Thursday, December 18, 2025

Monotone Christmas & Shaped Card

Another crafting session, another card swap completed.
 
Card #1 - Shaped Card
 
I struggled to make a new card - I wanted to make a 'teepee' card, but no matter what measurements I used, it would not come together, so that idea was put on the back burner.  I pulled out my Klik n Kut to use but 'old technology' got the better of me  LOL
 
Time was running out and I did not want to be late AGAIN!
 
So I reverted to a card I had made previously, using my CraftROBO (before it went to crafty heaven) and kept in my 'to use' pile waiting for the right moment to send it.
 
I designed the card using a pretty font and applying offets, the cutting from SU Cardstock and some pretty DP with just a touch of glitter!
 

I threw in an extra one to make up for not making up a new card :)
 
 
Card #2 - Monotone Christmas card with Tag 
 
I decided to utilise some 'emboss heat resist' for this card and stamped a 'Kaszazz' christmas bauble (I think - if anyone knows for sure, let me know please) with Versamark and heat embossed with White powder directly onto the front of the cardbase.  I then ink blended using green Distress Ink over the stamped image. 
 
Using the Cuttlebug, I diecut a circle out of an A6 cardfront (cut with Waffle Flowers A6 Layers) and then embossed it with Couture Creations 'Scattered Notes' folder (singing along all the way).  I swiped the same Distress Ink over the raised bits and finished with a bit of ink blending around the circle aperture.  The cardfront was then mounted to the cardbase using foam tape.
The tag followed the same embossing and colouring process, but instead of heat embossing, I diecut 'Merry' from Hero Arts Stamp & Cut several times, layered, inkblended then attached with glue.
 
Linking the above card with the following challenges:
Can You Handle the Pressure? Anything goes with twist of 'any holiday' 
 
I also made a little 'card' for my swap partner. 
 

 
 
 
 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.


Wednesday, December 17, 2025

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday & Happy 35th Anniversary

Another family gathering, another round of birthdays - this time for the November & December birthdays.
 
Brother-in-law & Sister-in-law celebrated their 35th Wedding Anniversary in November, so an extra special card was made.
 
It's not an original idea, but I did consult the internet on just how many days, weeks, months etc were in 35 years! 
'35 years' anniversary is Coral (Traditional) or Jade (Modern) anniversary.  I didn't have any Jade cardstock, so Coral it had to be LOL  I even searched to find the right RGB code for the font colour (MV Boli).  The Champagne bottle & glasses were purchased from ETSY back in May 2025.  The cardfront was printed with an inkjet printer on 210 gsm cardstock, trimmed down to suit the A6 Cardbase using the Waffle Flower A6 Layers die, then highlighted with just a touch of Kindy Glitz/Stickles.
 
The inside of the card says 'but who's counting?'
 
Linking the above card with the following challenge:
 
Next is a card for the brother-in-law, Greg.
 
I diecut a heap of diamonds out of my stash of cardstock (snippets), printed a sentiment with the computer and cut out by hand.  I then 'splashed'  a white background with black ink and placed the diamonds in rainbow order (ROYGBIV) with foam tabs on the front.  I strategically placed the sentiment and added some black bling as a final touch.
 
The white cardfront seemed to disappear on the white cardbase, so I edged the cardfront with black Copics to give it a rough edge.

Quite happy with the way the card turned out.   I have CASED a card I saw on someone's blog a few years ago - I can't find it now, but it had 'handmade by Tasha'.  They used several dies from the Altenew Fine Fames set, but I have chosen the centre diamond, and I used bling/gems whereas I think they used sequins.  I love working with the rainbow colours, and I love any opportunity to work through my snippets stash!
 
Linking the above card with the following challenges:
Cut it Up Challenge #345 - from your stash 
Snippets Playground #521 - use up snippets 
Allsorts Challenge #838 - Anything Goes 

 
I also needed a card for the Sister-in-law, so I duplicated a card I made earlier for a swap, this time using different DP, but everything else was done the same.
 

Colorado Craft Company Sundae Funday image stamped and heat embossed, then hand coloured with Copics.  Spellbinders Circle Dies and offcuts/snippets layered on the background from my stash, and a touch of bling. 
 
