Christmas cards made quickly

 Hi there.  Thanks for stopping by.   Yesterday (Friday 28th) my friend Suna came over to have a play date with me!   She came after lunch but I started my crafting earlier in the morning after I'd done my housework.   I managed to make 7 cards!   

But today I have 4 quick Christmas cards - inspired by this video from Sophia Laframbois.  It uses two sheets of single sided patterned paper to get two cards, so I used four sheets of paper from Sugar & Spice Studio Nostalgic Christmas and made 4 cards.   I made these last weekend, but had a busy week and didn't get to share. 

I cut the PP into 4" x 51/4" and cut them diagonally both ways.   Then alternate the pieces.   I used some copy paper to add the pieces together then trimmed to 3 3/4" x 5" panels and matted with some red card.   All the sentiment are from a Kaisercraft set Christmas Quotes (had this for nearly 15 years)  Used circles from Gina K Master Layouts 3 and the rectangle is Spellbinders Hemstitch rectangles.  Matted them onto the red card.   Used some die cut Pinkfresh Studio Curvy Leaves and  Altenew Bitty Branches.  

I'll share all the other cards over the next few days.  Tomorrow is the end of November so have my DT card for Die Cut Divas.

Mixed media Christmas background - Inspired by Ardyth

We have had a very relaxing weekend at our friends in Mangawhai.   Went up on Friday evening and came back this afternoon.   Got home at 3.00pm so after unpacking I heading into my craft room.   I had watched Ardyth Percy-Robb video (see it here) yesterday where she made one large panel of watercoloured and mixed media background using some powders to make her watercolours.  I really love how she managed to get such a gorgeous background and made 16 cards!   I definitely didn't get that many made!   

I used a sheet of Bristol smooth 250gsm card.  I taped it to my glass matt and went to town!  Used  Nuvo Shimmer powders in Blue Blitz, Cherry Bomb and Atlantis Burst and Pixie Powder in Lava Red.  I did stripes of colour vertically along the long side - then white paint stenciling, gold paint stenciling, used the blue and red paints to stencil as well.  Water splatters, gold paint splatters, spritzed with white shimmer spray and Fossilized Amber Distress spritz.  I forgot to photograph the panel before I chopped it up.  

I made one panel into a card this afternoon. 

I trimmed the panel to 3.25" x 4.5" and ran it through an embossing folder - Holly and used Catherine Pooler Eucalyptus ink to highlight the raised areas.   I matted it onto some dark green card and added to a white base.   For my sentiment I used a new to me die set - cut the words with the dark green and shadow layer from vellum.  Made some dark green enamel dots by adding some clear packing tape over a scrap of the dark green card and used a dotty die to cut the dots, 

And here are the other panels still to use

 so will be making some more cards so I can get my Christmas cards in the post by the end of this month. 

Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Just Add Antlers!

 I'm still not well and after a very busy weekend, today I was shattered and still coughing so another day at home.  I did two half days - Monday and Wednesday and had Tuesday and Thursday sick.  Went to the doctors on Thursday - Chest infection and bronchial asthma - so antibiotics and taking time off.  

I rested up today and spent some time in my craft space this afternoon.  I had sorted some digital images over the weekend and two day I printed two old Bugaboo images to enter into the challenge at Christmas Kickstart Challenge.

 

First one used a favourite Christmas image - Puppy Reindeer.   I've used over the years since 2014.

Isn't it gorgeous!  The sentiment was part of the digital images.  I printed and used Spectrum Noir Tri-blends to colour.  Added little bits of Gelly Roll Sparkle clear pen to the bells and on his hat, the stars, the ground.  I masked off the edges and used a Blue Grey maker to add a faux matting layer.   Added some silver die cut sequins. 

My next card also uses a Bugaboo image from 2016.

A cute as reindeer.   Again used the Spectrum Noir Tri-blends to colour.  Added a Kaisercraft sentiment.  A little of the Gelly Roll Sparkle Clear pen on the starts and the Christmas baubles.  

