Tatty Teddy Birthday Balloon

I have always loved Teddy Bears and this range appealed to me from the first time I saw them. I was always a bit nervous of colouring them when they introduced the stamps and now I have a full range of greys (ok I didn't need them all but I wanted them lol) it was easy to get the shading I wanted.

The patterned paper in the corner looks like its there to cover a mistake but for once it actually isn't lol, it is an actual design statement and homage to Alice 

Ingredients
Image: Tatty ted set from Papermania
Paper: "nutmeg" MME
Card: "lost lagoon" Stampin Up
Dies: Cloud border and blueprints 13 both MFT

Magical Dragons

It's not very often that I make two cards at the same time but after I die-cut the letters for the other card I knew if I didn't make this one straight away I would lose at least one of the letters. Now you are seeing this card just after the recipients birthday but I made it back in November, I had just returned from a trip to Florida and this card meant I had used everything I had bought whilst over there. This trip was last minute (less than 4 days from booking to arriving) so I wasn't able to online shop before I got there, this meant that my crafty purchases were considerably less but I haven't felt so overwhelmed by it all and have used everything so maybe this is the way to go for the future...who am I kidding lol.

Ingredients

Image: Magical Dragons from MFT

Sentiment: Happy birthday to you die from mft (leftover from a previous card)

Card: Blue raspberry from MFT

Dies: Blueprints 27 and 20 from mft

Background: Geometric grid from Simon Says Stamp, inked with Twisted Citroen, mermaid lagoon and blueprint sketch distress inks.

Copics

Blue - BG09, 49, 13. 11

YG17, 25, 03

Happy Birthday to You

This card was inspired by Michelle Short, I have wanted the die and to recreate this card for ages so it was lovely to be able to achieve it finally.

Things I would do differently next time.... well I  wouldn't cut the funky foam panel with the letter die, it stretched the foam and they don't quite match up although you would have to look fairly closely. I also wouldn't use mono multi glue as I got it everywhere and my fingers seemed to be sticky for hours. Having said all that I would still make this design again, its very simple but effective especially for guy cards.

When I photographed this card I noticed that the die isn't straight with the geometric pattern and its sending my ocd into overdrive, however in real life it is not noticeable at all, strange how the camera magnifies stuff.

Ingredients
Sentiment: "happy birthday to you" die from mft stamps
Stamp: "geometric grid" Simon Says Stamp
Distress Inks: blueprint sketch, mermaid lagoon, twisted citroen
Dies: Blueprints 13 from mft stamps
Dots: Eyelet Outlet

Floribunda

I recently bought a few sets of stamps from Hunkydory, this wasn't somewhere I would have normally looked but I saw a card on Pinterest and then I had to find the ingredients to make it. If you are thinking this is the card then you would be mistaken, yet again this was the oh look 3 for 2 offer which set shall I get free set. And yet again it's the first card made with the stamps. Not sure why I always do that, I can't wait to get my hands on a set then as soon as it arrives I use something else I bought either as a to get to free postage item or a oh it looks ok set.

Ingredients
Image: "floribunda" Hunky-dory
Sentiment: "written in watercolor" MFT
Dies: Blueprints 13
Card: "harvest gold" Papertrey Ink

Copics
Yellow - YR16, Y19, 15, 11
Green - YG99, 97, 95, 93, YG67, 17, 25
Pink - RV09, 06, 04
Sky - BG11, 10, blender

Reindeer Games

Woohoo, the last christmas card of 2016, phew that took a while to show them all. You can breathe a sigh of relief now as although I'm going to be trying to make them all year I am going to save the posts for December. 

This is the same style as most I have made this year and I think probably the same as next year too lol. I have enjoyed breaking out my Darcie stamps which up until now have been sadly neglected, I am hoping there will be new ones next year.

Ingredients
Image: "just be claus" Darcie
Paper: "Christmas in the country" Papermania
Dies: blueprints 2 from MFT

Copics
Deer - E49, 59, 57, 35, 34, 31
Bell - Y38, 35
Nose and collar - R29, 24

Elf on the Edge

After I made the Eskimo Kisses cards this little image was crying out to be coloured, so of course I had to oblige lol. I can't believe how many sheets of doodlebug paper I have used this year, I can safely say its more than any other year as its the first doodlebug pad I've ever cut into lol. I know I have a problem. 

This is almost the last christmas card of 2016, only one more left, will you be sad when I stop showing christmas cards or pleased?

