Simple Christmas Card

Hello!

I've been playing with some simple (for me), flat(ish) Christmas cards that can be popped in the post lately... I need to get ahead this year, I am determined not to be last minute Annie as usual... well my intentions are good, even if they don't come off in reality!

Anyway, continuing with using scraps and papers I have already cut into I made this card

I really like the look of the black and green.  The grosgrain ribbon has been recycled from a towel bale, and the bauble and sentiment stamps were freebies from magazines from last year... so all in all a bargain make (as long as you don't count the cost of the towels!) The bakers twine and pearls are from my stash.

I really like this design, and will be making more using off cuts to send out this year.

Please may I enter these challenges

Jo's Scrap Shack - Anything Goes

Crafty Friends Challenge - Pearls or Gems

4 Crafty Chicks - Pearls

Winter Wonderland - Christmas with Ribbon

Really Reasonable Ribbon Challenge - Get a Headstart on Christmas with Ribbon

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Its all about the sparkle at Crafty Cardmakers and More...

Hello!

This fortnights challenge over at Crafty Cardmakers and more is 

Sparkle

 Which I think is a perfect theme for all sorts of occasions!

I'm still trying to come up with a few designs for my Christmas cards that I will be posting out, so they need to be a bit flatter, less fussy and less weighty than my normal style.  

And this is what I made.

I have die cut a circle from the top section of the card, then rubbed some black soot distress ink on the card blank behind.  After sticking the die cut panel on top, I stamped a Christmas swirl and sentiment and embossed both with silver embossing powder, then added gems and a black organza bow.  I used the die cut circle to make the sentiment panel inside the card, no waste here!

I quite like the effect of the reverse die cut, and will be making this design in a variety of colours this year.

Hope you like it

Hugs, Sue xx

Flower Power at Crafty Cardmakers and More

Hello!

How are you?  Ok I hope!  It's been mad here in my little corner of the world, what with work and getting the kids ready to go back to school today... how much stuff do two small people need!  And OMG, this year my eldest has grown so much (guess he probably can't be classed as a small person anymore!  Tee hee!!) and is now in adult size shoes... the cost difference has been huge!  Especially as he needed school shoes, trainers and football boots... I have a funny feeling he's going through a growth spurt, so think I'll be getting another new set in a few months... ho hum!

For me the start of the new school year has always meant an end to the summer as we slide gently into Autumn, our summer holiday feels a long time ago (which reminds me, I MUST print some pictures out for a couple of scrapbook pages!), the nights are definitely chillier, and I was wondering the other day how long it will be before the Christmas ranges start appearing in the shops.

With this in mind, I decided to make a start on my Christmas cards for my make over at Crafty Cardmakers and More, even though the theme is Flower Embellishments!  Well I like to pop flowers on my cards pretty much all of the time, so why not :) 

Anyway, that's enough waffle from me, here's my card

I found some old Bo Bunny Christmas papers in my stash - they are quite subtle and don't scream Christmas, which kinda suited my can't-get-into-the-Christmas-spirit-in-early-September mood :-) Some Prima flowers worked well with the colour scheme, along with some coordinating ribbon, gems, a pin and a mittens charm finished it off :-)

The image is one of my favourites from the now sadly closed Stamp Fairy, and I have coloured him with my copics, and adding a touch of sparkle here and there

That's it from me, have a creative fortnight!

Hugs

Sue xx

Make Your Own... at Top Tip Tuesday...

Hello!!  Before we start, apologies, this is along one... I've been busy!!!

This fortnights Top Tip Tuesday Challenge is to Make your Own... and I decided to make my own background, as I've not done this in ages.

Actually, before I could do that, I had to make my own tag as I don't have a large tag die.  Actually it's pretty easy, I make it half as wide as I do tall and find those proportions work for me, regardless of if it's a big tag, or little!!

I searched out my snowflake stamps and randomly stamped them all over the kraft card stock with Burnt Sugar Ink from stamping up, then got busy with my brown toned distress inks (Tea Dye, Vintage Photom Frayed Burlap, Old Paper and Antique Linen)... Messy but worth it :-)  I then cut some snowflakes out using some snowflake dies, and added some gems here and there, some lace and organza and grosgrain ribbon, and topped it off with a Saturated Fairy image

I've been practicing colouring see through fabrics, and I think I'm getting there!!

Anyway, I have been feeling creative of late, so had the idea of making some of my own Christmas decorations... Before I knew it, I'd rolled and cookie cut numerous shapes, into which I stamped with various coloured inks... the kids joined in the fun too and made several decorations for their own trees... I should have got piccies of them busily cutting and stamping, both with their tongues out in concentration... Next year!!  Anyway, here are my ones...

