Christmas in July

You're right it does seem early to be thinking of Christmas but the team at Make My Monday are asking for a Christmas card for their challenge this week. I suppose if you have lots to make it does make sense to start in good time rather than be in a last minute panic.  I've used an image (layered onto Spellbinders circles) and backing paper from Docrafts, the sentiment was printed and cut out using a Stampin' up punch and the fir branch and poinsettieas were cut out using Marianne dies - a little gold glimmer was added to the flowers.There you have it, my first seasonal card this year and if you need the impetus to make a start on yours it is worth taking a look at the inspiration from their design team.

New Challenge

There is a new challenge starting at The House of Cards and you can read all about it if you follow the link.  There will be opportunities to try out various techniques as we go along which should be great fun I'm sure.  This week they are asking for a cute and fun entry to include certain colours and I've used a cute pirate image from Polkadoodles which would make a great card for a boy - I've followed the colours as closely as I could without going out to buy any more coloured card. Backing paper is from my stash (Papermania) and the dark panel was embossed using a mask and then rubbed with metallic gilding wax.  Some lines were doodled around the edges for interest and a couple of buttons added in the corners. Take a look at what their design team have come up with and maybe have a go yourselves.

Wedding Owls

I have a wedding card to share with you today using a couple of cute owls from Polkadoodles - I arranged the two images so that they look as if they are holding hands - ahh!!  Backing paper is from a pad of wedding papers I've had for ages, the heart behind the computer greeting is a Marianne die and a Cuttlebug hearts embossing folder was used on some Centura Pearl card. 

It's been a lovely sunny day today and I should have been mowing lawns but decided it was maybe a bit to warm outside - perhaps this evening if it cools down... but then perhaps not!!

Keyring

I have a bit more beadwork to share with you today in the form of a little owl keyring made from a pattern designed by Heather Kingsley-Heath and bought at a recent Bead Fair.  It is made with size 11 seed beads using needle and thread and the most difficult part was actually assembling the various components once they were beaded and then getting him to stand on his leafy branch.

More Scraps Used

I've managed to use up a few more  bits and pieces which I couldn't bear to throw away and produced another card for my box.  The flower is just part of a larger image from Chocolate Baroque and was one which didn't stamp perfectly - the fault was mine and nothing to do with the quality of the stamp I hasten to add!!  It was coloured with Copic pens and I cut out a circular piece with just the flower head which fitted perfectly into the doily die cut.  The white embossed piece was part of a larger panel using a Couture Creations embossing folder and the fancy die cut at the back was one I cut out to try out a Sizzix die.  Luckily I had this piece of backing paper which matched well with the 'oddments' so with a little bit of matching ribbon that's another card to share with you.

Summery Scene

The challenge at Make My Monday this week is to make a summer scene so I decided to have a go using Craft Artist - the card is made up in the usual way once the image was composed and printed.  Background paper is printed from a CD but I can't remember which one now because it was in my bits box!  Computer sentiment was punched out with Stampin'Up punches so a fairly simple card once the scene was set.

Love Birds

When I received a package containing a couple of dies recently I was lucky enough to also have included a few actual die cuts as a 'thank you' for my order which I thought was a really nice touch.  The love birds here was the 'freebie'  so I don't know the source of the actual die but it has been put onto a Spellbinder circle with some leafty embossing, and another decorative shape from Die'sire (Crafter's Companion).  The lacy border at the bottom is a Cheery Lyn Design die. Backing paper was from my bits box so that's another piece used up.