Christmas Cards - day 3

First card is for my (step) sister, Allyson.

I die cut an oval from glitter red paper.

Added die cut branches & Owls.

Owls are Winnie & Walter Happy Owlidays.

Coloured with Copics.

(I'm new to copics so please don't judge too harshly)

Merry Christmas die cut by Sara Davies

free with Cardmaking & Papercraft.

(It came with the cute gingerbread man from day 1)

Second card, (step) sister, Tracy.

(Yes, two sister's called Tracy! and you wonder why I'm confused)

Made with all the same products, just 

a different image from stamp set.

 This final design for today, is for the

residents of the cul-de-sac i live on.

Not sure if I mentioned before,

but every one sends a card to each house.

Many of the residents are widowed, and several

are between 88 and 90.

This year I based my card on this design by

the amazing Jennifer Maguire.

 There are several differences between my design

and her original, but as you can see from the

photo, I have credited her on the card.

Too many people do not do so. 

While she is happy to share all her ideas,

to take them and call them your own

is theft and it is wrong.

In Jennifer's design she used a Poinsettia.

Mine is a free magazine cover stamp & die set

Altenew Christmas Rose.

I used the red card to form the front

of my design to enable it to stand.

Jennifer, attached her red piece to the back of the card.

Mine is embossed with WOW

pearl powder and inked with

Altenew; Evening Gray / 

Citrus Burst  & Minty Mint. 

Card - Stampin' Up - Cherry Cobbler

 

Christmas Cards - Day 2

Family

My Dad & Sister, Tracy.

First up is Dad.

A festive lantern, 

driving home for Christmas.

Lantern was cut from a hand made card base

using 230gsm card to ensure it would stand.

I used Camping Lantern from Sugar Pea Designs.

Truck & tree, free with issue 181,

Simply Cards & Papercrafts.

I think this set is one of my favourites.

Gold heat embossing with WOW

Metallic Gold Rich Pale (sf)

Gold mirror cardstock for details & base.

 

 Side view showing it stood.

Open view to show inside decoration.

Acetate front so truck is visible

& snow embossed onto it.

The card was made up of multi layers

of the lantern die cut.

The next two are Tracy's.

First, her card.

 Tim Holtz Poinsettia Mixed Media die

backed with red Christmas paper.

 Vellum piece wrapped around &

two layer Christmas word die cut

this is by Hero Arts.

 

Inside the card, I added the same paper.

I then die cut the oval to add interest.

The holly was negatives from another card.

 

Below is her handcrafted decoration for 2018.

I try to make one every Christmas

so she can use them every year.

This is my adapted Pop Up box card.

It has no flaps because the two sides

have die cut snowflakes & as

you can see, the front has deer.

 This is a Luminary.

It is designed to stand over a battery tea light.

The light shines through the vellum covered die cuts.

The top die cuts help diffuse the light

as my prototype was open and light

flooded straight up.

You will see two more of these

over the course of the week :)

Christmas card

Today sees the start of 9 scheduled posts.

Each post will showcase my 2018 designs

for my Christmas cards.

The 8th post will be on 22/12

then there will be a few days break.

My 9th post will be a card for

a Christmas Day birthday.

First up; Apron shaker card.

This was created from a single piece

of kraft cardstock, scored in the middle

to create the stand. It was attached

at the top to complete.

The armholes were cut using an oval die.

The front is a shaker pocket.

 Inside the pocket is a stamped scene.

It features baking stamps,

free with Creative Stamping magazine.

 The pocket also houses 54 minature gingerbread men.

I had one tiny die (Sara Davies) free

Cardmaking & Papercrafts.

So it was run through my Big Shot

multiple times. Then each man 

was held in tweezers while I coloured them

using Altenew Delectable Delights Inks ;

Almond Butter / Hazelnut / Milk Chocolate.

5 or 6 were given faces and glued down onto the scene.

The rest moved around freely in the pocket.

I included Vintage Platinum Glitter

by Tim Holtz for a brown sugar effect.

Finally I cut & strung some more

gingerbread men using an X-cut

mini die to decorate the side.

It was intended as a card, but the recipient

hung it on her tree and it looks great like that.

The completed card stands approx. 5 x 5ins 

Mixed Media Book Cover

I took time out from my Christmas card creations

to make a little something for me.

I needed a new notebook for my novel lists.

I bought this one from Home Bargains.

Nice but not me!

 So I turned it into this.

 Here are close ups of the Front & Back covers.

I used any old paper and it shrank from all

the water. Note to self - cut it larger next time.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 What I should have done is make it

on watercolour paper.

Cut it larger than the cover and not the exact size.

But you know what? I don't care, I love it!

So it shrunk, no worries.

Cover was made by applying Distress Oxides,

Wrinkle free style on my glass mat.

Drying between colours to prevent Mud!

1st application: Dusty Concord / Picked Raspberry

2nd: Mustard seed / Salty Ocean

Once dry all edges blended Vintage photo.

