Deer Scene

Unusually for me, I've made a second post today.  Please scroll down to see this morning's post.  It's been raining all day, so a perfect day for staying in and making another card.

I had a wonderful surprise several days ago when a few of these beautiful deer scene die cuts arrived through the post from the lovely Loll.  I couldn't wait to start using them!  I added a few score lines around the edges to frame the scene.  I made the background with silver and two shades of blue Pixie Powders a while ago, waiting for the right opportunity to use it.  The snowflake was die cut with a Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflakes' die from the same Pixie Powder sheet I'd made.  The sentiment, stamped in Versafine 'Onyx Black', is a stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Perfectly Plaid' set. The framed image was raised up on foam tape to add dimension.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week 543 ~ Make your own Background

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge # 59 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

HLS October Christmas Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Anything Goes

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #455 ~ Christmas

Another Never Ending Card

After making my first Never Ending Card for the Butterfly Challenge recently, I knew that this fold would be perfect for a card for my great nephew.  I've made him a few cards with different folds and he always likes to work out how I made them.  I set him the challenge of working out how I made this card.  When I see him again next week, I'll find out if he's succeeded! 

All the patterned paper was from a Dovecraft 'Blue Skies' paper pad.  I used dies from The Works for the numbers. 

As my great nephew lives near the coast, he often goes to the beach and is learning how to surf, so I decided on a beach theme.  Apart from the number die cuts, all the dies I used are 'Cut & Make' dies and the shells are punched.  I left a blank square for a handwritten birthday message.

All the navy and pale blue card was snippets, so I'll be off to share my card in the Playground.  If you've never made a Never Ending Card before, Mrs A has put some really easy to follow instructions HERE. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #364 ~ Use Snippets
Crafty Sentiments Designs Fancy Folds Challenge
Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper October 2019 Challenge
HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge

Halloween Boxes

A quick post today to share a couple of photos of Halloween treat boxes I made for my great nephew and great nieces.

I used my score board to make the boxes and decorated them with a die cut spider and web. I punched two holes at the top and threaded black ric rac through, after filling the boxes with chocolate pumpkins and eyeballs. (The boxes are all the same size, who said the camera never lies!?)

I die cut letters to name each box on the back.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge ~ Use Black (A Lot or a Little)

The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #229 ~  Halloween 

Crafty Gals Corner Challenge #200 ~ Halloween Colors

The Paper Funday October Challenge #10 ~ Anything Goes with a Twist: Halloween
Crafty Cardmakers Challenge #244 ~ Halloween

Santa's Workshop

The October Rudolph Days Challenge begins today and runs until the end of the month.  Just one more Rudolph Days Challenge before Christmas! 

My card today uses one of the stamps from the Stampin' Up '#Elfie' set.  The image is coloured with Promarkers and the stars from the same stamp set were stamped with a Versa Color silver ink pad to add a little sparkle.  A strip of Christmas ribbon finished off my card.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Rudolph Days October Challenge

Sweet Christmas Stampin' October Challenge ~ Anything Christmas Goes with an optional twist of Stars

Allsorts Challenge Week 542 ~ Add Something Gold and/or Silver (silver ink for the stars)

Butterfly Never Ending Card

The fold for the Butterfly Challenge this fortnight is to make a Never Ending Card.  It's been on my list of folds to try again, after a failed attempt some time ago.  Mrs A has included a tutorial on the Butterfly Challenge blog HERE and her instructions are so easy to follow, much easier than the ones I found in a magazine!!

This is the front of the card.  All the papers I've used on my card are from the Wild Rose Studio 'Butterfly Glade' paper pack.  The butterfly is an old Spellbinders die, sadly discontinued, which die cuts and embosses two butterflies which can layered together.  I used punches for all the flowers on my card and the centres were waste from a die cut.

The second page is has a blank square to write the greeting.

This is the third part of the card......

..... which opens out to reveal the fourth page, before going back to the beginning.   I love this fold and I'm sure now I've mastered it, I'll be making many more.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Butterfly Challenge #130 ~ Never Ending Card

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper October 2019 Challenge

... and before I go, here is my first attempt at needle felting.  I'm pleased that my hubby recognised what it is supposed to be and and I'm even more pleased that I only stabbed my finger once!

Lavinia Spring Fold Card

I'm sharing a card today which I made for a recent card swap.  I sent it over a week ago, so hopefully it's arrived at its destination.  The suggested theme for the swap was 'Autumn'.