Apologies for the piccie overload - not that they are very good - I thought it would look better to take pics on the tree, but the lights were a bit bright, and they look SOOO much better in real life.  As is always the way when you try something new (I've not played with clay since I was at school!!)  I got far too much clay - I tried both air drying and the stuff that you pop in a low oven for a while.  I still can't decide what I prefer - the air dry stuff curls a bit as it dries, but is easy to work with and you can get a nice embossed image with not too much pressure.  The oven dried stuff is a LOT harder to work and I had to stand up and really push to get a decent embossed image!  I also found that Distress Inks didn't work very well, but Momento and Stazon types worked well... I guess like with anything new, it's trial and error!  Now the tree is finally up and decorated with baubles and my home made decorations I think it looks lovely, and they would have cost an absolute fortune if I had bought them ready made :-)  Just goes to show that we all have stamps that can be used in so many ways, it just takes a bit of lateral thinking and a bit of bravery to do it!  What's the worst that could happen - they were rubbish and went in the bin! 

Anyway I made so many (it turns out clay goes a LONG way!!) that I had plenty left to give as gifts to some of my colleagues...  I wrapped them in Kraft, added organza ribbon and continued the homemade theme with a die cut tag which has been embossed in a sparkly white embossing powder... they look really good, and much more personal than those that we all pay a fortune for in the shops!  I went for a white on black image which apparently is quite trendy at the moment - my inner goth is delighted that black is the new black, while my inner girlie is over the moon that I can add a bit of sparkle :-)

Hope you can join in our final challenge of the year!!

Please may I enter these challenges

Card:

Decorations:

Gift tags:

Many thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

Another Christmas Fairy

How hard would you think it would be to get a new cartridge for my printer... impossible it would seem if today's little venture to get some new ones - which resulted in an epic fail - grrr... the very helpful man in one shop specialising in electrical items suggested that I buy a new printer... errr.... no... I'd like cartridges for the one that I bought four months ago from this shop please... Grrr!!!

Anyhoooo... this means that while I am waiting for the ones I have got on line to arrive, I am printer less... personally I am blaming the kids for the excessive ink usage on revising their Christmas lists... oooh... about 27 times each...  

So, I am having to use what I have got printed and/or stamped already in the mean time... which means yet another fairy... sorry!!!

I used the same layout as for last weeks Bear card, but changed the image, colours, papers etc... I just had the measurements in my head and it came together really easily for something that looks really fussy!

I used some shabby pink embossing powder on the panel behind the image - not that you can see it in the pictures, but as you move the card, you get glints of gold in the pink and it looks really pretty :-)  There's glitter too on the fence and on the image, not that my silly camera has picked it up very well... honestly it's not operator error :-)

Anyway, please may I enter these challenges

One Stitch at a Time -  Anything Goes with Glitter

Corrosive Challenge - Anything Goes

The Glory of Christmas - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by, more tomorrow...

Sue xxx

Yet another Christmas Fairy...

Hello

Yes, I know I've been using this image quite a bit in the last week, but I like her, and my printer ran out of ink, and my momento has gone a bit dry (I don't think leaving the lid off of it the other week helped... oops!!), so I've been having to use what I had :-)

I popped her on a tag this time, distressed and with some shabby embossing powder added just for effect. 

I made another signpost with a drinking straw, and stamped the sentiment and popped some crackle paint over the top, although this hasn't shown up too well in the picture

Please may I enter these challenges
Challenge Up Your Life - Christmas without Christmas Stamps
Pumpkin Spice - Blue and White
Completely Christmas - Anything Goes with a twist (mine is to use a straw)
Fussy and Fancy - Snowflakes and Ribbon
Winter Wonderland - Fussy and Fancy
4 Crafty Chicks - Charms

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

Bearly in time for Christmas

Hello!!

I just had to colour Barry up again, although I kept this one a bit more simple than some of my recent cards :-) And yes, I know I've used this basic design several times before, but it works for fairly quick makes :-)

I debossed a panel to use as a background with a swirly snowflake embossing folder, and popped Barry on top :-)

Simple but I love him ;-)

Wags n Whiskers - Merry Christmas
Daring Cardmakers - Inspired by You
As You Like It - Favourite Christmas Image and why - I love this image, he is a joy to colour, suits all ages of recipient and he just makes me smile!!
Creative Knockouts - Winter Wonderland
Milk Coffee Challenge - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours
Christmas at Sweet Stampin - Winter Sports 
Crafting By Designs - Embossing

Thanks for stopping by

Sue  xxx

Keeping it simple

Hello!

