Friendship

One last Christmas card.... for this month anyway!  It's the last day of Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge, so I thought I'd use one on Beccy's lovely images and sentiments on my Double Z Fold card.

The image and sentiment are both from the 'Snowman' set of digi stamps and I coloured the image with Promarkers, before covering the white of the snowman with a clear Wink of Stella glitter brush to add some sparkle. The patterned papers are from an old Lili of the Valley 'Frosty Christmas' paper pad.  The snowflake is a Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflake' die cut.  My white glitter card looked off white against the rest of the card, so I cut the snowflake with plain white card and glittered it with the Wink of Stella glitter brush.

The photo shows the card open, revealing the space to write the message.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #135 ~ Cute Christmas

Double 'D' Challenge ~ Winter Blues

I Love Promarkers Challenge #424 ~ Anything Goes + Option of Christmas

Passion For Promarkers Challenge - Week 570 ~ Glitter & Sparkle

Thinking of you at Christmas Time

A Christmas card today that has already arrived at its destination across the other side of the Atlantic.

I like this SU sentiment, especially for cards going to someone who will find celebrating Christmas difficult this year.  The poinsettias are made with Spellbinder dies, which cut and emboss.  I added tiny yellow pearls to the centres. The patterned paper is from a paper pad I bought in The Works.  It has a zigzig pattern on, so perfect for Beccy's Challenge for the last letter of the alphabet.

The top of the front of the card is cut off.  I added a strip of the patterned paper to the inside of the card.  Three tiny yellow pearls above the sentiment finished off my card.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ Day 29 - Z for Zigzag

Allsorts Challenge Week 600 ~ Christmas Flowers, Wreaths and Trees

Cut It Up Challenge #214 ~ Christmas

Moving Along With The Times Challenge #124 ~ Christmas Flowers

Love Cats

A change from Christmas cards today - an anniversary card I made for friends of ours.

I started by sticking a red mat to the scalloped card base and added a second, slightly smaller mat of mottled, pale blue card.  The cats were die cut with a Marianne 'French Cats' die.   The hearts were the waste from Memory Box 'Heart of Hearts' die cut.  I die cut the lampost from matt silver card, using a Poppystamps 'Antique Lamppost' die.  I used a MFT 'Fresh Cut Grass' die with plain green card and added a strip of green and white dotty patterned paper. Everything, apart from the card blank and two mats, was snippets so I'll be sharing my card over in the Snippets Playground.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Pixie's Snippets Playground Challenge #391 ~ Use Snippets

Krafty Chicks Challenge #535 ~ All Occasions

Cuttlebug Mania Challenge ~ Include a Cat

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge

CAS Snowflake Card

The November Rudolph Days Challenge begins today,  the last challenge of 2020.   Where has the year gone?!  

The snowflake is a Stampin' Up die which I borrowed from a friend.  It die cuts apertures into the card in the shape of a snowflake.  I die cut snowflake into a white square and layered it on a slightly larger red mat.  The SU sentiment stamp was stamped with a Versafine 'Satin Red' ink pad.  Another quick and easy CAS card to make, so I made a batch of six.  I think I probably have made too many Christmas cards for this year, so I've made a good start on cards for Christmas 2021! 😉

I am joining in the following challenges:

November Rudolph Days Challenge 

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ V for Vermilion

Plaid Trees

Another gap Christmas card today.

This time I used a tree stamp from the Stampin' Up 'Perfectly Plaid' set of stamps to fill the gap.  The sentiment was stamped with a green ink pad, which I used also used for stamping one of the trees.  The patterned paper was a snippet left over  from a previous project.  This cards was fairly quick to make, so I made a batch of half a dozen. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ T for Tree

The Holly and Ivy Christmas Challenge # 84 - Anything Christmas Goes

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #517 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Football Fan Snowman

Anyone who regularly visits my blog will know that I often make cards in blue and white for friends and family who support our local football team.   Christmas is no exception and I always try to make a few Christmas cards in blue and white.  As our rival team play in red, I try not to include any red, which is why the poinsettias are coloured in cream like some of the ones we see around at this time of year. 

The card base is a Presscut 'Step Card' die cut.  The image is one of the digi stamp from Beccy's Place 'Snowman' set, which I coloured with Promarkers.  I added Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflakes' die cuts down the side.  A layered sentiment and two snowflake brads finished off my card. 

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ S for Step card, Snowman, Scarf and Snowflakes

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #517 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Crafty Catz Challenge #528 ~ Anything Goes with an option of Christmas

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #135 ~ Cute Christmas

C.R.A.F.T. Challenge #577 ~ Christmas

Double 'D' Challenge ~ Winter Blues

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Christmas

Allsorts Challenge #599 ~ Using the Christmas option

Poinsettia

I have another Christmas card to share today.

I started by folding back 2" of the card front and stuck it down with double-sided tape.  I cut two strips of patterned paper from a paper pad I bought in The Works.  I attached one piece to the folded part on the front and the other on the edge of the inside.  The poinsettia is a Spellbinders die and I added tiny yellow pearls to the centre.  I layered the poinsettia on Memory Box 'Stitched Circle Layers' die cuts and raised up the red circle on foam pads.  

