Anything Goes - Stamping and Ribbon

The theme on the Stamping Sensations blog this month is a simple one, probably because December is always a busy month - they are asking for some stamping and for ribbon to be involved in some way.  There are all sorts of possibilities but I've gone for a straightforward stamped floral image and a ribbon bow on this card.  Background paper came from a freebie pad (with a magazine) and I've teamed it with some matching card from my stash.  The flower was stamped onto a piece of card and then the head was stamped again before colouring with pencils and cutting out to add a dimensional layer.  An embossed border and computer sentiment complete this card.

Background paper - from free pad (magazine gift)
Border - Darice long embossing folder
Image - Blooming with Beauty set Stampin' Up
Sentiment Tag - Die from Sizzix, and SU punches

Christmas Greetings

I would like to take this opportunity of wishing a very Happy Christmas and a Wonderful New Year to my friends and followers - thanks for visiting and commenting during the year.

 This card was made using a tree stamp which I was tempted to buy after attending a demonstration and mini workshop recently and although it is sold as a Christmas stamp I'm sure these quirky trees could be used at other times of the year in various colours and with other techniques. The background was coloured randomly using inks dotted onto a glass mat, spritzed with water, then a piece of white card was swooshed (technical term) around before stamping the image.  The 'baubles' were coloured with matching ink and dotted with glue and Glamour Dust for some sparkle.

Stamp - Woodware

Blue Birthday

I've been using up some snippets again to make this card which is going in for the two week challenge on Pixie Snippets Playground - I hear there are some great prizes on offer which could help when making Christmas cards for next year.  I was lucky enough to win a large lace background stamp at a recent extravaganza day (Stampin' Up) and came across the piece of card on which I'd tried it out using a blue ink pad so I used a label die to cut out a shape from it, followed by a smaller shape from a snippet of white card - always plenty of those lying around!  The birthday sentiment was die cut from another white scrap and inked with matching colour.Searching through my collection of background papers I found a piece to use which toned nicely and finally finished the card off with a spray of daisies which were die cut from more snippets.

Greeting - Signature die from Joanna Sheen
Lace background - stamp from Stampin' Up
Floral spray - Sue Wilson die
Label shapes - Sizzix dies Stampin' Up.

Snippets Playground

I'm getting well away from Christmas with today's card for the Pixie Snippets challenge using an image from Lily of the Valley along with various snippets.  The background paper is from a pad of papers which - as usual - has lost its cover so not sure of the source.  The image was die cut along with the embossed panel behind it.  A border was punched from a green snippet and the flowers and leaves were stamped, die cut and/or punched out.  The playground is running two weeks into one this time around with some prizes on offer so there may well be another entry on another day.

Dies - Deco labels and Top Note from Stampin' Up (Sizzix)
Leaves - Stamp and matching die Sheena Douglass
Border - EK Success punch
Flowers - Stampin' Up punch
Sentiment - Computer generated on Cuttlebug die shapes

Snow People

As promised, here is a picture of the little snow family which I made.  They are quite quick to make and there is no sewing involved which is good at this busy time of the year.  All that is required is a white sock, rice, rubber bands and some buttons - check them out on You Tube where there are several tutorials if you fancy a snow family of your own.

More Accordions

I've actually made two more accordion cards but this time I printed of some images rather than cutting quite so many layers for each section - mind you the corners took some time to die cut singly and then glue in place!  The two are very similar so only showing one of them.  I've also been busy making some snow people so watch this space.  I'm busy on the sewing machine today making yet another bag as a little 'extra' Christmas gift.

Dies used - Crafter's Companion for card and a Sue Wilson corner die
Images - from Papermania Christmas CD from a few years ago

Snippets Playground 207

Yesterday I spotted Sue Wilson demonstrating with lots of her new dies and she also showed a background technique using waxed paper and an embossing folder with glossy card - something I've not actually tried before but after seeing her results I decided to have a go.  I was pleased with the results so thought I'd use one of the pieces with various die cut snippets for my Pixie Snippets card this week.  I didn't want to cover up too much of the coloured area so I just added a frame and a computer generated sentiment onto die cuts.  I was very lucky recently to win a set of Sue Wilson dies from her blog so I cut out a few flowers and layered them up to put into a corner.

Background - glossy card/waxed paper background using Sue Wilson Sea Garden embossing folder
Sentiment - computer generated
Dies - Oval from Austrian collection, Ornate Square Spellbinders
Lacy Pink layer - two corner dies by Sue Wilson glued behind oval
Flower - Sue Wilson Orange Blossom open flowers