I went to photograph the cards and for the live of me, I couldn't find the first card anywhere.   I honestly couldn't find it at all, then remembered I had cut and folded some card bases and put them in a folder.  Yep, sure enough there it was amongst the bases.    

Hopefully off to work tomorrow. 

Christmas Bells

 Hubby was washing the house this afternoon and I had to shut myself inside to avoid getting sprayed..   or at least that's what I told myself!   So headed to the craft room... I was inspired by a Facebook memory of a card I made way back in 2016 - using Sunny Studio Holiday Style stamp set and the gorgeous layer bell. 

Here's what I did today

For today's card I chose some blues to make my bell.   I used Altenew Evergreen ink for the branches and added some ink blending with the same ink and a detail blending brush to give the tree some depth. 

For the bell I used Eastern Sky, Ultramarine and Azurite Crisp Dye inks.  I stamped the sentiment from the stamp set in the Azurite ink and added some Midnight Sky Nuvo Crystal Drops. 

And while I had the stamp set out I CASE'd a card from Mendi (on the Sunny Studio blog)  I loved her idea of white embossing on pale blue card. 

I stamped and fussy cut the silver bells.  I used Altenew Silverstone, Industrial Diamond and Pure Graphite.   I really struggled to get the bells lined up so decided to work from the darkest - the front layer to the lightest - the base layer.   That seem to work better.   I added some sparkle pen to give them some shimmer.   I white embossed the branches from Sunny Studio - Christmas Trimming set along the top and bottom of the card.   I then used the sentiment from that set and stamped it in the middle of the card.  I added 3D tape to the back of the bells after drawing the strings in silver gel pen.   I tied red grosgrain ribbon and added to the top of each bell.   For my little embellishments, I die cut some stars from silver card using a little Mama Elephant die.  It has hearts, stars, and two different sequins.  

Slowly growing my stash of Christmas cards.  I've been enjoying going through my Flickr albums that I've created over the years and getting ideas to remake them.    

Let it Snow - Christmas Kickstart October challenge

 Just popping in to share my last minute card for Christmas Kickstart Challenge for October - Snow Alert.

I got my order from Scrapbook.com yesterday and included was a TCW (The Crafters Workshop) layering stencil - Toasty Snowman.  It was a freebie with my order. Once the housework was done, I found a few moments to give it a go.

Isn't he cute!  There are three layers and a fourth with 2 large sentiments.   I just did the three layers with a variety of Altenew inks.   I then coloured his hat with a black marker and added some glossy accents to his eyes and nose.   A little Waffle Flower sentiment finished this quick card.   

I also got a free snowflake stamp so can't wait to use that the snowflake dies I purchased.

Happy crafting everyone

Where's Santa????

 Hi there.  Today it's time for me to share my card for Die Cut Divas October Challenge - Anything Goes.

We have the wonderful Brass & Bliss (formerly Rubbernecker) as our sponsor.

 

They've donated a fabulous $50 gift card

for our random winner.

Please note that challenge winner must have an US address.

Where's Santa.... oh dear - he's got himself stuck in the chimney! I've used the very cute Brass & Bliss "Stuck Santa"   I had such fun making this one.  I cut the die from a real variety of card and with a bit of partial die cutting made my chimney a bit taller. My background was an experimental piece where I was trying to use Watercolour powders and bubbles.   Not too successful but the background colour was lovely.  I cut it Waffle Flower Deckled Frame Dies and used a sentiment from their Star Snowflake stamp set.   I added some texture with Kindyglitz - sparkle on the fur on Santa's suit and clear to give the impression of snow on the chimney.  

Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you in the October gallery!
As a reminder - be sure to use a die cut &/or an embossing folder.