I've been making more CAS cards - not my normal style, but needs must!!

In all honesty this looks SOOO much better in real life than in this photo!! 

Anyway, a short and sweet post from me today... hope you are having a great week. more tomorrow I hope

Please may I enter these challenges
Crafty Creations - Something to Die for
Little Red Wagon - Anything Christmas Themed

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Fairy Magical Christmas

 Hello again ;-)

I have been colouring my new Saturated Canary Image again!  I know she isn't really a Christmas image, but I think I can get away with it!

I've teamed her with some more papers from Live and Love Crafts, and a snowflake die cut, plus a charms, lace, button, gems and ribbons from my stash

Just love colouring this image, and I'm getting there colouring transparent fabric :-)

I also love the velvet ric rac at the bottom, its scrummy!!

 During my last little spend up at Live and Love, I got some drinking straws.  I wasn't quite sure what to do with these, but they are more sturdy than the ones I remember from my childhood, and I thought lent themselves to being a signpost quite well!!

 

 Anyway, that's it from me today, hope you have a great week

Please can I enter these challenges
Creative Card Crew - Anything Goes
Cutting and Stamping Challenge - Christmas
Sweet Stamps - Non Traditional Christmas Colours
Tuesday Throwdown - Christmas

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Beary Happy Christmas

Hello!

I know, three posts in three days, whatever next!!

Anyway... I thought I'd share this card

I have to say, this card is one of my favourites!   I've used more papers from Live and Love Crafts, along with another Barry the Bear image, which I have coloured out and popped on a die cut circle which has been distressed with distress inks, over stamped and dotted with shabby embossing powder.  The panel behind the circle has been de-bossed with an embossing folder

There's lace, a charm, ribbon, and a button on here too, and I have glittered parts of the fence die cut to make it look frosty too

 

The sentiment has been stamped on the edge of a spellbinders die cut. and the edges distressed, I punched snowflakes out and added pearls here and there, and stitched all of the main panels, and some cheesecloth behind the image panel

As I said, I'm really happy with how this one turned out :-)

 

Please may I enter these challenges

Come and Get It Challenges  - Merry Christmas

Jellypark Challenge - Ribbons/Bows

Pile It On - Anything Goes Holiday/Christmas

Papertake Weekly - Last Christmas

Through the Craftroom Door - Anything Goes

Crafty Boots - Merry Christmas

Crafty Cardmakers - Christmas

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xx

Frosty Fairy

Hello... 

I've been busy in the last couple of days making all the Christmas cards I should have done already... I'm soooo up against it, but hey nothing like a bit of pressure to get the creative mojo going :-)

Here's the first one - using some lovely papers and lace from Live and Love Crafts, some silver organza ribbon, a die cut, with some dome shaped gems

and some chunky embossing powder, accenting the Saturated Canaary Image

and an oversized sentiment (Bo Bunny I think) from a couple of years ago... I put some glitter here and there, but it's not really visible in the picture... humf!!

oh and some pins, a charm and a sparkly button

I really love the feel of this one - really frosty and wintery

 

Please can I enter these challenges

 A Gem of a Challenge - Anything Christmas

Crafts 4 Eternity -Christmas

Cut It Up - Button Christmas

Digitally Sweet - Non-Traditional Christmas Colours

Cupcake Inspirations - Picture Inspiration

Sentimental Sundays - Anything Goes

Thanks for stopping by

Sue

xx

Simple Christmas Cards

Hello!!

I've been busy this weekend, bulk making Christmas cards... I left it a bit late, and have had to go down the quick and simple route for the majority of my cards.

I had some mini (well 9 x 9cm) card blanks in my drawer and I got cracking, bulk making cards...

I think they look lovely, with a background stamp stamped on top of the green card stock with Bundled Sage distress ink, and the sentiment added to the pennant (I don't have a pennant die cut, so cut my own - I did make a template first though, to make sure I got the dimensions right!) I found a couple of snowflake dies from years ago... I rarely reach for these, but they are a lot quicker than dies when making in bulk!  Some co-coordinating twine tied in a little bow finishes these off .  Actually, all the cardstock I used was scraps - far too small to be usable on a big project, so these have been made for next to nothing :-)

And once I got going I had 14 made quite quickly.  The bonus of hand cutting the pennants is that I had a reverse too!!