The fold is called 'Spring Fold' or sometimes a 'Pop Up Diamond Fold Card' and it's been quite a while since I made a card in this style.  The card base is cream cardstock.  I used two shades of Distress Ink on a square of white card, starting with the lighter colour and adding the darker colour around the edges.  The leaves are a Lavinia 'Vine' stamp, stamped in Versafine 'Vintage Sepia'.  The Lavinia 'Autumn Fall' stamp is stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'.  I used the lighter Distress Ink to ink over the sentiment.  The border was punched with a Martha Stewart 'Maple Leaves' border punch and I added two bigger punched leaves.  

This is a view from a different angle.

This fold is easier to do than it looks.  I've made a template to show where to cut and score.  I either start with a 10" x 5" or 12" x 6" piece of card, depending on the size of the image I want to use.  

The broken line are the score lines and the green parts of cut off.  There are several videos online which show how to fold the card more clearly than I can explain here.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Stamping Sensations October Challenge ~ Trees, Leaves, Autumn
Cardz 4 Galz Challenge # 107 ~ Shades of Brown
Lavinia World Challenges #11 ~ Anything Goes
Papercraft Challenges # 48 - Herbst / Fall
Double D Challenge ~ Silhouettes
Let's Craft and Create  Challenge #152 ~ AG + Option Colours of Fall
Crafty Catz Challenge #479 ~ Anything Goes + Optional Colours of Autumn

Crafting with friends

I always enjoy crafting with friends.  Today I spent a lovely afternoon cardmaking with three friends.  We each took a card we'd made, with the materials for everyone to reproduce our card.  This is the card I designed for everyone to make.

The image and the sentiment are both from the 'Elfie' set of stamps.  The image was stamped with Memento 'Tuxedo Black' and coloured with Promarkers.  The image is raised up on foam tape. The panel across the middle is matt silver foil with shiny silver stars.  The silver foil was waste material I got at our local scrap store.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground ~ Challenge #326

CHNC Challenge #459 ~ Anything Goes without the option

Crafty Friends Challenge #120 ~ Christmas

ABC Christmas Challenge - U is for Upcycle (silver foil)

Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge ~ Christmas

The Holly and Ivy Challenge # 58 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

I spent last weekend at a Stampin' Up retreat with a couple of crafty friends.  The retreat was close enough to come home overnight.  The two photos below show what I managed to make during the weekend, putting the finishing touches to a few things yesterday.

Sending Hugs

A quick and easy CAS card I made to send to a blogging friend.  

I added tiny lilac pearls to the centre of a few of the flowers and added a strip of ribbon to the die cut, before attaching to the card blank.  The sentiment is from the Happy Little Stampers 'Doodled Flowers' set of stamps, stamped with Versafine 'Onyx Black'. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week 540 ~ Ribbons

Little Red Wagon Challenge # 518 - Cut It Out!

HLS October Anything Goes with Dies Challenge
Dream Valley Challenge Challenge # 211 ~ Clean and Simple
Crafty Catz Challenge #477 ~ Anything Goes with an option of Ribbon, Bow Or Flower

Halloween

The October Crafty Calendar Challenge begins today with the theme 'Colours of Autumn/or Halloween'.  This month our generous sponsor is Lemon Shortbread. 

I chose to make a card using our sponsors digi stamp 'Mummy Trick or Treat' and I coloured it with Promarkers.  I die cut the image and mat with Spellbinders labels dies. The ribbon was in a half price sale in my local craft shop a few weeks ago and I thought it would be perfect for my Halloween card.  A sentiment and three black Card Candi finished off my card. 

The challenge finishes on the 28th October.   Please pop over to the Crafty Calendar Challenge blog to see all the lovely cards the DT have made.

The randomly chosen winner will win digi images from
Lemon Shortbread

and the DT will also choose a Top 3.

I am joining in the following challenges:
Allsorts Challenge - Week 540 ~ Ribbons
Little Red Wagon Challenge # 517 ~ Pumpkin Party
Crafty Catz Challenge #477 ~ Anything Goes + Ribbon option
Aud Sentiments Challenge #237 ~ Halloween/Fall + A Sentiment
I Love Promarkers Challenge #394 ~ Anything Goes + Halloween option
Tales from the Craft Room Challenge #9 ~ Halloween!

18th Birthday

A masculine card today for our next door neighbour who recently turned 18.

The image is a Tattered Lace '1960s Car', layered on Sizzix 'Stacked Labels' die cuts.  The image was raised up on foam pads.  The numbers dies are from The Works.  The dies had a candle coming out from each number, but I decided to cut them off the red numbers.  The text paper is from Anna Marie Designs and I added a thin strip of striped paper across the middle of the card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Allsorts Challenge Week 539 ~ From Boys to Men