COTTAGE CUTZ - OWL DIE

I seem to be leaning towards collecting a number of owl stamps and dies lately and when I saw this little fellow, well, I just had to have him.

The die is cut out using up scraps and I sponged the body and face sections with Distress Ink before assembly.  The branch comes with the die and I added some leaves punched from the Two Step Bird Punch from SU.

The background paper is from CM, the moon is made by offsetting a circle punch and the sentiment is from Clear Dollar.  The ovals on which the sentiment is stamped is from SU - Lots of Tags which is a Sizzlits die.

RECYCLED XMAS PACKAGING

On a recent visit to a local market we came across a stall selling all sorts of different alcohol.  As we had not yet finished our Xmas shopping we proceeded to help the really friendly owners make their target for the month !

Anyway, as part of DH's Xmas gift I bought him a couple of bottles of Irish Whiskey which came in this box.  Of course the box started out very different but I did see the potential in revamping it.

I used black cardstock to block out all the writing and embossed each piece top and bottom with a CB swiss dots border folder.  The sentiment is a CB alphabet cut out using glitter paper and the image is Elf Oliver from Sparkle Creations stamped on watercolour paper and coloured in using SU watercolour crayons, Marvy and SU markers. 

On the top of the box I used Nestabilities Big Scalloped Squares alternating in black and orange and then I made a bow from ribbon which came from a conference we attended last year.

I just love recyling boxes and have to be really careful not to become too much of a hoarder.

PEACHY KEEN - COLBY & JACK CHEESE SET

Peachy Keen stamps are really cute and this one is no exception.  I stamped the image onto Copic paper with Memento Black Tuxedo ink and used a Go Kreate oval die to frame it.  The yellow paper scalloped oval is also a die from Go Create.

With a fairly large area to colour in Copics do a better job and they blend rather well.  The Xmas hat was stamped separately, cut out and also coloured in using Copics.  The sentiment is from another Peachy Keen set and it fits so well into the SU ovals, plain and scalloped.  The background paper is CM.

I was really surprised at how quick this card was to colour in.  It helps that the image is so cute and such a pleasure to work with.

XMAS WINTER SCENE - UNKNOWN STAMP

This stamp was very kindly given to me by Belinda of the Scrap Studio.  There is no manufacturers marking on the side of the wooden block and I have not seen the image anywhere on my travels, hence me marking it as unknown.

This time I used watercolour paper to stamp the image onto as I wanted to use my Marvy and Tombow markers to colour it in.  I find Copics a bit challenging with a detailed image such as this.  The trees have a sprinkling of Stickles on and I used a couple of different Spica Glitter pens to highlight the bows on the wreaths.

I thought the Nestabilities Deckled Rectangles framed the image rather well and I used a couple of different CB border embossing folders on the sides of the card.  The tag is a SU punch and the sentiment is from a Penny Black set.

STAMPARVIE - LAURENCE DESIGN - MERRY BEAR

Another cute teddy which I coloured in using Copics, paper pieced the bow after making a hash of it, used Smooches for the holly leaves and Viva Decor Pearls for the red berries.

I then used Nestabilities deckle edged and scalloped rectangles and popped it onto a piece of white cardstock embossed with CB swiss dots.  The sentiment was stamped in Archival Sepia ink.

COTTAGE CUTZ - WINTER OWL

Another cute die from Cottage Cutz.  I am getting the hang of these dies now and not spending so much time trying to fathom them out.  I do love the fact I get to use up my scraps.

The circle die is Nestabilities Eyelet Circles and the background is a CB snowflake embossing folder.  Not sure about the greeting as I tend to rummage through my stamps, pull out the appropriate one and use it without making a note of which one it was.

GIFT BOX FOR HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM & LEMON CURD

This year I decided to do a couple of homemade Christmas gifts.  It was quite an involved process as the jars were sourced to a Stellenbosch factory shop which meant a trip for DH and myself.  The making of the lemon curd and strawberry jam were the quickest and easier part thanks to the Thermomix.  Then came the packaging which was made up as I went along and designed around the bottles. 

The labels used on the bottles are from a Sizzix die and the label on the boxes are a CB die.  The stamp on the box label is from Hero Arts Happy Holiday Tags.  I used MS border punches to decorate the boxes and found some leftover half sheets of patterned paper to liven them up a bit.

Here is one from another angle :

I went off to deliver them on Friday and was delighted they were so well received.

WHIFF OF JOY - HENRY SPENDING LAZY SUMMER DAYS

When this Whiff of Joy Henry stamp arrived I had no idea what sort of card it would suit, I bought it because I loved his grin.  With all of the Christmas stamps on my craft table I thought, for a change, I would do a card to suit a southern hemisphere Christmas.

Henry was coloured in using Copics, the Christmas tree is Hero Arts Sparkle Tree and the Santa sack is from Clear Dollar Reindeer Games.  I sponged the 'sand' under Henry's lounger with Distress Frayed Burlap and on the rest of the card I used Antique Linen.  For the tree and Santa sack I used Stampin up and Tombow markers.  The sentiment is from Peachy Keen on a SU large oval punch.

PUNCH ART - SNOWMAN

Another punch art figure which I cased from Ink Me Baby One More Time.  This dear little snowman is quick and easy to make and seeing I had the Peachy Keen snowman faces, I did not have to try and draw one on.

The punches used are all SU as is the sentiment.

SPARKLE CREATIONS - SLEDDING CHLOE

This is a simple card with the image being stamped on special Copic paper.  I used a variety of Copics to colour the stamp in and then cut it out using a Go Kreate die which I picked up in the UK.  They are larger than Nestabilities but are the same concept and can still fit through the Cuttlebug.

The background is a CB embossing folder and the vertical Xmas stamp is from stamps I bought ages ago and they came with no name on.

COTTAGE CUTZ - SANTA, DOWN THE CHIMNEY

This is another of the dies I bought in the UK.  Once you fathom out where each piece goes and what colour to cut them out in it is actually quite simple to piece together.  It does help if you are good at jigsaw puzzles !

I decided to use a red card and two different Nestabilites Labels - the white holly paper being from my stash and the blue one is CM.  The snowflakes are from the MS border punch I am so fond of - one day I will use it as a border punch and not just for the snowflakes !  The sentiment is from Whimsey Stamps - Holiday Ticket Sentiment.

CHRISTMAS MONEY HOLDER

When I saw the idea for a money holder on Cindy Lawrence's blog The Creative Closet I knew I had to give it a try. 

I altered the measurements slightly to 9½" x 7" for the base cardstock.  Score at 2" from one side and then at 3½" from the other side.  The wavy border punch is a MS one as is the border punch used on the inside.  I decided to cover the holder in some Christmas paper I had in my stash and then cut out 3 Nestabilities Labels Three.  The sentiment and the border stamp on the top label are from Waltzing Mouse and I used SU Close to Cocoa ink for both.

The bow is recycled from a gift previously received. 

This is the inside of the money holder.