Vintage Watch

Now this is an unusual card but it was for a guy who collect retro/vintage watches and during his birthday last year he received a Casio watch and he loved it so much that when I spotted this digi stamp I knew it was perfect, I even coloured it to match the vintage watch.

More chocolate mice?

I made this at the same time as the other chocolate mouse card and again the letters don't stand out enough, maybe I should have gone with a plain colour rather than eclipse...

Chocolate mice anyone?

This idea was percolating in my head for ages and now its completed it is nothing like I expected lol. The letters don't stand out as much as I had hoped and I think I should have added glossy accents to them

Brownies

Not the chocolate varieties but the girl guides one. I am ashamed to admit how long this poor stamp has been sitting and waiting to be used but she has finally and that is all that matters lol.

Not much else to say except this new die from the works is fab and I need to remember to use it again soon.

Ingredients

Image: pure innocence from MFT

Sentiment: the works

Dies: simon says stamp scalloped wavy border 

Paper: MFT

Elephant birthday

OMG another of last years cards that I didn't put on my blog, this one was for an elephant obsessed friend and even though it looks like I used "that sketch" I hadn't even seen it then lol. 

I do love these animals from katzelkraft, they are comical but realistic all in one 

Coffee with Friends

Wow I can’t believe I made this card last year and forgot to post it, I had bought some chocolate for my neighbour who wasn’t able to get out and I wanted a card to let her know that I was missing coffee and cake in person with her, we were still meeting virtually but it’s wasn’t the same. Of course when I made this we still thought it would be all over in a few weeks not realising that a year later we would still be in it. 

Snowflake Embossing Set 3

The final set of these snowflake cards and I am torn on my favourite colour, these were a pleasure to make and I ended up making 20 of them. Sometimes a simple design is all you need to spark creativity. 

Sno Cone from MFT

Berrylicious from MFT

Ingredients

Embossing folder: Sizzix

Dies: The Works

Sentiment: Altenew freebie from SImply cards and papercraft

Snowflake Embossing set 2

After I had finished the last set of cards I decided to be organised and start writing them out which was when I decided I needed more of this design, I’ve used three new inks for these and I like them a lot but the mint is still my favourite lol. 

Pixie Dust from Catherine Pooler

Sweet Sixteen from Catherine Pooler

Grape Jelly from MFT

Ingredients

Sentiment: simply cards and papercraft altenew freebie

Embossing folder: sizzix

Snowflakes: The Works

Gems: Studio G

Snowflake Embossing

One of my friends attended the Taylored Expressions Stamp Joy online event and they showed their creations during a zoom call, I was really taken with one of the designs and decided if I could make something similar with supplies I already had and this is the result.

Summer Sky Memento

Mint to Be Catherine Pooler

Speckled Egg Distress Oxide

Ingredients

Embossing folder: sizzix

Dies: Dovecraft

Sentiment: free from simply cards and papercraft designed by Altenew

Card: silver from snippets and glitter from The Works

Gems: from papermania

Joy

This card was inspired by one my friend Mary was making on a Zoom call, I thought I have an alphabet that I can use and images that would work and I even completed the card whilst on the call, ok the call lasted three hours but still lol.

I have an idea to make one that spells "snow" I wonder if I will get to make that one too.

Ingredeints

Image: Hello Bluebird

Alpabet: retired stampin Up

Dies: mft blueprints 20 and 29 and lawn fawn stitched hillside

Paper: doodlebug

Card: recollections from Michaels and red glitter from The Works

Happy Everything

More images found in the already coloured pile, I wish I could say I was nearing the end of the pile but I fear I haven't even made a dent in it yet. I have made 20 cards so far with the images and I probably have another 300 waiting in the wings!!!!!

I will say that I am enjoying using stuff up, it gives a great sense of accomplishment even if I have no idea what I am going to do with all the cards lol.

I decided to use a very Jennifer Mcguire feel on these cards, I embossed the backgrounds and cut on a diagonal so I could make two cards from each panel. then I simply cut two thin strips of coloured card and glitter card and stuck those above the embossed background. I didn't have a cardstock to match the peach colour so I simply used a copic marker to colour a strip of white.

Ingredients

Image: happy everything from Clearly besotted

Sentiments: a little sentimental from clearly besotted

Embossing folders: we are memory keepers and provocraft

Happy Anniversary

So this year I have a few anniversary cards to make, even thought I love making cards engagement, anniversary and wedding are ones I struggle with. As soon as I saw this set I knew it would be very useful and as I only make anniversary cards for the big ones I am sure it will get a lot of use.

I have tried with the 1st anniversary cards to imitate the invitations for the weddings and the colour schemes whereas the 25th was easier lol.

Ingredients
Image and Sentiment: "anniversary" lovely legs from Colorado Craft Company
Embossing Powders : Silver ranger and pale gold from WOW
Dies: blueprints 27 from MFT
Card: silver glitter from The works and boysenberry from MFT
Ink: Boysenberry from MFT

Merry Christmas Bauble Red

As has often been the case this year if I am making a design I make it in several different colour schemes or papers, this card was no exception either.

