Birds

I do like to have a few cards ready which aren't for any specific occasion and this is one which I made yesterday using dies which I have to admit hadn't  been out of their packet since I received them -  although I must say in my defence that wasn't too long ago! 

A piece of purple card was cut to size before embossing and the elaborate birds and flowers were cut from some white pearl card.  There are actually two dies which make up the circle and there is no outer cutting edge as such so once cut I then used a circular die slightly larger to form a frame.  There is also a small bird die in the set which I used as well and another die (not in this set) was used to cut the wording.  The circle was backed with some patterned paper cut out with the plain circle die and a border punch used with scraps of that paper to get some tiny flowers which I glued in the centres of the die cut flowers to add some interest.  The flowers are actually the 'waste' if the border die is used as intended and I usually rescue them whenever I punch a border but there were none of the right colour in my little 'pot of waste' which lives on my desk.

Circle Die - Noble pierced circles from Sue Wilson
Birds and Flowers - die from Crafter's Companion
Tiny mauve flowers - 'waste' from Docraft border punch
Sentiment - die from Crafter's Companion
Embossing - folder by Sue Wilson, pin point floral I think it is called

New Year

Here's wishing everyone a happy, healthy New Year.

I don't really make resolutions but I aim to try and keep up to date with my blog and also visiting and commenting as much as possible on the ones I follow although unfortunately other things do sometimes have to take preference as we all know.  Anyway I've started making to top up my box  of cards which I sell for charity and some categories need a few extras to give people some choice.  I dug out a couple of die sets and cut the couple and heart using pearl card before finding some suitable background paper.  The next move was to go through my scrap boxes for some toning purple card to finish off the shapes and to die cut the wording.  A length of purple ribbon and a couple of matching gems complete this anniversary card. 

Dies - from two sets of dies by Tonic
Words - dies from Crafter's Companion

Birthday Card

The Christmas crafty stuff is mostly packed away now until next year and this time it is more organized than in the past in that it has been kept together.  This is something I mean to do every year and this year I actually achieved it, putting seasonal dies in one box and stamps in another (both boxes fairly large I have to confess) and this saves so much time looking through everything to find something specific.  I still have some paper and card to sort out but that ought not to take too long. 

Anyway I've now got myself back into making some cards for general occasions and here is a birthday card starting with a piece of watercolour card which was stamped using three shades of Distress Oxide ink and a dictionary page stamp.  The next move was to add some shabby borders, marching up the colours.  Another piece of the card was sponged with the same three colours and used to die cut a flower and also one layer of the sentiment plaque.  Found three matching gems and that's it - back into the card making swing again.

Dictionary Page - stamp from Stampin' Up
Edges - Inkspirational Borders stamp set Phill Martin
Flower - from Tim Holtz wildflower set
Sentiment Plaque - Sue Wilson Rhodes from Greek Island Collection
Distress Oxide - Fossilised Amber, Spiced Marmalade and Aged Mahogany

Greetings

I'd like to wish all my followers and anyone else who spots this post a very Happy Christmas and very good wishes for the New Year.  Thanks you for all your visits and comments, all much appreciated and hopefully I can keep up to date with visiting and commenting in the months to come.

As this card is made entirely from snippets I'm going along to the Playground with it for the latest challenge and this is the bumper Christmas one with several opportunities to enter into the draw for a selection of seasonal prizes.  The lovely and generous Di has written a clear description of how to set about taking part in this event and if you are lucky enough to be chosen by 'Mr Random' you should have something to start you off on making cards for next Christmas.  Well worth popping along to see what is on offer starting with a very pretty card showcasing prize A.

As I said this card is made of snippets of mostly white card apart from the trees and the little deer.  I started with a snippet of white card which I coloured using two shades of blue Distress Oxide; next step was to find a larger snippet of white pearl card from which I cut an oval aperture before embossing with a snowy embossing folder.  The snow slopes were cut from more snippets of white pearl and the deer from a small piece of kraft card.  Most of the trees and the white snowflakes were left from other cards and I managed to use them up here; found a narrow strip of matching green to die cut the words.  I thought it just needed something else and the snippet of baker's twine just did the trick - everything was then assembled and glued together before putting it onto a white 6 x 6 card.

Comments

I wonder if anyone else is having problems posting comments - sometimes they work quickly as usual and at other times they just will not send for some reason so apologies if I appear to be ignoring some of you.

Freebies

Many of my Christmas cards this year have been made using various freebies (stamps and or dies) either from this year or previous years and which have been used often in combination with each other or with purchased items.  This is one such card made using a set of dies and stamps designed by Phill Martin which is from this year's selection along with some bows from a set from last year and an embossing folder which I purchased.

The baubles were stamped onto some red card using Versamark ink pad and embossed with fine detail white powder.  The sentiment was done in the same way and then the dies were used to cut out the two baubles and the red oval.  The baubles were then popped onto a background of pearl card embossed to give a nice texture.  Finally two gold bows were die cut and some red gems used to 'suspend' the baubles.

Baubles - freebie die and stamp set by Phill Martin given with magazine this year
Bows - die from s set given away last year with a magazine
Embossing Folder - from Craft Stash

Seasonal

I made a start on tidying away my seasonal bits and pieces but as usual got sidetracked into making 'just one more' - at least I already have a few cards in hand for next Christmas now which can't be bad.  I started by stamping a group of snowy trees onto some white card using green ink before placing the die onto a suitable part of the design to cut the top layer of the tree.  I then cut the bottom layer using card in the same colour as the ink used for stamping.  Some glue was applied to the snowy parts of the image and covered with Glamour Dust but this doesn't show up well here.  I then found some background card, baker's twine and a scrap of plaid paper to finish off the card. Some tiny foam pads were placed behind the 'lift up' parts of the top tree and a silver star placed on the top.

It is a thoroughly miserable and very wet day here today so spending time in the craft room seemed the way to go.  Now it is back to the tidying and trying not to become sidetracked yet again - no promises though.

Background - wood effect card/paper from The Works, tartan from my scraps box
Oval - Tonic die
Tree - Stampin' Up die
Sentiment - from Woodware stamp set
Star - SU punch