos in a later post.  

My great nephew recently turned 9 years old and this is the card I made for him.  After being desperate to own a dog for a few years, he eventually got his wish this year, so this seemed an appropriate design for him.  I often make a card with a fancy fold for him and the first thing he said when he opened the card was "How did you make it?".  I think he's still trying to work it out! LOL!

I used a Sizzix 'Rectangle Flip-Its' die for the main card shape.  The dachshund die cuts are by Marianne Designs, assembled and layered on a Creative Expressions 'Pawprint Lattice' embossed background.  The number 9 was cut with an old Sizzix Sizzlit die.  I used patterned paper from a Papermania paper pad and a Poppystamps 'Cat Paw Border' die, which I thought worked just as well for a dog card.

These two photos show the open card from a different angle.

I am joining in the following challenges:

HLS November Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Die Cuttin' Diva's Challenge #395 ~ Birthday

Pile It On Challenge #148 - Pets

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November 2018 Challenge

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge  #416 ~ With an animal

Simply Create Too Challenge #144 ~ More Than One Fold

Get Well Soon

The November Crafty Calendar Challenge begins today and runs until 28th November.  The challenge this month is 'Paper Piecing'.  This is my DT card, made with an image kindly supplied by one of our generous sponsors, Dr Digi House of Stamps.

The image is called Night Nurse Nina and is coloured with Promarkers. I paper pieced and dress and the apron.  The plasters (or band-aids as I think they are called in the US) are dies from the Sue Wilson 'Feel Better Soon' set.

Our two generous sponsors this month are:

Dr Digi House of Stamps

and 

Crafty Ribbons

Please pop over the Crafty Calendar Challenge to see all the wonderful creations my teamies have made for inspiration.  Looking forward to seeing all your beautiful creations again this month. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge - Week 492 ~ Pretty Papers

I Love Promarkers Challenge #371 ~ Anything Goes

Special Request

We've been down to our caravan in Devon for a week to close it down for the winter.  Usually there is a reasonably strong wifi on the site,  perfect for visiting blogs on a cold, dark evening when we are in our warm and cosy caravan.  However, for five days the wifi wasn't working at all, so I need to catch up with all my blog visiting.  When we were in the caravan I had a text from my daughter.  I was seeing her the following day and the text conversation went something like this.....

Joanna - "Hi Mum, have you got your crafty things in the caravan?" (Translation - Can you make me a card today please.)

Me - "A few bits and pieces, why?"

Joanna - "I've just heard that one of my Guides has been given a special award and I'd really like to send her a card". (Jo runs a Girl Guide unit)

Me - "What sort of thing did you have in mind?"

Joanna - "Anything really.... she likes horses.....if you could put 'Well Done' on it rather than 'Congratulations' as she will find it easier to read herself.....using the Guide colours of blue and red would be good.....Oh, and if you could fit her name on that would be perfect."  (Translation - I'd like a personalised card please. 😉)

So with my limited supplies I managed to come up with this:

I didn't have a horse die or stamp with me, so my unicorn die cut lost his horn to turn him into a horse.  By chance I had my Memory Box 'Alphabet Soup' dies, which were a perfect size for the sentiment on the 6" x 6" card.  I used a Cuttlebug 'Swiss Dots' embossing folder and as it wasn't big enough for the whole card, there is a join underneath the sentiment panel.  All the red and blue card was snippets, so I'll be off to share my card in the Playground.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #338
Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Anything Goes