One die - two different cards

I'm back... we had the most amazing 12 days with Emma, Andrew, Archer and Finlay... full of adventures. Went to Kings Park on King's Birthday Monday holiday and saw the wild flowers and watched the 21 gun salute... Boy was it loud!   Visited Caversham Wildlife Park, which was awesome- patted Kangaroos, saw Koala in trees, farm animals and lots of amazing birds and other wildlife.  Spent a day at the Royal Perth Show - animals, watched Polo Cross, and the kids had rides and played on the side shows.   Lots of playgrounds visited, watched Finn's swimming class.  Took an adventure into the city with Archie to see the Dinosaurs Alive exhibition and did a tour of the Perth Mint.  Visited two of the Giants in Mandurah for the day.  And took Archie to play Mini Golf, 10 pin bowling and spend some time in the Arcade!  All in all, a busy but fun time. 

So after 2 weeks no crafting... I managed to spend some time in the craft room this afternoon.   While I was away I purchased Crafting Inspiration #9 magazine.  It came with some Crafters Companion goodies - a stamp set, a die, an embossing folder and a stencil.   Today I CASED a card from the magazine - changing up the colours mostly...

I chose a grey-blue card for my base.  I die cut the little square die and trimmed it into three pieces.  I layered them onto a panel the same colour as the card base and added white strips down each side.  I die cut an oval for the focal point to sit on.   I stamped the vase and orange tree from the stamp set and coloured with markers and fussy cut it.   Added to the oval and finished with a little white embossed sentiment from the set.

I love the look of splitting the die into three and adding to the card so decided to try it for a Christmas card.

I die cut the square from gold card and trimmed it into three pieces and added to a red panel.  Added this to the white base and then added a focal image of a Poinsettia.  This is a Hero Arts stamp which I gold embossed onto white and dark green card.  I fussy cut the centre part of the white one and after fussy cutting the green one, layered it on top.  Cut some dots from the same gold card and added to the card. 

As first one was the first time using these dies and stamps, I am adding it to the October NBUS challenge. 

Santa in September.

 The challenge at Christmas Kickstart this month is Santa in September.  Such a fun challenge. 

I'm slowly coming right - still a bit tired and lacking in energy.   Finally spent some time yesterday afternoon in the craft room.   And pulled out a Santa die (Die Cutting Essentials magazine September 2021) and went through some of my large stash of Christmas papers and here's what I made.

I die cut the Santa and layered him up.   Cut the circle from the green card and layered it onto some gold card.  Did the same with the background.  The card base is a 5" square. The sentiment is from a Tim Holtz set - Snarky Cat Christmas.   

Christmas cards - building up the stash.

 The weekend before last on the Sunday I did manage to get a couple of cards made, but haven't had time to post them. 

First card - using a stenciled background. 

I used a stencil I purchased to use with my gel plate - from the local Art Store.  Used 3 tones of Catherine Pooler green inks to make an ombre background.  I then used a Poinsettia that was in my to-be-used pile.   I think it is a Hero Arts one. Added a little Waffle Flower sentiment - from Star Snowflake set.   A few gold dots to finish.

And my second card used the same stencil, but on my gel plate. 

I attempted to used some paints with the stencil set.   Didn't quite turn out quite how I wanted.  So trimmed a panel to added to the left hand side.  Took an oval die cut and matching scallop die.  I had used a embossed the oval with Dots and Circles folder.  The Nutcracker is fussy cut from a PP set.    Finished with a fussy cut banner - stamped onto red card with a red rubber stamp.   Added some glittery dark red dots.  

Well today was an interesting one....I was still feeling unwell so decided to stay home as I was coughing a lot and hadn't slept well on Sunday night.  I slept on and off all morning... feeling hot and cold.  Around lunch time, I got up to have a shower and boom, I collapsed in the shower - lost consciousness momentarily and scratched my leg.  I rang the ambulance - and got taken to the local hospital.   Turned out I tested positive for Influenza A... and collapsed due to dehydration.    7 hours later, made it back home.  And a week off work!   Thanks to our wonderful health system.  

 

Play date - crafting with a friend.

 I've had the most awesome day... My friend, Suna, came to visit today.   This year has been very busy for both of us, and we haven't meet up since Oct last year!!!!  So this Saturday was the day - we both were free and Suna drove the 25kms from her place to mine.   She arrived around 11.00am and left around 3.30ish.   Lots of chatting, crafting and had a lovely lunch - we were able to sit outside on the deck before the weather pack up and the rain started.  

