Friday, 29 November 2024

Deck The Halls With Nutcrackers

Hello.
I have a trio of nutcrackers for you today,
as I'm following the Freshly Made Sketches Challenge.


I've gone for a soft pink, and blue combo for these guys, with a snowy backdrop.

Just looking at the price of stamps today. Eek! It's £2.60 for a first class, large letter.
I think next year I will be ditching the foam tape, and making everything flatter.


Challenge



  • concord & 9th - nutcracker dies
  • distress ink - tumbled glass / salty ocean
  • pretty pink posh - snowfall stencil
  • white gel pen / copic markers

Sunday, 24 November 2024

Fa La La

Hello.
I am doing the happy crafter's dance today 💃
I have finally cracked SNOW    :o)

I am totally useless at splatter. I have watched endless videos of people doing it, but I just can't get the hang of it myself. But now I have the perfect work around.
When my card was finished, I placed a 'snowfall' stencil over the top, and used a white gel pen through the holes.  Perfect, random snow! 
Don't tell me you've all been doing this for ages :o)


Challenge

Double D Challenges 

I took inspiration from the pale blue colour palette, the snow, and the knitted gloves
(using an embossing folder to give that knit pattern on the bear's jumper)

Playing just for fun, as an international entry 💙


  • spellbinders - festive friends
  • rangers distress ink - tumbled glass
  • pretty pink posh - snowfall stencil
  • stickles glitter
  • sentiment stamp - catslife press
  • copics / white gel pen / hobbycraft embossing folder knit pattern

 

Thursday, 21 November 2024

Festive Friends

Hello.
I'm going for cuteness overload today, with this adorable bear and penguin combo.


This was my first time using this set, and I thought it would be a faff to put together, but it turned out to be super easy. The die cuts have little indents to show you just where the noses, cheeks etc need to be placed.
I even did a little dance round my craft room, when I remembered I had that little, embossing folder from Hobbycraft, that created the cute, knit pattern on the jumper. 


Challenge


#59 Anything Christmas Goes

  • spellbinders dies - festive friends
  • my favorite things - snowglobe sentiments
  • copic markers


Sunday, 17 November 2024

Deck The Halls

Hello.
It's almost time to deck those halls, and I'm excited.
Last year was a bit chaotic, as we hadn't long moved into this house.
This time, I will be more organised - hopefully :o)

I stuck with traditional Christmas colours for my card 
  (my last foray into non-traditional colours was a disaster)

This die set is also designed to produce an interactive card, but after several attempts I had to give up.
I couldn't make the arm sit flat enough to look right.
(If anyone has this set and any tips, let me know)


Challenge

AAA Colourful 




  • concord & 9th - tree topper dies and sentiments stamp

Friday, 15 November 2024

Holiday Happiness

Hello.
Today I'm playing with these little, holiday, die cuts again.
They are so much fun, and there are so many different ways to use them.


I went for a pale green background, but it didn't really work, so I added that dark shade, to make it pop. (you can just see a small strip of the pale green that I left showing at the top)

I also added a little bit of glitter paper here and there, for that touch of Christmas Bling.


Challenge


  • concord & 9th - handmade holiday dies
  • my favorite things - snowglobe sentiments
  • copic markers

Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Is It Too Early, To Put Up The Tree?

Hello.
When do you put your Christmas tree up?
I am itching to get all my decs out of the loft, but the family keep screaming that it's 'too early'.  
For now I'll make do with these cute, critters decorating their tree  :o)


Isn't this just the cutest set. All the elements come together to make a lovely, little scene.

The background is coloured card and white stencil paste, used with an 'all the stars' stencil.


Challenge

I was so lucky to be chosen as last month's winner -
 thank you so much to Tara and the team, for the voucher to spend in store.

Seven Hills Crafts 

I opted for the third row - animals and trees, stencilled background, die cut sentiment, and metallics


  • mama elephant - decorate the tree stamps and dies, coloured with copics
  • my favorite things - merry christmas die
  • lawn fawn - stitched hillsdie border die / white stencil paste
  • spellbinders - all the stars stencil


Friday, 8 November 2024

All Aboard The Christmas Care-a-van

Hello.
I missed the Freshly Made Sketches deadline last week, duh! -
so here I am, getting my entry in with plenty of time left on the clock.  :o)



I wanted to play with this cute 'care-a-van' set, but wasn't sure how it would work. So I cut the white card base pieces, and then just played around with the die-cuts until it started to come together.


This has always been a tricky stamp for me to line up, but I'm starting to be ok with the fact that it's not spot on. It's handmade, right? It doesn't have to be perfect.

Challenge

Freshly Made Sketches

I just rotated the sketch 90 degrees


  • the greetery - christmas care-a-van
  • my favorite things - snowglobe sentiments
  • pinkfresh studio ink - warm buff
  • altenew ink - crimson / fresh leaf

Wednesday, 6 November 2024

Merry Nutcracker

Hello.
I've had another attempt at a nutcracker card today.
I am NOT the most delicate person, so holding these tiny die-cuts with tweezers,
adding the glue, and then sticking them down in the perfect spot, does not come easy to me.
I need more practice.


There's also a rare outing for an embossing folder  -
with that 'diamond star' background giving a lovely 3D element.



Challenge

Inkspirational

This nutcracker has a full base piece, and then the individual elements are layered on top.
I've also layered the foliage and holly, and the message on the banner.


  • conocord and 9th - nutcracker
  • altenew - diamond stars 3d embossing folder


Saturday, 2 November 2024

May Your Days Be Furry And Bright

Hello.
I'm playing along with the As You Like It Challenge today,
where they would like to see your favourite critter.

My favourite has to be a dog. We are a family of dog owners.
My partner in crime is Buster, (a border terrier) and we have Ollie (a puggle) and Indie (a staffy)
So I am very partial to a dog stamp.


Here, I've combined an older dog set, with that new 'hand'/arm  die.
I've added some glitter paper to the sleeve and star, and some glamour dust on the dog's hat,  for some extra Christmas bling.


Challenge


Favourite Critter and Why

Dog
because I can't resist this face :o)

  • my favorite things - happy pawlidays / snowglobe sentiments
  • concord & 9th - hand/sleeve/cuff/star - handmade holidays
  • concord & 9th - baubles/star - tree topper 
  • copics
  • glamour dust