Christmas Bells

 Hubby was washing the house this afternoon and I had to shut myself inside to avoid getting sprayed..   or at least that's what I told myself!   So headed to the craft room... I was inspired by a Facebook memory of a card I made way back in 2016 - using Sunny Studio Holiday Style stamp set and the gorgeous layer bell. 

Here's what I did today

For today's card I chose some blues to make my bell.   I used Altenew Evergreen ink for the branches and added some ink blending with the same ink and a detail blending brush to give the tree some depth. 

For the bell I used Eastern Sky, Ultramarine and Azurite Crisp Dye inks.  I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set in the Azurite ink and added some Midnight Sky Nuvo Crystal Drops. 

And while I had the stamp set out I CASE'd a card from Mendi (on the Sunny Studio blog)  I loved her idea of white embossing on pale blue card. 

I stamped and fussy cut the silver bells.  I used Altenew Silverstone, Industrial Diamond and Pure Graphite.   I really struggled to get the bells lined up so decided to work from the darkest - the front layer to the lightest - the base layer.   That seem to work better.   I added some sparkle pen to give them some shimmer.   I white embossed the branches from Sunny Studio - Christmas Trimming set along the top and bottom of the card.   I then used the sentiment from that set and stamped it in the middle of the card.  I added 3D tape to the back of the bells after drawing the strings in silver gel pen.   I tied red grosgrain ribbon and added to the top of each bell.   For my little embellishments, I die cut some stars from silver card using a little Mama Elephant die.  It has hearts, stars, and two different sequins.  

Slowly growing my stash of Christmas cards.  I've been enjoying going through my Flickr albums that I've created over the years and getting ideas to remake them.    

Altenew October Challenge....

 Back for a second post today.... another card made this afternoon with new goodies from my Scrapbook.com package.  This time an Altenew embossing folder and matching stencil set - Whimsy Motif.  I've been eyeing for a while and was happy to see it on sale the other week.  

The colours are very pretty and look a little autumnal.  

I embossed my white card first and then used the stencils to add the colour.   I used Warm Sunshine and Caramel Toffee for the flowers and Olive and Hunter Green for the leaves.  Used Honey Drizzle ink to make the matting layer and to stamp the sentiment from CYL Silk Art.  Added some splatters of bronze metallic watercolour paint.  Just love the stencils and embossing folders that Altenew make.    

Let it Snow - Christmas Kickstart October challenge

 Just popping in to share my last minute card for Christmas Kickstart Challenge for October - Snow Alert.

I got my order from Scrapbook.com yesterday and included was a TCW (The Crafters Workshop) layering stencil - Toasty Snowman.  It was a freebie with my order. Once the housework was done, I found a few moments to give it a go.

Isn't he cute!  There are three layers and a fourth with 2 large sentiments.   I just did the three layers with a variety of Altenew inks.   I then coloured his hat with a black marker and added some glossy accents to his eyes and nose.   A little Waffle Flower sentiment finished this quick card.   

I also got a free snowflake stamp so can't wait to use that the snowflake dies I purchased.

Happy crafting everyone

Curves Challenge.

 My little NZ swap group challenge was set by Jude - a card with some sort of curve on it.   My card went Maxine... and she has let me know it arrived.

I used a Spellbinders A2 curved borders One die set to make the two curved panels on my card.  I took the stunning paper from Franceville Luxe Illusions pack.  I fussy cut three of the leaves from PP and added them in the lower left hand side with a twin bow with a gold dot in the centre.   Added some little gold hearts cut from Simon Says Stamp Falling Hearts die.    Sentiment from Altenew Silk Art Craft Your Life kit.  Matted the panel with black card and added to a 5 1/2" card base.   

More Stress Free Cardmaking Summit projects.

 I had some fun on Friday and Saturday playing with inspiration from the summit.  I really love getting the VIP classes.. so I can take my time to watch the classes and play along.

First card I did was inspired by Erin Reed's mixed media class. 

Erin provided a sheet with butterflies and sentiments to print out.  The butterflies are stunning and I chose this one.  I used some paints for my background - Dina Wakely, Reeves and Tim Holtz Distress Paint and a variety of stencils.    Did some pen scribbling on the background as well and added some splatters of the black paint.  Fussy cut the butterfly and trimmed the sentiment.  Just loved the results and will definitely be trying the background again. 

Next up are some cards I made inspired by Therese Calvid's embossing technique.   It's one I've tried before but it's an awesome one.   

 This was my first try but, I chose a patterned paper that was just a bit pale.   I embossed with a Christmas 3D folder and used Hero Arts Unicorn ink to blend over the top.   Added some sparkle pen on the flowers.   I wasn't sure about it, but made it into a card.   Sentiment was stamped in Catherine Pooler Icing on the Cake ink with a Kaisercraft sentiment.  

Card two turned out much better -

This time my patterned paper that was darker and the white ink really made the embossing pop.  I added a preprinted banner I had in my stash and added some off white homemade enamel dots.