Stamping in same oxide colours.

Stamps: Inkylicious / Rachel Kalbach

Stampotique / Darcies / Mama Elephant

Stampers Anonymous pattern on back

(original designer not Tim Holtz re-make)

Copper & White Gel Pen detail.

Mixed Media Frame

Love & Home.

These are the themes in my house.

From the various hearts hung around to the 

display on the mantlepiece.

Below is the Love

 Here is the Home

 So I purchased this frame from Aldi

and created two pieces of mixed media art.

 Below are two close up photos.

I can't find the book where I wrote my

design idea and materials.

But from the picture I can spot some.

 Tim Holtz paper - Wallflower

Tim Holtz Paper Dolls

Tim Holtz Clippings

House stamp was purchased from Etsy.

Tim Holtz stencils and Golden texture paste

were used on each.

I also used my Big Brush Pens

but I have no recollection of how I 

added the rest of the colour.

Happy Birthday, Will

Yesterday was also our friend & neighbour, Will's birthday.

Below are photos of my first ever Peek-a-Boo card.

Front depicts a motorcycle and sign post

both free with Creative Stamping issue 54

Will owns a trike & loves the open road.

Inside the theme turns nautical (hahaha)

Will & his wife have recently acquired a boat!

Everyone loves to pull his leg and I saw the perfect opportunity

with this style of card.

Free stamps from Creative Stamping issue 43

Happy Birthday, Kate

Today is my friends' birthday.

Here is a reveal wheel card I custom made.

First picture shows card side on to catch the light.

She is a huge Autumn fan so it just had to be

autumnal colours & rich gold embossing.

(Distress Oxides: Spiced Marmalade/ Rusty Hinge

Seedless Preserves/ Ripe Persimmon/ Ground Espresso)

WOW Metallic Gold Rich Pale Embossing powder SF.

 The next series of photos show the

pictures in the window.

I printed off photos of Skye

her beloved Black Labrador.

Lawn Fawn: Reveal Wheel Square Add On

Cardstock used: Bristol Smooth

Stamps: Free gift with Creative Stamping issue 60

Ranger Distress Oxide Inks in colours listed

American crafts red cardstock (wheel)

Another Christmas Card

This is another reveal wheel,

using the same sentiments, 

wheel & frame die by Lawn Fawn.

The stamps are Secret Santa,

Birdie Brown - My Favourite Things.

I used a post it note to mask

off the card to create a clear

area of floor & wall.

I used Distress Oxide Ink to

blend the background.

Weathered Wood for floor,

Victorian Velvet/Festive Berries

blended for wall.

Stamped images coloured with copics.

Christmas Card for 2018

This card has been made for a friend

who does not use social media.

It is four photos of the same card,

showing the changing sentiment in the frame.

This is a Reveal Wheel card.

I am hooked on them!!

Stamps are Mama Elephant Yappy Woofmass

Reveal Wheel is by Lawn Fawn

Inks used;

Distress Oxides;

Tumbled Glass & Salty Ocean

Marvy Snow Marker

Coloured with Copic Markers

WOW Gold Embossing Powder

Marion's Birthday

My friend & Pen pal had a birthday

at the end of September & I had scheduled

lots of blog posts, but somehow it

had been missed.

Here is the card created for her.

Features Altenew - Beautiful day

Altenew Inks - Shades of Purple Collection 

Other floral sprays were water-coloured

with Inktense pencils.

I am working on a few more birthdays,

Christmas cards and other items so more to share soon.

Autumn Banner

During Spring & Summer I displayed floral

bunting between my wall lights.

My fire is not central on the wall and so it

would stress my OCD to have a picture up

that wasn't central!

I didn't see anything in the shops for Autumn

so decided to make my own.

(Warning - photos)

This shows practically the whole banner.

 This shows pennants 1 & 2

Die Cut Ivy, (TH) coffee cup(SU),

Copic coloured Hedgehog (CS)

& pumpkin head scarecrow (Azeeda)

 Pennants 3 & 4

Pumpkin (CS) Leaf fussy cut & stamped with free stamp

Cat (Lavinia) Tiny cabinet die (TH)

Alpha tiles (TH)

 This shows the centre spelling Autumn

Feather & twig wreaths (CS)

 Pennants 10 & 11

Same pumpkin & leaf plus free stamp Cat (CS)

Squirrel, toadstools, mouse (CS)

 Pennants 11 & 12

12 is a duplicate of 1.

All cardstock from stash

most by Scenic Route

Maple Leaves - The Works

Ribbon - The Range

CS - Creative Stamping Magazine

TH - Tim Holtz /Sizzix

SU - Stampin' Up

I only wish I could get a better photo of

the whole banner as the pictures do not do it justice.

Happy Birthday, Donna

Today is Donna's birthday.

I wanted to make something fun.

I went with a Pop Up Window design.