This photo shows the card open.

I am joining in the following challenges:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ R for Red

Craft Rocket Challenge #76 ~ Christmas/Winter

Moving Along With the Times Challenge #124 ~ Christmas Flowers

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Christmas

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #517 ~ R for Red

Butterflies and a Penguin

Two cards to share today.

 

The Butterfly Challenge this time the letter F.   Each challenge has an optional fold to try and this time it's a Flag Fold.  I haven't seen this type of fold before, but it is much easier than it looks.  Mrs A has put an easy to follow tutorial HERE.

 

My card has incorporated all the elements - Flag Fold Card/ Fabric/French Pink/ Forest Green/Flaxen + a Butterfly.  The patterned paper is from a 12" x 12" Papermania paper pad, which I've had forever!  I used some flaxen coloured hessian. The white Memory Box 'Stitched Circle Layer' die cut was ghost stamped with a Stampin' Up flower stamp, although it doesn't show up very well in the photo.  The SU sentiment is stamped in metallic gold, which was the closest colour I could find to match the hessian.  I added two stamped flowers and added green Nuvo Crystal Drop centres.  The green leaves are punched.  The white circle was layered on a pearlised pink Memory Box 'Stitched Scalloped Circle' die cut and raised up on foam pads.

When the card is opened, it reveals the flag part.  I die cut the white squares with a Memory Box 'Stitched Square Layers' die and hand cut a smaller pink squares.  I added die cut butterflies to two of the squares.  I left the middle square plain to write the message. 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Butterfly Challenge #149 ~ F for Flag Fold - using all the elements

Fab 'n' Funky Challenge #503 ~ Hand Stamped or Die Cut Sentiment

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge

My second card is a Christmas card.  The design was perfect for batch making and measures just 4" x 4".

 

The image is a Hero Arts stamp, stamped with Versafine Clair 'Nocturne' and coloured with Promarkers.  I punched the image and layered it on a Memory Box 'Stitched Scalloped Circle' die cut.  The background was embossed with an old Crafter's Companion Christmas text embossing folder - I'm not sure of the name as there is nothing printed on the e/f.  I stamped 'Merry Christmas' inside the card.

I am joining in the following challenges:

1. Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ P for Penguin

2. Simon Says Wednesday Challenge ~ Christmas

3. Try it on Tuesday Challenge ~Traditional Christmas Colours

4. The Crafter's Cafe Challenge #255 ~ Embossing, Wet or Dry

5. Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #516

6. As You Like It Challenge ~ Snowmen or Penguins (my favourite are penguins - I love watching them swim underwater, they always look like they're flying.)

7. Let's Squash It Challenge #2 ~ Christmas and Stamps

Christmas Cards

Two more Christmas cards to share today.

I used my Spellbinders 'Pop-Ups - Happy Days' die HERE for a birthday card.  Before I packed it away, I used it again with red card for this Christmas card.  The patterned paper is from an old Docraft paper pad I bought in a closing down sale several years ago.  The embossing was done with a Crafter's Companion 'Snowflakes' embossing folder.  I layered the Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflakes' die cuts onto red and white mats.  The sentiment is a stamp is from the Stampin' Up 'Greatest Part of Christmas' set, stamped with Versafine 'Satin Red'.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ O for Owls

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November 2020 challenge

A second Christmas card using the same Crafter's Companion 'Snowflakes' embossing folder. The snowflakes are all from the Memory Box 'Twilight Snowflakes' set of dies.  I finished off my card with a piece of ribbon, before layering on a blue mat.  A quick and easy CAS card this time.

 

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #516 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Christmas and Thank You Cards

Another Christmas card to share today. 

I used a set of preloved Pretty Quick 'Silent Night' dies I bought a couple of years ago.  I die cut the Nativity scene in navy blue.  The words and small stars were backed with yellow card, before layering on a piece of blue ombré card.  I then inlaid the large star and halo with yellow card.  The large decorative mat is die cut using silver holographic card - which was a nightmare to try and photograph!

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ N for Nativity

Allsorts Challenge Week 598 ~ Anything Goes with a Candle, Light and all things Bright (Stars)

Dragonfly Dreams Challenge ~ Christmas/Winter

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #134 ~ Silver and/or Gold

Craft Rocket Challenge #76 ~ Christmas/Winter

Krafty Chicks Challenge #533 ~ Christmas

Little Red Wagon Challenge #575 ~ Non-traditional Christmas Colors

The Holly and Ivy Challenge #83 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Simon Says Monday Challenge ~ Happy Holidays

My second card uses a digi stamp I chose with a gift voucher I won a month or two ago in the Butterfly Challenge.  The digi stamp is Bugaboo 'Floral Butterfly Thank you', which I coloured with Promarkers.  I layered the image on a green and a yellow mat.  

I am joining in the following challenges:

Catch the Bug November Challenge ~ Thankful

Crafty Gals Challenge #213 ~ Thankful!