I really like how these turned out - quick, simple, but stunning...

Please may I enter these challenges

Fantasy Stampers Challenge - CAS Christmas

Hiding in my Craftroom - Super Scraps Saturday

Brown Sugar Challenge - Red White and Green

Fab n Funky - Christmas

A Crafty Mess - Anything goes/Traditional Christmas

Chocolate, Coffee and Cards Challenge - Christmas
Crafty Catz - Last Minute Christmas

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week

Sue xxx

Inspiration from your Home with Top Tip Tuesday

Hello... can you believe another two weeks have gone by and it's time for another challenge at Top Tip Tuesday... which is to be inspired from something in your home.

It's a bit more is more. with lace, ribbon, buttons, pearls, pins, charms, cheesecloth, a doily, and die cuts on here, along with some lovely papers from Live and Love Crafts. And my inspiration is this teddy, which is my son's (yes both of them have one each, it saves arguments)

His scarf , hat and nose, just reminded me of this little fellow from the now sadly closed Stamp Fairy, and I have fussy cut him out after colouring him with my copics, and added some lovely shabby embossing powder to the panel at the back.  Just a touch of glitter to his hat... just love him :-)

I decorated the inside to match, nothing fussy... I think I'd run out of steam after the front :-)

I tucked a hidden tag in here too

And stamped a Stampin' Up sentiment onto white card, cut it out and plonked a load of crackle glaze on top :-)

Thanks for stopping by

Sue xxx

Skating Along...

Hello!!  How are you?  OK I hope?  It's got mighty chilly here in my little corner of the UK this week... brrrr...

Anyway, it's made me get cracking with my Christmas cards, starting with this little cutie from Lili of the Valley.  Again, its a fairly basic design, perfect for quick mass makes

The image is coloured with my trusty copics and blinged up just a little bit :-)

I will try to post again this week, but you know what I'm like :-)

Thanks for stopping by

Sue  xxx

Buttons or Bows at Top Tip Tuesday

Hello - how has two weeks gone past so quickly?  It's only a month until Christmas and I am pleased to say I'm doing quite well, and I'm hoping that this year I won't be in the disorganised rush that I normally am in!  

I've been cracking on making seasonal cards too - and just love this one that I have made for this fortnights Top Tip Tuesday challenge

I used some scrummy papers that I got last year from Live and Love Crafts, and teamed them with Bunny Christmas Lights from this fortnights sponsor Zlatoena.   I've used a sentiment I found in my stash - no idea when I got it or when, but it's a wooden one so must be quite old!

Why are Christmas lights so complicated, and how is it mine always end up tangled no matter how carefully I put them away! :-)  He's coloured with Copics, and I've dotted glossy accents on the bulbs

The inside has been decorated to match

That's it from me today - hope you can join in with this fortnights challenge

Hugs, Sue

xx

I found Barry!!!

Hello again :-)

There is a little tale to today's card.  As some of you know we were burgled earlier in the year, and one of the things that was taken were laptops.  Now it didn't occur to me to check that all my digi images had been backed up at the time, there was so much going on and I just didn't think of it.  Then the insurance paid out, and still I didn't think... it was only when I started making my Christmas cards that I suddenly realised that I couldn't find some of my Christmas images that I got last year... irritating, but not the end of the world, as I could rebuy the ones I wanted right?   Including The super cute Barry the Bear from Stamp Fairy

Wrong!! As Stamp Fairy had closed their doors the week before... my timing was dreadful!  Lamenting the loss of Barry I started trawling through every memory stick and hard drive in the house I could find, in the hope that Barry would re-appear.  And there he was, backed up on HB's work hard-drive... no idea how he ended up there, but I was very pleased to see him again.

Anyhooo, here's Barry, getting ready for a skiing adventure :-)

  

I have to say, he doesn't look super confident!!

You can just see the ski charm I got from Live and Love Crafts tucked away in there

The ticket sentiment is from Stampin' Up!, and I've covered it in crackle paint, before popping layering it over a Memory Box snowflake

The tag is tucked away behind the image - I couldn't resist using Indigo Blu guilding flakes to create the Christmas tree (image and greeting were freebies from a Magazine)

The papers are from Live and Love Crafts, love the Scandinavan feel to these papers,  I've embossed the panel behind the sentiment, and got the distress inks out again :-)

Thanks for looking

Please may I enter these challenges
Cosmic Colour Challenge - colour inspiration
Milk Coffee Challenge - Lots of Embellishments

Enjoy the rest of your weekend

Sue xx