Noel, Joy, Merry.....

Here are are few more Christmas Cards I managed to make this year - quite pleased with myself!

I bought some digital images a while back from RAM Stamps (Rachelle Anne Miller) and I thought it was about time I used them.  I must say, they have been a pleasure to use and to colour in.

 

Card#1

RAM Christmas Noel Image printed onto 210gsm cardstock, coloured in with Copics, highlights with Kindy Glitz.  Handmade background ruling lines with Copics.  Centre panel cut with Spellbinders Deckle edge dies & edges highlighted with Kindy Glitz and added to cardfront using foam squares. 

 

Card#2

RAM Christmas Joy Image printed onto 210gsm cardstock, coloured in with Copics, highlights with Kindy Glitz.  Green DP used for a background.  Centre panel cut with Spellbinders Deckle edge dies & edges highlighted with Green Copics and added to cardfront using foam squares.

Card#3

RAM Christmas Merry Image printed onto 210gsm cardstock, coloured in with Copics, highlights with Kindy Glitz.  Striped DP used for a background with edges 'stressed' to add interest.  Centre panel cut with Rectangle Dies and added to cardfront using foam squares.

 

Card#4

RAM Australian Birds Image printed onto 210gsm cardstock, coloured in with Copics, highlights with Kindy Glitz.  DP used for a background.  Centre panel cut with 'scalloped edge' die and added to cardfront using foam squares. 

 

Card#5

I created a background in Photoshop, printed onto 210gsm cardstock, and foiled with 'Mini Minc' in Red foil.  The RAM Kangaroo Christmas Surprise image was printed onto 210gsm cardstock, coloured with Watercolour Pencils, highlights with Kindy Glitz.  Image was then fussy cut, and added to cardfront with foam squares.

 

Linking the following cards with the following challenges

 

Card#2

Allsorts Challenge Blog - Wk 812/3 - use Dies

 

Card#3

Inspired by.... Christmas 

 

 

Card#4

Critter Crazy Challenge #93 - Anything goes with a critter

 

Card#5

Christmas Crafts All Year Round - Bows, Gifts, Decorations

 

 

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.

Hello there

Time for another swap card - my October swap - which was late ..... again :(

1 card using stamps

1 card using the TicTacToe

Card #1 was made using a combination of stamps and patterned paper.  I have been going through my stash in an endeavor to use up what I have.

I had made several 'card topper' elements a while back using some stamps and designer papers, so I decided to utilise these elements.

The 'dancing lady' was stamped onto DP and 'paper pieced' onto square card topper, bordered by Green Pearl cardstock, all cut with Spellbinders Square dies - I love the fact they fit together so nicely.  The left panel was made by layering DP onto pearl cardstock, then attached to the front of the card with double sided tape.

 

Sentiment was stamped then cut out with Spellbinders Ovals, layered onto green pearl cardstock oval - added to front of card with 3D foam dots.

 

The square topper was added to front of card with 3D foam dots and a final touch of 'kindy glitz' added to image, and 3 gems added to bottom.

 

A very simple card which came together fairly quickly..... once I had gathered all the elements.  The colour scheme was influenced by the TicTacToe card.

 

 

Card #2

Using TicTacToe - bottom row across - Yellow/Birds/Embossed Panel

In my stash I found an embossed panel - I do believe it was from a swap I did many years ago where we sent and received a selection of embossed card fronts.

I lightly swiped yellow ink across the raised bits.  I was going to add the embossed panel directly to the front of the cardbase, but it didn't look right.  I then thought about adding it to a yellow layer .... yes!   

So I trimmed the panel slightly smaller, then because of an oopsie where I forgot to put the lid back onto my black ink ........ I had to rescue it by swiping black ink around all of the edges .... 

 

The bird image was a freebie stamp included in an Ultimate Crafts Magazine.  It was stamped in black, heat embossed and then coloured in using Copics. 

 

It is certainly not quite what I had in mind when I started, but it is a finished card and has been now received by my swap partner.

 

Linking Card #2 with:

Inkspirational Challenge #328 - Layer it 

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.

Family Birthday Time!

It's time for the usual family get together for all the September/October birthday people :)  We are doing it a little bit earlier this year, as the Sister-in-law Sharon is going overseas to work for a while.

 

Great-nephew Archie turned 7 and I chose a LOTV Number Bears '7' digistamp, sized to print on an A6 cardfront, with computer generated text.  

 

Image was hand coloured with copics and the number '7' highlighted with Dimensional Magic.  

 

Cardfront was trimmed to size, a blue border added, then layered onto 300gsm cardbase with foam squares.