This is about as CAS as I get.  I did use an old FMS sketch for the layout.

Linking the above card with the following challenges:
 
 
It felt good to be in the craft room making card for my family :)
 
 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.


Tuesday, December 16, 2025

Sundae Funday & Gnome for Christmas

Another crafting session, and another Christmas Card & Tag and Swap Card
 
This time, we have a 'gnome' Christmas Card and a CAS Card (I struggle with CAS cards, they always look incomplete to me LOL)
 
Anyway,  here are my cards for the CraftMad Card Swap - November.
 
Card #1 CAS 
Colorado Craft Company Sundae Funday image stamped and heat embossed, then hand coloured with Copics.  Spellbinders Circle Dies and offcuts/snippets layered on the background from my stash, and a touch of bling. 
 
This is about as CAS as I get.  I did use an old FMS sketch for the layout.
Now onto Card #2 - Gnome/Snowman Christmas Card with tag.
We had a choice of Snowman or Gnome, so I chose Gnome.

I stamped up some Gnome images and coloured in with Copics, then cut them out with the matching dies.  I used some leftover strips from my previous 'white on white' card, swiped some ink over the raised bits and layered over some DP from my stash.  I layered the Gnome on a die cut Diamond Vellum, and heat embossed on the edges and the sentiment with Silver.
The Tag mirrors the layout of the card, but I used a 'Girl' Gnome this time.
 
I have really struggled to keep up with my card swaps this year - most of them have been late, very late, not something I am proud of. 
 
 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.


Monday, December 8, 2025

White on White Christmas

more swap cards for my CraftMad swappers group
 
This Christmas Card swap was a 'white on white with a tag' swap.   I confess, I really struggled with an idea for this one.  It took several days to come up with a design that I thought fitting of a 'white on white' challenge, and it was very late getting to the recipient.
 
Cuttlebug to the rescue with some Christmas Trees die cut, and an aperture cut from the front of a card to make a window.  There is such a gorgeous amount of texture in this card. 

 
And of course, the matching tag!

I have to wonder why I am drawn to snowflakes when making Christmas Cards ..... here in South Australia, we don't have snow .... if it does snow in winter (July/August) it makes front page news!  LOL
 
And a Gift Card Holder - this was created using a prize I won from Christina, of Flowers, Ribbons and Pearls - Christina was most generous in sending it to me, even though I was in Australia and she is in the UK.  This is the second time I have used the die set - the first time was used to hold a small present, but I forgot to take photos.  So thank you Christina, I will be using my prize again very shortly.
 
Sadly, my Gift Card Holder does not fit a gift card!!  Note to self:  check measurements before committing to design.  LOL  It may not fit a gift card, but it will fit some Cash ..... everyone knows, Cash is King!  and it is perfect for holding special small presents.
 
 
Linking with the following challenges:
AAA Cards #305 - white on white (not sure if the card is CAS, but the matching Gift Tag is :) )
Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Anything Christmassy Goes 
 
 
 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.


Monday, December 1, 2025

Christmas Greetings

Another Cardmaking session - some Christmas Cards this time for my CraftMad swap for September - these cards were extremely late in being sent, it was November before the swap was completed..
 
Stamped image and coloured in with watercolour pencils and a bit of metallic paints, die cut several layers of cardstock and DP from my stash.  Some of these papers were in a stack from my Secret Santa parcel for 2024.  I have been looking forward to using these papers.
 
Also made a matching tag.

 
Another card using the double Z-fold process.
 
Same image, this time stamped & heat embossed in gold, lots of layers cut from DP stash. 
 

Card made with lots of scraps and snippets from my DP stash.
  
 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.


Saturday, October 25, 2025

Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday & Anniversary

Time for some more 'family' birthday celebrations.
 
We meet up in October to celebrate September & October birthdays.
 
October is niece Lauren's birthday & wedding anniversary - I usually do a combined card. 
 
Background was stamped with Couture Creations 'sunburst' and Clear Heat Embossed, then a selection of ink blended rainbow colours were added. Sentiment  'happy' was die cut 3 times - 1 from rainbow foil cardstock & 2 from white, then layered together for dimension and added to front of card with Foam strip.  Sentiment 'birthday' and 'anniversary' stamped directly onto cardfront.   Fishishing with a few stripes of Stickles.
 
