First Card of the Year

Well I've made my first card of 2015 although most of the components were scattered about on my working space because when I get any new crafty items such as dies, embossing folders and so on I just can't wait to try them out on odd scraps of card and often they lie around for a while before they actually get used, mainly because at the time I often don't have matching bits and pieces handy for making a card.  This quilled owl was put together a while ago when I was showing a friend the rudiments of quilling and the other die cut pieces were from my 'trying out' sessions so I searched for a piece of backing paper which I thought would work to use up some of the odd bits rather than tidy them away into various boxes which is what I started out doing this morning - I'm easily sidetracked!!
I thought these bright colours would be cheerful on this dull and grey day.

Yellow Layer - Sue Wilson New York collection die
Brown Layer - Spellbinder die
Branch - Sue Wilson die

Happy New Year

I would like to wish a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year to all my friends and followers.

I've actually made a card today and it should fit the challenge on Pixie Snippets which is running into two weeks this time around and with some lovely prizes too.  Backing paper is a large snippet from my box of papers and the the die cutting was done using scraps of various colours from by bits boxes. The trellis was cut from dark brown and layered onto some kraft card;  the bird house, bird feeder and birds cut were popped onto a cream pearly shape; finally a computer sentiment was added along with a few pearls.  It is quite good to get back to making something which isn't Christmas themed.

Trellis die - Couture Creations Tied Together
Bird House and Feeder - Signature dies from Joanna Sheen
Sentiment - Cuttlebug dies

Boxing Day

I opted for a 'stay at home' Christmas this year and the weather yesterday was bright with some sunshine which is more than can be said for today which is dark and somewhat damp here.  I spent part of yesterday and some of this morning making  this bag - I had already embroidered the Redwork panel so just had to cut out the fabrics, stitch them together and complete the 'big stitch' quilting so that I could assemble the bag this morning.  I've enjoyed doing this and now I have yet another useful bag to add to my collection - I might just have to do lots of shopping so that they all get good use!!  I particularly like these Redwork style designs and the embroidery is relatively simple and very relaxing to do and of course doesn't necessarily have to be stitched in red - in fact I have another panel under way at the moment which could well feature on yet another bag.

Christmas Wishes

I would like to wish all my followers and friends a very Happy Christmas and the best of wishes for the New Year.  I seem to have been missing again from blogland but my internet slowed down to almost a halt and I was unable to get on-line until it was sorted.

Background - created with a mask to emboss white card, brushed with blue Distress ink afterwards
Image - from Lili of the Valley
Greeting - strip embossing folder, also brushed with blue Distress ink

Unusual Request and Apologies

First of all I must apologise for my absence from Blogland for a little while - hopefully normal service should be resumed shortly and I will be back visiting and posting!!

Now I wouldn't immediately associate elephants with Christmas but yesterday evening I received a request for a Christmas card featuring them.  I turned to my CD collection to see what I could find and came across this pair on a Jane Netley Mayhew collection from Joanna Sheen - hopefully they will be acceptable.  I used various dies and some backing paper to make what I hope is my last Christmas card for this year (I did think I'd finished anyway) but luckily hadn't put away all the seasonal bits and pieces yet although that must be the next job in my craft room.  I wish I knew who keeps making it such an untidy space - not difficult to guess!!

Gold Frame - Couture Creations die
Square mounts - Tonic nesting scalloped squares
Poinsettia - Sue Wilson dies
Ivy - Sue Wilson die
Sentiment - Computer printed and onto Cuttlebug circles.

Stitchery

I came across a lovely book recently which has lots of small patchwork items which include embroidered panels and which would make really nice gifts or items to sell for charity.  This is a folder with pockets inside to hold maybe a notebook or other bits and pieces which you might want to keep safe - it is roughly A5 size.  I enjoyed making this and being small I was able to find bits and pieces of fabric without going out to buy any more.  I certainly have lots of fabric around so will probably make a few of the other things from the book.

Snippets Challenge

Seeing the latest Pixie Snippets Challenge tells me that yet another week has gone by - at speed too I might add!!  This time I'm putting in a selection of small (4" square) cards which I made to showcase just some of the techniques which can be achieved using embossing folders with other mediums such as gesso, Distress ink, gilding wax etc.  I aim to put these cards together as I thought they would make a useful gift because it is always handy to have a few notelets available.  I used lots of small pieces of cards and some even smaller snippets for the sentiments on their little labels.