 

Great-nephew Lucas will turn 9 and I chose a LOTV Candles digistamp, sized to print on an A6 cardfront, with computer generated text.  

 

The candles were hand coloured with copics, then highlighted with Dimensional Magic which seems to bring out the primary colours so beautifully (see Shopping our Stash Challenge - colour me beautiful!)

 

Cardfront was trimmed to size, a blue border added, then layered onto 300gsm cardbase with foam squares. 

 

 

Linking With the following challenges:

Inkspirational Challenge #299 Clean & Simple

Shopping our Stash SOS506 - Color me beautiful

 

 

 

The niece Lauren has a birthday on 6th October and I gave her a card I had in my stash.  You can see how I made the card HERE  You may remember I entered this card into a challenge in May and it was chosen as a Princess of Clean for Freshly Made Sketches :)  

 

 

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.

Happy 21st Birthday

The nephew Liam celebrates his 21st birthday!  Where does the time go?

 

I made a card using his favourite football team colours - black, white & teal (Port Power)

 

For the Cardfront, Bubbles were stenciled using my home-made stencil with Spellbinders Circle Dies and randomly placed & coloured using blending brushes with Blue, Grey & Black Distress Inks.  The outer border was coloured with Copics.

Sugar Pea 'Champagne bottle & glasses' were stamped & die cut, then coloured in with Copics and highlighted with Kindy Glitz & Dimensional Magic, Extra bubble blended & handrwitten '21' added to the cardfront with 3D foam dots.  

 

Honey Bee 'Bitty Buzzwords' Sentiment 'happy' stamped directly onto front of card, 'birthday' die cut from black cardstock, mounted onto white shadow, then added to the cardfront with 3D foam dots.

 

Gems added for a final touch of bling!

 

Inside the card I made a pocket for some money - stamped with VersaMark.

 

Linking With the following challenges:

 

Happy Little Stampers - July - Anything Goes with Dies

My Time to Craft! #513 Shades of Blue (not sure this REALLY fits, but will include the link anyway)

Inkspirational #295 - Use Stencils

Color My Heart Color Dare #559 (used blue, orange, yellow, green)

UPDATED:  Emerald Winner in Color My Heart Color Dare #559

 

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.

Happy Birthday

A birthday card today, inspired by a sketch on Freshly Made Sketches and Colour selection from Just Add Ink

 

 

 

I used my own handmade circle stencil, made with Spellbinders Circle dies & acetate, to make the 'bubbles' using blending brushes on a white 210gsm cardfront.

 

'Happy Birthday' from MFT 'Adorable Elephants' stamped directly to the cardfront in Black, trimmed to suit with a blue border added to define the edge.  Cardfront was then added to 300gsm cardbase using 3D foam.  

 

Two cocktail glasses & umbrellas from Sugar Pea Stamps 'Cheers to You' were stamped, die-cut & coloured in with Copics then layered onto the cardfront with 3D foam ... and a finishing touch of Kindy Glitz/Stickles & bling.

 

I used Distress Inks - Twisted Citron, Tumbled Glass & Mustard Seed - they are the closest to the Just Add Ink colours I have.

 

 

I am quite pleased with this card - I hope you like it too!

 

**UPDATED**  Oooh - My card was chosen Princess of Clean by Judy for Freshly Made Sketches!

 

 

Linking With the following challenges:

Freshly Made Sketches #587

Just Add Ink #654

Happy Little Stampers - Anything Goes with Dies

 

ITEMS USED

Stamps/Dies:  MFT Adorable Elephants, Sugar Pea Stamps & Dies

Inks: Distress Inks

Tools:  Cuttlebug, Handmade Stencil, Blending brushes

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.

Happy Easter

I felt like doing some foiling and Copic colouring today.

 

 

I love this 'easter tree' digi stamp from LOTV - my Sister-in-law has an 'easter egg tree' ornament that she puts on display each year - so that is who I am going to give this card to.

 

I printed digi stamp and the sentiment 'Happy Easter' using a font called 'Tinker Toy' with the Laser Printer. The sentiment was foiled in Gold and the digi stamp was foiled in Green.

 

I then coloured the image with some lovely pastel shades using my Copic Markers.

 

 

The cardfront was trimmed down to fit on a DL sized cardbase, and a final touch of bling added.

 

I really like the simplicity of this one - nice and easy to put in the mail too!

 

I have been inspired by quite a few challenges for this card.  

 

The As You Like It challenge asks us to nominate what is our fave - People or Animals.  I think it has to be Animals .... hands down!  They are such fun to colour in!

