FLOURISHES - SANTA - I BELIEVE

I had a couple of tries to stamp this Santa and eventually settled on using sepia ink.  The holly is coloured in using a blender pen to tone the colours down.

The red paper is CM with the buttons and embroidery thread being from my stash.  Initially I pricked the border and was going to leave it plain but decided on a fine red thread to match up with the stitching on the red paper.

STAMPIN UP - TOP NOTE

Another card I found on SCS and decided to copy.  The background paper is SU as is the Top Note die used for the shoes.  I like this card for being different and not your normal Christmas card.

FLOURISHES - GERBER DAISIES

My new Flourishes stamps are really pretty and before I had a bash at colouring in the gerber daisies (which I had never heard of) I looked on Google images to see what colours they came in.

I used SU markers and a blender pen to get the desired effect and thought it would make a good sympathy card.

PUNCH ART MOUSE - TAKE 2

Yes, I know I have already posted one of these but seeing I made two I just had to share them both with you. 

MATCHBOOK - ART IMPRESSIONS GIANT SNOWMAN

I wanted to make something different and quick with the AI snowman image I had coloured in and cut out before it got damaged.  This matchbook cover was perfect and after cutting and scoring I ran the front part only through the  CB using the Swiss dot folder.  Taking a white gel pen I highlighted the dots and stuck on the image.   The inside is a rectangle piece of cardstock concertina'd at both sides.  Ideally it should fit some sort of candy and I will have to take it to the local supermarket to see what works.  One could always make the whole project bigger and put a gift credit card inside.

 STAMPARVIE - SARAH KAY - PRECIOUS MOMENTS

This was such a delightful image to colour in.  The flourishes are CB die cuts, the sentiment is SU and the background paper my usual CM.

PUNCH ART - SINGING MOUSE

I saw this delightful singing mouse on a blog and although it is similar to the reindeer I made, I just had to try it.

The head is the Christmas Ornament punch from SU, ears are CM smallest heart, mouth is Nestabilities oval, hands & feet are SU word window punch, body is a one & a half inch circle & the tail is made from creative punching using the SU wide oval punch.  The book he is holding is a Nestabilities label punch.

The green patterned paper is SU, beige backing it is CM ; green mesh is local from The Deckle Edge ; the orange is CM ; the green circle is Old Olive SU and the dotted paper is from a pad in my stash.  The card is SU Old Olive.

STAMPARVIE - TINA WENKE - MOUSE CARRYING CAKE

I wanted to make a pink, green and brown card and thought this image would allow me to do it.  The lace on the side of the card proved to be a bit of a challenge as none of my adhesives would work (and I tried everything in my drawers).  Eventually I cut another piece of the brown cardstock slightly smaller than the width of the lace and tacked the lace onto it using a fine needle and white cotton.  As the cardstock was thick I had to pierce the holes first, but at least it got to stay in place.

The icing on the top of the cake was coloured in using one of my Smooches.  The sentiment is Inkadinkadoo purchased locally and the background paper is my usual CM.  They make such wonderful paper packs just the right size for cards. 

PUNCH ART - OWL CARDS

When I saw this card on a blog I thought it was so cute.  With having to make a few cards for family and friends one weekend a while back I decided to do two of the same (something I seldom do).  Although the cards look small they actually fit into a normal card sized envelope.

The head is a SU Top Note die cut from SU Creamy Caramel cardstock, folded in half and sponged around the edges with SU Close to Cocoa ink.  The nose is a square cut in half (used a paint sample from our local hardware store).  The biggest scalloped circle is Nestabilities - the largest one.  The feet are a SU Scallop Circle punch cut into four - 2 for the front and 2 for the back. Inside the card is a plain circle covering where the feet have been stuck on and on which the sentiment is stamped.  The rear of the owl is the same as the front using only the large brown circle with the orange feet.

STAMPARVIE - GILLIAN ROBERTS - CHRISTMAS STOCKING

Took myself out of my comfort zone on this one mixing different papers.  The background papers are SU with the Nestabilities circles being CM.  The sentiment is Hero Arts and the ribbon is one picked up locally.

The Stamparvie images are such a delight to work with and the designs are so cute.

                        CHRISTMAS REINDEER GIFT BOX

Another one I saw on SCS and decided to copy.  The antlers are made on my Slice machine which I think I am finally conquering and the front and back are the SU Top Note die.  I always struggle with drawing freehand so the mouth was a bit of a challenge.  A small pot of Ranger Crackle Paint was close by so I used that as a guide and think the result was just the right amount of 'smile'.

I have made 4 of these for the neighbourhood children at Christmas.  Not too sure what will go inside the box but Cindy suggested using some brightly coloured tissue paper visible from the sides.  Thought that was an excellent idea.

                ART IMPRESSIONS - SCRATCH

This is one of my favourite stamps for a middle aged male card - just love the boep !

I tried a new watercolour paper made mostly from bamboo and it is thicker than my normal one which I tend to struggle with.  The result was impressive as it was super absorbent.

The red background paper is SU Real Red with the striped paper being an odd scrap from my stash on which I used the SU scalloped edge punch.  I sponged the background with a Ranger Distress Ink and was pleased with the finished effect.

                           CD PHOTO CUBE PROJECT

Recently received a mail advising of a workshop making this project.  As I am unable to go I decided to have a bash at it on my own and was delighted with the result.  The base is a bit of a problem, but I am working on it. 

We have loads of old CD cases from computer backups no longer needed and in no time at all I had taken the insides out, unhinged the cover and swung it around and assembled all 4 which clipped into each other.  I dug out some old family photo's (yes, Debs, it really is you, think you are about 19) and used some new CM paper which I had just bought.

The cube sits on my craft desk full of work in progress.  Every couple of days I turn it around and smile.  They might not be the most flattering photo's but they bring back so many memories !

   

STAMPIN UP - GIFTS OF JOY

Instead of starting from scratch on a card I decided to look in my container for toppers I had already stamped and made.  I tend to make a whole lot and forget about them.

The green paper and ribbon is from SU with the rust colour being CM.  The snowflake punch is also CM and the sentiment is SU.