Woven Christmas card

I have been taking part this weekend in Shimelle's Christmas crafting event, one of the challenges was to make a card using a woven paper technique.  This was completely different to the usual style of card that I make but I do like to try to new things from time to time, so this is what I came up with -

I used scraps left from a Sarah's Cards December kit for 2009 - MME Colourful Christmas.  The Maya Road chipboard snowflakes were coloured with Promarkers and then glittered with Stickles.  I glued the woven background together rather than stitching like the example on the blog - it was pretty fiddly doing the first couple of strips but became easier once more strips were added - I then attached it to white Swiss Dot Bazill and pricked a border all the way round.

A close up -

I don't think I would rush to make more cards like this - they really aren't me but it was a good way to use up scraps.

Lots of sparkle Christmas card

This week's challenge on The Penny Black Inc blog is to use gems or bling to accent a stamped design.  Shimelle also has a Christmas event on this weekend on her blog and one of the challenges is to make a project with a circle in the centre.

I combined the two challenges and did this card using a lovely Penny Black stamp as the centrepiece.  I then blinged up the stamped image using papermania shimmer dots and stardust stickles.

The scalloped mat and snowflakes were all cut from Doodlebug sugared cardstock and the sentiment is Personal Impressions.  The patterned paper is from Craft Creations.

Happy 21st Birthday Milly

Today it is my dear niece/god-daughter's 21st birthday and she is away on a cruise to the Canaries - hope she is having a fabulous time and being treated like a princess today.

Ages ago I made this little tag book for her.  Just before she went away I made a little box for it so that my mum could carry it safely in her luggage.

I used kraft cardstock and stamped a hero arts butterfly in sepia ink and then glittered the butterflies with diamond stickles.  I inked all the edges with TH Vintage Photo distress ink.

I cut a tag using a Sizzix die and embellished it in the same way as the box and then added some ribbon and a tiny dragonfly charm.

I then found a lovely piece of gold tissue paper to line the box (good job I never throw stuff away!!)

I'm looking forward to her coming home as I am sure she will have lots of lovely photographs for me to scrap for her album.  Plus she will be having a horror themed fancy dress party on her return - I am busy working on my outfit and looking forward to taking lots of piccies that evening for my albums!!

Second fundraiser of the year

My second fundraiser for Children with Cancer Fund was held at home - I sold my cards, soft toys, baby knits, Avon products and bric a brac & books.  It was fairly well attended and I also had the current Avon books for people to order from and will donate my commission once the orders arrive and everyone has paid for their orders.

I made sure I had a large stock of handmade cards and post it note pads as they have always been very popular in the past.

Mum has been busy knitting soft toys and baby knits, but I get the job of stitching them up and putting their faces on.

Thankyou to all those who came and supported the day.  I don't know the full amount of what I have raised until all the Avon orders are in and been paid for but early indications are that I have raised over £100.

Silver and Snowflakes

Starting this week there is a month of Christmas themed challenges over at Penny Black Saturday Challenge and it kicks off with silver/snow/snowflake as the theme.

I need to have a count up to see how many more cards I still need to make (despite making some every month since January, I still need quite a few).

I rustled up these two cards on Saturday after a busy morning of shopping round The Range and Dunelm - I was in just the mood for Christmas cards as I got some new decorations, tinsel and some pretty lights whilst out.

I know I need some cards for sending overseas so used an apt sentiment from Hobby Art.

Whilst uploading these photographs I realised that I had failed to add any Stickles to them for snow - so have now added this - don't understand how that happened as I never fail to put Stickles somewhere on a card LOL!!  The patterned paper used on both cards is from Craft Creations and the snowflakes are punched using Martha Stewart punches.  Sorry for the awful photos - the light is so awful, a horrible drab and dreary day here.

Take One - Me & You

For the last couple of weeks I have been meaning to take part in SJ's Take One challenge where you take inspiration from your own favourite layouts.  This layout has always been a fave of mine - I love the big cluster of flowers, so decided to repeat that for this layout.

We went for a photoshoot whilst on our Icelandic cruise as we rarely have our photo taken together as either one of us is usually behind the camera.  I loved the photographs and can see quite a few layouts being done with them.

I used Sarah's Cards May kit - MME Stella & Rose (Mabel) and loads of blossoms from my stash.  The swirls were die cut using a MFT swirl die.  The pearls are all Prima e bling.

Thankyou SJ for a great challenge!!

Take one sketch and make three cards

The challenge this week at Penny Black Saturday Challenge is this great sketch.

I made this card for a November birthday -

 

I used some embossed paper from Creative Memories and cardstock from my scrap stash.  The butterfly border is punched using a Martha Stewart punch.  The sentiment is Personal impressions.

Whilst I had my scraps box out and some other watercoloured images to hand I got on and used the sketch to make two more cards!

The patterned papers are all Creative Memories and the sentiment is Personal Impressions

The papers for the Christmas card are from an old pack from Lakeland back when they use to do quite a bit of craft stuff.  The snowflakes were all punched from Trimcraft glitter cardstock using MS snowflake punches.

Thankyou PBSC for a great sketch!!