I used three stamps sets;

Birthday Chicks - My Favorite Things

Party Animals - Mama Elephant

Celebration Box - Honey Bee Designs

 I used a scalloped circle die to frame the window.

I split the greeting to give a more playful look.

Inside, I used my Lawn Fawn Grassy Borders die

to add interest on the ground.

Party - from a Papermania Stamp set.

I layered my critters and added foam to the back 

of a few to give extra dimension.

I then added balloons and gifts everywhere.

My greeting is on the back.

I coloured all my images with Inktense Pencils.

Happy For You Card

A card for my sister, sharing her news.

The black cardstock is cheap & nasty but I

did manage to get all the marks off.

Technique, versamark ink & coloured Perfect Pearls.

Image DoveCraft - Sparrow

Die - Tim Holtz

words - chat chat stickers.

Thank You Card

I made this card for my ex- colleagues.

I was one of three, made redundant on 01 October.

Despite it being a month, I still miss my friends

&  being part of a team.

I stamped & Heat Embossed Altenew Leaf Canopy,

using WOW - fine detail Gold powder.

I decided on a resist background technique.

I created the resist with Distress Oxide Inks;

Spiced Marmalade / Barn Door / Ground Espresso

& added regular distress in Seedless Preserves.

 I then did an inlay frame technique that I had

seen done by Nichol Sphor.

I used a Concord & 9th Thank You die in gold card.

I wished to thank them all for the support

well wishes, kind words & the

card, flowers & money collected.

I worked with the majority of these people 

for 10 years, they were my second family.

Below are photos of the bouquet.

I didn't have a large enough vase for them.

Commissioned Christmas Cards

I was asked to make three cards

at the end of July 2018, for a friend

who occassionally travelled on the bus with me.

She needed special cards for sets of friends.

I was given the design brief of anything you like

"but about this size."

She showed me a folded newspaper.

I gu-estimated it to measure 5x7.

Here is what I came up with.

Classic Christmas colours, clean & simple.

I created my card bases from pieces of Stampin' Up

Cherry Cobbler cut to 7 x 10, scored at 5"

I added white, dies cut, shaped panels on the insides.

I embossed pieces of Whisper White card with

Gemini Brick wall folder.

I die cut my window from same card & fun foam.

(I can't remember the make of the window die.

Except it is not Memory Box or Tim Holtz)

I used Tim Holtz Garlands die,

X Cut Daisy border punch,

Stampin' Up Fishtail Banner.

Scraps of DoCraft/Papermania papers for blinds

More Cherry Cobbler for pelmets. 

Computer Generated Text - Alex Brush size 16.

These are the first cards for 2018.

I have been made redundant & am taking a few weeks

to rest and create more pretty things.

Pocket Letter

In this digital age, it is still lovely to

send and receive snail mail.

I love it and what's great, is I have a pen friend.

 Marion & I worked together over 10 years ago for about 14 years.

We keep in touch the old fashioned way.

Its great to sit and write as I often only ever

signed my name all day at work.

I also fancied trying something new and below are two

pictures of my first ever pocket letter.

Back of letter;

I stamped in Altenew Ink.

Image: Stampin'Up (a previously loved image)

I used an Avery Elle Stamp pocket

& created the individual pockets with my

WRMK Fuse Tool.

I punched a hole to tie.

Inside;

Flora imagery,

Summer colours

& sequins.

My letter went in the top left hand side.

I used Altenew / Concord & 9th

Creative Stamping & another previously loved image

of Macaroons which I believe is Impression Obsession.

I absolutely love those colours.

 

Wedding Anniversary card

Today is my sister's Wedding Anniversary.

She loves muted colours and CAS designs.

Not so certain on the clean & simple but it

is relatively plain for me!

I stamped Natalie Kabach texture stamp 

in Nougat Fresco chalk paint (PaperArtsy),

then over stamped Kaisercraft Dictionary stamp

randomly in Evening Gray ink (Altenew).

This was then overstamped and offset slightly

with the same ink & Kaisercraft Flutter stamp.

I also stamped the greeting from a free set with same ink.

I die cut leaves from plain paper & vellum

to add movement to the card (Tim Holtz Garden Greens)

Adding Resting Birds (Poppy Stamps Dies) before

splattering a little Gold Shine spray on the main image, 

adding shimmer to edges of leaves & birds.

90th Birthday & Encouragement Cards

First up we have a 90th birthday card for Eve. 

I am not 100% certain what I used to make this.

Background is a Heidi Swapp Stamp.

Die cut is Sue Wilson.

I can't locate the book with the sketch & materials list.

This card is again for my friend, Kate.

Encouragement was the aim of this card.

She had a wedding to attend and a certain dress she 

had to fit into. This card was sent to remind her

she only had a tiny way to go.

Images are free from creative Stamping.

Paper pieced using bits from my scraps box.

I added Anita's 3D gloss to the hearts.