Allsorts Challenge #805

 The current challenge at Allsorts is seasonal **Magic of the Season** with the usual option of anything goes - a lovely prize too.  For my bit of magic I turned to Lavinia stamps to build up a wintry scene and used a stag and some trees stamped using Versafine Clair Nocturne ink.  Winter branches were added to partially frame the scene, stamping with black and then with white which was embossed.  There are some subtle glittery highlights on the snowy ground but they don't show up well in the picture. 

Stamps - all from Lavinia
Inks - Versafine Clair Nocturne and Elements Violet Chalk

Quick and Easy

 It's good to make quick and easy cards now and then as a break from the more intricate ones and this one was made using a Stickeroo image, a random die cut which was on my desk and also some background paper and simple sentiment.

Image - from sheet of Penny Black Stickeroos
Die Cut - unbranded die
Background - from a Phill Martin paper pad
Sentiment - die cut using a Stampin' Up Stitched rectangle die

Inspired

 I was inspired to make today's card when I saw one posted by Di which she made to showcase the current Snippets Playground Challenge - you can see her card HERE. I used a similar method with the die cuts.  As soon as I saw her card I was immediately reminded that I had three smaller dies which I've had for some years but I must say that I'd never thought of using them for a Christmas card.  Thanks Di for the idea 😊.  

Forest Dies - sorry no idea of the source of these 
Sentiment and Snowflakes - from two long retired Stampin' Up sets
Background - printed on pearl paper using Artylicious Seasons Greetings CD (also from years back)

Allsorts Challenge #804

 The current challenge at Allsorts is **Cute and/or Cuddly**  with as always the option of *Anything Goes* - lovely prizes too.  I had a couple of die cut gifts left from my previous card so I set about cutting a few more and a Christmas tree - and cute/cuddly??   Well for this card I thought it was about time that our favourite Bunny came out to play so here he is making a special delivery of Christmas gifts.  Cream card used again rather than white and I've added a scattering of gold stars.  Cute or what 😊

Sentiment and Bunny - unbranded dies
Gifts - from Santa's Helper die set Sizzix
Tree and Stars - from another older Sizzix die set

Snippets Playground Challenge #492

 I'm off to visit the Playground to see if there's still anyone left in the conkers game and also to take along my homework for the current challenge.  This started out with an idea for a Christmas card but in the end I couldn't find a seasonal sentiment which looked 'right' so I ended up adding the 'Hugs' one which I felt was appropriate and fitted better.  You would have thought with the number of stamps I have there'd have been a fairly small simple Christmas one but sadly not.  Doing one on the computer was a thought but I have no cream card which will go through the printer 🙄.  Anyway, back to the card - I die cut a series of parcels using cream and gold pearl mirri and assembled them - also die cut the two teddies in cream (the larger one was layered for a bit of dimension).  I then did my usual thing of trying a few different arrangements until I was happy and then glued everything in place.  The final thing was to cut and glue the sentiment into the available space.  I suppose this card would be OK for Christmas but could probably suit almost any occasion involving piles of presents 😊.

Teddies - Dies from Gummiapan
Parcels - Dies from Sizzix Santa's Helper set
Squares - Noble Pierced Squares Creative Expressions

PS - now I've posted the pic I remembered I added an extra layer of gold to frame the design

Rudolph Days Challenge

 Well it soon came around to October Rudolph Days and Santa has arrived on his motor bike 😀.  I started by die cutting the pieces from card of various colours to build up the figure of the biker Santa with his sack of toys.  Good thing that I enjoy assembling these often fiddly die cut figures 🤣  Next I die cut a blue circle and a slightly larger white one to back it, placing them onto a piece of DSP left over from another project. Happy Rudolph Days everyone - the challenge runs from today to the end of the month so there's still time to join in.

Background - DSP from Stampin' Up (retired)
Circles - dies from a John Next Door Set
Santa - unbranded die from Amazon

Patterned Papers

 The theme for the latest Allsorts Challenge is **Patterned Papers** or of course the usual *Anything Goes* and there are some great prizes.  I have to say that I use far fewer patterned papers for my cards these days although that's not because I don't have any, despite having given away quite a lot in an effort to 'clear the decks' a little.  For this floral card I turned to a stamp set which had some double-sided matching design papers, selecting a floral paper for the background and then using the reverse of the design to cut a narrow strip to pop over the top.  The flower was stamped onto a piece of white card and cut out using a die from  the matching die set.  The sentiment was on my desk, left from a previous project but I believe it came from another floral set made by the same company.  The tiny butterflies were also on my desk in a little pot of 'useful bits'.

Stamps - Penned Petals from Stampin' Up with matching DSP and die set (retired)
Sentiment - from another SU stamp set