Ingredients
Image: "eskimo kisses" Darcie
Paper: "home for the holidays" Doodlebug
Card: "new leaf" Papertrey ink
Dies: Blueprints 13 and 2

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 95
Hair - E59, 57, 35
Outfit - G28, 07, 05, YG17, 25, 03, R89, 39, 37

Warm Wishes

This is my playday Christmas card this year, I normally make variations on a theme but this time they are all almost the same. The only variations was when I was experimenting with the layout and one lone fox for a friend

I need to apologise for the awful photo, even though I made forty of this card and was making them since September I only photographed it the day before I gave them out, I didn't check the photo either so its very blurry but I wanted to show it as a record for myself.

Although it looked simple it was a very time consuming design to replicate and even though I'm pleased with it I won't be making this one again lol.

Ingredients
Image: "warm wishes" Papertrey ink
Dies: blueprints 29 from MFT and "warm wishes" Papertrey ink

Eskimo Kisses

I had an idea for the kiddos christmas cards and they look exactly as I wanted, you have no idea how unusual that is lol.

I used the same stamp but added the pigtails for the girl version. This card looks easy but it sure wasn't lol. I had seen a card on the MFT blog using a background stamp and sentiment in the space and thought it was cool but that I would add an image to mine. Once I had decided on the layout they dod come together fairly easily and I used some of my hoarded paper too.

Ingredients
Images: "eskimo kisses" Darcie
Paper: "home for the holidays" Doodlebug
Dies: "stitched hillside borders" Lawn Fawn
Sentiment: "keep it simple - Merry Christmas" Papertrey Ink

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 95
Hair - E34, 31, 30
Bell - Y38, 35,
Deer Suit - E49, 59, 57, 35, 34, 31

Just be Claus

Firstly I think I need to apologise that this is another christmas card in January and secondly that the photo is so blurry. Hopefully it won't hurt your eyes too much.

As you can probably tell I used my go to design for this year, and maybe next year too.

Ingredients
Image: "just be Claus" Darcie
Paper: "dear Santa" Trimcraft
Sentiment:"think big favourites 20" Papertrey Ink
Dies: Blueprints 2 and basic stitched borders both MFT

Copics
Skin - E000, 00, 11, 95
Beard - W2, 0, blender
Suit - R89, 39, 37
Belt - N7, 6, 5, Y38

Merry & Bright Version 2

Almost finished with the christmas cards, well until I start again in October lol.I have decided that this year I am going to make one design every month and make at least four matching cards. I am hoping this will take the pressure off once December arrives. Of course I need to stick to the plan first.

Ingredients
Image: "merry and bright" Darcie
Paper: "perfectly plaid - winter" Lawn Fawn
Cardstock and Ink: "gravel grey" MFT
Dies: Blueprints 13 and 2
Sentiment: "think big favourites 20" Papertrey Ink

Copics
Snowman - BG0000, 000, E77, 74, YR07, 04
Gloves, Hat and Scarf - BG13, 11, N8, 6, 5, 4

Merry & Bright

I apologise that I am still showing christmas cards in January but I still have a few designs and as I use this blog as a record of the cards I have made I might be boring you for a while yet, so please feel free to tune out if these aren't your thing

Another go to design and another Darcie set, I feel like a stuck record but I have liked this design and these images are the perfect size to compliment it.Not a lot else to say except I hope the recipient liked it.

Ingredients
Image: "merry and bright" Darcie
Paper: "perfectly plaid - winter" Lawn Fawn
Cardstock and Ink: "gravel grey" MFT
Dies: Blueprints 13 and 2
Sentiment: "think big favourites 20" Papertrey Ink

Copics
Snowman - BG0000, 000, E77, 74, YR07, 04
Gloves, Hat and Scarf - BG13, 11, N4, 3, 2

Snuggle Bunnies

I think this is the first card I have ever made that only contains products from one company. I'm normally a mix and match girl and use tonnes of stuff from everywhere so I am amazed that I not only managed it but I like it as well lol.

I knew who it was going to be for once I saw the sentiments on this set, I coloured the images for the 30 challenge back in July and made the card in August but I haven't published it until after the persons birthday. I don't think they look at my blog but why take the chance.

Ingredients
Image: "snuggle Bunnies" MFT
Sentiment : as above stamped in "cornflower" from Mft
Dies: Striped Sentiment Strip Cover Up

Copics
Bunny - W2, 1, R20, B26, 24, 21, R29, 24, 14
Bear - E34, 31, 30
Red Stripes - R29, 27, 24, 14
Blue Stripes - B26, 24, 23, 21