Snowflake Decorations

Today I have a quick post for River of Creativity #7 where the theme is The Gift. I have made some gifts with these dies from Claina Palmer. There are 24 dies that can be mixed and matched to make really pretty snowflakes.

Here is what I made with them:

I am hoping it is obvious what this is, but in case it isn't, it is a Christmas tree decoration. I used 2 different sparkly papers for this and 2 different snowflake die shapes. Each shape was cut 6 times in each paper. I could then stick the papers back to back so that I made a decoration that can be seen from the front and back and have a slightly different look.

I hope the following pictures demonstrate that.

Here is another one:

I also made boxes:

Eight in all:

I shan't bore you by showing all 8 decorations, but I think you get the picture. I love how these turned out, the possibilities are endless. The only downside is the time it takes to diecut all the little pieces. They are attached together with a white brad in the centre. If you saw my shaker card last week you will now know where all the little shaker circles came from.

I am also sharing this at:

Through the craft room door - Anything Goes

Supplies:

Cardstock: Hobbycraft glitter effect card; Hobbycraft no shed liver glitter card

Dies: Blooming 'ansome Snowflake edition by Claina Palmer

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

Christmas Shaker

Today I have a shaker card that I made with two challenges in mind, but before I tell you about my card I have to say how excited I was to find new frame dies.

I have been looking for some interesting frame dies suitable for A6 cards for a very long time as the only ones I had are stitched rectangles, which are great but sometimes it is good to have some variety. Finally I found some by Lisa Horton. There are 2 dies in this set the frame and a flowers outline that cuts out inside the frame when used together. I have just used the frame here, I was so excited to find these that I bought the 3 different sets as each frame has a different design. This is despite me telling myself that I mustn't buy anything else for a while! I don't know why there is very little choice when it comes to A6 cards, I am sure I can't be alone in wanting to see more options. Most UK manufactured nesting dies seem to be made for much larger cards. I have now resorted to buying US sized paper so that A2 dies fit properly. Anyway gripe over, back to my card.

I thought this wintry scene would make a good shaker card if I could make my shaker elements look like snow or stars. I have been making lots of snowflake ornaments recently and each die cut element produced a small circle. I collected up the circles and then glued them back to back so it wouldn't matter which way round they were in the shaker. They are made from 4 different types of sparkly paper. It was quite a fiddle, but I am pleased with the result. I finished off with some stickles glitter glue to give some shine.

Once I had completed the shaker card I decided to make some more cards with this die. For the ones below I used up some scraps of backgrounds.

For the final 3 I just mounted the panels onto some different coloured glitter effect card - so simple. You can see the different frame dies on these cards too. I think you will be seeing them a lot in the future.

My snippets are the shaker elements that are die cut waste, the black card background found in my snippets box and the shaker window.

I am also sharing this at:

Christmas Kickstarter #56 - Christmas Snippets

NBUS #32 - Both dies have been used for the first time on these cards

Festive Friday #ff0097 - Circles, shaker card, frames

Supplies:

Cardstock: White stamping card; black card; Hobby Craft glitter effect card

Ink: Versafine onyx black

Stamps: Uniko

Dies: Creative Expressions, cottage snow globe scene; Lisa Horton tatty layers lily rose panel

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

We Love Stamping Nov Reminder

It's time for a mid month reminder over at We Love Stamping where the theme is:

** Christmas**

Everyone is making Christmas cards at the moment so there is no excuse not to join us.

I think this little snowman stamp is one of the first stamps I ever bought, so it is a bit of a shame that I haven't used him much. He is designed to be doodled on, so I stamped him in black and took a black fineliner and doodles. His hat, scarf and buttons are coloured with gelly roll sparkle pens and the background is done with alcohol markers.

I diecut the image, found some glitter effect card (a recent find in Hobbycraft), diecut that and added some shiny foiled washi tape to add a bit of extra interest. This was mounted on a piece of black linen effect card and then onto a white cardbase. The sentiment is from Uniko.

What a happy looking snowman he is. 

I hope I have inspired you to join us this month, all you have to do is follow the prompt and ensure stamping is the main focus on your card. I am also happy to say that there are some fabulous prizes prizes to be won. The challenge will close on the 1st December.

Supplies:

Cardstock: White 300gsm card; Glitter effect card

Ink: versafine, onyx black; Fine liner pen; Gelly Roll sparkle pens

Stamps: Leane Creativ doodle stamps

Dies: Claina Palmer double stitched A6 nesting dies

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

Gold and Silver

Today I am really please to be joining in with Color Hues #30 as a guest designer, but unfortunately there was something about my post that got blocked by blogger so it didn't publish on time. I am hoping that by re writing the post it might work. I have no idea what the problem was, the message just said it violated guidelines!

The colours for this challenge are gold and silver so I decided to have a go with my hot foil quill from we are memory keepers and my scan n cut. I am quite pleased with how it worked. I hope you like it. The panel was cut with a scalloped frame die and a couple of die cut snowflakes were added. They are very sparkly, the panel was mounted on some of the same sparkly silver paper but unfortunately you can't see it in the photos.

Thanks so much to all at color hues for having me and I hope you get a chance to join in, who doesn't love gold and silver? I bet the gallery will be really special this time.

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

November CAS Mix Up Reminder

Today is 15th of the month so time for a reminder for our current challenge over at CAS Mix Up. This month we are using stencils and Loll is our host. She wants us to create a monoprint with our stencils.