The last picture is of Suna's drawing.  She had blended some blue ink onto her card and then hand drew the gorgeous flower.    Isn't she so talented.  

Suna got three backgrounds done -

Her hand-drawn flower, a new stencil I had gifted her and an older stencil of hers.  Just love what she did with the middle one... such interesting colours. 

I managed two cards.

This one used the Papertrey Ink stencil - In the Meadow - this time with more purple inks.  I cut the panel with a Pinkfresh Die- Folk Edge Rectangle.   Added a big two-tone purple die sentiment with a vellum shadow layer.   Added some iridescent dots for embellishment. 

My second card used a Waffle Flower die and stencil set I've had for about a month now, but hadn't opened.  

I made a little 4.25" square card for this one.   I die cut all the parts of the die and then used the stencil to add the colour.  I die cut all the extra flowers and berries and layered them over the first die cut.  Spritzed it liberally with some Frost Shimmer Spray. I took some Tim Holtz Distress Spritz Fossilised Amber and splattered it over the base before adding the die cut.   Sentiment is from Waffle Flower - Star Snowflake stamp set. 

As this was the first outing for this die and stencil set, I'm adding to the NBUS challenge for August. 

Really enjoyed crafting with someone who understands what card making is all about!  

Feel better soon and a Christmas card

 Been a very busy week at work and as we had been away last weekend... not much crafting done this week.   Today I'm sharing a scrappy Christmas card and a Feel better soon card I made. 

First up the feel better card....

Another card of encouragement for my SIL who has just had her second round of chemo.

I recently purchased a gorgeous layering stencil from Papertrey Ink- In The Meadow - which I paired with a Waffle Flower Postage collage die and masking stencil.  I used Altenew purples/pinks  and greens inks with some soft blue to make background.  I used a sentiment from my stash - from Altenew Build a Flower  Grand Carnation stamp and die set.  

And my Scrappy Christmas card 

The patterned paper stripe was left over from a previous card.  Matted it onto a white panel and added to my card base.  The bells (Couture Creations) were already stamped and in a baggie with other Christmas bits and pieces.  I just added some colour with my Tri-blends from Spectrum Noir.   The circle die was in the bits pile, already embossed with Altenew's Organic Linen 3D folder. The little banner was already cut from a freebie from Natasha Foote.  I'd printed a few and cut with my Scan'n'Cut.  All I did for this one, was to use my dotty die to cut some dark red glitter card to make the embellishments.   

Looking forward to tomorrow as my crafty friend, Suna, is coming for a play date!   We haven't got together for a long time.... and this year I'm away for the craft fair we usually go to.   We finally found a Saturday we were both free and she is coming over.   I've been saving up ideas to do while she is here!

Hope you all get some crafty time this weekend.  

Two more Christmas cards

I've got a couple of Christmas cards to share.   Didn't get a lot done over the weekend as we took a trip to visit hubby's sister in Tauranga.   A 3 and bit hours south of us.   Took her and her hubby out for lunch.   She has done her first round of chemo and other than losing her beautiful flowing locks... she said she is feeling good.  She starts round number 2 this coming Thursday.    Then it was back home.   A pretty full on day.  Sunday was spend doing ironing, shopping and finally a bit of crafting time. 

My first card used a negative scrap - when I die cut some white JOY sentiment for dimension for another card, I made sure they were all cut one below the other with the thought of using the negative space - and it turned out perfect. 

This is a 4.25" x 6.25" card.  I took a poinsettia patterned paper 6" square and put it behind the negative space and added the centre of the O back in place.  I used my computer to generate the sub-sentiment and used an Altenew die to cut it out. 