Several other challenges have Easter as the theme and these have influenced my colour choices.

   

 

Linking With the following challenges:

Inspired by #231 - Eggs

Sweet Stampin - Easter

As You Like It - People or Animals

Double D Challenges - Easter

Just Add Ink - #646 - Photo inspiration

ITEMS USED

Stamps/Dies:  LOTV Digi Stamp 'easter tree'

Inks:  Copic Markers

Tools: Laser Printer, Mini Minc, fancy rotary blade/cutting matt

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.

Let's Celebrate

It is incredibly hot here in Adelaide this week - we have had several days of  between 35C-41C (95F-106F) so we have been inside, with doors and windows/blinds closed.  Mr Fixit has been on his computer researching a new bed for us and I have been in my craft room, having a play.

 

It was quite fun making a card with no specific person in mind .....  this card has been inspired by some of my favourite challenge blogs.

 

 

To make the background, I used a stencil I had made myself with Spellbinders Circles & Acetate, and used a blending brush & inks to make 'bubbles', randomly positioning the stencil.  Each bubble was highlighted with a white gel pen.  Background was then trimmed and placed onto Burgundy cardstock, which was then placed onto a white A6 cardbase.

Using StazOn Ganache (a nice dark brown/black ink, less harsh than black) I stamped the Champagne bottle & glasses on white cardstock and coloured with copics.  Bottle & glasses were die cut 3 times and layered together, then placed on cardfront and highlighted with Kindy Glitz/Stickles, Dimensional Magic & Dew Drops.

 

Sentiment 'Let's celebrate' stamp is from Ultimate Crafts (Magazine)

 

I am quite pleased with how this card came together, it was just so nice to sit and have a play.

 

Top 3 Winner AAA Birthday

 

 

--oo0oo--

 

Linking With the following challenges:

AAA Cards Challenge has asked us to use circles.

 

AAA Birthday Challenge is to use a stencil.

 Just us Girls Challenge has a mood board (I was inspired by some of the colours) 

 

As You Like It Challenge is your 'favourite stencil or freestyle background'   I have started making my own handmade backgrounds of late, and I must say I am enjoying it!

 

ITEMS USED

Stamps/Dies:  Champagne bottle & glasses, Spellbinders Circles, Sentiment

Inks:  Distress Inks, Copics, white gel pen, StazOn Ganache

Tools:  Cuttlebug

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.

Be Merry

It's beginning to feel like Christmas now - just the last lot of Christmas Cards to send out and some final food shopping on Wednesday, and I am done!  Looking forward to celebrating with family on Christmas Eve.

 

  

 

The Christmas Craft Creations current Challenge theme is 'Gnomes' which gave me the starting point for my card.  

 

 

The Perfectly CAS style (using 1/3rd or less) is a challenge for me and I hope I have pulled it off.  'Happy Holidays' is the theme for Cupcake Inspirations 

 

I stamped one of the Gnome images from Stampendous Holiday Gnomes and hand coloured with copics, then die cut twice and layered.  Gold cross grain ribbon was attached to card topper, image placed on top with foam dots and some blingy holographic snowflake stickers added. Card topper was then mounted onto dark blue cardstock.

 

 

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy, Safe & Prosperous New Year.

Cheers!

Linking With the following challenges:

Christmas Craft Creations - December: Gnomes

Perfectly CAS - #34 Christmas

Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #559 - Happy Holidays

Items Used

Cardstock:  white, blue

Inks: Copics, Versafine Claire

Stamps:  Stampendous Holiday Gnomes

Tools: Cuttlebug

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.

Merry Christmas

not long to go now ............. and it will be Christmas Day!

Today's card is a CAS card ... well, CAS for me LOL

Two Gingerbread Characters stamped with StazOn, coloured in with Copics and highlighted with Kindy Glitz & scattered stars.

I spied the Gingerbread people in the background of the Peace on Earth Christmas challenge and it fits in with the current AAA Cards Challenge :)

 

The 'Merry Christmas' sentiment is from an unknown Stampin Up set.  I bought a heap of loose SU stamps from Marketplace.  If anyone can let me know which set it belongs to, that would be great!

Linking With the following challenges:

AAA Cards - Game #229 - small & few & baked goods

Merry Little Christmas Challenge Blog #47 - Anything Goes

CAS on Friday - #245 - Greeting Card

Peace on Earth Christmas - Photo Board

Items Used

Cardstock:  200gsm white cardstock

Inks:  StazOn

Stamps:  Stampin Up 'Merry Christmas', Gingerbreads unknown brand

Tools:  Copics

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.