All the dies, papers and card were already on my desk so this came together really easily. I suppose that is the beauty of not clearing up lol

Ingredients
Image: Merry Christmas Bauble die from The Works
Paper: "perfect christmas" First Edition
Card: "red" recollections from Michaels, gold vellum and gold card from my stash
Dies: Blueprints 29 and 20 both from MFT and mini bow from taylored expressions

Merry Christmas Bauble Green

Back in October my friends and I visited "The Works" which in the UK is a book, novelty and craft shop. Its a small shop and recently they have started carrying their own range of dies. I spied this one but wasn't sure about it so put it back and Kathleen decided to get it. As soon as this happened I regretted it but it was the last one...I had to wait about four weeks and three shops before I found it again and this time I did not hesitate lol.

Kathleen had cut hers from foil card stock and backed it with vellum so I thought why reinvent the wheel and went with a similar theme. I already had the paper pad and dies on my desk so I went with that. I couldn't find my vellum anywhere but I did find a sheet of gold vellum so I used that and I like the warm glow it gives. The bow was a last minute addition and I am so glad I did as it finishes the card nicely

Ingredients
Image: Merry Christmas Bauble Die from the Works
Paper: "perfect christmas" First Edition
Card: "red" recollections from Michaels and jellybean green from MFT, gold vellum from my stash
Dies: Blueprints 29 and 20 both from MFT, mini bow from Taylored Expressions

Christmas Cheer

I wasn't originally going to post my christmas card makes from 2018 but I made the decision that although it might not be of interest to others this blog is also my visual record of my makes and I will never remember what I made if I can't see them. So I am going to apologise in advance if the next several posts don't interest you, I will be back with different types of makes soon.

I was determined to use this background stamp this year, its my first turnabout stamp from Concord and 9th and it works perfectly. I was a little worried when I realised I would need to make the cross on the back of the stamp and I am still wondering why it doesn't come pre-drawn.

I used a few different inks and companies to achieve the look I wanted. It was so quick to stamp each image and it came together really quickly.

Ingredients
Sentiment: "merry christmas" Tonic Studios
Card: "kraft" from the Range and "vellum" from the Works and "white" from Neenah
Embossing Powder: Fine detail from Stampendous
Inks: "olive", "parrot", "mocha" all Altenew and "pure poppy" from Papertrey Ink
Dies: Blueprints 13 from MFT

Happy New Year and Happy Birthday Kay

Today is my good friend Kay's birthday and as she loves spiders I had an idea of the card I wanted to make. I watched an Amy Rysavy video where she used Studio Katia products to create a web shaker card and I knew straight away what I wanted to create, however there are no studio katia suppliers in the UK and the postage and customs would be astronomical so I thought how can I recreate without those specific items. This was how back at the start of my card making journey I would make stuff, I never had the correct/exact item so I would improvise and I enjoyed it so I thought revisit that period and see what happens.

Of course I had no spider web dies but I knew someone who did and I asked if I could cut it, I used black glitter card for the web and normal black card for the background and my initial idea was to use the one as a stencil but that went out of the window when I saw how thin the lines were.

It doesn't look anything like Amy's but I think it works and I am oddly pleased with it.

Last things to do is wish Kay a very happy birthday x

Ingredients
Image: "creepy Crawlies" Robertos Rascals from CC designs
Dies: Sizzix Spider Web
Card: "glitter pad" from the Works and "cranberry" from Michaels
Sequins: "sparkling clear" and "charcoal" from pretty pink posh, 'red" dollar tree and "silver stars" Studio Katia

Hunky-dory Snow Globe Version 2

The main difference between this one and yesterdays card is that I have added another little snowman. I had to mirror stamp the image and I thought this would be difficult but it wasn't. I used the acetate from the stamp set, stamped the image and then just turned it over onto my card and rubbed, yes it really was that simple.

Ingredients
Images: "snowy snow globe" Hunky dory
Sentiment: Creative stamping
Paper: "rustic atmosphere" The Works and "" First Edition

Copics
Lid - N3, 2, 1
Tree - G28, 46, R29, B24, Y15
Snowmen - R39, 37, YG17, 25, B26, 24, W2, B000, B01, 000, R22, 21, 20

Hunky-dory Snow globe Version 1

This year Hunky-dory have really become one of my favourite stamp companies, there designs and price point make them a firm favourite for sure. I always watch the month release on Facebook live and I knew as soon as they showed this set I would need to have it.

Before you ask, yes I am obsessed with snow globes and jars lol. Although to be fair I never seem to make cards with them just collect them so you wouldn't know how many are sitting in my craft room lol.

Ingredients
Images: "snowy snow globe" Hunky dory
Sentiment: Creative stamping
Paper: "rustic atmosphere" The Works and "" First Edition

Copics
Lid - N3, 2, 1
Tree - G28, 46, R29, B24, Y15
Snowmen - R39, 37, YG17, 25, B26, 24, W2, B000