And my second card is for the Christmas Kickstart challenge - theme this month "Let's Wreath it Up"

I printed some tartan paper from a PNGwing image and trimmed it to a square.  Matted it onto some white card with some gold pen added around the edge.   Used a holly berry die to cut three times from dark green card and made the wreath.  I used a dotty die to cut a pile of red dots to add for the berries.  The sentiment banner is an old unnamed woodblock stamp.  I had purchased it about 8 years ago from a reject shop in Australia for just a few dollars.  I stamped and clear embossed it before fussy cutting it.   Added some 3D tape in the middle and glued the edges directly to the card.   

Slowly building up the Christmas cards.  

Card Maker Success Summit - Inspired by Nicki Baxley

 Well the best made plans of mice and men..... My idea to watch more sessions last night were scuttled by the internet doing down last night-  No wifi in the house and no service from the local cell tower... so I had to wait till today to re-watch Nicki Baxley's Easel card session and have a go.   It was a labour of love... made a few mistakes and had to redo my embossed panels a couple of times...but in the end made it!

Nicki's Easel card is a bit different from how I've done them before, but turned out awesome.  Looks like a normal card till it's opened.    I liked her use of green and red card I went with the same colour scheme.  I took an Altenew embossing folder - Beautiful Begonia for my background.   I added some Altenew Vineyard Berry and Berrylicious inks to the edges.  My floral focus is a Hero Arts Vintage Poinsettia stamp and it's matching die. I stamped it with Versafine Onyx Black ink and clear embossed.  I used an idea I saw on a video by Jo Simmons, made my own stencils for adding some ink blending.  Stamped it twice and cut out the whole image and then just the cut out the flower part.  Used that as a mask to ink up the leaves and then used the second negative piece to ink blend the flower before die cutting out the coloured image.  Added some gold pen around the edge and added some Zig Glue and added some gold foil in the centre of the poinsettia.  The stopper is made with a Joy die from Chloes Creative Cards - a freebie from a magazine. I added a little sub-sentiment  from a Kaisercraft stamp set. 

As I used a Woodblock stamp for this card, I'm entering it into the Woodblock Wednesday Challenge...

Will be working on more of the sessions over the next few weeks.  Slowly building up the Christmas cards.  

Christmas in July... Two cards with circles, dots and spots

 Do you know that there is a Christmas Card Makers Success Summit starting at the end of July - it's free but you can purchase the VIP pass and get to watch the tutorials straight away.   And that's what I did! 

I watched the tutorial from Ardyth Percy-Robb - which showed how to use a gel plate to get some gorgeous papers and how turn them into Christmas cards.  For my card I CASE'd Ardyth's example card, just using some different stencils and colours. 

I used a Hero Arts stencil called Crossing Waves.  I added some red paint to my gel plate and added the stencil.  I let the paint dry on the plate and then layered with some gold paint and added another paper. Once it dried I took my pull and this is what I got.   It took a few goes to get something I liked... but got there.  I used a circle die from Gina K Master Layouts 3 to make my ornament.  I used some of my roll off papers to cut the gold topper and the Merry Christmas die (both from a magazine freebie set)  For my background, I swinked some Catherine Pooler Juniper Mist onto some card.   I found a Memory Box stencil (Diamonds) that I used some texture paste to add in the corners.   I thought my background was dry but obviously not... it picked up the ink and coloured the paste.   Added some white dots of Posca paint and white gel pen and finished with some homemade star dots.  

I am adding this to latest Christmas Kickstart Challenge #100 - Merry Go Around.   Use spots, dots and circles-

And while I was in the mood for Christmas cards I made a second card for the challenge...

I used Altenew Wonderful Wreath stencil to make a half circle wreath - with two Altenew green inks - Sweet Leaf and Just Green.  I moved the stencil three times to get the three layers of leaves.  I stenciled the red berry circles, but after making a bit of a boo-boo so changed them to use circular red gems for the berries.  I used some off the left over red roll off from my previous card, covered with some clear packing tape to die cut the Hero Arts Peace stamp and cut set.  The sub-sentiment was stamped directly to the card.  Matted with some dark green card. 

Slowly building up the Christmas stash.  

Christmas in July - Fun Fold card.

 I saw a neat fun fold card over at Splitcoaststampers a couple of weeks ago and finally got around to trying it out.   It's called Puzzle Panel Gate Fold    and it's nice and easy to do.  

