Snowflakes and Sequins

As soon as I saw Hero Arts Paper Layering Snowflakes die set I knew I had to get it. I love the way the dies can be either used to do partial cuts on card so the layers can be popped up for some extra dimension or, by adding the frame dies, they can be used to cut out snowflakes. Today I used the die for partial cuts but at a later stage I'll be cutting the snowflakes out completely to make decorations for our Christmas tree and also for more cards, gift tags and gift wrap. Lol that's of course presuming I'll have a lot of crafting time between now and Christmas!

Anyway on to the card. I used the dies on a panel of white card and added it to the card base. Then I used glossy accents to adhere sequins to the centres of the snowflakes. I always love a little, or a lot, of sparkle on Christmas cards so added strips of gold glitter card to the sides of the panel.

Dies (Hero Arts) - Paper Layering Snowflakes & Fancy Cut Christmas

Since I was on a sparkly roll I also die cut the sentiment from glitter card, layered it twice, for strength and dimension, and added it to the card with foam pads.

These dark, wintery evenings give me a good excuse to start lighting candles again. So I decided to decorate a couple of chunky jars to hold nightlights. Soon these will go on our mantelpiece along with greenery and some Christmas decorations.

Die (Hero Arts) - Paper Layering Snowflakes

Again for the jars I used the dies to do partial cuts on a panel of card, popped up the snowflakes and added strips of gold glitter card and sequins.

I'm submitting the card into Hero Arts Holiday Card Making Challenge.

It's Purple Really

This week my friend Linda challenged me to make a card using the emboss resist technique. It's been a bit of a hectic week so I only got around to making my card today.

I just love this technique - nothing like doing a bit of embossing and then getting inky!

Unfortunately my camera seems to be having a problem distinguishing purple from blue today so even though my card is very purple having used shaded lilac and dusty concord distress inks, my card and tag look more blue in the photos.

I started by clear embossing snowflakes from a number of Hero Arts sets (will add names tomorrow) on white card. After applying the distress inks I sprinkled water on the panel using Tim Holtz's Splatter Brush which Linda recently gave me - thanks again, Linda:) Once the panel was panel was dry I adhered it to a card base, added the embossed sentiment and finished it off with some gems.

I repeated the process on a tag I had die cut.

Another two items ready to go into my stash for Christmas.

Snowflake Card and Bag

I love using kraft, white and red on Christmas projects and as I still had Hero Arts Hand Drawn Snowflakes and Fancy Cut Christmas out on my table, I thought I'd make another Christmas card and a matching gift bag.

To make the card I white embossed the snowflakes on a panel of kraft card and applied white ink around the edges. After die cutting the sentiment out of the panel I die cut the sentiment again from glitter card and inlaid it into the panel. For some extra sparkle I added a sprinkling of gems.

Hero Arts - Hand Drawn Snowflakes and Fancy Cut Christmas

Next it was on to my gift bag. After die cutting the bag, I embossed snowflakes on the back and front panel. Again I used the inlaid technique and added some gems and baker's twine once the bag was assembled.

Hero Arts - Hand Drawn Snowflakes and Fancy Cut Christmas
Lawn Fawn - Goodie Bag Die

I'm submitting the card into Hero Arts Holiday Card Making Challenge and the gift bag into Simon Says Stamp Wrap It Up Challenge.

Scrappy Snowflake Tags

The other day when I was making this card my first attempt at a watercolour background looked really hideous. When this happens I usually set the piece aside and see if I can come up with another use for it. Often the not so nice pieces are die cut into butterflies or flowers but in this case I die cut some snowflakes to make gift tags for Christmas. Sorry for the gloomy photos but it's a really dull day here today.

Dies - Simon Says Stamp (Eliza and Kate snowflake dies) & Spellbinders (Picot Edge Circles)

I used the inlaid die cutting technique, and between using the scrapped watercolour panel and scraps of white card left over from other projects, I was happy with the amount of scraps I used up.

To finish the tags I added some gems and baker's twine.

I'm not quite ready to wrap my Christmas pressies yet (in fact I haven't even bought one Christmas present yet!) but just wanted to see how the tags would work on a present simply wrapped with tissue paper and baker's twine.

I'm submitting these tags in Simon Says Stamp's Watercolour Challenge over on Flickr.

Shimmery Snowflake Bauble

When I came across the sumptuous Tuesday Trigger over at the Moxie Fab World I wanted to play straight away. So I took a little break from putting up the last of the Christmas decorations to make this card.



Stamp (Hero Arts) - Very Merry Christmas

To start with I embossed the sentiment in silver on a panel of cream linen texture card and added the stitching. Then I die cut the snowflake and covered it with lots of white glitter. To make the sparkly centre, I just die cut a circle of cream card and encrusted it with beads, gems and pearls.

I took inspiration from a number of elements in the photo above - the baubles, the colours, the snowflakes, the elegant shape of the tray and of course the sparkle and shine. Also I couldn't quite make out what the white background was, but I envisioned (lol rightly or wrongly!) the silver tray sitting on a crisp linen tablecloth.

I'm also submitting this card into the Oldie But A Goodie Challenge (Let it Snow) as everything I used on the card is over 6 months old, the Addicted to CAS Challenge #2 (Bauble) and the Red Carpet Studio Challenge (use either a snowman or snowflake).

I can't believe I've posted twice in the one day. That's double the amount of posts I had in the whole of November - it's great to be back!

Loved up Christmas

I can't believe I've actually made my hubby's Christmas card and it's only the 6th of October!

My friend Linda sent me a wonderful package of goodies including the Very Merry Christmas stamp set and embossed images of the Flower Dot Pattern - thanks again, Linda! I've been admiring the Flower Dot Pattern for a while and was delighted to get to play with it. I know the sentiment set is going to get a lot of use in the lead up to Christmas and also throughout the year by using only parts of the sentiments.


Stamps (Hero Arts) - Flower Dot Pattern and Very Merry Christmas

To start with I applied barn door distress ink to the embossed image and sprayed liberally with a water and perfect pearls mix. I love the wonderful shimmery effect of the perfect pearls but just not when I'm trying to take of photo of it! The snowflake is covered with white glitter and the chipboard heart is encrusted with red gems including a couple of heart shaped ones.



The sentiment is stamped with barn door distress ink. I'm submitting this card into the Lily Pad Cards Bling Challenge , the Textured to Perfection Challenge in the Moxie Fab World and the current Hero Arts Challenge.



Just showing the shimmer of perfect pearls in this photo.

My blogging is probably going to be a little bit patchy over the next little while (and it already has been for a while!), as at the moment I'm helping with organising a Christmas craft fair and trying to get some bits and pieces made for it - just need a few more hours in the day!

Christmas Shaker Gift Bag

Yesterday, after making my first Christmas card for this year, I was feeling a bit Christmassy and decided to make a Christmas gift bag for the current Hero Arts challenge and the All Wrapped Up Challenge at Moxie Fab World. I absolutely love this shaker card that Sally made recently so I decided to make gift bag with a shaker on it.


Stamps (Hero Arts) Holiday Dolls & Three Trees

I recycled a bag like this one for my base. To cover up the name of the shop on the front of the bag I stitched the embossed snowflakes panel to pink card. For the sky inside the shaker I embossed various snowflakes in white and applied broken china distress ink. The doll is coloured with Promarkers and I added diamond stickles to the bobble on her hat. I stamped the sentiment on the acetate cover and added some punched snowflakes and beads to the shaker. To finish I just added a clear button which I had covered with glitter and tulle for the handles.



If anyone has any tips on taking photos of acetate, I’d love to hear them – I was nearly driven demented trying to get a photo without reflections!