We Love Stamping November Reminder

Today is the 18th so time for a reminder for the current challenge over at We Love Stamping. The challenge where we love to see you using your stamps. 

Our theme this month is:

**Christmas**

OR

Anything Goes

These are my favourite Christmas trees. They are a stamp by Chocolate Baroque called Christmas tree tangle, which I have had for several years. I decided to keep this one simple and let those trees shine. They were stamped onto glossy black cardstock with versamark and heat embossed in white. I decided to add interest by using a circle so simply matted onto white and then black and then onto a square white 5.5inch card. Before doing that I cut a mask for the trees and splattered the background with a white paint pen. It kind of worked, but the splatters are small. Not sure if that matters.

The sentiment by Uniko is stamped in black and clear heat embossed. I also stamped the trees in black on the envelope and white insert and used a little white pigment ink under the trees.

Don't forget there is always a prize to be won and This month there are three prizes of Sweet Dixie Christmas die sets from Aldridge Crafts. Why don't you head over to the challenge blog to check it out? The prize winner is selected randomly and in addition the DT will choose a top three for special mention.

I hope I have inspired you to join us this month, all you have to do is ensure that stamping (including digi) is featured somewhere your card. It would be great if you could join in with our theme, but anythings goes is always an option if you are out of ideas. The challenge will close at noon (UK time) on Wednesday 4th December.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

Thanks So Much

Today I am just popping in quickly to share a thank you card with The Flower Challenge were the theme is thanks.

I sent this card to the chap who fixed my foiling machine. I wanted to show him what the machine did, so it was the first thing I made with it after it was fixed. I have used it loads since. It is my current favourite thing. This plate is actually a press plate called kaleidoscope flowers by Spellbinders, I have used it so many times that I have lost count! I foil my pressplates more often than I press them. The 'thanks' is by Alex Syberia and the 'so much' is from Yana's special sentiments, a Spellbinders glimmer hotfoil set.

Unfortunately I had to cut the panel down a little so it would fit a metric A6 card and also because the foiling wasn't clean on the edges! The picture above shows the shine better and I did a little video so you can see it properly.

I have found that foiling works best on coated cardstock and the best of those I have tried is Tim Holtz alcohol ink cardstock. It has a wonderful smooth shiny surface that takes foil really well. It is also great if you want to colour the image with alcohol markers. Any stray foiling also cleans off it really well.

Of course I made more than 1:

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

We Love Stamping November Challenge

Today is the first Sunday of the month so time for a new challenge over at We Love Stamping. 

Each month a member of the design team will be selecting a theme to reflect their own individual style of crafting or favourite themes. On the remaining months we will continue as before with a general theme along with an anything goes option, as previously.

Our theme this month is:

**Christmas**

OR

Anything Goes

I have to admit that Christmas is not my favourite time of year and making Christmas cards is not my favourite pastime either, but it comes round every year and every year I manage to do my bit and make my cards. I just moan about it a lot!

When I went to the Festival of Quilts at the NEC in August this year I managed to resist buying fabric, but Colourcraft (they make Brusho paint) had a stall there and they were selling a few stamps, which I liked the look of, so I bought a few. The little Christmas tree and the concentric circle were among them.

I had made a few alcohol ink panels recently and decided to use them for backgrounds on these cards. That is what determined my non traditional colours. I have had a pad of alcohol lift ink in my stash for ages (probably more than 2 years) and hadn't used it so I decided to try it with my circle stamp and was quite pleased with the look. The sweet little patchwork tree was stamped and heat embossed in white onto Hunky Dory adorable scorable coated card and then fussy cut. I used the same card to make the scalloped matt and then mounted the panel onto a paler cardbase (also adorable scorable). The sentiment, by Uniko, was stamped and heat embossed.

Of course, I made a few more while I was at it.

Don't forget there is always a prize to be won and This month there are three prizes of Sweet Dixie Christmas die sets from Aldridge Crafts. Why don't you head over to the challenge blog to check it out? The prize winner is selected randomly and in addition the DT will choose a top three for special mention.

I hope I have inspired you to join us this month, all you have to do is ensure stamping (including digi) is seen somewhere on your card front, it no longer needs to be the main focus. Please also mention the products used. It would be great if you could join in with our theme, but anythings goes is always an option if you are out of ideas. The challenge will close at noon (UK time) on Wednesday 4th December.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

I am also sharing this at:

NBUS #68 - The Christmas Tree and Circle stamp are NBUS

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

October CCC Reveal

Today is 2nd of the month so time for the Card Chain Challenge big reveal. This month 28 card makers took part and I sent my card to Tina in Slovenia.

This month I tried to use the colours and the options of needle and thread and plaid.

The stitching die is called sparkling mandal by spellbinders. I stitched it with lilac and marigold thread and cut it from some card that I thought was like old rose.

The plaid background is made with 2 Concord & 9th dies called plaid card front thick and thin. The sentiment is a Spellbinders pressplate and die. The insert is pearlescent paper and I cut the corner with the stitching die.

I always love stitching on cards, but don't do it myslelf very often. So I am pleased I made the effort with this one.

I was very lucky to receive this gorgeous card from Gundi in Germany

Thanks Gundi, I love it.

If you would like to take part in the next card chain challenge, you have until 6th to sign up here

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it. 

We Love Stamping October Reminder

Today is the 18th so time for a reminder for the current challenge over at We Love Stamping. The challenge where we love to see you using your stamps. 

This month Emma has chosen our theme which is:

**Autumn**

or

Anything Goes

For this card I started with a circle stencil and blended 3 colours of Catherine Pooler inks. Unfortunately I seem to have forgotten exactly which colours I used! I then used another stencil by the Crafters Workshop to add a bit more interest to the background. The leaf stamp is called Happy Days by Uniko. I stamped and heat embossed it with clear embossing powder and then added a few gold flecks with gold embossing powder. The sentiment, from the same stamp set, was heat embossed in gold.

I cut the panel with a scalloped frame die and then matted it with some matt gold card. A few tiny gems finished it off. The insert was stamped and stencilled and I added the leaves to the envelope too.

I have to say that this didn't turn out how I wanted it. I think the colour on the circles is too rich and the gold flecks don't look that great to me, but there we go. It'll have to do.

Don't forget there is always a prize to be won and this month there are 3 prizes from AALL and Create, border stamps, A6 stamp and two stencils Why don't you head over to the challenge blog to check it out? The prize winner is selected randomly and in addition the DT will choose a top three for special mention.

I hope I have inspired you to join us this month, all you have to do is ensure stamping (including digi) is seen somewhere on your card front, it no longer needs to be the main focus. Please also mention the products used. It would be great if you could join in with our theme, but anythings goes is always an option if you are out of ideas. The challenge will close at noon (UK time) on Wednesday 30th October.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog today, I really appreciate it.