I decided to make a Christmas card using some pretty Kaisercraft patterned paper.   

Here is the card standing up.  I found the paper when I did my reorganising the craft room... and thought it was perfect for this fun fold.  The base was made with a very dark green cardstock.   I stamped the sentiment for the outside and inside with Altenew Mountain Pine ink.   Both are from a free stamp set from a magazine - a very old one.   

Here it is showing the inside sentiment.   

I'm sure I'll be using this fun fold again as it looks awesome.

Christmas Critters

 The June challenge at Christmas Kickstart is Christmas Critters.  I haven't made many Christmas cards so far this year.... and today I was home sick (again!!! - went to work yesterday only lasted 2 hours.  Coughing still 12 days from getting sick) so some time to play.  Went to the doctor today and have antibiotics for 7 days!  And off work for another day or two.    I was looking for a particular stamp and saw the Tim Holtz - Snarky Cats Christmas - perfect for the challenge.

I made a winter night scene... Made my own stencil/mask using a piece of card and a Spellbinders nesting circle die.  I masked off the bottom of the circle with a piece of post it note and added some yellow around the circle.  Then used the die cut circle as a mask and added dark grey and dark blue Altenew inks for the night sky.   I found a freebie magazine stamp (never been used) that had some snowflakes.   Stamped with Altenew Cloud White pigment ink and embossed with white powder.  Added some dots of white pen.  Added some grey and blue for the snow.  Stamped the sentiment and bird from the Tim Holtz set and then stamped the Snarky Cat onto some white scrap card and cut with the Scan'n'Cut to add to the card after adding some colour with alcohol markers.  

I also made another card today... using the new Waffle Flower Postage Collage Butterfly stencil.   But not sure if I'm sending this one to a friend for her birthday... so will wait till the decide before sharing.  

Thanks for stopping by. 

 

Winter Warmers at Christmas Kickstart Challenge

 I've been a bit slack on making my Christmas cards and joining Christmas Kickstart Challenge...  This afternoon (Saturday) Hubby went to watch some rugby so after I had done the housework - I hit the craft room to catch up on some DT work and then had a play.

Here's my take on Winter Warmers.

Last weekend while looking for some patterned paper to use on another card, I came across a pad from Milton & Co which had some printed panels.  I trimmed one and it was sitting on my desk with the idea to use it for this challenge.   I added a dark blue mat to it and then added some Kindyglitz to the hat and the edges of this little teddy's jacket.  Added some Glossy Accents to his nose and the bird's belly.  My background is some shimmery blue card and an embossing folder (reminded me of a winter sweater). The sentiment is from a Crafters Choice stamp set and was die cut with an Altenew die and then matted with the dark blue.  

After this one, I did some cutting with my Scan'n'Cut - stamped images cut for future use.  Had a few issues and messed up a few, but once I got it sorted got a few done.    Now to watch some more of the Stress Free Cardmaking Summit sessions.   

Positively Poinsettias

 Second post today - see my Sweet Stampin' Challenge post - HERE

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I've been having a ball the last few days, getting back into my craft room and having a good old play!

I have made around 6 cards in the last week... but today I'm sharing my entry into the Christmas Kickstart Challenge - Positively Poinsettias

I was looking through my stencils for another card and saw my Waffle Flower Layering Poinsettia Duo and decided it was time to make a start on my Christmas cards.  First for 2025! 

Using this stencil certainly makes a quick card. I started with white card and the first stencil - the leaves, dots, stars etc.  I used some Altenew Fresh Dye ink - Eucalyptus.  I added some Lunar Paste (Slippy when wet) with my finger over the stars.  Once it dried, I added the second stencil and Altenew's Burnt Red ink for the flowers. I used the scalloped die from Gina K Master Layout 4 and added to a white cards base.  I stamped a sentiment from Kaisercraft - Christmas Quotes stamp set and die cut with a circle die from Gina K Master Layout 4 and its matting layer in red card.   Added a few little die cut stars.