Twofer Stars

The theme of the Twofer Challenge this month is 'Stars'.  Two cards with different design, for two different occasions (except this month only, when both cards can be for Christmas), using the same die, stamp or stencil. I was delighted to be invited to be a Guest Designer this month and I thought I'd join in the challenge with a second pair of cards.  Looking through my dies, stamps and stencils, I realised that I was a bit short on stars, so I reread the rules and punches can be used instead of dies. So I set to work with a couple of star punches. 

 

I used two star punches on both cards, the large one was a Woodware punch and smaller one an Xcut punch.

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

My brother is celebrating a big birthday at the end of this month and this is the card I made for him.  The card shape was made with a Spellbinders 'Pop-Ups - Happy Days' die.  The papers are from Dovecraft 'Blue Skies' paper pad.  The computer generated sentiment was punched with a Stampin' Up punch and the blue mat hand cut.  I added some of the smaller stars to the front of the card.

I layered small white stars onto the large navy stars.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Cardz 4 Guyz Challenge #257 ~ Birthday for an Adult Male

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge

My second card uses the same two star punches.  The papers are from an old Trimcraft Christmas paper pad.  I punched the stars from gold glitter card to add a little sparkle.

This photo shows the card when opened.....

..... and this photo shows the inside of the card where the message will be written.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ M for 'Merry' Christmas

Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge #516 ~ Anything Christmas Goes + Optional Use Some Glitter

Cardz 4 Galz Challenge #134 ~ Silver and/or Gold

Pink Album

We're in the middle of another lockdown here in the UK.  No mixing with other households and no 'non-essential' travel, whatever that is supposed to mean.  It was my birthday last Wednesday, so no celebrating with friends and family.  But hey ho, hubby and I are keeping safe and well and hopefully that will continue.  Looking out of the window today, watching the rain pouring down and the listening to the wind howling, it's a perfect day for doing a bit of crafting and blog visiting.

Something different to share today, a little album I made for a craft swap.  It's ready for the recipient to add their own photos.

Does anyone else keep all the little snippets of patterned paper from a paper pad after finishing a project?  This seemed a perfect opportunity to use some of them up.  All the papers were from a Dovecraft paper pad.  A used a few whole sheets of 6 x 6 papers, but as all the sheets coordinated, I could use up lots of little snippets as well.  Most of the patterns could go in either direction, which made it easier to use even small pieces.  I added a little die cut butterfly (cut from another snippet) to the front and the album is kept closed with organza ribbon.

It opens to reveals lots of pages to decorate with photographs.

I am joining in the following challenges with my album:

Country View November Challenge ~ Anything But A Card

Pixie's Snippets Playground - Challenge #390 ~ Use snippets

Craftyhazelnut's Patterned Paper November Challenge

Another Christmas card to share today.

 

 I found a piece of card I'd coloured with alcohol inks some time ago and it seemed perfect for a winter night's sky.  I used a Memory Box 'Quiet Cabin Landscape' die with white glitter card and added a little piece of yellow card behind the house to light up the windows.  The sentiment is a Sue Wilson 'Merry Christmas Trim' die cut and I added tiny clear gems for the stars.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

Beccy's Month of Holiday Cards Challenge ~ L for Landscape

Jingle Belles Challenge ~ Use a least one see-through element (Clear gems)

Craft Rocket Challenge #76 ~ Christmas/Winter

ABC Christmas Challenge - W for Winter Wonderlamd

Little Red Wagon Challenge #575 - Non-traditional Christmas Colors

CHNC Challenge #516 ~ Anthing Christmas Goes (without the option)

Twofer Challenge

I was delighted to be asked to be a Guest Designer for the Twofer Challenge #33.  The the theme this month is 'Stars', two card with different designs, for two different occasions, using the same stamp, die or stencil. 

 

The die I used on both my cards was the MFT 'Peek-a-Boo Stars' die.  It die cuts five rows of tiny stars.

 

I'm looking forward to seeing all the ways stars are used in the November Twofer Challenge Challenge.

 

For my first card I used the die with a piece of navy blue card and backed it with silver non-shed glitter card.  I cut off the bottom of the white card front and attached the navy blue card die cut card to the top.  The trees are NBUS dies from the Sizzix 'Winter Trees' set of dies and stamps.  After cutting off the middle section of the card front, I attached the three trees to join the card together again.  To make the trees more stable, I glued plain white die cut trees to the back.  The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up 'Perfectly Plaid' set of stamps and stamped with a green metallic ink pad.

I am joining in the following challenges with this card:

NBUS Challenge #20 ~ Use never-before-used-schtuff!

The Holly and the Ivy Christmas Challenge #83 ~ Anything Christmas Goes

Dream Valley Challenge # 236 ~ Dies and/or Punches

A Perfect Time To Craft November Challenge #11 ~ Anything Goes

Dragonfly Dreams November Challenge ~ Christmas/Winter

I used the same die with navy blue card on my second card, but this time I cut the die cut into strips and backed with yellow card.  The quote is a very old wood mounted stamp which I've had for 10+ years, stamped in navy.  The moon was coloured with a fine yellow Sharpie pen.  I used the star strips to make a frame.  The sentiment is another old wood mounted stamp, also stamped in navy, and layered on a navy mat. 

I am joining the following challenges with this card:

Retro Rubber Challenge #147 ~ Anything Goes!