And while I was playing finished off a green card I had embossed with the free folder I got when I was away.  It's a normal embossing folder and I wondered what it would look like if I inked it with the white.  Turns out it looks great. 

I decided to make it into a Christmas card.  I had some printed sentiments from last years summit and I die cut one and matted with some of the dark green card. I used a Sizzix die set to cut the leaves and red flowers.

Today didn't get any time to play but hopefully tomorrow - as it's a public holiday here in New Zealand.   A few more sessions to check out and try. 

Where's Santa????

 Hi there.  Today it's time for me to share my card for Die Cut Divas October Challenge - Anything Goes.

We have the wonderful Brass & Bliss (formerly Rubbernecker) as our sponsor.

 

They've donated a fabulous $50 gift card

for our random winner.

Please note that challenge winner must have an US address.

Where's Santa.... oh dear - he's got himself stuck in the chimney! I've used the very cute Brass & Bliss "Stuck Santa"   I had such fun making this one.  I cut the die from a real variety of card and with a bit of partial die cutting made my chimney a bit taller. My background was an experimental piece where I was trying to use Watercolour powders and bubbles.   Not too successful but the background colour was lovely.  I cut it Waffle Flower Deckled Frame Dies and used a sentiment from their Star Snowflake stamp set.   I added some texture with Kindyglitz - sparkle on the fur on Santa's suit and clear to give the impression of snow on the chimney.  

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you in the October gallery!
As a reminder - be sure to use a die cut &/or an embossing folder.

Stress Free Cardmaking Summit - Oct 25

 Got a few hours this afternoon to watch some more sessions of the SFCS - I watched Justine Hovey's Live presentation - on replay as it was too early in the day for me - and played along with her.   And then watch Juliana Michaels session - using precise smooshing.   All just using 5 items!

Justine did some masking and ink blending to make a lovely clean looking one layer card - I followed her placement of the masking stripes as I liked the design. 

I chose to use a green/blue background - blending with Altenew inks - Mountain Mist, Volcano Lake and Lagoon.   I used Mint tape to mask off areas to stay white.   Then stamped two flowers from an older CASual Friday stamp set called Pretty Posies.  I then stamped and fussy cut from masking paper before blending.  Used Emerald ink with a 2009 Hero Arts background stamp (Antique Background) to add some extra texture.  Once I removed the masking, I added some little sentiments from Altenew's Sentiment Strips 2.  And finished with some iridescent drops from Pinkfresh Studio.

My second card is more of a mixed media card - inspired by Juliana's session.  Included using a couple of homemade ink smooshers.   I already had a flat one, but made the bubble wrap one.  

Very different from my first card today.   I used light blue and purple inks to make my smooshed background.   Use the light blue with the flat smoosher and the bubble wrap one with the purple ink.   I then used a stencil from Ranger to added the purple.  Splatters of black, white and blackberry acrylic paints (Dina Wakely paints).  My focal butterfly is from Memory Box and I used an Ultramarine ink to smoosh the bottom layer.  I used Catherine Pooler Grass Green and Eucalyptus inks to smoosh onto white card and then die cut two of the leaves from Pinkfresh Studio Curvy Leaves die set.  Added the leaves behind the butterfly and added a teeny tiny sentiment - stamped with black and a Mama Elephant stamp set.  Added some holographic dots to finish.

Had a great afternoon crafting.  Can't wait to finish watching the summit presentations. 

Friday Fun

Today was my first Friday of not working - started 4 days a week from this week.   So after a bit of a sleep in, I breakfasted and got onto the house work - dusting, vacuuming, floor washing, clothes washing and hanging out - so by lunch time a nice clean house.   Sat outside in the sunshine for a lovely salmon salad for lunch and then - into the craft room for some play time.  

I finished off a card that I had initially started with the idea it would be for hubby's birthday yesterday, but ran out of time to get it done and gave him one I already had in my box of cards.  

   The patterned papers is from a Couture Creations paper pack called Sea Breeze.   I used Gina K Master Layout 1 to cut the paper and matting layer.  Stamped a sentiment from Gina k Birthday Sparkle set and cut it with the matching die.  Quick in the end. 

I've got the VIP bundle for the latest Stress Free Card Summit - 5 items or less - and have watched a few of the tutorials.   Today I Case'd Ardyth's card - using Post It notes to make a stencil.   Ardyth provided a template to use to cut out the shapes - I used it but my printer made it a bit bigger so my card looks quite different from hers. 

I cut out my stencils from Post It and then used two different greens, reds and blues of Catherine Pooler inks.   I die cut 2 Post It note with the side of a rectangle scalloped die - it had holes so loved how the two toned ornaments turned out.   I added sparkle pen to the bottom half of ornament.  Looks really sparkly in real life.   Used a gold pen to make the toppers.  The sentiment is from an older Hero Arts set called Color Layering Wreath.  Matted the panel onto some glittery gold card stock before adding to my top folding white card base. 

Spend an hour or so watching some more of the tutorials and other crafty videos.   Lots of ideas in my head for projects.   Should have a bit more time over the weekend, now all the house work is done!