My Scan N Cut has been sadly neglected in recent times, but I decided to get it out and have a play with my WRMK Foil Quills as I have been admiring all the foiled cards I have seen recently. I decided the trick to using hot foil and the quills is to have the right image, so when I saw these on Etsy I had to buy them. This is the first card I made using them and it worked a treat, I hope you can appreciate the shine.

However, this challenge is about stencils and creating a monoprint so I thought it would look good to fill the circle in the design with my monoprint so I found this stencil by Funky Fossil. I masked off the surrounding panel, inked and spritzed my stencil and then printed it in the circle space. It fitted perfectly and didn't leak under the mask (I was so happy about that). The sentiment was foiled onto vellum with my Scan N Cut too.

I decided to make another card using this design. I just changed how I did the sentiment, the framing and I used a piece of coloured card. Which do you prefer?

I used distress oxide for this one. Unfortunately the camera didn't capture the colour of the cardstock on close up. 

You have until 24th to join us and don't forget to visit the blog to get more inspiration and some links to technique videos to help.

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery. 

This is the last post for CAS Mix Up this year. We take a break in December, so see you in January 2022. Have a wonderful Christmas break.

I have made some more cards with these lovely flowers and my trusty Scan N Cut, which I am happy to be using again. I will share them at some point I expect.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Stamping card; 160gsm coloured card; Adorable scorable coated card

Ink: Distress ink

Dies: Stitched rectangle frame dies

Stamp: All my love sentiment, Concord & 9th

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

We Love Stamping

Today is a very special day as it heralds the first post for our new rebranded challenge We Love Stamping. Our new name reflects what the challenge is all about. As a team of dedicated stampers we are really excited to be going forward with you all and sharing creations made with any make of stamp. 

This month out theme is:

*** Christmas ***

Well what else could it be?

This card is actually really sparkly, but I couldn't get my photos to show it. I started by blending distress ink on a piece of white card. The baubles were then stamped and masked and then the pine fronds were stamped. I then coloured the baubles with metallic pens and used sparkle pens for the backgrounds.

I used some sparkly metallic thread to 'hang' my baubles and made little bows that I attached separately.  The sentiment was heat embossed with a glitter embossing powder. To finish it off I blended some darker green round the edges, trimmed the panel and added a strip of green mirri card to the edge.

When the lights come on the card really shines.

I hope you will support our new challenge, all you have to do is follow the prompt and ensure stamping is the main focus on your card. Each month a guest designer will be selected from all entries in addition to a top 3. I am also happy to say that there are some fabulous prizes prizes to be won. The challenge will close on the 1st December.

I am also sharing this at:

Addicted to Stamps and More - Christmas

Supplies:

Cardstock: White stamping card; Hobbycraft green foil paper

Ink: Distress ink; Gelli Roll sparkle pens; Pentel Slicci metalic pens

Stamps: Woodware, bubble mini baubles

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 27 card makers took part and I sent my card to Gail in Norway. She is very special because she is one of the very dedicated people who keep this challenge running, thanks Gail.

From all the options this month I chose just one, the technique of faux stained glass. I love this technique and it is a while since I used it so I got stuck in. I chose this lovely daisy cover plate by Creative Expressions.

First I embossed a card panel with the die so I could colours the flowers using alcohol markers. Then I stacked 3 die cuts over the embossed and coloured panel and filled the spaces with glossy accents. This took a long time and a lot of glossy accents. It also took a very long time to dry, but once it was dry there was a wonderful shine. My top layer was cut from a dark grey/green card and I foiled the sentiment with my Scan N Cut machine. Finally I used a green/grey alcohol marker round the edges of the card so that the bright white of the layers was masked a bit.

I struggled with my photos because it was very dark, so I used my light box, which helped show the shine from the glossy accents, but not from the foiling.

What do you think? I hope you like it, I do. I was actually very pleased with this one.

LaVon sent me this wonderful card, thanks LaVon. She included a little packet of the cutest tiny hearts, they are so sweet, I have no doubt that they will find their way onto my cards. We also discovered that we have another hobby in common and have to contend with similar issues relating to the weather. We both grow succulents. Thanks so much for sharing your advice and experiences LaVon, much appreciated.

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

Supplies:

Cardstock: White 225gsm card; Adorable Scorable mattastic card

Ink: Spectrum Noir alcohol markers

Dies: Creative Expressions

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

November CAS MIx Up Challenge

Today is 1st of the month so time for a new challenge over at CAS Mix Up. This month we are using stencils our host is Loll and she wants us to She wants us to make a monoprint.

Our wonderful guest designer this month is Steph from My Paper Corner so don't forget to pay her a visit.

Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of my stencil but here is a link to it in case you are interested. It is a skeleton type so the ink went on the 'veins' of the leaf which you can see on the photo below. Once it was dry I fussy cut it out and mounted it on an embossed panel. The fern type leaves were die cut from a gel print that I found in by stash. The sentiment was stamped and heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

This is such a great technique to use with stencils so I hope you will find time to join us

You have until 24th to join us and don't forget to visit the blog to get more inspiration and some links to technique videos to help.

I am also sharing this at:

Just Us Girls Week 608 - Leaves

I am looking forward to seeing you in the gallery.

Supplies:

Cardstock: Mixed media paper; White stamping card; Adorable Scorable coated card

Ink: Catherine Pooler; Versafine, toffee

Stamps: Uniko

Stencil: Clarity Stamp

Dies; leaf die was a gift, it's origins are unknown

Other: May Arts twine; Darice embossing folder

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