Next up is a card for Great-Nephew, Lucas (11)
 
 
Background was stenciled  with Blue Distress Ink, '11' was stamped & clear heat embossed, 'birthday' was stamped - all directly onto cardfront.  'happy' was die cut from 'gold' mirror cardstock.
 
 
Next up is a card for Archie (9)  - I had some fun with this card!
 
 
I have had this set of Uniquely Creative Stamps & Dies (Summer) for a little while now (since August 2024), but have never used them before.  So I set about stamping out some elements and colouring in with Copics, then die cutting several times and mounting in layers to create dimension.  'happy' was die cut from Gold mirror card, layered and added to cardfront with foam.   
 
I played around with the different placements for a little while.  I decided to add a layer of DP from my stash, and a 'white' frame layer to help make the elements stand out a bit better, and once I was happy, stuck everything down. 
 

I really enjoyed the way this card came together and can see some more coming using this stamp set in the future.
 
Linking above card with the following challenges:
Cut it Up Challenge #341 - add embellishments 
Seize the Birthday #316 - Anything Goes 
 
  

Items Used:

Stamps & dies: 

Uniquely Creative – Summer, Hero Arts Stamp & Cut - Happy

Dies: 

Waffle Flower A6 Layers

Ink: 

Versamark Embossing Ink, Ranger Distress inks, Copic Markers

Card stock: 

Blue Edge Crafts 300 gsm cardbase, Blue Edge Crafts 210 gsm cardfront, Mirror cardstock, rainbow foil cardstock

DP: 

 

Tools:

Cuttlebug, Print Blocks Emboss It Heat Tool, Couture Creations Precision Stamp Press, Couture Creations Mini Guillotine Trimmer, Couture Creations Mini Score Board,

Embellishments:

Stickles/Kindy Glitz



 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.


Thursday, October 9, 2025

You're not old, you're a classic

Another Cardmaking session for me!
 
CARD #1
 
Masculine Card -  
The Altenew Vintage Vibes stamps & dies were still on my desk from my last card.  So I went with a similar layout, but decided to do a 'shaker' element for the screen. 
 
I stamped all the layers of the TV, then die cut it out twice and joined the layers together for added dimension.
The assembled diecut TV was then mounted to the front with foam tape for added dimension.
Sentiment was stamped with black ink direct to the cardfront.
 
The ONLY BLING on this card was the shaker elements! 
 
Linking with the following challenges: 
 
 

Items Used:

STAMPS:  Altenew Vintage Vibes

DIES:  Altenew Vintage Vibes, Waffle Flower A6 Layers

INK:  Distress Inks

CARD STOCK:  Blue Edge Crafts Cardstock – Cream 300 gsm, White 210 gsm, Acetate

DP:  unknown (from stash)

TOOLS:   Cuttlebug

EMBELLISHMENTS: Sequins, hearts

 

CARD #2 

 I used some stencils I have had for a while and ink blended them using slightly different that traditional Christmas colours. 


 
Just the plain ink colour was a bit bland, so I re-positioned the stencil and went over it with Kindy Glitz/Stickles ...... I think it added just the right amount of sparkle.  Sentiment 'christmas' was stamped underneath baubles.
 
 
The card front was mounted onto some copper mirror cardstock, then added to the 300 gsm card base.
 
"Merry" was diecut several times with white cardstock and once with the mirror cardstock, layered then attached to the cardfront.
The Tag followed the same process for the card - ink blending and adding sparkles, mounted onto mirror cardstock and copper organza ribbon added.

 
Linking with:
Sparkles Christmas Challenge #177 - non-traditional Christmas Colours 

 

Items Used:

DIES:  Waffle Flower A6 Layers, Hero Arts Merry & Bright

STENCILS:  Christmas Baubles (BlueEdge Crafts)

INK:  Distress Inks

CARD STOCK:  Blue Edge Crafts Cardstock – White Linen 210 gsm, Mirror Copper

TOOLS:   Cuttlebug, sticky matt

EMBELLISHMENTS: Kindy Glitz/Stickles, organza ribbon

 
 
 
Thank you for visiting my blog today - I hope you have a good day.
Remember, any day doing something you love makes it a good day ;-)
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness.